A pie crust and rhubarb colored sugarwing was racing around enjoying her sugar rush from a piece of rhubarb pie she'd eaten. MMMM boy did she love her rhubarb pie. She had bright red piercing eyes and rhubarb colored fluff on her paws and the tip of her tail and ears. She giggled as she zipped around with not a care in the world, feeling the breeze flow through her fluffed mane on her chest. She was so carefree and happy she didn't notice the tree until she crashed into it. It was almost like a cartoon when they run into a wall she folded up like an accordian her fur standing on end and she slid down the tree to the ground her legs sprawled. 'What a rude way to come down from an amazing sugar high.' She thought inwardly as she gave a groan.

Klaus is about to answer Althea's question when they are interrupted by a thud. A bit of snow falls onto the blue Sugarwing's head and they snarl in surprise, looking back at the cause of the snowfall.

"Of course..." They sigh and twitch their tail, not surprised to see one of the local pastry whisks (a juvenile Sugarwing) sprawled out near the base of the birch tree. "Did you steel from the bakers or did your human let you out to run off some energy?"

They don't mean to snap but they aren't exactly too happy to have their peaceful little hide away interrupted. It may be time to get a small den of their own at home.

Althaea springs up and onto her feet. Looking just in time to see the whisk crumple on the ground.

On her way to make sure the poor thing is okay Althaea turns to Klaus. "You could at least make sure they're okay before hurling accusations at them," she chided.

Continuing on to the lump of sugarwing and nudging them with her snout. Worried she asked, "are you alright?"

Klaus flicks their tail and turns away, looking down at their front paws. Their feathers ruffle up and they sigh before finding the right words.

"Sorry. I'm not great with young Sugarwings in general." They explain. "I don't know. I try to be but... It's stupid. I'm sorry okay?"

They don't want to bring up their past. Not now. But there are things that have made them this way. Things that were out of their control.

After checking on the whisk, who seems to be snoozing quite comfortably, Althaea looks over at Klaus. She can't help but think they look dejected.

"I'm sorry too. I forget not everyone is used to dealing with young. At least this one appears to be okay." Feelings of guilt washed over her persuading the words from her mouth. "I wasn't lying before when I told you I came out here to see what was causing the movement in the trees, but I didn't tell you why I was outside in the first place. In my den there are young. I had to get some air, because they all always seem to be ever present. Taking care of grains and whisks can become tiresome. If I'm honest I wouldn't have even known where to begin if it were not for a once wild sugarwing. Try not to be so hard on yourself, the more you're around them the easier it becomes." Even though guilt may have guided the words that spilled out it did not mean she meant them any less.

Klaus listens to Althea's words with a curious look in their eyes. Could they really get used to grains and whisks? They've been nervous about staying home all the time lately what with a couple of the female Sugarwing residents talking about eventually wanting to have families of their own. They've been scared that they might end up snapping at the grains and scaring them but now with the strawberry shortcake sugarwing's words in mind...

"Do you really think I could get used to being around younger sugarwings?" They ask her. "I've been scared of staying in the human den lately because of talk about grains but... could I really learn to be a ... I don't know... a nanny of sorts?"

After a few moments of being knocked out of her sugar high she blinked open her eyes. She heard talking close by and her eyes whipped open. She looked around a moment with hurred jerks of her head. She stopped and placed a paw on her head. "Ow.." She grumbled and looked around more slowly. Spotting the other two sugarwings she got to her feet and padded over to them. "Hello! Sorry if I disturbed you in any way when I crashed into the tree. My name is Ruby!"

Klaus' words conjure memories of when Althaea was just a whisk. A time when the auburn haired human came for a visit. With each visit it would encite an uproar. Everyone knew somewhere on her there would be sugary treats to be found. However, during that particular visit there were no treats. She acted strangely not stopping to give her usual pets, and she carried something in a blanket. Even with Althaea's slightly impaired sense of smell she could tell there was a new odor. It was unlike the usual faint smell of nighttart she always wore. It wasn't until they were in the presence of their human, a grey haired elderly woman, that they all realized what was in her arms. A tiny dark purple and blue grain accented with yellow-gold emerged from the bundle. Little did Althaea know that this would be the first grain she would be charged with caring for.

As Althaea opened her mouth to finally answer the other sugarwing she was cut short by the whisk.

"Ah, you're awake! How do you feel?" She asked the concern shown all over her face.

Klaus steps back a bit, still wary of the younger Sugarwing. Their heart is starting to race and they can't keep their feathers from becoming ruffled, nor keep their pupils from dilating and showing their anxiety. They were rejected by their mother at a young age and grew up knowing only humans and full grown Sugarwings. They have no idea how to treat Ruby. Clearly they should just leave this to Althea. She seems to have it handled pretty well.

Althaea turns her head to check on Klaus only to see he's backed away.

With a reassuring look on her face, "it will be a little difficult to introduce yourself from all the way over there. To answer your earlier question, there is no doubt in my mind that you can. And there's no time like the present! Or so my human says...besides I'm sure neither of us will bite." Encouraged Althaea with a chuckle at her own joke.