Wild Minds || Animal Kingdom

13

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Ashton watched as Baz paced by the pool, his phone to his ear as he constantly waved his hand around. Cath had gone missing, disappeared into what seemed like thin air, three days ago. She'd left Lena at home asleep and left, Baz hadn't slept since; nor had anyone else in the house with Lena's constant nightmares. The Wright girl sipped at her juice, letting out a sigh as she stood.

'Alright, I'm gonna check on Lena,' She informed Smurf.

The woman slowly looked toward her, nodding after a second. She kissed the her cheek as she passed her, pulling open the fridge to grab out last night's leftovers. She shot J a look as she passed him walking toward her room, where she quickly changed and ducked into Smurf's room with her drawing pad and a teddy. She knelt down beside Lena as she slept, leaning forward to kiss her forehead before she placed the teddy under her arm with a note attached to it. It had been her bear she'd had as a child, she swore it kept the nightmares away.

Ashton stood and headed out of the house, wrapping her arms around Baz quickly as he walked toward her. She held him tight, listening to the long sigh he let out as he held her. She didn't say anything as she stepped back, propping herself up onto her toes to kiss his cheek, before she held his gaze for a second. He nodded in reply, kissing her forehead before he continued to the house.

She sighed, sitting down in the pool chain with her feet flat upon it; allowing her thighs to become an easel. She quickly began to draw, listening to the sounds around her; from the muffled yelling inside to the pool filter kicking in. She drew whatever came into mind, which just so happened to be a mermaid tail. The lines were thin and simple, the image elegantly coming together as the minutes passed.

She jumped when someone jumped on the end of her seat, her body bouncing slightly. Her eyes snapped up to find Lena sitting on her knees before her, grinning toward her. Ashton placed her drawing pad to the side and lowered her legs, lifting the girl over to sit in her lap before she picking them up again. She curled her head around to peek at her face as she leant back on her chest, the little girl running her fingers over the picture.

'Is this a mermaid, Aunty Ash?' She asked as she placed her scrapbook and pencil case in her lap.

'Yeh, you like it?' The Wright girl replied.

'Yeh. It's pretty.'

'Thank you. What're you gonna draw?'

'A puppy.'

'A puppy? Wow. What colour?'

'Brown... And white.'

She smiled, 'Alright. How about you sit across from me so I can draw too?'

'Ok... What're you gonna draw, Aunty Ash?'

'A mermaid.'

'Another one?'