On Rough Waters
Sixteenth Day of Olweje-eza (Olweje Ascendant), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)
Speaking to the children is not like speaking to Inge you soon find and not just because of their tender years. For all you had found Inge in dreadful peril she has always been her own keeper, be it in eating, sleeping, batching and offering a helping hand around the ship. You almost had not noticed she needed new clothes because she was so fastidious in keeping the clothes she did have clean and mended. The changeling children are... not that. Scarce a day passed by without some trouble. Be it that Leni had dumped a bowl of food on Zuan's head or that Ooloa was
refusing to eat dinner because she thought three full meals every day was a 'sin' and greedy. Then there was the time Iles accidentally set her bed on fire playing with some of Zaia's 'lenses' which her minder hand given her, seeing only baubles of glass.
Worst of all are the children who rather than making trouble hardly seem to talk to others at all, especially Kasibo who does everything he is told in a sort of scurrying silence that has Zaia shaking his head quietly. "That boy needs a home that is less out of a tale and more good solid hearth he can warm himself at."
When you find him the child is sitting on the ground next to Silver, having apparently been introduced to your friend by Swift Pebble in an effort to get him to open up a bit more. As far as it has gone it seems to have worked at least a little... but as soon as you walk close he ducks his head and hunches his shoulders, looking at the ground and waiting for... whatever fate you are about to deal him.
"Is everything alright?" you try. "Making new friends?"
A small nod that looks almost like a puppet on poorly tied strings
Why is this harder than going into battle, you wonder even as the boy shivers under your gaze, his face or what you can see of it at least, flowing and changing, into what, into who, you are not sure.
"You are alright, it's going to be alright," you crouch down as to be closer to him. "No one will hurt you here I promises."
The boy does not look convinced, but at least he does look at you and even manages a 'thank you' when you offer to move his bed down here with Silver instead of with the other children crammed so close to the noise and bustle on deck.
You end up spending much of the next two days explaining to the otter-kin, youngsters by the measure of their own kin, what is and isn't healthy for human children and when they should ask for help. Alas those who know the most about how to deal with children are those among your men who had nephews and nieces, cousins or siblings even children of their own left behind in another world. Would be be wise ro involve them, or would be be cruel?
Antonio brings up that you could ask the new recruits to help, they are of the same people as the children and all of them are seasoned, likely to have some experience with the children of kin. On the other side of the scales you do not know how much they might hold to the superstitions and suspicions that have already done so much harm, none of them claim to have any ill will towards those of the Formless' blood, but if you ask warriors new recruited to play nursemaid even some of the time they might find that ill will.
What do you do?
[] Involve those of your soldiers who have experience with children
[] Involve the new Anwa recruits
OOC: Rolls for children integration were not great, it does not help that this place is so odd and chaotic or that they were ripped from their lives, unpleasant as those might have been. You need to get these kids a more stable home. 
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