Oscar only gave her a soft 'of course' in response as he went back to care for his children, and didn't bother her any more than necessary. He was the eldest of the pack, Maxim's senior by several years but content with not being their leader. He took to a caretaking role much easier, and if asked any member of the pack would say that he treated just about everyone sort of like they were his own children, even strangers. In a different way than Simon, he was good at putting others at ease.
"No need to wait," Maxim said when he'd taken his seat again and Madeline hadn't started eating, but wouldn't press if she had been taught to wait for everyone. "Don't eat anything you don't want to, and feel free to get seconds, if you'd like." There was always a large amount of food made when they were all eating together, out of necessity, so there was still more on the stove if she wanted anything.
Simon only nodded when she turned down a different drink, and decided after they'd all settled to try and draw attention away from her so she wouldn't feel so shy. "How did work go today, Rina?"
"I cleaned elephant shit." She said, and gave Madeline a little eyebrow wiggle. "Glamorous, I know."
"That's not what I meant!" Simon insisted with a laugh. "I thought you were helping with the new enclosure today. Marina works at the zoo."
"Oh, that. No, that's next week, but the elephants-"
Maxim sighed loudly to interrupt her, long suffering but with a mildly annoyed roll of his eyes. "Can we eat one meal without talking about feces?"
"No need to wait," Maxim said when he'd taken his seat again and Madeline hadn't started eating, but wouldn't press if she had been taught to wait for everyone. "Don't eat anything you don't want to, and feel free to get seconds, if you'd like." There was always a large amount of food made when they were all eating together, out of necessity, so there was still more on the stove if she wanted anything.
Simon only nodded when she turned down a different drink, and decided after they'd all settled to try and draw attention away from her so she wouldn't feel so shy. "How did work go today, Rina?"
"I cleaned elephant shit." She said, and gave Madeline a little eyebrow wiggle. "Glamorous, I know."
"That's not what I meant!" Simon insisted with a laugh. "I thought you were helping with the new enclosure today. Marina works at the zoo."
"Oh, that. No, that's next week, but the elephants-"
Maxim sighed loudly to interrupt her, long suffering but with a mildly annoyed roll of his eyes. "Can we eat one meal without talking about feces?"
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