"If machines that can do our jobs are around that would be bad."

They didn't understand enough of those words.

"There are things reds do. Things the other colors need us to do. If machines could do those things that would be bad."

The crows don't know all the things crafter machines can do, there's a lot of them. But it's probably bad, yes. Threehawks wants to know if she can make it better. These crows do, too.

"...I don't know. That would be very complicated.

We can use the internet, the Amentan one."

They recognize that one word but don't understand it.

They think they should tell threehawks that they found the red newpeople but they're having trouble talking to them and see if she can help. Does that sound okay?

...yes. And that she cannot visit them but she can talk to them.

Okay, they'll do that.

They appreciate it.

Next time Sun comes by lone sassafras's meeting place she brings her husband, Ento, and the baby, Shian, and the crow, Shadow.

The baby is cuuuuute. Lone sassafras is still staying in her walker by default, but she's much more willing to get out of it around the newcomers now, and she does so to make a big raised padded enclosure for her with plenty of raised bits for her to lean on to move herself around and baby-sized benches.

Sun releases Shian into the playpen! Shian is initially shy of all this new stuff but eventually she makes her way to a bench and climbs up onto it and says "Look!" and claps her hands.

Lone sassafras of course doesn't understand the word but she's familiar enough with babies for it not to matter very much; she's already watching. She claps back.

Clap clap clap clap! Climb down. Clap! "Shadow, Shadow," she coos, holding out her arm.

Here's Shadow! She's very careful with her claws as she lands on Shian's arm and presents her head for petting.

Aww, they like you, lone sassafras tells Shian.

"Shadow Shadow," says Shian, petting so so carefully because Shadow doesn't like it if she smacks. She kisses Shadow's beak.

Shadow trills happily and nuzzles her back.

She'll be good with hawks when she's a bit older, proably, lone sassafras comments as she crafts up an open-lattice ball with a smaller rattle-ball inside to offer the pair.

What does one do with hawks?

Shian contemplates this ball, then puts it on a bench and rolls it off onto the ground and then does it again.

Shadow hops after it and gives it a shake.

Hawks hunt, and they make good lookouts - that's how lone sassafras knows when Sun and her people are on their way, the hawks spot them and signal it and then the crows notice that and come and tell her. They can be useful against predatory animals, too - they aren't nearly as good at working together as dogs are but they can still mob something.

Hm, it doesn't seem like Amentans particularly need hawks but maybe Shian will want one when she's older anyway.

Shian holds out her hands for the ball; she wants to roll it back to Shadow.

Shadow hops over to give it to her and then hops away to wait for the ball.

Hawks are also pretty fun, yeah, hunting is valuable enough for crafters that of course they use them for that but she could see keeping one just to have.

Shian rolls the ball to Shadow! "It's been a real help having Shadow around, especially since I'm away for work a lot," says Sun, petting Shian's sea-green hair. "Of course they can't do most of the work but they can give Ento long enough to cook lunch or take a shower, entertaining her."

Yay, fetch! Shadow also likes tossing the ball into the air for Shian to catch, even if she can't get much distance with it.

Crows are great with babies that way, definitely. They're good with older kids, too - you can't trust them to have very good judgement, or not to keep secrets once the kids are big enough to ask them to, but they have pretty good instincts for danger and they'll go for help if there's a problem.

Shian is terrible at catching but thinks it's hilarious when the ball bonks her on the head. Ento takes video of her playing with Shadow.

Shadow thinks it's much more fun to shake the ball than bonk Shian on the head with it, but it's not like they're going to not enjoy themselves either way. Lone sassafras is content to watch until they come to a lull, in any case. (One of traveler's dogs - he's moved his household closer to the meeting spot, a little ways off from the flattest area that the Amentans like for their tents - comes over to sniff at Ento and solicit petting, in the meantime.)

Ento lets the dog sniff him and very tentatively pets it.