Ashlar had really done it now! He'd somehow managed to accidentally make the poor child so very upset. Her let her little arms wrap around him and he returned her hug, stroking her hair soothingly. Here he was supposed to be the adult and he'd gone and sent the poor dear into a fit. The poor kitsune felt pretty low about himself. Always ruining everything, yep, that was Ashlar, always messing everything up.
Well, Ashlar was a mommy and he knew how to soothe upset little ones. At least, he'd been a fairly good mommy as far as he was concerned. Sure, all his babies were boys, but little girls couldn't be that different. "Shh, shh. There, there, little Miss Emma. Ashlar did not mean to make you cry. He's okay, there's nothing to forgive. Please don't cry Miss Emma, if Miss Emma cries, then poor Ashlar will cry!"
The kitsune wasn't actually all that much larger than the child in his arms, but he lifted her anyway, hugging her to his chest and patting her back softly. "Come on, enough horsies for now. Let's go to the kitchen and get Miss Emma a tasty pastry. How does that sound? Ashlar and Miss Emma will eat a sweet and then see something else fun, if Miss Emma's parents are still busy."