Dawn is still uncoordinated, but her grip is stronger than it would be if she were a human infant of similar age. She holds onto the mask easily, bringing it to her mouth and beginning to gum at the edge. Tarantulas glances down at her, wondering if he's supposed to put a stop to it -- but Ryja's gaze holds him pinned, demanding he return his attention to her. His spider legs twitch nervous in mid-air.

"I...hadn't yet thought about that," he admits, knowing that it marks him for a fool and hating it immensely. "I was focused on making sure she'd be born, I..."

He shudders hard, the intensity of emotion welling in his spark so painful that it nearly eclipses the memory of his soul being pinched in half. "I don't know what to do," he admits, loathing himself, cursing his foolishness. What was he thinking, bringing an entire person into the world with no plan for how to care for them? Did he learn nothing from his failures with Springer?

"She shouldn't grow up alone," he admits hoarsely, his voice full of brittle sticks and rusty nails. "I want her to be better than me...like her brother. He is...have you seen him, Ryja? He's so good, so noble. I know he didn't get those traits from me..."