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Avani had to say that riding on Oblivion's back brought back memories. She closed her eyes as they walked through the forest and could remember the illicit ride to and from Ayr. This caused her to chuckle as her parents still didn't know what had happened so many years ago.

"There are many ways to get to my house." she said as she guided him along the path that she was currently taking to and from her parent's house. She switched the way she went to and from her parents house nowadays, "But once you are shown where I live, you can find it again just by direction."

To be fair, her house was almost near the deep woods and was pretty hard to find if you didn't know what direction to go.

She pointed out the turns to take and where to go until they got to the spot they had to stop.

"Stop here please!" Avani said happily as she slid off Oblivion's back. She went up to a large evergreen tree and turned to him as she placed her hand on the trunk, "You should know about these trees first." She rubbed the bark a bit and said, "I had to install alarms and traps around the house, and this tree is one of the ones I placed runes on to make a sort of bubble around the house. All you need to know is that if you go in there without one of the people authorized to shut them off, before I put your magic signature into the runes, the alarms and traps will go off."

Avani closed her eyes and sent a burst of magic through the tree. This would send her magic signature through the tree up to the alarms at the top and middle of the plant, and through the roots to the vine trap runes. She felt the "block" of magic between this tree and the next vanish and create a gap from the magical sensors. Normally she could just walk through with her hastar, but she had a guest this time.

Avani opened her eyes and smiled at her companion.

"Alright! I'll wait till you're through the gap before I let go of the magic."

She watched as Oblivion walked past her and then she let go of the tree. She felt the magic from the alarm and trap runes go back into place from the gap her magic had created.

"It makes living in the forest better since there are those who hate khehora around here." Avani said shyly clasping her hands in front of her and looking down, "I didn't have trouble till recently to be honest. But I not only have alarms now, but Criani said she'd patrol her territory more often too just to be safe."

Criani made claim in front of her father's ranch hands that Avani's property, and her mother and father's were her own and if anyone bother any of her two-legger friends, she would go after them, stating she never followed two-legger laws.

Avani didn't know if that was a good thing or not to make known, but there had been less trouble on Autumntree lands.

"It's not far to my house now, just through some trees that way." Avani said smiling and pointing towards a thick patch of trees.

Avani smiled and placed her hands on his nose and rubbed gently to sooth him. It seemed to work with Honoka, so would it work with him? Besides, she liked to feel how soft he was.

"It wasn't unsafe till a while ago." she sighed and stopped rubbing his nose and closed her eyes sighing, "People keep to themselves around here, but we get the wandering farmhand now and then, and most of them just pass through without incident... but..." She didn't want to relive it, it was just too much pain too soon. "To be honest," Avani said opening her eyes and smiling, "Honoka was the one to protect me. I couldn't have been more proud of her."

Perhaps later she would tell Oblivion about what had almost happened to her. She didn't want to dwell on it now, so she removed her hands and smiled placing her hands behind her.

"Speaking of the little imp, let's go see if she's home!"

Avani walked ahead and into the copse of trees. Soon it parted and she was in her little clearing. Well, little to her. There was a little grassy spot on the left side of the huge house where the well and kitchen door was, and it was there that she saw Honoka with Criani, apparently waiting for her. Honoka was jumping around laughing and snapping at the floating balls of water Criani was making fly around. Avani stood still for a moment smiling as she watched her daughter. She was happy that her little one was happy.

Criani looked up and smiled and with a wave of her hands she whisked away the water orbs. Honoka stopped her play and turned and looked when the orbs diapered and smiled. Avani watched as her child ran towards her and stepped towards her and bent down so she could hug her daughter.



Honoka had spent the time waiting for her mama with Cri chasing and trying to catch the water orbs the large khehora had made with her magic. There were times when she let her catch them and she got wet, but Cri dried her off by reforming the orb that burst with the water that covered her.

It hadn't been long since they had gotten home that mama stepped out of the trees that she normally came from, and she was so happy to see her, just as she usually was. She ran to her, barreling into her mama, causing her to fall back laughing. Honoka hugged and nuzzled against her. But mama was different. She stilled smelling a different smell on her.

"Mama... You smell like a new khehora." Honoka said looking up at her. "Did you meet a new friend?" Honoka's tail swished around on the forest floor, "Do we have a guest?!"

Her mother smiled down at her and rubbed her horns.

"We have a very special guest." Mama said touching her nose with a finger. Honoka giggles a bit as her mother said, "A very good friend of mine came to see not only me, but you too."

Honoka sniffed the air and could smell the different smell coming not only from her mother but the line of trees behind her. She wiggled and looked behind her mama eager to see who the newcomer was that wanted to see her too.

Avani smiled as she heard Oblivion rumble out his hello. She stood, with one last whisper to Honoka to be good with a last rub of her horns, and stood out of the way for father and daughter to meet. She watched as Honoka looked wide eyed to Oblivion then run up to him to greet him with a smile.

Avani chuckled and then made her way to a waiting Criani. She could tell the female khehora was not happy with an outsider given her recent feelings on the subject, but Avani reassured her that this was a very good friend of hers from the time she was about Honoka's age, and trusted him implicitly. Criani proceeded to tell her that Honoka did well at the day's lessons and that since they hadn't had a break in a while, she would give the little one a few days off.

So with one last scathing (at least Avani thought it was scathing, at least for a khehora) and pointed look to Oblvion, she took off. Avani chuckled and then rejoined her two special khehoras.



Honoka smiled at the large black khehora. He was fluffy! She wiggled her tail a bit and said, "Hello! I'm Honoka! Mama said you were a very good friend of her's and you don't smell mean, so I guess you're ok!" She smiled and said, "Are you going to stay the night? I love it when people stay cause Mama doesn't get many guests. She needs more two leggers as friends, but Mama said she didn't mind khehora since they keep showing up."

Honoka paused to take a deep breath and smelled the newcomer better now.

"You sure smell different. Where did you come from?" Honoka reached out to touch his feathers, "You sure are fluffy... You are like a giant uuru. Do you lay eggs too?"

"Honoka!" Honoka ducked her head and looked sheepishly to her mama. Her mama had a smile on her face as she said, "This, Honoka, is Oblivion." Honoka looked back happily to the big khehora with ruby eyes, "He is as fluffy as an uuru, but does not lay eggs. He is the one who gave me your egg though. He's your father."

Honoka's jaw opened to a big "O" (Well, as big an "O" as a khehora could make). Well... That put a whole new look on things.



Avani smiled as she watched Honoka's eyes widen and her jaw drop. Her baby was such a ditz at times. She placed her hand on Honoka's head, and her jaw shut, but her gaze continued to be on oblivion. To introduce Honoka to Oblivion was a great joy, Avani's fears still nagging in her head, but it was special to her to see father and daughter together at last. She really did have his eyes.

"That's one of the reasons why he's so special to me. He gave you to me, and I am very grateful for that."

Avani smiled down at Honoka. She was really happy. Hopefully the two could get to know each other better now other than the stories Honoka had of him.

Avani waited patiently smiling. What was Blivi thinking about his daughter? Avani hoped he thought her a good mother to his eggling. She was becoming curious about all this and hoped that both of them liked each other.

After the initial shock, Honoka smiled and her tail wiggled around on the ground from where she sat.

"Mama told me all about you!" (Avani could be heard by the small Khehora muttering "All I know about him.") But Honoka ignored her and plowed on watching her papa. "Mama said my Papa was big and huge and fluffy!" She had been stretching up on her hind legs as she said then and fell backwards, righting herself quickly and continuing, "She also said you had very black feathers with a little bit of red, and that I had your eyes and that I probably looked more like your mate, cause I don't have black on me..." She then tried to look at the spots on her back, "Well, I do on my back, but not a lot like you!"

"Sometimes I wonder if it was a good idea to have you learn how to talk." her mama said placing a hand on Honoka's head to calm her down.

But that didn't deter Honoka. She had so many questions!

She went on to smell her papa and said, "You do smell like earth. Definitely. I am a Gaili so I should know." She was nodding her head up and down quickly at that but stopped to ask, "But why would there be ash where you were from? Where did you come from? Mama said you lived far away and Soudul is far away. Is it as back as you? (Her mama gave her a warning pat on her horns that meant it seemed like too big of a question so Honoka didn't press that line of questions) What is it like in your mountains? Why is there ash there? Is it like those big, um.. volcanoes I saw in books? I would like to see one of those one day, but I can hardly fly, and Mama won't let me go places without her or Criani."

Honoka pouted at the last statement by scrunching her nose. She wanted to see everything!

"There is time in your life Honoka to see what you wish, but now is the time for learning how to get there." her mama said smiling.

But Honoka was watching her papa walk around her and looking at her. She smiled and wagged her tail and waited. It seemed like now was not the time to ask questions.

When he asked his question Honoka smiled and her tail wiggled with delight.

"You will stay?" Honoka's eyes got bigger and she smiled, "That would be nice! I would love it if you did!"

She bounded over to Oblvion and nuzzled him on his side. He was so big!



Avani watched her daughter chatter away and was glad when Oblivion asked to stay. It would be nice if they got to know each other, and it was something Avani wanted between the two.

But she was not prepared for the show of affection Honoka gave her father. She was so happy the little one had accepted Oblivion into her life. She had known that Honoka would accept him, just because Honoka was Honoka and she liked everyone she didn't think "smelled bad".

It made Avani tear up and her heart give a twist of love for the little khehora she had adopted.

"How about you go wash up for dinner Honoka, then we can eat, and after sweets we can all sit in the living room for a while and have a story."

"OOOOOO!!" Honoka said perking up, "What story?!"

"A surprise!" Avani said laughing, "Now go wash up!"

She watched her khehora give Oblivion another nuzzle, and bound off for the water barrel outside the kitchen door. She smiled after her and hoped that she had done a good enough job raising her so far.

"I have never seen her so animated." Avani said thinking aloud, "I fear what she will do when on her own... Probably chat enemies to death asking questions...."

Avani shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled at Oblivion, "I'll make sheron stakes tomorrow if you stay longer than one night. I'm afraid I planed on making leklan chops tonight."

She then blushed and said quietly, "What do you think of her so far?"

Avani blushed and then beamed in Oblivion's praise.

Immediately, forgetting that Oblivion had thin clothes on that made her blush and look away, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

"I tried so hard." she said happily hugging him tightly, "It wasn't easy, but I hoped I did everything I could to make you proud of her. I already was proud of her, but she's your daughter too."

She suddenly remembered that he was rather close to naked, and abruptly let go and turned away blushing.

"Er, that is to say I had her taught by a khehora to be one, and I hoped it was something you would want me to do."

After gathering herself she turned back to Oblivion and had to look at him still getting used to his two-legger form. Less feathers, but after hugging him, he seemed to be ok as far as two-leggers go. She looked into his eyes and still could see that, even though he was now in a different form, he was still the khehora who was her first khehora friend.

Avani smiled brightly and took his hand in her's and pulled her towards her house.

"I have rooms big enough for either of your forms, so it is up to you how to be comfortable. Whatever form you wish, you may keep as my house is big enough." she smiled brightly thinking of how smart she seemed for building her house the way she did. "Come on and let me show you my home."



After dinner, where Avani had to keep Honoka focused on eating and less on showing off her Ikri puppy and chatting to Oblivion and also keeping Nix from crawling all over the newcomer in chatty happiness, she settled them both in the living room near the fire that kept out the lingering chill.

"Ok, Honoka, story time and then bed ok?"

"Can I stay up just this once?" Honoka pouted.

Avani had reservations, but how often did this opportunity come along? And Oblivion did say he didn't know his plans, and could leave after tomorrow.

"Alright, you can have some time after the story, but no protests if I see you yawning alright?"

"I won't yawn." Honoka said with a look of determination.

Avani rolled her eyes a bit then smiled, "Alright then. I'm going to get something real quick, then storytime ok?"

Avani smiled as she saw Honoka's tail begin to swish in excitement, and then turned to leave the room going up the wide stairs to second floor.

In the back of the linen closet she found the secret panel she had installed to keep her precious things safe. In there were all sorts of items that were her treasures, including the little nest box she had raised Honoka in, and in that, Honoka's shell pieces carefully preserved.

She shut the secret door and began her decent down stairs. She smiled happily as she did so, hoping it would be an appropriate story. She wished Oblivion to hear the tale of how she had hatched.

Avani blushed a bit as she stepped off the last part of the stairs and went into the living room. She had saved the egg shells for Honoka, hoping one day she could give them to her so she could tell of her hatching to her own children. She thought it a rather good surprise for Oblivion since he didn't get to see her hatched.

"I have saved Honoka's shell and little nest box." the little khehora was already dancing around knowing her favorite story was coming. Avani smiled at her and said, "It's Honoka's favorite story, the story of how she hatched!"

Avani sat in the one of the wingback chairs she had splurged on when she moved in. It matched the couch as well. She looked over and smiled at Oblivion as she saw him more than comfortable in it. For some reason that pleased her, but she moved on with the story, looking down at her treasures.

"When you gave me Honoka's egg, I feared sleeping in the same bed with it in case I knocked it off, so I built the nest box here." She patted the nest box and said, "I put in hay and wrapped up the egg in my small wing covers I used to wear as a child, and at night, Nix slept with it to keep it warm."

Nix chirped and wrapped herself around Avani's leggs. She smiled at the fea and moved on with the story.

Avani told the listeners all about how she took care of the egg, dusting and washing it when she had time, and also how she moved the egg gently around like a uruu's egg. She told also how she feared for the egg when her cousin found out about it and she thought he would do something with it after her pumpkins were smashed, and because of that, she moved in with Shenra to protect it.

She then told her audiance of the happy day Honoka was born.

She talked about how Nix alerted her to the shaking of the egg, and how she got ready with fresh hay for the box, water to wash Honoka off with, and some mush made of sheron milk and dried sheron meat. Then she told them how Honoka hatched one leg at a time, tail and head last, and how she was wearing a little shell "hat". Avani even put the two large shells togeather to show them the holes. Then said that Honoka took off before she could help take off the main shell, and ran into the door, probably not seeing it cause of the "hat".

She put the shells down and tweaked Honoka's nose saying, "I knew you were trouble when you ran out of the nest and into the door!" She smiled, "You scared me half to death!" She laughed and then said, "I helped you out of your shell, and then I saw your pretty eyes... I loved you so much and was happy you were finally here." She moved the box away from her lap and Honoka happily bounded over and into Avani's lap. Forgetting Oblivion was there, she laughed and rubbed her head saying, "You're getting to big for me!" But she nuzzled Honoka's face and said, "Oh I loved you from that moment on, and was glad to have you here."

"And I was named after....?" Honoka said already knowing the answer.

Avani laughed, "You were named after a good friend of my grandmother's. The name fits very well for you. Or was it that you fit well with the name? Who knows, all I can tell is that you lived up to being trouble."

Avani watched her child scrunch up her face. She laughed, and then rememberd Oblivion was in the room. She blushed and then nudged Honoka out of her lap.

"So that is how you came into this world." She kissed her on her face between horns and eyes. Avani saw Honoka fight back a yawn as she laid her head in Avani's lap and so she said, "Ah I see a yawn!" Honoka protested, but this time a large yawn formed and she blushed, "All right, to bed! Say good night to your father, and then I'll go up and tuck you in."


Honoka went over to Oblivion, or rather a very strange two-legged version of him and said good night. She was told, by her mother in hushed tones before dinner, that this was his most powerful form and that one day, if she had been a good khehora and worked hard, she would get a form like this too.

She wondered what she would look like.

She lifted her head over the couch and peeked at him, nuzzling his arm and giving a small lick of a kiss goodnight.

Her mama ushered her upstairs, Nix scrambling with her.

Tucking in consisted of her getting in her large nest box in her room on fluffy uruu down mattress, and having a blanked loosely put over her as she went to bed, before Mama kissed her goodnight, and having her put out the lamps. Sometimes she wouldn't get to sleep till she heard mama going to bed herself one floor below where the two-leggers slept. Sometimes Nix went to bed with her, and sometimes mama, but it looked tonight Nix was going to go with her to bed as the fea snuggled near Honoka in the nest box, her Ikri puppy on her other side.


Avani turned the light down in Honoka's room until it went out. She smiled in the dark at her and then shut the door until only a crack was open.

She then went back down stairs, knowing she would pick up the egg shells and nest box before she went to bed, or perhaps when Oblivion would wish to see his room for the night. He had seemed to like it on her sofa, but she had so many rooms that would offer him more comfort no matter the form he wished to sleep in.

But, she thought as she stopped on the stairs to think about it, he seemed so different to her as a two-legger now. She really didn't know how to act around him. Dinner had been amusing as she had watched him try to eat with utensils. She really didn't mind if he just slurped it all up, but she had appreciated the thought of him trying. It was also strange to have had him keep company with her as she cooked. She felt shy about her cooking, but why she didn't know... She had cooked for many people before now, why would one more matter? Perhaps it's because no one had been with her while cooking before?

Avani shook her head and continued downstairs to the living room to see if he wished to go to bed now or not. She had caught his eyes with a drowsy look more than once during the story and found it amusing as well. She smiled happy that she could create a comfortable atmosphere in her house for even the most feral of beings.

Avani smiled as she watched Oblivion reverntly look over Honoka's shell. When he had first met him, she had known he had something in him that was good, mostly because he had tolerated a young orderite girl when she berated him for eating her father's sheron. But this was the look of a father for his young, one he had missed growing up.

"There is no need for thanks." Avani said smiling at him as she moved into the room, "Being with Honoka has made me happy, and if I can share even a little of that with her father, that makes me even more happier." She looked at the egg shells saying, "My birth was a happy event for my parents, they never thought they would ever have a child. When I was Honoka's age, they would tell me of the day I was born with love and joy." She touched the shells in the box, "I never fully understood till Honoka hatched just how happy they had been. I am glad to share it with you as well."

Avani looked at the shells and let the old fears wash over. She hadn't caught the eye of many boys or men through the years. Honoka being a factor, khehora scaring off farmers more than not... So she had given up hope of a normal family long ago, and resigned to being parent to her two charges.

She shook her head and then looked up at her friend, "If you've just come from your home, you are probably beyond tired. Which ever form you decide to sleep in, I have beds for either your khehora form or khehorian." She touched Oblivion's arm in a gesture of understanding and smiled, "Feel free to sleep as long as you need."

Avani picked up the nest box and shells, and went to the stairs. She heard Oblvion following her, and after placing the treasures into their hiding place, showed him to his room.

After seeing to her guest's needs she said goodnight and went to her large room on the far side of the second floor to go to bed herself.

Avani, tired, yet happy, fell asleep almost immediately, glad her friend was here for at least a night and a day.