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 Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:37 pm
“Noa, Noa you little scamp, slow down” a male voice called, the sound of leaves and twigs crumpling underfoot baring testament to the strength and speed at which the young man was moving.
Ahead of the teenager, a pink-haired toddler ran, laughing and giggling as she easily passed beneath low hanging branches and wriggled through impossibly small gaps. Noa was enjoying the little game beyond belief, unaware of the frantic worry that spurred Valerius, her older sibling, ever onwards in pursuit, nor of Vahn and Gala, her biological brothers, and Ava, her adoptive mother, who were scrabbling along a short distance behind. Slumping against the trunk of an enormous sycamore tree as she paused to catch her breath, Noa readjusted her hold of her favourite toy and constant inanimate wolven companion, Terra, before pushing off the tree and preparing to dart back into the undergrowth.
Suddenly, furred arms seized the toddler from behind, wrapping themselves around Noa’s middle and lifting her high off the ground. “Got’cha!” Vale exclaimed in triumph, laughing merrily in release at having reclaimed the rambunctious child. With Noa held against his chest, Valerius turned and retraced the steps that he led him through the wild and untended growth, a flash of hesitation and sadness passing through his blue-grey eyes as he crossed the barrier between the vibrant and verdant landscape and the constructed environment of the car park.
“Is she okay? Is she hurt? What if she’s hurt?”
The rapid stream of questions jolted Valerius from his thoughts, causing him to smile softly as he caressed his mother’s cheek reassuringly. Ava had always been like this, the worrier, the quiet and shy one that was always unsure of herself and her actions, but was undeniably brimming with love for her partner and her children; and it was this only made Valerius and his siblings love her all the more. “She’s fine, just a little dirty. Ain’t that right Noa” the teenager answered, ruffling his sister’s hair good-naturedly as he set her back on the ground, keeping a tight hold of her hand.
Breathing a sigh relief, Ava knelt and pulled Noa into a light embrace. “Please, please don’t run off like that again” she softly pleaded, rubbing back the tears that threatened to spill from her pale grey eyes before reaching to take Vahn and Gala’s hands in hers. The two boys took their mothers hands without question, Gala shooting Noa a reproachful look before falling into step beside Ava as she moved toward the highly decorated entrance of the local nursery. Valerius followed suit, a now more subdued Noa in tow.
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Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:55 pm
David had never been a aparent before, and even without the child, he had terrible resolve. Indari had deemed the day 'boring' that morning, and demanded of him something to make it less so. The 'I'm too tired' arguement didn't go over very well, and the resulting wave of wails and tears had turned out the events today.
David sat on a bench, leaning back tiredly and observing, with his ever-so absent gaze, his young adoptive daughter, Indari, staring down a potted venus flytrap.
"I want that one!" She demanded, pointing to the fanged flora.
David peered at the expensive-looking object and inwardly groaned. "Don't you want a nice flower or something?" He pleaded, "That looks like it'll take forever to grow..." Such statement posed, as Indari wanted seedlings to grow from the very start into flowery goodness all on her own.
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:48 pm
Unlike Indari, who seemed to have pretence for the darker side of potted plants, Noa made a b-line for the brightly, bordering on garish, coloured flowers that spewed from a multitude of equally gaudy canisters.
“Pweeetie” the toddler cooed, emerald eye wide and shining with happiness. “Grow?” she asked, tugging impatiently at Valerius’ hand for an answer.
“Yes they are pretty” Vale mused, fingers hovering longingly above the flower blooming from the nearest plant. “Most members of the Orchidaceae family are quite stunning, although they are a challenge to grow. The roots need to be readily able to receive water and air, thus being grown in soil tends to kill them” the teenager explained, fondly recalling the floral knowledge he had gained while training under the Jupiter goddess Lutrena. That had been some time ago now, back when he had been a small child, and before Lutrena had vanished and her temple was left to succumb to the will of the plants that had once been cultivated there. Allowing himself to fall deeper into his memories, Valerius soon forgot the question Noa had posed to him as his mind flooded with previously gained knowledge and the warm sights, sounds and feelings with which it was associated.
“Vale?” Ava gently enquired, pale brow furrowing lightly as she regarded her son.
“Hmmm?” came the initial, murmured reply, followed quickly by the twitching of blonde-furred ears and sheepish grin. “Oh sorry” Valerius muttered with an embarrassed laugh before shifting his attention to Noa. “I think we should start off with something easier to grow Noa” the teenager explained, hastening on as Noa’s lower lip began to tremble, “but there are plenty of other pretty coloured flowers you can grow – okay?”
This ultimatum seemed to satisfy the young girl, who quickly grinned and proceeded to pull Valerius along once more.
Meanwhile, having paid little attention to Noa question and Valerius’ explanation, Vahn, the crimson-eyed, blue-haired middle triplet, had allowed his gaze to wander about the nursery, finding plants of only mild interest. There was one plant species he wanted to grow, the same type he had discovered in Vale’s greenhouse – the Venus flytrap. Continuing to allow his gaze to dart from left to right and back again; the boy’s eyes widened and a smile spread across his lips as he noticed the familiar fanged plants a short distance away.
“Vere!” he announced triumphantly, pointing toward the Venus flytrap section before freeing his hand from Ava’s and hurrying in the indicated direction. Skidding to a stop by the potted plants, coincidently by the same flytrap that ensnared Indari’s attention, Vahn cast a glance over his shoulder, ensuring his family were following, before turning back to the plant.
“Veenus fwrytrapt” the boy announced with confidence, catching Indari’s gaze to indicate he was speaking to her. “Doe SNAP” Vahn continued, clapping his hands together to imitate how the flytrap ate. “Ven they ooble, ooble”. This time, the toddler made gobbling sounds as he pretended to eat something, soon breaking into a wide grin as he watched Indari.
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:32 pm
Indari turned her ghastly stare towards the intruding blue-topped creature. "You silly," She decided outloud, glaring deeply at him with calculating indigo eyes.
Turning her attention back to the plant, examining it from all angles, she turned back to David, looking determined and angry. "No!" She griped, "I want this one, 'cause it's big an' scary an' gots teef!" Turning her attention to the boy beside her, she gave him a 'you better agree with me, or else' glare and intoned dangerously, "Right?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 11:30 pm
Shrinking beneath the stern look directed toward him by Indari, Vahn turned his head once more in frantic search for his siblings and parent; the toddler breathing an audible sigh of relief of Ava and Gala, followed by Valerius and Noa, rounded a display of terracotta pottery and crossed the final stretch of rocky path that separated them. Shifting his attention back to the impolite girl just in time to catch her spiel, Vahn opened his mouth to protest – after all, flytraps weren’t that scary even with all those teeth – but, as Indari shot him another scathing look, the toddler clamped his mouth shut and nodded emphatically.
“They’re hard to look after though ‘Little Miss’…” Valerius interjected as he moved to stand behind Vahn, a warm and pleasant smile gracing his features as he addressed Indari. “I’ve raised several flytraps now, so caring for them is second nature, but it was no easy task when I first started – and I was a good number of years older than you too” the teenager continued, kneeling down to Indari’s level and running a finger around the pot containing the plant the toddler was eyeing. Meanwhile, Noa, clutching tightly to Valerius’ shirt, peered uncertainly at Indari with her bright emerald orbs, perturbed by the dark note inherent in the other girl’s voice.
Releasing Gala’s hand and giving the boy a gentle push in the direction of his siblings, Ava moved cautiously toward the bench on which David sat. He was young, several years Ava’s junior, but that didn’t serve to lessen Ava’s wariness and introverted demeanour. “I….is she your d…daughter?” the young woman stammered nervously, seating herself at the far end on the bench.
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