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"Yes dear, a Radaku." he said, flinching. He remembered that Radaku. And the events that had gone with it. It was unpleasant to remember. "Zumurundi is a Radaku."

He skipped over that question alltogether. He had nothing against Alkidikes, but he didn't want to think of his babies having babies. Ever. He wanted Ikuri to be naive and cute and precious forever.

Anyway... Samoset and Kennet. Right. "mmhmm... Yaholo is your m-mommie's and my friend!" he said cheerfully, going over and sitting down. "T-tag? Really?" he said, surprised. "How do they do that?" he asked, having trouble imagining a Radaku and a Mammu at play.

"Mmm..." Reshel winked at Biroki. He knew why his nephew was avoiding the question. Silly boy. All grown up, but as awkward as ever. "I don't think they'd let you near unless you had an Alkidike with you, Iku." he said, "All right, Ikuku, lets start your magic lesson." he began to teach her (and Biroki) A bit of water magic...

Meanwhile...

Sen'oda stirred from oblivion, aware, at first, of sounds - unrecognizable as speech, but sounds none the less, as well as the din of the jungle. Then, of smells - wet, herbal, earthy.

Jahuar.

Home.

Soon, she was aware of her body. She was lying down. On something. It was soft. Something around her was soft.

Then she became aware of taste, of liquid in her mouth - water? No. It was tart and tangy and bitter. Not water.

Memories began unravelling themselves, bit by bit, as she returned, bit by bit, to conciousness, filling the empty, atrophied husk of her body.

The ruins... the cave in... the large creature... Her breathing quickened, imperceptably, as she reached for more understanding...

A family dinner? "Sure!" he said, watching as Reshel showed Ikuri how to manipulate water and gave her tips and tricks. He'd been meaning, actually, to invite Yaholo and his boys over for some time, but the stars just hadn't aligned yet.

Actually, that was a great idea. Maybe he should try asking Yaholo again soon? He'd offer to put Yaholo and the boys up in the house - maybe that would sweeten the deal...

Reshel smiled. "They really do play tag, huh. Thats cute." Reshel loved cute things, especially animals and children being silly. "I'm glad they get along." he moved back to magic stuff.

Meanwhile...

It took Sen'oda some time to realize that the sounds she was hearing, other than the usual din of Jahuar, were voices. Once she did, though, it wasn't hard to recognize her brother's voice. It was still that annoyingly slow rumble.

She remembered her brother. She remembered how he squeaked when she beat him up, or when he had had a nightmare. He was a good little brother.

There was another voice. Male. Unfamiliar. She ignored it.

But then, the little piping voice - clear and pure and innocent and happy - and she knew it. Her heart quickened, as did her breathing.

Jkhom. It was Jkhom.

Jkhom when they'd first met as children. Jkhom when she'd stuck sap in her hair. Jkhom when they'd gone on their first adventure. Jkhom when they'd both been innocent. Jkhom had never stopped being innocent and sweet. Sen'oda had loved her.

Sen'oda loved her...

Jkhom... her lover... her wife... It was her voice, tinkling just beside her like a refreshing stream.

But Jkhom was dead. Sen'oda knew that. She remembered the body, the pain. She had run away from it.

But that was her voice... Her Jkhom's voice.

How could it be? How could it be?!

Had it all been a dream?

She had to find out! She had to embrace her Jkhom! She woke, suddenly, trying to call out to her, but the air stuck in her lungs and hurt, and the light that stabbed her like pain itself. REality flooded back, but she scrabbled at it, hoping to claw something of Jkhom... her Jkhom... out of it.... She screamed again, something incomprehensible and thrashed.

Reshel had been having a lovely lesson with his grand niece when, suddenly he heard a blood-curdling scream that turned hsi veins to ice. He turned to see his sister clawig and thrashing at the air, choking as her eyes were open wide with fear and wrath.

Her eyes were pen.

Satars and moon... Her eyes were open.

He leapt forward, restraining her from hurting herself. He looked at his nephew and the little girl frantically.

"Get outta here!" he yelped, "Now!"

Biroki was too terrified not to get the hell out of there. He'd oly seen Sen'oda prone, and now she was suddenly a storm of fury... He grabbed his daughter and ran out of the hut. He held Ikuri's hand a safe distance away. "I-its g-g-gonna b-be okay I-ikuri..." he stammered, hearing the shrieks subside, bit by bit. He swallowed, his heart racing from the shock of it all, "I-it's gonna be okay."

Biroki moved so that he was between his little girl and the screaming, watching the hut as if it would somehow disgorge answers. He could feel her heart racing through her palm, and he swallowed. He gave it a squeeze that he hoped was comforting. "N-nothing..." but that was a lie. "I d-don't know." He could hear his voice shake, the stammer worse than it had ever been, "I don't know baby, I don't know..."

Reshel struggled with his sister, holding her until she calmed enough for him to safely put some water down her throat. The water soothed her enough that he was able to scrabble for his calming medication. Holding her with one arm, he diluted it as best he could and, taking his oppurtunity, he put it down her throat. She snarled at it's icky taste and struggled against him before falling back, limp and panting, against him. Reshel gently set her down, noting that at least she was awake and her eyes were open.

Reshel was unnerved by how easy it had been to restrain her. In the old days, she would have beaten him up, easily. Now, though... she was so weak. She was awake... but the real trials would begin. He sighed. He supposed he had to go take care of his nephew and his niece. Poor babies.

He came out of the hut and walked over. "Everythings all right. Its under control.." he nodded at Biroki's glance, "She's awake now." he had to be calm, even though his blood still raced painfully through his veins. They were upset and scared, and he had to take care of them. "She just had a bad start, thats all. Like waking up from a nightmare." more like waking up to a nightmare but Reshel was just glad it was waking up at all. "Everything is okay." he repeated, "Everything's fine."

Biroki's hand relaxed on Ikuri's, just a little. "Its fine?" he repeated, looking over at the hut uncertainly. "Will she be... Can I...?"

"I don't think she should see you yet, Biroki. I'll keep an eye on her and let you know, all right?" he nodded at Ikuri, smiling, "In the meantime, you two go and play."

"But.." Biroki protested, unsure what to make of the emotions that spun inside him. His mother. Awake. He could finally meet her. He could finally talk to her. He could ask her all the things he had always wanted to ask a mother, tell her about his life...

"No." Reshel said, giving Biroki a stern look, before returning to his hut, letting the hide door close behind him. He took a deep breath inside, letting his tension drift away. He looked down at his sister. "Well Sen..." he said quietly, as she panted, her eyes dulled by medicine and - he suspected - despair. "Welcome back."

Biroki nodded, defeated by - it seemed - a single look. Truth was, he was scared of the woman, afraid of who she was, who she would be, and of what that said about himself. He picked up his daughter and hugged her tight, giving her soft hair a kiss. She calmed him down.

"I was... yeah. L-lets just go home." he stroked her hair, "Lts g-go home and make tea and..." not think about what it had looked like when Sen'oda had woken up, what it had felt like. "yeah." he kissed Ikuri again and walked away...