Welcome to Gaia! ::

((My HUGE apologies for the delay of entries in this journal. School has eaten my life whole, between midterms, the musical, other rehearsals for my show choir, English and History projects, and other assorted things you don't want to hear about. I'll do my best to keep up.))

Quixana sat, not willingly, upon the cold, white floor of the Labs. Courage sat upon his lap, tail curled all the way up to her nose, and stared at Quixana in a manner that clearly stated "I'm bored."

Yet they were captive. For their captor, wicked person that she was, had put them in something she had called a "playpen." Yet Quixana knew the truth. They were in a prison! A fence that went all the way to Quixana's chest when he stood up - which was rare, as his motor functions weren't all that well developed yet - surrounded an area that was already strewn with the dead and dying. Quixana picked up a plush toy by its back leg and shook it carefully. No reply.

The poor thing must've died in agony.

He set it down quietly on the floor while Courage moved over to sniff it. They had to escape! If they stayed here any longer, how could he perform any great deeds? No, no, it was certain - Courage and him would figure something out.

Quixana crawled forward and peered through the bars that help him captive. Their captor was no where in sight, yet a young, colorul man sat on the floor not six feet away, tapping madly on something that seemed to be connected to a large, flashing box.

"s**t! That was my last life!" cried the boy. Quixana, not understanding a word, took this to be a wicked language and covered his ears against it. The Guardsman - as Quixana had decided that was what he was - didn't seem to notice.

Quixana scurried back to the center of the prison, Courage pouncing idly on his heels. He seized the lion cub and gummed her ear, trying to figure out how he would make his daring escape. Courage swiped idly at his chest with a heavy but careful paw, but seeing that her charge was busy thinking, she soon quieted in his lap and allowed the chewing to continue. He had to escape, or he would surely perish - and Courage along with him! But how?

Sensing that Xana was about to move, Courage hopped off his lap and moved to the fence once more. Xana followed, and pressed his face against the bars, a hand thrust between them and fumbling around for something - anything! - that might be of some assistance. The tips of his fingers just barely brushed against something. Quixana had no idea what exactly they had touched, but he was determined to find out.

This would be grisly.

He reached back and grabbed one of the "bodies" stuck in the playpen. It was sturdier than some of the others. Perhaps it hadn't died yet. In fact, whenever he squeezed it cried something along the lines of "I LOVE YOU!" out.

The poor thing. Xana receited a baby-language prayer for it and then stuck it between the bars. He angled his arm and swung.

There was a soft "click" noise, and something near him opened with a creak.

Quixana whirled just in time to witness this miracle, brown eyes wide with hope. Now! Now they were free! He glanced over at Courage, who immediately understood the gravity of what had just happened, and bounded out with a merry growl. Quixana crawled after her, after saying a quick unintelligible "thank you" to the person who had assisted them (again, their only reply was "I LOVE YOU!") and crawled out of the playpen.

Aadil, who had been charged with watching over them, had been so absorbed in his video game that he hadn't noticed the action in the playpen, but he had a rude awakening as the wind was suddenly knocked out of him by a very fast moving lion cub.

"What the HEL?!" he cried. There was a victorious giggle nearby, and baby and cub soon crawled and skipped out of the living room. Aadil stared stupidly after them. He was supposed to take care of those two.

Question was: Did he care?

Answer was: No. No, he did not.

And so Aadil returned to his video game whilst Xana and Courage began to travel the hidden, chrome corridors of the labs.

((More on their adventures later! biggrin .))

There was whispering going on in the crib.

Good god, THAT WAS WHISPERING.

Puchiko suddenly jolted awake, her red-veined eye blinking wide open as she peered into the impenetrable darkness. As if sensing the fact that their guardian was now awake, the whispering stopped, and there were muffled noises as Xana buried his head into Courage's stomach and the lion cub sprawled on top of him, thus effectively "hiding" the baby.

They were plotting. The lion and the baby? Were plotting. They were so. Plotting.

Carefully, Puchiko slid the covers off her legs and slipped her feet into her worn pink slippers, wriggling her toes out of habit before standing. "Just going to get a drink of water!" she announced loudly, doing her best not to look inside the crib. "You know. Water. To quench my thirst. Mmm mmm, water. Gotta love water."

Silence from the crib, save for some very forced snuffling/snoring noises from Courage.

Still eyeing the crib suspiciously, Puchiko slid past the door, intentionally leaving it open a crack. She stomped loudly on the floor then softened her footsteps, to make it seem as though she was traveling down the long hallway to the bathroom. Then she crouched and peered through the crack.

Her eye was quickly adjusting to the darkness and was now able to pick out individual shapes, even some dull colors. Her pupil contracted and expanded wildly each time she blinked; it was enough to give her a headache, and what a headache it was.

But it was only about to get worse.

There was a rustling from the crib as Xana backpedaled, thus effectively dislodging Courage from his back. Sucking in a few deep breaths - Courage was getting too heavy for that! - Xana peered through the bars of his crib to make sure the coast was clear. The saints were smiling upon him, for it was. Smiling brightly at Courage, he nodded, and received a nod back.

Courage back legs suddenly tensed with stored energy which she released in a burst, soaring over the wall of the crib to land with a soft, pained mewl on her feet. She lifted a paw and shook it out, then thrashed her head about as if to clear it.

Xana peered through the ribs of the crib once more, brown eyes wide. Are you all right?

Courage nodded, padding off with a triumphant air. Which left Xana with one option: sit, and deal with the fact that, briefly, his daemon was to be separated from him.

Puchi saw the daemon approaching the door with bright, frightened eyes. She couldn't afford to be caught! Not until she saw what the hell they were up to! After glancing up and down the hall desperately, Puchiko scrambled into the nearest room with an open door and closed it partway, so as not to be seen.

"I beg your pardon."

Puchiko whirled, looking as though she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. All she caught sight of was the faint outline of a man, clutching something resembling a pocket watch in his hand.

"Oh dear me, what time is it? Much too early - sorry, I'll be off then!" The man waved brightly and suddenly was gone, leaving absolutely nothing behind save a few strange, artificially created breezes.

Puchiko blinked rapidly, trying to figure out what in god's name just happened. Common sense eluded her however, and she came to the following conclusion: The night just got so much weirder. But... but at least Courage hadn't seen her! There, things were improving already.

Courage heard the racket loud and clear and had balked at the door, tail flicking idly as she wondered whether to continue or not. Someone was obviously in there; but it was a voice that she did not recognize. This left the lioness confused, so she sat back on her haunches to think things through.

Meanwhile, Puchiko poked her head out of the room, glancing to the side. No sign of Courage anywhere! Haha. Puchiko was free to observe. Carefully, Puchiko rose from the floor and dusted herself off, completely oblivious to the golden ball of fur glaring at her icily from behind.

Courage let out an annoyed hiss. Puchiko WAS there! It had been an ambush all along! Settling back, she reared herself for the strike - and POUNCE!

Puchiko let out a yowl loud enough to wake the entire household. There, attached to her ankle, was a set of sharp teeth, courtesy of Courage. She shook her leg about madly, screaming words that she would never dare repeat, and stumbling about the hallway blindly.

Back in the room where the strange man had appeared, there was another rustle of winds and another soft "Dammit! Too early again!" before that room was silent once more.

And Xana sat in his crib, wondering what the hell was taking Courage so long to bring him back a cookie.
______________

A few hours later and Puchiko was sitting on the couch, an ice pack draped over her heavily bandaged ankle, and a silent Xana and Courage seated on the floor in front of her.

"Well." she began slowly. "I'd ask to you explain yourself, but I figure that's a lost cause."

Xana and Courage didn't even blink.

"You!" Puchiko said, thrusting a finger in Courage's face, "You DON'T BITE. Don't. Bite. Don't freaking bite. Don't freaking bite EVER AGAIN."

Courage gulped and gave Puchiko's finger a conciliatory lick. She seemed really upset, and the lioness was beginning to feel rather bad about her actions. Xana gave her a dirty look however, and Courage soon drew back, scooting closer to Xana and resting her head in his lap pitifully. Xana, for his part, stared stoically at Puchiko.

"And you!" Puchiko burst, glowering at the baby. "I don't - I don't know how you do it, since you're only a baby, but you're making my life a living hell! God dammit -" She slowly trailed off, scrubbing her temples hard with her knuckles.

Xana snorted. Taking the Lord's name in vain, was she? In front of a good, Christian knight no less! For shame. Xana would smite her one day, when he was strong enough to wield a sword.

Puchiko sucked in a deep breath and pasted on a plastic smile. "Just behave. Dear god. Please. Just behave. I really can't take this anymore."

Courage nodded obediently; she understood. But Xana just glared.

He had only just started. He'd be free of his evil giantess captor soon! Soon!

Outside it was warm and moist; two well-known symptoms of summer, where humidity ruled all, with mosquitoes to serve as its minions. Xana was sitting in the grass, chainmail tunic long since removed as it was too hot, with Courage curled up sleepily at his side. She quite liked the heat, personality, though she wasn't too fond of the dampness in the air - or the mosquitoes. One landed on her ear and she twitched it, driving the nuisance away with an angry buzz.

Both cub and baby sighed in unison, and Xana rubbed at his nose. His gauntlet felt as though it were burning his arm with all the heat it was absorbing, but Xana would never take the damn thing off. Cried whenever Puchi tried to.

Hot. said Courage miserably.

Xana simply nodded his understanding, since he was not able to form words himself yet. Not to say that Courage could either; occasionally, single-syllable words entered her vocabulary and thus Xana's mind, but for the most part the two were ignorant as, well, babies. Still, they both understood the concept of heat, and that currently there was far too much of it.

Courage rested her head in Xana's lap, tail flicking about idly, and yawned. The warm sun always made her sort of sleepy, and had the same effect on Xana - his eyelids were gradually drooping, his mouth starting to hang slightly lower and more open, a soft snuffle marking the beginnings of a snore. However, sleep was not meant to be...

"PICNIC!" Puchi cried with joy, running back out from the labs bearing a basket. Inside were hastily prepared peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for her and the girls, some baby food for Xana, a bit of raw steak for Courage.

"I hate picnics," Ophelia complained, from her perch in a nearby tree.

"You hate everything," Eros scolded. She was seated near Xana and the baby, keeping a careful eye on the two to make sure they didn't get into any trouble (as they normally did.) However, the two had been acting like angels - mostly because the heat seemed to tire them out, apparently. But the baby had bolted upright at Puchi's yell, eyes wide and frightened, as though something were about to attack him. Courage too had leaped to her feet, ready to protect Xana if need be.

"This is going to be fun," Puchi reassured Ophelia, gesturing her down. She opened the basket and pulled out a blanket, spreading it out in the grass. Eros bent down and picked Xana up with a grunt - he was getting big! - and walked with him over to the blanket, setting him down next to the basket. He peered curiously at the basket. Perhaps it was full of treasure! A wide smile slowly crossed his face as he reached down into it, expecting to come out with a fistful of gold coins.

Not meant to be. Ophelia landed with a thud in front of him, eyes narrowed. "Don't get your grubby little fingers all over the food, kid," she warned, though despite her harsh tone she was very gentle with Xana when pulling his hand out of the basket. Xana pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, while Courage cautiously sniffed around the basket, recognizing the smell of meat in there and greedy for her share.

"Okay!" Puchi plopped down on the blanket and Eros followed suit, though Ophelia remained standing. She began pulling out the sandwiches, the baby food, and the steak in a little plastic baggy. Courage gave an excited mewl at the sight of the steak and sat back on her haunches, staring hungrily at it. Puchi smiled and set out a napkin, shaking out the pieces of raw meat on to it for Courage to enjoy. The lion cub pounced on them with fervor. Well! That was one person (technically lioness, but whatever) fed. Now for the rest.

Eros, as usual, took the baby food and spoon in her hand, as she was normally the one who fed Xana. Removing the cap from the jar, she smiled at Xana. "Open wwiiiiideee," she cooed, dipping the spoon in.

Xana eagerly opened his mouth, hands folded politely into his lap. He recognized Eros as a fair maiden and the food she fed him mana from the gods; what she fed him was specially concocted by monks of a hidden, sacred order to make him stronger, of course! Soon enough he was being fed spoonfuls of mushed peas and carrots, and making quite a mess of himself.

"He's so good with you," Puchiko sighed, biting into her own sandwich. "I don't even think he'll let me feed him anymore."

Ophelia snorted. "Being good with babies is a skill I'd rather be without."

"Aww, he's just a sweetheart, really," Eros cooed as Xana swallowed another sloppy spoonful.

Puchiko rolled her eyes. "He's evil. He plots things."

"He's just a baby, moron," Ophelia grunted, staring with loathing at her peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. Why could Puchiko ever buy some salami or something!?

"He's not evil anyway! He's perfectly sweet - aren't you, Xana? You're just the cutest widdle thing Auntie Eros has EVER seen!" The Thule bent forward and wiped some of the baby food off of Xana's face, and the baby gave a delighted squeal.

"Well. There goes my appetite," muttered her sister, expression twisted with disgust.

"Xana's certainly packing it in," Puchi observed, taking another bite of her sandwich. "And Courage is already done."

The lion cub had long since finished her meal and now was happily sprawled out on the blanket, eyes shut and breathing slow - asleep, of course. Every so often a paw twitched or her tail adjusted itself, but the little lion was always a deep sleeper, especially after eating - it'd be a while before she woke up.

Ophelia rolled her eyes, but reached out a hand to scratch the lion cub affectionately. Courage she liked, for some odd reason. Probably because Ophelia had a soft spot for fluffy, cute things, but would never admit to it.

Eros beamed as Xana finished his meal and once more had his face wiped clean. "All gone! It's all gone!" she gasped, feigning surprise. This elicited a gasp of surprise from Xana, as if this was the most shocking and horrifying thing he had ever heard. Giggling, Eros planted a kiss on the baby's forehead before scooting closer to the picnic basket to get her own sandwich. Xana moved over to Courage and nestled against her, the hum of insects and the steady breathing of his daemon eventually lulling him to sleep.

Eros licked jelly off her fingers and started in on her sister's sandwich, which remained untouched. "It's such a nice day." she sighed.

"It's too hot."

"I agree with Ophelia there. But it is a nice day," Puchi said, leaning back with her arms behind her head. "I always liked summer."

"Summer doesn't like anyone," Ophelia stated flatly.

Eros giggled and threw her arms around her sister, enveloping the other in a bonecrushing hug. "Aww, Ophy, I'm sure summer LOVES you. You're just so... cute!"

Ophelia quietly submitted to the affection, though her expression was clearly one of annoyance. "I stand corrected, then." she deadpanned.

"Quiet! You're gonna wake up Xana and Courage," Puchi scolded. Both Adu clapped a hand over their mouth, though they didn't seem to notice that the other had done the same gesture. Instead, Eros' arms dropped away from her sister and she scooted back, to finish her sister's sandwich.

"We should have picnics more often." she concluded brightly. "I don't think any of us get outside enough."

"Maybe we should." Puchi replied absently. Her eyes were already starting to close. Ophelia laid down nearby, the heat and symphony of insects beginning to get to her too. Only Eros remained awake, and even that wasn't for long - once the sandwich was finished she curled up by her sister and, after a huge yawn, settled down for a nap herself.

In the grass nearby the air shimmered and a man suddenly leaped into being. "Oh, hell! Too early again!" he cursed, before disappearing once more. He didn't disturb anyone's sleep.

[ Message temporarily off-line ]

"Courage, please." Sighing, Cressida drew the new stroller to a stop, kicked down the brake, and again bent to unwind the leash from her ankles and the back axel. The lion cub immediately padded over and looked up with sad golden eyes. "I know you don't like the idea of being on a lease and, believe me, if we were back on our island, you wouldn't have to put up with it but..." The delicate brunette paused in her surgery and reached out to pull the tawny creature into a hug before kissing her head and then gently shoving her away. "I have a feeling that people might get a bit upset over seeing a lion running about free as she pleases."

With a faint noise of triumph, she loosed the final knot and stood again. Reaching into the stroller, she ruffled a glaring Quixana's hair. "And don't you look at me like that, mister," she laughed. "I can't put her in with you either. She'd tear up the padding and there's barely enough room for you in there, anyway." Xana turned his face away and, squirming, rolled over to bury his discontented noises in the cushion while his rear end pointed skywards, tail flicking in annoyance. This only made his new mother laugh again under her breath and gently grab for it. At her touch, he squeaked and abruptly sat upright again, turning to look at her, bottom lip stuck out.

That just melted her and she quickly moved around to the front of the navy blue contraption ("He's a boy, my lady. Of course, it's blue.") and reached in to draw him close for a kiss on the forehead. "Papa got the wrong size, didn't he, darling?" she murmured. "We'll go out shopping and you and Courage can pick out a new one and we'll make sure she can ride in it, too. Okay?"

Not expecting an answer and not getting one, Cressida moved back to her position at the handles and kicked the break off, checking the loop of leash around the bar. "Okay, darlings," she announced. "The address Puchiko gave me should be right around..." She looked around and abruptly trailed off into a beam. Ah, there it was. Seeming acres of green, towering trees, weeds run riot, the orange-colored building stretching up in the midst as if it had grown there as well. "Perfect." She pointed and then began pushing the stroller again. "So this is where you two came from," she murmured. "It does look like something out of a storybook, doesn't it? An ancient forest with a gingerbread house, even. What do you think?"

Reaching the edge of a path, off to the side of the house and safely out of view of the street, she dragged the stroller onto the grass and put the brake back on. Then she bent to loose Courage before snatching Quixana from the stroller. "And up we go, little adventurers," she grinned. "Let's explore a bit, shall we?"

Quixana looked down at Courage. Courage looked back up at him. They nodded together slowly. Then, imperious, Quixana pointed further back into the yard. That was where he wanted to go. Cressida giggled, landed a noisy kiss on his cheek, and obediently began picking her way through the whispering grass, feeling it tickle her bare legs. "Yes, your gracious majesty. As you say."

Oh, how she hoped to find others to talk to and ask questions!
---

What a night! After being assaulted by an over-eager crocodile-hunter, being chased through a jungle, spraining her ankle, falling off a cliff, landing in a library of all places, and discovering a child to take care of, all in such a short period of time, Tweek had been in a state of shock the prior evening. After the whole episode, she'd lingered with child and daemon in her arms at the door of the mansion, but looking out into the pitchy colored night and still feeling the dull throb in her ankle, she figured both she and her new wards would be better off spending the night in the house than making the long walk back to her apartment. The kitchen had still been warm, and she'd found a few haphazard blankets back in stalker hall, enough to make a comfortable nest for herself and the child when compiled with some soft tablecloths from the kitchen.

She'd gently removed the excerpt from the little girl's hand and read it over and over while the child slipped into a peaceful slumber, guarded watchfully by the strange ermine-like creature at her side. Sonya. The name had come to Tweek just as she was drifting off to sleep, slipping into her mind like a creature from a distant land. Seamlessly, it entwined itself with the picture of that fragile little girl in front of her and she knew, right then, that she would never let the child--her child, go.

---

Morning came quickly, stretching its muted gold warmth in crisscrosses across the sky until the sun was shining brightly overhead, illuminating the lawn like a polished green stone. Tweek woke to find Sonya at her side, wide blue eyes focused on the soft brown animal in her lap as she pet it clumsily with one tiny hand, while the other one rested halfway in her mouth. Renewed twitched his gauzy wings lazily, glancing up at Tweek with inky black eyes as she rose and glanced out the window into the bright day outside.

Someone else was on the lawn! Tweek wrinkled her brow thoughtfully at the slender dark-haired woman, honing in on the child she carried with her and--was that a lion? Her eyes darted back to Renewed, quickly registering the connection. Another daemon. Which meant another guardian! A smile of relief flitting across her face, the pale woman quickly pulled her black curls into array and adjusted her thick glasses, gently scooping Sonya and Renewed up in her arms.

Propping the baby girl on her hip, Tweek opened the large front door, stepping out onto the shaded porch. "Hello!" She called to the other woman.

"Hello, there," Tweek laughed as she made her way down the steps, alight with a flurry of relief and exuberance. "Goodness, hello!" She waved with her free hand, aware of her repetitive greeting, but too glad to care. Eager not to make an impression of a babbling madwoman, she paused a good couple yards away from the others and quickly composed herself.

"You must be a guardian too..." She said softly as her eyes swept over the trio in front of her.

Sonya, her hand still in her mouth, blinked slowly and let out a soft, almost pensive sounding murmur as she took in the boy and lioness before her. Perched on the young Forgotten's shoulder, Renewed flitted his wings warily at the sight of the cat, the hairs on his bushy tail standing up one by one in consternation.

Cressida had at first startled at the abrupt greeting but, by the time the bespectacled woman had arrived, baby balanced on her hip and a small furry creature on baby's shoulder, she was answering the hellos with her own open, happy smile. "And a good morning to you," she answered, somehow managing a dainty little curtsy despite carrying her own baby on her hip. She held out her free hand. "My name is Cressida. Your daughter is gorgeous."

As if those were two sentences that had a perfectly logical reason to fit together.

"Hello, Cressida! And thank you." She grinned, flushing slightly at the compliment. As if sensing the fact that the other was talking about her, Sonya tilted her head up toward the conversation, her mouth falling slightly open, giving her a wondering expression that dissolved into a gentle smile when Tweek rocked her in her arms slightly.

"Your son is very handsome as well." Tweek said warmly, admiring the little boy in front of her. "And what a daemon he has!" She marveled at the authentic little lioness. And she'd thought the little furball on her daughter's shoulder would be a hassle.

"I'm Tulla. Tulla Lee. Friends call me Tweek," The woman introduced herself, bowing her head slightly in an absently formal gesture. "And this is Sonya." She motioned to the girl in her arms.

"I hate to impose--It's just, I found Sonya just last night after a bit of a traumatic experience and this is all very new to me--" She let out a nervous chuckle. "I was hoping to find someone to talk to and I guess when I saw you I just pounced. Sorry about that..."

Renewed ducked under his ward's soft green shawl, traveling along the bridge of Sonya's small back to her other shoulder where he peeked out again with an inquisitive look, his head draped in fabric, a faint glow emitting all around him. Who were these creatures, indeed? He made a soft chuttering noise to himself.

"Oh." Cressida sighed and shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid I won't be any help." The smile sparkled through, though, and she moved to close the distance between the other woman and her. "You see, I was just gifted myself," she explained. "Quixana and Courage here just joined my family yesterday and I came here for more information myself. I don't want to keep bothering Puchiko."

Seeing the question in Tweek's eyes, Cressida hurried to elaborate. "She is the one who actually found them in the book. But she is very busy and they are so," here she paused as Quixana began to squirm. "Pardon me. One moment." Gracefully, she crouched down and set the infant on the soft grass. Courage immediately loped to the child's side and nuzzled into his shoulder. Reaching out, he grabbed two handfuls of her fur and buried his face in her sun-warmed side for a moment. Cressida remained in position, watching them with shining eyes, clearly beyond hope when it came to loving her new children. It was only when Quixana detached from Courage and began busily uprooting bits of grass and solemnly throwing them in the air that she laughed, breaking the spell, and stood again. "Pardon me," she said again and this time she gave a delicate little curtsey with it. "I'm very new to motherhood and it's amazing." Her smile was luminous. "But, yes, Puchiko has entrusted me with their care now. As of yesterday, I'm... Well, I'm their mother."

Cressida held out a small, perfectly manicured hand towards Sonya. She held it there as if waiting for the child to decide what to do next.

Quixana paused in his grass-throwing to tilt his head up and study the other child with solemn, dark eyes. Then he reached out to tug on Courage's ear and pointed upwards. There. Another baby and, there, another creature. He squinted, round face scrunching up as he tried to better see the creature on Sonya's shoulder.

After the other clarified her momentary confusion, Tweek shrugged her shoulders with a congenial smile. "Well, hey. We're in the same boat, then. We'll just have to learn together."

"Of course," She said as Cressida excused herself. Her eyes wandering to the pair on the grass as the other woman bent down to them, Tweek felt an uncharacteristically wide smile span her face. Those two certainly were adorable. And the look on Cressida's face was profound. This was motherhood. Cressida seemed to have taken it on so faultlessly that Tweek felt her heart swell watching her bask in her children's presence.

Sonya made an interested chirping noise in response to the little boy's boisterous activities with the clumps of grass, and Tweek put her hand to her mouth and chuckled.

"Then we have even more in common." The woman said warmly in response to the other as Sonya wiggled in her arms restlessly. When Cressida extended her hand, the little girl first looked stymied, but she reached out with her own small palms, burbling a pleased sound as she latched gently onto a slender finger for a moment.

"Bah... ah?" The little girl said curiously after a minute, with an arm stretching towards the lush green carpeting of the garden, glancing over her shoulder at her guardian with those bewildered blue eyes. Tweek hesitated only briefly before setting her daughter down upon the lawn, and hoped it didn't reflect upon poor mothering skills. Yes, there was a lion down there, but it was a daemon. She'd heard rumors of other Forgotten children being paired with snakes and elephants, but never any stories of those creatures causing harm to other children. Plus, she figured if the little cat was particularly dangerous, this other woman wouldn't be letting her wander around so freely.

Sonya blinked in the sunlight, absently maneuvering her shawl up over her head so that it sheltered her eyes like a hood. Curled around her neck like a scarf, Renewed looked momentarily affronted by the change in scenery, particularly by the feline in front of him, and let out a low chutter as he pressed himself closer into his Forgotten, waiting to see what would happen.

"Ooo..." The little girl murmured to the boy in front of her, tilting her head slightly to the side, her toes curling experimentally in the interesting new texture of the grass.

Tweek watched on, interested to see if the two would be able to socialize. "How old is Quixana?" She asked, noting that her daughter looked a bit smaller than him.

Cressida blinked and then blushed a bit, laughing at herself. "I really haven't a clue," she admitted. "I'm not even sure if these children will grow like normal children. From things that Puchiko said, I don't believe they will." She cast her doting gaze back toward the children rolling in the grass. "After all, they came out of books just like this and I truly think they understand more than most children of their apparent age."

As if to give weight to his mother's supposition, Quixana abruptly gave up on grass-throwing and rolled onto hands and knees to crawl closer to Sonya. Courage trotted after him. Reaching her side, the little boy once more sat up and stuck out a chubby hand to pat Sonya's shoulder. Then he pointed at Courage who immediately padded close and dropped onto flat front paws, head down and rump in the air. The gesture was clearly meant to be both friendly and "look at me, I'm harmless." Her tail waved almost like a dog's. Quixana beamed.

"Not to mention their daemons," Cressida continued. It was hard to pull her focus back to the other woman when the children were being so adorable but it was only polite. She smiled at Tweek. "Sonya is already trying to talk, though," she pointed out. "Xana hasn't said much at all. Though he really seems to enjoy blowing bubbles." She giggled. "And you know how he feels if they come out happy or angry. My poor Leon has gotten quite a few angry bubbles already."

"You're certainly right there," Tweek nodded in agreement, with another small breath of laughter. It still seemed so bizarre, this guardianship. Such a short period of time had passed since she'd discovered Sonya that she found herself constantly forgetting that not only was Sonya her daughter--not a niece, or little cousin like the other few children she'd ever watched over--but that she was in essence a magical being.

Giggling at the comment about the 'angry bubbles,' Tweek glanced over the two babies on the grass once more, a lightness entering her heart. If this was how easily these children made friends, she could put at least one worry out of her mind.

"Sonya's certainly vocal. She's the one who helped me figure out Renewed's name." Still perched upon Sonya's shoulder, the little pine martin registered the sound of his name with a demure turn of his head and a belittling look at Tweek before turning his attention back to his ward. "Oh!" Tweek put her hand to her mouth. "I didn't even introduce him! Sorry--This'll sound horrible, but he hasn't quite registered in my mind as an actual daemon. I keep looking at him as... I don't know, a pet?" She trailed off. "I guess he's my child too, though. Cheeky little thing..." She didn't sound exactly enthused about the prospect, but her face showed she was game to try.

Sonya looked momentarily concerned as the other daemon approached, but when the little lioness fell into a playful bow, she giggled and reached out a hand, waving it as if to pet Courage’s soft forehead through the air. Turning to Quixana in an open-mouthed grin of delight, she let out a pleased burble as she rolled onto all fours. "Kee!"

Chuttering softly and continuously like a guinea pig, Renewed made his careful way down Sonya's arm, increasing his volume to himself whenever he almost misplaced a foot. Fluttering his translucent wings, he curled his sinuous body around Sonya's wrist as she propped herself up on the ground, fussing with his paws as he glanced at the other child and daemon suspiciously.

"Ahnoo," Sonya cooed happily as she glanced back over her shoulder at him and then looked back to Quixana, almost as if trying to introduce him to the other. Her small hand lifted and brushed her daemon's silky back, surprising him and sending him into a long trilling sound of indignation.

Hopeful and obliging, Quixana held out his hand to mimic Sonya's movement, coming within scant inches of the other child's daemon before wrinkling his nose and bursting into a sudden, sunny smile. Then, abruptly, he rolled over onto his back and flung out all four limbs spread-eagle and blew an exceptionally large bubble at the clouds above. Courage let a little purr slip and then bounded over to bury her head against her charge's stomach. The chain mail obviously made a fantastic thing to scratch an itch again and she purred again louder. Quixana moved a hand and wrapped chubby fingers around one of her ears and tugged. Obediently, she lifted her head so that her chin rested across his stomach and they both turned to look expectantly at Sonya and Renewed.

Cressida giggled. "Gods only know what they're doing now," she whispered to the other woman. "It's like a dog show or something. Do you know if they can touch each other's daemons or not? I'm quite sure that Courage wouldn't mind if Sonya petted her. She's so very sweet. She even lets Leon cuddle her." A rueful look crossed her pretty face then and she giggled again. "Though I'm going to have to get her a scratching post. That's another reason we're out so early, you see. Courage... Well, she kind of took her poor little claws to one of Leon's Louis XIVth chairs and..." The smile went completely sheepish - that of a little girl who had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "He doesn't know yet. Have you had any house-training issues yet?"

Already flustered with Sonya, Renewed hardly had time to react to the movement of the boy's hand as it swung close to him. He shivered as he felt a ripple of air on his fur where the hand nearly grazed him, and withdrew slightly into the shawl instinctually. Sonya's eyes widened slightly at the inexplicable tingle of energy sent across their bond, but she laughed pleasantly at the sensation as a child might laugh after the surprise of being licked by a dog.

Not yet well-versed in any kind of daemon etiquette Tweek bit her lip at Renewed's motions. "He's just antisocial, is all." She concluded apologetically. "He doesn't even seem to like me." She harrumphed quietly as she wondered to herself what unseen force had lead her to such an irritable animal. Presumably, though, that force was the same one that had let her to Sonya, so she couldn't exactly complain.

Sonya churred quietly to herself as Quixana and Courage plopped themselves down on the grass. "Bah, she?" She murmured querulously. When she was met by the waiting gazes of Courage and Quixana, she hesitated a moment, then clumsily gathered up a wiggly Renewed in her arms and crawled a step closer on her knees, bright eyes fleeting momentarily to the sky, mirroring the boy's actions, searching for something of interest. Her shawl slid haphazardly off her shoulders at her movement, and she put her sky gazing on hold to gather it up around herself again with a soft sigh.

Tweek furrowed her brow at the daemon comment. "I'm not sure..." The woman shrugged. "I should think so. But I just haven't had enough experience to say. I know nothing bad happens when I touch Renewed--although he's usually not happy about it. But then again, he's usually not happy about anything." She shook her head. "She, on the other hand, is utterly adorable!" The woman said of Courage, grinning and feeling her insides turn to goo at the delightful lion cub's antics.

"Oh no..." She inhaled at the mention of the antique, her brow arching up in a sympathetic grimace of a smile. "Gosh, that's another thing I failed to think about. Baby-proofing the house! Sonya hasn't actually been home yet. We kind of camped out here in the kitchen last night." She put a hand up to her forehead, suddenly remembering a ferret she'd had as a child and drawing a connection to her daughter's daemon. "Ugh, I suppose Renewed will probably want to musk everything. I wonder if there's a way to prevent that..."

"Oh, there ought to be." Cressida's expression radiated sympathy and she reached out to pat the other woman's shoulder warmly. "I think the little creatures are quite intelligent, too. So... Maybe if you asked nicely?" She glanced over at the babies and their animals and a smile grew on her face, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "I have this terrible feeling that there was a definite reason behind the mess they made in the room. It was a bit... Methodical, you know? The Limoges, the curtains, the chair. But when I came in and found them at it, Xana was holding an old, old copy of Antigone as gently as if he were actually reading it." She giggled. A stray gust of wind disarranged her hair and she reached up to push the heavy mahogany-colored waves back with both hands, shaking it out automatically. Then she shrugged and motioned towards the children. "So baby-proofing is a necessity but so is realizing that they're blastedly clever. I think. I hope. It's how I'm going at it, anyway." She smiled crookedly. "Though our apartment still needs a lot of baby-proofing yet. Xana and Courage were rather unexpected additions."

Meanwhile, the "unexpected additions" seemed to be exerting their considerable charm in the direction of the little blonde and her twitchy companion. Quixana beamed and, suddenly, pushed Courage's head from his stomach so he could roll over onto his stomach. With a faint noise, he pushed himself up on all fours again and then toppled over to land on his backside, sitting up with a little self-satisfied smirk. As if he had just managed a spectacular trick. Courage rolled her shoulders in a remarkably human-like shrug and flopped back down on the sun-warmed grass, watching indulgently.

Cocking his head to one side, Quixana gripped the metal mesh of his vest with both hands and lifted it away from his body enough that he had room to shake it. It made a tiny jingly noise. Then he dropped it and pointed at Sonya's shawl. The meaning was clear in a simple way - Is that yours or your guardian's? He barely even seemed to register Renewed's distaste, focusing solely on Sonya's face and expressions.

The little girl gave a tinkling laugh at Quixana's antics, smiling in amusement as he tumbled over on his back once again. She scooted a little closer to where Courage lay, still about a foot away, and similarly slid down onto her own stomach, laying her chin on her arms as Renewed clambered atop her back for a better view of the show.

"They can read Antigone at this age?" Tweek exclaimed, "No," She recovered, realizing she'd misinterpreted slightly. "I guess that would be too much, even for them." The woman smiled sheepishly, and an almost wistful look crossed her face at Cressida's next words. "Sonya was pretty unexpected herself. It's strange, I'd heard about this house before and I was always fascinated by the stories... but I never thought in a million years I'd actually have a story of my own. Now that I have them I realize more then ever how utterly ignorant I am." She fretted, scratching at her cheek with a finger as she looked down at the children. "I'm sorry," Glancing back up to the other woman, she chuckled gently. "I just need to toughen up a little. I'm certainly not in a position to complain."

At the boy's inquiring motion, Sonya shook her head with an "Mmm," winding the soft shawl further around her body so that it covered her form like a teepee, her head becoming a strange chimney. She had caught the meaning of Quixana's unspoken question and had suddenly realized how uncomfortable the thought of the shawl belonging to anyone else made her. From her possessive motions, her answer would be clear. Remembering the pleasant jingle of the chain mail, the little girl reached out a tentative hand toward the gleaming metal, and let it hang in the air before retracting it shyly, apparently having second thoughts about invading his space. Her eyes caught on the sun flickering off the metal band on the boy's hand and she made a soft noise of contemplation, wondering what it might signify.

Renewed flitted his wings to create a slight breeze on his back. Hot. He complained to Sonya sulkily, more in primitive pictures and feelings than in words. You are not hot? He extended to Courage, widening his search for commiseration, for he could tell his ward was too busy focusing on the other Forgotten to give him much attention

At the creature's thoughts, Courage turned her tawny gaze towards Renewed and yawned hugely. Nice sunshine. Good for growing. Happy. Somehow, almost impossibly, she shared thought of far-reaching plains, waving golden grasses, sunshine far brighter than what was currently causing Cressida to idly fan herself with one hand. She purred and stretched out more in the grass.

One of Quixana's hands left his shirt at her reaction and absently patted her great furry head. Then he wriggled closer to Sonya, grinding some perfectly lovely grass stains into his pants in the process. The hand still clutching his chain mail shook it once more for her benefit. Then he held the hand out as if to display the heavy metal gauntlet for her benefit. Tilting his head, he beamed, blinking slowly. The growing warmth made him look sleepy, heavy-eyed and dusky brown. A fly landed on his shoulder and he wrinkled his nose, his tail automatically swishing up and forward to send the insect scrambling. Xana shook his wrist at Sonya again, waiting.

"I'm sure you're going to do just simply wonderfully," Cressida replied reassuringly. "You obviously think the little darling hung the moon. Or at least a few stars. Not that I can blame you. She is beyond beautiful. Those eyes!" As if mimicking her son, the brunette held out her hand to Tweek and smiled sweetly. "We should let them play together more. Make play dates or something." Her smile became hopeful and almost shattering in the sweet naiveté. "Would you mind? I would very much like to have a friend to talk to about children. Someone to trade stories and tips with. Would you?"

A picture of a blazing Savannah dissolved into Renewed's mind, and he blinked rapidly, ducking his head in response to the brilliant vision that was so clear that for a moment he thought he was there rather then out on the lawn of the house. Once he recovered, he made a gruff sounding "Hnn" noise, but his tone was more pensive than dismissive for a change. He took a moment to transmit his own preferred scenery to Courage, dark moonlit forests of deep greens and blues with silvery beams of snow glistening on the boughs of strong-smelling evergreen trees. The cold was his element.

"Oh, Miss Cressida, that would be wonderful!" Tweek exclaimed as she grasped the woman's extended hand with her own two, a grin surfacing on her pallid face. "Just talking to you now for such a brief period of time has already made me feel so much better! And I'd love to arrange more play dates. Sonya could really use a friend like Quixana. Look at him, he's being so patient with her..." She turned her eyes back to the children.

As if on cue, Sonya let out a gasp as Xana's tail flickered right before her eyes. She had previously simply figured the brush of long hairs was simply another adornment of some sort, similar to the chain male and the shining gauntlet around the boy's arm. Seeing it move, she became fascinated with it. "Ha nah, nahbah ya!" She exclaimed in animated surprise, her eyes wide as saucers with incredulity. She took his gleaming, metal-covered wrist in both her small hands as he extended it, her fingers exploring the smooth warm metal as her eyes wandered distractedly to the tail at his side again. Still holding onto the gauntlet absently with one hand, she pointed at his tail and questioned, "Noo?" Her large blue eyes wandered back to his, her mouth still in an inquisitive O-shape.

Smile welcoming, Quixana flicked his tail again for his new friend and then broke down in giggles. Pulling his hand from hers, he flopped down onto the grass once more, stomach downwards. His tail swished for a moment. Suddenly, he squealed and rolled back over, looking up at Courage accusingly. Courage merely purred and looked at her paw thoughtfully as if she had not just used the limb to batter her Forgotten's tail into submission.

Quixana shot Sonya a look, grinned, and then pushed himself up so that he could launch his small form at the lion cub. With a squeal, they tumbled over each other, rolling about in the grass. Long-suffering, Courage came to a stop on her back, paws in the air as Quixana straddled her tummy. With a bubbling laugh, he then proceeded to scratch at her chest and raise a rumbling purr.

"I don't think that's patience." Cressida giggled. "He's showing off for her! How adorable. He must know that she's a real little lady and ought to be treated nicely."

Tweek chuckled along with Cressida, smiling at the thought. "Well, even if that's true he's being quite the little gentleman. At least towards Sonya." She tacked on wryly, watching with amusement as the boy pinned the lion cub under his weight.

Sonya trilled out a giggle as boy and daemon frolicked together on the grass. She motioned to Renewed who still hung onto her shoulder, waving with an arm towards the spectacle so that he might share her good humor at the show. The Pine Martin heaved a gusty sigh and nodded in response with the weary acquiescence of a tired nanny. His bluster had certainly worn down in the drowsy morning atmosphere, but even under that his reserved nature still kept him from engaging more in socialization.

The little girl shuffled her way closer to the pair she had quickly come to look upon as friends, bubbles of soft, happy laughter still surfacing every few moments until she was close enough to Xana to reach out to him once more. She caught him again with a light touch on his gauntlet and pointed to Courage shyly. Her gesture was simple enough. I like her. But the message was deeper than that. She was completely taken with the merry little lioness.

At that, she rocked back again to sit once more in the cool green grass. She looked around her with a soft hum of complete contentment. The sun was a little warm, but it caught on her long eyelashes and painted pleasant gold streaks through her vision. Her eyes were filled with an outstretching blanket of green, an echo of her deep colored shawl, one of the most familiar comforts she knew. Calm feelings seeped through the link to her daemon until Renewed closed his inky eyes, cuddling against her neck in a comfortable half-slumber.

As if picking up on Renewed's mood, both Quixana and Courage paused in their tussle and blinked owlishly at the girl and her creature. Then they released matching yawns. Rolling away from his daemon, Quixana shifted to instead curl up beside Sonya. He rested on his side, unadorned arm crooked under his head. He watched her for a moment before smiling sleepily. Then, charmingly, he blew a raspberry at her.

Cressida nearly collapsed in giggles, hands over her mouth. "Oh, dear. We'll have to work on that particular mannerism," she declared.

Seemingly Courage agreed and flipped herself upright, padding over to bump her head against Quixana's chidingly. At his vague pat back, she nodded in agreement. There was only a moment of hesitation before the little lioness moved to just barely brush her head against Sonya's shoulder. Then, immediately, she retreated to curl herself into a sleepy ball on Quixana's other side.

As Xana blew a raspberry at her daughter, Tweek let out a low, free-spirited laugh. In response. Sonya cracked her eyes open halfway and gave a slow, amused smile, the closest equivalent to a smirk Tweek had witnessed up to then in the little girl. Something about the expression surprised her, and as Sonya closed her eyes again, she marveled to herself that Cressida was right, the two Forgotten were somehow more aware of the world than normal children.

"It looks like our babies are getting sleepy," Tweek smiled. She was beginning to look slightly peaked herself as the summer sun combined with the sleep deprivation from last night. "I guess I should get Sonya home and arrange a set up for her before I get too tired." Her tone was wistful as she scooped Forgotten and daemon into her arms, for she'd thoroughly enjoyed meeting Cressida and her son.

"It was wonderful meeting you, Cressida. And thanks so much for the chat. You've made me feel worlds better about Motherhood." She chuckled, gently putting her hand on the delicate woman's shoulder. "I do hope we can meet again soon."

"We most definitely will." Cressida's answering smile was pure warmth and she lifted her hand to cover the other woman's and squeeze for an instant. Then she moved away and crouched to gather up her limp-bodied baby boy. She cuddled him close against her body, supporting his dead weight with a bit of difficulty. "Play dates for them and us, Tweek," she reassured her new friend. "It's been an honor and a pleasure meeting you all."

Stretching with a yawn, Courage rose to her feet and sauntered over to stand at Cressida's ankles. She blinked sleepily at the others and then cocked her head in a semblance of goodbye.

Cressida gave a final brilliant smile and nod, then she was turning on her heel and slipping the dozing baby back in his stroller. Before another word could be said, the little family had already started on their way home. Tweek had been right about sleepy babies...

Quixana was unconscious by the time they hit the sidewalk and he remained that way until they arrived home and Cressida had to explain the state of the guest room to her sardonic lover.

Buying Things

With a delighted squeal, Cressida skipped down yet another aisle in the sprawling mecca of All Things Baby. "Oh, darling!" she called. "You have to see this mobile. It has little lions on it." Trusting that the darling in question would follow with his own cargo of stroller-and-child, the brunette crouched to scoop up the lioness cub who trailed at her sandal-clad feet. Hands cradling the cub, she leaned over a crib display to show Courage what had her so excited. The crib itself was unimpressive - simple white wood, the usual design of bars and straight lines. The bed clothes, however, were a riot of what some poor misguided soul thought the Serenghetti looked like. Cheerful cartoon beasts dotted the blanket - vapid zebras and cross-eyed giraffes and dopey monkeys and mildly retarded lions. A mobile dangled above, dripping with more lions and zebras and giraffes and monkeys. One of the pillows looked like a huge leaf. "Look, baby," she giggled. "What do you think? Is it like home?"

Courage tilted her head, trying not to squirm. She knew Cressida meant well and the position wasn't -that- uncomfortable. Finally, she meowed plainatively.

Leon, following close behind her - looking utterly out of place with the stroller anyway, though there was something about his expression that dared people to comment - and scrutinized the crib. He looked at Courage for her opinion; then he looked at Quixana, just to make sure that he hadn't managed to do a Houdini and slip out and run to the lingerie section.

"It looks like the veldt and Disney had a baby," was his final judgement. He pushed pieces of blonde hair out his face, then added: "That monkey has six fingers."

"Walter!!" The call was almost a shout, but not quite. "Oblivion! Wherever you are you had BETTER not be eating the merchandise!" Ice was looking around wildly for her baby boy, cursing herself for looking away for even a second. "Walter! Where--" She yelped as she almost ran into a tall blonde male with a stroller.

"Oh, sorry, really, um--" She looked first at Leon, then turned automatically to the female, sensing that she would be more helpful, being another mother. "Have you seen a blonde boy in a hat, probably riding on a metal... dragon looking creature?" She asked.

Cressida's violet eyes immediately went wide in sympathy to the strange woman and she squatted to lower Courage to the ground immediately. "Courage," she whispered, scratching the big cat's ears. "Do you think you could sort of look around under the shelves and cribs while we help her up here?"

Courage purred and rubbed her head against Cressida's knee. Then she padded over to the stroller and reared back on her hind legs so she could put her front paws on the bar in front of Quixana. Her golden eyes looked into his brown ones and they nodded at each other. Squirming in his seat, Quixana raised his arms to Leon and opened and closed his hands. The universal sign for Pick Me Up NOW.

Meanwhile, Cressida had turned her attention back towards the white-skinned woman and was shaking her head, her mouth pulled into a frown. "I'm afraid not. I haven't even heard anything metal go by and I would think a metal dragon-thing would make a lot of noise. Right?"

Leon obeyed, if only because he thought the stroller was an obvious instrument of torture; it smelled like plastic and rusks. He pulled Xana up into his arms and balanced him on his hip. (Unbeknownst to Cressida, he had actually practiced with a sack of rice when he thought that nobody was looking.)

"Unless it wants to be stealthy," he added, totally unhelpfully. "That combined with the fact that people rarely stare at the ground level. Especially when they're in.... a shopping mart. Quixana, this should be a lesson for you not to escape."

"Or how to escape." Ice said with a sigh. "Well she DOES squeak... but we've been oiling her regularly, you know, because we worry about the squeaking hurting and-- Is that a daemon?" She asked, looking at Courange. "She's so beautiful!"

At that time Walter and Oblivion were heading through the racks, wondering what was with all the wood. Wood couldn't be eaten! Oblivion's tail twitched in irritation. They had gotten so far only to find-- Ooooh, baby carraige thing!

Quixana rolled his big brown eyes at his father's words, promptly blew a bubble, and then grabbed at the blonde man's shirt, yanking roughly. He wanted to be let down. Big people never knew where to look. -He- knew where to look. Whoever Walter and Oblivion were, he felt certain they would be somewhere fun and, as much as he had come to adore his mommy, her idea of fun was a bit different than his. He didn't even want to consider what his father thought was fun.

Her gaze focused upwards at her Forgotten, Courage did not see the other two approaching from the rear. Nor did Cressida who was still busily beaming at Ice. "She is, isn't she? Her name is Courage and she belongs to Quixana there. That's my Leon holding Quixana, of course, and I'm Cressida and..." She suddenly paused and laughed as facts caught up with enthusiasm. "So Walter and Oblivion are Forgottens, then? I see. That would make sense."

Leon held out one brown hand to the newcomer, letting Quixana down in a controlled slither down his leg. The toddler was given a particular Look that promised terror, panic and absolutely no television were he to make a fool out of himself; then he turned back to Ice.

"I was wondering when we would meet more," was all he said.

"I just found out what he was, when--" Ice jerked as the sound of metal biting into metal screeched through the air. The stroller that Quixana had been riding it tipped, then fell over. To the side of it was a very satisfied looking Oblivion, chewing happily on one of the leg poles.

"Um... I can pay for that." Ice said before she scooped Walter into her arms. "Just where have you been, young mister? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Walter broke into a happy grin, babblung all about his little adventure as he pulled a cookie from his shirt and offered it to her.

Grinning, Cressida reached out a small, delicate hand to just barely touch the top of Walter's hat. "Oh, he's -precious-. A precious handful, too, I assume." She glanced down at Quixana who was now on all fours and staring down Oblivion. Courage hovered nearby like a nervous mother hen. Suddenly, Quixana threw his little body back to land on his backside, sitting up and clapping. He held out both hands in Oblivion's direction, beamed, and then clapped again. Clearly, he was pleased with the demise of the stroller. "Does Oblivion -often- eat strollers?" She glanced at Leon and then back at Ice. "And don't worry about paying for that. I wasn't going to keep that one much longer, anyway." She dimpled. "It was hideous."

Finally accepting that Oblivion was not going to eat her Forgotten next, Courage sighed and sat back on her haunches. Then she turned her eyes up to study Walter, cradled in Ice's arms. She hiccuped a feline greeting in his direction.

Leon kept a poker face, but secretly applauded Walter and Oblivion's taste in terrorism. "I never liked strollers anyway. - Excuse me."

He picked up the broken stroller, eyed Oblivion and Courage, and abruptly walked off. Presumably to go and dispose of Oblivion's newfound lunch. Jerk.

Walter cocked his head, then reached downwards, motioning that he wanted down. Ice frowned, not really willing. But she DID want him to meet the new daemon... She glanced up at Cressida. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced us. My name's Ice, and this is Walter and Oblivion, and--" She sighed as Walter squirmed hard in her hold.

"Fine, fine. But no running away!" She told him as she put him down. Walter crawled over to Quixana, watching curiously as the stroller was taken away before reaching out to pat Oblivion's head in sympathy. Then he turned, offering his cookie to Quixana with a smile and a babbled greeting.

Quixana beamed right back and held out his hand in Walter's direction, too, neatly mirroring the other boy. He seemed unwilling to grab for the cookie without a more explicit offer. However, he nonetheless seemed delighted with Walter, cookie or no cookie. He blew a happy bubble at Walter and wriggled closer. Then he pointed at Oblivion and then at Walter. The question was clear - She's yours, right? His accompanying smile added "I like her!"

Courage mewled a question and Quixana turned to blink at her for a moment. Finally, he nodded and pointed at her before putting his chubby little hand over his own heart. If Oblivion was Walter's, then Courage was clearly Quixana's.

"Pleased to meet you, Ice." Cressida took the other woman's hand to clasp it warmly. "It's always a relief to meet other mothers," she added. "I only just was gifted with the darlings the other day so it's all terribly new. Tweek, bless her, is in the same boat so all we could do was reassure each other that we wouldn't screw up and watch Xana and Sonya roll around in the grass."

Leon eventually came back, stroller-less, shoving his hands in the pockets of his slacks as he kept one eye on the Forgotten and their daemons. "It's not so bad," he said. "He's not a whining, mewling, puking infant. - I imagine it would be harder to get away with having a robot around."

"This is Gaia." Ice said as if that explained everything. "She hardly ever gets a second glance, actually. Unless she happens to be eating one of the displays." She cocked her head, looking over at Cressida again. "Tweek? I've only met Halo, I'm afraid."

Walter looked at Xana for a second before breaking the cookie into sloppy halves and offering one half to Courage and the other to Quixana again. It was obvious that Oblivion was his when she moved behind him, reluctantly acting as a backrest when he threatened to fall over. Walter explained that in babyspeak as she did.

With a gleeful gurgle, Xana accepted the cookie and nodded his head in a genteel little bow of thanks. Then he shoved it into his mouth in its entirety and gummed away happily. Courage hesitated a bit more, sniffing the cookie, wrinkling her nose in thought. Then, slowly, she lowered her front half in her version of a bow, straightened, and delicately snatched it from Walter's hand. Retreating to sit beside Xana again, she worked at the edges of the snack.

"Tweek and I met at the House. She had just gotten Sonya and Renewed and I had gotten Xana from Puchiko the day before and..." Cressida cut herself off and sighed, hands clasped together as she looked at the kids. "Is Walter always that adorable and generous? Look, Leon. Aren't they cute?"

"He needs a male friend," said Leon, watching the two. (Leon was apparently just a whole huge heaping box of fun.)

Ice didn't want to mention where Walter had most likely GOTTEN the cookie from. The fact that her baby boy tended to raid the trash on a regular basis was probably best kept to herself. "It looks like he has one now." She replied. "Here, I'll give you my address and phone number. I want Walter to have male friends too. He's surrounded by females and a few male fairies at home."

She dug through her bag, pulling out her card and handing it to Cressida. "I think we should keep the Forgotten together, don't you?" She asked with a grin.

Walter started talking again, telling of the time they had snuck out of the house and Oblivion had taken a large bite out of a metal thing with the largest ice cream cone he had ever seen. But since he was talking in babytalk it was rather hard to understand anything other than the fact that it had been entertaining.

Even if the actual content of the story was a mystery, Quixana reacted well to the excitement of it, gumming his cookie and nodding thoughtfully at appropriate pauses. His tail idly swept over the floor, gathering dust that would later be shaken out either on Cressida's shirt front or in his room in the apartment. At one point, he slapped the palm of his hand down on the floor as if to emphasize Walter's most recent point. For her part, Courage finished her cookie and settled herself into a laze beside her charge, golden eyes gone sleepy.

"Oh, -definitely-." Cressida nodded eagerly as she accepted the card. "We should have a party and invite all of the Forgotten we know and their parents. After all, they aren't quite like normal children and who better to play with than someone who is like you are? Kind of. Sort of." She laughed at herself. "There I go again. Sorry."

Leon was fishing his own card out of his wallet; he passed it over to Ice, still poker-faced. "I imagine we'd have to reupholster everything after that gathering."

"And put away all the metal objects before." Ice agreed dryly as she took the card. "Oblivion doesn't seem to have respect for other people's property, I'm afraid. Not when she thinks it looks tasty."

Walter grinned widely, so happy to finally meet someone that appreciated his tales! Then he jabbered in a questioning manner, as if asking the other boy for one of his.

Oblivion's eyes lingered on the lioness daemon for a moment, as if daring her to get friendly with her forgotten the way that Immaculate had. Although she understood just how much draw her forgotten had, he was still hers!

Courage barely even blinked at Oblivion's malevolent glare. Instead, she merely shifted to rest her heavy head on Quixana's knee and purr, the rumble shaking through her body. This sign of relaxation caused the little boy to giggle and he motioned for Walter to come closer. His other hand patted the top of his daemon's head heartily, proving that, thankfully, daemons were incapable of obtaining brain damage. Then he cooed and pointed up at Leon and Cressida.

Cressida laughed sheepishly and shot Leon a guilty look from the corner of her big eyes. "They are a bit rough on things, aren't they?" she admitted. Her hand snaked out to snag her lover's and there was an apologetic air to the way she squeezed it. "Xana and Courage redecorated their room the other morning. That's why we're here shopping. We need to replace 'most everything and make sure it's baby-friendly."

In response, Leon took Cressida's hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles, absent and gentle. "He decided to stick his fingers in... a light socket. I don't believe baby books know what the hell they're talking about. I was about to hang him over the stove." (It was the most he had said, inevitably, in the entire conversation.)

"He did?" Ice asked, looking surprised. "Well that couldn't have been good..." She said, feeling like an idiot. "Well, Oblivion DID redecorate their room when they first got it, as well. She ate the baby bed. I've been replacing metal with wood ever since. And I'm going to have to buy a junkyard car sooner or later to keep her fed."

Walter nodded, then looked around, noticing that Ice wasn't paying attention. He pulled himself up onto Oblivion's back, motioning for his new friend to follow as they started to make a getaway.

Quixana burbled and promptly rolled over onto all fours, forcing Courage to sit up and edge back with the motion. He looked at her with a tilted head and she returned the gaze solemnly. Then she turned to look up at Cressida and Leon. Quixana raspberried and reached out to tug her ear. Then he set off after Walter.

Courage managed to resist the naughtiness for about two minutes. Then, with a sigh, she stood and padded after them. She couldn't very well let Xana go off and risk getting hurt, could she?

Oblivious to the kids' plans, Cressida's eyes were focused on Leon's face, gone more than a bit adoring and slightly liquid at his touch. A moment passed and then she shook herself and grinned at Ice. "But wood is lovely. It's so organic," she answered. "Though Oblivion's habit makes me think we should start saving our soup cans and handing them over to you. It might spare some of your things."

Suddenly, she added, "Oh, and don't worry. I would never ever let Leon dangle our poor darling over an open flame. That's no way to learn!"

"No," agreed Leon, a momentary crease in his brow. "It teaches them to fear fire. Dangling him over a dug pit would work better."

Ice paused, looking thoughtful. "But not with chains." She finally said. "I'm afraid Oblivion would eat them." She looked so serious that they might not have realized it was a joke. "But I should let you get back to your sho--" She stopped as she realized that Walter was no longer there.

"Oh... fudge." She muttered.

Walter and Oblivion were trucking, pushing clothing out of their way as if they were in the depths of a treacherous jungle. Walter glanced over his shoulder, motioning encouragingly to his new friend. There was still so much to be seen. And there had to be metal SOMEWHERE!

A low-hanging shirt sleeve, tag attached, swatted Quixana in his face as he crawled quickly along and he paused to rock back and rub his nose in consternation. Why were they taking the hard way? The aisle was so much clearer and they would make better time. He shrugged to himself and, feeling Courage approach at his side, he motioned her ahead. She could take the tags in the face for a bit. She sent him a feeling of long-suffering and then gamely moved on ahead of him, her tail swishing strongly to better help him make his way.

"What do you..? Oh!" Cressida's eyes went huge, her mouth a round "o" of shock. She inhaled sharply and then her lips pressed together tightly. She looked about ready to cry. "Where did they go? Quixana?" She began peering over furniture, pushing aside things on racks. "Darling, where did you and Walter go? Please come out. It's not time to play hide and seek yet."

Her partner put one hand on her shoulder; apparently the only expressions Leon ever made were 'impassive' and 'more impassive'. "They won't have gone far," he said. "Not even with the robot." Then, louder: "Courage Aristipossos, I suggest you bring him back."

"Oh brother." Ice said before heading into the clothing racks and shouting yet again. "Walter! Oblivion! You two are in SUCH big trouble!"

And Walter giggled in reply, tapping his tiny heels into Oblivion's sides to get her to go faster.

At the tone of Leon's voice, Courage abruptly stopped. Quixana squawked as he promptly ran into the lion's rear end and rebounded back onto his own backside. He reached out, grabbed a handful of fur, and tugged insistently. The message was clear - Go go go.

Cressida reached up to clutch at the hand on her shoulder. "He's just little," she whispered. "He couldn't have gotten far." She looked at Ice and bit her lip. "I don't think the daemons let other Forgottens touch them so it wouldn't be as if they were both riding Oblivion."

One hand in Cressida's, Leon tugged her off after Ice into the clothing racks; he wasn't particularly worried about the boys or their daemons. Obviously, they just needed a rock pit back home for times like these.

"They can handle themselves," he said simply. "It's just a case where Quixana is going to learn not to do this."

The laughter caught her. Or, she thought in amusement, caught him. With a muffled growl she scooped down over the boys, grabbing Walter off of Oblivion's back with her tail and bringing him up so they were face to face.

"It's bad enough that you drag Oblivion into it." She lectured the giggling, squirming baby held casually by her long lizard tail. "But to drag your new friends into it as well? That's it, buster! Next time I'm making Kisa do the shopping!"

Walter waved his arms, rocking to try and make the tail sway back and forth. That was the funnest thing!

At the sight of his friend's capture, Quixana made an indignant noise and scrambled out of the forest of clothing to blow raspberries at Ice. Reaching her feet, he scrambled up to balance on his knees and reached to grab at her tail. Courage let out a yelp of concern as he barely missed the first time.

Before he could manage another, however, Cressida had snatched him up and was busily dotting kisses over his face. "You naughty boy," she scolded even as she lifted him higher to nuzzle into his fat little tummy. "You had me worried."

Leon lifted up Courage, and gave her an -expression-. Then he turned back to the other two before putting the little lioness down near his feet.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "we could tie leashes to them until they learn to understand not to run away."

"I tried that once." Ice said as she swayed her tail and earned a giggle for her trouble. "They figured out how to undo velcro around the same time they figured out how to open doors." She pulled Walter closer, then transferred him to her hip. "Maybe a tracking device." She told Walter. "Like they put on cows, huh? Think you'd like an earring?"

Oblivion would have rolled her eyes if she could have.

"Not until they're older," Cressida giggled. Shifting Quixana to one hip, she reached up to tweak his earlobe. The little boy crossed his eyes and laughed, hands waving to grab hers. "Until then..." She looked over at Leon and raised an eyebrow. "There will be no spankings, beloved," she continued. "We'll buy a stool for time-outs. I think that will work on these two. Probably not Walter, though. And don't suggest a bear pit either, Leon. Bear pits are not for babies."

"I can't see why not," Leon replied mildly. "Maybe when they're still nursing, but once they've weaned, bear-pits should be a normal thing."

Ice looked at him for a moment. "But bears would be expensive to keep." She finally said. "And then you have to worry about animal rights activists and cleaning the bear pit out..." She shook her head. "No, I think I'll just get him a traceable cell phone when he's a bit older."

Walter had no idea what she was talking about, but he was getting bored. His eyes ran over the room from his new height, already planning on where he wanted to go.

"Oh, no. Don't be silly." Cressida grinned as she shifted Quixana to flop over her shoulder. His feet kicked for a moment and she had to neatly grab his tail as he began to swat it across her face but then he settled down, both hands tangled in her thick, chestnut hair. "You don't put bears in a bear pit."

Quixana tugged hard on a piece of hair and she grimaced. "You just put little monkeys in there. Quixana Aristipossos, stop pulling Mommy's hair this instant."

"We should get going, actually." Ice said, grinning at the hair pulling. "Before I get any ideas." She raised Walter's hand, making him wave. "Say goodbye to your new friends, Walter!"

Walter babbled a happy goodybe before turning back to his plots of exploration. He figured he'd see them again. He had seen Immaculate again, after all!

"We will keep in touch," said Cressida's dark-eyed monosyllable partner-thing. "Quixana, Courage, say goodbye. This is your second household-friend, so do your duty as Aristipossoi."

Cressida rolled big violet eyes and shook her head. For all of her sighing disbelief, she was still clearly charmed and amused by Leon. Always. It was probably what kept the relationship going, really. "Don't lecture, beloved," she laughed. "I'm sure that Xana and Walter will be good friends... Who probably do horribly naughty things that give their parents grey hair." Neatly, she balanced Quixana on her hip, one arm braced around his back, and kissed his temple. "Say goodbye to your new friends, darling," she suggested.

Obediently, Quixana raised a chubby hand and waved. His face was all over smiles, brown eyes bright and happy. He had another friend and this one had the neatest, strangest daemon ever! Likewise, Courage sat back on her haunches and raised a paw in mimicry of Xana. Then she stood and looked up at the humans expectantly.

Cressida moved forward impulsively and dropped a feathery-light kiss on Walter's cheek and then one on Ice's as well. "We'll be in touch, Ice," she promised, "and we'll better plan the playspace for these rascals."

Ice blinked at the kiss, then shrugged it off mentally. "Sounds good." She said. "We'll be looking forward to it!" She added as she turned and walked away, Oblivion creaking softly along side of her.

Laughing merrily, Cressida pushed a long, dark braid back over her shoulder and bent once more to tuck in the corner of a blanket on the pristine new crib. The walnut wood glowed dimly, polished to a high sheen with tender care. She slid a hand over one of the bars and then sank into a crouch to motion to the baby who was busily gumming the ear of a stuffed giraffe. "Come here, little angel," she cooed.

Quixana blinked once, twice, and then burbled an obedient response. Abandoning the giraffe, he rolled onto his hands and knees and crawled over to the brunette. Upon reaching her, he stretched one hand out to touch her knee and beamed. Then he blew a bubble and crossed his
eyes. He had decided that he quite liked this place. It was quieter and less busy than Puchiko's and, so far, had less cages. He missed some of the people that had lived there but... Well, life was about change, right? As Cressida beamed down on him, Xana adjusted himself and flopped back to land on his bottom, sitting upright, and held out his arms. She reacted exactly as he had come to expect – Cressida sighed happily and pulled him into a cuddling hug, dropping kisses
over his hair.

This place had a princess!

Courage watched her Forgotten accept his new mother's adoration mildly and then gave a purring chuckle before turning her attention to the other half of the parental pair. Padding over, she stretched out a paw to touch Leon's foot. She tilted her head up at him curiously and
meowed a question. Just what was he doing -now-?

"Putting up shelves," muttered her father, who never used baby-talk to either the Forgotten or the daemon unless he was really, really sure Cressida was at least a block away. He stuck another nail in his mouth and adjusted the long polished slab of wood that would hold the baby-
things that he and Quixana's mother would need - nappies, powder, clothes, the mysterious treasure trove of Toddler Supplies. He hammered in the splice and straightened things a little more, putting the nail carefully down on the wood and looked at the lioness cub. "You're nosy. - What do you think of the pictures?"

One of the walls was covered in a colourful painted mural of jungle animals, done when the door had to be closed and both kept out from the fumes. Leon personally thought that the monkey he had done looked cross-eyed and constipated, but that Quixana and Courage wouldn't be the worst critics.

Courage seemed to give his question a lot of thought, turning to study the wall. After a moment, she crossed over to push her head against the monkey in question and growled playfully. Then she shifted and put a paw against a lion with too much mane and an expression of idiotic benevolence. Craning, she looked over a tawny shoulder at her father.

Cressida looked up at Leon's question and laughed, scooping Xana up in her arms and moving to deposit him near the mural. Xana immediately placed his hand flat against the lion as well and wrinkled his nose. Twisting, he moved both hands to Courage's neck. He shook his head
solemnly. She had no mane. Where was her mane? Courage wrinkled her nose back at him and crossed her eyes in an attempt to see her Forgotten's face better. "I think they like it," Cressida declared.

"I think they don't know any better," said her partner, and stood back to survey his work with satisfaction before putting the mysterious baby-item trove on it. The room was a minor mess, but slowly coming to rights. Neither had ever decorated a nursery before in their lives, and had lived too long in their skins to know what on earth was required; they had pored over magazines and Internet sites for days on end before deciding on how Quixana and Courage's room should look. "Huh. What's the bet that Quixana will manage to escape from the crib before the month is out?"

"If I made that bet, beloved, I should just pay the forfeit now." Cressida gave the pair a final fond look and then moved back to the crib to add various throw pillows. One was even embroidered with the smiling face of another lion. "Quixana is naturally brilliant. You can tell. And Courage is far wiser than any normal beast," she continued. "I give them two weeks. However, I plan on asking them very, very nicely to not do that too often and, if they must, to try not to ruin things again."

Courage gave a purring sort of laugh and nuzzled her face against Quixana's face. He giggled back and clung tighter to her neck. Hope springs eternal. Then again, he did not want to worry his fair lady.

"This is why I have to be here," Leon said, resignedly. "I don't think 'asking nicely' is going to work with that little beast." (Nonetheless, his fingers trailed down to ruffle the hair at the nape of Quixana's neck, and drift against Courage.) "They need a firm hand."

A couple of animal pillows got thrown into the knot-string hamper in the corner, and the room looked a little more habitable. "I've been thinking," he said after a while. "I think Quixana needs to see another child at least once a week. Socialisation. We should invite... Ice around for dinner, maybe. And what was the woman's name with the little girl?"

"Tweek and Sonya." Cressida beamed. "Oh, you should have seen Sonya. She was so very lovely."

At the names, Quixana twisted around to land on all fours and crawl busily across the various throw rugs. Reaching Cressida's feet, he rolled back into a seated position and nodded firmly up at her. He would like to see the others again, he signaled with a bubble and a few expressive waves of his hands. The gauntlet on his arm clanked slightly in his eagerness. He liked Sonya and Renew and Walter and Oblivion. He could show them his new room!

The doorbell went, then, interrupting the discussion and Cressida laughed, touching Leon's shoulder. "Watch your little monsters, beloved. I'll get the door." With that, she disappeared out into the hallway.

Leon sat down in the big cushiony armchair that they'd got for the adults' benefit and eyed both babies; he leant back, arms folded, eyeing them both with the faintest twitch of a smile on his mouth. "Try not to trash the room in the first five minutes," he said. "And Courage, we got you a scratching-post. No clawing the walls."

Quixana tilted his head, brown eyes on Leon now. Suddenly, he offered the man a crooked smile, the first he had given his "father" since they had met. Then he shook his gauntlet'd arm at him and rolled back onto all fours so he could crawl in the direction of the scratching post. Courage led the way. After a moment of consideration, she put one paw against the sturdy wooden structure.

For some reason, Leon felt utterly devastated and reassembled in a second following that lopsided smile; dead and reborn, uplifted, half-smiling back in response as he watched both boy and lion cub wander over to the wooden-and-carpet scratching post. The one they'd got was so heavy-duty a panther could probably use it, so he wasn't worried about what Quixana's gauntlet and Courage's claws could do. "Yes, that's it," he said. "Try it out."

Courage looked at Quixana. Quixana looked at Courage. The boy gave a nod and the lioness cub reared back, claws springing out. There was a sound of carpet being pulled and shredded and Xana clapped in delight. Courage purred, eyes half-closing from the bliss of stretching and scratching.

"Easily pleased," Leon muttered again, but his half-smile was still there. "Good girl, Courage. I like you sharpening on that and not the couch."

Before Courage could make reply, Cressida returned. In her hands, she carried a letter and a small, brown-paper-wrapped package. On her face, a glowing smile. "Xana, look! You've received a present."

Quixana twisted and peered up at his mother with a puzzled expression. For a moment, his nose wrinkled and his mouth pouted as if in preparation for a good cry and then he seemed to shake it off. He crawled over to the center of the room and waited with his hands in his lap until Cressida slipped down to sit behind him, her jean-clad legs forming a cage of sorts around him. She set the package in front of him. Then she opened the letter, still smiling down on her son's head. "Let's just see who it's from, hmm?"

Leon joined the two, slipping down from his perch on the overstuffed armchair to half-slump down by Cressida. For a moment, he ran his finger down the back of her hand, then watched avidly to see what had been sent his son. "The suspense is killing me. Open it."

The shiver from his touch was neatly suppressed through long years of practice but her smile widened even more as she slit the envelope and drew out a sheet of paper. Aloud, she read -

"Cressida! Hello, this is Tweek! I was able to dig up your address and I just wanted to thank you again for your kind words and stories the other day. I'm afraid I'll be a little overwhelmed with my work for the next couple weeks, but I do hope Sonya and I can see you and Quixana again soon.

We went to the market the other day on a shopping trip (so much to buy! I'm trying to babyproof the house as you suggested), and Sonya helped me pick out a couple things for Xana. I hope he likes them!

Cheers,
Tweek"

Meanwhile, Quixana was busily running chubby hands over the paper in exploration, feeling the corners and the bits of tape. He twisted to glance over his shoulder at Cressida and she nodded. He frowned back and burbled an annoyed question. How was he supposed to get into it? Giggling, Cressida reached around him to peel up a corner of the paper. "There you go, baby angel," she murmured.

With a determined little frown, Quixana began to yank at the paper. Courage padded over to see if she could help.

It took a little work, but the paper was soon in torn-up pieces all over the floor as Leon rolled his eyes and mentally sought out the vaccuum. God only knew what they were going to be like at Christmas. "We'll have to thank her," he murmured. "That was kind."

"So very kind. But that's to be expected." Cressida half-leaned against Leon as she watched Xana shredding the last of the paper. Courage chased a wad of it across the floor with single-minded determination. "You'd like her, beloved. She's a very sweet lady."

Quixana began picking at the edges of tape. After a moment, he huffed, gave up, and turned to tug on the front of Cressida's shirt. Obediently, she sat forward and peeled up the tape to open the box. Then she reached into the mess of tissue paper and pulled out a string of shiny black beads. "Oh, how lovely." she held up the bracelet and Xana's eyes followed it in fascination. "These are hematite, right?"

"Looks like it." Leon rested his head on his hand, watching the beads in the exact same way his son was, fair hair falling over his face. "I say keep 'em for when he's big enough to wear them properly."

"But we can hang them above the crib, right?" She shook the bracelet experimentally and Quixana cooed, reaching upwards.

"Good idea. It'll keep him occupied."

"Until then..." Cressida handed Leon the beads and then reached back into the box. "There's something else in here, I think."

Quixana pouted for a moment over the disappearance. Then he heard the new crinkling of the tissue paper and turned his attention back to the box. He blinked, mouth making a small "o", as the new item appeared. Carefully, Cressida lifted out a heavy green sphere. It appeared to be made of glass but it shimmered oddly as if there was a forest caught within its confines. The light bounced and shimmered and Quixana laughed, reaching.

"Little magpie," Leon said under his breath, and - "I'm glad we have something to put on that empty shelf now. What do you think, Xana?"

In his oh-so-eloquent manner, Xana blew a happy bubble and flexed his hands. Cressida handed the sphere to Leon and dug in the box again. "Ah. Here." She lifted out a dark wooden base. "To put it on so a certain little someone can't get at it."

Both of them fumbled with their hands so that the sphere sat safely on the base; it would also prevent Quixana doing something like rolling it down the hall or down a flight of stairs. "Practical."

Cressida watched as Quixana crawled over her leg to reach the sphere. "Only if we put it up high on a shelf," she pointed out. Quixana stroked one hand over the smooth service, laughing, and then gingerly he patted it. It wobbled a bit on the base.

"Well, we now have high shelves," Leon said, and ticked off with some satisfaction - "and electrical outlet protectors, and a baby gate, and childproofed locks, and window guards, and a large supply of Baby Tylenol."

"We're better prepared than the Boy Scouts." Cressida watched Xana as he scrambled closer to the sphere. His little hands roamed over the surface, his face pensive. "I think he ought to be a Boy Scout when he gets old enough. Don't you think?"

One eyebrow raised. "How do we explain away the lion cub? I suppose we could get Courage a dog suit."

"I already told you. Ebony had an ocelot," she replied distractedly. "Don't worry your head, beloved." She smiled fondly at the child. Courage padded over to inspect the glass ball as well, head tilted in curiousity. Xana looked up at her and gurled a question. She nodded and put a heavy, too-big paw on top of the sphere. Her Forgotten applauded as if it was the cleverest thing he had ever seen.

"Yes, but Ebony was six foot two and had..." Probably it wasn't good to recall what Ebony had had that allowed her to have an ocelot and not Xana to have a lion-cub. "We'll see if he wants to be a boy scout. Maybe he'll want to to, ... football. Or basketball. Or ice hockey."

"Rugby!" Cressida giggled and toppled over sideways to stretch out on one hip and watch the child exploring. Her braids flopped heavily, one caught between arm and cheek, one heavy across her neck.

Suddenly, Xana put his hand over Courage's paw and he blew a bubble. Then, face scrunching, he managed a humming sound. Cressida perked up, eyes delighted. "Leon! He spoke!"


Leon bent his head down, trying not to betray his anxiousness in hearing the sound again. "Try that again, Quixana," he commanded, both hands flat on the ground as he held his ear close. "I didn't catch it. Neither did your mother."

Quixana closed his eyes for a moment, forehead creasing in effort. Then he reopened his big brown eyes and rolled over to flop against Cressida. A chubby hand wrapped fingers around the nearest braid gently and he cuddled into her. "Mmmm," he tried again.

"Sadly," said Leon after a moment, "what we have here is excellent humming, but no talking, unless he's decided to communicate through buzzing."

"If he does, that's alright." Cressida nuzzled the child back, hand curled at his shoulder. "He'll just be my little bumbly-bee."

As if to dispute the future nickname, Quixana hummed again and then, with some halting and slurring, he added, "Ma... Mmmama?"

Cressida visibly melted, a dampness springing to her eyes. Courage slipped over to stand close and purred in approval. Leon's fingers rubbed behind her ears as he watched the entire tableaux a little indulgently, the same lopsided smile on his face again, head tilted as he watched Cressida's face.

"I guess we have to go write that in the baby book."

"Of course we do," his lover sighed. She brushed a kiss over Quixana's forehead. The little boy beamed in the manner of one who -knows- he has just scored so many points that he is cleared for 3 broken items and a crayon scribble on the wall. (His father sighed the sigh of a man who knows that the same word is going to be repeated over and over whenever crayon scribbles and broken items happened.)

Quixana closed his eyes and sighed under his breath. "Mmmm," he hummed again. Courage turned and head-butted Leon for more scratches.

"Well," said Leon, pulling Courage closer for a really good in-depth scratch, "I'd say 'first word' calls for some take-away. And mashed banana for Quixana. But mainly take-away for Mother and Father."

Cressida nodded and pushed herself upright. Slipping her hands under Quixana's armpits, she hauled him up onto her lap. For a moment he squirmed, burbling in protest, but then he subsided and glanced up at his mother's face. Crossing his eyes, he stuck out his tongue at her. She laughed and hugged him close. "Naughty monkey. Papa's right. Bananas are just the thing for you." She looked up at Leon. "Can we get Thai?"

"We can get fat-tailed sheep from Mongolia if you wanted them," he said comfortably, Courage snuggled into one armpit. "Spiced pilaf from the Indies covered in pearls. And mashed-up banana."

"Isn't your father the most amazing man in the world, little angel?"

Quixana appeared to give it some thought, looking sideways at his "father." Then he blew a solemn bubble and hummed again.

Cressida laughed and struggled to her feet with him still clasped tightly in her arms, clearly reluctant to let him go for a moment. "But I think simple Thai is enough for me tonight. Quixana will get to try it some day soon. He's growing so fast."

Courage tucked under one arm, Leon also struggled to his feet; his hand brushed over Cressida's cheek, briefly and lightly as a feather, and he shifted the lion-cub to a more comfortable position. "Don't remind me. I have trouble enough getting used to him day by day... and this cat is getting heavier."

He opened the nursery door and tilted his head at his partner, fair hair falling over his face where it had escaped from the leather thong he held his ponytail in. "Let's go. I need food to keep up with these two. Aristipossoi have too much energy."

Cressida giggled, eyes glinting with mischief as she led the way from the room. "I can attest to -that-," she purred.

Quixana may have been growing fast but, luckily, not so fast that his parents could put him in therapy... Yet.