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Asha rolled over, the blankets falling away from her scarred body, some dark and others pale on her tanned skin. She didn't want to wake up from the dream of Raco, it was too real, to vivid, but she'd been one known for livid dreams that carried her into consciousness, making her feel that if she opened her eyes it would all be real. But too many times it had merely been nothing more than another dream. She pouted and rolled over, her nose picking up Raco's scent in the blankets, damn it all here dreams were starting to even mess with her senses! Giving a faint whine she succumbed to opening her eyes, but now she was confronted with her dream being reality, she stared at the hollow opening, the blankets and the left overs from the pile of food she and Raco had eaten. She rolled over, throwing the blanket off of herself, she was unclothed, and there next to her was Raco asleep still and looking peaceful. It hadn't been a dream it all, finally the dreams that had tormented her for so long were finally real, no more depressed days over a too-vivid dream. She scooted herself closer to Raco and gave his shoulder a small shake, she knew he must still be quite tired, but had to be even more sure that she was no longer dreaming. "Raco, baby...?" she called softly to him.

Raco peaked up a blue eye as Asha and gave a faint smile. "Morning..." he croaked, reaching out and pulling Asha against him. He didn't like her that far from him even if it was only a few inches away. "So glad t'at it was not a dream last nig't..." he said with and sigh nuzzling into her neck with a purr. He too had been afraid for a moment to open an eye for fear that it would only be he head playing tricks with him that it was Asha calling him name and lightly shaking him. But he'd had no doubt in his mind who the voice belonged to. He didn't feel like leaving the hollow today, he felt like hiding himself and Asha from the world to try and make up for even a fraction of the time they had been unfairly forced to spend apart. But he knew no such thing would happen, someone would show up, be it Valiant or Youko, still few of the Anbu knew his hiding place.

Asha smiled cuddling against Raco. "Oh I know. I was so afraid to open me eye to find all of this to be a dream. I'm so glad it isn't I would have lost it." she purred, playing with his soft, black hair. "We really should get up...I reeeaally don't want to but we do need to get everything straightened out here with Val and Josh." she said with a slight whine. She preferred to lay here with Raco, nothing holding the two of them apart at all, just the two of them in a small little bubble of peace that sooner or later had to burst wide open.

~~~~

Josh turned over groggy and sleepy-eyed. He shot up in a moment though when he realized that Valiant wasn't with him. He looked around him and got up, looking down the tree, to see nothing that suggested Valiant. He scrambled down the tree, checking each level for her, calling out. "Valiant!? Val!" She could have run off again, could she? If she had, what had upset her this time, since she seemed to be so fragile with it came to such things. Not that he believed Valiant weak, but just more sensitive them most to things. Finally at the base of the tree he had a good clear view of the area around him, but still there was no physical sight of Valiant other than her paw prints in the soft sand. He followed after them, watching for any slight sighs of distress or problem, but he found now until he reach the edge of the trees to the lake where he spotted her in the water. Not a favorite thing of his, but it was necessary to survive so he coped. A smile spread over his face and he leaned against a tree and watched.

Joshua continued to watcher her with a smile on his face, he choked back a laugh when Valiant lost her concentration. He knew little to nothing of her problems with water. His smile widened even more as she left the water and put on her clothes and finally spotted him. "Long enough I guess you could say." he laughed leaning over and kissing her. "Would have been nice if you warned me before leaving, about lost my tail when I woke up and found you gone. I believed for a moment there that you had run away from me again." he said pulled her in against him. "I'm quite sure you haven't eaten yet, how about we go find us something and we can spend the day together, just like things ought to be." he purred in her ear softly.

He had no intentions of slight seduction, he had a litter to think of already and not the makings of a litter. He'd never expected to find Valiant holding a litter already, but it was a pleasant surprise for him that he looked forward to. He'd always wanted to be a father, he's practically taken care of Asha since she had been litter and she had turned out well enough being mainly raised by only a slightly older brother, quite an accomplishment indeed.

~~~~

Asha gave in finally and pulled on her clothes and fixed her hair back into its usual herring bone braid. She always believed that it looked nicer than a regular three-part braid. Once done with her own she had forced Raco to sit back while she braided his. She had missed playing with his hair like thing and he never complained unless he was in a hurry to do something and that wasn't very often. He purred under her fingertips and she smiled completing his miniature herring bones that held back the rest of his hair. "There we go! Now you look like you did in the old days!" she pronounced happily patting him one the back and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Now we can go get food!" she smiled kissing his cheek.

Raco smiled and grabbed her hands, lifting her up with him as he stood. it had been so long since he had truly felt playful and full of energy. It was true Raina often brought it out in him, but no other could do so like Asharadine. "T'en to food we s'all go! I am sure t'at your brot'er will be t'ere as well." he said stepping out of the tree, taking his mate with him, still latched around his neck. Once down on the solid ground Raco let go and forced Asha against the tree kissing her. "Don't you ever pull a stunt like you did two year ago again. Do you 'ear me?" he growled softly. He meant his words, a small spark of angry flittered through him. Before he had been so full of ecstasy on her return, but he had to make things clear, he wasn't going to lose her again, no matter what.

Asha's pale green eyes grew wide and she nodded, shifting her eyes away from Raco's hard gaze. She knew eventually he would scold her and she was sure he wasn't quite done as of yet. it would be a long time before he let her take on any missions again. She'd be stuck with guard duty for a long time, but at least it would be back to things she knew and loved, with the person she loved more than life itself. "I understand..." she said quietly in submission. At that Raco let her free of the tree and they walked hand in hand to the main of the camp to get their food, already starving after the meal last night.

~~~~

Youko laid out over a tree limb over looking the lake. He head throbbed faintly and his stomach rebelled to him over not having eaten more while he'd had the chance. Either way he had been in quite a foul mood, he didn't like those who lived within he territory to disrespect him in any form, and Liraeal had crossed a line he let few get away with. But she held a litter that belonged to him. The thought made him cringe slightly. Just what he needed, dopple-gangers that were a mixed of himself and Lir...that thought alone was enough to make some consider suicide. He wouldn't lie to himself in saying he'd thought it a few times...it was just a disturbing thing to consider. But he would lay out of sight for the next day and keep himself as far from the others as he could do without completely leaving his territory. Eventually he would return or more likely someone would come looking for him soon enough, Raco or someone else, but no, now that he thought about it, Raco wouldn't waste his time knowing him as well as he did and knowing that Asharadine was back with him. No they would more than likely be hiding off in his tree hollow a good bit for the next few weeks.

He nodded. "It is all right. My tail is still fully attached and you're right here so believe we'll be fine." he said fiddling with the tips of Valiant damp hair. He wanted his time with Valiant as well, later for sure they would rather together and talk, it needed to be done eventually and it was a better idea to get it done and over soon. At least Asha would easily keep herself occupied with Raco, there was no worry about her as long as he was around. More than likely the both of them would be scarce for a while.

"I don't see why not. Asha and Raco probably aren't even awake yet anyways. Though it's hard to tell with my sister, when she wants food there's little that will stop her." he said shaking his head with a smile thinking about it. Never in his life had he seen another cat eat the way Asha could and still keep a slim figure. He always joked with her that one day the eating would catch up with her. "She's not that frightening you know, her hiss is often worse than her bite. Not always but the majority of the time. It only when you've really pushed her buttons that she can do some serious damage."

He loved the warmth of her skin through her damp clothing against him. "And I love you as well." he smiled, looking down at his hand over her breast, he could feel her soft heart beat beneath it. "As mine belongs to you as well, forever." he whispered.

~~~~

Raco led Asha back to the main clearing of the camp, he knew she'd never have found the way on her own being her first time through the territory. it had been dark when she had been taken to the tree hollow and the East looked a lot different at night than it did during the day. "Gonna 'ave to learn to navigate pretty quick. East Ikebokuro w'ic' is our territory is t'e largest territory, it covered t'e entire east side of Ikebokuro." he said with a faint shrug. He'd picked out the area himself when he and the Anbu had settled here.

Asha nodded, taking not of everything around her. It did look completely different during the day, but that was no real matter. Now that this was more than likely a permanent home she would learn every nook and cranny of the territory. "I'll figure it all out quick enough Raco. Especially if I follow you around all of the time. You'll have to show me the rest of this place as well, the city I mean." she said giving Raco's hand a squeeze, she could see the main clearing up ahead, and there laid out was a small collection of food. Nothing like what had been laid out last night but all the same it looked good to her. "Fooood." she purred softly, her slim tail flickering as her stomach gave its own approval at the sight.

~~~~

Youko grunted enough for Ishtar to get the idea that he wouldn't attack, his head hurt to much for him to even consider the idea. He just wanted to lay there and soak up the sun and sleep the hangover away. Damn him and inhaling the sake the way he had last night. He knew better than to do such things but in his anger he hadn't really cared about the consequences, he wanted to get drunk off his a** and quick. Well damned it all he'd succeeded but too well for his own good. "Im, now surprised you found meh." he mumbled his words still faintly slurred from the sake the night before.

Joshua laughed and sat in the sand with Valiant. "I don't see why can't make it into a game. I get to learn all about you and you can learn all about my boring life." he chuckled pressing his forehead against hers careful of the platinum circlet with the drops of amber dangling from it. He pulled her up against him, to lean against his chest as he wrapped a length of her hair around his finger. "I'll start with your first question if you don't mind." he gave a sigh after a deep breath. It had been quite a long time since had had thought about where he had come from so long ago. It wasn't that he did like to think about it, it was just that there were some bitter memories, harsh bits of the past that he wish he could forget.
"Well, I come from Greece, it's a long ways from here. But Youko was the one who convinced me to leave my home with Asha. She was still young then. My father was king of where we lived. I have 2 older brothers besides Asha. Rain heads the Kingdom now, though I can't say he's too pleased with it. He would have rather I had taken over." he shook his head. Yes he was a diplomat, but Rain knew how to run a kingdom a bit better as far as he was concerned. "It's quite nice there, it's better in the summer though, the cool ocean breezes coming over the cliff face, and the cool shade of the trees, all the fish you can eat from the markets and more. I miss it now and then, but I've taken a liking to the constant moving around Youko has been doing for some time. Though by looks of the Anbu have settled in an area why they won't be leaving anytime soon." he looked down at Valiant. "My turn to ask a question." he prodded and looked up to the tree tops. "So what about you? Where did you come from?"

~~~~

"It was the first and last time it'll happen." he growled in a lot voice stuffing some of the food in his mouth and drinking some of the bitter tasting water. He gave a shudder at the horrible taste of the water, he'd rather have drunk from the sewer and it would have tasted better and he questioned if it would actually help his head or not. "I'd watch what you say about Lord Joshua...he's a Prince you know, and I don't believe your mother would be pleased with you calling him that. Besides, you look just like him, so in fact you're only insulting yourself as well. You are a miniature version of him but with a stick up your a**." he said plainly as though he was merely pointing out the fact that the sky was blue! "My face will be fine, and so will Joshua and Asha. The both of them will be too wrapped up the next two days spending nearly every waking moment attached to their mates." he shrugged stuffing his face with more food. Ishtar had a lot to learn about respect still, only with time and age would he learn that his consistent cocky attitude would eventually lead him into intense trouble.

~~~~

Raco gave a laugh at the sound of Asha's stomach and smiled at his daughter. "Morning Raina. Come eat wit' us." he said gesturing to the food laid out in the clearing, he could tell Asha had no intentions of actually waiting for the food, she liked to eat too much for her own good to be held back from eating when she was hungry.

Asha bit her lower lip and smiled at Raina and looked back at the food, she wouldn't be rude and leave Raco to go eat, no not after so long apart, she'd give up food in an instant to be near him, but he was right there with her and the food called to her. "Yes...come eat with us Raina!" she said chancing another glace at the little girl, almost as though she were afraid that if she looked away too long the food would disappear.

Raco shook his head and led both Asha and Raina towards the food and sitting down. He'd been away from home long enough and he figured he would soon take a break from everything, from doing guard duty and even small missions. "I believe I s'all be taking a long needed break from working wit' t'e Anbu for a w'ile. I s'ould 'ave taken it a w'ile back w'en Youko arrived, but I did not and now seems to be t'e perfect time to do so don't you t'ink?" he asked, not exactly aiming the question and neither Asha nor Raina. He knew he needed the Vacation and was more than happy to take it. It was time for Youko to pull that big head and tail of his around a little more and do his job with a little more eloquence. He looked over the food, picking out what seemed more like a left over from the night before but still good.

Asha nodded picking out a wild cherry and a piece of what was more than likely a bluejay. "More than likely you do need it! You're always busting your rump for Youko when he need to get off his fluffy a** and do more for the Anbu than look pretty and be commanding when the right moment comes. When it all boils down to the nitty-gritty, you're the one who runs the show Raco!" she said with a shrug and leaning against him slightly for that sense of physical contact that should couldn't go without. She pushing the brightly colored piece of Amethyst from her forehead revealing the intricate marking that laid beneath it, a marking similar to those that covered Raco's back.

He was intrigued at the fact that she and Raco seemed to have come from similar areas, but it wasn't to be unheard of in the least. It was a small world after all. He'd found her again, and she was part of the Anbu where Asha and he had run in again on his way to find Valiant and in the same night Asha was reunited with Raco! There was little that could surprise him anymore. "Well it is a bit of comfort to myself as well knowing you are with the Anbu. I get to remain with my sister and she is with Raco, makes for a pretty good ending to my travels. I can't much about this place yet. I haven't gotten a good enough around to make any assumptions, but I am sure I will come to love it." he purred nuzzling her slightly. He shifted himself a little, moving his tail a little and wrapping it tightly around Valiant's waist. "We'll make a wonderful life here, raising our children together, our own little family." he purred, relishing the thought of a family and Valiant, watching them grow up, not a lot of men dreamed of such things, but he did, he always had.

Josh took a deep breath and debated for a for moments on the question. It wasn't an easy one to answer, it had been two years ago and just as long since he had thought about such a thing. "Well, I don't really know what you would have called us...it was a very odd relationship. There was mutual interest between the two of us." he said giving a face of deep thought, as though trying to dig the memories out of a deep hole he had buried them in. "Neither of us acted on our feelings at the time, we always hinted eat each other, teased a bit, but we never actually did anything, nothing more than maybe hold hands a few times at the most. At least that I can remember." he said with a shrug. "I don't believe it would have lasted had we gotten together, especially seeing her now, it's like the woman has completely lost her mind." he gave a cringe at the thought. She was still a beautiful cat, but all the same, she seemed these days a good bit off her rocker.

~~~~

"Raco!" Asha scolded giving him a shove and looking at Raina sadly. "No Sweetie! He just means that he won't be going on any missions or guard duty for a while so he can spend time doing other things that are more important to him, like spending time with you." she smiled at Raina hoping that she could cheer her up. She knew what Raco had meant but a vacation, they had often done it way back when, take a few days from the responsibility of the Anbu to relax and enjoy time together. They had been very good times, ones that Asha couldn't wait to enjoy with Raco again. Though things would be a bit different now, he had a daughter, and in the end, that would change a lot in both of their lives as mates.

Raco nodded in agreement to Asha. "Exactly w'at Asha said. I'm not going anyw'ere, I'll just be taking a break from work is all, t'at way I can spend more time with you and Asha." he confirmed nodding his head and taking a drink of water. As much as he loved his daughter, he wanted as much time as he could squeeze in with Asha while not making Raina feel left out and ignored. She was still young and didn't quite yet understand the idea of adult feelings and matters of heart. Her world was so much more simple than his own. "Now eat, we 'ave to eventually pry your mot'er off of Joshua so t'at we can all talk. T'ere is a lot to be discussed." he said cringing inwardly. He didn't much look forward to the discussion but it was something that needed to be done and laid out. They could all avoid it, but it was best to get it over with as soon as possible.

~~~~

Youko grunted through his food. "I don't smell anything, got some of that water up my nose so I can't smell much beside it." he mumbled, his gold eyes closed as he ate. The light hurt his eyes, even while closed, but it hurt even more when his eyes were open. He wasn't much for paying attention to what was around him, or whatever off smells Ishtar was picking up. He'd be quite listless for the next day before anything would even begin to seem important to him. He'd sleep off the hangover and then head back to the camp at his own leisure, just as always. At least that was his plan, it had always worked out that way before.

Joshua's eyes turned dark, his face shadowed by his silver bangs and this platinum circlet with the molten drops of Amber glittering in the rays of sun that filtered through the trees. He was sure the shock had hurt her quite a bit. But all the same, he had thought for nearly two years that his beloved little sister had been brutally murdered and he had been helpless to stop it. Slain before his very eyes, leaving him, and her mate empty handed for the second time in his life. If had been his choice to leave for he couldn't face Raco or the Anbu, knowing Asha had been one of them, working just as hard as any of them. Never once letting anyone treat her special; scolding those her called her 'Lady Asha', she always hated formalities, the closest she got to a formality was Mrs. Shadou, and she had always loved the sound of it. But all the same, he had harbored a terrible hurt for so long, and now it was still healing, recovering from the shock that she wasn't dead.

The mau tilted his head looking at Valiant and then screwed up his face, deep in thought. "You know, I haven't actually thought about it. I don't really care how many there are, more rather that they are healthy and strong." he nodded smiling at Valiant. "And what about you, how many do you want out of this litter we are having?" he nudged her, kissing her jaw lovingly.

~~~~

Youko merely grunted at Ishtar again before moving himself deeper into the trees shade away from the light of the day, where he could hide from everything until the terrible throbbing finally went away. He'd come back to the camp when he felt like it, Ishtar wasn't going to tell him what to do, he was in charge of everything and everyone so he would be damned if a child was going to boss him around. Once into the fork of the tree he laid himself out and went back to sleep, sweet sleep where he could escape the realm of reality and slip into the blissful worlds of his subconscious where there we no consequences for any actions he made.

~~~~

Raco looked at Raina sadly. "Raina, talk to me, I know t'is is all very strange and very sudden for you. It 'as to be very confusing...but you know you can always come to me at any time if you need me for anyt'ing. T'is can't be easy for you at all." he said with a sigh. He knew this was hard for her, seeing both himself and Valiant suddenly acting so differently, he was cheerful and smiling, and Valiant was in better spirits now for sure, he had no doubts. He knew he never could have made her happy, just as she never could have truly made him happy. But now they both had they ones they belonged with and they were in some way still connected as a strange, but still loving family.

Asha nodded in agreement to Raco, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Exactly, this is all very strange for me as well, and just so you know, if you ever want time with your father; just the two of you, just let me know and I'll make sure you two have father-daughter time to bond. I'd never take him away from such a cute little thing like yourself!" she winked with a smile at Raina in hopes of cheering her up. She wasn't sure it would work but she did mean every word of what she said. Her own relationship with hr father had been a hateful one, and she didn't want to see any others go through the same.

~~~~

Joshua bit his lips and nodded, he watched through the shadows, trying to hear what he could, but nothing more that muttering made it to his ears, the words undecipherable to him. He cursed the fact that Asha would have been able to hear them but he couldn't tell a thing of what was going on, his tail flickering nervously, and his fingers tapping a rapid, tedious rhythm on his knee. He didn't like this, not one bit, whether Valiant trusted her or not, once upon a time he had as well, but that had been two years ago and a lot could change in that amount of time.

At the sound of his voice being called out frantically he shot toward the direction of Valiant, his Amber eyes wide with fright, she hadn't sounded hurt, but nonetheless, she sounded terrified. Once reaching her he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the bundles in her arms, his arms fell slack at his side and he could do nothing but stare he didn't know what to do, nonetheless say...what in the hell was going on? And where was Liraeal?

Joshua sat with her reaching out, to wrap his arms around her, but not sure at all of what to say or do. His amber eyes were wide with shock and confusion, these belonged to Liraeal, it had to be true from the sight of the dark little male and the paler female. They certainly looked like the combination of both of their parents for sure. After a few deep breaths he leaned over wrapped his arm around Valiant. "There's little we can do other than warn the medics about Liraeal and take these two to them to be checked." he said leaning his head against Valiant's lovingly. If this expanded their family then so be it. He could handle it, at least he believed that he could, he's never really been around small children since his sister, and that had been some time ago and he had been young himself, and now he was a full adult with a litter of his own on the way, but with two extras that weren't of his own blood, but he couldn't turn them away and by the look of Val, there was no chance in hell that she would either.

"So our family is a little bigger than expected and we don't even know how big it is yet. But we can pull through this, not like you're alone, I'm not going anywhere." he said glancing at the kittens again. There were so small and here was Val preparing for a litter of their own and putting two more on top of the already unknown number of kittens they would be having. It was still a little hard to take it, but it would take some time to really sink in, but Valiant he was sure needed someone to be calm and hold her strong through the shock. He could have his moment of shock later once Val had settled down.

~~~~

Asha stared at Raina and back at the food and pouted for a moment and stood up grabbing Raco's hand and dragging him after her. "Raina! Raina wait up!" she called out, he stomach protesting her move to go after the little girl. She didn't make it far, Raina's smaller frame allowed her to skirt through the underbrush with much greater ease while Asha was much larger and had little chance of catching up to the girl. "Damn it all..." she muttered, still clinging to Raco's hand. "She's a quick little thing, who'd she get that from?" Asha tilted her head. In all truth she was still getting over the shock that Raco had a child with another, but all the same it didn't seem to bother her any, at least not enough to say anything or make her bitter in any way.

Raco stumbled after Asha until she finally stopped halfway through the underbrush. His face was smeared with the stain of a raspberry he had been eating, but the sudden dragging of Asha had made him smash the berry into his face. He righted himself and with his free hand brushed himself off and looked after his daughter as she quickly disappeared from sight. "If anyt'ing...I'll give t'at quality to 'er mot'er...Valiant is a very fast little cat, no doubt about t'at." he sighed shaking his head. "I wonder t'ough w'at s'e meant..I didn't 'ear anyone in pain." he ponder aloud.

Asha looked ahead, though the sight of Raina was long gone. "Maybe it wasn't something she heard, but rather...felt." she said softly, letting go of Raco's hand, her eyes glazing over at the thought. Empathy was a rare gift, being both a gift and curse many a times. With training one could always learn to control it, but all the same, it was rare and hard to control.

Raco looked at Asha oddly. "W'at?" he tilted his head, he had barely heard what Asharadine had said and was curious to know.

Asha shook her head and smiled back at Raco and took his hand again and pulled him through the brush slowly. "It was nothing, just...thinking out loud is all." she said shrugging it off.