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David slipped into rhiannon's nursery in his full were form, being as quiet as possible, looking down at his daughter, sighing a little, reaching down with one hand to stroke her cheek with the back of one nuckle, being careful of his stubby claws "I hope you never have to go through the same trials as me little one."

Sayuri stirred, turning over on the bed. Again David's side was empty, the sheets cold. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, determined not to start crying so early in the morning. She got out of bed, walking quietly to the nursery, running her fingers through her hair to undo the tangles. She rubbed her arms, shivering a little in her slip nightie, then opened the door.
'Good morning Rhiannon,' she started to say before looking properly over at the cot. She froze.

David freezes as well, looking over his shoulder at Sayuri, tears instantly springing to his eyes, turning to face her, still in a half crouch so he isn't at his full height, his wings tightly folded at his back

She stood awkwardly for a moment and then went over to the cot, leaning in and picking up Rhiannon. She cuddled their daughter to her, stroking her hair. She spoke to David without looking at him - she darent as she would break down;
'So you came back..'

'I, yes," David sighs "I didn't want you to see me like this, stuck in this form." David walks over to Sayuri, hugging her gently from behind, his wings coming around to surround both her and rhiannon. "I guess i'm still ashamed a little of who I am, of what i've done when i looked like this"

His arms went around her and she ducked her head, hiding her tears behind her hair. A tear dropped on Rhiannon's head and the little girl tilted her head up, looking at her mothers face.
'Sorry,' she mumbled to Rhiannon. She spoke haltingly.
'I thought...you had...left me,' she hiccupped.

David shakes his head, gently touching the ring on sayuri's finger "I will never leave you, not unless you tell me to go away. and even then I will still love you."

She shook a little, putting Rhiannon on the floor, calling for Wolf who came padding into the room straight away. Rhiannon managed to crawl to him and clung onto one of the animal's legs. Sayuri turned around, touching David on the face.
'I - You were just gone so long and then you return to me looking as you do and telling me your stuck like this,' her voice was strained with emotion.
'Where did you go? What happened?'

"I, I don't know. I can't remember anything at all. The last thing I remember is going to my shrine to pray, and then i was in the woods, stuck like this." David sat down on the ground, head slumping down into his hands as he finally let go, starting to cry.

Sayuri knelt before him, putting her arms around and rocking him as best as she could.
'Dont cry love,' she kissed the top of his head. She sighed a little.
'I love you no matter what you look like,' she stroked his back.
'I was just upset at the thought of being alone again. We'll find a way to help you.'

David looks up, and smiles a little weakly, and then looks over to rhiannon, holding out one hand to her

Wolf nudged Rhiannon who tumbled over onto her back, wriggling like a crab a little before managing to sit up. Sayuri called softly.
'Rhiannon, come here.' The little girl half crawled and shuffled over, Wolf butting her on the bottom when she looked like she was about to waver. Sayuri sat next to David, one hand on him. Rhiannon finally got to David, and sat on her bottom, a thumb jammed in her mouth. She pointed at him, blinking her eyes at him in confusion.
'Its Daddy,' Sayuri said. Rhiannon popped the thumb out of her mouth.
'Da?' she said, waving the soggy digit at him.

David smiled a little, and nods "Its me Sweetie. I just look diffrent." David picked Rhiannon up and held her close, rocking her gently.

Rhiannon played with David's fur and made grabby hands at his wings.
'Da-da da da!' she said, wriggling around in his arms. Sayuri smiled a little, kissing David softly.
'I missed this..' she said, leaning against David.
'I missed you alot.'

David smiles, and holds rhiannon close, kissing sayuri back. "i'm sorry hun. I'll try not to disappear again."

She smiled.
'Besides,' she said, running a finger along his arm. Rhiannon made biting actions at David, showing her little teeth.
'I can get used to this for a while - I like the strong side of you.'

David chuckles, letting Rhiannon bite on his finger a little, "I'm not as strong as you think."

She shook her head.
'You're stronger then me - in many ways. I couldnt cope if I lost you - or Rhiannon.' she frowned faintly, leaning into him again.

"Neither could i hun, neither could I. Without you two, i would be adrift" David smiles a little, tears at the corners of his eyes.

'So, love.' she said, looking at him. Rhiannon tucked herself against David, clinging to him a little and closing her eyes.
'You really cant remember anything about what happened?'

"No clue at all. It worrys me though." David smiles a little, holding rhiannon close, bringing one wing around to tickle her.

'I think it would worry me as well.' she smiled at Rhiannon who opened her eyes and grabbed the wing, squealing happily.
'Da da!'
'You know that daddy is going to be her first word...' Sayuri said.
'She loves you so much.'

"I know hun. I love her too." He smiles, tickling Rhiannon under the chin a little with the wing, and bouncing her a little before setting her down in his lap.

Rhiannon squealed happily when David bounced her, then nestled against him. She giggled, clutching his fur then said;
'Daddy,' before shutting her eyes.

Sayuri gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.
'Oh Rhiannon!' she said, tears of joy springing to her eyes.

David's eyes goes wide. "Oh Sweetie!" David breaks out into tears, holding Rhiannon close, wings around the two of them.

Sayuri wiped at her eyes, looking at Rhiannon who had dozed off.
'Maybe we should put her down, and we can talk - have time to ourself,' she suggested.
'And I can get dressed,' she chuckled, looking at her little nightie.

David chuckles, and stands, putting Rhiannon in the crib and tucking her in, smiling a little. He stoops and exits the nursery after telling Wolf to stay and watch rhiannon, looking back at sayuri hesitently

Sayuri followed David, after leaning over and stroking Rhiannon's cheek. She left the nursery, turning towards their bedroom.
'Come and talk in here,' she said as she entered, picking up her brush and sitting on the bed. She turned it over in her hands, waiting for David to sit down.

David sits on the floor, legs crossed, looking up at Sayuri, love in his eyes.

She looked confused as he sat on the floor but just shrugged it off, putting the brush back down again without using it.
'Tell me everything you can remember my love.' she interlaced her fingers, placing her hands on her lap.

"I, I had gone to the small shrine at the top of the cliff to pray, and I remember some sort of burning sensation washing over me, and I think I passed out. Then there are some blurry memorys of a bunch of moons, and then i woke up in the woods, and was stuck in this form."

'But thats all? You dont know if someone cast a spell on you or anything like that?' she bit her lip.

David shakes his head a little "I have no clue. As far as I know, it was the Goddess that did this to me for some reason."

'The Goddess?' Sayuri blinked.
'Why would she do that to you? And what did you mean earlier - about what you've done as you are now?'

David sighs "I, when i was younger, I was very wild, with no control to speak of. I would just drop into a rage, and wake up to find that I had attacked someone, or destroyed something."

She curled a strand of hair around her finger distractedly while she thought.
'I'm sorry that happened to you my love but that doesnt happen to you anymore right? You shouldnt be ashamed of how you look.' she slipped off the bed, moving over to him and sitting before him.
'But the Goddess, would she do that?'

"I, I don't know. She doesn't tell me why she does something all the time. Thats if it was her. I don't know what it could be. And slowly you are showing me how to see the good in myself hun." He hugs sayuri close to him, smiling a little.

'You have so much good in you.' she said, as she wrapped her arms around him.
'I wish you could see what I see.'

David smiles a little, and pulls sayuri close "Slowly but surely I am hun. Thank you for everything." David snuggles close to her, nodding off.

"Gah! No! Stop! Halt! Eeeyaaahhh!"
So much for an easy delivery. Kaioto's yelps continue to fill the air as she is rushed along by the wolf pup she has in a leash. She had found the wolf on the palace grounds and thought it would make a cute pet for Sayuri and David's Rhiannon. Of course, what she hadn't factored in was its strength and speed. So now here she is, being pulled through the air as the wolf runs down the sidewalk.
"We! Have! To! Go! That way!" she yells towards the wolf, who changes directions, but doesnt bother to slow down as Kaioto is flung around the corner.
"Eeeee! Slow DOWN!" she yelps as she barely misses a lamp post, but the pup takes no heed to her commands. Just barely managing to get over a mailbox in time by flapping her wings, she closes her eyes and wills the pup to stop.
And... she suddenly finds herself on the ground. o.O
Breathing heavily, she thinks to herself 'Wow, I'm good...' with a slight chuckle. Braving a look, she opens her eyes to find that it wasn't her will that made the pup stop afterall. It was a house. The very place she had intended to go with the pup, who at the moment had stopped to sniff the air.
"Smell the other wolves, eh little one?" she says as she pats its head. "This is where you were supposed to go, but you didn't have to make it so hard for me... anyway, there's a little girl inside, and I want you to be good to her, ok?"
The pup barks out excitedly and runs towards the house, leash streaming behind it. Kaioto sighs and wonders if maybe this wasn't a good idea afterall...

2nd August 2004

Sayuri sat down at the desk, flipping open her journal and leafing through the pages to the last entry. She listened a moment before starting to write; she could just hear Rhiannon giggling, and the sound of Wolf and the newest canine arrival playing in the living room.


Two days ago my love, my David finally returned home. He was in a slight state, something has happened to him that has resulted in him being stuck in his were-form. Which I admit was at first a disconcerting thing to discover, but I love him to much to let how he looks keep me from him. I'm just sorry he has had to go through this and I hope a resolution to his problem can be found.
But Rhiannon managed to make us both smile. Our darling daughter spoke her first full word - and unsurprisingly it was 'Daddy'. I am happy - and I knew this would happen as she loves her father very much. Sometimes I think even more then me, but thats okay. I'm the disciplanarian, the one that cleans up and soothes her hurts. Daddy is just the fun one who makes her smile alot.

Sayuri put her pen down, leaving the bedroom and going into the living room. She stood in the doorway, watching as Wolf and the new pup play-fought, Rhiannon crawling around with them, making funny little yipping noises. She smiled, moving the ring on her finger around. Come what may they were family. She thought of Sati, and frowned. Her daughter had called her, spoken about Silver but hadnt wanted to say too much. She would visit her soon. Find out if she was doing okay.

18th August 2004

Sayuri giggled as she watched Rhiannon. She was sat on a fold out chair on the front lawn. Rhiannon was paddling in an inflatable paddling pool - well more splashing around and drenching everything in sight then paddling. Sayuri smiled as Wolf and the as yet unnamed pup bounded around the pool, yipping excitedly as Rhiannon sent up yet another spray of water. Sayuri got up, picked up the hose and filled the pool up a little more.
'Rhiannon, sweetie - you'll make a pool in the lawn the way your going.' she chided a little. Rhiannon picked up a brightly coloured plastic bucket, filling at then making to throw it at her mother. Sayuri waggled her finger.
'Dont you dare miss!' and Rhiannon just tipped the bucket on herself, her little pink frilled swimsuit getting soaked again. She squealed, splashing her feet.
'Wa-tah!' she proclaimed.
Sayuri smiled, standing up and moving inside for a minute. When she came back she held a tray with lemonade in a jug and glasses. Rhiannon chirped and wuffed happily, scrambling out of the pool and toddling over to her mother, leaving a trail of wet behind her. The wolves followed, curling up next to the chair as Sayuri scooped Rhiannon into her lap, wrapping her in a fluffy towel. Once Rhiannon was drier and had a fuzzy dandelion affect to her hair, Sayuri poured a drink for her, putting in her favourite bendy straw and let Rhiannon have a drink. As she sat there with her child she sighed, wondering not for the first time if David and her would ever have a stable home life. He had become absent again, Sati would not leave the room where she was staying, and she felt like looking after Rhiannon had become a sort of anchor in her life. She kissed the top of Rhiannons head.
'Nothing will ever take you from me,' she said quietly, rocking the now sleepy toddler. She took the drink away and Rhiannon curled into Sayuri, falling into a light sleep.

Sayuri put down the spoon, leaving Rhiannon in the kitchen with both the wolves as she went to open the door. Rhiannon took the opportunity to tip over the food bowl, giggling as Wolf and the pup licked the floor clean. Sayuri hid her surprise at seeing Silver there, and moved to the side.
'Come in,' she said quietly, keeping her expression fairly blank.

Sayuri shut the door.
'Well then,' she said, leading the way back into the kitchen, noting the bowl on the floor and picking it up. She frowned a little at Rhiannon who was now bouncing on her chair.
'Silver!' she exclaimed.

Sayuri clattered about behind them, occasionally looking upwards hoping that her other daughter would be upstairs until his visit was over. She turned.
'Would you like something to drink?' she asked, all politeness. Rhiannon makes biting motions when Silver mess her hair up, pointing at his ears.
'Silver big wolf?' she jammed a thumb in her mouth, looking at him with round eyes.

Sayuri filled a glass, putting it in front of Silver, before taking a seat herself. Rhiannon clapped and squealed happily;
'Wolfie!'
Sayuri tucked her hair behind an ear, looking at Silver.
'Your father would be happy to see you here I'm sure, were he here that is.' she drummed her fingers, looking sad and younger then her years for a moment.

'I see,' she nodded, watching Rhiannon waving her hands at Silver, trying to get his attention.
'Do you know if he has managed to find a cure to his current situation?'

Rhiannon latched onto the finger, squeezing it a little. Sayuri stood, walking over to the kitchen window and looked across the grounds.
'I cant imagine why you shouldnt,' she turned, looking at him.
'But you have to remember that Sati also has the right to come here.' she rubbed her forehead.
'She is here now.'

She raised an eyebrow.
'Running away again? she looked at him as Rhiannon's face wrinkled up and she sniffled.
'Silver wolfie!' she wailed.
'If you want to stay, stay. If she thinks you cant even bear to be in the same house as her how do you think that will look?'

Rhiannon cheered up again, sliding off her chair and crawling over to Silver, to latch onto his leg. Sayuri turned to say something, then stopped, looking past Silver. Sati was standing at the table, holding the hairclip. She was dressed still in her workout gear, sweat top and pants, her hair pinned up, and she traced the shape of the clip.

Rhiannon squealed loudly, shaking Sati from her reverie. She looked over at the toddler, before turning back to the clip. She remembered how pleased she had been when Silver gave it to her, how she had rarely taken it out. She bought it to her face, pressing it to her lips, then she let her hair down, pulling out the bobby pins one by one that secured it. Sayuri moved over to her daughter, leaning in to whisper something. Sati shook her head at what ever was asked, and said something quietly back. Sayuri nodded, brushing the hair out of Sati's face, before taking the hairclip and clipping it on for her. She hugged her mother, speaking into her ear before leaving the house, disappearing from where she stood. Sayuri turned to look at Silver, a faint smile on her face.

Rhiannon pats Silver on the face, making little noises at him. Sayuri took a seat, folding her hands on her lap before speaking.
'Sati told me to tell you this; 'the clearing in the woods'. She said you would know what it means. I think she has gone there now.' she fiddled with her hair again, tucking it back behind her ear.
'I think she wants to talk before going back to Shina's.'

28th August 2004

Sayuri pottered around in the kitchen, humming to herself. She wiped her hands, putting down the cloth and went into Rhiannon's room to see why the little girl hadnt wandered in and asked for breakfast yet.
'Rhiannon,' she said, as she walked in, picking up a rag-doll from by the door and walking over to her bed. Rhiannon sat up in bed from under the covers and went;
'Boo!' she scrambled from under the covers, sliding off the bed as Sayuri sank to the floor.
'Rhi- Rhiannon?' she stammered as she looked at her little girl. Rhiannon scrambled onto her mother's lap giggling.
'I growed! I growed!,' Rhiannon exclaimed. She slid back off her mother, and ran around the room in her pajamas. She stopped at the tall mirror, and looked at herself critically. She jumped on the spot, watching her hair bounce. Sayuri laughed, finally managing to stand up. She went over to the wardrobe, sorting through the clothes.
'Well sweetie, its a good thing I went shopping for some bigger clothes recently,' she pulled out a top and a pinafore dress, showing it to her. Rhiannon made a face, and ran out of the bedroom.
'No dress! No dress!,' she squealed, pattering into the living room and hiding behind a chair. She made a shush noise to Wolf and Pup, who made barking noises when she came rushing in. Unfortunately them standing by the chair wagging their tails gave away the girls hiding spot, and a moment later Sayuri had pulled away the chair and picked Rhiannon up.
'Rhiannon sweetie,' she said, carrying her daughter back into her bedroom. She put her on the floor again.
'You are a very pretty young lady and I want you to behave more like on,' she carried on, putting the clothes on while Rhiannon sulked. She pulled on lacy trimmed ankle socks, smiling to herself at the faces her daughter was pulling.
'Now then,' she said, getting her to stand and look in the mirror, while she brushed her hair.
'Don't you look nice!' Rhiannon poked her tongue out.
'Rhiannon if you wear it all day without making a fuss I will make a chocolate cake okay?'
Rhiannon squealed happily, running out to play with Wolf and Pup, shouting 'Chocolate Cake,' at the top of her voice.