Welcome to Gaia! ::

Arri reached forward, and wrapped the small child in the dark blue blanket, rubbing gently to dry him, and warm him up at the same time, before curling the blanket around him, and handing him to his mate, LITERALLY vibrating.

Arri laughed a little, and reached over to gently untangle the paw, sliding his finger under Merlyn grip, and shaking it a little.

"Aren't you just the sweetest..."

He laughs a bit more, and the kitten promptly swats at his father's finger, tiny, soft claws out.

"Apparently, he's got his father's temper, ne?"

He scritches the hair slightly, and tickles one of the ears. Meryln likes that. He lays his ears back against his head in a most wolflike manner, purring.

"Oh! He can purr! Listen!"

Arri had gone to the library shortly after Merlyn's birth, to check out a bunch of books. He also went to buy some from the store. When he came home that day, he set the seven books he'd bought or borrowed down on the kitchen counter, and dragged out his journal from its home in a cabinet. Before him lay:

10 Steps to Parenthood: What to do When Junior Arrives
Your baby and You
The Physician's Guide to Childcare - Parent Edition
Baby's First: Keeping a Baby Book, and What to Expect
Never Say No: Alternate Teaching Methods for Toddlers
Baby 101: What You Need to Know
and
Pass the Roadmap! 1000 Places to Go, Ages Newborn to Teen

Admittedly, he felt a little silly lugging all these books around, but he'd wanted to at least seem like he was prepared for this. In his mind, he was. It was entirely another matter when things actually came down to the bone, so to speak. He couldn't help worrying, and worrying didn't help the fact that he'd told himself he wouldn't worry, and then worrying about that started the whole cycle all over again. Arri was a cute parent, there was no doubt about it. Most seasoned mothers and fathers would laugh about his frantic demeanor around the whole thing.
He sighed, counted and stacked the books, and found a pen in the drawer next to the sink, flipping open his journal to the next available page.

Arri was nervous about presenting the kid to the rest of the gods - but it had to be done, or the gods would just come in and invade Prox's and his home. Merlyn was being quiet, and curled softly in Prox's arms, as Arri readied to open the portal to Kimagaa. He'd been pale and pacing all morning - sick, but taking care of himself, which was a distinct improvement over last time he'd been ill.

"Doing okay?" Prox asked anxiously, adjusting the sling that supported Merlyn. The kitten was half-asleep for the moment, gnawing drowsily on the toy clutched in his small hands.

"Nervous - Rightfully so. It's been a while since I've seen Kamit, and she never DID like me..."

"Well, she's required to be polite for now," Prox said dryly. " ... I hate formal ceremonies," he added. His hair threatened to fall back into his eyes. He shoved it back, irritated. "It'll be fine."

"You keep Kitten away from her - understand?"

"I will. This isn't going to involve everybody crowding around, right?"

"Eh.... I never know when it comes to all of the rest."

Prox put an ear back, a little nervously. "Let's get this over with."

Arri nodded. "Catch me when I stagger back - and keep hold of Kitten."

"I'm not about to drop the fuzzball. Or you," Prox replied, but his smile softened the slight snap in his voice.

Arri opened the portal with a huge gesture of his hands, and staggered back from the energy it took to do so.

Prox neatly caught Arri's shoulder, supporting him till he could catch his balance again. ~I've got you,~ he said silently.

Arri stood, and brushed himself off. He looked rather "sharp" in the outfit - formal and medievalish. Very handsome, however. He stepped into the plane of the gods, swirling with mist, white and black, clouds hovering overhead, lightning playing in the sky. Prox had never been here before - it was like walking around inside a dream.

Prox followed, the fabric of his formal robes flowing around him. He had left off the mask, but felt that it was important to present himself as an equal to his mate for this occasion.
Merlyn stirred and stared at the surreal landscape with wide blue eyes.

Someone very familiar walked out of the mists, and took Arri into a tight hug, murmuring a welcome in Juridian. Then, he moved to Prox, and kissed him, before pulling back, and looking down at the kitten in the sling.
"So... is this the heir, then?"
He smiled.

"To which bloodline?" Prox smiled at Eriot. "Dream will choose its own, when the time comes. Merlyn, say hello," he said to the kitten.
Merlyn just stared, and put his thumb in his mouth.

"It's been a while, love." Eriot reached down, and tickled the little one's stomach.

"It has. I wish you could visit us more often." Prox glanced to Arri and smiled a little.
Merlyn crinkled his face up and attempted to grab at the hand tickling him.

Eriot laughed, and let the kitten grab his hand. Someone else came out of the mist, hissing. Or well... slithered out of the mist would be a tad more appropriate.
"Sethona - What a pleasure. Come to see the baby?"
"Of course, my dearssss. Why elsssse would I come from my ssssolitude?"
She slithered up to Prox - a HUGE Naga - Viper. She has green hair, green eyes, and a beautiful, perfect female body for her upper half. She could very well turn Prox - or any other man - straight.
[
Prox blinked, his eyes involuntarily flicking down to the naga-woman's assets, the away again politely. Impressive. He nodded to her and remained silent.
The kitten attempted to chew on Eriot's hand, apparently unperturbed by the newcomer.

She raised her tail, and used to tip to tickle the kitten's ears.
"Oh, issssn't he adorable!"

Merlyn shifted focus to the tail tickling him, and let go of Eriot's hand to attempt to shove this new rapidly moving distraction into his mouth.
"He chews on everything," Prox said, a little apologetically.

"Ssssso I noticed! Awww...."
Typical female reaction to babies, really.

"I haven't seen her royal evilness around here lately. But you never know when she could.."
Just as he's saying that, something FAST and SMALL shoots out of the mist, and knocks Arri over, pinning him, and growling under her breath - Kamit.

Prox growled low under his breath, the shadow-scarf darting out to push Kamit away from his mate. "Don't," he said coolly. "I thought there was a truce going on." He shifted Merlyn slightly in his arms, both to make the baby more comfortable and as a pointed reminder.
Merlyn paused in his quest to acquire the tailtip and wriggled around to look, making a small I'm going to fuss sort of noise.

Arri was rolled onto his side, hiding his face in his arm, panting. He was... in pain?
Kamit drew back, chuckling.
"Too late, you see. Or maybe he won't."
She laughed, and vanished, in a poof of smoke that smelled of blood and death.
Eriot growled, and moved over to Arri, kneeling, and trying to get him to raise his face. Arri kept shaking his head - softly.
"Prox... help? Give the baby to Seth."

Prox hesitated only a moment, sensing pain through the bond. He freed Merlyn from the sling and carefully handed the baby to Sethona. "I trust you," he said to her, and hurried to attend to his mate.
Merlyn mewled, his small pointed tail starting to flick with distress.

"Arri, c'mon... let me see... What did she do to you?"
Arri had started to tremble. PAIN was flooding the link. Searing pain. He was going to pass out soon.

The pain was clouding Prox's senses. He crouched down to take Arri's hand. "His eye," he said, feeling where the pain had centered.

Eriot lifted Arri's head carefully, and looked, conjuring some light. He almost dropped both light and Arri's head.
"Oh gods...."
He looked up at Prox, then back at Arri.
"She took his eye.... There's nothing but an empty socket in the left side...."

Prox rocked back a little. "I can't heal that," he said. "Not here - and it'll take too much time to return - can you?" He held Arri's hand tightly.
Merlyn started to yowl outright now, seeming to sense the pain and upset.

"I can't restore his sight - but I can stop the bleeding. I'll have to knock him out to do it. Will you monitor his heart?"

"That I can do." Prox set his other hand over Arri's heart, ears folded back tightly with distress. He glanced to where the naga-goddess held their child briefly, then cleared his mind to pay attention to the heartbeat under his palm, pushing the transmitted pain to one side.

It was racing, and faltering in PAIN. Shock was setting in. But Eriot could fix that - Arri just had to stay strong.
The healing god waved his hand over Arri's face, and the man sunk into Prox's arms, out cold. Eriot summoned some very nasty-looking tools, and started to work on stopping the bleeding.
"Ssshhh... Shhh, honey, shhhh...."
Sethona rocked Merlyn, and let him grab her tail.

Prox held his mate tightly, quietly feeding energy through their bond. There wasn't particularly anyone for him to pray to, but he did anyway.
Merlyn yowled determinedly, flailing his hands and producing a startling amount of volume for such a small being.

"Now, kitty.... I'm not hurting you."
Eriot showed his skill, working quickly and efficiently. Soon enough, he had bound Arri's empty socket, and the bleeding was very much slowed - nearly stopped.
"There... That's all I can do, loves."

Prox sighed. "Thank you. Once we get home I can do more about it, but I can't replace an eye, not after the first minute or so, even there... " He wiped some of the blood away from Arri's cheek, grimacing. "If she - nn. Can't afford to feud, can I."
Merlyn turned his head, buried his face in Sethona's chest, and quieted. Slightly.

"She'll be dealt with - severely. Leave her punishment to us."
Eriot nodded, and helped to shift Arri into Prox's arms to be carried.
"She won't get away lightly."

Prox stood carefully, fighting some small amount of dizziness. "Thank you," he said quietly. He looked to Sethona, worry clear on his voice. "Will you carry the kitten home with us?" he asked.

Sethona nodded, and curled her arms tighter around the kitten, cooing at him.

Prox padded back towards the faint shine of the portal, following the sense of his own world, lookingback once to make sure the others were following.
Merlyn burbled unhappily and squirmed.

Sethona slithered after, and Eriot followed behind. Arri was still unconscious - which was probably a fairly good thing.

Prox stepped through into the living room and padded up the stairs. "The nursery is next to the bedroom," he said over his shoulder, concentrating on keeping his balance and footing even.
[
Sethona nodded, and started to slither towards it, intent on putting the baby in a crib or something. Eriot followed behind Prox.
"He breathing alright? That's a fairly intense amount of shock."

"So far," Prox said. His tail flicked agitatedly. He set Arri carefully down on the bed and opened the connecting doorto the nursery so he could hear if the kitten began to cry again, then settled himself to the task of healing. Only in Dream; but within the boundaries of his own domain, he could do a great deal.

Merlyn crinkled his face up when he was set in his crib, staring up at Sethona and apparently trying to decide if he wanted to fuss more or not. There was something rong, but he could hear daddyvoices from the other room, and the snakewoman who had set him down into his crib was interesting and distracting. He settled down to trying to grab at her hands, ears swiveling alertly this way and that.

[Reserve]

Merlyn, despite being distinctly feline, didn't seem to have any objections to water. He patted his hands at the soapy water in the tub and burbled incoherent pleased noises when the rubber octopus floated past him. He hadn't quite got the hang of grabbing toys and holding on properly yet, but he was certainly trying.

Prox knelt on the mat and brushed soap through his son's fur, reflecting quietly on how everything became so much more complicated and yet so much more simple with the kitten around. There was the sleeplessness and the extra bits and pieces of necessary equipment and the inherent messiness of caring for a small child; and then there was the way that watching Merlyn smile at a butterfly for the first time could turn what had begun as a fairly terrible day into something far more agreeable.

He had, of course, gotten the sense that Merl would try to eat the insect if he could grab it, but that wasn't really relevant. Merlyn tried to eat anything and everything.

Kher came to the door and leaned there, observing the process. "You're all wet," he pointed out, rather unnecessarily.

"It happens," Prox said. "I don't object. Do me a favor and get an extra towel, would you, kid?"

Kher nodded and went off towards the linen closet, and Prox turned back just in time to get a faceful of splashed water as Merlyn discovered that the harder one hits the water, the farther it goes. A worthy discovery, indeed.

Something was wrong.

Prox kept his eyes shut against the slant of early-morning light that fell through the window and tried to figure out what had woken him so suddenly with the certainty that something was wrong. He stretched his mind just a little, finding not immediate break or error in the house's protections; and he could sense the not-audible hum of busy thoughts through the mindlink, nothing out of the ordinary there, no pain or alarm.

He could hear the sounds of the house waking up, the feathery rustles of his Dreams in the corner where their perch stood, the sound of someone quietly moving around downstairs in the kitchen, Anen, probably, or Rusai, and if he turned an ear just so, he could hear from the nursery the little mewing almost-snores that Merlyn made when he slept, and Lapis's little whistles from his nest beside the crib. Nothing outof the ordinary or alarming there, either.

Something was wrong, nevertheless. Prox took mental inventory. Nowhere he needed to be today. Nothing he'd left un-done that needed to be done right now. He wasn't feeling sick ... something was wrong? All parts present and accounted f ... He opened his eyes and looked cautiously under the covers.

Oh.

Well. This was interesting.

He had the feeling that perhaps he was going to be upset about it at some point, but for now, he got up and went to get dressed.

One of the looser shirts he liked fit well enough. The jeans were a different matter. The change had made his hips wider, and the waistband wasn't quite large enough. After a minute, he hit upon the idea of loosening the laces that held the back closed over his tail; that left a gap of skin and fur showing, though, and made him feel distinctly exposed. He pulled the shirt down in back and snarled, irritated.

He suposed he ought to start thinking about himself as herself. But that felt all wrong, and anyway, if he had anything to say about it, this was going to be reversed as soon as he found out how.

He padded into the nursery, noting that his balance was subtly and disconcertingly off. He wasn't going to fall over, but he wasn't going to be doing any acrobatics until he got used to this, or, preferably, changed back. Lapis woke as he entered the room, and reared up, looking confused. "Knock it off," Prox snapped at the comet serpent. "It's me. You know me."

Merlyn was just waking, stirring and yawning, and reached up, demanding with waving hands and small burbles to be picked up. Prox did so, checking the kitten's diaper, and then winced as he discovered that the new additions to his chest were sensitive, and having them grabbed by small clawed hands hurt quite a bit. "Ow, Merl. Watch the claws."

Merlyn didn't seem to care too much, and secured a hold in the shirt, wriggling and babbling. Not hungry enough to be wailing yet. That was a minor blessing. It was also a deep relief that he didn't seem to care about the change in his father. "Let's go, kitten," Prox said. "Breakfast." He was going to have to face the rest of the family and possibly others who knew him at some point, but the absolutely normal behavior from his youngest son allowed him to relax a tiny bit. He snagged one of the little rubber dragons from the shelf and gave it to Merlyn to chew on.

The kitten happily stuffed the durable little toy into his mouth and bit it hard as he was carried out of the room. Lapis trailed after, still confused.

Prox leaned on the side of the crib and watched Merlyn banging the little rubber dragon gleefully against the bars, shooting glances up at him now and then with a definite "hey, look, I think I'm being naughty, what are you going to do about it," expression. "Alien pod baby, huh," he told the kitten thoughtfully. "That what you are? No, I see too much of us in you. Pod baby, maybe, but no alien. C'mere, then, let's go outside." He leaned down to scoop Merlyn up again; the baby dropped his toy and stretched up to be lifted with a happy squeal.