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NEW RP STARTS HERE.

This takes place after Leolin and Kedri's Courtship and after Leolin goes home, some adequate amount of time later for Leolin and Kedri to have fumbled most of a nest together.

Nyhali's been very busy with stupid political Xuan things and Heideshi family business so she hasn't seen much of Kedri for a bit, and one of the servants mentions that Kedri's been acting strangely so Nyhali goes to check it out, seeing as she's already curious why Leolin keeps visiting with or without Laura in tow...

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Nyhali stepped quietly down the row of stalls, wondering what on earth could be wrong with Kedri, and wondering if Leolin's visits had anything to do with it. She was feeling rather guilty now for having spent so much time away from her beloved friend. Finally she reached Kedri's stall and peeked cautiously around the support pole that marked the side of it and over the gate to look at Kedri without making her full presence known. Kedri would never hurt Nyhali, but she did tend to get grumpy when she was under the weather, and agitating her might whatever it was worse.

Nyhali was stunned momentarily in surprise. Kedri stood over a half-finished nest of small branches and pilfered cushions, plucking feathers from the downy mass on her chest and trying to place them just so. Suddenly a lot of things made sense... but even so Nyhali was rather flabbergasted.

"Kedri... you didn't..." But it was obvious she did. A bemused smile took the place of Nyhali's shocked expression and she carefully entered the stall now that Kedri knew she was there. She started to pick up some of the downy feathers Kedri had dropped and put them on the nest, but Kedri mantled and gave her a distasteful look. Instead she just picked up the dropped feathers and offered them to the mother to be. This seemed acceptable, and Kedri took the dropped feathers and started tucking them into the nest.

Eventually Nyhali stepped back out of the stall when Kedri seemed satisfied for the moment and tested the nest for what was likely the 100th time. She made her way toward the stable door, bemused expression still fixed in place, and went to have a look around the yard and see if Leolin was around again. Laura usually wasn't free to come visit yet this time of day... so perhaps she could send someone to fetch her, and bring Leolin if he wasn't already here. It seemed to Nyhali that the other human "aunty" should know what was going on...

Nyhali stepped outside just in time to see Leolin glide heavily over the fence with his catch. His rather rude greeting didn't really surprise her, though she was mildly disappointed. Still her bemused smile remained and she bowed him into the stable via the door she'd just vacated. "Your lady awaits. And she wouldn't even let me touch the nest, my sweet, so calm down."

She remained as unthreatening as possible until Leolin has passed, but refused to back away just because of the dirty looks he was giving her. This was her home, and Kedri was her friend, dammit, as well as Leolin's new mate, and she was letting him know that she was going to respect his space, but without giving up her authority.

She watched until Leolin had entered the stall to deliver his prize to his beloved, shaking her head and feeling a little overwhelmed, before seeking out Keman. He'd escorted Laura home on a few occasions, so he knew how to reach Quillan Manor. After a brief explanation, Keman's face wore an equally bemused expression and he borrowed a horse from the first stall on the equine side of the stable to avoid disturbing the nesting couple and rode out.

~~~~~

A little while later Keman rode up to the Quillan gate. "Halloo! Fields! It's Keman! Your griffon seems to be visiting the Heideshi residence without you, Lady Nyhali thought you might want to come try to retrieve him!"

Keman waited a few minutes, but no one seemed forthcoming. So... if he were a griffon owner, where would he go look for an m.i.a. griffon? He grinned to himself, made sure his spear was secured in the saddle harness, and headed out to the woods. He didn't have a particular aim once he got there, so he just started calling for "Fields from Quillan Manor". He knew Laura liked to keep her identity a secret, and didn't know if she would have come out as Laura or Lucas today. Hopefully she'd hear him shouting before too long.

~~~~~

Kedri cooed affectionately, but nervously, and practically hopped out of the nest. "I think it's done... I'm not sure... should I add more feathers? Maybe I can steal more pillows from inside..." She fidgeted. It was obvious she was nervous... little Harby was the only chick she'd been around since she was a juvenile, and Harby mostly stayed with Nyhali and she had been in and out of here so much the past couple of weeks Kedri was sure her human companion had to be getting dizzy by now. And not that Kedri had anything against Harby, but the grifflette was rather large for her age and was more than a little rough in her play and the griffoness just wasn't comfortable having her around right now.

Keman went out in small hunting parties from time to time to help keep the pantries stocked, so he was used to following the sound of a horn. The horse as well was used to picking out game trails and traveling through the woods, so they made decent time in Laura's direction. He called from time to time to make sure he was on course and finally came upon her. "Greetings, Fields." He winked to show he was playing along with her false identity for the time being, not certain if anyone else might be nearing after hearing them. "If you're looking for Leolin, I'm afraid he's vacated himself to the Heideshi premises. Either way, Lady Nyhali would like a word with you. It seems something happened during Leolin's convalesence that's going to have some lasting side effects you need to know about..." It was so incredibly hard to keep a straight face. "Care for a ride?"

~~~~~

Kedri breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed a bit before climbing back into the nest. "Good... I'm glad you think so..." She stretched her neck over to preen at him affectionately just before her belly rumbled. Her ears ducked back and she looked a bit sheepish. "I guess I worked up an appetite..."

Keman wanted to reassure Laura that it wasn't... (cough) too serious (cough), but he wasn't going to tell her what exactly was going on unless she really picked his brains about it. "There doesn't seem to be any permanent damage, or anything, but it could keep him from racing for a while..."

He sent the horse back toward the Heideshi house at as fast a speed as seemed reasonable, letting the creature have his head. He knew how fast was safe and he certainly knew the way back to his stable.

The trip back was certainly a lot faster than the trip out, and he haulted the horse to the side of the stable door so that Laura would have to go in on foot and see what was going on.

Nyhali had climbed into the loft where they kept some of the miscellaneous horse gear and feedng supplies so she could watch the griffons without being a big nuisance. They were... just too adorable, really. At least for predators that were bigger than horses and currently ripping apart a boar carcass. She waved at Laura with an impish grin when she came in sight, not at all expecting to be noticed but making the effort anyway.

Kedri cooed happily and accepted the meal gladly, glancing up at Nyhali but just as quickly dismissing her. Nyhali wasn't a threat to them, of that she was certain, and so at the moment Kedri wasn't particularly concerned with her.

Nyhali burst out laughing. "Um, Laura, have you ever seen birds nesting?" She pointed at Kedri then, unable to finish saying aloud for Laura to take a look at the female griffon because of choked laughter, and quickly had to return her hand to the loft floor to keep from falling out in her mirth.

Kedri's feathers ruffled at Laura's abrupt interruption. It wasn't necessarily Laura herself, just how suddenly she appeared and startled the both of them. Kedri's puffed up appearance was rather amusing, considering the bald spot on her chest and lower neck.

Keman chortled along with Nyhali as he finished putting the horse's tack away. "Come now, Miss Laura! I did say there wasn't any permanent damage, and that something happened while Leolin was recovering that would have long term effects. Nothing bad, just that he might not be racing for a while." He gave her a very solemn face. "I never said he was hurt or sick. You just assumed."

Nyhali nearly did fall out of the loft at that one and quickly rolled back toward the more solid part of the floor after she recovered her balance. "I'm sorry... Laura... I forgot how mean Keman's sense of humor is! I'm... used to it... by now." She devolved into laughter again.

Kedri huffed and calmed down again, rolling her eyes at the silly humans and nosing at the boar. "Sometimes Nyhali still acts like a chick. Two-leggers are so odd sometimes..."

Nyhali looked back over the edge of loft, though this time her head was upside down, to grin at Laura. "Sure, you're quite welcome. Matti and Marta like you, whether they'll out and admit it or not. You can even bring it out here if you want. I don't think they'll mind," she motioned at the expecting parents, "as long as we don't make a general nuisance of ourselves. Like Keman and I have been." Her artfully crafted braid slid off the loft floor to dangle below her head, just as artfully rumpled by Nyhali's fits of rolling laughter. She did seem at least a smidge remorseful, though it was difficult to tell if that remorse was directed at Laura or at the griffons.

Keman strolled by and offered Laura his arm. "I suppose if you feel you must physically reprimand me for my insensitivity you may, but please try to keep it below the face and above the belt, or my wife will be most displeased!"

At that moment Tika darted in, saw the griffons, and grew very wide-eyed. Before she could start rattling off questions, though, her father gently bopped her on the head and pointed up at Nyhali. "Lady Nyhali will tell you about it, little one, but you have to sit still and be good while you're up there. You know your mother doesn't like it when you play around up there." The little girl immediately nodded and darted over to the half stair/half ladder concoction that led up to the loft. Keman gave a grateful smile and a respectful bow of his head to Nyhali when she moved to meet the girl at the top. "Now remember Tika, you listed to the Lady. I'll be back with snacks in a few minutes."



Kedri watched the goings on specutively. The two-legger chick was going up to join Nyhali, which meant Keman was likely to come back, and Laura would likely not want to stay away from Leolin for long. She looked torn for a moment and finally gave in to amusement, trilling softly and shaking her head. "No point chasing them off, really, love. They'll just come back." She preened at him. "I guess I'm just a bit on edge..." She settled back on the nest. "But I don't want anyone in here without you or Nyhali giving the ok. They can look all they want, but if they think I'm going to let people traipse all over the nest they've got another thing coming."

She fluffed up in brief indignation and then nosed at the boar again. She suddenly seemed almost shy. "I... would you mind feeding me again? That was sweet..."

((Random note to self: Tika needs her own color. As does her mother. And I need to make entries for Tika and each of her parents, and for Matti and Marta in my journal with the rest of my characters. It's silly not to include them just because they don't all have griffons. XD))