Welcome to Gaia! ::

"F-friendly fellow," Ahkshi chuckled softly. He let Yasu lick his hand for a moment before he started scratching gently under the Flareon's chin.

"And until yesterday, he was something different," Kyrie laughed. "And there are more of them, too. Pokemon, I mean." She patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go, you can see them all soon enough."

"Need a hand carrying anything?" Shiro asked his cousins.

"No, I've got it," Daeron replied with a smile. "We're good to go." He nodded for someone to lead the way.

"Miyuki, if you would," Kyrie requested. "I'm sure you know the way by now."

Shiro hung back to talk with Iorlas and Daeron while they walked, and their conversation was mostly about Amir and his health (and his spiffy new clothes). Kyrie and Ahkshi held each others' hands and walked alongside Miyuki, keeping her company as they went.

"So did you manage to get a start on those preservation runes yesterday?" Kyrie asked the young kitsune curiously. "Or were you just thinking about them?"

Runes like the ones Miyuki was talking about designing would be very helpful. Part of her wanted to ask Miyuki to rune some of her own things - her bag, so that she could travel with only one; her food bag, so that her food wouldn't go bad on her, and so that she could have the nutrition she needed at all times; her quiver, so that she wouldn't run out of arrows - though admittedly she was usually able to find most of her arrows back again.

"Well, there are skilled people here," Kyrie smiled. "I'm sure you could find someone to make the kind of chest you want, if you provide the designs for it."

A small crease appeared in Ahkshi's forehead, and he nudged his wife's side gently. "Hey ..." he murmured.

Kyrie turned to look at him, and then she smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, they've thought of a way to pay their own way," she assured him. Her dark eyes sparkling, she turned to Miyuki. "Why don't you tell him your idea?" she suggested.

Ahkshi was as impressed as Kyrie had been when Miyuki had first told her the idea.

"Save me a ticket for the first show," he grinned. "You'll make a f-f-fortune that way."

"It may be a while before we're ready to actually do a show," Iorlas called from behind them, overhearing the comment. "We've not even discussed what we're going to do or how. Then of course we have to practice ..."

"Not to mention, getting used to having a child to take care of," Kyrie laughed.

Iorlas giggled and hugged Amir, who looked up at her, three fingers in his mouth.

"Well I'll be helping out with that," Daeron chuckled. "And I'm sure we can count on everyone else, if the need arises."

By this time they were back in the camp, where the others were all doing their own things. Zeus and Ponydash were training together in an open area to the side with Andarien overseeing, Lancaeriel was still working over the fire, and the others were not in sight, probably in their tents.

Andarien was concentrating on the training, and he didn't hear Miyuki's call, but Lancaeriel looked up from her cooking and smiled warmly at the six of them.

"Welcome back," she called back. "And welcome, in Ahkshi's case, since you weren't here before. I see you brought everyone back with you - how is Amir?"

"Doing very well," Daeron said proudly. "Very well. He even did some crawling for us earlier this morning."

"Took us all by surprise," Iorlas added, her eyes sparkling brightly. "He was sitting on the floor between us and he crawled over and grabbed my leg." She laughed. "What a start he gave me!"

"If you wouldn't mind." Daeron accepted his niece's offer of help gratefully.

"And I'm going to wake Kaito," Shiro said decisively. "Shall return shortly."

Kyrie looked up at Ahkshi. "It seems there's nothing here for us to do," she murmured.

"Well," Lancaeriel spoke up, her pale eyes sparkling, "if you're interested, I could use some fresh meat for our dinner tonight - for which both of you are welcome to stay, if you'd like."

Kyrie grinned at her husband. "Care to do some hunting with me?" she asked him teasingly.

He gave her a look that very clearly said, Are you kidding me? Aloud, he replied, "Thank you darling, but I think I'll stay here and g-get to know your friends."

Kyrie laughed. "Suit yourself. Anyone else interested?"

"I have to admit, that's something I've missed doing," Daeron grinned. "Let me grab my bow and I'll be right there, Kyrie."

"And watch out for Eon and Ai," Iorlas spoke up. "Don't shoot them by mistake."

Daeron chuckled. "We'll be careful," he promised. He leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "See you soon." He knelt down and opened his bag, and once he'd found his bow and quiver, he and Kyrie headed out into the forest.

Just as they vanished into the trees, Shiro and Kaito emerged from their tent. Kaito was rubbing his eyes sleepily, and then he stretched his arms and wings.

"Food ready?" he mumbled through a yawn.

"I'll help you with that," Shiro volunteered. "With Kaito's level of awareness, it would be disastrous to have him help out."

"Do you need another hand?" Ahkshi asked, approaching the three of them. "I'll be the f-first to admit that I've never put up a t-tent before, but I'm quite willing to try."

"Would you mind taking Amir for a moment?" Iorlas requested, holding the child out to the physician. "I need to get the tent out of the bag first anyway."

With a smile, Ahkshi took Amir from her, and it only took a moment for Iorlas to pull the tent from Daeron's bag. "Here." She held it up for whoever would take it.