Welcome to Gaia! ::

Strollers, Satika was discovering, were out of the question. Not only did Taima throw a fit whenever placed in them, she also seemed to go into something of a panic, which was a bit more disturbing. Anger was, after all, the norm.

After some experimenting she'd discovered that the only option other than carrying the infant was putting her in a backpack, a position that actually seemed to put the little girl in a state that could almost be called calm. It had been an interesting project, adjusting a backpack to Taima's unique form, but Satika had enjoyed the challenge.

Which was why the pair was out walking as the sun set slowly on the western horizon. The deep gold babypack complete, Satika had settled the squirming Taima into it. As the infant's claws could not quite reach around to get at any soft bits of flesh, the walk had so far been a peaceful one. There was a beauty to the park as the shadows fell, and a comfort in the weight of the tiny child on her back.

At least, until her thick braid fell into the infant's grasp, and small claws, incapable of actually cutting it, started tugging furiously instead.

"Taima. Taima, please." Satika twisted helplessly trying to get the braid from the child's claws and having a difficult time of the task.

Satika stopped struggling at Kaze's approach, unwilling to look so ill mannered in front of a strange woman. Nevermind the fact that Taima continued to tug roughly at her braid, showing surprising strength, all things considered, she wouldn't embaress herself.

"Good evening." She kept her voice confined to her usual measured tones, though it was a bit sharper than her usual silken words. "My daughter seems to have caught my braid. If you wouldn't mind simply tugging it free?"

Even as she spoke, she twisted, revealing the pale white scorpion child in the baby backpack she wore. The little girl was actually giggling, in a rare good mood over both her position and her prize. The edge of one claw was stuck in her mouth, while the other was clamped firmly on Satika's dark braid, tugging on it with all her infant might.

How had she not realized that the woman had a man with her? Her mind had been home, of course. At home, no woman would ever have approached her in such a manner, not with her husband to attend to. But this was not home, as well evidenced by the fact that the woman was, well, screaming.

Yet another act that no sane woman back home would commit. There was, of course, the possibility that the woman wasn't sane. But that was hardly charitable.

With a grateful smile, Satika bowed slightly to the man, her gaze never lifting above her rescuer's feet. "My thanks, sir."

As she spoke, she slipped the now easily removable backpack off along one arm, pulling young Taima loose and holding her with gentle reverence. "No offense taken, I fear that it is not an uncommon reaction to my little one. But she is, I promise, nearly harmless. Her tail is covered, see?"

That dangerous stinger was indeed encased in a leather 'hood', keeping the infant scorpion from mistakenly (or deliberately) poisoning someone. "She was indeed adopted from the Lady Karma. Your young one was simularly aquired?"

Taima, toy and favorite spot stolen within instants of each other, fussed, her small claws waving in the air. No matter what Satika said, the little creature did not look 'harmless'.

"You flatter my daughter, sir," Satika murmured politely. As she spoke, she wiggled her fingers above Taima, giving those angry claws a target to snap at. That seemed to calm her a bit, earning another little giggle as she attempted to snap off a finger or two.

When Satika noticed Sierra's determained approach, she knelt, setting her own little one on the ground but staying close to moderate their play. At this age, Taima really wasn't all that dangerous. But she could hurt another baby with those claws of hers, if she tried.

"A lovely child," she stated admiringly, glancing over at Kaze with a smile. The woman may be a bit strange, but most people on Gaia were. Satika was willing to overlook her seeming lack of manners if it meant forming a bond with another adoptive mother.

Taima could not crawl. Or rather, she couldn't do it well. Claws didn't offer the same stable support as hands, and her other legs, while supportive, were mostly just hard to keep straight. Crawling mostly meant she tripped over herself and ended up on her stomach.

Instead, she waited for Sierra to come to her. She was headed in that direction anyway.

Still kneeling behind her daughter, Satika absently corrected the lay of her skirt, creating an elegant fan of silk on the cool grass. Sure, it'd get dirty, but any women knew that while beauty and grace were important, the care of children was a prime duty, paired neatly with the care of men.

"How did you come to take in a child from the Lady Karma?" She glanced up at Karma, and smiled again.

Taima, surprised at the owl baby's approach fell almost still, only her leather wrapped tail waiving tensely. And then the sound. It startled her, a streak of white as that tail lashed forward.

But, no. Satika, knowing her daughter, was faster, and the tail was caught and held, until it relaxed.

"Wah!?" She gurgled, giving up the offensive in favor of more delicate curiousity. The other was so soft looking, not like her at all. Knowing the response her claws would get, she reached out with her next set of limbs, a careful attempt to feel Sierra's feathers.

Taima had never felt feathers before, and the strange sensation of something ticklish against her leg was enough to make her pull back for a moment, startled. When nothing further happened, she reached out again, another gentle brush. She laughed.

The sound seemed to surprise even her, those claws of hers clicking quickly shut as the sound cut off. Had she done that? It hadn't come from anyone else, she didn't think.

"Lady Karma was having a difficult time placing Taima. And I found that we very much suited each other, so I offered to take her in. I have always wanted a daughter of my own."

Reaching out, she brushed her fingers lightly over Tai's hairless head. "In some ways, she reminds me of my home."