Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lau Donovan was a man who liked to have everything organized, and liked to know the possible outcome of whatever he did. This time was no different, only he had one factor he didn't know what to make of. For the first time Donovan was going to take someone from Gaia along for a hunt. He supposed to an extent he should have expected it, after all it was only a matter of time before someone became old enough and interested enough to want to come along.

Which was probably why Donovan was waiting along side Kara and Lin (who had become a natural tagalong in the Ranch) for Celebor. Why on earth Miyu was coming he didn't know, he suspected it had something to do with Aragost. This really shouldn't bother him, Celebor had learned for a year, Seconds were fast learners and further more he was no longer a kid. He was a teenager who was just as learned as the mer twins (if one wanted to be technical about time).

He hated firsts... with a passion.

Celebor smiled faintly and nodded to himself when he saw Donovan, Lin and Kara, and he adjusted his bag on his back so that it was more comfortable, then put one hand on his swordbelt.

"Shall we be off, then?" he asked cheerfully, reaching for the doorknob and opening the door for the others. "After you."

Kara smiled as she felt the fresh air that she would not find back home unless she traveled far from it. The moment she felt the soft grass beneath her feet she turned part way to make sure Celebor was coming in right behind them. She had not been here when Celebor was, and this would be a first for her as well.

In the nearby trees, there was a squeal and a giggle, and suddenly Adanedhel, now six years old, ran into view with a two-year-old Alyse riding on his back, her stubby little arms wrapped around his neck.

When they saw the group, Adanedhel stopped in his tracks and broke into a wide smile.

"Mama! Papa!" he called over his shoulder. "They're here! Donovan-san and Kara-san and Celebor-kun and Lin-chan! They're here!"

A moment later, Aliya and Amdir appeared as well, with Adwin, now a burly two-year-old, riding on Amdir's shoulders.

"Hello," Aliya smiled brightly at the group. "Welcome back! We're just heading to the ranch, would you like to join us?"

"Adanedhel," Kara grinned, "You've gotten bigger since the last time I've seen you."

She giggled leaning against Donovan, waving at Aliya and Admir.

"And how have you two been doing?"

The two grinned back at Kara and started to lead the way to the ranch.

"We've been doing excellently well," Amdir replied cheerfully. "You'll be happy to know, Donovan, that the herd is growing steadily, and we've actually sold a few of the horses. Got a good price for them, too.color]

Aliya moved to walk next to Kara. "Things have gotten a lot steadier as the twins have been growing older," she murmured with a smile. "They're easier to manage - for the most part. At least now I can send them outside to play whenever they become too much to handle."

She giggled softly.

Kara laughed softly at that, she understood that need all too well, "Yes, I know all about that sort of thing. I still do that to the younger ones, though most of them are grown up," she replied wistfully, "The only time I couldn't do that was with Feng and Ryu.... though I tended to worry if I couldn't find her and Ryu."

They were all getting old, it was kind of sad to her.

Miyu, unlike Lin, decided to stay close to her grandmother. She had no interest in running ahead at all. She liked to stay close and play close unless she was with her favourite adult that wasn't her daddy of course.