Welcome to Gaia! ::

The community centre is the largest building on the Island. It sprawls in all directions, having been built on to as needed. The oldest and main part of the building is a large circular room which used to be used by the archaeologists as a common room. Now that there are few archaeologists on Cetalu it is almost always empty, and so has been converted into an area for the new Aerandir and their guardians.

The room is floored with polished wood, but softened by numerous mismatching rugs. On the walls are large pictures of dig sites and close-ups of fossils found by the team. In one area is a number of childlike scribbles done in crayon and pencils, some better than others - the work of previous Aerandir children. Most of the images are of animals.

In the area under these doodles are two large toychests, one filled with "pet" toys such as rubber balls and squeaky bones, the other with childrens' toys, from cars to dolls to plushies. A small stand of the "classic" childrens' books is close by.

As equally mismatched as the rugs are the seats and cushions scattered in uneven clumps throughout the room. Each clump has its own little table close by, all of which are similarly rectangular. These can be joined to create one large eating / working space.

Off this main room there is a large canteen-like kitchen and store cupboard. Although supplies of proper food are low at the moment there are plenty of spices and flavourings still hanging around. The kitchen has a sink with running water, and a few buckets lurk underneath for those who need them.

The other corridors lead off to small spare rooms for visitors, each with a bed, table and desk; and to Alyosha's apartments, at the end of a corridor.

Foenix stepped once more into the Communty Center. It was pouring outside, and she was very thankful for the over-large umbrella she had brought with her.

She settled at one of the sets of seats and gratefully kicked off her shoes. As slippery as the mud had been on the way over, she was very glad to be inside and -mostly- dry now. Swinging her feet up onto a second chair, she reached down and grabbed the carry-sak she took everywhere. First out came Nehanda. placed the jar in her lap, lulled momentarily by the lavender glow. Next, she removed a book.

"Now, where were we?" she murmured. Right. Here we are." Finding her spot, she smiled down at her artifacts and began to read.

"Some broken things you can't mend. Some you have to put together very slowly, piece by fragile piece, waiting until the last bit of work is strong enough before you try the next. It takes a lot of patience . . ."

Grinning in excitement over nehanda, Foenix was finding it very hard to focus on the words in her book. Some movement to her right caught her attention, and she looked up to see Alyosha.

"Hey there," she said warmly.

Nehanda left her place at Foenix's shoulder to circle Alyosha, sometimes darting in very close, and sometimes simply content to observe at a distance.

Foenix colored. "Forgive her. She just broke free of her jar, and you're only the second human she's ever seen."

Foenix bit off her new exclamation of shock. "Oooh," she breathed softly. "Aren't you beautiful." She ran her hands over Nehanda's flanks, carefully unfurling the gryphon's wings and straightening feathers that had been mussed in the transformation.

Nehanda looked up at her guardian and nestled her bill against Foenix's shoulder. She closed her eyes, content to simply be cuddled.

Foenix looked over at Alyosha, and could't help the tears that filled her eyes. "She's just perfect," she murmured.

Foenix grinned, tears having now dried. Alyosha's interest had been pretty hard to miss! "What is it?" she asked as she continued to run her hand over Nehanda's back. These feathers were just so soft!

Foenix took the bread with a nod of thanks and offered it to Nehanda. the little gryphon sniffed at it, and then eagerly bolted it down. Foenix giggled and reached into her bag for the snacks she had brought for herself. There was a variety of bready items, as well as some fruit and vegetables. Not yet sure of Nehanda's dietary needs, she didn't offer the sweets.

nehanda scanned and sniffed the offering quickly. Hard vegetables were ignored, while strawberries disappeared very quickly! While she was occupied, Foenix reached down to carefully lift one of Nehanda's feet.

"You're right," she said to Alyosha. "I've seen my share of horses, and the only time I've seen a cloven hoof was in a museum. I guess I'd better pick up a few more books when I head over to the mainland later for my husband's birthday."

Foenix waved after Alyosha as he dashed out. A tug on her shirt brought her attention back to Nehanda, and she looked down at the little gryphon. Crumbs of bread and red traces of strawberry juice covered her beak and chest feathers, and Foenix couldn't help but laugh.

"So messy, little one! Let's get you cleaned up." Putting her book down, she wrapped one arm carefully around the barrel of Nehanda's torso, and used her other hand to support the whithers, exactly as if she was lifting a newborn filly. When Nehanda didn't so much as flap a wing, but continued to gaze trustingly at Foenix, she took her into the kitchen.

Nehanda liked the sink, and kept sticking her head beneath the tap, splashing water everywhere! Foenix sighed, thinking about the pond back at her cabin. "I'd better keep a huge pile of towels by the front door."

Once clean, the two returned to their chair. "Why don't we continue with our story?" The gryphon nodded eagerly, and Foenix picked up her book. Now she hoped more than ever to run into some of the other Aerandir guardians. Surely their artifacts had also begun evolving into the next stage, and she wanted to see what the others looked like!

Foenix finished the chapter and closed the book. "Pretty good story, huh?" Nehanda nodded eagerly, and then hopped up farther on her shoulder and stared at someone standing behind them.

Foenix turned, ever-conscious of the gryphon on her shoulder. "Kiiato! It's good to see you. I feel like I haven't seen anyone else on this island since we recieved our artifacts!"