'Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying.
Even if you don't want to speak tonight
That's alright, it's alright with me.
'Cause I want nothing more than to sit
outside heaven's door and listen to you breathing.
It's where I want to be.
Where I want to be.
-Lifehouse, Breathing
*Edited by JLB*
Lupaul stood looking about. He had an apricorn shell in his hand and he took sips of the nectar inside. It wasn't packed in the Moon hall like it should be in better times. He looked about nodded to a few friends he saw here and there. He watched a few dance about. The smeargle could feel the beat of the music about him, it wasn't as energetic as usual but, it still had some power in it.
He leaned against the wall and just watched. He was new to this whole place so his social life so far was the "wall flower". He was tempted to leave already. Tomorrow was his day off, some other scout took his patrol for the next two days actually so he felt like partying at first but, he never seemed to fit into the scene though.
Duff ran about the Moon Hall. He smirked and flirted about. He really should be getting some sleep since he was supposed to be taking over some smeargle's patrol. He ran over to one of the boulders that had food and drink heaped all over. He set to picking out his favorite stuff.
He looked at some smeargle just standing there against the wall. He thought the dude looked familiar. He took the last gulp of juice from the shell before he went over to the smeargle.
"I know you from sum wheres yo!" The eevee sat studying the smeargle. "Wheres have I seen you at yo?"
"Could be....scout?" Lupaul asked.
"Yeah." Duff answered.
"That's where! Lupaul, I scout along the Southeastern range." Lupaul offered his hand.
Duff shook his paw.
"Southeastern ehh? I take over your route tomorrow." Duff sat on a rock and grabbed some fruit. "So you're part of the guys that found the poor ewe and her lamb?"
Duff spotted someone he knew. He waved at Kara. He and Devlin had come into the Valley around the same time. He had been meaning to drop by and see them sometime but, he was being kept busy by Ray-ray.
Kara made her way around the food. She picked out anything and everything she could reach over her swollen stomach. She knew she shouldn't really be here, Devlin had said she should have been resting but she didn't care, she had a craving and she had it now! She sipped the last of her drink and munched on some fruit. She hung about waiting for anyone she knew to talk to her. She saw Duff running about. He approached a smeargle, which one was it? Oh she couldn't remember, she was too tired, she couldn't understand why she hadn't just stayed in a burrow somewhere and slept. Suddenly she remembered and her stomach, or more rightly her babies, called for more food.
Kara saw Duff wave. She grabbed another wheat cake and made her way over.
"Hello Duff," She smiled and took a munch of her cake. "Are you on scouting soon?" She asked.
Duff nodded, "Tomorrow, taking over from Lupaul here."
Kara looked at the smeargle, that's where she knew him from, Devlin had mentioned him. He was one of the ones that found the lamb and ewe.
"Evening Ma'am." Lupaul gave a friendly smile and he tapped a fellow smeargle on the shoulder. "Mind topping that off again?"
"Yes, sir." The younger smeargle poured more drink into his apricorn shell.
"Thanks." Lupaul looked back over to Duff and his friend. "So you know one another?"
He felt out of place in the Moon Hall. He was relaxing but, he felt as if he was alone. At least he was talking. He before had just hung around off to the side then just slipped out of the whole party.
"Devlin, he was out there with you today he's a buddy of mine. We came to the valley almost the same time. He's a real cool guy once you get to know him."
"I hear old wrinkle face Bujordan doesn't like him. Then again that old coot doesn't like us scouts much either." Lupaul sipped at his drink.
"Ahhh! Old Bujordan can eat a pile of dung! He treats Devlin that way cause that ivysaur doesn't like us preds. And he certainly doesn't like us scouts so I got two strikes against me in his book yo." Duff whispered to them.
"I hear you on that!" Lupaul nodded.
Kara nodded as well.
"He's hard, but he protects the valley so I suppose we should be grateful but then again, he didn't help that poor ewe." Kara said thoughtfully.
"It's such a shame Devlin gets such a hard time, especially with young on the way." She smoothed over her swollen stomach.
"Yeah....well me and Devlin still watch out for one another." Duff smiled. He wondered when the little ones would be coming. "I will have to stop by a little more often I'm sorry Kara I really should."
"It's okay. Your Devlin's best friend, we know, but you must get busy,
being a scout and all." Kara smiled.
"No real excuse. I will stop by once I'm done with Lupaul's patrol."
She finished her wheat cake and looked around for others she knew. A few looked sad, obviously over the death of the ewe, Kara couldn't understand why they would come to the Moonhall if they were going to be so sad but then again, the smeargles did make good food.
Lupaul was a bit quiet. Was he feeling out of place? Duff thumped him on the shoulder.
"Why don't you go mingle kid? You've been standing around all night and we are the first peeps you've talked to so far." Duff had to get this smeargle to socialize.
"I don't know anyone here. I'm new to the whole place, been here only two months." Lupaul shrugged his shoulders.
"That's why you need to go and talk! Make some friends! You can't just stand around looking lost! You wanna meet peeps then go talk!"
Lupaul grinned, this eevee was pretty cool. But, he didn't feel like going about and talking with everyone here. He wasn't used to such large crowds.
"Hey Duff give him a break he might not want to talk to people!" Kara said angrily, she turned to Lupual and completely ignored what she had just said. "He's right you know, you should go talk to some more people. Never know there might be someone you like."
She winked and pointed across the room where a female smeargle with blue rings was talking with a few other flock members, "Azura over there has really only just gotten into the valley, why not talk to her? Or one of the other females?"
"What happened to leave him alone Duff eh?" He whispered and smirked.
Azura noticed Kara pointing at her from across the room. She smiled and talked her way out of the conversation to join Kara and her friends. She wandered across the room fiddling with a pink flower in
her hand.
Lupaul turned to see her, she was beautiful. He almost dropped his drink. He noticed her blue eyes and rings. A light smeargle! He felt his breathe catch in his lungs. He knew he should say something but, he was clueless.
"Smooth! Stand there with the silent act again!" Duff whispered to him.
Lupaul shot Duff a leer. He composed himself once more. Now most people have something to live up to. For some it's to live up to their father's reputation, and for some it was to rise above their father's rep. But, for Lupaul it was he had to live down his father's reputation. He still recalled what his mother had told him
of his father.
She told him his father was the very well known artist JLB the ace artist. The smeargle was a player from what his mother told him. He heard many things from her about him and he felt he had to be better than his father. He had to break from his reputation, to live his own life.
For these reasons he never was too good at meeting females, not too good at attracting them. He was so afraid he might be like his father. Before he left home he had asked her and she told him he looked so much like him.
"Hello. I'm Lupaul." He felt utterly lost, he never had taken the chance on flirting with girls. He was a bumbling fool when it came down to meeting them. "I hear you're new too." He smiled trying not to lose his nerve to talk with her.
"Yes, I've really only just started fitting in." Azura smiled shyly.
"I know the feeling." He smiled as he took a cake from one of the hosts.
Kara managed to grab another wheat cake from a passing smeargle. She took a mouth full.
"Azura these cakes are delicious! you made them yourself?" Kara smiled as Azura nodded.
"You made these." Lupaul had to agree with Kara. He had been stuffing himself on them most of the night.
"I learnt the recipe off of my mother, she always made the best food, but mines not nearly as good as hers were." She looked down slightly, "I miss her."
Lupaul missed his own mother. He never knew his father because he had never been around. Lupaul thought of her constantly. She would be alone in that tribe that he was kicked out of. Lupaul wondered about Azura. He just wondered about many things at that moment. He knew he had to say something or he would ruin any chance he might have but, then he was worried he would say the wrong thing and blow it anyway.
"I miss my own mother as well." He drank from his apricorn shell. "You can't ever really stop thinking about your mother."
"I miss her everyday. I always wonder what she's doing." Azura nodded.
"That's pretty Azura." Kara looked at the flower, Azura brightened considerably.
"I know its so pretty! I found it in amongst some rocks outside. I love it, I love all flowers, they're so pretty." She smiled.
"That sure is beautiful." Lupaul looked at the flower as Kara pointed it out. He hadn't noticed it till now but, his eyes wander back to Azura.
"You would have loved the jungle I came from. We had all sorts of flowers there! Huge blooms, some bigger than a sunflora. Just amazing colors and scents. There was small ones, medium ones and dull to extravagant ones." He smiled recalling home, if only he could go back. You could turn around and find something new in that place."
Azura closed her eyes to try and imagine what Lupaul was saying. Flowers bigger than sunflora...
"It sounds wonderful Lupaul." Azura said in longing, "Maybe I'll try to travel there sometime. I came from a grassy area. I mainly saw daisies and small blossoms."
"The jungle was. So this most remind you of home with all these fields about." Lupaul was relaxing.
Kara smiled, those two were getting along quite well. She rubbed her stomach a little and realized how heavy her eyelids were.
"I'm going to retreat back to a burrow for the night okay?" Kara said to the others.
Azura turned to her and gave her a small hug.
"Okay Kara, will I see you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Probably." The rattata smiled at Lupaul and Duff. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Kara, tell Devlin hello for me." Duff would have to drop by and see how he was doing sometime
"Goodnight it was a pleasure meeting you Kara." He gave her a smile and a slight nod of his head. Kara walked away. Azura turned to Lupaul.
*****
Loki was silent. Kanga was trying to quiet herself, Loki wished she wouldn't, she needed to cry. It was as if she was trying to stop crying out of fear she was bothering everyone. She was a loud crier but, Loki had understood because he was in pain himself. He looked over at Dori who seemed to hold his emotions inward.
"Ray-ray?" Loki turned about calling the scout captain.
"Yes sir?" Ray-ray stood at attention.
"Go check on Amphion and Norrie. Tell Shori we'll be by soon to pick them up." Charivari watched as the raichu did as he asked.
Loki looked upon Dori, there was something different about him. He saw a side to his "nephew" he had never seen before till today. Since that long time ago he found the ramling wandering and he adopted him he had never seen him call for blood. Juna had been a close friend to them and he understood the rage. He just never thought he would see it in Dori.
Poor Juna. Kanga recalled them raising their young together. Norrie was so much smaller when they had met. She was just a bundle of playful fluff. Kanga fought down some more sobs.
"Me-suh....didn't even get to say goodbye-suh!" She shook and put her face in her hands.
"Kanga. Go ahead and cry. You need to." Loki reached up to take her paw. He caught something from the corner of his eye.
He turned to see Dori looking away. What was with him today? He was acting so strange. He had been acting a bit aloof to Loki lately. Loki wished he knew what was wrong with him. He had always treated
Dori like a son.
"Dori? Is there anything wrong?" Loki didn't want to leave Kanga's side just yet but, he couldn't deny there was something seriously bothering Dori.
"No Uncle Chari..." He looked at Loki.
He couldn't help but, try and pry into his emotions. Loki felt Dori stuffing down his thoughts, his feelings, he was hiding something. Loki wondered what it was. Dori had never tried to hide things from him before. These days were growing strange and he had to accept that and just do what he could for the sake of his flock.
Ray-ray walked along the cave corridors. He went back to his thoughts about what that black thing was. He kept thinking it might be a ringuma or typhlosion. It had a lot of bulk to it. He would go down to the Moon Hall after this. He needed something to ease the tension he had wrapped about him.
*****
Some of the music drifted down into the sleeping chambers. Amphion woke up, he looked about. He found Norrie sleeping quietly. She had cried a lot and Amphion felt sorry for her. He had no idea what happened other than something made his friend sad.
"Amphion? What are you doing up little boy?" Shori smiled as she saw the baby play around with a few items about him.
"Ammmmp!" He cooed and sucked his thumb. He picked up an apricorn and shook it in his grasp. "Ammmmphion."
"Shhhhh let Norrie sleep. She's had a rough night." She used her neck to pull the little hybrid away from the lamb as he tried to wake her. "You go play with Cronk."
She placed the baby down near the totodile. The little baby totodile wagged his tail and crawled closer. He gave his buddy a hug. The mareepiskhan giggled and they played about.
"You two behave and don' get too rowdy." Shori smiled as they looked up at her confused.
"Toooto? Cronk!" He laughed and pushed Amphion a little. The hybrid shoved back.
He found Shori and watched the little tykes play with each other. He grinned and waved and made some faces to the babies who both giggled.
"Shori how are yose?" Ray greeted the girafarig.
"Well. Who are things with the flock?" She looked up from where she sat with the little ones.
"Quite a few came to the vigil. Well, I should say more than half the flock. Loki will go up to the ridge tomorrow with some of the defenders to bury the dead. Loki will be here in a bit to pick up Amphion and....Norrie." Ray-ray went to the entrance. "Some of us will be heading to the Moon Hall. If yose want come join us."
"I'll think it over Ray-ray." She smiled. She hadn't known Juna to well so she might just go drop by
*****
"So Azura what brought you out here to this valley?" Lupaul wanted to know more about her, he wanted to get to know her better, he hadn't made too many friends so far.
"There was alot of fighting between the tribes in the fields at my home place. Lot's of my tribe were killed by darker smeargles who feared the light. My mother wanted me to leave so that there wouldn't be any chance of me being killed. She and the other smeargles made a distraction so the younger ones could get away with me. My mother and the others were attacked but, I didn't get to see if they got away..." She trailed off. She could feel tears welling in her eyes when she thought about her mother and what had happened. It had happened so fast...
"Sorry Lupaul," She smiled again though not so joy filled this time.
"No! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked." He put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok Lupaul." She said.
"I'm sorry for what happened. It seems many dark things are happening these days...."
"Why did you come here?" She asked him about his past.
He felt embarrassed. He came here for a totally different reason. He had to admit his reason was humiliating.
"I..." He felt like such a loser. He forced it out. "I fell in love, there was this female every male in the tribe wanted. I couldn't stop thinking about her. Gindo, our tribe leader wanted her too. I was forced to fight him for breeding rights."
He took big swig of his drink. He sighed and recalled that fight. The big smeargle sure knew how to hit! He was battered and broken spirited by the end of it all.
"Let's just say I lost....had it been any other male I would have just had to hang my head low in shame but, you know what happens when you lose to a tribe leader. By all laws I was to be consider dead to the entire tribe. I lost everything and she, the girl laughed at me when it was over." He could never truly go home now.
"My mother told me I would never be dead to her no matter what the law was, she would always love me, would always think of me. I lost my home, my mother for a girl I didn't even know....I'm pathetic."
"I don't think its pathetic. You betted everything you could to try and win this girl’s heart, but then, you didn't know her. It might have been a little shallow but we're all a little shallow right? I mean I only like flowers for their scent and look, I don't talk to them and try to find out about them." She giggled, "Besides it's pretty brave to take on a tribe leader. Most of the males I know would just let him have her." She put the flower to her nose and smelt its sweet scent again.
"You really think so?" He watched her with that lovely pink flower. There was something about her, she was so different from anyone he knew before. Something he liked about her.
"I was rather shallow....maybe I shouldn’t have fought Gindo, then again if I hadn't I wouldn't be here, wouldn't have met...you." He thought about what he just said and felt himself tripping over his own words. "I wouldn't have found....I mean....uh...we wouldn't be friends right?"
"Yeah, if you weren't here we wouldn't be friends!" Azura giggled. She knew what he meant. She nodded. She smiled keeping the flower by her nose.
"If we never met that would have been a real shame." He smiled back, he wondered if he really was falling again.
The last time he was hurt pretty badly but, why not take another chance? He had taken a chance and his spirits had been high then and when he failed he had fallen and hit hard. He didn't know these days if he would recover from another fall like that.
"You know maybe...." Someone began to shout, Lupaul turned to see what was going on.
Bujordan! That old fart had the worse timing! That loud mouthed geezer sure knew how to get attention, he had his vines out and banged apricorn shells together.
"It's late everyone! My defenders need rest so as of now the Moon hall is closed for the evening, everyone go home!" He sat near Ray-ray and the two began to exchange glares and words.
"Great!" Lupaul muttered. He looked back at Azura. "Looks like the evening will be cut rather short. Looks like we all got to get going. It was a pleasure talking with you, goodnight."
He began to leave but, something bothered him. He spun about. He had to say something, he had to try.
"You know....will I see you around again? I would like that." He smiled as other pokémon shuffled around him as he walked back to her. "What I mean to say is, can I see you again?"
"I'd love to see you again, any time soon." She said over the noise of everyone leaving. Azura smiled, she couldn't help but think Lupaul was sweet.
"Well then how about in two days? We could meet here. I have a few things i have to do the next couple of days but, I'll be free then." He loved her smile. He was glad he said something.
"Great, meet you then!" she called before they were both swept away in the crowd of exiting pokémon. Azura couldn't wait for that day, she had taken a real shine to Lupaul, she hoped he had too.
*****
Kara made it back to her burrow. Devlin was there panicking.
"Kara where were you?" He asked slightly angry, slightly relieved.
"I went to the moon hall." she answered.
"But what about the recent murder? Didn't you think?" He flared.
"Calm down, I’m fine see." Kara smiled.
"Well I guess these murders have got me worried about everyone’s
safety." Devlin sighed.
"They've worried everyone." Kara agreed.
*****
He couldn't get her off his mind. He stepped into his room. He looked around the cave and found it empty. He grinned again. Maybe that stupid gloom had given up and moved out! Could his luck still be on a roll? He just met the prettiest girl he ever saw, she had just an incredible personality and those blue eyes of hers were dazzling! Could his luck extend to his “roommate” leaving his abode?
"Oh! Husk you around!" Lupaul laughed. "Stupid gloomy-gloom!"
"I heard that!" Lupaul's grin faded as the red petals rose from the piles of leaves he had laying about. "Stupid smeargle!"
"If I'm so stupid then why don't you leave?" He laughed as he took some leaves from around the gloom. "Oh! Damn! You got my bedding all smelly again!"
"Me leave? This is my cave! This whole place is mine! that stupid goat stole all of my caves! I was here first!" Husk crossed his arms and glared.
"Well this is my cave now! And having you for a roommate is really cramping my style!" Lupaul tossed the less smelling leaves into another neat pile. "And so what if you found these caves first? The flock needs somewhere to live too and this is more room then one little irritable gloom would ever need!"
"The goats can live outside in the rain and weather for all I care! As long as I have my cave back!" Husk grunted and made his own pile of leaves.
"Do you ever bathe or something? You stink the place up!" Lupaul tossed some of the leaves at Husk.
"If you don't like my smell then leave my cave!" Husk growled.
"This is a scout assigned cave! This is my cave! You go run along and find another cave and someone else to mooch off of!" Lupaul laid down on his pile of leaves and fixed his "bed" a little more as he got comfortable.
"My assigned cave. My cave..." Lupaul heard the gloom muttering and mocking him from across the room.
He let his thoughts go to Azura, he wasn't wasting another second on that dumb gloom. He wondered if she liked him, she was lovely and he couldn't wait to see her again. he forgot all about his troubles with that stupid plant as he thought of her.
Duff had wandered away to let them get to known one another better. He sat enjoying some wheat cakes when he saw the boss walk in. He dropped the food from his mouth as Ray-ray walked right up to him.
"Duff? What are yose doing out here so late? You got Lupaul's route and that ain't an easy one. Even harder now since e spotted a pred out there in the south eastern lands. Go home and get some sleep. You'll have to start before sun rise to get that patrol over by noon."
"Yes sir!" Duff stood at attention.
"That is all, yose are dismissed scout!"
"Sir! yes sir! Right away sir!" Duff made his way out the hall.
"Puh, kids these days." Ray-ray took a shell and ordered a drink. "None of that frilly honeydew nectar or what ever the hell you call that stuff, just some straight fermented berry okay?"
"Ummm yes sir." The young smeargle scrambled to get the scout leader his drink.
Ray-ray saw Lupaul speaking with a female smeargle.
"Go smeargle." He whispered under breathe and grinned.
He grabbed a handful of seeds and ate. He listened to the smeargles sing, and some of the pokémon here danced, he saw among them some from the vigil looking lost as they came here to get something to eat.
"here you go sir as you requested." the shell placed before him Ray-ray drank from it.
"To Juna, may the spirits smile on her." Ray-ray whispered before he drank.
*****
Dori was so distant. Loki wished he could get to what was bothering him. He was always open when he was younger. He remembered the first time he met the ram. He was no bigger than little Amphion.
"Bedode!" He shouted.
Loki had turned from talking with Kanga. He stared at the little bearded mareep. He was amazed the little ramling knew Oceacianain. He had to get over the shock he was given. He at last smiled.
"Bedode gunsakito." Loki grinned to hear his language, the language of his homeland. "Jupaul kalla nuy?"
"Du jupaul kalla fica!" Dori answered.
Kanga stood with such a lost look on her face that even now he had to stop himself from laughing when he thought about it. She was about to say something but, he was ahead of her.
"He just said "Yes, beautiful night indeed." Loki smiled at her and put a flipper on her shoulder. "He speaks my language, the words of my home!"
"So...he isen from Oceaciana-suh?" kanga had asked.
"I suppose." Loki didn't know then Dori would become his most trusted friend, his "nephew", nor did he know he would win Kanga's heart.
Loki thought about the fun and adventures they had together. In such a short time they had grown close. Loki could not think of being without his adoptive son at his side. He felt bad, Dori never hid anything yet Loki hid plenty. He hid his love for Kanga, he hid his jealousy he held, and the biggest secret he hid he was a gengar from Dori.
Perhaps it was best he let Dori have his secret for Loki had plenty of his own. Maybe it was time to be fair and let his "son" have this little secret all to himself. Loki would not pressure him to give it away.
"Let's go see Amphion...you know Norrie will need someone to watch over her..." Loki spoke, he knew what he was going to say.
"Yose going to be adopten her-suh too?" Kanga grinned, he had changed indeed.
She felt he was her biggest success, he went from a selfish and violent spirit to a caring soul. He had treated Dori like a son and she noticed his same treatment to Amphion. She loved Loki for it but, the love of a friend.
"Yose will maken good father-suh. She already thinken yose as un father. Me-suh know Juna-suh would be very happy-suh to knownen her daughter would be taken very good care-suh by yose. Yose don't know
how proud yose maken me-suh in the time we've known each other-suh." She wiped away some tears. "Loki-suh I will helpen yose as much as me-suh can. Dori too-suh."
"You can count on that Uncle Chari." Dori seemed to be drawn out of his dark cloud.
He watched her sleep. All the horrors the poor little ewe had to go through today. Tomorrow wouldn't be any easier. Nor the day after but, he would help her each step of the way. Tomorrow she would be his daughter. Loki smoothed the wool on her head. It was so strange to him, he was becoming something utterly different each day.
Gone were his violent days. He found peace and solace here. He found family, hope, trust and friendship. Here he found pain too. The loss of friends and lovers began back in the jungle and it was still cycling in his life. Juna was a bright and lovely mareep. He felt his rage rise but, he knew to kill in her name would tarnish her memory.
He confided in her, she was the only other soul who knew his secrets. His love for the kangis, his past, his true face. She had been here in the valley with him from almost day one. He fought his tears and looked at Cronk and Amphion as they slept.
She had confessed many things to him as well. They had been like family, she was the sister he never had. A patient ear, a shoulder to lean on, the light to dispel his darkness. What would he do without her now? Who would whisper secrets with him, who would hold him in his fits of darkness? Who would pray for his soul? She had been an even deeper stronger friend than Kanga.
His thoughts fell on that night he met her. That night he met another mareep who caught something in him. Juna came with her lamb still so young, so full of life and play but, they weren't alone. Her eyes caught his attention. Those lovely green eyes.
Juna had spoke with her in whispers and the two looked at Loki and Dori. They giggled and Loki wondered what was being said. Norrie walked right up to him, her little tail wagging and her eyes so bright and honest. From that day he knew he would be her friend.
He had played with the gima, and tickled her and she giggled. He let the little gunsakita catch her breath. As he stood once more his eyes locked with hers. She and he shared something in that moment. She was the first female he saw that he just instantly fell in love with. With Kawaii he had to first realize how he felt, with Dreama it had been some spell, some trick of Ebony's, with Kanga it had built over time till he couldn't deny he loved her. With Nossy it had been that very second, that instant, that brief eye contact that he knew.
He was in love with her. Juna had stayed but, Nysokatta went. Her name was beautiful to him, she a wandering ewe hadn't felt the need to stay. Those three days she had stayed burned in his thoughts. He
made any excuse to see her. He was dead but, his heart wasn't.
She must have known how he felt, how could she not? He was there giving her gifts, any flowers he found he knew she would like, he brought her all sorts of beautiful colored pebbles. He sang and she had come to the Moon Hall and she cheered him on. But, she didn't stay and it hurt. It was just more bitterness adding in his heart.
Juna had known, she told him she had known the moment they came. She would tell Loki perhaps she would wander back here, maybe he would have another chance to impress her. Her love to roam was just too strong and she followed the pull. If he had more time he knew he could have convinced her to stay.
He watched Kanga lift up her sleeping child. Dori smiling and ruffling Amphion's wool. Kanga nuzzling the flaffy. Loki longed for a bond like that. Someone who wouldn't run out on him. Someone who did love him no matter what he was or had done.
"Norrie. Norrie wake up." He gently woke the lamb. He picked up Cronk, he stood and watched Kanga and Dori walk off to their sleeping chambers.
"Momma..." The lamb groaned as she rose to her feet.
Loki sighed, it would be a long hard road to help the little ewe accept that her mother was gone. He turned to Shori.
"Thank you for watching them. You are truly a friend." Loki smiled.
"Hey, it's my job boss. I wouldn't be the "king's" advisor if I didn't." She winked at them playfully.
"Yeah...you wouldn't be..." Norrie tried to grin but, her face melted back into a frown and tears began to appear.
"It'll be hard Norrie....I know losing someone close hurts. But, you will see your mother is not really gone. As long as you remember everything she taught you. It's late and you should sleep so let's go home...your new home."
Remember what your mother taught you? There was something there, something that bothered him. Something from his days as a char. His mother teaching him something. Something he felt that was bad.
Killing something? She had killed something, she had told him something. He threw it out of his mind. He was no longer a dragon, he didn't have the slightest clue who his mother had been, what she looked like, what she was like.
Shori watched as they left. She didn't have the heart to tell him that the lamb needed to talk about it now if she needed to. he was lost and confused right now so she would just let it be. She looked over her things before she left for the Moon Hall.
To be continued.................