Before It's Too Late

[Meeristali Peradun]

[member="Avalore Eden"]

He had come close, so close to death. It was far from his first brush with such oblivion, but with the Hungering Mynock coming apart around him, no firm plan of escape, and injury to his brain, it was the first time that he had ever felt so finite, so mortal, and that came into direct conflict with his will to live. There was so much to live for, so much he still had to do; he had children, and hoped have more of his own blood with the woman he loved, and no-one else. It seemed so final, as he came to the front door of the homestead at a late hour, trying his darndest not to stumble on the lip, one hand curled around the doorjamb and the other holding his head.

Over the voyage back from Dulvoyinn, the side-effects of the energy that had burned in licks over his face and skittered over his brain had gotten worse in the form of vision of absent things, and sensitivity to light. His head throbbed like hell and as soon as he was inside, he let his guard down, his gear-packed duffel unceremoniously dropping with a thud in the entryway and one hand smacking against the nearest wall in an effort to hold himself up.

It was no use. His head dropped, heavily he breathed, that hand sliding down the wall as he fell to his knees, curled into himself and listed to one side, hitting the floor in a second thud; he resisted letting the Change take him, though it was the surest way to guarantee he would heal right... but he needed to be able to speak.

"A... Av... Avalorrre..."

He didn't mean to make her worry.

 

[Avalore Eden]

Avalore would never cease to worry when the others were away on missions such as this one. It mattered very little how strong or powerful they were, or how experienced in the field of battle. The fact of the matter was that accidents happened and--where the Force and its wielders were concerned--bad accidents tended to happen quite frequently. With Stali, Jacen, and Kana all off to save the day - her worry meter had topped a ten several days ago when good news failed to reach her comm or the GNN.

Thankfully she still had [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] here to keep her grounded. She still had [member="Vaet"] here, and she still had the twins. Then, amidst all her worrying, she experienced some time of peace and happiness with the birth - rather, bloom of the seed of Talon Vosra. At only three days old, the infantile Zelosian had done well to take her mind off of her worries and give her something positive to focus on. The twins were curious, Armaud especially so and Destin resentfully so, likely at no longer being the only green baby around. Over a year old now, they were growing more adventurous and independant, which worked well since it seemed little S'vora had imprinted on Avalore and greatly disliked being separated from her. Destin was vibrantly green with envy and jealousy at all the attention his new brother received, being the mama's boy that he was. Getting him to bed the last few days had proven to be a challenge.

2am was the hour that Stali stumbled into the homestead, rousing the Healer from her slumber on the couch in the living room. Under normal circumstances Dick would have greeted Stali at the door, but the D-3PO droid had been experiencing some technical failures lately. Avalore surmised Gabe had something to do with it since batteries don't fry themselves. The rusted protocol droid sat silent and still on a chair off in a corner somewhere, waiting patiently for a new battery that for some reason seemed exceedingly difficult to track down...or so Gabe said after assuring her he'd been making every effort to find one.

Blanket tugged over her shoulders, Avalore blinked the sleep away and slowly pushed herself up, brown eyes glancing the crib settled next to the sofa where S'vora lay sound asleep under a blanket of soft woven linen. Reaching to further tuck the boy in, she stopped abruptly at the sound of a voice in the front hall.

Stali.

She was there in an instant, as quickly and quietly as could be, knealt down beside him with his head in her hands. Kissing him, looking over him, holding him to her, speaking incoherently through his hair while her heart hammered in her chest. Was it always going to be like this?

"Stali...Stali, you're home, you're safe," words spoken over a shaky tone, as much to reassure herself as it was to reassure him. Avalore stooped down and struggled to against his weight to help him sit up. He was hurting, that much she could tell, but in the darkness she couldn't figure out why. Scarred hands gently pushed hair from his face and felt the bristle of his unshaven jaw. She kissed him again, leaving the cold touch of tears on his cheeks, "don't change here, Stali, I'll never get you to the infirmery. You have to get up, you have to tell me what happened to you."

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

He felt her around him, saw her, but she was a blur in perfect colour. Her voice echoed strangely when she spoke, even so close to his ear. He groaned against her, knowing he could do what she asked, but not trusting his own mind to cooperate; he curled against her, his musculoskeletal parts straining against his considerable willpower. While the typical requirements for an uncontrolled change were not met as his body was unharmed save for the scabbing on his face, the brain was a sensitive, central thing; it was where the signal of pain came from, and his body was trying to react as designed.

"Lightning," came the word, after a swallow, a breath, "rrright," eyes squeezed shut, it hurt to see, "rrright to my head."

If there was one thing that didn't fail him, it was the Force, and he drew upon it to push past what ailed him, supporting his own weight to sit up. It seemed an arduous effort, a frustrating one, but he'd never given up so easily and wasn't about to start. He knew what this was, knew why it was happening, and to him there was no-one better to go to for help than the woman at his side. He protected, but she saved, and he simply wouldn't be able to do what he did without her. "Avalorrre, I..." but then he gave his head a light shake, and went about pulling himself to his feet, to lean against the wall, "...infirrrmarrry, yes. That firrrst."

Then he went ambling in the general direction of the infirmary, without relying on his eyes, for the tricks they pulled, nor his ears for the same. "Interrresting experrriment, this whole thing is." That is, until he tripped on his feet and stumbled not at all quietly, doubtless effecting the imagery of a drunk.

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Oh for Force's sake," Avalore had stood up and back, giving Stali the room he needed to right himself - which sometimes could be substantial considering how tall the Felacat was - and watched as he staggered and stumbled, nearly knocking over a decorative stand and the vase of flowers on top of it. Tight-lipped to hold back the fervent jitters of adrenaline still coursing through her veins and making her own head pound, the Healer moved forward to take her mate's arm and sling it over her shoulders.

She steadied him, took the weight of his woes upon herself just as he had done for her for so many years, and helped him navigate their home to the medical lab.

They had, at some point last year, invested in a larger platform lift bed in order to accommodate their oversized patients. The necessity for such a thing had come about after Stali managed to break not one, but two of the beds in his beastly form. Ava steered him over to it, pausing to press her foot on the pedal that controlled the lift hydraulics to raise it from the floor so he wouldn't need to drop himself onto it.

"Well..." breathless, though unsure why, she helped him onto the lift and stood back, looking him over while attempting to keep the edge of concern from her expression. It was very difficult for her to separate her personal life from her professional life when it came to Stali. Being able to concentrate on her work, to keep a clear mind, to not let emotions muddle her decision process...Ava had to assign a separate Healer to him on numerous occasions when it proved impossible. She cared far too much for him, far too deeply. Somewhere along the way she'd forgotten how to keep him at arm's length to protect him from her own misgivings.

Brown eyes watery, heart still clenched with the joy and relief of having him home after so much bad news about his mission, the Healer gently cleared her throat, and moved to kneel and unlace his boots. His clothing was easily replaced, but damn if it wasn't difficult to find him proper boots that could hold up to the abuse of a Hound's lifestyle. She pulled them off one at a time and promptly tossed them clear across the room to save herself from the stench.

"You can change now...if you need to."

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

He had opened his eyes when she came to his side. It didn't matter what he saw when he didn't have to make it there under his own power. It was a strange thing, for with most injuries he got himself to the medical lab without assistance; he wasn't going to complain. He wouldn't. This was what she did for him, as he had done so much for her from the very first day. He settled, being seated on the lift, and watched Avalore as best he could, her face swimming before his eyes. He squeezed them shut and opened them again, as if that would help, but it did no good, and she was down at his feet when he looked again. Was he afraid? Without a doubt. This situation was as foreign to him as it could get.

"No..." he croaked, now aware of the moisture on his own face, "...I need to be able to do this. To touch you."

He'd always been able to trust his faculties, the sharpness of his eyes, the keenness of his ears and nose... when the boots were gone, he leaned over and found her face with his hands, a little clumsiness to find her cheeks, but of all things, his sense of touch was unabused. He needed that anchor.

"To talk to you, cyarrr'ika."

No matter how much the Change was purported to help, he was afraid of what it might do if he tried with such an injury. He had spent so much of his life exerting his will over his own nature, becoming a master of control of the self. He wasn't changing if he didn't want to.

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

Brown eyes flicked upwards at the sudden hands at her face, their touch begetting the flash of a grimace, a clenching pang in her chest. Her eyes stung.

Keep it together. One of her own hands reached up not to clasp at his, but at the ring on the chain around her neck. The Arkanian ring never left her anymore and she found it gave her greater comforts in times of need. She needed not comfort now, but calm. Cold detached collection. A winter storm on a snowy hillside. A warm cottage spilling light from frosted windowpanes. The murmur of her heart slowed.

A frown formed on her face as she slowly rose to a stand and she felt the edge of her Healer Mode begin to settle in.

"What you need, Meeristali Peradun, is to rest and let me do my job. We can talk later, when you're feeling better. Change or not," scar covered hands lifted now to firmly grasp his own and pull them away from her face, "you're a patient first right now."

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

He pulled his hands back to himself, pulled in a long breath and let his eyes slip shut, his chin dip a few degrees, teeth clenching as he held in the air; the breath came out longer than it had went in, a heavy, reluctantly accepting sigh forming the sound of it, and he raked a hand through his dark, unkempt mane, briefly stopping beyond the crown of his head when the possibility of letting his fear be known flashed across his mind. It was summarily dismissed. He had never been able to bring himself to admit such things.

"Alrrright," came the word, resigned and quiet. The hand slipped away to the bed, both taking up position on either side of him; he carefully swung his legs up onto the bed, and settled onto his back, eyes closed, mind focused on controlling his nature. His hands laced over his abdomen. "I'll keep my hands to myself."

The usual, flirtatious tone that coloured such phrases was absent, leaving dull, hurt practicality in its place. She could heal him, or she could comfort him, but never the two at once. He knew this, but he wasn't himself. After a moment, he turned on his side, away from her, and let the Change take him, rending clothing, contorting his body until the deed was done.

And there was silence.

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

Silence Avalore could do. She tried not to let the tone of his voice bother her, though she knew later on after everything was said and done that it would. The Healer didn't give it a second thought and stood back as the man's change took him over. The physics and physiology of this happening continued to mystify her but at least now it did not frighten her as it once did. When the body of the Felacatian lay complete in its beastly form she carefully moved forward to begin removing the torn clothing as much as she could before moving to apply status nodes along his body.

"You'll need to stay awake until I assess the damage to your head," the Healer moved quickly and with great purpose from one part of the medical lab to another, collecting equipment and engaging Medical Droids of various types. Her own fatigue by now long forgotten.

She didn't tell him to lay still while a cranial scan took place - he was doing a well enough job of that on his own. As the imaging loaded on a nearby monitor she leaned in to check the beast's pupils for dilation and reaction. Delayed and likely painful.

"...I'm sorry," the words were softer than they might've been coming from any other Healer. Avalore bit back a deep frown, lips drawing thin as she gently brushed a hand over the soft fur of Stali's skull. It looked as though she wanted to say something more but a trilling from the monitor to her left pulled her attention away. A long, slow sigh followed the woman as she turned to a locked cabinet and input the access code.

This was where she stored the items gifted to her. She selected a single Grip of Enlightenment from one shelf while several small planks of Ankarres wood were taken from another. These pieces of Ankarres were special -- these had come from the trees grown in the Homestead nursery. Avalore was intimately familiar with the grain of the wood and the pulse of Lightside Healing energies from within because it had been she that grew and nurtured it into the trees. Near daily ritual, her own energy, her own Will of the Force, compounded within this curious slab of sanded bark.

Though the Grip of Enlightenment's purpose was singular in its work with restoring memories, Avalore had found that it also worked in such a way as to hone her own Healing abilities through it, specifically when working on damage to the brain. In this instance she knew no better tool to help her. The Ankarres would simply offer an additional buffer and control of active Healing properties. She placed three pieces around Stali's skull, pulled on the Grip and clasped it into place around her wrist, then leaned in to begin her work.

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

Stay awake? He was too agitated with concern for his future because of the injury to do anything else but keep himself calm and still. He didn't need to try at all to keep himself awake, despite how worn he felt, and he was worried about sleeping in this state, worried that he might not wake up from it. At her comment, his eyes snapped open, dark citrine orbs climbing her blurring, burning-light form; he chuffed pointedly and let her work, eyes falling again. The world he saw with his eyes with this affliction made for the foundation of a mean headache when he looked too much, but couldn't be avoided with the check to his eyes from which he wanted to recoil, but didn't. Her apology for this was some salve, the uptick in his tension easing back to the level it had been before, his love for her slipping past the anxious and irritable mood of the fear-touched feline to make up the rest.

It was such that in the silence during her ministrations, he was given to thought, insomuch as he could manage. Thoughts about the peppering of mere hours stolen over months and years that formed the basis of his relationship with the healer that tended to him now, about when they had both committed to more when he found her on Commenor, and more still as he pulled her along to Sullust, then as they went on to Sulon and... in a way that he found himself easily agreeing to, due to the influence of Mandalorian culture on his way of thought, they started a family. A family that he wanted to grow. But he could say nothing, in this form. He could 'voice' his thoughts in her mind, but she couldn't respond in the same way and... to break her focus, of which she needed all? He could wait. It could wait.

But not forever.

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

The night wore on in much the same manner. Avalore quietly moved about, working portions of his skull in short intervals, attempting to keep his own natural equilibrium in balance with her healing efforts. It was possible to heal too fast, or to overshoot what energy was necessary in an organ as sensitive as the brain. The concentration required for it was exhausting, mentally, even for her.

Ever spent three hours trying to thread needles? That's what it felt like. Though one would reckon that after the first few times you'd start to get the hang of it, but that damn thread will always do what it pleases.

It was the wee hours of the morning, 5am by her guess, when Avalore finally stepped away. Confident that her powers had pulled him out of the realm of danger, she bid him to rest and sleep with her hands gently stroking through the ruff of his neck. Avalore couldn't stay by his side, though, someone else in the homestead required her attention.

~~~

Soft humming. Gentle cooes. The smell of sweet nectar filled the air of the medical lab.

Avalore sat in a chair off to the side of the room with a linen-wrapped green bundle in her arms. At first glance it might've been mistaken for Destin, but that boy was twice the size of the bundle she currently held, and this one was presently lacking the thick mane of black hair he had as well.

Smiling, sleep-deprived but content, she looked up as movement from the bed caught her eye. Rising from her seat Avalore slowly moved barefoot across cold tile floors to gently sit on the edge between Stali's fore and back paws.

"Hey you..." shifting the bundle to her left arm, the Healer reached her right to tentatively brush along his side where she could feel the rise and fall of his ribs as he breathed, "look who's here." A wide, warm smile stretched onto her face as only the proud mother of a new child might have, she leaned to tip the infant up in her arm, "S'vora this is Stali. Say hello to your papa."

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

A deep, low-rumbling moan accompanied the movement, a complaint at the mere act of waking followed by a huff blown out of his feline snout before his long-fanged mouth mawed open for a yawn; the entirety of his furred visage then disappeared under one large paw when [member="Avalore Eden"] made the bed shift ever so slightly when she sat on it in front of his middle. One word from her had that paw slipping away from his face, and the notice of another being in the room had his noggin rising once the world at the first creaking open of his eyelids ceased to blur from nothing more than sleep itself.

His orange eyes blinked slowly, and as he took in little green bundle, something positive crept into those orbs - joy, and new pride. This one had been awaited, the memory of the Zelosian from whom the seed had come appending to this new life. He grunted and lifted himself up more onto his front forelegs, giving S'vora a gentle sniff, and finding the little one's emerald eyes, so much like those of Talon's. Then, tentatively, he put his nose to the little cheek, and gave it the softest of careful nudges.

He's beautiful, was the thought he gave to Ava, his tail coming around to stroke her back, you'rrre beautiful. I love you. I'm... the stroking paused, ...I'm sorrry.

 

[Avalore Eden]

A minor flinch at the sudden intrusion to her mind. Avalore made a harrowing conscious effort through her fatigue not to let it effect her as it so often did. They'd practiced before, knowing that while in this form telepathy was the only means of communication, but it had been some time since that last session. Brow furrowed, the Healer braced mental barriers weakened from her earlier efforts and legitimate lack of sleep, braced to allow that voice to enter where she willed it.

It was a bit like trying to catch an echo.

She smiled despite herself, brown eyes slowly sliding back open to look at the Felacat. The look she gave him was not a pained one but a confused one.

"Sorry?" Avalore gently shook her head, "About what?"

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

He pulled his nose away from wee S'vora's face, to find the one of his mate, tail continuing its traverse over her back. The flinch he noticed, but recoiling, pulling away from the contact on his part would be counterproductive to her progress. They'd have to get back on track with practising, not only for his sake, but for her better handling of unwelcome intrusions that may or may not have a chance of occurring. Always be prepared. That was the soldier.

Forrr making you worrrrrry, he replied, forrr causing you hurrrt.

He attempted to grimace, but most expressions never translated well in this form, or at all. He glanced at the fresh, green face, and thought of the other young faces, green and otherwise, that inhabited their home and their hearts. Could he keep doing as he did? He could hardly imagine a life without these children, his children in it. Days like that seemed two lifetimes ago.

Forrr making you wonderrr if I might not come back frrrom this one, orrr the next; if the boys might grrrow up without a fatherrr.

It was a guess, but it was a predictable, legitimate worry, and one that was very real for her. A sigh eased out of him, and his torso lifted even more as he got his front paws and legs underneath him, and began to stretch like the cat he was, a thing that seemed to start at those paws and went all the way through him, exiting at the tip of his tail. He gingerly loped off of the bed, and glanced around at [member="Avalore Eden"] again, trying on a smile.

But... laterrr, he insisted, afterrr you get some rrrest. We can talk. Let me be with ourrr boys until then, as I should.

He chuffed.

Afterrr I shift and find some clothes, firrrst.

 

[Avalore Eden]

He was right, she did worry about those things. Each and every one of them. She worried for him, she worried for Gabe and Jacen and Vaet. She worried for Kana and Spark. She worried for all her friends and those she now considered family. Mostly she worried about being alone again, about losing everything - something that had already happened to her twice.

But for now she was not worried. Stali was home, in one piece and one the mend. The boys were healthy and happy; and with the new addition to the family she had more than enough reason to be happy herself - even if her health presently suffered from the labors of motherhood.

Avalore let her hand slip from Stali's side as he stood to stretch, a smile forming on her face as he did so. The peculiarities of having a felacat as a boyfriend were often a source of amusement for her...and others. Wasn't something she'd ever dreamed of happening but the Healer wouldn't change anything about how their relationship developed. Not even the dark parts, for those were the times that cemented the bond between them when they were together. Admittedly, worrying less would likely add a few more years to her life. She was already finding grey hairs and she blamed Stali for most of them.

Tired eyes watched him as he dropped to the floor like liquid fur. His mobility was good, better than expected really. Perhaps she underestimated the healing capabilities of his beastly form, but it was a relief to see him moving regardless. Avalore gave a deep sigh and turned a tired gaze down to S'vora who watched her with impossibly green eyes.

"Rest does sound nice. This one has imprinted on me I think, he gets hysterical anytime I hand him off. I've been swaddling him in your tshirts to get him used to your scent so maybe..." her gaze went back to the massive wild cat, a hopeful smile lingering on her face. Avalore stood and followed him from the medical lab through the homestead to their room where he could wash up and get dressed.

"I've been doing a lot of research on Zelosians, I have everything in this notebook. Care instructions for feeding and nutrient needs, sunlight exposure...I've only have a week or so to work it all out so...it might not all make the most sense. It's basically raising a sentient petunia."

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

To hear that she had been attempting to acclimatise the newborn to his scent brought a frightening grin to his furred visage as he trotted from the medical lab, and through the homestead to find the room he shared with the healer, so that he could change and clothe himself without parading every bare inch of himself throughout the place. And it wasn't himself he did that for. His Change was as fluid as his movements, as if he were simply walking out of one body and into another; fur gone, spikes and claws vanished, leaving one tall, musclebound, starkly nude man with a tail going right for the shower while Ava spoke; it was a place he never lingered, out of ingrained habit.

"Petunia?" he chuckled, emerging from the fresher, towel about his waist, "that's a new experience."

And that was all he had to say about it. A new son, and the only errant thought was the small wondering as to whether he would have the opportunity to welcome any daughters, not in disappointment, but with a mind to the future. He went about fishing loose-legged, comfortable trousers from the closet, donning them and eschewing the towel while walking over to the dresser.to fetch a t-shirt.

"I wonder if he's a sensitive, like Talon was," he pulled the shirt over his head, arms poking through, and pulled to cover the rest of his torso. "The skin tone should become the same, as S'vora matures."

In theory. Talon was his only point of reference for the entire Zelosian species, but he figured it a reliable reference. He made his way over to Avalore and the babe, and enveloped them both in his arms, pressing his lips to the top of his mate's head.

"Sleep, cyar'ika," he spoke against her hair, lingering a while longer before releasing them and leaving his hands on her shoulders, "as much as you can manage. Me and the adike, the children, will have bonding time," and he looked down to the little green bundle, "you and me, little one, and your brothers."

His mando'a needed practise, too.

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Mmm."

The Healer hummed into Stali's shoulder, eyes closed against the smell, the feel, the warmth of those arms wrapped around her. All the things one came to miss during frequent and long term absences. If she could have she would have stayed right there and slept wallowing in all those things.

Despite a growing desire to entertain that notion, Avalore knew it wasn't possible. Stali pulled away and she felt his hands on her shoulders, strong as they had ever been. Brown eyes dulled by exhaustion opened again, a faint smile warmed by his presence met his gaze before turning down to the bundle in her arms. With care she handed the infant Zelosian over and watched with bated breath as the child's own expression quickly began filling with confusion and then anxiety.

S'vora began to cry.

"Oh..." Avalore frowned, wincing as the cry slowly began to get more intense. Not quite so bad as the immediate screaming when she tried to hand him off to Gabe, but it was escalating. Brow knit the Healer waged an internal war of maternal instincts running rampant against her own growing will of self preservation and need to sleep. Scar-riddled hands moved to take him back only to stop halfway and curl inwards.

"There's a mixture of his formula ready in the stone cooler. Take him out in the sun, walk him to the play area by the nursery near the baffoors, he likes it there. It might settle him."

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

Gingerly he took the wee Zelosian into his arms, and held him with just enough strength and firmness that he wouldn't be dropped. Not the first time he'd held a babe, and he knew for a fact that he could hold more than one, remembering when the twins were this small. Then the crying and wailing started; all he could do was smile, and gently strode S'vora's head, giving him long, soft shushes, raising his eyes when Ava spoke.

"Will do," he replied, reaching out with his stroking hand to give her shoulder a squeeze, "get some rest," and he laid a peck on her forehead, "I love you."

And with that, he was gone. Off to hunt down wee S'vora's formula, find some sun, and spend time with the trees, thoughts of the man from whom this babe came playing in his mind, with him thankful that the battle didn't end up worse for him, that he didn't go down with the ship. He would do right by Talon, they both would; he began to effect a gentle bounce, while fetching the formula.

"Alrrright, my little flowerrr," he began, bottle in hand, "let's go soak up some rrrays."

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

To say that she was grateful for the break and the chance to rest would have been the understatement of the year. Avalore collapsed onto the bed without bothering to change her clothes and was sound asleep in less than three winks.

~~~

Outside in the sun the Katarn Homestead was a steady buzz of it's residents. The squeak-squeak of Dick as he tended to the potted flowers in the courtyard. The humm of bees all around as they drifted in and about from the apiary. The collective sigh of trees in the soft breezes. The guttural rumblings of the massive wookie playing with the twins in the nursery.

Opi was her name - Avalore may have mentioned a new Nanny living at the Homestead in one of her missives to Stali but she'd failed to describe Opi in great detail. She may have left out the fact that she was as big and hairy as the Felacat in his beast form.

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

One arm held the babe, the other hand held the bottle in place (as much as it could), and... the tail did the rest. Opening doors, (unsuccessfully) scratching an itch, stroking S'vora's wee head, there was much he could still do with his hands full; the art in it was to keep that prehensile rear appendage out of the reach of little grasping hands and exploring mouths. Experience with the twins told him he was set up to fail, but that never stopped him from trying.

Outside, the sun warmed them. In the fresh air and light, the Zelosian infant began to calm. Tentatively taking the bottle at first, eying the stubbled face of his other parent with less confusion and distrust, the little green visage morphed to avid hunger as Stali made his way towards the nursery, S'vora drawing in the nipple with an oral vise grip that belied his small size.

"Huh," he mused, "alrrright."

He knew about the nanny, recalling her name, but the sounds - wookiee sounds - were not what he expected. Much less wookiee and giggling children sounds. His giggling children. Oh, it brought a smile to his face, that sound, on top of the concern that shyriiwook was absent from his vocabulary. This ought to be interesting…

“Morrrning," came the greeting, and the laughter of the twins seemed to pause as their heads craned around in response to the particular rumble and purr of his voice, "You must be Opi.”

[member="Avalore Eden"]

 

[Avalore Eden]

Opi turned with a startled sort of jerk, Armaud clinging to one arm while Destin sat curled around her opposite leg. Beaded braids tinkled with her movement as the Wookie took in a deep breath to catch the scent of this unfamiliar face. She'd not met everyone yet and to be sure she was on high alert - those protective maternal instincts would not fail her again.

Rrrrrrrrmmmmmmm, said Opi in a tense sort of exclamation. The scent was dawning on her; the very same Avalore had allowed her to sample from a pair of Stali's dirty socks. Oh yes, there was no mistaking the cat in that stink.

So this was Avalore's mate, the father figure to the young boys. Beady eyes immediately went to little S'Vora in his arms, intensity softening to see the babe settled and content in the arms of another. That particular green child did not like Opi one bit, something she was exceedingly distraught about, but Avalore said to give him time. Perhaps if he was happy with this man, he could also eventually be happy with her.

Opi glanced down at the twins who giggled and screamed their amusement before expertly and carefully swinging herself around to fully face Stali. She'd done this before.

With a gentler, guttural sound she uttered her greeting to Stali and offered an awkwardly large Wookie hand to him for a shake. This was a human custom, one that she was still unsure about.

[member="Meeristali Peradun"]