Pure Moonlight (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Kitty's eyes filled with tears at the little girl's name and she drew Selena in close too. "Brogan's been trying to find him since the day he took your father's throne... But Ghell must've left the isles when Tamblin ran him off... He could be absolutely anywhere in the world by now, but... I hope if he hears we're looking, he'll make himself known again. But he is alive," Kitty drew back to look at Selena. "Brogan found a trace of him. He won't say anything because he isn't sure, but I am. A tribe of werecreatures in southern England sent word that they saw him a few years ago. He must be nearly fifty now... but he's still out there somewhere."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I want nothing more than to see him again." Selena said as her mother held her tight, telling her that Ghell was alive and Brogan was searching for him. "I miss him nearly every day."

She had always been the closest to the wolf that loved her like a daughter. He had cared for her and her siblings and given them so many happy moments in the middle of such darkness. She hoped that one day he would return to Inverness...at least for her sake.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll find him," Kitty told her with absolute confidence. "He'll be so proud of you." She brought Selena and Luna out to the others, where her family quieted down as little Luna came into view, all surprised and all adoring.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena sat down among her family, happy as could be as Luna was passed from member to member. She squawked and squealed when she was settled in Vincenzo's arms, her eyes bright and full of mirth as if she knew he was a man she could love and trust.

"It sounds like Luna is in love already." Selena murmured as she kissed her step father's cheek fondly and sat down next to him as the other women busied themselves in the kitchen to get everything together for a nice meal.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good, because I am too," Vincenzo smiled to Selena and kissed her cheek in return.

"Vincenzo's been so excited. He loves Durban's children, but he's been talking about how this little one is going to be the one he spoils rotten as the first he was truly in the family for," Kitty told Selena brightly. Vincenzo was certainly smitten.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure she has a lot to learn from you." Selena said with a laugh as Taqu'un and his lovely mate both entered the house, instantly greeted warmly by the Ghis family.

Everyone that was important to them was there to celebrate the birth of little Luna. Ruben happily showed off his baby sister to anyone that wanted to hear about her. Selena glanced towards Kreston and gave him a smile, knowing that this is how their lives should have been all along instead of the years of solitude and loneliness.

 

[KieranSoares]

If there was anything to be said for Luna, it was that she was a very well-behaved girl. Even when she had had enough and wanted a bit of peace, she didn't make a fuss about it, simply whimpering and reaching out for her parents to come save her. By that point, everyone had gotten a chance to hold her and Kitty gave her back over to Selena. The girl curled in close and clutched the front of her mother's dress, her tiny ears folded back ever so slightly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Shhh....little one." Selena murmured as she pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter's head as the little girl curled into her body and folded her ears back against her head slightly. "Ma's got you now."

She knew the signs from Ruben when the children were become overwhelmed. It seemed that like her brother, Luna wouldn't make a fuss until she had absolutely had enough. Selena excused herself to tuck Luna into bed to sleep, another kiss to her forehead as the little girl slowly drifted into slumber. This was how it should have been, Selena thought to herself. She had missed so much with Krestina that she swore she would make every moment with Luna count.

Once Luna was asleep, the men started to set up tables outside to fit everyone and the meal was served. Selena sat between Kreston and her Ma, allowing them to give her the attention that they so sorely wanted.

 

[KieranSoares]

As with all Ghis family affairs, it was a fairly noisy and happy meal and everyone discussed recent happenings, especially interested to hear from Kreston's side what was going on in the Gol Dun village. Ruben got a chance to show the Ghis side some of the hard work he'd been doing in preparation for Luna, and as some members of the family finished eating, Ruben got to show off just what becoming a wolf had done for him, able to outrun and out-jump and overpower Gabriel as the two wrestled playfully. When Elise joined in, both were of course careful of her as she was younger and rather slight in frame, but had no less fun. Annie soon joined as well until Durban came to snatch her up and let the others try to save her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena laughed as she watched Durban's children and Annie wrestled with Ruben. It was good for him to be around the other children and she knew that movie to Inverness had been the right decision for everyone involved. Seamus and Ciaran played with one another in the grass at their mothers' feet. Soon Luna would be strong enough to join them. It was an ideal little scene, one that made Selena feel comfortable and at home.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was the first time the Ghis had really gotten to spend a lot of time with the Maliar, at least in quite a while. Dayja, Kitty, Vincenzo, and Volgo seemed to all be perfect friends, and Boar surprisingly seemed to be quite friendly with Taqu'un. Coming from a man who usually didn't trust other men, that was quite different. Durban seemed to like him too, but he and Ellen got along quite famously between talk of traveling, which she'd done quite a lot of as a child, and talk of children.

As everyone talked to one another and some split off so not to crowd, Brogan came to sit by Selena while Kreston had gone in to check on Luna. He smiled to his older sister, taking her hand. "Looks like y'got yer wish." He remembered from Selena's letters to himself and Kitty while she'd been in Edinburgh, how she'd shared her wish to just have a simple little life with her mate and son.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If only Ghell were here it would be perfect." Selena murmured as she gave her brother's hand a squeeze. "He's just as much a part of our life as anyone else. He deserves to be a part of the happiness we have now after so many years of protecting us against the bad."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm still on his trail, sister. But I have a feeling he'll find us before we find him. That's usually the way it happened when we were little," Brogan kissed her cheek and settled at her side. The family remained for the better half of the day, some splitting off early to get work done back home. Once it was just Kreston and Selena again well past noon while Ruben was out helping Volgo and Dayja, Kreston wrapped his arms about Selena's waist with a contented sigh.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena was dozing in the warm sunlight, Luna slumbering against her chest. She woke when Kreston wrapped his arms around her waist, a smile coming to her lips before her eyes opened and she looked towards the man that had captured her heart completely.

"Do you think Luna will need extra protection being a white wolf?" Selena asked her mate, nuzzling against his cheek in a way that always made him growl in pleasure.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston closed his eyes with a nearly-inaudible and content rumble from his chest. At her question, he sighed softly, "I'm afraid she will... Hunters value the pure white werefolk and wild creatures most, both for the price of their fur and because there are some countries and places where werefolk are enslaved, and royalty and the rich prefer rare colors for their servants. That's usually the case, so I don't fear for her life so much as her freedom should something happen... But," he lifted his head to look at her. "White werefolk are known for being blessed, usually with some kind of power. It's what makes their fur white. If Luna ends up being one of them... more tribes than just ours will value her deeply, and all werefolk across the world will want to protect her on sight. Most become spiritual healers and leaders... some are even known for being oracles... people with those kinds of god-given powers are the heart and soul of the races of werefolk. Whether or not she's one of them... she'll be safe if I have anything to say about it." It was another insight to the usually-unspoken ancient traditions of werefolk.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know Ruben will see that she's always cared for." Selena said as Luna let out a tiny squawk, letting her know that she was hungry. "If I know our son, that hidden Ghis temper will come out sooner or later...especially as Luna grows."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wonder which of your brothers he'll take after," Kreston pondered with a smile. "I've got my money on Durban." He knew Ruben adored his uncles on both sides and spent plenty of time with everyone in his large family.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Lord help us if he takes after Boar or Taqu'un." Selena said with a small laugh as they thought about the more volatile members of their extended family. "I hope Luna turns out like our mothers. It would be nice to have a little lass that is quiet and thoughtful as well as being a beauty."

She gently moved her daughter so that she could nurse, the little white wolf instantly quieting as she suckled in quiet contentment. "I don't want her to be like me. Sure, it's good to have an adventurous spirit, but it's better if she is calm."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd be glad for a good middle ground," Kreston thought aloud. "She shouldn't be as serious and shy as Ruben was... at least not as a child. She'll be who she wants to be, though. She could end up entirely unlike anyone in the family. But you know your mother thinks she's going to end up like her own grandmother, the Kayla your sister is named for."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I never knew my great-grandmother. Ma always said that she was a kind soul that always found the good in people no matter what." Selena said as she glanced towards Kreston.

Gently she reached out and touched his cheek, caressing her hand over his soft, dark fur. "Are you happy with how things have turned out? We had a rough start together and I didn't think we would ever end up like this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I dreamed of this life... but I never believed it was possible until you finally agreed to come here with the Gol Dun," Kreston admitted quietly. "I've thanked any power that will listen every day since. And I'll thank them twice for Luna."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And I'll thank them three times for my little family." Selena said with a smile as she drew her mate in for a gentle kiss. "Especially when we have moments like this. We need to make it a regular thing to have the family around."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll have to make our way out to Inverness a little more often too. It's always good to get a change of scenery. And, maybe when you're up to it, we can have some little adventures, just the two of us." One of the things he'd missed most in their years apart was the long walks and nights spent out in the forest that they'd had before Ruben was born.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If you think it'll be easy to talk Ruben out of a walk in the woods, you're sorely mistaken." Selena said with a soft laugh as Luna finished feeding, the little girl stretching with all of her might before she drifted into a well deserved slumber. "Nor does he like to spend time away from me, which is fine at the moment. However, he needs to learn a little independence soon."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's getting there, slowly but surely. You can't ask a boy to split away from the only companion he's ever had very quickly, especially his mother. But he's getting so close to Dad and his friends that it won't be long before you'll have trouble calling him in for the night." Kreston looked to his daughter, lifting a hand to smooth her fur back soothingly, a loving smile appearing when she reached up to pull his hand closer.