Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I had no idea, Ruben." Telma said as he took her hand and kissed it gently. "There's been so much going on that I haven't thought about myself. Now it all makes sense. But I'm still pretty cross about you keeping this from me for so long."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You can't be that angry," Ruben nearly whispered, pressing another kiss to her hand and then to her throat, his own pointed ears folding back submissively.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well...maybe not so angry." She murmured as she pressed a kiss to his lips and gave him a smile. "I'm sure that we can find some ways to make it up. Now we have to think of how we're going to tell our families."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ma'll be over the moon, even if she pretends she's calm. Dad'll probably start telling everyone right away." Ruben drew her close again and nuzzled his face against her shoulder. "Everyone will be surprised, that I'm sure of."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll have to add a room to this house." Telma murmured as he nuzzled against her shoulder and held her tightly. "You'll be a good father, Ruben. One of the best."

She gave him a smile as she wholeheartedly believed those words. He would be one of the best fathers that she had ever seen. Perhaps a little strict, but their cubs would grow up in a house full of love and adventure.

 

[KieranSoares]

That next morning, Ruben headed off to work with a spring in his step. Jan, however, had been given a couple days off after having held up the lumber camp for Ruben while Selena was bedridden. So Jan wandered his way to Luna's side at her little home and herb garden, and he quietly set about pulling weeds before she noticed him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna was absorbed in picking herbs that she needed for her kit. She had become determined to take the master test that her grandfather would administer to healers. She knew that she was meant to be a healer after the events that had happened recently and there was still a lot that she needed to learn before then.

When she noticed Jan, she smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek before she returned to her work. "I'm going to take the test. I think Taqu'un might give me the head healer position for the tribe if I do that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sure he would. Old Palun's ready to hand it over for an Elder position." Though Luna had only rarely worked with the Head Healer, she knew Palun and had discussed herbs and treatments with him often, especially those that humans didn't know well. He was about Volgo's age and had long since stopped dealing with more stressful situations due to his age and arthritis.

Jan plucked a few weeds from a dense cluster of mint leaves, used for making terribly bitter medicines more tolerable, and he glanced over to Luna. "I think I might start building a house soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Really?" Luna asked with a small smile on her face. "You got the land cleared enough to start building? I thought you had some more trees to take down."

If Jan was ready to start building a house, that meant that he was taking his mating with her very seriously and ready to start putting down roots there in Inverness.

 

[KieranSoares]

"None that are in the way. I want to have it ready for winter, even if it only starts small. I can keep adding on and cutting trees," Jan said with a nod. "Hopefully I can get a little help if Ruben will let me borrow some lumberjacks."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Would you build me a garden? And a large window that overlooked it?" Luna asked innocently with a smile as she leaned over and kissed Jan's cheek. "Because I have every intention of moving in with you as soon as I can."

 

[KieranSoares]

Jan's ears perked up at that. "Really?" He asked, looking over to make sure she was serious. "I... Of course I will."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love you, Jan. I think I have from the first moment I met you. Watching everything that you did for my family while my Ma was ill definitely showed me that you are the wolf that I'm suppose to be with." Luna leaned in and nuzzled against his cheek, letting out a soft sigh.

 

[KieranSoares]

Jan drew Luna in close at that, nuzzling her in return and pressing his head against her shoulder. "And I love you... I can finally say it without being scared of getting pulled away."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Uncle Brogan wrote his letter then?" Luna asked, daring to hope that Jan would be able to stay there in Scotland with her forever. "If he sent it then Ma must have given him permission. I'll have to thank her the next time I see her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He told me on his way out of your parents' house that he'd be sending it off this morning, and knowing how close the Ghis family is with the triad because of Queen Kayla... I stand a good chance of being released from service. I owe Selena a lot for that... I'm just sorry it took her getting so ill for me to have the chance to prove how serious I am about you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm her cub. She'll always be protective of me." Luna said softly as she hugged Jan tightly. "She might be prickly but she has a warm heart. She hides it all the time. She's so afraid of having it broken beyond repair."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can understand that," Jan nodded before pulling back to look at her. "So the real reason I came here today was to ask if you'd have lunch with me. I've got nothing to do and it's been too long since we had a meal together without anyone else."

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna gave him a smile as he offered to have lunch with her. "I suppose you could convince me. Did you cook or are you taking me somewhere?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can't cook to save my life, Lu. I was thinking something simple, like going to Mrs. Aoli's place in the village," Jan offered with a hopeful smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hmmm...well, I suppose I can let you buy me lunch." Luna said as she took his arm and held it as she leaned in and kiss him. "I might eat you out of house and home. Ruben and I had great appetites when we were growing up. My poor Ma could barely keep up with two growing and active cubs."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I grew up with five siblings and four half-siblings, all fishermen and farmers. Trust me, I can handle it," Jan told her, giving her one more piece to the puzzle of his past that he never seemed to want to talk about. He led her away into the village toward the familiar little setup of Mrs. Aoli's outdoor kitchen and makeshift restaurant. As was her usual way, she would forgo money or trade if those she cooked for would run errands for her. So Jan chopped wood while Mrs. Aoli had Luna cutting up herbs and roots for the huge cauldron of soup,

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna always enjoyed Mrs. Aoli's company. She had treated some of the orphans that she cared for when they had grown ill. It was very obvious that she loved those little children and many had grown to call her Ma over the years.

"Mama!" An excited cry came as a cub with rusty colored fur came bounding into the kitchen, her dark eyes excited as she showed Mrs. Aoli what she had in her hands. "Telma showed me how to weave. I made you this on the loom."

The cub, missing her tail and walking with a limp that was noticeable, never seemed to notice that she was different in any way. She had been found in the woods, used as bait when she was a squalling infant by hunters, and taken in by the sweet woman. She had never been adopted and had long ago started calling Mrs. Aoli Mama.

 

[KieranSoares]

Mrs. Aoli, known to the elders simply as Hara, pulled her dear cub into her arms. She was still tiny and looked frail but seemed to always have all the energy in the world, especially for her orphans and most of all the ones among them she considered her own children and would never allow others to adopt. "You sweet darling," she chuckled. "How did you like it? You look so excited."

 

[heartofcourage]

The cub hugged Hara tightly as she lifted her into her arms. It was apparent that the cub loved the older woman as much as she was loved. Luna smiled at the two of them as she continued to chop the herbs.

"It was fun. Telma told me to come back tomorrow and she would give me a learners loom to take home! I can practice all the time and become really, really good." Colla said, her dark eyes bright at the possibility of becoming good at something.