Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"You need to do better." Arin said softly, leaving it at that as she snuggled up against her brother once more.

She was soon back to sleep, her head resting on his shoulder as she found comfort with him near. She always found comfort with Norr at her side. He was the other part of herself and always had been. He gave her courage to face the day and she always admired the way that he could do anything that he put his mind to.

 

[KieranSoares]

The next morning while Arin was still asleep, Norr emerged from her room when he heard Telma arrive. Ruben was with her this time, a cub in each arm. Ruben took them to the spare bedroom to let them sleep longer, but he remained with them when he felt the tension between Telma and Norr.

Norr watched Telma unpack a basket of bread and fresh cheese, the silence stretching on until he finally murmured, "I'm sorry."

 

[heartofcourage]

Once the cubs were settled, Telma entered the kitchen to unpack the food that she had brought. Seeing Norr, she decided to give him space, not speaking to him so that she wouldn't upset him. She had no idea what was going on with her baby brother, but she didn't like the way that he seemed to avoid her. When he apologized softly to her, she nearly dropped the bread in her hand.

"You don't have to apologize." She murmured in a soft voice, her ears folding back slightly on her head. "There's nothing to apologize for. You have a life and I have to respect that. You don't want me meddling."

He would never know the nights that she sat up waiting for him, thinking that maybe her brother might come visit. He would also never know when she cried on Ruben's shoulder because she felt ignored and lonely.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Regardless, my life should still include my family... Even Arin was worried I wouldn't come for her. And I only came to see you once... That's not really the kind of start I wanted in your cubs' lives." Norr's ears folded back completely.

 

[heartofcourage]

"They're only just born, Norr." Telma said. "There's still time to be in their lives if you want that. I don't want to force it."

She was quiet again as she finished unpacking her basket, looking at her brother with a soft sigh. "You can break my heart, Norr, but don't break Arin's. Or Ma and Da. Mama needed the both of you for so long. She still needs the both of you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't want to break yours either." Norr came to her side and wrapped his arms around her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Stubborn cub." Telma murmured as she hugged her brother tightly, knowing that he was trying so hard to be grown up while trying to balance the needs of his family.

It was a quiet moment for the two of them before the silence was broken by their busy family. A cub was soon crying, Katina entering the kitchen with Timmal in her arms as the little boy shrieked and squirmed. His amber eyes were full of tears, his tiny little fingers gripping his grandmother tightly.

"Someone's hungry." Katina said as she glanced towards Telma and Norr.

"He's always hungry." Telma said with a soft sigh as she let Norr go and took her son, cuddling him close until he started to calm. "Did he wake Katya? The little devil has taken to pulling her fur until she wakes screaming too. He might only be two weeks old, but he knows how to get attention."

"The little love is sleeping in her father's arms. Ruben scooped her up when Timmal started to squirm."

 

[KieranSoares]

Norr couldn't help a little smile at the cub. He had once been similar, knowing how to get Arin help him get attention as a toddler and an infant. He stayed out of the way, making himself useful by sorting out breakfast for them all between the pantry and what Telma and Ruben had brought.

 

[heartofcourage]

Telma took her son to a quiet spot in the living area and settled down to let him nurse. She was exhausted, even with Ruben's help. She would never have thought that a cub would take this much of her attentions, but Timmal would have run her ragged by himself. Katya was normally quiet and reserved, but she too could demand her time as much as her brother.

"Mama, could you come and watch the cubs tonight?" Telma asked softly as her mother stepped into the room, getting a spot ready for Arin as Ghell got her ready to move.

"I don't think so tonight, love. We have to be here for Arin until she can move on her own." Katina said softly, knowing that Telma was exhausted. "I'm sure Selena would watch them for you."

"She's there nearly every evening. I don't want to take her away from Mako that much." Telma said softly, resigning herself to the idea that there wouldn't be sleep that night either.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell appeared carrying Arin as they spoke, pausing to listen for a moment before looking to Telma. "You have more family outside just us, little cub. Why not ask Volgo and Dayja? They've been looking for an excuse to steal their great-grandchildren, and they can still keep up as well as I can." He settled Arin carefully into the seat Katina had prepared.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I worry about tiring them out, but I suppose you're right." Telma said as Ruben appeared with Katya in his arms, the little girl still slumbering peacefully as Timmal finished nursing and was soon back to sleep.

Arin winced in pain briefly as her father placed her in the chair, her leg aching even with the herbs that she'd been given that morning.

"Can we go out in the garden today, Da?" Arin asked as she got settled. "I'm tired of being cooped up."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sure I can manage that," Ghell assured her. "After Mariko comes, that is." Mariko would be by later to check on Arin and drop off more herbs. "And maybe he can give you something a little stronger. You've been in quite a bit of pain."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't need something stronger. I'm fine." Arin said, glancing up at her Da and knowing that he would ask the healer for something more. "My leg aches. It's nothing new or different."

"Little cub, there's a different between being stubborn and being cautious. If you don't sleep at night because of the pain, you need something more. Norr won't be here every single night." Katina murmured as she kissed Arin's brow gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

"And I'm a little concerned with it anyway. We want to make sure you don't get an infection." He wasn't greatly afraid as there were no signs of it, but he wanted to be cautious anyway.

Once they were all gathered for breakfast and both the cubs were laid back to sleep, Norr took a seat between Telma and Arin and it seemed like things had calmed down between himself and his older sister.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Selena mentioned bringing Mako by today so he could pick some peas. He learned how to shell from Dayja and he's picked her garden clean." Telma said with a smile towards her Da. "I told her that you had all sorts of work he could do since Arin is on the mend."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That I do," Ghell nodded. "Hopefully we can help wear him out. I know Selena can keep up with him, but it does any parent good to have a full night's sleep."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's an eager little boy. Ruben has a good time with him." Telma said as she looked fondly at her mate. "He runs Ruben ragged though. It's good experience for when the cubs learn to walk."

 

[KieranSoares]

"They already run us both ragged anyway," Ruben commented with a small smile. "It's going to be even harder when I have to go back to work. But thankfully we have a big family."

As if on cue, a quiet whine came from the room where the twins had been laid to sleep. Ghell lifted a hand to stop Telma and Ruben, rising from his seat. It was probably Timmal as Katya wasn't loud enough for her voice to get that far, but he was probably crying because she was. Katya was easily startled, and sometimes had trouble getting to sleep without Ruben or Telma holding her.

 

[heartofcourage]

A loud call from the crow at the window had startled the little cubs, Katya's soft whimpers alerting her brother that things were not right. She struggled against her tight swaddle, whimpering louder as Ghell appeared in the room. As soon as she was freed, she was much calmer. The moment her grandfather lifted her into his arms, she stopped crying. The little cub, curled against him, nuzzling against his neck as Timmal did the same.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell glanced to the cracked-open window as he held the two. The crows outside were watching his garden, but because of a good scarecrow and some secret tricks Ghell had picked up in all his years of growing plants, they wouldn't touch anything. And they knew if they did, Ghell would wait for them with a sling. But he always left something out for them when he picked from the garden if they stayed away while it was all growing.

"It's just my friends," Ghell murmured to Katya. "They're greedy and loud, but they keep the worms and bugs away." Even if she couldn't understand, Ghell had never spoken to a child in a babying voice.

 

[heartofcourage]

Katya sniffled in response, her tiny fingers clenching in Ghell's grey fur as he spoke to both twins, explaining that the crows didn't mean any harm. Timmal was already dozing again, the danger forgotten as the little cub fell asleep. His sister was wide awake, however, listening to the deep voice of her grandfather intently.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell laid Timmal back on the bed before bringing Katya to the window and opening it up. A gentle breeze blew fresh, crisp morning air into the room, and Ghell perched in the windowsill with a leg dangling outside and his back against the window frame. He settled Kayta against his right arm so she could see the outside world and the crows hopping around the garden. They were mindful of the scarecrow, only picking bugs and worms as they found them. They didn't mind hopping right past Ghell's footpaw, knowing they had no reason to fear as long as they didn't eat the vegetables.

"See? Just little bug-eaters," he murmured to Katya, quietly sharing his peaceful world and his beloved garden with his granddaughter for the first time, not unlike he'd done with Arin and Norr when they were newborn cubs and with Telma after he'd moved in with Katina and made the garden.

 

[heartofcourage]

When she was finished with breakfast, Telma made her way into the bedroom to check on her father and the cubs. Timmal was sound asleep in his blanket, whimpering and twitching every so often as he dreamed about things that she would never know. She paused when she saw Ghell and Katya in the window, looking out over the garden. Her father looked so serene in that moment with Katya in his arms, showing her his private world.

"Are Loki and his family back?" Telma asked as she kissed Ghell's cheek gently and then nuzzled against Katya's brow as the little girl watched the crows hopping around the garden.

 

[KieranSoares]

"In the old tree, like always," Ghell nodded toward the ancient, giant oak that leaned over the back half of the garden, casting shade on the particular plants that didn't need so much sun. At least ten crows were perched in its branches. Among them was the familiar giant old bird with the cracked beak and a missing toe. Ghell showed Katya too, directing her attention as Loki flapped his wings and folded them again, looking over his brood.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's too little to remember this, Da." Telma said with a fond smile towards her father as he insisted that Katya be able to see as well. "But you're a good grandfather for wanting to show her the world."

Telma wrapped her arm around Ghell's shoulders, hugging him as tightly as she could as Katya quietly looked at whatever he wanted to show her. The little girl was content to be in his arms for the first time, watching the world go by.