Transitions 4

Transitions pt 4

'jiita and 'dittsu were fighting, again. Mahrayne watched Leteetza stalk over to the battling brothers and pull them apart, holding 'dittsu firmly in her tail and 'jiita in her arms.
      "If you don’t stop this I'm going to separate you!" she growled in exasperation, then sighed at her youngests' identically stricken expressions. The little female hugged them both tightly.
      "Don't worry," she smirked, kissing them both in turn, "I wouldn't keep you apart for long."
      The twins might constantly squabble but they hated being apart, as evidenced by their unhappiness during 'jiita's presentation. Fortunately it hadn't been for long. The Saiya-jin-no-Ou had wisely consented to their being reunited after the official ceremony, prompted most likely by his heir's noticeably worsening mood. Mahrayne couldn't help smiling as the infant Saiyans, the pair of them grinning hugely, almost fell into each others arms and twined their tails tightly together. It was so cute, and they even managed not to fight for a whole ten minutes!
      Mahrayne remembered that day fondly; it was the biggest, most impressive official event she'd been to and she'd enjoyed herself enormously. Zorun had been on duty so she had Kelapa and Kyuri as her guards, which was good because she felt safer having them there when she was approached by numerous strangers. While it was lovely that so many people wanted to meet her and her son, it was unnerving that they all seemed to know who she was while she mostly didn't have a clue about them! She knew Manzano, of course, and some of the others she remembered vaguely as Council members, but for the rest… The Saiya-jin-no-Ou had spoken briefly with her, too, and Kinu had gone quiet and shy in the powerful male's presence, cuddling in to his mother's neck and peeking out at the king through his heavy silver fringe.
      Zorun was able to join them a little later, much to Kinu's gurgling delight, the cub's obvious happiness at being with his father bringing smiles to people near-by. Kelapa made herself noticeably absent while the big male was around, though, and Mahrayne missed her.
      Fuelled by the free food and drink, the celebrations were still going strong by the time Mahrayne dropped off to sleep beside Kel, Kinu snuggled between them, already fast asleep after a long day…

Mahrayne and 'tiisaan, both panting from exertion, abruptly spun the dance to a stop. Their positions mirrored each other - heads lowered, bodies inclined gracefully towards the other, arms stretching forwards, their fingertips almost but not quite touching, creating a delicious tension.
      They held the pose for several heartbeats, then simultaneously lifted their heads and grinned at each other.
      "Almost perfect, jhatiludas." Mahrayne gently squeezed 'tiisaan's cool fingers between her own, making the strands of bells around her wrist chime delicately.
       "Almost." 'tiisaan chuckled as he straightened up. "What did you think, Je-chan?"
      The hash'shavven was sitting comfortably cross-legged against the wall of the dance room; he beamed up at them, his dark-red-flecked eyes shining.
      "Just beautiful! You have both achieved a lot in a short space of time."
      Mahrayne laughed with joy.
       "If it wasn't for the skill of my student -" she pulled the naked zn'hre close for a fierce hug.
       "If it wasn't for my teacher's imagination -" 'tiisaan interrupted her with a smirk.
      "When do you think you'll be ready to perform it?" Jeice asked, stepping forward to help Mahrayne remove the bells adorning her body. The Hassinan and the zn'hre glanced at each other.
      "A few more hours work, yes?"
      Mahrayne lifted her arms up, allowing the little alien to unwind the coiled strands of bells from around her waist and hips, ignoring the curl of arousal as warm fingertips brushed her skin. 'tiisaan nodded agreement as he deftly began removing his own, very different, sets of bells.
       "Yes, not long."

Several days ago, a parcel from R'ren'nkh'ia had arrived for Mahrayne and 'tiisaan. Inside was an audio chip recording of the live performance by Bri'seiyis and his students, plus several sets of bells that the musical zn'hre had had made for them. Actually they weren't very much like bells at all, not as Mahrayne understood them, they were more like clusters of bright metal seedpods of differing tones that rustled and tinkled like wind through leaves, or the ocean over sand; 'tiisaan said they sounded to him like the wind flying over the desert or playing through the mountain peaks.
Bri'seiyis had included a note to say he was looking forward to seeing what the dancers made of his gifts. Mahrayne and her student took to the challenge with gusto. The Hassinan had already started choreographing Bri'seiyis' beautiful, evocative composition while she watched the performance on the vid-screen, with the idea that this was to be purely a vehicle for 'tiisaan. It made sense - it was a zn'hre story, it was only fitting that a zn'hre should dance it. As for the R'ren'nkh'ian bells, the dancers had extensively experimented with them to discover their range. It was Mahrayne who first thought of combining the two types of bells in a dance, using the clear tones of the Hassinan ones as a counterpoint to the susurrating, whispering sounds of the R'ren'nkh'ian. The experiment had been a great success, both she and 'tiisaan were very pleased with the outcome and they were already thinking ahead to the next challenge, that of dancing using both sets of bells at once. Mahrayne could acknowledge without rancour that 'tiisaan would prove the more adept at that: the young zn'hre's control was rapidly approaching her own level of expertise, it wouldn't be long before his skill out-stripped his teacher's.
She was so proud of him, she'd love for he and Chumie to meet - her two best students...

As Mahrayne slipped into her light robe, she grinned thanks to Jeice for his help in removing and stowing her bells.
       "Zorun will be picking you up soon?" Jeice smirked knowingly at her and Mahrayne couldn't help the giggle, or the blush.
       "Yes, I'd better hurry and have a shower." She stooped to briefly kiss Jeice's cheek, then grabbed 'tiisaan for another hug before running, literally, out of the dance room and back towards the suite. Truth to tell, Mahrayne didn't think she could've walked anywhere at the moment, not brimming as she was with nervous excitement.
      It was one hundred days since Kinu's birth, her health had been cleared by Ayva, and now she and her mate could enjoy each other fully again.
       Mahrayne darted into the suite and, laughing, scooped Kinu up from the floor where he'd been waiting for her, spinning her son round and round until he was squealing with laughter.
       She smiled at Zha'haarak.
       "Thank you for watching him, your Highness. How are you feeling?"
       "It is always a pleasure, Mahrayne," he replied with a soft smile, "and I'm feeling… well, thank you."
      The gentle zn'hre looked better than well, Mahrayne thought, he was positively radiant, glowing with this hosting.
      "Let's have a shower, dherrumah," Mahrayne nuzzled Kinu's mane, "Papa will be here soon…"

The single strands of bells around Mahrayne's wrists chimed musically with her various bright bangles as she sat cross-legged on the sleeping platform playing a clapping game with Kinu. The little hybrid joined in enthusiastically, grinning happily when he accurately copied the patterns his mother clapped, and giggling - or mock-growling - when he missed them.
      "It won't be long before Kinu's also taking lessons." Zha'haarak said, smiling at the child.
      "I know." Mahrayne refused to acknowledge the pang of sadness. "It will be good," she smiled, stroking her son's shaggy silver mane away from his face. "Stop you getting bored, yes?"
      Kinu had had enough of games; he crawled into his mother's lap, snuggling into her with a beaming smile and a blissful sigh. Mahrayne sang softly to him in Hassinan, stroking his mane, content to share this quiet time with him - she didn't know how much longer it would last.
      Kinu was growing rapidly. He'd started weaning himself at around seventy days old, wanting only to nurse at night before sleep; but even that had dwindled to nothing over the past few days. His first set of teeth were all in and he was happily feeding himself solid food, though he still needed to be washed after most meals. To Mahrayne's surprise, her part-Saiyan son was able to digest plant material as well as meat, and he relished some of the sharper, tangier fruits available. He could crawl, and climb, with ease now, and Mahrayne had gotten quite a shock when, in the gardens one afternoon, she'd taken her eyes off of him for a second to find the cub grinning down at her from half-way up a dauntingly tall tree! The little monster had been delighted with the new game when his mother climbed up there to get him.
      Kinu wasn't walking as yet, but he'd started trying to stand on his own, and he watched with intense interest as the other children flew around. Mahrayne could almost hear his calculating thoughts... His speech wasn't entirely coherent - though both Kel and Zorun had told Mahrayne he was slightly clearer with mind-speak - but it was certainly flexible! Kinu regularly expressed himself in a mish-mash of Common, Hassinan and Saiya-go as well as hissing sounds that were recognisable to the R'ren'nkh'ians. The child was also picking up hash'shavven words from Jeice and his mate, and as Mahrayne read to him in Kori-go, he was adding words from that guttural language to his vocabulary. It looked as if he might have the same fluency with languages as Mahrayne did, and how much more could he do with it, being exposed to different languages from birth? It was very exciting!
      As much as Kinu enjoyed talking - he'd burble away for ages to himself, or anyone who'd listen - his mother had recently noticed he was also quite content to listen. Mahrayne was sure he was observing, absorbing, more than she could guess at; maybe she should watch what she said around her son.

Abruptly, Kinu pulled himself upright in Mahrayne's lap, peering over her shoulder at the balcony door, bouncing - painfully for his mother - on his toes in excitement.
      "Papa!" Through experience Mahrayne was ready for her son's ear-piercing squeal.
      Zorun came into the suite at Zha'haarak's greeting, inclining his head respectfully to the prince and acknowledging Jagung's presence with a nod before picking up his ecstatically wriggling son and cuddling him close. He half-smirked at his mate, his gaze smouldering with promise and Mahrayne suddenly found herself breathless.
      "King's Guard" the prince's voice gently intruded, "we were about to have a light meal… would you care to join us?"
      No, what the big male wanted was to take his mate somewhere secluded and make love until they couldn't move, but he couldn't refuse the R'ren'nkh'ian prince. Zorun looked down into Kinu's happy face and smiled - staying to eat would also give him a little time with his son. Judging by the zn'hre's softly hopeful look, that was exactly what Zha'haarak - who'd kindly volunteered to help Kel with Kinu for the night - had been thinking.

Mahrayne cuddled her son, laying her cheek against his soft mane, then gratefully handed him over to Zha'haarak. Kinu was pouting, not at all happy at being left behind by his parents.
      "Be good for Kel and maazi Zak, yes?" Mahrayne smiled, stroking Kinu's hair, "Papa and I will be back tomorrow morning."
      Kinu's huge, dark eyes brimmed with reproachful tears. Mahrayne's smile grew rueful: she knew Kinu wasn't that upset, but her son wasn't above using emotional blackmail to get what he wanted, something he'd learned from 'tiisaan, no doubt, along with Ti'aasaan's winsome smile...
      "I love you, little treasure, so does Papa." She whispered to him in Hassinan, letting the strength of her affection flow towards her child. Kinu pouted some more but allowed his mother to kiss his nose and his father to ruffle his mane before he relented and grinned at them both. Settled securely in maazi Zak's arms, Kinu waved goodbye to his parents from the balcony, quite happy now to be left with the gentle zn'hre.

Mahrayne had decided to wear the form-fitting silver gown Chumie had sent her, the one she'd worn during her first 'encounter' with Zorun. She went warmly tingly under her mate's intensely appreciative gaze, pleased to see the significance of her attire wasn't lost on him.
      Zorun quickly flew them to a secluded cove along the coastline. Mahrayne felt a warm gush of tenderness for her mate's thoughtfulness at the sight of the soft sleeping fur spread out amongst a stand of the wind-blown and leathery coastal trees - he'd prepared a special place for them... Zorun set Mahrayne on her feet on the fur, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace. His tail whipped around her waist, and there was no mistaking the hot hardness pressing into her belly. Mahrayne moaned, her knees coming dangerously close to buckling when he nipped very gently at his claim mark, one of his hands fiddling with the top fastening at the back of her robe.
      "Slowly, dherrum," Mahrayne whispered with a smile, pulling a little away from him, "let me dance for you first, yes?"
      Zorun growled but relinquished his grip, settling back on the fur while Mahrayne readied herself on the sand.
      The Hassinan danced one of the arousing hash'shavven forms for her mate, the sensuous and loving, teasingly erotic moves accentuated by the low-toned bells she wore - the combination of which Mahrayne had accidentally discovered Saiyans found very… stimulating. Zorun didn't move, barely blinked, while she danced, save for the twitching of his tail tip, but everything he felt/needed/wanted was there in his eyes for her to read and respond to. Mahrayne was panting with desire by the time she'd finished - the dance was as arousing to perform as to watch - and, quivering, she watched Zorun through her eyelashes from her demure, submissive position kneeling upright on the sand, her hands open-palmed in invitation in front of her. Before she could draw a second, shuddering breath, Mahrayne had somehow become pinned to the sand by her mate's heavy body. She arched up with a gasp, instinctively trying to open her thighs against the restriction of her gown.
      Zorun smirked down at her.
      "Slowly, hanabira."
      Mahrayne forced herself to soft, accepting stillness, sighing as her mate leisurely kissed and nipped his way over throat. She couldn't help moving, just a little, as he mouthed his way down her torso, his breath puffing through the loose weave of the fabric leaving transient pools of heat on her skin. A large hand slid under the robe raising the shimmering cloth high enough that Mahrayne could finally open her thighs. She gasped, fisting her hands in Zorun's spiky mane while he licked a meandering trail along her inner thighs, swiping and flicking his broad tongue all over her groin except where she really needed it.
      "Zorun, please…" Mahrayne's plea trailed off into a whimper as he stroked an unknown number of fingers into her while simultaneously nuzzling then sucking firmly at her exquisitely sensitive nub. Mahrayne cried out as she came, shuddering, her mind momentarily blank.

*Oh, gods, he's good at that!*
      Mahrayne giggled weakly, glancing at her panting twin sprawled beside her.
      *Oh yes.*
      Zorun was watching her, a slight frown drawing his ebony brows together.
      Mahrayne smiled at him, golden eyes soft with love and desire.
       "You've - we've waited long enough, yes?" she whispered, reaching out to stroke his chest through the navy bodysuit. Zorun nodded, and smirking, effortlessly pulled his mate to him, carrying her the short distance to the fur. Mahrayne held still while her mate concentrated, carefully undoing the fastenings on her robe before impatiently stripping it off her and tossing it to one side. Grinning now, Mahrayne returned the favour, peeling Zorun out of his uniform, enjoying his gasping growl as she gently nibbled the length of his straining penis before pushing him to sit with his back against one of the trees. She eagerly slid into his lap, straddling his thighs and winding her arms around his neck; Zorun's broad hands settled over her hips as his tail snaked around to play softly over her breasts. Mahrayne nipped at Zorun's lips.
       "I love you." she whispered against his mouth then, guided by her mate, pushed herself down onto his satisfyingly hard heat…

It was deep night by the time they fell asleep, exhausted yet thrumming from their loving. Mahrayne snuggled into Zorun's chest, dimly aware of Alida, equally sated, snuggled in behind her. On the verge of sleep, Mahrayne wasn't really conscious that she was reaching out to Kinu and Kelapa along the slender threads of glimmering gold that connected her to them, she was only aware that they were with her in some fashion, and so - contented - she slept.

"A little stiff this morning, 'rayne?" Ti'aasaan asked as Mahrayne eased herself down onto a floor cushion, the little zn'hre managing to exude syrupy innocence in spite of his sly smirk. The Hassinan laughed, colouring slightly.
       "A little, yes."
       Zorun had dropped her off at the suite in time for the morning meal. Kinu had been beside himself with delight seeing them both, looking very tragic when his father had to leave almost immediately to go on duty. He'd cheered up though when Zorun promised his son they would all be together that evening.
      The little hybrid had spent most of the night cuddled up with Kel, Pirum and Buahan, but a couple of hours before first sunsrise he'd made his way out to the family's sleeping platform, insinuating himself between Zha'haarak and Hijau, much to the bondmates' amusement when they woke and found him there.
      As soon as Mahrayne was seated, Kinu happily plunked himself in her lap, gazing adoringly at his mother while he gnawed the rare meat off a grittig bone. Kelapa sat beside her, the female's tail wrapped tightly around her waist. The warrior leant in to kiss her neck and Mahrayne couldn't be sure she was imagining it, but Kelapa seemed to be… excited about something? There was an air of anticipation about the female that was quite arousing.
       "I'm going to need a bath later," Mahrayne murmured to the Saiyan, "could you be spared from your duties for a few minutes this afternoon?"
      Kelapa snuck a covert glance at Hijau, and smirked.
       "I'll see what I can do."
      Kelapa's kiss lingered on her lover's lips, her tongue forcing - though gently - the Hassinan to open to her. A delicious tingle shot down Mahrayne's spine when it abruptly occurred to her that Kel was behaving possessively - well, more than usual. What had brought this on? Not that Mahrayne was complaining, melting as she was into the warrior's strength and love…
      "You're going to miss out on the food and be late for class if you keep that up." Leteetza's tone was wryly amused.
      Kel broke off the kiss, smirking as Mahrayne struggled to regain her composure. She ran a strong thumb over the Hassinan's cheek beads.
      "Later, takibi."
      Mahrayne swallowed and nodded.
      "Yes, please."

The morning lessons passed quickly. Mahrayne was feeling wonderfully buoyant and her good mood communicated itself to her students, so much so that she even got a smirking smile from Kiraz.
Kelapa was there for the midday meal, and to Mahrayne's delight, she stayed on afterwards, explaining with a lop-sided smirk that she'd swapped duties with Apyo for the afternoon. Zha'haarak, Ti'aasaan and Jagung, along with Za'rayne, Ra'vahn and Kinu, joined the females in the bath, though after a little while they exited discreetly - the hybrids were all getting sleepy anyway - and left Kelapa and Mahrayne to their own amusements.

Mahrayne, gulping air, lay half-across Kel's strong body in the warm water.
      "You going to have enough energy left for Zorun?" the warrior smirked, stroking her lover's tangle of white hair away from her face. Mahrayne brushed her lips over Kel's skin beads and smiled.
      "I'll manage."
      Kelapa trailed fingertips over the unmarked side of the Hassinan's neck, raising a shiver. Mahrayne's eyes were enormous as she raised her head to look at the Saiyan and her scent was tinged with nervous impatience.
      "When?"
      Kel smirked, she knew what her lover was asking - when was she going to claim her?
      "Soon." Kelapa whispered, her body already responding to the leap in Mahrayne's arousal, astonished that she was able to summon the energy…

It seemed to Mahrayne that she'd found the best compromise she could between her Saiyans. Spending two nights in turn with each of them was long enough to keep them happy, and not too long a time apart from either of them for her. Kinu was settled into the pattern, accepting as the very young do, that this was simply the way things were, and he made no distinction between being with Kel or his father. Mahrayne wished, though… Foolish thoughts, she chided herself. Her mates were too opposed to each other to endure being with her at the same time.
      The Hassinan had noticed a change in herself since returning to Vejiitasei; the voluntary restriction on sexual partners she'd placed on herself for Kel's - and Zorun's - benefit, didn't really bother her at all now, whereas previously it would have seemed a terrible imposition. Mahrayne pondered this in the rare moments she had time to herself. She still wanted Leteetza, Ti'aasaan, Dari and Tane, Jeice (and now his mate - Mahrayne was intrigued by Keisan), and what she felt for Radittsu was still, on occasion, embarrassingly obvious, but she didn't need them. It was enough to desire them, think about them every so often, and still be perfectly content with only Kelapa and Zorun.
      *Why is that?* she asked her twin. *Is it because I've 'grown up' since Kinu was born? Or is it -* Mahrayne's eyes widened at a flash of insight *- that now we're together I don't have to search for you - for something I was missing - in others?*
      Alida smiled.
       *I think that's a reasonable assumption.*
      Mahrayne was suddenly, uncomfortably aware of the number of females on Hassina she'd pursued, bedded and then discarded when they weren't able to give her what she was subconsciously looking for. Her behaviour hadn't been something to be proud of.
      *But you didn't know, heart's-light!* Alida wrapped ghostly arms around her sister. *You can't blame yourself for that.*
      *I could've shown more restraint, I wouldn't have caused so much pain -*
      *Only to some, the rest were happy to have spent time with you.* She grinned. *Did it never occur to you why you were so well liked, despite your -* Alida giggled, *- 'bad behaviour'? Why so many of your past 'conquests' still came to you for advice and comfort?*
      Mahrayne shook her head; no, she hadn't.
      *It's because they valued you, as a friend and, subliminally at least, as someone important in their lives.*
      Mahrayne shrugged and changed the subject, no more comfortable now with the idea that she mattered, than she was before she'd left Hassina the first time.

"Excellent, your Highness! You're doing very well." Mahrayne nodded approval to Zha'haarak.
      "It does not feel that way to me," the prince was rueful, "I'm not sure I'm making any progress at all…"
      Mahrayne couldn't help brushing her fingers over the soft, smooth skin of the zn'hre's cheek.
      "It will take time," she said encouragingly, "you're not completely at ease with your body yet, but when you are..." Mahrayne beamed at him, "there will be no stopping you!"
      Shortly after 'jiita's presentation, Hijau had approached Mahrayne about giving his bondmate dance lessons. She'd been enthusiastic about the idea - another zn'hre to dance with? No problem there! - and after allaying Vinas's, and Zh'leet's, concerns for the prince's safety, Mahrayne had made a little time daily for the gentle zn'hre. Vinas's primary concern had been that the exercise might prove too much of a strain for Zha'haarak's damaged hip, especially with the additional stress of hosting, but Mahrayne had lots of experience teaching dance as a form of physical rehabilitation to accident victims on Hassina - she knew how to be gentle and how to push, just a little, to help Zha'haarak gain strength and confidence without causing further damage. It was going to be ages before he could move with anything near the freedom of more able bodied dancers but Mahrayne wasn't about to begrudge him the time: in truth, she liked Zha'haarak and was delighted to have him more or less to herself for this short period every day.
      "Thank you for indulging me, Mahrayne." Zha'haarak kissed her forehead and Mahrayne laughed.
       "Make no mistake, your highness, it's myself I'm indulging."

"Is that all you're going to have?" Kel looked askance at the small portion of seared meat Mahrayne had gotten herself for the midday meal.
      "I'm not hungry."
      "Hn. You didn't have much this morning either."
      "For fuck's sake, Kel!" Mahrayne's snapped reply made the warrior blink, "I'm not a Saiyan, I don't need to eat my own fucking body weight in food to survive!"
      "I was only asking." Kelapa growled and Mahrayne sighed, resting her head on the female's shoulder.
      "I'm sorry, jha-tunovahn, I'm just tired I think."
      Kelapa kissed the Hassinan's forehead and smirked.
       "Heh, don't tell me two Saiyans are getting too much for you?"
       "Oh no," Mahrayne snuggled into the warrior, going from snappy and irritable to soft and loving in a heartbeat, "the only way you two would be too much for me would be if I had you both at the same time."
      Kel made a noise of distaste.
       "Don't say things like that, 'rayne," she grumbled, "you'll put me off my food."
       Mahrayne sighed, indicating resignation, but her scent was disconcertingly hopeful.

Pirum and 'selaan were up to something.
      The pair had been focused closely on some joint project for a good little while and had, annoyingly, refused to answer Mahrayne's polite enquiries about it, saying only that everyone would know what it was about soon enough.
      'Soon enough' came sooner than expected for Mahrayne...
      Kel was sprawled on the bed in front of her, gasping and writhing, her tail wound tightly around Mahrayne's wrist. Between the slim little toy Mahrayne was using to stimulate her sensitive internal tail-spot, and the Hassinan's skilled mouth and tongue, the warrior was nigh incoherent with pleasure. She was close to climaxing - so close it was probably getting painful – and Mahrayne had kept her at that pitch for several long minutes.
      Mahrayne caught movement in her peripheral vision; she shifted her head slightly so she could see what it was... and found Pirum and 'selaan peering at her intently over Kelapa's thigh. Too surprised to have the sense to finish with Kel before dealing with the children, Mahrayne lifted her head from her lover's groin.
      "Yes?"
      Kelapa's disbelieving, anguished howl grated along the Hassinan's nerves.
      "Sorry, jha-tunovahn!" Mahrayne winced, then frowned impatiently at the youngsters. "Well?"
      Pirum cleared her throat.
      "Why were you doing that to Kelapa-san?"
      "What?!" Kel growled, "you interrupted so you could fucking ask that! Why the fuck do you think she was doing it?!"
      "Well it would appear –" 'selaan spoke up, quietly and earnestly, "– that you were enjoying those activities –"
      "I was fucking enjoying them!" Kelapa thundered, struggling upright, eyes blazing and tail lashing against the bed, "and if you two don't get the fuck out of here and let me continue enjoying them, I'm going to gut you!!"
      Mahrayne had to clap her hand over her mouth to prevent the bubble of laughter escaping as the 'researchers' bolted for the bedroom door.
      "I think that's going to be a common reaction from the Saiyans..." 'selaan gasped out to Pirum as they disappeared into the common room.
      Once they were gone Mahrayne did laugh, and the almost comically pissed-off expression on her thoroughly ruffled lover's face did nothing to help her get control of herself.
      "I'm so sorry, Kel," she giggled, stroking the growling Saiyan's thigh soothingly. "Shall we continue?"
      Kelapa, still growling, flopped back down on the bed – Mahrayne took that as a 'yes' – and within a short time the growling had stopped to be replaced with very obvious sounds of pleasure.

Mahrayne watched her son sneaking up behind Peyaru, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the lordling's white tail tip. Peyaru had his head down in a study text - did he realise he was being 'hunted'? Mahrayne grinned as the young male cast a surreptitious look over his shoulder at the cub, then twitched his tail enticingly. Oh yes, he knew and he was playing along - unlike the first time Kinu had done it. Peyaru's strangled screech had brought guards, children, everyone running, and the young lord had looked abashed, standing there rubbing at his tail tip where Kinu had bitten him, caught between amusement - having the little hybrid hunting his tail really was quite funny - and embarrassment that he, an elite, had been caught out by a low-ki baby. Mahrayne had scolded Kinu for his actions, and he'd been apologetic, patting Peyaru's tail gently, but it hadn't stopped him hunting that tail again, and again - the white tip was just too tempting. Fortunately, Peyaru was good-natured about it and for the most part he was happy to play with Kinu in this fashion, after he'd impressed on the cub that it stopped being a game when he used his teeth.
Kinu's instincts for hunting had surfaced early. He'd caught his first insect before he was fifty days old - a spark-wing that had come too close - growling in frustration when his poisonous prey was taken away from him before he could eat it. And now more often than not, after he'd been to the gardens, the cub would bring back small, often mangled, creatures to share with his favourite people. Zorun was proud of his son, the cub was hunting successfully without using ki, and Mahrayne was delighted that her child seemed to be taking after her youngest brother. In fact, if they were living on Hassina, Kinu would already have been selected to be apprenticed to the hunters when he was a little older. But they weren't living on Hassina, and Kinu could do, and be, whatever he wanted…

It had been ten days since Mahrayne and Zorun could have intercourse again. She and Kinu were waiting in the suite for the male to come and pick them up; the family was getting ready for the evening meal, and the smell of the food was tickling Mahrayne's appetite - finally - she'd not been inclined to eat much over the past few days.
      The Hassinan, with Kelapa sitting silently beside her, watched fondly as Kinu gently stroked Zha'haarak's abdomen, his attention completely absorbed in the task. Hijau lay comfortably behind his bond-mate, cradling the gentle zn'hre tenderly. Mahrayne wasn't sure exactly what it was her son was doing during these sessions, though Kel said it *sounded* like Kinu was talking to the hostling. Zha'haarak had agreed, adding that his unborn child always seemed to be - attentive, was the only word he could think off, when Kinu *spoke* to him…
      Kinu gave Zha'haarak one final pat then sat back with an air of satisfaction.
      "'jau's sasleep." he announced.
      Zha'haarak stared at the child.
      "What did you say, little one?"
      "'jau's sasleep." Kinu said nonchalantly as he climbed into his mother's lap. Mahrayne saw the startled look that passed between the bondmates.
      "Is something the matter?" she asked.
      The bondmates shared another look, then Hijau spoke, frowning.
      "No, it's just… we hadn't told anybody what we'd decided to call the hostling."
      Zha'haarak smiled, placing a slim hand over his abdomen.
       "Za'jau must have told Kinu his name…"
      Mahrayne picked her child up and hugged him tightly, nuzzling his neck until he giggled.
       "Did the llahllan tell you his name? That's so sweet!"
       "Heh, at this rate, the brats'll be bonded before 'jau's born." Hijau smirked. Zha'haarak gently touched Mahrayne's arm in concern when she burst into tears.
       "'rayne?"
      "Oh I'm all right," Mahrayne wiped her eyes and sniffled, "it's just such a beautiful thought!" She beamed at Kel, who said nothing and Mahrayne's tender mood instantly snapped to one of mild irritation. Kelapa had been acting oddly all day, sort of distant and disapproving.
       "What?" Mahrayne said more sharply than she'd intended. Kelapa blinked, then smirked lop-sidedly, and kissed her cheek.
       "Nothing."
      Mahrayne frowned, not quite scowling: she wished Kel would tell her what she was thinking, and where the fuck was Zorun? She was starving!
       Fortunately for Mahrayne's temper, her mate appeared on the balcony at that moment. She kissed Kel lingeringly then hoisted Kinu in her arms and scrambled off the sleeping platform. Kelapa followed them out to the balcony, and watched as the trio disappeared over the palace roof.

Mahrayne hadn't been the only one to notice Kel's mood during the day. Leteetza watched her friend stalk out after the Hassinan, and when the warrior didn't come straight back inside, she went to join her out on the balcony.
       Leteetza frowned; Kelapa was tense, one hand balled up into a fist that was rhythmically tapping the balcony balustrade, and her scent…
       "What's the matter, Kel?"
      Kelapa turned to face her and Leteetza was disconcerted to see angry tears in her eyes.
       "What is it?"
       "Don't say anything yet," Kel grated out, "but I think 'rayne's pregnant again…"