"More, we must talk, in depth, of what our Order should know of your meeting with Vartra."
A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Lijou's meal.
* * *
Carrie stood looking down at the freshly bathed cub lying on the padded nursery surface. The infant— her daughter— lay on her stomach, limbs splayed slightly out from her body, hands spread wide. Her skin, still pink from her bath, showed through the blonde down that covered her. The tiny tail, barely more than a short, stubby triangle, was held close to her rear. It was hard to think that she'd given birth to this small furred scrap.
The cub lifted her head an inch or two off the mat and sniffed the air, blindly searching for her mother. She gave a soft mewl of distress.
"Well, pick up your daughter, child," said Noni brusquely. "Don't let her get upset or she'll not settle properly for her feed."
Leaning down, Carrie carefully folded the cloth around her cub, picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Noni watched as she settled herself.
"So Tallinu delivered her, did he? A novel experience for all of you, I'll not doubt! A useful male to have about." She peered sharply at Carrie as she began to feed her infant. "You do intend to keep him, don't you?"
"Yes, Noni, I do," she said, wincing as Kashini's hands, claws splayed, began to open and close against her breast. "Ouch! Her teeth are bad enough, but those claws of hers!"
"It's only for a few weeks, child. You should wrap her arms tight in her blanket if it's that painful."
"No, I couldn't do that to her," she said, gently caressing her cub's head with her free hand. "She'd feel trapped. She needs to be free to move as she wants." She looked over to where the old Sholan sat. "You know, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about her, but somehow it doesn't seem important that she isn't like me. She's my daughter and that's all that matters." Reflexively she held her baby closer, feeling a surge of love welling up within her.
"That's blood talking to blood, child," Noni laughed gently. "Would you listen to her? I can hear her purring from here! You and she have bonded all right!"
Despite their talk about Kashini, Carrie could sense Noni was more interested in Kaid. Now that the old Sholan knew she and her cub were bonded, she'd turned her mind to other matters. Well, if she wanted to know, she could damned well ask! Noni had been enigmatic with all of them often enough, now it was her turn.
After a few minutes of silence, Noni finally let her curiosity get the better of her.
"And how did your night with Tallinu go? You left before I had chance to ask you. It has only been the once so far, hasn't it?"
"So far," agreed Kaid from the open doorway. "As for how our night went, shame on you for asking, Noni!"
Carrie looked up, smiling in pleasure to see him. They were so different, he and Kusac. Her husband, the telepath and scholar, as dark-pelted as midnight, and Kaid, the highly disciplined warrior-priest, his fur the color of the desert soil at Khezy'ipik. How could she care so deeply for two such different males?
"Have you no more respect for your elders than to go sneakin' up on them like that?" Noni demanded tartly.
"Not a lot," he replied, coming over to Carrie. "Kusac will be here in a few minutes to escort you down to the aircar." He reached out impulsively to touch Carrie's cheek.
"Hmpf!" said Noni, pushing herself slowly up from her chair. "So you're not a lovesick youngling! You do a fair job of imitating one!"
"You'll not goad me today, Noni," he said.
Carrie took his hand in hers and urged him to sit beside her. As he did, his larger hand enveloped hers, keeping it within his grasp. "I've come to spend a little time with Carrie, if she doesn't mind, not to argue with you."
"I'd like that," said Carrie, aware of his grip tightening gently as she spoke.
"I suppose I'd better leave you in peace," Noni grumbled, turning away from them and making her way slowly to the door.
When she'd
A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Lijou's meal.
* * *
Carrie stood looking down at the freshly bathed cub lying on the padded nursery surface. The infant— her daughter— lay on her stomach, limbs splayed slightly out from her body, hands spread wide. Her skin, still pink from her bath, showed through the blonde down that covered her. The tiny tail, barely more than a short, stubby triangle, was held close to her rear. It was hard to think that she'd given birth to this small furred scrap.
The cub lifted her head an inch or two off the mat and sniffed the air, blindly searching for her mother. She gave a soft mewl of distress.
"Well, pick up your daughter, child," said Noni brusquely. "Don't let her get upset or she'll not settle properly for her feed."
Leaning down, Carrie carefully folded the cloth around her cub, picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Noni watched as she settled herself.
"So Tallinu delivered her, did he? A novel experience for all of you, I'll not doubt! A useful male to have about." She peered sharply at Carrie as she began to feed her infant. "You do intend to keep him, don't you?"
"Yes, Noni, I do," she said, wincing as Kashini's hands, claws splayed, began to open and close against her breast. "Ouch! Her teeth are bad enough, but those claws of hers!"
"It's only for a few weeks, child. You should wrap her arms tight in her blanket if it's that painful."
"No, I couldn't do that to her," she said, gently caressing her cub's head with her free hand. "She'd feel trapped. She needs to be free to move as she wants." She looked over to where the old Sholan sat. "You know, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about her, but somehow it doesn't seem important that she isn't like me. She's my daughter and that's all that matters." Reflexively she held her baby closer, feeling a surge of love welling up within her.
"That's blood talking to blood, child," Noni laughed gently. "Would you listen to her? I can hear her purring from here! You and she have bonded all right!"
Despite their talk about Kashini, Carrie could sense Noni was more interested in Kaid. Now that the old Sholan knew she and her cub were bonded, she'd turned her mind to other matters. Well, if she wanted to know, she could damned well ask! Noni had been enigmatic with all of them often enough, now it was her turn.
After a few minutes of silence, Noni finally let her curiosity get the better of her.
"And how did your night with Tallinu go? You left before I had chance to ask you. It has only been the once so far, hasn't it?"
"So far," agreed Kaid from the open doorway. "As for how our night went, shame on you for asking, Noni!"
Carrie looked up, smiling in pleasure to see him. They were so different, he and Kusac. Her husband, the telepath and scholar, as dark-pelted as midnight, and Kaid, the highly disciplined warrior-priest, his fur the color of the desert soil at Khezy'ipik. How could she care so deeply for two such different males?
"Have you no more respect for your elders than to go sneakin' up on them like that?" Noni demanded tartly.
"Not a lot," he replied, coming over to Carrie. "Kusac will be here in a few minutes to escort you down to the aircar." He reached out impulsively to touch Carrie's cheek.
"Hmpf!" said Noni, pushing herself slowly up from her chair. "So you're not a lovesick youngling! You do a fair job of imitating one!"
"You'll not goad me today, Noni," he said.
Carrie took his hand in hers and urged him to sit beside her. As he did, his larger hand enveloped hers, keeping it within his grasp. "I've come to spend a little time with Carrie, if she doesn't mind, not to argue with you."
"I'd like that," said Carrie, aware of his grip tightening gently as she spoke.
"I suppose I'd better leave you in peace," Noni grumbled, turning away from them and making her way slowly to the door.
When she'd
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