I'm ready. For Breakfast. And Bed. I'll crawl out of bed and chex my e-mail from time-to-time today.
I'm ready. For Breakfast. And Bed. I'll crawl out of bed and chex my e-mail from time-to-time today.
I'm here!
Hello. I'll check back later this afternoon. I'm off to bed for the morning.
That night, as the ambient light gives way to total darkness, the dreamsharing occurs for Sky. This time something is different. He feels... warm and safe. Something, it sounds faraway, is beating out a steady rhythm. Then he feels something hard pressed against his... no someone else's back, the rhythm becomes faint and faster. But then the warmth returns, the rhythm strong. This causes a memory of a time long ago, when all this occured to Sky. He wakes suddenly, a chill sweat covers his body. Though he can not see, he looks in the direction of Blodwen's breathing. She is sleeping soundly, and he remembers barely the memory he was having before the strange dream, of learning to hunt and his first succesful spell. But the dream had not felt like hers, not entirely. It reminds him of something he once heard, a legend of the World Spirit's...
"Oh..."
Realization hits like an earth elemental, and unrestrained happiness flows through him. He lies back down silently, and stares into the complete darkness, listening to the sounds the Eyrie asleep, and waits...
This time something is different. He feels... Something. Then he feels something hard pressed against his...
This time something is different. He feels... Something. Then he feels something hard pressed against his...
Blodwen woke up feeling disoriented. There was something funny about her dream, but she couldn't remember what it was. She stumbled out of the nest doing her best not to disturb anyone else's sleep and headed for the bathroom.
She felt a little odd, but chalked it up to lack of sleep. She headed back to the nest to go back to sleep, but about halfway there fell down unconcious.
Blodwen woke up feeling disoriented. There was something funny about her dream, but she couldn't remember what it was. She stumbled out of the nest doing her best not to disturb anyone else's sleep and headed for the bathroom.
She felt a little odd, but chalked it up to lack of sleep. She headed back to the nest to go back to sleep, but about halfway there fell down unconcious.
Sky thought about voicing to Blodwen his suspicions, but thought it might be best to wait for morning so he could ask Hlawith for any signs. He was considering asking LJ or Djuhah too when he felt a faint breeze and something hit his body. He hadn't heard anything, and the feeling was gone almost as soon as it had arrived, so what had it been. Minutes pass. He feels uneasy, it has been to long, much to long, since Blodwen left. He gently calls for her with his mind, and sits up quickly when he doesn't get an answer. He calls out louder, and still gets no reply.
"Something wrong, but what could have possible happened while we're in the Eyrie?"
He sends wind throughout the Eyrie, using them as his eyes, searching the lower levels first in case she had fallen, but he found her halfway back to the nest from the bathroom on this level. He moved quickly to her side, wooried. He healed a small bump on her head, and realized she had fainted, but why? He carries her back to the nest and tries to talk to her again.
:Blodwen, are you okay? What happened? Is the ba.. Is there anything wrong?:
He sends wind throughout the Eyrie, using them as his eyes, searching the lower levels first in case she had fallen, but he found her halfway back to the nest from the bathroom on this level. He moved quickly to her side, wooried. He healed a small bump on her head, and realized she had fainted, but why? He carries her back to the nest and tries to talk to her again.
:Blodwen, are you okay? What happened? Is the ba.. Is there anything wrong?:
:Sky? Wha-? What happened?: Her mental voice sounds muzzy and confused as she returns to consciousness, growing clearer and more aware as she fully wakes up.
:I was on my way back to the nest. I had a strange dream, but I can't remember...I got up to go to the bathroom, and on the way back I felt funny. And then..Did I faint???:
:Yeah, and got a small bump on the head as a reward. Congratulations! Hm, you had a weird dream too? I don't the one I had was mine, but it made me feel warm and safe. I could hear a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat. So are you okay?:
:Yeah, and got a small bump on the head as a reward. Congratulations! Hm, you had a weird dream too? I don't the one I had was mine, but it made me feel warm and safe. I could hear a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat. So are you okay?:
:A steady....like a....heartbeat? And I....: He can feel rising panic in her mental voice as she tries to process things. If she doesn't calm down soon she'll probably pass out again.
:Yeah, and got a small bump on the head as a reward. Congratulations! Hm, you had a weird dream too? I don't the one I had was mine, but it made me feel warm and safe. I could hear a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat. So are you okay?::A steady....like a....heartbeat? And I....: He can feel rising panic in her mental voice as she tries to process things. If she doesn't calm down soon she'll probably pass out again.
:If you faint again I'll use the create water spell to wake you back up. Calm down eranoyeh.:
He searches his memories, and chooses a recent one. He takes the feeling he got while flying above the Eyrie with a child on his back, and shares it with her.
:What were you thinking about that caused you to react that way?:
Somewhere on the Eyrie, a young boy sleeps a pleasant dream for the first time in months. Warm and full of belly, Tristan innocently passes the night away. His dream is pleasant, of a new home, of high mountains, of a great eagles, and family, long gone yet with him.
A figure soon steps into the chamber where he sleeps. It is a ghostly vestige of his mother. She looks about the Eyrie and nods in agreement. She places her hand upon his chest and lifts his spirit from his body. Asleep still and cradled innocently, his mother weeps for she can not hold him in real arms nor can she touch his cheek. However, she does what she can for his spirit and the night dreams.
After the length of the night and the rising dawn, his mother rejoins his soul to his body. "I will be with you forever," she whispers.
And soon she is gone.
:If you faint again I'll use the create water spell to wake you back up. Calm down eranoyeh.:
He searches his memories, and chooses a recent one. He takes the feeling he got while flying above the Eyrie with a child on his back, and shares it with her.
:What were you thinking about that caused you to react that way?:
She takes several deep breaths trying to calm down.
Her mental voice still feels pretty shaky.
:I've been so busy with the fledglings that I haven't been particularly aware of myself lately. I barely remember to eat and sleep seems to be something that happens to other people. I just need to stop and figure things out before I panic. But I'm making no promises about not panicking later.:
She leans her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes. Her breathing slows down as she goes into a meditative trance. She stays like that for a few minutes before her eyes fly open and she looks up at him completely terrified.
:I...we...baby...how did this...I should have paid more attention....oh gods...I could have...you're not supposed to shift when....:
She blacked out again.
She takes several deep breaths trying to calm down.
Her mental voice still feels pretty shaky.
:I've been so busy with the fledglings that I haven't been particularly aware of myself lately. I barely remember to eat and sleep seems to be something that happens to other people. I just need to stop and figure things out before I panic. But I'm making no promises about not panicking later.:
She leans her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes. Her breathing slows down as she goes into a meditative trance. She stays like that for a few minutes before her eyes fly open and she looks up at him completely terrified.
:I...we...baby...how did this...I should have paid more attention....oh gods...I could have...you're not supposed to shift when....:
She blacked out again.
Sky shakes his head, smiling. He pulls some of the bear meat from his pack, glad to see the spells that keep the food fresh are still working. He then holds true to his promise, and water splashes down on Blodwen. Before she can even start to talk, he holds up a hand.
:Don't worry. Don't talk. Shift. Eat.:
He cuts her off as she tries to speak up again.
:The baby will be fine, even if you shift. When you shift, an egg shifts around it. Pregnant lycanthropes shift all the time, and the babies are always born healthy. Eat.:
Sky shakes his head, smiling. He pulls some of the bear meat from his pack, glad to see the spells that keep the food fresh are still working. He then holds true to his promise, and water splashes down on Blodwen. Before she can even start to talk, he holds up a hand.
:Don't worry. Don't talk. Shift. Eat.:
He cuts her off as she tries to speak up again.
:The baby will be fine, even if you shift. When you shift, an egg shifts around it. Pregnant lycanthropes shift all the time, and the babies are always born healthy. Eat.:
She seemed hesitant to shift, but the smell of food was so enticing. She shifted slowly, focusing on what was happening to the baby as she did so.
:You're right,: she said, surprised. :The baby doesn't seem to have a problem with shifting at all. I didn't realize. Starhawk babies aren't usually so accomodating. Shifting while pregnant is usually disastrous.:
Obviously much calmer and happier now she devours the bear meat in record time.
:I guess I'm going to have to be more careful now about skipping meals,: she said sheepishly.
:It also means I'm going to have Freefall stay close to you when I can't. And that I'm going to make you take naps at least once a day.:
He hasn't stopped smiling since she fainted the second time. He looks at the still sleeping nestlings.
:I really couldn't have asked for a better place to raise them all, and soon they'll have a new little brother or sister. It does mean we need to think off a new name though, and when we're going to tell anyone. Oh, I almost forgot, Freefall says congratulations. He went out to find a plump deer for you, he didn't think the bear meat would be enough.:
He leans in closer.
:I think he just wants to show off so we'll name the baby after him.:
:It also means I'm going to have Freefall stay close to you when I can't. And that I'm going to make you take naps at least once a day.:
He hasn't stopped smiling since she fainted the second time. He looks at the still sleeping nestlings.
:I really couldn't have asked for a better place to raise them all, and soon they'll have a new little brother or sister. It does mean we need to think off a new name though, and when we're going to tell anyone. Oh, I almost forgot, Freefall says congratulations. He went out to find a plump deer for you, he didn't think the bear meat would be enough.:
He leans in closer.
:I think he just wants to show off so we'll name the baby after him.:
She laughed and shifted back into her human form. She hugged him, bubbling with happiness now that her initial panic was past.
:I suppose I'll learn to deal with naps. So, eranoyeh, do you already have a name in mind? I wonder what our baby is going to be like. What does a half-eagle, half-starhawk even look like? I'm not really sure when we should tell people. We have a lot of nestlings, but this is the first time I've ever had a baby.:
She laughed and shifted back into her human form. She hugged him, bubbling with happiness now that her initial panic was past.
:I suppose I'll learn to deal with naps. So, eranoyeh, do you already have a name in mind? I wonder what our baby is going to be like. What does a half-eagle, half-starhawk even look like? I'm not really sure when we should tell people. We have a lot of nestlings, but this is the first time I've ever had a baby.:
:Well, I have one idea, if the child's a girl. But I think I'll wait before I commit to a name. As for what the baby will look like? A little like you, a little like me, and a little like out ancestors. At the rate the nestlings are growing, they may not even be in the nest by the time the baby arrives. You can ask Hlawith about ways to make the pregnancy easier, and you can say you just want to be ready when the time comes, since you are sharing a nest. It will be my first baby too, technically, and I know less than you do.:
Sky looks up and smiles, because Freefall is back with a young stag in his talons. He places it in front of Blodwen, and bobs his head in congratulations. He settles down next to the little ones, and watches as Notin shifts in her sleep.
:Oh no, Devlyn's going to want to buy me drinks...:
:Well, I have one idea, if the child's a girl. But I think I'll wait before I commit to a name. As for what the baby will look like? A little like you, a little like me, and a little like out ancestors. At the rate the nestlings are growing, they may not even be in the nest by the time the baby arrives. You can ask Hlawith about ways to make the pregnancy easier, and you can say you just want to be ready when the time comes, since you are sharing a nest. It will be my first baby too, technically, and I know less than you do.:
Sky looks up and smiles, because Freefall is back with a young stag in his talons. He places it in front of Blodwen, and bobs his head in congratulations. He settles down next to the little ones, and watches as Notin shifts in her sleep.
:Oh no, Devlyn's going to want to buy me drinks...:
She laughs. :Somehow I think you'll manage. Neutralize Poison works wonders for that I hear.:
She shifted back into her starhawk form and neatly and thoroughly devoured the deer.
:I guess I was hungrier than I thought,: she said porting the bones and hide away away from the nest to the community trash pile.
She shifted back to human and yawned. :And sleepier.:
Blodwen curled up and fell asleep almost immediately. She didn't even wake up when Amiri rolled over in his sleep and kicked her head. or when Nodin decided to use her arm as a pillow.