A stray light filters through the dense overhead of the forest, printing the floors and undergrowth with a starry pattern of gold and stretches of silver dust as it trickles downwards. The genteel motions of water clamber through a small creek bed and a hush lays through the woods. It is as though the wilds are listening, hearing, and sighing to a rhythm similar to its own. Pipes, very carefully yet carelessly played sing through the leaves.
A muffled sound of large wings flapping can be heard. The large felitaur they belong to seems to be going rather slow for once, apparently searching for something in the forests outside Chareka. His large ears catch the music and he angles down toward it, noting it doesn't sound quite right, but maybe the person playing will know where Melora is, if it isn't her.
As the fluttering grows closer, across the water and towards an area that almost seems to be solid tree, the music hesitates once more. A novice almost at play it seems. Sounds fade almost suddenly as the flutist stops and a muttering ensues.
Copernicus blinks and lands at the edge of the pond and pads softly through the thick trees, towards where he heard the music last.
Melora heaves a sigh, looking down at her misshapen 'taur body. Her stomach is distended and heavy with pregnancy, a surprise she could find her way so far within the forests. She continues, speaking softly, "I wish I coul' promise ya so much, little ones. Don' know what t'expect meself. I wanted you to hear the pipes... to let you know I still will keep ya safe."
Copernicus's large ears flick a couple of times, and his whiskers droop at his mates words. He calls out softly, "Melora?" as he pads forward, looking for where she is hiding.
Melora looks away towards the trees across the smallish opening, "I know ya coul' hear.... " Her head turns, blinking at the trees to the right and tilting her head, "S'that you, mate?"
Copernicus pads in as her words locate her for him and he nods, "It's me Melora. Are you ok?"
Melora wedges herself up a little bit, from her crook in the trees. A spot where four trees meet at the base and leans out a bit. Her belly doesn't seem to move quite so much as she moves about it. "I'm fine, Coper. Jus snug in here... s'nuff room if ya want t'come in."
Copernicus nods and wiggles in alongside Melora, being a pretty flexible feline. "So, I heard you playing again. It was nice to hear that."
Melora glances down at the pipes still within her hands, "well... I wanted 'em t'hear it. They're bein more active y'know? They hear th'musics even out here."
Copernicus pats his mates side and nods, "Oh yes, they can hear quite well. And they become rambunctious long before they are born. Are you holding up ok?"
Melora Starlight is a felitaur, a beige white from nose to tail with
mottles of stark black and blue silver. The mottles hug across her shoulders
then drape dramatically in a single streamed waterfall down the center of her
back where they puddle once more between her feline shoulders and wings to
drop down each leg. Another very thin stream moves between shoulders and hips
of her feline torso, pooling mottles then splashing down the rear legs in
rivulets of dark in the cream. Her tail remains almost untouched.
Looking towards her face you see that the same color patterns have touched
her features. Dribbles of furry black slide across her muzzle and her eartips
look to have been dipped in that blackness. She's headfur as well, where the
fuzz at the top has taken the time to grow longer than that of the rest of
her body in black ebony and white folds. While it grows much too quickly, she
keeps it close to her shoulders in length, the bob emphasizing her golden
colored almond shaped eyes. Here, a smile plays across her expression,
if a bit of a haunted quality does as well.
Presently her sides are very large as she is very pregnant and near to term.
Color washes from the young winged felitaur now. Her wings, brilliant
before almost sparkle as the little metal disks that are the fine scales
move against each other. Each minute plate is a rainbow of it's own, made
of a type of niobium based metal. They ring together in muted tones, almost
like a small waterfall of glass.
Melora says, "M'mother used t'play fer me when I started t'move too much. She said it calmed m'down and I'd stop movin' to listen. They do too.""
Copernicus chuckles, "I'll have to suggest that to the medical council. I know my mothers would have appreciated it. But you didn't answer my question. How are you doing kecharra?"
Melora tucks the pipes away once more, looking down at her body again. "S'cuz I don' have a real answer fer ya. I'm th'same as yesterday.. an th'day befer. An b'fer that. Only difference is bein bigger each mornin... at least I feel that. Imbri says I ain't noticeably bigger. T'day th'babes are quiet. They didn't sleep last night."
Melora adds, quietly, "I felt evera wriggle and kick an stretch."
Copernicus rubs his side against you and nods, "I'd like to spend more time with you as you get further on Melora. My mother has told me that Imbri is being challenged for something she did in helping you, and I'll have to go to some sort of hearing eventually. But it doesn't sound like it will take even an hour, so there is no reason I can't spend more time with you. Do you still feel...out of place here?"
Melora tilts her head a moment then asks, "iffin it's me that was helped or whatever, shouldn't it be me who's goin inta that type o'thing? I mean.. I may be pregnant, but I'm pretty much okay."
Copernicus nods, "I was going to say that too, but they said it's not about you yet. Rather odd, I've never seen such a close muzzled group. If it comes up that Imbri is truly in trouble, I should be able to demand that you can speak in her defense."
Copernicus looks at Melora softly, "How are you dealing with your new appearance? I think you are just as lovely as ever, even if your fur has reversed colors."
Melora flicks both her ears back and her shoulders shrug, "it's.. strange feelin, bein so big. An m'wings feel thicker in ways. Odder is that I seem t'have greater reach wi'them though, I don' think I coula gotten out here this far wi'me other ... shape ?"
Melora adds, "An bein so far along in m'term, too, which is bein odd."
Copernicus nods, "Well I've always thought...er, nevermind."
Melora looks over for a moment, prompting, "Thought what?"
Copernicus looks down, "I've always wondered, they way your wings are attached, if a lot of your flight was due to your...magic."
Melora looks over her shoulders at where her wings touch her body, "attached? B'they're on right. All Tali'nor Conda have wings like that."
Copernicus nods, "I know. And, from what we know of how wings work, you ...you shouldn't be able to fly very well if it was just powered by your wings flapping."
Melora frowns a little bit and looks over at Copernicus, "Yer sayin I shouldn' be able t'be flyin t'all?"
Melora says, "In this shape, that is.. wi'the baby weight."
Copernicus snugs, "Very poorly at best. I have a hunch that all Talinor'Conda use magic to enhance their flight."
Melora snorts, "Talkin' like that's a fast way t'git run out at knife point, from m'home. Iffin.. well, if we ever do manage t'find it, promise me not t'say 'magic' in front o'annaone?"
Copernicus nods, "I won't. Right now saying "magic" in front of my people has nearly the same effect. They are STILL trying to find some non magical reason for what happened here. And they can't."
Melora blinks, looks down and over then reaches over quickly to pull Coper's hand to her behemoth belly. A hard 'thump' feeling comes from within once more then a lengthy pressure against the side. Mel's face displays the discomfort of that babe's action.
Copernicus grins softly, "My, they're going to be little stinkers when they are born. Oh, the doctors wonder if you want any assistance at the birth?"
Melora says, "Jus like papa... hm, assistance? Um... I didn't think o'that."
Melora pats at the side a moment then says, "I suppose that th'docs are itchin t'see th'birthin?"
Copernicus grins, "Hopefully not just like me. Poor kids deserve better. It's not that Melora, but I told them you left when young, so may not be familiar with giving birth. Imbri can assist you if you want. And I can probably assist her with a bit of training."
Melora frowns a bit and looks to think again. "I know... some o'what goes inta it. I was supposed t'be the historian o'the tribe, an I watched a few birthins. Usually we go off t'have the babes." She glances around then sighs, "Doubt it'll happen here ."
Copernicus snugs, "If you want it to happen, it will. You are not forced to be with a doctor, though I would like to be with you if I could?"
Melora lifts up her chin and grins, as she used to, "actually, I'd decided t'have th'birthin at dinnertime in front o'yer father in three weeks."
Copernicus hmms, "A rather unique tradition, but you are family. What needs to be served for dinner?"
Copernicus tries to keep a straight face for this one.
Melora says, "Prolly smelly salts."
Copernicus giggles, "The family usually gathers around the mother as she gives birth, though not at dinner. ;)"
Melora leans over and gives Copernicus a kiss, lightly, "I'm teasin. I can' be predictin when they're gonna come. N'till I hit labor o'course."
Copernicus nods and snugs, "So, what would you like to do this evening Melora?"
Melora looks about then says simply, "Mubbe go take a walk down that market place... after figurin out how I'm gonna b'gittin out o'this tree."
Copernicus grins at his mate, "Well, I can be useful for something at least. I can help you out of here."
Melora pushes her way up from her sitting place, seeming to struggle with the concept of 'standing' for a moment. Panting, she says quietly, "I'm glad I ain't jus got two legs, instead of two arms. C'n ya imagine tryin t'balance alla *this* as well as carry it?"
Copernicus nods, "I've always thought bipeds looked like they were constantly in danger of falling." As he helps steady Melora.
Melora points to the western side. "I think I came in there... s'the widest, I hope." She picks up her ratting old backpack and tosses it between her wings.
Copernicus hmms and grins, "Well, I could cut out a tree for you. ;)"
Melora promptly shakes her head and says, with emphasis, "No."
Copernicus chuckles, "I was joking Melora. The forests here are to be protected, not abused. C'mon, I'll push from behind if you need it."
Melora slowly clambers out of the tree's joining, slipping only once on her way down and holding on from time to time.
Melora pauses at the bottom and glances skyward to the tree-canopy. "Coper?"
Copernicus nods, "Hmm?"
Melora says, "Ya've been to alot of different ... worlds?"
Copernicus nods, "Quite a few during my space training. And about...4 or 5 even when on my last "home", where I met you."
Melora nods then looks down, to continue her padding to a clearer area for takeoff. "What if... let's say, that ya've done somethin every single night fer several seasons.. an ya go visit a planet. Now.. that thin ya've done is suddenly so different ya don't know how t'do it fer sure. What do ya do?
Copernicus hmms, "Well, I guess I'd have to figure out the purpose of what I did, and see how it fit into the new world. How it could be adapted."
Melora paces a bit farther, quietly, contemplating that idea.
Melora says hesitantly, "An if ya can't readily say how it'd fit, iffin it'd fit at all?"
Copernicus purrs, "Life is about change Melora, and how we deal with those changes. Or more importantly, how we TRY and deal with them. If it was something very important to me, I'd maybe experiment. Or maybe ask someone from that world what they thought. "
Melora nods her head once more then looks up. She frowns a bit deeper then says, "D'ya know about Shara? Sunchaser, mother?"
Copernicus purrs, "You've told me a little about her, yes."
Melora steps about a large limb in the undergrowth and continues, "Well... I'd like fer these two t'know of her, t'know the music made fer her.. but I c'nt really play here." A step into the clearing for flight now.
Copernicus nods, "I want them to learn about your way of life too. And maybe also mine. but why can't you play here?"
Melora stops in the clearing then takes a deep breath. She glances up now, looking at sky as she says, "Shara runs th'wrong way here. Backwards... which ain't right."
Copernicus nods, "Tharhome rotates differently, so the moons move in opposite directions of what you are used to, but they still protect us in their own way. The tides they create keep the oceans here alive and well."
Melora looks apologetic, "I never said they didn't... but, Coper, how c'n ya sing in Star's Rise iffin they're sneakin in b'hind ya from the back way?"
Copernicus hmms, "Is it blasphemy to face the other way when you play?"
Melora shrugs her shoulders, "I dunno.. an I c'nt tell."
Copernicus purrs, "We turn differently here. But the sun sets in one direction and rises in the other. The stars and moons follow behind it. The only difference is the direction, which amazes me, you must have some sense of magnetic poles to realize that. Could you just try facing where our stars rise? Odds are, many of those stars and some of the same ones that shine over your world too."
Melora says, "I don' know annathin about any type of poles. I ain't seen anna except for those clothes some hung in the air wi'writing on 'em."
Copernicus ahs at the mention of flagpoles, "Never mind about that. But I'd like our children to know your music. Can you not just face the other way? If Shara protects all her children, does it matter if she chooses to go in other directions in some plac es?"
Melora stops and looks at Copernicus for a moment, as if determining how serious he is. She nods then says, "I'll have t'think on that one.... it's a good question."
Copernicus looks to be quite serious, he believes in a creator, by any name, that looks over her creations. He also often swears by the "First Mother" who was quite a mortal Chirr'T'Thar, though one of the most impressive.
Melora backs up a couple paces, as if a kitten about to pounce then leaps into the air with a downbeat of those now shimmery wings. Like hundreds of little chimes, they ring with the air, though that's less and less, and she's airborn. Sluggish, but in the air.
Copernicus leaps into the air after Melora, and flies to the side and slightly below.
Melora spreads those wings at the fullest, gliding most of her way back to where she now lives. She's quiet most of the way, but seeming to be mulling over things within her head.
Copernicus watches Melora quietly and ponders, noting that the Chirr'T'Thar themselves still seem to be wondering about where their place in the universe is, course moving them to another galaxy didn't help much.
... And evening falls within the household. Days later, however...
or should I say nights...
Atop of the tallest building within Tharhome lurks a shadow among the moonbeams. She gazes around for a moment then pauses before one edge of the building where she settles down. Both front paws hang off the edge of the rooftop and with but a glance behind her, Melora raises a set of pipes to her lips. A sweet sound begins to drift from them in the wee hours of the morning, new to the city she now lives within. Brilliant to the starlight and greeting. Welcoming. Embracing the moonlight from above. Tension seeps from the white feline with older-than-she notes.
Down below the playing, one pair of eyes opens amongst the piled up Skygazer family. They get a bit moist as he grins softly and purrs, "Thank you Shara."