Stillness is in the air. The stillness that occurs at the border between day and night, as the shadows fill the woods around the elder oak. The smoke from the cooking fire hangs in the air expectantly, as the life of the day settles down, and the night life, with it's various chirps, hoots and other calls wakes up.
Samantha smiles as she looks around. Magic is a thing of the places in between, that aren't of one thing or another. Twilight is her favorite time of day, for the potentials in it.
Nalae sits on one of the lower branches of the tree, relaxing and listening to the noises of the forest..
A sleek form slips onto the bank and shakes herself a little, then stretches and purrs softly, "Nalae? You around?"
Nalae twists her head around, then bounds over to a limb nearer the stream, accompanied by the ruffle of leaves. "Yeah, Acera?"
Acera grins and looks up, "What are ya up to?"
Nalae smiles down at the dark shape beneath her. "Nothing, really.. jus' thinking..."
Acera chitters, "Bout what?"
Nalae mms? "Oh.. just stuff.. you an' Sam.. Ma.. And my old home an' stuff..."
Acera nods, "You know, ma was going to keep looking for your folks. And those spacers might help. Maybe we should talk to her?"
Nalae nods slowly. "I guess, yeah.."
"Perhaps you should." Samantha is just sort of there, nobody remembers hearing her approach.
Nalae quickly scales down the trunk of the tree to join Samantha and Acera.
Acera runs up and snugs Samantha, "Hiya ma."
Jenora leans back against the tree, waiting calmly.
Jenora chirrrs as she hugs Acera back.
Samantha chirrrs as she hugs Acera back.
Nalae gives Samantha a small smile, remaining just a little behind and to one side of Acera.
Acera chitters, "So ma, did you see? The spacers are back."
Samantha nods. "I heard. The whole place is abuzz with gossip over the matter."
Nalae listens quietly, staying near to Acera's side.
Acera grins at Nalae, "Hey, she's your ma too. And she's nice to snug. Especially when ya just get out of the water. ;)"
Samantha says, "Apparently they want to set something up here, though the news is more than a little scrambled from tripping out of so many mouths."
Acera blinks, "They're building something here? Cool!"
Samantha sighs. "Ai, my own daughter treats me like a towel."
Nalae just fidgets a little and nods to Acera. "W-what sort of thing are they building?"
Samantha says, "As I said, I'm not sure. Too many different reports. The most common ideas were either a ring or a door. If you consider a big ring as a door frame, I suppose it could be both."
Nalae blinks. "A door to what?"
Acera says, "A big ring?""
Samantha says, "I don't know. Then there was the astronomer babbling about a giant cat and a big silver ring on one of the moons."
Nalae looks confused, but nods a little bit. It doesn't sound half as ridiculous as some of the things that Sam and Acera have asked her to believe...
Acera squints at her mother, "You cook some of that silly weed again?"
Samantha says, "Hopefully tomorrow things will have calmed down a little more and people will start making sense."
Samantha peers at Acera over the bridge of her nose. Not easy when the person you're peering at is taller than you. "I'm just relaying what people in town were saying."
Acera giggles, "Well, it sounds fun anyhow. Hey Nalae, maybe they'll take us flyin again?"
Nalae nods slowly. "Maybe.." She still isn't as thrilled about spacers as Acera is..
Acera chitters, "Or maybe a space ride. Any luck on finding Nalae's folks ma?"
Jenora says, "Not yet. Haven't found anything on this world, and I couldn't get near the spacers today. Either they were closeted up with the government types or crowds were hanging around."
Acera gives Nalae a snug, "Well, we'll find em, don't you worry."
Nalae nods a little bit, reaching to grasp Acera's hand. She doesn't look very convinced. "I guess..." She sighs, and pulls into the hug.
Jenora steps over, and rubs Nalae's shoulder gently. "If we knew more about how you got here it would help..."
Acera says, "Well, you've got family here too sis. And we'"
Acera says, "Well, you've got family here too sis. And we'll take good care of ya till then."
A few flecks of light start blinking here and there in the forest, a pale blue glow in tiny dots.
Nalae snuffles softly, remaining in the hug. She nods faintly. "Yeah... thank you.." She forces a little smile at Acera and Jenora...
Acera grins, "Hey, the light bugs are out."
Samantha looks up. "So they are..."
Nalae's eyes light, and she finally seems to cheer up a little as a different topic is brought up. "It's real pretty," she comments. "We never had anything like those back at home..."
Acera nods, "They come out in summer, when it gets sticky in the air. Right ma?"
Samantha nods. "They don't live for very long, unfortunately. Just a few weeks each year."
Nalae ohs softly.. "That's sad..."
Acera chitters, "Well, they have kids quick. So that there'll be new ones next year."
Samantha chuckles.
Nalae says, "Well it's sad anyway.. I mean, only livin' a couple of weeks..."
Samantha says, "They actually live for a little longer than that, just they don't make light for the earlier part of their lives."
Samantha smiles. "All that blinking and flitting about is their version of a courting ritual."
Acera grins, "So they get to spend most of their life as a kid? ;)"
Samantha says, "Well, they spend most of it cooped up in an egg, actually."
Nalae ohs softly...
Acera seems to find that much more boring, "Can we catch one and look at it ma?"
Samantha says, "Certainly, if you like. Just try not to hurt it in the process."
Acera grins at Samantha and chitters, "You wanna Nalae?"
Nalae blinks slowly. "How do you catch one? They move so fast.."
Acera hmmmms, "I dunno."
Acera looks at the elderly squirrel who adopted her long ago and chitters, "Can ya help us ma?"
Samantha steps back to the tree, and picks up a large wide-mouthed glass jar with a lid. "Try this... hold it open and see if some fly in, then use the lid to keep them from getting back out."
Acera oohs, "Or maybe Nalae could glide and try and catch them in mid air."
Samantha smiles. "They're a little more maneuverable than Nalae is, however."
Nalae smiles and nods, peering at the jar curiously.
Samantha holds out the jar to Nalae.
Nalae carefully takes the jar, sniffing at its smooth, transparent surface for a few moments.
Acera chuckles, "Glass doesnt' have a smell. Want me to chase them towards ya?"
Nalae ohs.. "Okay.." Glass is still a novelty for her; she never has quite gotten used to it.
Acera nods and races off and gets a branch and hands one to Samantha, "You want to help ma?" as she starts swinging carefully at the light bugs, guiding them to Nalae.
Samantha hikes up her skirts a bit as she takes the branch and walks around. "Oh, all right, get an early start on my second childhood. Or third. I've lost track."
Nalae grins a bit, holding the open end of the jar towards Samantha and Acera.
Acera chitters, "I think it's your fourth ma. You'll get it right one of these times" and gleefully tries to guide the quick little bugs towards the jar.
Nalae grins, moving the jar around in an effort to catch those little blinking lights...
Samantha flicks the branch along, herding the light bugs along. Most of them escape, of course, but enough follow the guided path.
Nalae beams as a few of the little bugs enter the jar, and suddenly looks a bit lost, uncertain of how to keep them inside...
Samantha says, "The lid is right beside you, Nalae..."
Nalae reaches for the lid, and almost drops the jar as she does so. Quickly, she regains her grip on the glass surface. Shifting her grip on the jar, she reaches to get the lid again, but by the time she's brought it back to the jar's mouth, the bugs have all escaped.
Samantha sighs. "Sorry. I should have got the lid for you."
Acera chuckles, "It's ok. We almost got them."
Nalae nodnods.. "There's lots more, anyways..."
Acera grins, "C'mon ma. I'll bet I can get more in than you. ;)"
Samantha stops for a moment to catch her breath. "Just give me a moment, then I'll teach you to question the wisdom of experience."
Acera giggles, and nods, "Sure ma. Whatever you say."
Samantha hmmphs.
Nalae grins, watching.
Samantha searches around for a moment, finally picking up a particular twig. She pulls out a flint and tinder and lights a spark onto the twig, causing a small, flickering flame on the end of it.
Samantha touches another leaf to the base of the flame, turning it bluish. She walks along with the tiny flame, with a small crowd of the light bugs forming around her.
Nalae wows!
Samantha gives Acera a slightly smug smile.
Acera chitters annoyedly, "Thats cheating!!"
Samantha says, "Yes, it is. Just one of a number of little tricks I've picked up over the years."
Samantha leads the cloud over to Nalae and the glass jar.
Acera's curiosity about the light bugs makes her forget her mother's cheating.
Samantha says, "You should learn to trust the wisdom of your elders. We're not all doddering old fools, you know." There's enough of a grin on her face to blunt any edge of what she says.
Nalae grins, and easily captures a whole mass of insects within the jar.
Samantha blows out the flame. Most of the bugs around her scatter again.
Acera grins and nods, and chitters, "Can I see? Can I see?"
Nalae grins, and holds the jar out towards Acera.
The light bugs, a bit confused, walk around. They look like flat leaves with long lacy antennae and big fuzzy feet. Their blue glow flashes underneath them as they walk around the inside of the jar, confused.
Nalae wows, peering into the jar..
Samantha nods as she peers inside. "Interesting, aren't they
Acera wows, "They sure are pretty. Aren't they Nalae?"
Nalae nods several times. "Yeah..."
The lights start flashing a bit slower, as if the light bugs are unhappy with their captivity.
Samantha says, "You should let them go soon."
Nalae nods quickly. "I don't wanna hurt them..." She carefully offers Acera one more peer into the jar before opening the lid.
Acera nods and watches them fly off.
Samantha leans back against a tree again, and smiles as she watches them.
Acera chitters, "They sure are pretty ma. Like little stars down here for us."
Samantha smiles, nodding. "They are, yes." She picks up the jar, and draws her cloak around herself. "I'll see you two later, all right? I've got... a couple of things to do."
Nalae nods softly. "G'night, Ma..." She smiles over at Acera.
Acera snugs Nalae and purrs, "Night ma. C'mon sis, lets get ready for bed, K?"
Samantha nods, and wanders off into the forest... remembering when she used to dance with the light bugs, and wanting to see if she can capture that again.
Nalae nods to Acera, and turns to head towards bed...
Acera chitters about various plans for getting rides, and finding Nalae's folks as she climbs up the tree with her.
Nalae follows along behind Acera, matching her pace. She remains mostly quiet, but listens to Acera's schemings.
The little mink, and her marenati friend curl up together in Acera's treehouse, the tarp door open. As both drift off, Acera could swear she hears music, and sees what looks like the dancing of a hundred blue lights, just before her eyes get to heavy and she succumbs to sleep.