Melora tries to scoop up Tycho.
Tycho wraps his small forelegs and arms around Melora in a hug.
Melora says, "C'm on you two..." as she slips Chrissa onto her back to the spot between her wings, "time fer bed fer both of ye. An no, ye can't stay up and wait for yer pappa."
Melora hefts up Tycho and murmurs, "soon I won' be able t'lift either of you, y'know. You're growing big."
Chrissa wrinkles her nosepad a bit as she's evicted from her spot in Melora's arms. But she snuggles in against Melora's back, sparing only a brief jealous glance at Tycho.
Tycho mrrrps at Melora with a smile, oblivious to his sister.
Melora pads towards the sleeping areas with the children. "Pappa's t'be back sometime t'night, but it's time fer even me t'be sleeping soon." She shifts Tycho a bit to enter the doorway.
Tycho clings in that velcro like way that young kits have. Luckily his claws are short, and Melora's fur is thick.
Melora reaches the sleeping area and tries to settle Tycho into his nest of pillows and blankets.
Chrissa tenderly nudges at Melora's back, fearful of being forgotten.
Tycho noses his mother, then looks up and headrubs his sister playfully.
Melora reaches about and finds Chrissa between her blades. "Ooooh, lookit what I've found! A pretty spring flower." Scoop and the little girl's in her arms. A soft nuzzle finds it's way to the kitling's nose as the other hand ruffles Tycho.
A large black spotted white lump rustles slightly nearby, but Ceres is gone from the world in the way only felines seem to enjoy.
Chrissa prrrrrrs softly, gently lapping at her mother's nosepad.
Tycho mews softly and cuddles up close to his mother, purring softly as he closes his eyes, enjoying her mother's scritching.
Melora purrs quite warmly for both of them as she settles Chrissa into her pillow nest as well. "So.. who would like a sleep time story?"
The outlines of both Libra and Aurora, and a quiet Imbri can be just barely made out, sleeping in a haphazard pile in the fashion of the Chirr'T'Thar.
Tycho leans his forehead into Melora's scritching and purrrs enthusiastically. Possibly even for the story.
Chrissa watches Melora quietly, smiling a little.
Melora purrs softly, "How 'bout th'story of why Shara shines at night?" she settles down in front of the billowy nests, snuggled up to her children comfortably. Both wings fold down and hang to her sides.
Tycho scritches Melora and purrs, "Story!"
Melora pulls a few of the blankets closer as she starts in a quiet purr. "You remember the songs of Shara, how she ran into the skies to join th'lights of the stars. She wasn't always shining for us even if she was white in color. I'd like to tell you about why she spreads her light to touch us every night."
Chrissa gently cuddles in closer to Melora, closing her eyes.
Tycho licks his whiskers and nose, then looks up at his mom, spellbound.
Melora reaches out to touch Tycho on the back, giving him a scritch for a moment. She purrs for Chrissa, deep and resonant behind the words, comforting. "Shara lifted t'the sky, padding across the stars t'run each night, chased by one who cared but couln't touch her, th'bright sun. Both woul' circle us, he by day and she by dark."
Melora says, "We coul' watch her every night, a little white colored circle that danced through th'stars, but we couldn't see even th'trees around us, told the ancients, but they did say that she was tiring. So verra tired, because running such a long distance is hard."
Chrissa slowly drifts to sleep, having tired herself out by a long day of play (mostly involving getting underfoot of as many Chirr'T'Thar as possible), and gently cuddles close to Melora.
Melora the purring is soft, rhythmic for the cubs as she storytells, keeping her movements very quiet. "B'fer annaone knew it, th'sun touched th'moon Shara and raced past her. She was a small sliver of white racing through the stars and grew, and grew wi' each passing day. More white, 'n more white until a big round circle marked where she ran."
Melora pauses in her story for but a moment, gazing at each kitling for a moment then glancing over towards the darkened door as if looking for someone. She tones down her purring somewhat, letting it become a small vibration warmth.
A small breeze kicks up for a moment, and then Copernicus pads into the tent quietly and snugs Melora and scritches the kits softly, "How goes Kecharra ?."
Melora glances back up and holds a finger to her lips. "Shh... putting the kits to bedding. Storytime." She smiles a bit more, then peers worriedly, hoping the kits aren't ready to bound out of their nooks.
Chrissa looks up, mewling quietly in protest as Melora sets her down.
Tycho mrrrples and rolls over onto his back, but is in no danger of moving anywhere soon.
Copernicus nods and turns around and settles at Melora's flank.
Melora scritches very gently between Chrissa's wings, right where the fur is hard to reach. She purrs gently, "Anyway.. soon everyone knew that Shara was with child, glowing brightly within' the skies above. Her white fur beamed with silvery light which shone in the sky. The night was brighter, but the land wasn't."
Chrissa purrs softly, settling back down.
Copernicus curls a wing around Melora and gently scritches both the cubs, marvelling at how fast they are growing at the same time Melora is worried about how slow they are developing.
Melora says, "As she raced across the sky she gave birth to two children, because we always have two kits, and each became a brilliant star falling to the ground. They fell because small kitlings can't run fast 'nough to stay within' the skies, and landed in a patch of sweet grass ever so softly.""
Melora purrs and touches the kitlings on the nose, "And oh they were so very pretty, just like you little kitlings, full of color and fur and wondrous eyes. Shara's sister found them glowing in the grasslands and took them home while Shara ran through the skies above, shrinking again until she was darkness in the skies."
Chrissa instinctively draws her head back as Melora touches her nosepad. She mewls softly, peering up at her parents.
Tycho hmmmfs at Chrissa and mrrples, "When fly?" but is half asleep.
Melora says, "As they lay there in the darkness, though, they cried to the night, "Momma, it's too dark for me to find you. Where are you?" And Shara did hear their mewling but she couldn't stop racing."
Copernicus shhhs Tycho and whispers, "I'll take you both tomorrow." and snugs Melora.
Chrissa peers up at Melora quietly, her tail twining about one of her legs.
Melora stretches one wing just a moment then settles it quietly. She speaks softly, purring, "As she ran, the sun caught up with her again. As he passed this time, though, she grasped a sliver of light and held onto it. Her white fur beamed once more and she began to grow large with child." She pauses just long enough to lick Coper's nose.
Copernicus hmmmmms and wonders if this is another hint from Melora? Probably not.
Copernicus chuckles and nibbles Melora's ear for a moment, then rests his chin on her shoulder as he listens to the story.
Chrissa reaches up towards Copernicus, mewling softly as her tail continues to twine about her legs.
Melora brushes her wing over Chrissa and leaves it there, chiming slightly in the darkness. "She used the light to shine down on the world, looking for her kits as she leapt through the skies. Watching them each night as they slept, and smiling as the grew and looked towards her with smiles. Then as she grew to her largest she had two more kits, fiery stars in the sky."
Copernicus reaches down and rubs Chrissa's belly softly.
Chrissa purrs softly at the attention and smiles up at Copernicus and Melora.
Melora says, "Those babies were caught by another of Shara's sisters and raised so very happily. So.. each time Shara's light shines on the world, she's watching over one of her babies, or her children's babies... and you could be one of them."
Copernicus gives Melora a kiss and snugs his family together, including the sleepy Tycho.
Melora snuggles into the little furry pile of children.
Tycho curls his arms, legs and tail around Melora, murpling happily.
Chrissa cuddles in close against her parents. And, grudgingly, against Tycho too.
Copernicus purrrs softly, "Truly wonderful stories of your peoples history and culture. They are becoming quite popular on Tharhome."
Melora whispers softly, "now.. y'two sleep.. and dream about falling stars." She glances up at Coper and blinks a few times, "how's that?"
Copernicus snugs Melora, "Oh, I've been recording them for others to listen too. A lot of people like them. I wonder what they'll think when they see me or one of my kind "falling from the sky"?"
Chrissa frowns a little. How's she supposed to sleep after listening to a good story? She clings to Melora's fur, purring softly.
Tycho seems to be a bit more tolerant of his sister when he's sleepy. He cuddles in close, purrrumbling.
Melora gently strokes at little Chrissa, her fingers trailing down the furry nape to her back and between shoulders. Soft and rhythmic touches as she brushes, like a momma does at bedtime.
Copernicus nibbles on Melora's shoulder and whispurrs, "How have you been kecharra?"
Chrissa purrs, yawning widely. The gentle touches calm her and cause her eyelids to begin to droop again.
Melora yawns, "keeping time, more'n annathing. I think everathing's settling well, an th'children love th' fields." She nuzzles her head against Coper's ear.
Melora curls her tail about Tycho, her forepaw rubbing against Chrissa as she strokes very gently.
With a quiet nod, Copernicus rubs the side of his face against Melora's and purrs, "Well, we've been offered an island to set up a base at. I'll be checking it out eventually, and you can decide if you'd like to move there for a while. We're not too popular with the locals right now."
Chrissa slowly drifts to sleep, yawning widely.
Melora flicks both her ears forward and tilts her head slightly. She says, quietly, "it's not m'hunting, I hope? I c'n go out farther fer the family... "
Copernicus hmms? "No, they aren't happy about all the fighting in the sky. Neither am I, but it's not our fault that we were attacked."
Melora nods just a little bit. She purrs quietly, "I think.. I've been fairly oblivious t'this... too busy keeping family, I suppose." She opens her wings over the kits, protectively. "It's quieting, I hope?"
Copernicus snugs, "It's basically over on this world. But I doubt it's totally over everywhere."
Copernicus hmmms, "Maybe I can help with the kits tomorrow. I can't believe how fast they are growing. Talking already even."
Chrissa finally drifts to sleep, purring contentedly beneath the warmth of Melora's wing..
Melora smiles a bit then nods, "dunno 'bout flying yet, they're comin' along slow. Pickin up talking some now, yes. Chrissa's a bit shier about saying too much. Tycho's just racing inta things."
Melora grins a bit and adds, "Reminds m'of ye, Coper m'dear."
Copernicus chuckles, "Slow for you, fast for me. Oh my, I think one of me is too many. I hope Tycho doesn't have the ability to attract confusion I do. But if he's half as lucky with his mates as I have been, I couldn't wish him a better future."
Melora brushes at Chrissa some more, very gently. "Chrissa's gonna be beautiful. She'll be fightin off th'males early, t'would be m'guess." She looks down over her babe with a warm smile.
Copernicus refrains from pointing out that it won't just be the males. He wonders how their lives, born of two very different worlds, will turn out. "Well, if they take after my side, it'll be several years before we have to worry about that. But you are right about her, she's definitely a female to contend with, like her mother. ;)"
Melora shakes her head slightly then purrs, "they know I'm wi'ye, Coper. B'sides, I think they're still not sure what t'think o'me. I know I ain't sure yet." She gives her mate a little nuzzle then purrs softly, "an these two need t'sleep. I'm sure our others in th'tent would agree..." She peers off at the darkness at the lumps of sleeping fur.
Ceres rolls over and snore/purrrs a bit, at which Libra and Aurora kick her in their sleep.
Copernicus nods and snugs up against Melora, and settles down to sleep, "Good hunting in your dreams Melora."
Melora settles and stretches out. She curls up then, her stomach towards the children and nestled within the pillows, "Shara shine on you, Copernicus dear. I'll see ye in the morning."
As the night grew, and the darkness spread more fully, the breathing in the tent became even as dreams passed within the sleep of the family. The night eased in, her wings unfolding darkness then the moon rose through the tree-line, casting silvery light over the canvas then slipping into the clouds.