By Dawn's Early Light(closed, Inu)

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa stretched and yawned before opening her eyes, finding Inu's face in front of her own again. She raised an eyebrow for a moment before she remembered where she was, seemed they had fallen asleep on the couch again. One of her ears swiveled back in Kalia's direction but all she could hear was her child steady breathing that told her the cub was still asleep. She looked at Inu, debating on if she should wake him while she purred softly.

[Inu]

Inu stretched and yawned, nearly falling off the couch. He maintained his position by hugging Sorr.

"Mornin.."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa purred and smiled before she answered.

"Morrrnjing, sleep well?"

She asked quietly, trying not to giggle at Inu almost falling off.

[Inu]

"Naturally. I shared a couch with you."

He moved closer to her and took the opportunity to kiss her.

"And what of you?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr purred as she kissed him back before she hugged him.

"Prrretty good, Kaljia stayed asleep forrr once..."

She then nuzzled the side of his face.

[Inu]

"It's a miracle. I may become a believer..." Inu said with a hint of a smile.

He rolled off the couch and headed for the kitchen.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Anythjing jis fjine..."

She said quietly as she got up to check on Kalia, the cub was still fast asleep on her side, ears fluttering occationally at small sounds.

"She looks so cute when she's asleep...."

[Inu]

"She looks cute all the time. But especially asleep, since she's not pulling hair or biting or crying."

He took some eggs and pancake mix, the very height of his cooking skill, and started to prepare breakfast.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa smiled at Kalia once more before walking over to Inu and hugging him sideways, purring softly.

"Pancakes hmm? Always good....jI mjiss ljive meat though ljike Sajoji orrr somethjing."

She yawned softly.

[Inu]

"I can get you some when next I visit town. Anything else you'd like?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa shook her head.

"Sajoji jis fjine, jI just need meat occatjionally..."

[Inu]

"Meat? You mean live meat. Otherwise you wouldn't wrinkle your nose at Obasan's sausage or steak."

He made two big circles of batter on the pan and let them sit, then started to work on the eggs.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nods, her tail swishing back forth.

"Parrrt of bejing a Cjizerrrack, we need ljive food once and awhjile to stay healthy, jI can stomach Obasan's food to stay okay but stjill my blood crrraves ljive food."

[Inu]

Inu flipped the pancakes and started to cook the eggs.

"Heh, if you feel like hunting down your food, there's a small forest east of town."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa shook her head.

"Not gojing out alone, bad thjjings happen when jI'm alone."

She shuddered referring to Armaiil.

[Inu]

"Then go out with the village's hunting parties."

He set two pancakes aside and poured the batter for two more.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Don't thjink they would be much help, they would scarrre anythjing I mjight fjind."

Sorr yawned before shaking her head, remembering things she didn't want to.

[Inu]

"Don't worry about it. This village is more than a match for the Altered."

He gave her a sideways hug and stirred the eggs in their pan.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Hope so....probably not forrr the cub though"

Sorr purred softly, her ear swiveling to Kalia but the cub was still asleep so her ears turned back to Inu.

[Inu]

"No, if Armaiil makes him anything like me, the village will be helpless."

He flipped the two pancakes and poked at the eggs.

"Nearly done."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Hmm, well jI hope they leave jit to me orrr you then, jI wouldn't want anyone gettjing kjilled..."

Sorr yawned softly.

[Inu]

Inu flipped the pancakes, set them aside, then finished the eggs. He served it up and set the plates on the table, then looked in the icebox for drinks.

"Milk or juice?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Mjilk."

She said quietly before sitting down, slightly wondering how long Kalia planned on sleeping.

[Inu]

Inu put the milk on the table and set out some ketchup and syrup, then handed Sorr a glass. After covering his pancakes with syrup and his eggs with ketchup he began to eat.

"What happens after breakfast?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr poured herself some milk before she answered.

"Um, well a ljittle sparrrrrjing wouldn't hurrrt, jI haven't gotten much exercise sjince we found out about Kaljia."

She then ate some of the food.

[Inu]

"Sounds good."

Inu was halfway through his pancakes by now, and had mostly finished off the eggs. He poured some milk, drained the glass, and cast a glance to Kalia.

"What of the child?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa looked over at Kalia, she was still fast asleep.

"Well we could take herrr outsjide orrr let Obasan watch herrr forrr a bjit."

[Inu]

"Let's take her with us."

Inu cleared his plate and downed another glass.

"She could benefit from the fresh air."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nodded and finished up her food then stood up. She walked over and picked Kalia up, the cub was still snoring away without a care in the world.

"Looks ljike someone jis stjill rrreal tjirrred."

[Inu]

"Good."

Inu deposited the dishes in the sink and opened the door.

"She needs to sleep."

He walked out in the small clearing near his tree and stretched, loosening up for the coming spar.

"This wll do for the purposes of sparring."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr set Kalia down on a flat rock, Kalia stretched but didn't wake up. Sorr then stretched a bit herself to loosen up.

"Rrready when you arrre."

[Inu]

Inu didn't speak. Instead, he threw a punch at Sorr's face.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr waited a few seconds then caught the fist, grabbed his arm and flung him. She then took up a defensive stance and waited for his next attack.

[Inu]

Inu rolled to a standing posture and put his arms up, bouncing lightly on his toes. He faked another punch then spun with a hook kick.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr fell on one hand and pushed up from the ground and kneed him in the chest before getting back to her feet.

[Inu]

She fought a defensive game. Okay. The blow to his chest was strong, but not enough to wind him. She stood and he returned the favor with a blow to the stomach, then a ridge hand blow to stagger her forward.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr growled before she jumped up, elbowed him in the throat and then kicked him in the side with a spinning kick that sent him sprawling over.

[Inu]

Inu gagged and did a back hand spring to keep his balance.

"Watch the lethal strikes...this ain't for real."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa smiled apologitically.

"Sorrrrrry jif jI hurrrt you but jI djidn't do jit half as harrrd as jI could."

She then walked over and nuzzled the side of his face, knowing that she was wide open but she wanted him to know that she hadn't meant to hurt him.

[Inu]

"It's fine...just a bit harder and you'd have killed me."

He kissed her and slipped a leg inside hers, tripping her, then sitting on her.

"And behold, I win."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr reached up and grabbed him by the front of his clothing then rolled him off.

"Not yet, jInu, barrrely starrrted yet, jI haven't begun to sparrr."

She chuckled softly as she flipped to her feet, besides that had been barely a warm-up.

[Inu]

Inu lunged forward with a palm heel strike, hot on his girlfriend's tail.

"I haven't started either."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr made a high kick that sent him back defensively then attacked with a quick series of punches, letting him dodge but not giving him enough time to attack back.

[Inu]

Defensive, fast...Inu was learning alot about Sorr. She pressed her attack, not allowing him a counter. He'd have to make his own opening. He ducked and sidestepped around Sorr, giving him a moment's respite.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr smirked, it was good to have an opponent that could handle her, it had been quite some time since she had been able to spar like she wanted. She attacked with a few quick kicks, still slow enough that he could dodge but not enough to attack back again.

[Inu]

"If you can go faster..." Inu said as he jumped. "Do so."

He landed and swept her feet.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr put her ears back, she wouldn't allow herself to fall back. She flipped up as soon as one of her hand touched the ground again and over him. She kicked out as soon as she landed, catching him between his shoulder blades, not hard enough to hurt him but enough to knock him over. She sat on his back in a mocking gesture of his earlier.

"jI don't know about you but jI'm just havjing fun."

[Inu]

"Good, so am I."

He rolled and pushed her, pinning her beneath him.

"Ha! I win again!"

He grinned humorously.

"I wonder if you tickle."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"You betterrr not..."

She chuckled softly, she didn't feel like moving though besides he wouldn't fall for the same move twice.

[Inu]

"Hm..."

He rested his arms on his knees and rested his chin in his hands.

"Maybe..."

He poked her side, careful not to claw her.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr looked up at him, the poking didn't really tickle or anything, she smiled though and ran her tail over his back to cause shivers down his spine.

"Havjing fun?"

[Inu]

He tickled her properly now, supressing the shivers her tail caused.

"I am."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa giggled as she tried to wiggle free.

"Ack! You'rrre gojing to make me wake up Kaljia...."

[Inu]

"Then she'll just have to wake up!"

He continued tickling, traveling up her sides to her neck.

"What places are ticklish to Sorr?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr laughed some more.

"Not telljing.....and she's yourrr's jif she starrrts cryjing...."

[Inu]

"Very well then..."

He leaned back to test behind her knees.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr gritted her teeth, trying not to laugh but she laughed anyway.

"Sooooo gojing to get you back laterrr forrr thjis"

[Inu]

"Riiiiight..."

Inu laughed himself, and squeezed the her knees lightly.

"There's this one girl in the village that absolutely hates this...I see the boys do it all the time..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr shook her head, it didn't seem to do anything.

"Nothjing on that one..."

[Inu]

"Nothing?"

He sat back and folded his arms, a frown etching his face.

"Hm..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

She looked up at him, wondering what he planned on doing next, still she wouldn't tell him where she was ticklish. She smiled softly, she loved this man more than anything so she was happy letting him have fun, she just hoped he wouldn't wake Kalia.

[Inu]

Inu leaned over to the side.

"I give...I'll worry with it later..."

He stretched and yawned again, it was a lazy day. By leaning his head back, he could see Kalia.

"Wonder when she'll wake up..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr perked her ears forward to listen but still there was only the cub's sleepy breathing.

"No jidea but wake herrr up jif you want, she's slept enough..."

[Inu]

Inu reached out and poked his daughter lightly.

"Hey babe...hey there! Wake up! It's morning time...wake up and see mommy and daddy..."

[Kalia]

Kalia's eyelids fluttered and upon seeing eyes way too close to her face, she jumped slightly. She then chuckled when she realized who it was, only daddy, silly daddy. Kalia poked his face and made a few non word sounds.

[Inu]

"Good morning..."

He picked her up and sat her down on his chest.

"Did you sleep good? Didja?"

[Kalia]

Kalia chuckled and grabbed at one of daddy's ears. She had slept quite well and was rambuncious as hell. She pulled down on his ear and giggled while her tail swished back and forth.

[Inu]

Inu winced slightly.

"You're full of energy..."

He sat up and stood, holding his daughter to him.

"Let's go inside and play some."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr got up and hugged Inu as they walked.

"She got me wjith that yesterrrday, the currrse of earrrs...."

She looked at her daughter and smiled.

"You're gojing to have to learrrn not to do that one of these days."

[Inu]

Inu grinned and kissed Sorr, stepping inside and shutting the door behind them.

"At least its not my hair she's after. She play with my ears all she pleases."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr purred softly, her tail swishing back and forth.

"Lucky you but mjine arrre sensjitjive as hell, jI about yelled out loud when she djid jit."

[Kalia]

Kalia giggled when daddy winced, the faces mommy and daddy made were too funny. She made another grab for his ear and pinched it to see what face he would make.

[Inu]

Inu's eye scrunched up, and his nose wrinkled a little.

"Izzat right little Kalia? You were givin' mommy a hard time?"

Inu kissed his daughter on the cheek and pried her loose from his ear, then set her down in the little pen.

"Sit in here and play some, okay?"

He ruffled her hair and sat down on the couch, rolling out his arms and recovering from their spar.

[Kalia]

Kalia giggled and looked about, scary toys over there, holo not on, what to do? She babbled a bit as her toys floated again.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa plopped down on the couch beside him, curling up close as usual.

"Tjirrred alrrready, jInu?"

She asked and chuckled softly, knowing that he wasn't but she was in a playful mood.

[Inu]

"Not really..."

He watched the toys float.

"I think its time we taught her they won't hurt her."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa looked over, Kalia wasn't noticing the toys floating behind her.

"jIt may be too soon forrr that, she's stjill a baby afterrr all."

She sighed as she watched their daughter, hoping that Armaiil and her first cub would never even lay a finger on her. She didn't want Kalia to be in pain and she would protect Kalia with her life if she had to.

[Kalia]

Kalia continued to babble, not seeing the toys floating behind her. She sang softly in baby gibberish as she looked at mommy and daddy.

[Inu]

"Later perhaps? I'm not sure...I'd rather she were happy, not afraid of anything."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nuzzled the side of his face and ran her fingers over one of his ears.

"She's a ljittle too young to understand fully and also to control jit."

[Kalia]

Kalia looked to them as she continued to sing softly, watching them all the while, mommy and daddy were always interesting. Her tail swished a bit as the toys flowed with that movement back and forth.

[Inu]

"Even if she cannot control the Force, or understand what it is, the least we can do is show her that her TOYS won't hurt her...she is afraid of them."

He sighed.

"Listen to her now."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI would rrratherrr not frrreak herrr out agajin jif jI don't have to."

She looked to Kalia who was still oblivious to what she was doing.

"Besjides she's happy sjince she doesn't see jit rrrjight now..."

[Inu]

"True enough..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jIt's not somethjing to worrrrry about just yet."

She kissed him softly before looking at Kalia, she was fine for now and happy so why scare her again?

[Kalia]

Kalia reached up and used the side of her pen to pull herself up. She continued to sing softly but her toys dropped as she stopped thinking about them. Her blue-green eyes looked to mommy and daddy, she tried to look cute so they would let her out.

[Inu]

Inu shrugged lightly in response to Sorr. But sooner or later it would be necessary. He noted Kalia's change of focus. Would she do something to one of them next?

[Kalia]

Kalia waved and mewed again, in a definate take me out fashion. Her tail swished back and forth wondering why they were ignoring her.

[Inu]

Inu sat forward, focusing on Kalia.

"Come here, Kalia."

The baby floated up, unsteady as Inu focused. He borrowed from his daugther's frustration, strengthening himself, then floated her across the room to Sorr.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr raised an eyebrow to him but took Kalia and smiled at her. She wondered what he was up to but she played with Kalia, dodging her hands as the baby went for her ears and hair.

"Shouldn't show herrrr she can ljift people too, jI don't know about you but jI don't want to float."

[Kalia]

Kalia giggled, her mind wondering how daddy did that but her attention soon drifted to her mother as she tried to get her ears, mommy made a much funnier face when that happened than daddy.

[Inu]

The baby reached for Sorr's ears, this time his girlfriend wouldn't be dodging. His eyes flicked, and Sorr's ears were not where they had been.

"You owe me that one."

[Kalia]

Kalia's eyes widened a bit, what had just happened? Mommy wasn't where she was a second ago. Her ears fluttered, mommy couldn't move that fast, at least from her experience. She mewled softly in confusion as her tail swished.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nodded and ran her fingers over one of his ears.

"Laterrr though...."

She winked at him before smiling and then returning her attention to Kalia who was still eyeing her in confusion.

"Seems you've confused herrr qujite a bjit."

[Inu]

"Oh...poor baby..."

Inu took Kalia and sat her down on his lap, then poked her nose.

"Poor little girl."

[Kalia]

Kalia poked him back in the cheek, her favorite game was on again. She giggled as her ears perked towards him, her floating incident seemingly forgotten.

[Inu]

He poked her nose a few times, trying to make her avoid it.

"Poke poke..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa chuckled, she couldn't decided what was more funny, Kalia poking her father or Inu playing along.

"Be carrreful wjith those claws, jInu..."

He wasn't using them but she was only reminding.

[Kalia]

Kalia batted daddy's hand away and poked him again, close to his eye to make him blink more often. She giggled, daddy looked very funny.

[Inu]

Poke...poke...poke..."

She was batting him, he wanted her to dodge. He poked her cheeks and ears.

"Poke poke..."

[Kalia]

Kalia moved out of the way, she didn't like her ears to be touched. She growled softly at him before she poked him back again.

[Inu]

She was dodging now. He poked at her ears, too fast, and when she tried to avoid him he boosted her a little, and she avoided him.

"Now how did you do that?"

[Kalia]

Kalia looked down, floating again. Her ears fluttered, why was that happening again she wondered. She growled softly then mewed, asking to be let down while she still avoided his pokes.

[Inu]

"It can't hurt you, Kalia. See? It won't hurt you."

Inu stopped poking her and let her drift over his lap, calling some of the toys to him.

"Nor can these hurt you."

[Kalia]

Kalia hid her face against him when the toys showed, she mewed softly as she tried to move them away herself.

[Inu]

"Look, they aren't hurting you. See? They're not hurting me."

Inu reached out and poked one, watching it wobble.

"The toys won't hurt you. See, they're fun."

[Kalia]

Kalia shook her head, refusing to look. She mewed again as she curled up against him as close as she could.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa ran her fingers through Kalia's hair.

"jit's all rrrrjight, baby.....jI don't thjink she's gettjing jit."

[Inu]

"She will...she just has to confront it."

Inu set the toys down.

"We'll try again later. Sorry, girl..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr leaned over to hug Kalia, purring softly to soothe her.

"She's stjill a ljittle young to underrrstand besjides the fact that she's one of the only ones wjith Cizerrrack blood to be able to use the forrrce."

She nuzzled the side of Kalia's face.

[Kalia]

Kalia mewed one more time but was then distracted by her mother's nuzzling. She nuzzled her back and poked at mommy's ears, giggling softly.

[Inu]

"Its not that I want her to understand the Force. I want her to learn not to fear her own toys. I don't want her to be afraid of anything."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI know but she's only a baby, she's gojing to get scarrred of thjings forrr awhjile, you can't change that forrr now."

She nuzzled the side of Inu's face and put her ears back so her ears were harder to get.

[Kalia]

Kalia growled softly at being thwarted, it was harder to get her mother's ears when they were like that. She then poked mommy's face lightly and giggled.

[Inu]

"Yes...but..."

Inu sighed. Kalia was a frustrating little thing at times.

[Kalia]

Kalia giggled poked her father with her other hand then sung softly in baby gibberish again.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr kissed Inu softly before looking into his eyes.

"jIt's too earrrly forrr her to get jit stjill.....when she's olderrr, she wjill underrrstand but not now."

[Inu]

Inu sat back, face set in determination, but he decided not to do anything further. He would work slowly with this, every day, in some form or another, until Kalia stopped cringing at her toys.

[Kalia]

Kalia cocked her head sideways as she looked at daddy, wondering what was up. She poked him lightly to get his attention back.

[Inu]

Inu caught the little hand absently, stopping her short as he always did when he was thinking. He cast the toys back into the pen with the Force and continued to think on the matter of Kalia's Force and fear of it.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr looked up at him for a moment before resting her head on his shoulder, she could always tell when he was lost in his thoughts and she knew it was best to leave him to them.

Kalia tried to loosen her hand but daddy was too lost to let go so she poked him with the other one.

[Inu]

This one he stopped as well, holding his daughter's little hands in his own, leaning his head back on Sorr. He pulled Kalia to him and held her, listening to the quiet sound outside. All was at peace...

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr started to close her eyes before her ear twitched at some sound.

"Somethjing jis out therre."