Trouble always strikes when I'm gone...

[Inu]

Inu has lost his son, and now his youngest daughter. No time to look for them, they'll return eventually. For now, he has to check on Kalia and Sorr. He finds them in the village priestess' house, Kalia sound asleep in the living room in her pen, apparently undisturbed by the events of the night. He picks her up and holds her close and she hugs him in her sleep. Somewhat relieved, he heads upstairs to find Sorr. The old priestess is moaning groggily and fingering a large bump on her head. Sorr isn't moving, and he sees another child in the crib. Now he has a younger son too, it seems. He sets Kalia next to her brother and moves to Sorr's side.

"Wake up, Sorr. It's me. I'm home."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr mews in pain as her ears swivel towards him, wincing as then pain in her head comes back. Sorr catches her husband's scent and forces herself to wake up. A second after her eyes open, she starts to cry then leans her head on Inu's shoulder.

"Ji'm so sorrrry but jI couldn't prrrotect herrr, jI was stjill too weak, such a bad motherrr jI've turrrned out to be, can't prrrotect my babjies twjice now..."

[Inu]

"Not a bad mother Sorr. You're doing the best you can. We'll get back those two. I promise."

He held her and let her cry, looking back at the old priestess. She was just fine, not hurt much at all. He gave her an apologetic look and continued to comfort Sorr.

"It's not your fault at all."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr's ears went back as she continued to cry against him.

"jI should have done morrre, jI could have saved ejitherrr one but jI couldn't, he has them because jI was too weak.."

She couldn't help but cry, two of her children were in the hands of of Inu's creator and she could do nothing about it.

[Inu]

"You're not weak, Sorreessa. I couldn't break the table restraints either, and our son is more than a match for us alone. I should have brought them back just now, but I wasn't able to. That just means I'll try again. And try again. Remember when first we met, the reason I was always so rude is because of your attitude toward your former job. You believed you'd never escape it, but look where you are now. You're free of it."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa bit her lip lightly to try and stop her sobbing, she knew it wouldn't do her any good, Armaiil would do the same to the female cub as he had done to Anuberis, there was nothing they could do until the cubs came back once more. She nuzzled the side of Inu's face and his neck as she hugged him closer. She took in his scent, one she had missed in the time he was gone and helped to calm her as it always had.

"jI may be frrree but they won't be untjil we can get thrrrough to them..."

She said softly as she rested her head back on his shoulder again and tried not to think about her lost cub.

[Inu]

"We'll be fully prepared next time they arrive. I swear it. We'll get our cubs back."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr looked over Inu's shoulder to see the male cub sleeping, one thing that had happened in their favor, Anuberis had only taken one not both.

"At least we stjill have two, Arrrmajijil doesn't have them all..."

She looked at Kalia and the cub for a few moments more before she realized something else as she drew away a little to look at her husband.

"Hmm, speakjing of whjich, what arrre we gojing to call hjim?"

[Inu]

"I'm no good with names. But before I was Inu, I was...was..."

He clenched a fist as he tried to remember.

"I was..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nuzzled the side of his face and smiled.

"Was jit Hjirrrokji? That was the name you sajid beforrre..."

[Inu]

Inu sighs with relief. Yes, that's who he was before.

"Hiroaki, Sorreesa. He will be Hiroaki."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa purred softly and kissed him once before looking back at their youngest son.

"Hjirrrroakji fjits hjim, jI don't know why but jI sense he wjill be a grrreat warrrrrjorrr one of these days...."

[Inu]

"He will. But I wish he wouldn't have to be."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"He's has both ourrr warrrrjiorrr blood flowjing jin hjis vejins, he may not have to fjight though..."

She said quietly and took his hand as she stood up and led Inu to in front of the crib where she could see her babies better. She smiled as she looked down at them, she loved her cubs dearly like any mother would and would lay down her life for them.

[Inu]

Inu watched the cubs with mixed feelings. Could he really drag them into this war with their siblings? Did he have the right to do that? To teach them to fight, to kill, just because they may one day be faced with a brother and sister who meant to do that to them?

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr looked up at her husband and nuzzled him, even though she couldn't use the force, it seemed she knew what was on his mind.

"jI won't allow them to fjight each otherrr everrr....ourrr fjight jis wjith Arrrmajijil not ourrr chjildrrren. Kaljia norrr Hjirrroakji wjill hate thejirrr brrrotherrr orrr sjisterrr."

She said quietly as she ran her fingers through Hiroaki's hair and watched him sleep.

[Inu]

"Good."

At least one of them was confident in it.

[Anuberis]

Only two planets away, Anuberis carries his baby sister through the halls of Armaiil's facility. It's quiet, seems he finished his work for the day. But if he knows the doctor, he'll still be in the lab, making notes and plotting.

"Mentor, I have found an ally to our cause."

[Armaiil Kryatir]

"An ally?" Armaiil repeats, not turning from his console. "Who?"

[Anuberis]

Anuberis can't help but feel a bit of annoyance and frustration at this.

"It's my baby sister!"

[Armaiil Kryatir]

"Your..."

The mad doctor is interrupted by a fit of insane laughter.

"Your SISTER? My greatest success multiplies like rabbits! It's that half-Cizerack wife of his, no doubt!"

[Anuberis]

"No doubt," Anuberis repeats with mocking sarcasm. "Now are you going to do to her what you did to me or what?"