Time to Face the Truth

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

It was early morning, about a week after they had both gotten sick, Sorr and Inu were still asleep and their cubs were as well in their crib. Hiroaki was pawing at the air in his sleep and mewling since his sister was hunting in her dreams and chewing on his ear. Sorr and Inu however were dead asleep, the halfling was on her side with her husband behind her, his arms draped lightly around her waist. But a small beep from somewhere in the room causes Sorr's left ear to twitch. She opens her eyes a little and scans for the source, her computer was it so she reached over for it....and promptly fell out of bed since she had misjudged the distance. She growled softly and set it in front of her mate and poked him, not sure if it was who they wanted. She reached over and clicked the link on. She stayed out of view in case her parents had mistakenly told the KAR that she may be alive and Kajeela was the actual person on the other end.

"Hello?"

A female voice called out as her face came into view, another soon followed.

"what's this thing again?"

"A computerrr, husssh..."

[Inu]

"Nuh?"

Inu blinks at the machine, not fully awake, and squints at it with sleepy eyes.

"Hello?"

He sits up and rubs his eyes, trying to wake up enough to talk.

"Who's this?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr mouths "my parents"

The woman on the other end raises an ear and an eyebrow.

"Who jisss thjisss? jYou contacted usss about ourrr daughterrr."

[Inu]

Inu blinks and rubs his eyes a bit more, sitting up and shifting the computer so he can see them better, and let them see him.

"Yes, I did. My name is Inu. I'm currently living on Corellia, in a small village about fifty kilometers from the capital. I would like to meet with you concerning your daughter."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"As jyou wjisssh, we should be able to get therrre jin a few hourrrsss, but thjisss betterrr be good..."

"We'll find you.."

The male boasted and grinned. With that, the connection ended, being a Cizerack, Sorr's mother was far too impatient to wait very long. Sorr sat back down on the bed beside Inu.

"Wonderrr how they'll take thjis..."

[Inu]

"There's only one way to find out, honey...and that's for them to show up and find out."

He hugs her briefly before moving to the crib to separate Kalia from Hiro.

"You'll need to get ready for them. I'll watch the children until they arrive."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

She nodded, ears twitching nervously before she left to shower. It was long before she returned, running her fingers through her damp hair and looking through her clothes. She slipped on a normal dress before running her fingers through her hair again, it was easy to see she was nervous.

"Hope they won't get mad at me forrr not telljing them jI was aljive all thjis tjime..."

[Inu]

"They'll understand your reasoning well enough, I expect. How should we greet them? Should I warm them up first and then bring you in? And should we show them the children right away, or later?"

Both cubs are still asleep, and will be for some time. They were up late last night, and have a few more hours of sleep to compensate for it.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr's tail swished around a bit as she thought.

"Well jI haven't been outsjide jin a week and you have so fatherrr could smell you and not me...whjicheverrr you wjish, jI'm too nerrrvous forrr decjisjions."

[Inu]

"I'll warm them up. Leave the cubs back here, and you can bring them out with you if they wake up, or if they wake up after we've brought you out, I'll go and get them."

He kisses her lightly and holds her to him.

"You're shaking like leaf. Calm down."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

She purred softly and nuzzled the side of his face.

"Sorrrrry, jI haven't seen them sjince the KARRR decjided to rrrecrrrujit me, guess jI just nerrrvous of what they wjill thjink of me..."

[Inu]

Inu runs one hand through her hair...such beautiful hair...

"Don't be....don't be..."

The next hour or so passes in this way, husband and wife embracing gently, passing the time in loving silence until a knock comes at the door.

"Stay back here. I'll get the door."

Inu walks to the door, rolling his wrists and neck before opening the door.

"Mr. Karano and Mrs. Karreli? I'm Inu, It's good to meet you in person at last. Come in, sit down...we have much to discuss..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karreli's eyes look about the room as she walks in, wondering how this one knew of them. Was Sorreesa alive? She sat down and spoke.

"What do jyou know about ourrr daughterrr?"

She asked impatiently, her mind had been wondering about her daughter the whole trip over.

[Inu]

Karano takes a seat, considerably more composed than his wife.

I'm curious to know as well. Only the KAR and members of the Pride contacted us in the past.

Inu paces somewhat before coming to rest in front of them, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

"No doubt you heard that your daughter was killed by a berserk droid...well...that's something of an exaggeration."

He snaps his fingers, a cue for Sorr to come into the room.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

It is a few moments before Sorr walks out, ears folded back to the sides.

"Sssorrrrrrressssssssa? jYou'rrre aljive?"

Her mother gasps, not believing what's she's seeing, how was her daughter alive?

"Yes, motherrr, he saved me, thjis jis my husband..."

[Inu]

Husband? Karano repeats with a raised brow.

Inu nods, standing tall and folding his arms.

"I love her. She means more than all the world to me, and I protect her with my life."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr smiled sheepishly, she didn't think springing this upon them all at once was quite fair but it was the easiest way to.

Karreli was looking Inu over by now, sniffing the air lightly, she smelled something else.

"Hmm, ssseemsss jI may have grrrandchjildrrren, been busssjy, Sssorrrrr?"

Sorr winced, forgetting the cubs's scent was all over the house.

"Yes, been an jinterrrestjing yearrr to say the least.."

[Inu]

A low cry breaks the awkward silence.

"I'll get them. There are two cubs in our care, a daughter and a son, named Kalia and Hiroaki respectively. I'll bring them in shortly."

Inu walks to the back of the house, leaving Sorr alone with her parents.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr sits down, trying to stop from shaking nervously a little bit. Her mother took her hand and looked at the wedding band, it was a simple silver band but it of course meant a lot to Sorr.

"Good to sssee jyou happjy, we wonderrred how jyou would do afterrr the KARRR got to jyou but jit ssseemsss jyou found a good ljife herrre."

"jI couldn't be happjierrr herrre, jInu jis a lovjing husband and a wonderrrful fatherrr."

[Inu]

From the rear of the house, Inu can still hear them quite clearly, and despite his best efforts not to eavesdrop on them, he can't help but listen.

A loving husband and father? I feel like there's something about him that's hidden or suppressed, especially seeing him straighten up at my question earlier. I'm worried."

Inu ignores him and starts taking the pajamas off the cubs, getting fresh clothes and diapers for them both. Sorr will set him straight.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"He's just prrrotectjive of me, ljife herrre jisn't as easy as back home."

Sorr looked over her shoulder briefly, listening to see if Inu was coming back yet. She looked then to her father, she knew he was just looking out for her, after all she was his only daughter and his favorite of the couple's two children.

[Inu]

"We manage."

Inu comes in, carrying both his children in his arms. Little Hiro is still groggy, trying to wrap himself in his father's shirt, but Kalia is wide awake and keeps shifting to look at her grandparents. Inu sets them down on the sofa next to Sorr before moving into the ktichen to get them breakfast.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Kalia is down from the couch quickly and walking over to these new people. Karreli watches the cub approach, mostly observing for the moment, noting how much Kalia looks like Sorr did as a cub. Karano on the other hand, leans down to get a better look at his granddaughter but promptly gets one of the beads in his hair grabbed. But instead of pulling, Kalia inspects it carefully.

"Carrreful, Kaljia, njice."

"Ssshe looksss jussst ljike jyou..."

Hiroaki is curled up with his mother, trying to fall asleep again while Sorr wonders how long it will take for them to ask about him, Hiroaki doesn't share either parents' visable hair color, he has his father pre-altered hair color.

[Inu]

Karano lifts his granddaugher into his lap, letting her play with the beads he wears and looking to Sorreessa.

She's just as curious, too.

Inu passes Karano a bottle, and the old man pops it into Kalia's mouth so she can continue her investigation of his hair. He watches the father pass the second bottle to the little boy curled in Sorreessa's lap.

He...doesn't seem to resemble either you or us.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr fluttered her ears, trying to think of the best way to explain it.

"He looks ljike jInu once djid, he used to be human but a evjil scjientjist messed wjith hjis genes and made hjim look ljike he now does....."

[Inu]

I don't believe that for a minute.

The skepticism in Karano's voice is apparent.

That's absolutely ludicrous.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr growls, not caring that it is her parents.

"Rrrude to call yourrr daughterrr a ljiarrr, jif jI could prrrove jI would but jI wouldn't wjish that evjil doctorrr on anyone..."

[Inu]

"His name was Armaiil. An Imperial doctor before the fall of the Emperor...once the Empire fell he turned to torturing subjects and performing genetic alterations on sentient races. He worked for two years on me, and made me what I am. I am his only true success."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karreli listened then jabbed her mate with her elbow.

"Don't doubt herrr chojicesss..."

Besides he has a twinge of human scent still left She thought to herself.

Sorr smiled briefly at her mother, at least her mother believed.

[Inu]

Kalia pushes the bottle back with a burp and hugs her grandfather, taking big fistfulls of his shirt so she could hold on should he try to put her down. Karano relents with a sigh.

It's just such an outlandish story...though with the undground crime that runs rampant nowadays, I suppose it shouldn't be...

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nuzzled Hiroaki as he mewled in a bad dream he must have been having.

"Well jit's trrrue, jI've seen hjim..."

She shuddered a bit.

[Inu]

"Let's not dwell on that. There's more important matters to discuss."

Karano nods.

We weren't informed of how you died. They simply told us you were dead, with no body to be found. How did you fake your death so cleanly that the KAR didn't pick it up?

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jInu pjicked a fjight wjith a drrrojid afterrr he was talkjing to jits ownerrr, jI helped and jit decjided to demoljish the nearrby arrrea....and jI had drrropped my katana jin the battle, jI would assume they found that somewherrre."

[Inu]

He...did what? Karano askes witha lofted brow.

Inu shrugs.

"There was a droid following a girl around and waiting hand and foot on her. I made a few comments...and it blew up the place."

He shrugs again.

"No big deal. I got her out safely."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nodded, her tail swishing back and forth, she was still nervous.

"jI was jin no rrreal dangerrr..."

Hiroaki shifted against her and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"jI wouldn't change what has happened."

[Inu]

"Neither would I. Sorreessa and the cubs have been a blessing to me."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr purred and kissed Inu softly before looking back to her parents.

"Not even the KARRR would be able to parrrt me frrrom my famjily...."

Hiroaki shifted against her again and yawned before opening his eyes. He fluttered his ears and looked at the newcomers. Who were these new people? They didn't look like grandma/Obasan.

"Well jyou'rrre rrrajisssjing two verrrjy good lookjing cubsss."

Karreli commented, Sorr's choice didn't worry her mother in the slightest, she looked happy so who we they to judge.

[Inu]

"Finally awake eh?" Inu says, ruffling his youngest's hair.

Hiro sneezes and belatedly notices the bottle tucked in his little arms. He gets a grip on it and tries to lift it, but can't quite get it up. Inu shifts the boy's grip so he can hold it himself and smiles.

"That's my boy."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Hiro drinks his bottle while looking back and forth at the new people. His ears flutter at Karano, noticing his ears are set like mommy's, he chuckles and some of the milk dribbles down his chin.

"They'rrre verrry smarrrt forrr thejirrr age..."

Kalia bats at Karano a bit more before reaching for Karreli.

"Beh!"

She says to her and mews softly, a clear sign for "pick me up". Karreli smiles, takes her from her mate and sets the cub on her lap.

"Ssshe rrremjindsss me ssso much of jyou at thjisss age."

[Inu]

"They are smart," Inu says with a slight chuckle. "They've figured out alot of things they probably shouldn't. Like how to build walls of sand and how to escape from us when we try to take them home from the park."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr chuckles, remembering when the cubs had thrown sand at their father when they hadn't wanted to go home one night.

"They have thejirrr moments but jI would neverrr let any harrrm come to them."

[Inu]

You're an excellent mother, Sorreessa. I'm proud of you, very proud. You've defied death and got yourself a happy family. You'll have to bring them to our home one of these days.

"Where do you live, sir?" asks Inu.

The Jackel's reaction is immediate. Inu has been long searching for a new home for his family. Corellia is no longer a safe place, seeing how Inu has defied the Sith Order founded there. Perhaps old Karano will provide the answer he seeks?

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Cardisa, Karreli decided to stay with me on my homeplanet there."

Sorr's ears flitted towards her husband, wondering what was up.

[Inu]

"What's it like there?" Inu asks, seating himself on the arm of the sofa, turning his whole attention to her parents.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Well we're a nomadic race so we travel to different parts of it with the herds but for the most part, wild and untamed."

Karano fluttered his ears, why did this one want to know about their home?

[Inu]

"Oh...is that so?"

It doesn't sound like the sort of thing he'd want for the family. If they're always moving, he'll have a hard time finding them after his excursions to the Krath. He needs a safe place for them, where they'll be able to stay.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Why so curious?"

He sensed something was up and he wanted to know what.

[Inu]

"I would like to move our family to another planet...Corellia is a nice place to live, but the nearby Sith Order may pose a problem in the future. I have been trying to find a suitable home, but have had no luck so far."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karano fluttered his ears a bit, picturing the nearby planets in his mind.

"Chandrilla is like here, might work for you."

[Inu]

"Chandrilla? Very well...I'll get some research done about it. Though we won't be moving for a while...I have...matters...to attend to first."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karano and Karreli fluttered their ears wondering but thought it best not to ask. Kalia was reaching over to Karano and tracing one of the many tattoos he had across his jet balck skin, they were stark white against the sea of dark.

[Inu]

Aha, do you like that? Karano asks Kalia with a smile, taking the opportunity to change the subject.

"Beh! Beh!" Kalia slaps her little hands against his broad arm, a display of curiosity and playfulness. The old man chuckles.

It's a special thing, that tattoo is. When you are older, I will tell you it's story.

Uh oh. Kalia knows that word. "Story." She gets down and trips, but doesn't lose a beat and crawls to the middle of the room where one of her storybooks lies open to the place where she'd left off with her father, before he'd fallen asleep.

"Beh!" Kalia bounces on her diapered bum, slapping the book with the same playful emphasis she used on Karano's tattoo. The meaning is quite clear; Read to me!

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

As Karano began to read from about the middle of the book, Hiroaki's ears pricked towards the sound of his voice as well. Soon his bottle was finished so he let it drop to his lap while his tail swished back and forth, out of the male cubs, Hiroaki was the only one with a tail though he looked more like his father than his mother. Sorr leaned down and lightly nibbled at his ear and he looked up at her and nuzzled the side of her face before returning his attention to Karano.

"They ljive forrr storrrjies and trrrjips to the parrrk..."

Sorr chuckled, both cubs were at rapt attention.

[Inu]

The little boy, whose name was Feist, had a very special stick. This stick was able to do anything. It was a sword, a fishing pole, a walking cane, a baseball bat, a baton...

The book is about playing pretend. Kalia and Hiro are too young yet to fully understand, but the book keeps them held almost hypnotically. The pages are all wrinkled, and the spine of the book is worn from having been read so many times.

"They love that one more than any other book."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nods, waving her hand in front of Hiro's face, he barely blinks.

"Don't be surprrrjised jif you have to rrread jit severrral tjimes, jI had to rrread jit to them twenty tjimes one njight..."

She sighed, that had been a boring evening, Inu had been away so it was just her to read to them and them "bee" ing and "beh"ing her when she tried to stop. It had been after midnight when they finally both nodded off and Sorr had soon after.

[Inu]

Karano laughs quietly. Then I will read until they decide its enough. He turns back to the book and continues. Feist went to the park with his stick. There he met Lily, his friend. Lily had a very peculiar hoop. The hoop was able to be a sun, or a disk, or a wheel. Together Feist and Lily played pretend with their favorite objects. They ran all throughout the park...

Again, Kalia recognizes the word and gets up quickly, nearly tearing the book from Karano's grasp and toddling to the door, where the sand buckets and shovels sit in a short stack.

"Behbbbhheh!"

She picks them up as best she can, dragging them back toward her grandparents. Little Hiro finds a bit more energy in him to wave and kick, adding his two cents in a flurry of babble along with Kalia.

'"Bbbhbhee! Behababee!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karreli raises an eyebrow at them.

"What'sss wrrrong? Do thejy want to plajy?"

[Inu]

"He said the magic word...park."

Kalia takes two shovels and waves them, banging the buckets as Hiro gets down to try and steal one from her.

"To the park..."

Inu scoops up the children and tips the buckets toward Karano with one foot. The Tano catches them with ease and stands.

I suppose we should prepare the a bit of food then, if we're to be in the park for a while. Sorreessa, your husband and I will take the children on. Help your mother with any preparations for the children.

This serves multiple purposes. Karreli will get to have some mother/daughter time, the children will get to play faster, and he can give Inu the third degree about his daughter.

"We'll see you in the sand pit, hun," Inu calls as he follows Karano out and starts up the street.

So...Inu, m'boy, what did you think when you first saw my daughter?

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr walked into the kitchen followed closely by her mother.

"Ssso, how djid jyou two meet?"

Sorr fluttered her ears, but her story was no better than her mother's really.

"Well he came up to me at kjind of djinerrr-ljike place, we talked, ended up talkjing agajin forrr a few njights laterrr, then thjings just kjind of happened."

[Inu]

"I thought she was like me, the result of genetic splicing. She didn't seem like any other felinoid race I'd seen, until she explained that she's half-Tano, half-Cizerack. It was something of a let down, but also a relief."

I see. Where did you meet her?

"In a diner, called Yohurt's Bar and Grill, late at night when she was pushing a deadline on something. We had a bit of a chat before I left her. I met her again, nights later...we had more discussion, a small skirmish, then...it clicked."

The Jackel shrugs as best he can with the children in his arms.

"I can't explain it quite."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karreli hmmed for a moment before speaking again.

"Ssso what jussst kjind of happened?"

She poked her in the ribs lightly with her elbow, Sorr winced and fluttered her ears a bit, her mother was asking for different details but Sorr chose to say other things.

"Motherrr! Well, we had a bjit of a fjight and then he sajid he would help me get out of the KARRR. jI kjissed and he djid back and thjings moved frrrom therre, kjind of ljike you and dad."

[Inu]

Aha. Karano tilts his head back and smiles. That sounds remarkably like a moment in his own life. So...what happened after you fought. Didja...

Karano raises one brow with a rakish grin, and Inu sputters, looking away and presenting his children with the perfect opportunity to get his hair, which they pulled.

"OW! NO!"

Karano laughs loudly and slaps him on the shoulder. Just as he thought.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Ssso how long tjill jyou two got marrrrjied?"

Karreli asked, curious since with Karano she hadn't gotten a ring, it wasn't part of his culture, instead she bore a tattoo on her shoulder.

"Um, about a month afterrr Kaljia was borrrn, the vjillage elderrr djid jit at a rrrock alterrr, jit was verrry njice..."

[Inu]

Do you have a job, Inu? I'd like to know how you're supporting my daughter and grandchildren.

"No real job, actually. I do some stuff here and there."

Inu can't just tell him "I'm a Dark Jedi Knight of the Krath"...that defies the laws of his order. But he also doesn't want to tell him he's a darksider. Something tells the Jackel Karano wouldn't be real pleased with that.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Meanwhile Karreli is still prying for details that is starting to make Sorr uncomfortable.

"jI'm not answerrrjing that motherrr..."

"Well then, how long afterrr jyou met djid jyou know jyou werrre carrrrrrjyjing Kaljia?"

"Um, ljittle morrre than a month..."

She didn't want to tell her mother they had been trying for Kalia after Anuberis was stolen, she didn't want her mother to worry about the other two cubs until all was done with them.

[Inu]

The men have arrived at the park, and Inu looses the children in the sand pit before taking a seat on the nearby bench.

Look at them work.

Already the cubs are fortifying themselves against the adults with a wall, preparing for the inevitable trip home.

"They've learned...they'll also have big piles of sand to throw at me too."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

After a bit, they had gotten together what they had needed.

"Ssseemsss jyou'rrre rrrajisjing two wonderrrful chjildrrren...jyou made a good ljife forrr jyourrrself..."

Sorr nodded and purred softly.

"jI'm happjierrr than jI everrr thought jI could be wjith jInu and the cubs, jI love them morrre than anythjing..."

[Inu]

Do you mean to tell me that you have no countermeasure for their plan?

"Oh, come on. It doesn't take strategy to beat them. They can't throw very far or very high. I can get their shovels from them with fair ease. It's just a matter of holding onto them so they don't fall when they kick and scream the whole way home."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

They didn't dawdle as long as the guys had and were at the park in a matter of moments. Sorr hugs her husband from behind and kisses the side of his neck.

"Arrre they bejing good so farrr dearrr?"

[Inu]

Inu gestures.

"They're gearing up for the war to leave. Their grandpa's helpin' 'em."

Just as he said, Karano is squatting in the dirt, shoring up he cubs' defensive wall while they prepare great piles of sand for ammo. Inu shakes his head.

"I'll bet he throws sand when it's time to go, and I have to carry him home kicking and screaming."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Well dad jis ljike a bjig kjid..."

Her father had always played with her and her brother as long as they had wanted. Sorr yawned and sat down on the bench beside her husband while Karreli tried not to laugh at her mate.

[Inu]

Well then, we have our wall built, and some ammunition. I think you're ready to play.

The cubs don't understand a word, with the exception of the last one. Play. Immediately both cubs start digging furiously, showering the Tano with sand. Karano backs off, spluttering and spitting sand.

Gritty.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr doubles over laughing.

"They djid the same thjing to thejir daddy, they don't thjink much of keepjing alljies."

"jYou and jyourrr brrrotherrr djid the sssame to hjim, he'sss ussed to jit bjy now."

[Inu]

Karano laughs, spitting the gritty sand every now and then.

You sure did. You dug in sand with the same fervor these two have. I believe it's a quality all babies posess.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Hmm, well Kaljia jis ljike a ljittle copy of of me and Hjirrro copjies everythjing she does..."

She giggled still at her father, you'd think he would know better by now. The cubs were laughing each time he spat out some sand.

"Beh!"

"Bee!"

[Inu]

"At least they're not fighting. They usually get along, but sometimes Kalia will dump a bucket on Hiro, or steal his shovel from him...poor boy can't do much but cry and try to bite her."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"He seems to be smarrrterr though, he fjgurrres out thjings qujickerrr than she djid..."

As soon as she said it, Hiro tossed a shovel full of sand at his sister as she tried to steal it from him again.

"Bee! Bee!"

He yelled at her before growling lowly.

[Inu]

He's a feisty one.

Kalia backs down and turns her back on him, ears drooping and mewling sadly. Hiro pretends not to hear and keeps on digging, engrossed in digging a bigger hole than his sister.

He's determined not to be bested by her.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nods before leaning her head on Inu's shoulder.

"He's always been that way, he has been trrryjing to one up everrrythjing she does jif he can."

[Inu]

It's because he's the smallest. The younger ones always feel that they have to at least meet what their older siblings can do, if not best them. He will learn in time. Karano says wisely.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Uh-huh, he has yet to use the forrce though, he doesn't seem to ljike jit much.."

For now, Hiro just watched his sister out the corner of his eye while he started to make a sand castle of sorts, his tail twitching at the tip in his intentness on his project.

[Inu]

Kalia is secretly watching her brother too, eyes shimmering with tears barely held in check. She wants to play with him, but he's ignoring her. Suddenly she begins to cry, dropping her shovel and wailing loudly. Hiro turns to watch her, looking up as Inu's shadow eclipses them both. The father lifts his daughter and pats her on the back, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What's the matter, hun? There there...is ok, is ok...ssshhh..."

Kalia sniffles, and Hiro holds his arms up, flexing his little fingers to show what he wants; to be held. Inu lifts him too, and the baby boy hugs his sister with an hail of comforting babble. Kalia sniffles a bit more and returns the hug before Inu settles them both in the sand. The cubs trade shovels and start to collaborate on their project.

"That's better."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"They neverrr fjight forrr long though, just the norrrmal spats frrrom tjime to tjime..."

She yawns softly, picturing the other two cubs with them again, wondering if her parents would ever get to see them too. She wouldn't mention the lost cubs to them until they either got them back or lost them, she didn't want them to worry.

[Inu]

"When they do, it's usually bad. They go full tilt every time."

Inu dusts himself off and takes a seat once more. Kalia is still sniffling, rubbing her eyes and patting the dome of sand with her shovel. Hiro is dumping on more of the soft dirt, maintaining a balanced teamwork.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Only naturrral that thejy would, at leassst thejy haven't starrrted bjitjing and scrrratchjing, Sssorrrrr and herrr brrrotherrr got jinto bad fjightss asss thejy got olderrr."

Sorr tried to look innocent, she remembered those fights all too well, they didn't really stop as they got older until Sorr had to leave home for her grandmother's. Her mother had yelled at her brother for continuing it given how old they both were by then. It wasn't so much that Sorr was still doing it, it was moreso that he still used that measure to win agruements with her.

[Inu]

"Oh? She has yet to use her teeth and claws in a fight with me. She prefers a different set of weaponry."

Yes, I know what you mean. I believe her mother has a set just like them.

Each winks at his mate with a wild grin.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr blushes, she didn't need her parents hearing about that. She hid her face against his neck and nuzzled. Karreli and Karano chuckled, knowing their daughter had been embarrassed.

"Ssshe would neverrr hurrrt jyou wjith herrr clawsss as jI wouldn't to Karrrano."

[Inu]

"Nope..." Inu says, pausing to kiss his mate's red cheeks. "That she wouldn't."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr purred softly but her face was still red so she didn't want to move. She looked up at him a bit and smiled, one that promised she would get him back later in the night. Karano and Karreli smirked at the pair, it was easy to see Inu and Sorr loved each other very much, so they were happy for them.

"Looksss ljike jyou two wjill be qujite happjy togetherrr...."

[Inu]

Yes, it certainly does...

Inu nods. He's very happy...seems he'll be even more so later on...

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr licked his neck playfully before pulling her head away, her blush was mostly gone.

"Ssseems we majy get a few morrre grrrandchjildrrren..." Sorr flashed her mother a light glare "Kjiddjing kjitten..."

[Inu]

"More? Not until these have grown up some," Inu says hurriedly, trying to quell Sorr's irritation. "Two will do."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

She leaned up to nibble his ear.

"jIf they only knew huh?"

She whispered to him, referring to Anu and Nef.

[Inu]

Inu nods, sighing lightly. If they only knew...but he expects they'll know soon enough. His skill in Force Lightning grows by the day. Soon, he'll be able to take back his children.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr purred softly, resting her head on Inu's shoulder, they had enough cubs for now, they would get the other two back soon enough, just a matter of time. Karano pricked an ear when Sorr spoke, wondering if they were with one now but kept silent, Karreli would bug Sorr for answers if she thought it. He sniffed the air lightly, no, he couldn't smell any trace of it, so what were they talking about? His gaze drifted to the cubs then, Kalia was toddling out of the sandbox for other things so he walked over and scooped her up.

"Trying to sneak off when we weren't looking?"

"Beh!"

She pointed, there was a balloon vendor a bit off, she wanted one of whatever they were.

[Inu]

Balloons? Only if mommy and daddy say its ok.

But even as he says it, Karano is gathering Hiro up and walking toward the stand.

Two of your balloons, please.

The babies lean out, getting a ballon apiece, both red to match their daddy's favorite shirt.

"A credit, mister."

The coin hits the vendor square between the eyes, flicked accurately by the darksider sitting on the bench.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

The vendor sputters, starting to yell something but Karano has already walked away and was tying the balloon strings around thier wrists so they wouldn't fly away. He remembered when they had gotten one for Sorr once in one of the few times Karreli had gone home, the cub had lost it and bawled for hours and Karano didn't want that to happen again.

"Bee! Bee!"

"Beh! Beh!"

The cubs said to themselves as they batted at the balloons, sand seemingly forgotten as they played with their new toys.

[Inu]

There, now they won't escape. I remember poor little Sorr cried for hours and hours until her throat was raw and all she could do was shudder and sob and sniffle...she was sucha poor widdle bay-bee..."

Karano ruffles his daughter's hair teasingly.

She lost her balloon. But she slept longer after that than she had since her birth.

Inu can't help but laugh.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr stuck out her tongue at her father.

"Ljittle brrrotherrr neverrr stopped crrryjing so at least jI would be qujiet at tjimes."

She looked over at the cubs, smiling at them, they seemed very amused with their new toys.

[Inu]

Inu bats the balloons at them, popping each lightly on the head with the floating toys. The babies giggle and wave their arms, but they can't seem to stop daddy from getting them with the balloons. That just makes it that much funnier.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr get Inu with one of them, the cubs giggle louder.

"Beh! Bee!"

Karreli and Karano just watch, enjoying the sound of laughter.

[Inu]

Inu hoists Hiro into his lap, taking the balloon by close to where it's tied and beating Sorr atop the head with it. The children shake with laughter. Kalia falls on her side and points even.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr responds by quickly batting it back into her mate's face, Hiro laughs loudly, showing all off his baby teeth. Kalia is caught by Sorr as she almost rolls off of her lap, the baby never stops giggling though.

[Inu]

Inu whaps Sorr in the face before moving it aside and quickly kissing her in mid-protest. The babies wrinkle their noses.

EEEWWW! Mushy stuff! Karano says with a smile, playing along with their expressions.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr kisses Inu again to spite them but not very quickly. The cubs mewl softly.

"You never liked it when we did either..."

[Inu]

"I don't think any kid likes watching their parents kiss," Inu says, tilting his head back and trying to remember his own childhood. "I used to glare at my parents."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Sorr used to glare at us too, flipping her her ears backwards and forwards."

The cubs were looking up at their parents wondering if the balloon bopping was done so Sorr nudged one at Kalia who batted it back into her mother's face, games definitely more fun than the mushy stuff.

[Inu]

Hiro takes his ballon and knocks his father's shoulder with it, not being tall enough to get his face.

"Bllbbheebdeee!"

Inu looks down and receives a solid thwap to his face. Hiro grins proudly.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr bats over Kalia's balloon and get Hiro in the back of the head, Kalia laughs and claps her hands lightly.

"You two arrre too cute..."

[Inu]

Kalia knows the word cute. She hugs her mommy tightly and nuzzles her. Hiro takes the opportunity to get the balloons out of his face and sneeze.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr smiles and nuzzles her back before lightly biting her ear. Kalia giggles and nuzzles some more, purring softly. Hiro mews softly feeling left out.

"Bee!"

Sorr smiles and hugs Inu, hugging the cubs lightly between them,

[Inu]

Karano nudges Karreli, and the pair walks away unnoticed to their speeder. Neither parent wants to ruin the moment by announcing their departure. And now that they know their daughter is alive, they can maintain a correspondence with her.

"jI'm glad ssshe'sss found herrrssself a famjiljy that wjill take good carrre of herrr."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Karano nodded.

"Yep, she looks quite happy there and he will will watch over her.."

He cast one last look at the family, smiling widely, his daughter would definitely be happy here.