|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on May 19, 2012 18:51:06 GMT -1
Stumbling as they were forced into the passageway, Ebony, Aislin and Artemis made their way up and out into the forest. Ebony wore a disapproving look on her face, Artemis rather hurt, and Aislin scowled, stamping her paw on the ground.
"I hate her!" she shouted.
"Mummy's only been back a short while and she's already ruining everything ..." Artemis agreed sadly.
"Look, Dad'll be back soon," Ebony reasoned with them, "And then he'll sort it out, don't worry." She hoped that she was right. Her father and their aunt had never got along, she did not know why, something must have happened before they were born.
The leaves of the forest were tinted in red as the sun began to set. It was not long before the three of them could see Seirei and their two brothers walking towards them from the distance of the trail that led up to their home. Artemis howled in welcome, and Sai and Kai howled back in response happily. They were pleased with their catch.
As they walked up to the massive oak, Seirei smiled down at them. "We're back! Look what we found." And he slumped the deer carcus onto the ground in front of them. "It's gonna be a real treat tonight," he said contentedly. His good mood wore off almost instantly when he saw the miserable expressions on the girls' and Artemis' faces. "Something wrong?"
|
|
|
Post by Seema Tara on May 19, 2012 20:22:49 GMT -1
Hearing Seirei's voice outside, Seema came to join them. "Ah, you're back at last." she said briskly, opening the door and gesturing the cubs inside. "Tersias is fed and she's resting now, it's all dealt with. Although next time, it would be much safer to just ask for my help rather than make your children do the work. I know you're not my biggest fan and I know you and I have never seen eye to eye as far as growing up is concerned, but leaving pups to cook on an open fire is dangerous and foolish even by your standards. They're children, let them play." Reprimand over, she bustled back inside and began setting about the housework, muttering as she went. "I really don't see how he's let the standards slip so far in so little time. Flaming prince and he's got my baby sister living in squalor like this, honestly it's ridiculous." Meanwhile, the pups had been trying desperately to explain the situation to their father without getting themselves in trouble with Seema. "Dad, Aunty Seema - " Aislin began whining, but Ebony quickly cut her off, "Aunty Seema took over making the stew" Ebony said a little sadly, before any of her siblings could word it more strongly.
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on May 22, 2012 14:01:59 GMT -1
Seirei's eyes widened with surprise as Seema threw such a mouthful in his direction, briskly leaving in one of her foul tempers without leaving him time to respond. He sighed exasperatedly.
"Seems I can't do anything right in your aunt's eyes, eh kids?" He listened to their complaints with a small frown. He had only been gone a couple of hours, thinking he had left his children - now at an age when they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves - in a happy environment. He did not want the issue to escalate further, not with Seema being disgruntled. It would not be fair for Tersias to bring an atmosphere into the den.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to straighten it out, kids. Maybe next time I'm out I should lay the law down a little more firmly. But for now, let's show your mother what a great dinner we've caught, eh?" He ruffled Ebony and Aislin on the top of their heads, trying to cheer them up, and then he beckoned to the rest of the pups to follow him down into the passage.
"I still hate her ..." Aislin mumbled grumpily, but quietly so her father would not hear.
Ebony poked her hard on the shoulder and gave her a stern look. "You heard what Dad said, not in front of Mum," she whispered.
The six of them trotted down to the den entrance, which had been left open by Seema. The pups automatically ran over to Tersias and began fussing over her happily. Seirei, however, after placing the deer onto the floor by the fire, walked over to Seema, who was still stirring something in a pot.
"Can we talk?" he asked. "Perhaps in the side room?" he gestured to a small door that led to a room used for storage and other odd things.
|
|
|
Post by Seema Tara on May 25, 2012 18:35:57 GMT -1
Seema looked at Seirei, her expression cool but not dismissive. Looking at him thoughtfully, she nodded, and set the spoon in the pot to rest for a minute. Smiling at Tersias and the cubs, she spoke cheerily and reassuringly. "We'll just be two minutes." As much as Seema disapproved of Seirei's methods sometimes, she wanted the atmosphere in the den to be comfortable - both for Tersias' sake and to show the pups she was not as stern as they thought.
Satisfied with her efforts to reassure her sister, she moved through into the side room Seirei had indicated, pulling the door to after them. "Before you say anything" she said softly, with a very polite smile "I realise I may have stepped on a few toes this afternoon, and I'd just like to say that was as far from my intention as possible. Just, I know that Tersias is tired, and the children are bound to be a little emotional to have her back and...." she gave Seirei an empathetic smile "I just wanted to make things easier. I got a little carried away."
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on May 27, 2012 15:51:48 GMT -1
Once in the side room, and with the door firmly closed behind them, Seirei and Seema were free to talk openly. Before Seirei could utter a word, Seema said something that quite surprised him. He had not expected her to be so polite and apologetic. Whenever the two of them exchanged words - and that was not very often - it always ended up being an argument, but apparently the fox wanted peace this time. Whether it was for her own sake or for Tersias' he was not sure. Either way, it was relieving to avoid the stress.
"You don't have to apologise," he said in a low voice, so the others wouldn't hear; Sai had a habit of eavesdropping. "I know that these last few months you've grown closer to my children, even if sometimes it's a chore. I appreciate you looking after them at a time when I haven't been able to be there mentally for them. I just wanted to say that, maybe our lives would be a lot happier if we worked together, now that Tersias is back, instead of , like you said, stepping on each other's toes. The pups are going to be one in a month or so, and I think that as their father they should be allowed more responsibility. Even I find it hard to let go sometimes, but I think they'd be happier if they could help around the den a bit more. I realise that today was a little too far, leaving the girls and Artemis alone with the cooking, but to be honest I was so excited about Tersias being back I wasn't thinking straight."
Seirei had to take a deep breath. He hadn't spoken like this in a while, so his words were tumbling out all in a rush. "Now all I think we should focus on tonight and the next week or so is getting the Tersias we know back to us and settled. I caught a deer with the boys, it'll make quite a feast to celebrate our family being together again." He walked over to the door, his paw on the handle, and looked back at Seema. "Truce?" he asked.
|
|
|
Post by Seema Tara on May 29, 2012 9:23:26 GMT -1
Seema nodded. "Truce. If I'm honest, I think it's probably about time I started thinking about sorting out somewhere of my own to stay. Not too far away, but just so that once Tersias is back to health I'm not under your feet. After all, at the rate the pups are growing soon this place will be full to bursting anyway. Perhaps I'll talk to Mira about it, she seems pretty clued up on this sort of stuff." She laughed a little. "But that's a discussion for another time. You caught a deer, you say? How about I get a spit set up over the fire? It'll stay lovely and juicy that way."
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on May 29, 2012 21:18:59 GMT -1
Seirei was glad, that Seema was ready to put their differences aside and also that she was willing to move out the way to be more independent, to let his family be. Not that he found her intrusive really, it just never really felt the same as it did when it was just him, Tersias and the pups. Seire opened the door and they walked out into the main room again. The pups were still over the other side of the room with their mother, though Sai was breathing a little too heavily for his liking, but he let it go just this once.
"I'll have to skin it first, but that will only take a few moments with these," he said laughing, springing out his talons with gusto. "Sure go ahead, set the spit up and I'll let Tersias what's going on." He walked over to the bed, where Tersias had fallen asleep, her little chest rising and falling, Aislin and Artemis curled up around her. Picking up the two pups by their scruffs, he placed them, groggy and yawning, next to the other pups to wake up. Sai poked Artemis, grinning while Ebony nudged Aislin who stretched out her claws on the ground.
Seirei carefully leaned over the bed to the side of his mate and licked her nose a couple of times. "We're all going to have a dinner to welcome you home, hun. I caught a deer to celebrate. Feel up to some deliciousness?"
|
|
|
Post by Seema Tara on May 30, 2012 7:44:55 GMT -1
Seema smiled as she watched Seirei and Tersias. She still wasn't entirely convinced on the age gap, or the cubs, but it couldn't be denied that Seirei made her happy. She wrestled with this a little as she considered what she had agreed to do for Kurai and what it would do to the two of them. Deciding not to interfere, she grabbed the poles for the spit and put it together ready for the deer, and put some more tinder on the fire. She didn't look up, or speak to any of the family, but simply kept her head down.
|
|
|
Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on May 30, 2012 8:05:18 GMT -1
Tersias woke from her doze to find the cubs gathered around her and Seirei in front of her, talking about deer. She smiled sleepily "That sounds absolutely lovely, Mister Seireiii" she giggled and licked his nose. "Come sit with me for a while, I've missed you and you're so busy rushing around I haven't even had a decent cuddle yet!" In response to this, Aislin (who had always been a bit of a mummy's girl) began to pout. "We gave you cuddles, mummy! Aren't our cuddles decent?" Tersias laughed, and looked at her little girl. "Of course they are, but I love your dad too, so I love his cuddles as well as yours."
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on Jun 2, 2012 19:11:15 GMT -1
Seirei smiled; he was happy Tersias was in a good mood, especially considering what had happened in the past. It was possible she was putting on a brave face for the pups and himself, but for now she seemed like she wanted to enjoy her self. When the time came when she would want to unload, he would be there for her. He always would be.
He nuzzled her for a few minutes, but reluctantly got up again. "This dinner isn't going to cook itself!" he said. He made his way over to the deer, not looking at its sad, still eyes. They were such beautiful creatures, but he had a family to feed. In no time at all he had skinned the body, laying the pelt over in one corner. It would come in handy later when winter came. With Seema's help the deer was soon cooking over the roaring hearth.
|
|
|
Post by Seema Tara on Jun 3, 2012 8:08:10 GMT -1
She smiled as Seirei worked. Once the deer was on the spit and turning (for getting the deer skinned and on the spit would have been where she would have struggled) she took a hold of the handle. "I've got this under control" she smiled softly, "You just go look after Tersias and the pups" she whispered.
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on Jun 4, 2012 21:15:22 GMT -1
Seirei returned her smile gratefully. He had barely had any time with Tersias since she had got back. He knew there would be many days after this, but to be honest, all he wanted was to lie with her and talk, amongst other things.
The pups tumbled off the bed, going over to the hearth to watch their dinner cook and glisten, as their father laid down next to Tersias, his large body taking up almost all the room. The size difference was almost laughable, but Seirei always made sure that he would never hurt Tersias, and was always aware of where she was on the bed.
He closed his eyes, breathing in Tersias' sweet scent, nuzzling his nose into her fur. "I'm so glad you're back..." he sighed.
|
|
|
Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Jun 6, 2012 17:27:06 GMT -1
"I'm sorry I ever put coming home off. It was so silly of me" she smiled softly, licking his nose and smiling. "I missed you so so much."
She sighed, looking around the room. It made her happy to see it again, but she hated coming home in the state she was in. "I'm sorry, I should have looked after myself better" she said to Seirei softly, snuggling into him. She was very much blaming herself for everything that had gone wrong - it was her fault Seema had been left watching the children, it was her fault she had left them behind and it was her fault she had come home in such a state.
|
|
|
Post by Seirei Hisakata on Jun 9, 2012 14:34:23 GMT -1
"You did what you had to do, and I respect you even more for it." Seirei whispered. It was true. He would not have thought that such a small person could go home alone and deal with whatever she had to deal with. He wished she would explain in more detail what had happened. Like how she came across that strange instrument for one thing. He knew that it was not right to push her, however. He would save it for when the pups were asleep and Seema out of earshot before they discussed anything in depth.
He sniffed the air. He had not noticed the time passing by. He looked over to the fireplace, where the venison sizzled, the flesh now a golden brown. "It's time for a feast!" he said with a smile. He hopped off the bed and made his way over to help Seema lift the meat off the spit.
|
|
|
Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Jun 9, 2012 14:41:50 GMT -1
Tersias' eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Seema and Seirei took the deer off the spit. It was enormous, the biggest she'd ever seen. "Dinner time, kids" she said softly, laying cushions around the floor for them all to sit on as they ate. The cubs gathered round, awe on their faces at the meal laid out for them. Everybody tucked in hungrily, but none as eagerly as Tersias, for whom this was the first decent meal in a long time. The family was back together, and it was the beginning of a new chapter in their time together.
|
|