Chapter 20
Chapter
Twenty
AURIN
Watching their babies grow and learn struck Aurin with wonder. Every milestone, every discovery, every laugh, every tear, every first. It was all so much better than he could have imagined.
Like the first time they’d morphed into kittens.
Or into humans. Toddlers, as it were. It was not their favourite form.
They’d decided as a collective that human forms were hard.
They had less coordination, less freedom of movement, less freedom of communication, and zero ability to breathe underwater.
Their human bodies were heavy, less agile, and a scraped knee or grazed palm was common.
They were learning, though. And it was in human form that they had the most human lessons because freeform and kitten form was so much easier.
And the whole consortium had taken it upon themselves to be the best teachers ever.
Watching their four children interact with their aunt and uncles was truly the best part of Aurin and Salem’s day.
Kellan was wonderful in the classroom. The time they spent in their new little classroom was amongst the kids’ favourite human activities.
They loved learning how to write, how to count, and how to draw shapes and name colours.
Dylan would help with the arts and crafts, and Hendrix would break up the bickering, usually between Llyr and Nyx over a pencil or a ball.
Or in the water, over a shell or a clam.
Hudson took them on kitten excursions to the vegetable garden, and Beau made them wooden puzzles and toys. Sawyer would read them stories with such enthusiasm, and they adored every book. Otis and Pania taught them in freeform, how to open shells and how to safely move rocks on the seafloor.
And Fray...
Well, Aurin couldn’t in good faith call what Fray did “teaching.”
He’d taken the four kids into the water, and Aurin couldn’t hear what Fray was saying, but he was making funny faces and puffing his cheeks out, being the typical funny guy he was.
Only when Llyr puffed his cheeks out, it made bubbles come out of his butt.
The other three giggled and tried to fart bubbles, and Fray laughed and laughed and laughed....
Fray wasn’t allowed to babysit after that. Not without Tobin’s supervision, at least.
Fray was also the reason there was now a community swear jar and why Salem and Aurin had to tell the kids there were certain words only grownups were allowed to say.
But Fray did help Ukko understand his electrical pulses, so he was mostly forgiven.
And oh, how they all loved him.
They loved Ciaran too. They adored him. Something Salem couldn’t quite understand, but Aurin understood it perfectly.
He had that hard exterior but was totally soft for them, and they knew it.
They’d climb all over him, in human form and in cephamorph, and he’d pretend to be mad but was secretly loving every minute, and then he’d tickle them and they’d squeal in delight and laugh.
They brought out a much softer side of Ciaran, and it made Salem almost forgive Ciaran for putting Salem out in the rain that one time....
The one thing Aurin was sure of, was that their four babies were most certainly loved.
Their talents were emerging. Ukko was adept at morphing.
Although he was gold in colour, he was by far the truest Mimic.
He could mimic almost any shape or creature, as long as he watched his Pappa do it first. Plus he had his electric shock defence as well.
Aurin wasn’t sure where that ability had come from.
There must have been a branch of it somewhere on Salem’s side of the family tree.
Llyr had limited Mimic traits. He could morph, but so far he’d only been a rock and... a rock. But he was big and very strong, and Aurin had no doubt his adult strength would rival Otis’s one day. He was brave too. Sometimes a little too brave for his own good.
Nyx took after Aurin. His colouring was dark like Salem, but he could shimmer gold like Aurin, and he was super fast and very clever. He couldn’t Mimic anything in the water. Yet, at least, Aurin reasoned.
And áine... their sweetest little girl. Her colouring was a golden blackish colour, so she seemed to be an even split of both her dads. So far, she hadn’t shown any mimicking abilities, but Aurin was certain she held great power. He just didn’t know what...
Neither did Salem.
“Be patient, my love,” he’d said. “These things can take years.”
But every single one of them had the ability to morph into cat form.
Well, kittens.
The first time they’d done it, it had been bedlam.
Because of course they did it all at once and scattered in all four directions.
They’d run in the wet grass, sniffed everything, jumped and skittered and chased each other and had so much fun.
They’d only come back when Salem—also in cat form—meowed something Aurin was pretty sure he didn’t want translated.
They’d all come running back to Aurin in a hurry.
But oh, they were so cute. And if they weren’t loved entirely already, they sure were now, with their little paws and little whiskers and tiny little squeaky meows. And the all important toe-beans, as Sawyer had called them.
Llyr and Nyx were mini Salems, Ukko was a golden honey colour, and áine was a dark golden black with her different coloured eyes. She seemed to find it so much easier in cat form; she was more confident, though she still chased after her brothers.
So time on land was mostly spent in kitten form.
And on this particular day, they were lazing in the grass, taking advantage of a very rare moment of sunshine, when Fyn came to town.
He walked out from the tree line near their school, and Aurin was glad it was him and Salem who saw him first and not Ciaran or Otis.
“Oh.” Aurin stood up quickly, startling the four kittens who were dozing in the sun. Salem sprang into human form, quickly pulling on some pants.
“Hello,” Aurin said as Fyn headed toward them, loud enough that Sawyer and Ciaran would hear. They were in Ciaran’s shop, and sure enough, as soon as they saw someone approaching on foot, they rushed out of the store.
“Fyn, it’s good to see you,” Aurin added quickly. He thought if he called him by name, Ciaran would know Fyn was familiar to them.
“You said I was invited,” Fyn said, his roguish grin in place. He put his hands out, gesturing to the sky. “I brought the sunshine with me.”
“You did, indeed,” Aurin said. “And yes, you’re welcome here anytime.
” Then Aurin looked to Ciaran and Sawyer.
Sawyer was holding Nyx and áine close to his chest. Salem had Ukko and Llyr.
“This is Fyn,” Aurin said. “We spent time with him in the mountains. Fyn, this is Ciaran, our leader, and his mate, Sawyer.”
Fyn held out his hand, and Ciaran shook it. “You came with Cern that time to take Salem so Cern could heal him,” Ciaran said.
“Sure did,” Fyn said. He wore the same green and brown hemp clothes, though his feet were bare, so he’d clearly come down the mountain in faun form.
His head was a mess of unruly brown hair that looked almost twig-like, as though life in the wild had left its mark on him.
Sunlight caught in the uneven strands, highlighting them with gold at the edges.
His eyes were hazel and bright, his smile always wide.
He reminded Aurin of all that was good in the earth.
It was impossible not to like him.
“Fyn came to see us at the hut,” Salem reminded Ciaran. “To tell us our godlings were under Cern’s protection.”
Fyn laughed, and then he looked again at the four kittens and did a double-take.
His astonished eyes went to Salem. “Are they...?” Then he gasped.
“They were tiny octopuses when I saw them last!” His comically wide eyes now went to Aurin.
“How...?” Then, starting and concluding this entire conversation by himself, he rocked back on his heels with a nod.
“Because they’re godlings, of course.” He put his hand to his forehead, clearly still trying to get his head around it.
Aurin didn’t feel the need to explain how the four little ones felt safer in kitten form on land rather than human, especially in the company of a stranger. Even though he was sure Fyn would understand. Instead, he said, “They are remarkable.”
“I’ll say,” Fyn agreed.
By this time, Fray and Tobin were walking over, and Otis and Pania were coming out of the store.
“You’ve come quite a distance,” Aurin said. “Can we offer you anything to eat or drink?”
Salem looked back to the trees. “Is Zaq with you? He’s welcome to join us.”
Fyn’s smile faltered a little. “Another time, perhaps.”
“Next time,” Aurin added, hoping he’d know it was an open invitation.
“Yes, next time,” Fyn said, smiling again. He glanced at Ciaran. “I actually have news from Cern. He’s still not back yet, but he sent word. He said, if it’s no bother, a friend of his will be staying at your hut by the river.”
“Oh,” Ciaran said, schooling his features rather well, Aurin thought. “Is he asking or telling?”
Fyn laughed. “Well, you know Cern. He doesn’t exactly ask.”
Ciaran snorted. “No, he does not.”
“He said it’s an old friend of his. So I’m guessing he’s, like, old old.”
Salem laughed at that. “Old, indeed.”
Fyn winced at Salem. “Oh, sorry. No offense.”
Fray laughed, and Aurin shot him a glare.
Fyn made an apologetic face. “Anyway, he said his friend needs a place to heal. And to not bother him, if you don’t mind.
He’s harmless, apparently. He won’t come here, and he doesn’t know about the godlings, so...
” He shrugged. “You know how Cern is with his secrets and all that. Plus, he’s sworn to protect them, so he’d never do anything to harm them.
” He looked at the kittens in Salem’s arms. “I still cannot believe that’s them. ”
Ciaran nodded slowly. “This old friend of his needs a place to heal, huh?”
“Yeah. I didn’t ask questions,” Fyn said. Then he mumbled, “You know he doesn’t like being questioned.”
Everyone’s eyes went to Sawyer, and he sighed. “I said I was sorry. Twice.”
Ciaran chuckled, but he nodded easier this time. “No problem, Fyn. Thank you for letting us know.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, bowing his head a little. Then his eyes met Aurin’s and then Salem’s. “I have to go, but it was good to see you both again.”
“And you, Fyn. Come back soon, okay?” Aurin said.
He grinned before turning and running back to disappear into the trees.
“Did... Did he just morph into a goat?” Fray asked.
“Yeah, pretty sure he did,” Otis said.
Aurin turned to Salem, his hand automatically stroking Llyr’s head and then Ukko’s. “Who do you think Cern’s friend is?”
“And what the hell do they need to heal from?” Sawyer added.
Salem gave Aurin a tight smile. “I don’t know. But I trust Cern.”
Ciaran gave a nod of authority. “So do I. If he says we’re safe, then I am certain that we are.”
“Gee,” Fray said. “Hope whoever it is doesn’t mind the smell of sex because—”
Ciaran grabbed Fray, putting him in a quick headlock and giving him a noogie as they headed back to his store. Sawyer handed áine and Nyx to Aurin, then joined Tobin as they followed the others.
Aurin looked up at Salem as the blue skies were swallowed up by low clouds behind him, and the cold wind came off the cove once more.
There was a lot Aurin could say and a lot he could worry over.
But the truth was, being a parent—especially a parent to godlings—there would always be something to worry about.
This was their life now, and Aurin wouldn’t change it for the world.
“Let’s go home,” Aurin whispered. “We can shut the world out and let these guys take a proper nap before dinner time.”
Salem leaned down and kissed him softly. “Sounds perfect.”