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WARNING\cf0 : This story contains sexually explicit material involving adolescent children and incest. This story also contains violence and profanity. If such content is illegal to view in your area or you are not of legal age to view such content, close your RTF reader now.\
\
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.\
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\f1\b\fs36 \cf0 Assam Chai
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\fs28 by IndigoNeko and TaintedThylacine
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\f1\b\fs28 \cf0 Chapter 7
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\f1\b \cf0 Tuesday, June 14th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
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Alex leaned back in the leather lounge chair, watching hir baby siblings awkwardly pounce on each other, rolling around the nursery room floor. At least they were pouncing on each other, rather than on hir... for now. They growled at each other occasionally, along with the other noises they made that were starting to sound surprisingly vocal. Except that it wasn\'92t any language Alex recognized.\
\
\'93You two 
\f2\i really
\f0\i0  need to learn how to speak English,\'94 shi muttered. \'93So I can understand you two goofballs.\'94\
\
A moment later Kate pounced on Nick and bit him, hard enough that he hissed like a broken steam valve. Alex sighed and stood up, grabbing Kate and depositing her back in the smaller play pen. Nick went quiet, so he must not have been injured, and Alex breathed a sigh of relief. \
\
The kitten sat back on his haunches, his diaper crinkling, content to just look around. In the past week and a half of babysitting hir siblings, Alex had come to realize the two had vastly different personalities. Kate was an explorer and Nick was an observer. Shi had a feeling that Kate was going to be trouble as she grew up.\
\
Alex sat back down on the lounge chair in the corner and picked up the string and feather toy, wondering if he\'92d play with it. Kate always would, for sure. Shi dangled the feather behind him, then swung it around where he would see it. His head jerked to follow the feather dancing through the air, watching it for several seconds.\
\
Just before Alex was about to give up, thinking it was a wasted effort, Nick crouched down on his forearms in a classic pouncing pose. His tail twitched a few times, and his hips shifted. Knowing he was about to pounce, Alex let the feather slow and fall towards the ground two feet away from him. Shi already knew that if he didn\'92t succeed at something he wasn\'92t likely to try it again. \
\
The moment the feather hit the floor, the kitten jumped for it, landing atop the bright red toy with both paws. Shi smiled as he pawed at it for a moment. \'93Good job!\'94 shi exclaimed, rolling off the chair and dropping next to him. \'93Good work, Nick!\'94\
\
Alex ruffled the fur on his back as he looked back at hir, mouth open, ears forward, and tail twitching in the feline equivalent of a smile. He rolled over as shi continued to rub his back, then pawed at hir hand. Shi played with him for a moment, then pulled back, knowing he was easily overstimulated. He relaxed and sat upright again, following hir with his bright golden eyes. Then he looked off into the distance. \
\
Alex tilted hir head, wondering what he was looking at and glanced over hir shoulder at the wall. When shi looked back, he continued staring for a moment, then his expression changed to one of relaxed contentment. Alex sighed and picked him up, carrying him over to the baby changing station. Shi knew 
\f2\i exactly
\f0\i0  what that expression meant. \
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\f1\b \cf0 Wednesday, June 15th, 2016
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Ginnie dragged her feet as she stumbled into the dining room, then stared in confusion at the dining table. \'93Why is the table covered with newspaper?\'94 she asked, curiously.\
\
\'93It\'92s for lunch. You haven\'92t tried any of the really 
\f2\i good
\f0\i0  cajun food,\'94 Hank asked as Gwen stepped into the kitchen as well, standing behind their daughter.\
\
The young thrush narrowed her eyes at her dad. That explained the strange fishy smell. She watched as he picked up the stockpot sitting on the stove. Ginnie opened her beak, then thought better of it, and sighed. She was too exhausted right now to argue, especially with her featherbrained dad.\
\
\'93Don\'92t be ungracious,\'94 Gwen said, pushing her daughter towards the table. \'93Hank put some effort into this dinner.\'94\
\
Ginnie clamped her beak shut with a clack, then stepped over to the table, practically collapsing into the chair across from her mother while Hank brought the stockpot over to the table, then quickly flipped the entire thing upside down. She gasped as water began to seep out around the lid that was now upside down, expecting five gallons of water to start gushing out. But it didn\'92t.\
\
Hank quickly lifted the stockpot up, and dozens of bright-red bugs, halfway between shrimp and lobsters, spilled out across the table along with red potatoes, corn on the cob, carrots, and lemon slices. \'93Voil\'e0!\'94\
\
Steam rose from the pile of boiled bugs in the center of the table, along with the scent of unfamiliar spices. \'93Uhhh... What are these?\'94 Ginnie asked. \'93Baby lobsters?\'94\
\
\'93Baby lobsters! Ha, that\'92s a good one!\'94 Hank exclaimed, setting the stockpot down. Then he looked over at his daughter and saw the expression of complete confusion. \'93You don\'92t recognize crawfish?\'94\
\
Ginnie ever-so-slowly turned her head from left to right and back while holding her father\'92s gaze. \
\
Hank\'92s beak dropped open. \'93Seriously? You\'92ve never had a crawfish boil? I 
\f2\i swear
\f0\i0  I\'92ve fixed this for you before.\'94\
\
\'93Well, I know it\'92s been a long time since 
\f2\i I\'92ve
\f0\i0  had crawfish,\'94 Gwen said, picking up one of the bugs on the table and twisting it into two parts. She stuck the yellow meat between her beak and pulled it out of the shell.\
\
\'93Well... Huh. I guess it might have been a while,\'94 Hank admitted as he sat down at the table as well and picked up one of the bright red bugs. He twisted it apart and held half of it in front of his beak, then stuck his tongue out, licking the inside. \'93The juices in the head are the best part.\'94\
\
Ginnie felt faintly sick to her stomach as she watched her dad, then reached out and picked up one of the crayfish. They were bugs, just like grasshoppers or locusts... and she ate plenty of those. But something about these \'91crawfish\'92 was just... odd. She cautiously reached out and picked one of them up. \
\
Steam drifted up from the red shell as she held it up to look at it. Tiny, lifeless black eyes stared back at her. She\'92d never looked a bug in the eye before. Not like this. The smell wafting up from the pile of bugs in the center of the table suddenly turned her stomach. She dropped the bug in her hand and raced for the hallway bathroom, desperately clamping her beak shut and trying not to puke.\
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\'93Ravi, look at where your fingers are,\'94 Dafydd called out. \'93When you block with the shaft of the spear you must grip it such that no part of your hand is on the \'91front\'92, facing your opponent's weapon.  If you don't learn this now, eventually  in sparring you will meet the most unforgiving teacher of all. His name is pain, and he delivers his lessons by having you sit out several classes while your shattered fingers heal.\'94\
\
The panther watched the two tiger cubs practice the newest moves he\'92d shown, calling out slight corrections to their forms. Ravi wasn\'92t half bad, and the panther suspected the older tiger cub might make a competent swordsman if he kept up with it, years from now. But Alex was in another league altogether. Even using the brand-new spear haft that he\'92d given hir half an hour ago (to replace the lighter bo staff shi had been using), hir technique was flawless.\
\
The younger tigress wasn\'92t just going through the motions; shi was putting effort into every single move. Alex also practiced what he\'92d taught hir literally every single day before hir Karate classes. Best of all, the cub actually listened to everything he said, absorbing that knowledge like a sponge absorbed water. He never had to correct hir twice.\
\
Halfway through the lesson, Dafydd finally reached a decision on whether to allow them to start sparring. He and Ravi were the only two white belts in Raenne\'92s karate class that were allowed full-contact sparring. The only reason Ravi was allowed was because he had been recruited to help Alex train for a karate tournament, basically as a living punching bag. The boy didn\'92t do too badly, to be honest. Either way, both of the two tiger cubs were used to full-contact sparring.\
\
More importantly, with Alex as a sparring partner it was unlikely that Ravi would accidentally injure hir now matter how badly he fucked up. Alex knew how to block safely and dodge quickly, whether Ravi performed a given strike correctly or not. Shi also knew how to pull hir blows if he did something wrong in order to keep from injuring him. Shi was also tough as nails.\
\
Dafydd waited after they finished the last set before having them stand at attention. \'93You two have progressed quickly in two weeks. Normally, I wouldn\'92t have new students start sparring for at least two 
\f2\i months
\f0\i0 . But you\'92re both dedicated and practice what you\'92ve learned on your own. So... in addition to the strike and counter drills, we\'92re going to add open kumite for the last ten minutes. You may only perform strikes or counters that you have learned thus far, and you are to move at half speed so that your opponent has time to recognize the strike and use the correct counter.\
\
\'93These are not padded. Nor are you. Get hit with these and it will hurt. It can do damage. Your partner is trusting your control and you are trusting theirs. If your partner stops a strike short that would have hit you, acknowledge it. If your partner lacks control and hits you, you also concede the point but in the next pass you are allowed to hit them back if you believe it proper, but no harder than they hit you. Maintain your discipline and control. If you and your partner both fail in that regard and begin to escalate, I will step in and you will face me. I will not be merciful for such a breach.\'94\
\
\'93Hai, sensei!\'94 the tiger cubs shouted in unison. The walls of the dojo echoed them.\
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\f1\b \cf0 Thursday, June 16th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
\
Kayson stood at the side of the hospital bed, looking over his father. Unlike the first night they\'92d seen him, Dad had casts that covered most of his body now. Apparently the CT scan had shown far worse injuries than just the stab wound in his chest. He had no idea how the hospital had missed the numerous broken bones. Mom had been furious that the nurses had simply ignored the splints and bandages they\'92d found when cleaning him up after the first surgery.\
\
He hadn\'92t been at the hospital when they\'92d performed the second surgery, but apparently it had been several hours to fix the bones that had started healing wrong. They\'92d even talked about putting Dad into a medically-induced coma because he\'92d been given drugs that he shouldn\'92t have or something. Mom had been just as furious at that; putting someone in a coma was even more dangerous than letting him suffer.\
\
The sound of the beeping changed and Kayson looked over at the monitors. He had no idea what all the squiggly lines meant, except for the heart beat monitor. It had just gone from sixty to eighty beats a minute. Dad must be awake, finally... and in pain. He reached down and took his dad\'92s hand, squeezing it gently. \'93Hey Dad.\'94\
\
Henry couldn\'92t move his head with the traction collar, but he still opened his eyes, blinking a few times before meeting Kayson\'92s gaze. \'93Hey, Son,\'94 the older lizard whispered, his mouth barely moving.\
\
\'93Mom\'92s taken Maddy and Emmy to the restroom, but they\'92ll be back soon,\'94 Kayson said. \'93We missed you.\'94\
\
\'93I missed you too,\'94 Henry whispered. \'93I was thinking about you all... the whole time.\'94\
\
Kayson didn\'92t know what else to say. He wanted to ask where Dad had been, but Mom had told him not to. He held his Dad\'92s hand, dry scaly skin rough against his own. He made a note to bring a tube of scale cream with him next time they came to the hospital. \
\
\'93How\'92d your game go?\'94\
\
Kayson looked back up and smiled. \'93We won. I hit a home run. Actually, I\'92ve hit two now; I got another home run during last Friday\'92s game too.\'94\
\
\'93Good job, Son,\'94 Dad whispered, squeezing Kayson\'92s hand. \'93I\'92m proud of you.\'94\
\
The slap of sandals and the click of bare claws against tile preceded Emily and Madison as they entered the hospital room. \'93Daddy!\'94 they both cried, seeing that he was finally awake. Both of them darted over to the side of the bed, and Kayson stepped back to make room for them. He bent and picked his youngest sister up, holding her by the waist so that she could see over the railing easier. His mother, Isabel, walked up to the side of the bed as well.\
\
\'93Oh, my girls,\'94 Heinrich said quietly, a tear running down his cheek. \'93I missed you all so much.\'94\
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\f1\b \cf0 Friday, June 17th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
\
Ginnie stared at herself in the mirror, wondering what the hell was wrong... why she was so damned tired. She was getting more sleep each night than she had for years, eating more than she had in years, and getting more exercise than she had in... well, maybe half a year. And yet she was utterly, completely exhausted.\
\
Worse, she was putting on weight... a lot of it. Her belly was visibly swollen despite being 
\f2\i constantly
\f0\i0  hungry. How the hell did someone who was practically starving get 
\f2\i fat
\f0\i0 ? \
\
Maybe... maybe she had a tapeworm or something. That would explain it. Except that people only got tapeworms from eating raw and undercooked meat. Maybe it was one of the fried locusts from last week? A few of them had been a bit gooey in the center. \
\
She shuddered. Tapeworms in the gut could lay eggs that would penetrate the lining of the intestine, spreading throughout the rest of the body, including the muscles and even the brain. If one of them hatched in the brain, they could cause permanent brain-damage. She felt sick to her stomach thinking about it... just like she had yesterday and the day before.\
\
Just the memory of puking was enough of a trigger. The bird lunged for the toilet and lifted the lid, then promptly puked up the shake she\'92d had an hour earlier. She stared into the pink and brown mess, wondering if maybe she\'92d see a tapeworm in it. There had been a video in science class that showed one in a glass of water, writhing around. \
\
But nothing moved in the stinking mess in the toilet, and after a moment she pulled the handle, flushing it down the toilet. Her stomach growled. How the hell could she be both nauseous 
\f2\i and
\f0\i0  hungry at the same time? The young thrush lurched back to her feet and stumbled out of the bathroom and down the hallway, looking for her dad.\
\
Ginnie found him in the garage, standing at one of the workbenches... the electrical one this time. She waited to make sure he wasn\'92t using something dangerous, like a soldering iron, then walked up next to him. Apparently he was tinkering with a... radio? It was bigger than her computer. She watched as he touched some of the electronics with a pair of wire leads connected to a small yellow box with a big knob on it and lots of funny symbols under an LED display. \
\
She observed quietly for several seconds, trying to figure out what he was doing as he continued to move the metal leads around before giving up. \'93What\'92s that?\'94\
\
Hank jumped away from her, flinging his arms up. \'93Jesus!\'94 he screamed, every feather fluffed as he stood there, staring at her. After a second he started panting. \'93Gosh 
\f2\i dangit
\f0\i0 , chiclet! Give me some warning next time!\'94\
\
Ginnie ran her tongue along the edge of her beak. \'93Sorry,\'94 she apologized, feeling bad for startling her dad. \'93I uh... I think something\'92s wrong. With me, I mean.\'94\
\
The older thrush ran one dark-skinned hand over his red head-feathers, smoothing them back down. He took a deep breath. \'93Well? What\'92s wrong with you? Other than being a pain in the tail-feathers.\'94\
\
Ginnie took a deep breath and began listing off the symptoms. \'93I\'92ve been sleeping a lot, but I\'92m totally exhausted. And I\'92ve been eating constantly and I\'92m still hungry-\'94\
\
\'93You\'92re a growing chick. That\'92s normal,\'94 Hank interrupted, waving his hand.\
\
\'93Dad, I\'92ve been sleeping twelve hours a 
\f2\i day
\f0\i0 , eating four or five smoothies instead of my normal 
\f2\i two
\f0\i0 , and I\'92ve puked 
\f2\i three
\f0\i0  times in the past three days,\'94 Ginnie insisted. \'93Something\'92s 
\f2\i wrong
\f0\i0 .\'94\
\
Hank stared at his chick, narrowing his eyes. She was right; that wasn\'92t normal. Air whistled through his nares as he sighed. \'93Okay. Give me ten minutes to finish working on this and I\'92ll go call the medical helpline again.\'94\
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\'93Okay, spill it,\'94 Jared said, getting Kayson\'92s attention. \
\
The mangrove monitor turned away from the window and looked across the back seat of the sedan at his friend. \'93What?\'94\
\
\'93You heard me. You\'92ve been grinning like a fool all day, even after we lost the game,\'94 the coal skink said irritably. \'93What\'92s got you so happy?\'94\
\
\'93Oh, uh, just... thinking about Dad,\'94 Kayson said, turning to look back out the window again. \'93Glad he\'92s alive.\'94\
\
\'93Glad he\'92s alive?\'94 Jared\'92s mother asked, looking back at them in the rear-view mirror. \'93What\'92s that supposed to mean? Was he injured?\'94\
\
Kayson looked up at the mirror, meeting Mrs. Munsee\'92s gaze. He\'92d assumed that Mom had told everyone what had happened. \'93He went missing three weeks ago. The police finally found him on Monday. He\'92s still in the hospital, though.\'94\
\
Other than the quiet hum of the engine, the car was silent for a second, then both of the two skinks started talking, asking what had happened. After a second, Miriam hushed her son, then asked \'93Do you know where he was? How badly was he hurt?\'94\
\
\'93Mom thinks he was, uh, abducted,\'94 Kayson said, using the unfamiliar word that his Mom had used. \'93She was able to find out where his car was with some guy\'92s help. Then she called the police, and they went and rescued him. He\'92d been stabbed in the chest and had like... I dunno how many broken bones. A lot.\'94\
\
\'93What?!\'94 Jared and Miriam both exclaimed.\
\
\'93Yeah. He\'92s got casts all over now, and a thing on his neck to keep him from turning his head. His jaw\'92s wired shut too. He can talk, but he\'92s really quiet.\'94\
\
\'93Oh my God,\'94 Miriam whispered, then raised her voice again. \'93I had no idea; Isabel didn\'92t say anything about it. I\'92m so sorry. I\'92m glad he\'92s alive too.\'94\
\
\'93Shit, man,\'94 Jared said, reaching across the back seat and resting his hand on Kayson\'92s. \'93Me too. I had no idea.\'94\
\
\'93Thanks. I didn\'92t tell you about it, cause, well... you know,\'94 Kayson said, skirting the subject.\
\
\'93Dude... you don\'92t have to tiptoe around it. It\'92s not your fault that 
\f2\i my
\f0\i0  dad\'92s a sack of shit,\'94 Jared said. \'93Actually, it\'92s kinda my fault he ran out on us-\'94\
\
\'93Jared, it\'92s not your fault,\'94 Miriam interrupted. \'93Your father\'92s a racist, sexist bigot. If I\'92d known what kind of man he was, I\'92d never have married him.\'94\
\
\'93Yeah, but then I wouldn\'92t be here,\'94 the coal skink retorted. \'93And it\'92s still my fault, because I\'92m gay! He left because I\'92m a \'91God damned faggot\'92!\'94\
\
\'93Jared! Language!\'94 Miriam choked out. \'93Say that again and I\'92ll turn this car around and take Kayson back home!\'94\
\
\'93But that\'92s what he called me!\'94 Jared shouted.\
\
\'93Jared, please! Don\'92t swear,\'94 Kayson begged, taking Jared\'92s hand. \'93And stop shouting! Please...\'94\
\
The car was quiet for a moment before Jared apologized. \'93Sorry, mom.\'94\
\
\'93Accepted.\'94\
\
Several seconds passed in silence. Kayson didn\'92t let go, enjoying the warmth of Jared\'92s palm against his own. After a moment he sighed. \'93I\'92m afraid to tell mine... I dunno what Dad\'92s gonna say. Mom\'92s gonna flip, though, for sure.\'94\
\
Jared squeezed his hand reassuringly, and Miriam glanced in the rear-view mirror at them, then physically turned around, spotting their clasped hands. She stared at them for a split second before turning back around to watch the road. \'93Oh God, not you too...\'94 she whispered.\
\
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\'93I\'92m serious, Kayson. If things go south, you can always come stay with us,\'94 Miriam said. \'93But I still think you should tell your parents. They know Jared\'92s gay and still let him stay at your house. Your mom may flip at first; she\'92s kind of excitable. But I think after they\'92ve had time to think it over, they\'92ll accept it.\'94\
\
\'93Thanks, Mrs. Munsee,\'94 Kayson said, glancing up from where he was sitting on Jared\'92s bed. \'93I\'92ll tell them. Not until after Dad gets out of the hospital, though.\'94\
\
The coal skink smiled at them. \'93I guess that\'92s reasonable. Don\'92t stay up too late, you two. Goodnight.\'94\
\
\'93We won\'92t,\'94 Jared said, waving at his mom from the cheap IKEA chair he was sitting in as his mom closed the bedroom door.\
\
Kayson sighed. \'93I\'92m still nervous about it.\'94\
\
\'93Don\'92t be,\'94 Jared said, waving one hand dismissively. \'93Mom\'92s serious, just like she said. If your parents kick you out, you can come stay with us.\'94 The coal skink unpaused the video game he was playing and ran his quarterback a few yards before tapping the button to throw. He quickly cycled through a few of the other players before releasing the button. \
\
They both watched the TV as the football sailed across the field and was deftly caught. A moment later the player ran across the end line, threw the ball down and started doing a dance. The camera panned around to show the cheering fans in the background before announcing the final game score.\
\
\'93Nice,\'94 Kayson said, flopping over sideways on Jared\'92s bed. It didn\'92t have the same springiness that his own had, but it had much nicer blankets. The thick, soft fleece had angular Native American designs in black and teal, red and brown... colors that complemented Jared\'92s brightly-colored hide. Kayson ran his hand across the soft fabric and sighed. \'93We should probably fill up the air mattress.\'94\
\
\'93It\'92s got a leak in it, remember?\'94 Jared said, turning off his gaming console and the TV.\
\
\'93Oh, shoot. I forgot,\'94 Kayson muttered. That had been his fault; he\'92d forgotten to file his claws down last month. They\'92d patched the hole with duct tape, but it still didn\'92t hold air for very long anymore. \'93Uh, do you have extra blankets? I can just sleep on the floor-\'94\
\
\'93Dude,\'94 Jared interrupted, standing up and staring at him. \'93You really think I\'92m going to let you sleep on the floor? No way. You\'92re sleeping with me.\'94\
\
\'93But-\'94\
\
\'93
\f2\i Dude
\f0\i0 ,\'94 Jared interrupted again. \'93You\'92re cold-blooded. I am 
\f2\i not
\f0\i0  letting you sleep on the floor. Besides,\'94 he added with a smirk, \'93I 
\f2\i liked
\f0\i0  sleeping with you last week. You kept me from overheating and you don\'92t move around at night at all.\'94\
\
Kayson blinked. \'93O-kay.\'94 Then his mouth dropped open as Jared peeled off his t-shirt. \'93What are you doing?\'94 he asked, pushing himself upright.\
\
\'93I get hot, remember?\'94 Jared pointed out, tossing the shirt over the back of the chair he\'92d been sitting in. \'93Besides, it\'92ll help keep you warm if we don\'92t have shirts between us.\'94\
\
He couldn\'92t argue with that, but it still felt strange. Then Jared sat down on the bed next to him and plucked at his own shirt. \
\
\'93C\'92mon. Off with it,\'94 the skink insisted.\
\
Kayson\'92s heart began to pound in his chest and the skin around his ear-holes suddenly felt warm. That was new; he\'92d never felt \'91warm\'92 except when touching something hotter than he was. He ran a fingertip across the scales there, wondering what was happening. Then Jared tugged at his shirt again, so he took hold of the collar and pulled it up over his head. \
\
Jared shifted around on the bed as Kayson folded his t-shirt on his lap before tossing it over to his backpack, sitting in the corner. Then he froze as the older skink wrapped his arms around him, hugging him from behind. Jared\'92s arms went tight around his chest and belly. The older boy was right; without a shirt between them Jared\'92s chest felt hot against his back.\
\
\'93That any better?\'94 Jared asked, whispering in his ear.\
\
After a second Kayson nodded. \'93Yeah. You\'92re 
\f2\i really
\f0\i0  warm.\'94\
\
\'93Told you I get hot,\'94 the skink said. \'93Sure you don\'92t want to take off those shorts too?\'94\
\
\'93What?\'94 Kayson asked, his heart thumping against his chest. \'93No...\'94\
\
\'93What\'92s the matter? Afraid I\'92ll see something I shouldn\'92t?\'94 Jared asked. \'93I\'92ve got the parts you do. It\'92s nothing to be ashamed of. Or... is it something else?\'94 \
\
Kayson felt Jared\'92s scaled hand shift further down his belly, brushing lightly against his pajama shorts. That was when he realized his hemipenes were both swollen again, the shapes clearly visible beneath the thin fabric. The skink\'92s hand slid between them and stopped, then he ran his thumb against one. Kayson was torn between wanting to jump away and moan; it was something he\'92d never felt before. He didn\'92t touch himself down there, except when he was cleaning himself in the shower.\
\
\'93So it 
\f2\i is
\f0\i0  something else,\'94 Jared said, gently squeezing the tip of one of his hemipenes between his thumb and index fingers.\
\
\'93What...\'94 Kayson started to ask, then shuddered. He\'92d never felt anything quite like it; had no idea what was happening. \'93Stop,\'94 he whimpered. \
\
Jared pulled his hand back. \'93Sorry. I should have asked before touching, huh?\'94\
\
\'93No, I just... What was that?\'94 Kayson asked, panting. \'93It felt weird.\'94\
\
The older skink pulled back and leaned around him, looking him in the eye. \'93You mean... touching your dick? It felt weird?\'94\
\
\'93Yeah.\'94\
\
\'93Do you not... touch yourself?\'94 Jared asked, clearly confused. \'93You don\'92t masturbate?\'94\
\
This time Kayson was confused. \'93What?\'94\
\
\'93You don\'92t masturbate?\'94 Jared asked, getting a blank stare in response. \'93Jerk off? Wank? Beat your meat? Choke the chicken?\'94\
\
\'93I have no idea what you mean,\'94 the monitor lizard replied, shaking his head with each term.\
\
\'93Holy shit. How did you manage to get through fifth grade without hearing about masturbating?\'94 Jared muttered, shaking his head. \'93I do not believe it.\'94\
\
Kayson was starting to get irritated. \'93Well? Are you going to tell me what the heck you\'92re talking about or not?\'94\
\
\'93Better to show you, dude,\'94 Jared said, sliding off his bed and reaching for the drawer of his nightstand. \'93Are you in for a 
\f2\i treat
\f0\i0 .\'94\
\
The skink took a small bottle of lotion with a pump dispenser from his drawer and tossed it to Kayson, then bent and pulled a bath towel out from under his bed. \'93Well, what are you waiting for? Get those shorts off already,\'94 he said, popping the snap on the loop over his tail, then sticking his thumb-claws into the waist band of his own boxers and dropping them to the floor.\
\
Kayson\'92s eyes went wide at the sight of the older boy\'92s hemipenes jutting from Jared\'92s groin. The pink flesh looked swollen and blood-shot, with thin red veins running along the surface. He swallowed, feeling his own twin lengths throb uncomfortably. He sat the bottle aside and stood as well, fumbling with the velcro strap over his own tail before pulling his shorts down. His own hemipenes were just as swollen and blood-shot. They looked angry, and they were incredibly stiff... but not painful, somehow.\
\
\'93C\'92mon, sit with me,\'94 Jared said, hopping back onto his bed. He grabbed a pillow and set it against the wall, then moved another one over for Kayson before leaning back against it and grabbing the lotion and a towel.\
\
Still wondering what was happening, Kayson crawled across the bed and sat to Jared\'92s right, admiring the skink\'92s iridescent hide. Somehow his gaze was drawn to the pink fleshy spikes sticking up from Jared\'92s crotch. After he sat down, Jared held up the bottle. \'93First, make sure you\'92ve got lotion. Make sure it\'92s \'91skin safe\'92 and preferably fragrance free. You only need a little; a full pump is too much,\'94 he said, holding it out for Kayson with one finger over the pump. The monitor lizard put his hand out and received a small dollop of pale cream. \
\
\'93Rub your palms together. Just the palms; you don\'92t need it all over your hands,\'94 he explained, putting a dab on his own palms. \'93Now, gently grip the joysticks and move your hands up and down,\'94 the skink said, demonstrating with his left hand on his left hemipenis. \'93Want me to show you?\'94 Jared asked, reaching with his right hand towards Kayson\'92s left shaft.\
\
\'93Uhhh...\'94 Kayson said, unsure what he was agreeing to.\
\
\'93Just say yes, dude,\'94 Jared said. \'93You can hold mine and give it a try. I\'92ll tell you if you\'92re holding it too tight, \'91kay?\'94\
\
\'93O-kay,\'94 Kayson said, reaching over with his left hand, wrapping his palm around Jared\'92s right shaft. It was shockingly warm in his hand, almost hot to the touch. \
\
Jared let out a sigh of relief. \'93There you go, dude,\'94 he said, taking hold of Kayson\'92s left dick. \'93Just like this.\'94\
\
The warmth of Jared\'92s palm around his shaft felt good... and then he started moving it up and down. The sensation was incredible, like nothing he\'92d ever felt before. It was almost too much to take in, and Kayson was literally shaking.\
\
\'93Go on. You can use your other hand on yourself, just like I\'92m doing,\'94 Jared said, pumping both his hands at the same time up and down, jacking both of them off at the same time.\
\
Kayson wrapped his other hand around his right-most hemipenis and started moving both his hands up and down, following along with Jared. The contrast in temperatures between his own hand and Jared\'92s around his twin shafts was like night and day, and the sensation of their hands moving over his sensitive skin was... he had no words for it. Tingles shot from the tip of his hemipenes all the way up his spine and all the way down to his toes.\
\
It was less than a minute before Kayson started feeling something strange deep within his pelvis. \'93Jared? Something... something\'92s happening,\'94 he said, shivering for reasons completely unrelated to temperature. \
\
\'93Oh, shit,\'94 Jared said, reaching over and snagging the towel. \'93Forgot to tell you \'91bout the best part: Orgasm. You do this long enough and it\'92ll feel like you\'92re gonna explode, in a good way. You\'92ll squirt jizz all over when you do, so put the towel over your lap and aim your dicks down into the towel so you don\'92t get cum all over the place.\'94\
\
Kayson could barely think with all the sensations going on, but watched as Jared tossed the towel over his lap, then started rapidly pumping Kayson\'92s left shaft, pointing it down towards the towel. Within a few seconds it got to be too much. He wanted to tell Jared to stop but could barely speak, he leaned forward as his left hemipenis throbbed and twitched.\
\
\'93There you go,\'94 Jared whispered. \'93Let it all out. Feels good, don\'92t it?\'94\
\
He was panting for breath by the time it ended, and Jared had thankfully stopped moving his hand. Kayson leaned back against the pillow, the back of his head hitting the wall with a dull thunk. He took a deep breath. \'93What the heck was 
\f2\i that
\f0\i0 ?\'94\
\
\'93Orgasm, dude,\'94 Jared whispered. \'93I said you were in for a treat, didn\'92t I?\'94\
\
\'93That was 
\f2\i amazing
\f0\i0 ...\'94\
\
\'93It is, isn\'92t it?\'94 the skink said with a wide grin. \'93Best part? You get to do it 
\f2\i twice
\f0\i0 . Once with each dick. Now... back to fapping,\'94 he said, tapping Kayson\'92s hand, still wrapped around Jared\'92s right shaft.\
\
Kayson blinked, and looked down at his hands, then started moving them up and down. He smiled to himself as Jared let out a sigh of contentment, relaxing against the pillow.\
\
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\f1\b \cf0 Saturday, June 18th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
\
\'93Look, I\'92m just saying what your physician said was 
\f2\i possible
\f0\i0 , chiclet,\'94 Hank said, holding his clawed hands out in front of himself, staring at his wife and daughter across the kitchen table. \'93I got you an appointment on Wednesday so that we can go see her and find out what\'92s wrong.\'94\
\
\'93There\'92s no way in 
\f2\i hell
\f0\i0  that I\'92m pregnant!\'94 Ginnie screeched. \
\
Both her parents covered the sides of their heads, flinching. \'93Don\'92t shoot the messenger, chiclet, I\'92m just telling you what she told me-\'94\
\
\'93Genevieve, if you yell like that again, I\'92m sending you to your room,\'94 Gwen said. \'93Calm down. If you\'92re pregnant, then we\'92ll just deal with it. Did you have sex with anyone at school before summer break?\'94\
\
\'93No!\'94 Ginnie protested, feeling sick to her stomach at the mere 
\f2\i idea
\f0\i0  of having sex with any of the losers she went to school with. There were only two other birds of the same species at school and they were both red-backed thrushes, not red-and-black thrushes, and only one of them was male. \'93I 
\f2\i certainly
\f0\i0  didn\'92t have sex with Bradley Morison. Ugh. Gross,\'94 she said, greatly exaggerating her distaste for the boy. Honestly, if he wasn\'92t such a nerd, he\'92d have been cute.\
\
\'93Oh, come now, he\'92s not 
\f2\i that
\f0\i0  bad...\'94 Gwen chided.\
\
\'93He plucks his feathers!\'94 Ginnie blurted, trying to distract her parents. She didn\'92t really want to betray such an intensely private problem, but it was true. \'93He\'92s got patches all over his upper arms. I saw them a few months ago, in PE. You can see his 
\f2\i skin
\f0\i0 ,\'94 she said, hoping they would buy that excuse. She really hadn\'92t had sex with anyone! Why couldn\'92t they just accept that she wasn\'92t pregnant?\
\
\'93Oh,\'94 Hank said, recoiling a bit. Now he understood why she\'92d said \'91gross\'92. \'93I\'92m sure he\'92ll grow out of it... Many birds go through a phase like that when they\'92re stressed, especially in high school or college...\'94\
\
\'93Look, I\'92m just saying I didn\'92t have sex with him. Or anyone else. I\'92m am 
\f2\i not
\f0\i0  pregnant!\'94 Ginnie stated heatedly.\
\
\'93There\'92s no shame in it if you are,\'94 Gwen persisted. \'93We can put the chick up for adoption. There\'92s 
\f2\i lots
\f0\i0  of families who would care for-\'94\
\
\'93
\f2\i MOM!
\f0\i0 \'94 Ginnie shrieked, then went silent at the sound of glass breaking. All three of the birds turned to look at the kitchen window, which had cracks radiating out from one corner. As they watched, a sizable chunk of glass fell inwards and hit the floor, shattering into razor-sharp splinters that glinted in the afternoon sun.\
\
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Alex rolled over, taking care not to accidentally squish either Nick or Kate, and carefully stood up. Nick fell backwards, tumbling head-over-heels, but Kate held on doggedly. The older tigress grabbed the back of Kate\'92s onesie and pulled her off. The younger kitten\'92s claws snagged in Alex\'92s shirt, but eventually came loose. \
\
\'93Jeeze, you two don\'92t pull any punches, do you?\'94 Alex muttered, looking down at the tiny divot in hir favorite shirt. Shi sighed, and set Kate down in the play pen again before pulling out the bottom of hir shirt to see how bad the damage was. Yet another tiny hole. It was definitely time to get out the emery boards again. Shi moved hir tail out of the way as Nick tried pouncing at it again, then went looking for the claw care supplies.\
\
It took a minute, but eventually shi found them hidden in the side of the boxy black bag with all the diapers and other supplies. By the time shi turned back around, Nick had crawled back over to the play pen and was standing up next to it, trying to climb the walls in an effort to reach his sister. The slippery nylon taffeta walls didn\'92t give enough traction for his hind feet, but that didn\'92t stop him from trying as he dug his claws into the foam padding over the bar near the top of the play pen and scrambled frantically to get over the top.\
\
Alex watched for a moment, wondering if he\'92d manage to climb over. It wouldn\'92t be the first time they\'92d surprised hir. Kate might have made it over through sheer upper-body strength. Luckily the play pen was constructed in such a way that it was much harder to climb out of than it was to climb in.\
\
Nick finally gave up and put his feet back on the ground, looking around the play pen. He let go of the top bar and started moving wobbly along with one hand against the nylon wall, clearly looking for a place where he might have better luck. Alex sucked in a breath; it was the first time shi had seen either of them walking upright. \'93Holy shit,\'94 shi muttered, then turned and bellowed. \'93Mom! Nick\'92s walking!\'94\
\
The kitten turned and looked at hir, clearly wondering what all the noise was about as their mom double-timed it into the nursery. He stared at the two much bigger tigers for a moment, then turned and continued walking with unsteady legs along the edge of the play pen, holding onto the foam-wrapped bar near the top. Both kittens were babbling nonsense to each other, having a conversation in baby-speak while Nick looked for a way inside. \
\
\'93Huh. I wasn\'92t expecting either of them to start walking for a few more months,\'94 Raenne murmured, taking out her phone and starting a video recording.\
\
When Nick paused at the corner of the playpen, Alex raised an eyebrow, watching as he looked at the two diagonal support bars. He toddled around the corner of the play pen and looked at the supports on the other side too. \'93Is he actually 
\f2\i thinking
\f0\i0 ?\'94 shi asked. \'93Like, puzzling out how to get into the play pen?\'94\
\
\'93He 
\f2\i is
\f0\i0 ,\'94 Raenne confirmed with a broad smile. \'93What a bright boy! Not only walking but actively thinking too, and barely six months old. You didn\'92t start until you were nine months old.\'94\
\
\'93Think he\'92ll figure out how to climb in?\'94 Alex asked, watching as he wrapped a paw around the upper support beam and put his foot on the lower one.\
\
\'93Oh, he\'92s already figured it out,\'94 Raenne said. \'93I just don\'92t know if he\'92s got the strength for it. Kate does, but she wouldn\'92t have figured it out.\'94\
\
\'93You\'92d think it\'92d be the other way around. Boys are usually stronger than girls,\'94 Alex muttered.\
\
\'93Testosterone\'92s what allows for serious muscle growth, and boys have that in spades... but only after puberty starts,\'94 Raenne explained. \'93Before that, they\'92re both roughly equal. Kate\'92s more active than Nick is, so she\'92s stronger.\'94\
\
Alex frowned. \'93Wait... is that why I\'92m not getting stronger as fast as Dad seems to think I should be?\'94\
\
\'93Well, duh,\'94 Raenne confirmed, like it should be blatantly obvious. \'93You\'92re on Spironolactone. It\'92s a testosterone blocker.\'94\
\
\'93Seriously?\'94 Alex frowned then heaved a sigh of frustration. \'93Dad was giving me shit about not being able to curl those twenty-five pounders.\'94\
\
Raenne snorted. \'93Like he\'92s one to talk; he could barely curl twenty-five pounders when we started dating, and he was a grown-ass man. Seriously though, he\'92s probably forgotten that you\'92re on meds. After you finish them at the end of summer you\'92ll start putting on muscle...\'94 the older tigress said, then gasped excitedly. \'93Oh look, he\'92s done it!\'94\
\
Both of them watched as Nick finally worked out which paws to use on the diagonal supports, hooked his claws into the foam around the bar around the top, then pulled himself up. For a moment he perched on the top of the play pen before falling atop his sister with a thump. Kate let out an angry snarl and promptly bit her brother.\
\
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\f1\b \cf0 Sunday, June 19th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
\
Graffiti covered the shredded wallpaper, interspersed with gaping holes in the drywall. The ceiling had several large brown spots from water damage that had never been repaired, and was tinted orange with nicotine stains. An ancient television with tin-foil wrapped antennas was playing some sort of broadcast station, but the picture had so much snow that it was hard to say what was on. The audio had so much static that it was basically white noise... probably why the junkies sitting on the 80\'92s era couch were listening to it.\
\
One of them was snorting cocaine directly off the glass-topped coffee table while the other was taking a long drag from a thick blunt. The rank smell of pot permeated the hazy air of the room, barely masking the smell of stale urine and beer... some of which was emanating from the stained mattress that Ivan was lying on.\
\
His leg throbbed in time with his heartbeat. He was pretty sure that he had an infection in the wound on his thigh where he\'92d been shot while diving off the roof. The only saving grace was that the bullet had gone straight through rather than getting lodged in his hamstring. He desperately needed stitches, but was making do with duct tape and tampons... literally. It was all that the junkies here had on hand. He wasn\'92t looking forward to cutting the tape off his leg later. Maybe he could find some clippers so he wouldn\'92t yank all his damn fur out in the process.\
\
Motes of dust danced through the air, illuminated by thin rays of sunlight that managed to slip past the bent venetian blinds over the living-room window. If he\'92d been standing, he\'92d have been able to see his warehouse through the filthy glass; it was only a few hundred feet away. The flophouse he was in was one he\'92d set up years ago. He hadn\'92t been back in it for at least a couple years, and honestly it was a miracle that he\'92d remembered about it when stumbling away from the warehouse with a sprained wrist and gunshot in his leg.\
\
Ivan still couldn\'92t believe that either the SWAT or FBI hadn\'92t come looking for him. Then again, he\'92d managed, barely, to clear the brick wall separating the warehouse loading bay from the neighboring parking lot, and they might not have seen him. The snipers who\'92d taken pot-shots at him on the roof must not have told the guys on the ground that he\'92d escaped. Or maybe they thought he was dead; he\'92d definitely been shot and the thirty foot fall onto that old car had been brutal. The fact that he hadn\'92t broken any bones was unbelievable.\
\
The tiger took a swig from the bottle of Jack Daniel\'92s, only to realize that the bottle was empty, and it was the very last of the hard liquor they had on hand. Ivan sighed and threw the bottle across the room, where it hit one of the exposed studs behind the damaged drywall and shattered. Both the junkies looked up, wondering what had happened, then stared at him with fear in their eyes. Good.\
\
It was going to be weeks before Ivan would be healed enough to walk... and the first thing he was going to do was drive to Colorado and murder his fucking sister. He knew without a doubt that she had 
\f2\i something
\f0\i0  to do with the pigs and feds showing up at his door. He just didn\'92t know how. He made a note to ask her before he stuck a knife in her guts. \
\
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\f1\b \cf0 Monday, June 20th, 2016
\f0\b0 \
\
Alex hoisted hir baby brother in his carry-sling, then walked across the make-shift parking lot in the field nearest to the grove entrance. It was still dark out, as they\'92d decided to attend the sunrise ceremony. Raenne cautiously followed along a few feet behind Alex, with Kate in her carry sling. Ahead of them, tiny spots of light danced in the darkness like fireflies; other celebrants carrying candles. \
\
\'93I still can\'92t believe you conned me into getting up at 
\f2\i five
\f0\i0  in the morning for this,\'94 Raenne muttered, then yawned. \
\
\'93I reminded you at dinner to go to bed early,\'94 Alex pointed out. \'93
\f2\i I
\f0\i0  certainly did. Did you?\'94\
\
\'93I tried, but your dad kept me up,\'94 Raenne said, carefully watching where she put her feet while walking across the field.\
\
Alex turned hir head and looked back over hir shoulder. \'93Does that mean I\'92ll have more baby siblings?\'94 shi asked with a smirk.\
\
Raenne snorted. \'93I certainly hope not. We\'92ve both got IUDs, remember?\'94\
\
\'93Oh. Right,\'94 Alex said, sighing with a hint of regret. \
\
\'93What? You forgot?\'94 Raenne asked incredulously. \'93I know what you, Ravi, and Aruna were doing on Saturday. I\'92m pretty sure you and Aruna would both be octo-moms right now without your IUDs.\'94\
\
Alex\'92s ears blushed fiery red in embarrassment, but didn\'92t reply. Together they walked in relative silence towards the grove. Sounds faded as they entered the trees, walking through the broad trails that were lined with small vending stalls. Nothing had been laid out yet, but it was only a matter of time. Today was the \'91official\'92 day of the Litha festival, but Alex was certain that the stalls had been up and open all weekend. Not everyone could take time off from work for a pagan festival. \
\
That was why they were here for the morning ritual instead of the evening one that most people attended; Raenne taught karate classes in the evening and wouldn\'92t be able to drive Alex all the way out to the grove, which was well outside the town limits. That was fine though. Or would be if Nick and Kate would stay quiet. Katherine was growling at being out-of-reach of her twin brother. Nicholas was making quiet whimpers as well.\
\
Behind the stalls, portable wood-fired ovens radiated gentle warmth in contrast to the slight morning chill. Bakers were painting sun-shaped bread rolls, round and scored with radial lines, with honeyed butter. The smell of fresh baking mingled with that of fresh fruit: bowls of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Steam rose from mugs of herbal teas including lemon balm, mint, and chamomile. Each scent lent itself to the early-morning air, somehow distinct yet harmonious. \
\
Eventually they reached the end of the lane of vendor stalls, following the dancing lights of other festival-goers with candles... and a moment later stepped into the heart of the grove with the massive oak tree in the center, surrounded by standing stones. A large bonfire had been laid just outside the ring, but had not yet been lit. \
\
The young tigress stepped to one side, joining the various other people that lined the outer edge of the grove. Many of them were wearing brightly colored robes in green and browns, or hues of red and orange. Alex had such a robe sitting in hir closet at home, but in the rush to arrive before dawn it had slipped hir mind. As Raenne fell into line next to Alex, Nicholas whined, reaching out with one tiny paw. Katherine grasped it and finally fell silent, to Alex\'92s relief.  \
\
The sky above was a pale indigo, stars thinning with the promise of sunrise. Cool mist hung low to the ground, beading on blades of grass. The great oak, standing in silent majesty, had been draped with garlands of meadow flowers woven in the quiet hours by devoted hands. Small lanterns glowed among the standing stones, illuminating their surroundings with amber light. Long wooden tables had been placed near the edges of the trees where Alex and hir family now stood and several robed individuals sat at the tables weaving floral wreaths with daisies, clover, lavender, and sprigs of rosemary and thyme. \
\
At the foot of the great oak, a young couple stood barefoot in the damp grass with wreaths upon their heads and joined hands. A priestess in pale green and white robes, embroidered with gold thread like the first light on leaves, spoke quietly, her words meant more for the two in front of her more than those who had been gathered. \'93...you stand here, with the rising of the sun,\'94 the priestess was saying. The priestess laid a sprig of flowering elder into the couple\'92s hands, blessing them. Friends and family scattered berries and petals at the couple\'92s feet, offerings of sweet and plenty. The couple turned to the east, waiting for the first light to break upon the horizon.\
\
Dawn arrived slowly, as if reluctant to break the spell of night. Around the grove, people stood in a wide circle. The high priestess, Sharleen, stood at the eastern arc of the circle, tall and composed, her bold black and russet stripes softened by the pale light of early morning. She wore flowing robes of ivory and gold, embroidered with symbols of the sun. A wreath of marigold and rose lay upon her head, and in her hands was a shallow bowl filled with berries, grain, and petals\'97offerings of the season\'92s bounty.\
\
Opposite her, at the western arc, stood Star Dreamer, broad-shouldered and serene. His robes were deep blue fading to pale silver, and stitched with constellations that seemed to dim as the sun rose. In his hands stood a staff carved with spirals and stars, with a crystal tip that seemed to catch the last twinkling light of the stars in the sky above.\
\
The grove fell silent as Sharleen lifted her gaze to the horizon. \'93Children of the turning year,\'94 she intoned, her voice resonant, \'93We who toil in the light of day, greet the rising sun. For without light, there grow no crops upon which to feed.\'94 She stepped forward, scattering berries and grain upon the earth.\
\
Star Dreamer raised his staff in response, voice calm and distant. \'93We who rest in the shadow of night, greet the rising sun. For without light, there is no shade in which to lay.\'94 A hush follows, deep and reverent.\
\
Together, they moved toward the center. Sharleen knelt and brushed ash aside, revealing glowing coals beneath the new-laid firewood. Star Dreamer lowered his staff, its crystal hovering above the embers. At the exact moment the sun\'92s first full ray crests the hill and pours through the oak\'92s branches, Sharleen spread a handful of wood shavings atop the glowing embers. The shavings caught fire, and a soft gasp rippled through the circle as the bonfire began to bloom. Golden light spilled across fur and leaves alike, and the grove seemed to come alive.\
\
Sharleen rose, her face illuminated by flame and sunrise both. \'93Behold the sun reborn once again,\'94 she declared. \'93May its warmth strengthen our bodies, its light steady our spirits, and its generosity remind us to give as freely as it shines.\'94\
\
Star Dreamer stepped forward, tracing a slow spiral in the air with his staff. \'93Carry this light within you,\'94 he said, \'93through the days of harvest and the turning of the leaves. When the world grows cold again, remember this morning.\'94\
\
At this signal, attendants passed forward baskets of sun-shaped bread. The loaves were broken and shared, steam rising as the honeyed crusts yielded beneath careful claws and paws. Herbal teas followed, mugs passed from hand to hand.\
\
Sharleen lifted her bowl once more, tipping the last offerings into the fire. \'93As the sun stands high, so may our lives stand full,\'94 she finished. \'93The rite is complete. Litha is upon us.\'94\
\
The circle of people broke apart. Music began, quiet at first but slowly growing louder to rise above the noisy crowd. The sun climbed steadily in the eastern sky, generous and eternal.\
\
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It took Alex a solid fifteen minutes to find Star Dreamer again after the morning ceremony, leaving hir baby brother in hir mother\'92s arms while shi searched the grove. The polar bear had somehow vanished into thin air after the ceremony despite standing in the center of the grove next to the bonfire. Shi had a question to ask him that could not be put off, something that had been in the back of hir mind since the Beltane festival. \
\
When Alex finally caught up with him, he was now dressed in a simple blue robe and without the ceremonial staff, sitting at one of the tables and sipping on a mug of tea. \'93Hello, Star Dreamer,\'94 shi said, sitting down at the bench across the table from him.\
\
\'93Hello, little one,\'94 the polar bear said, nodding at the young tigress. \'93How are your siblings doing? Have they started speaking yet?\'94\
\
\'93Uh... not necessarily to us,\'94 Alex said, frowning, \'93but I think they\'92re speaking to each other. It sounds like they\'92re talking, but it\'92s definitely not English.\'94\
\
The polar bear hummed, a sound so deep that Alex felt it more than heard it. \'93Your parents may need to separate them for a time. Twins have a special bond, you see, and sometimes it grows so strong that they focus on it to the exclusion of the world around them. Separating them will weaken that bond, allowing them to become more aware of their surroundings.\'94\
\
\'93They don\'92t like that,\'94 Alex said, shaking hir head. \'93They whine and cry and even scream if they\'92re separated.\'94\
\
\'93I\'92m sure they do,\'94 Star Dreamer replied with a sigh. \'93But leaving them to their own devices could be more harmful to them in the long run.\'94\
\
\'93I\'92ll let Mom and Dad know...\'94 Alex said, nodding, \'93but that isn\'92t what I wanted to talk to you about.\'94\
\
Star Dreamer raised an eyebrow, looking at the tiger cub through the steam wafting from his mug of tea. \'93And pray-tell, what do you wish to discuss, little one?\'94\
\
\'93The Cait-s\'ecth,\'94 the tigress said, quietly. \'93Did you manage to free those poor fawns?\'94\
\
The polar bear lowered the mug to the table, then spoke equally quietly. \'93Alex... After you told me of it, I spoke to several people to learn what I could... some from as far away as Scotland and Ireland. None of them knew any way to free the souls devoured by the Cat S\'ed, if such a thing is even possible. But on their advice, the cabin was purified in a ceremony of ringing bells and cleansing fire, and the ashes were spread with salt and rowan. The site of its power is no more.\'94\
\
Alex was silent for a moment before asking \'93...but you never found it?\'94\
\
Star Dreamer shook his head from side to side. \'93No, little one. We never found it.\'94\
\
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By the time Monday rolled around, Ginnie was thoroughly sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. The constant weakness wasn\'92t too bad, but the occasional bouts of nausea were terrible. It was ten in the morning when she rolled out of bed, lurching to the bathroom to do her business before heading to the kitchen to fix herself a breakfast shake. As expected, neither of her parents were anywhere to be found... though at least her mom had the excuse of having to go to work. Her father had no such excuse, but frequently went shopping in the mornings.\
\
After breakfast, a shower, and several minutes spent fixing her feathers, the young thrush decided to head back into her room and sing some karaoke. There wasn\'92t much else to do with her computer, phone, and television privileges having been revoked for the week. It sucked, but if she were being honest with herself, she deserved it for shattering the kitchen window. It certainly wasn\'92t the first window she\'92d shattered, and she doubted it would be the last.\
\
Having a syrinx was both a blessing and a curse, like many heritage traits. Having perfect pitch and an excellent echoic memory as well meant she could repeat almost anything she heard. The downside was she could accidentally hit volumes of over 140 decibels, enough to rupture eardrums or even shatter glass if she hit the wrong frequency... which happened far too frequently.\
\
She\'92d asked on Reddit a few times, but apparently she was the only one who had such terrible luck when it came to shattering glass; most other birds with a syrinx heritage trait, like her father, had to really work at getting the right frequency to shatter glass. It was basically a parlor trick... not something they did by accident.\
\
After two hours of karaoke, cycling through hip hop, pop, rock, and classical (to practice her instrumentals), Ginnie picked up her MP3 player and cycled through her playlists until she reached \'91Symphonic Shutdown\'92, put in her earbuds, and climbed into bed, wincing as her uncomfortably large, swollen belly made itself painfully obvious.\
\
She lay back in her bed and hit the randomize button, then winced as Charles Ive\'92s \'91Symphony No. 4\'92 started playing. It was absolute garbage, as far as music went, but the sheer chaos and atonality of it made it perfect for calming the part of her brain that wanted to mimic anything and everything she heard after an hour of karaoke practice.\
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Ginnie awoke with a start, every feather quivering with fear, from the same nightmare she\'92d had for well over a year now. The look of hatred in the cane corso\'92s eyes as he stared at her from across the courtroom, followed by running the edge of his finger across his throat... that was something she\'92d never forget, and would probably have nightmares about for the rest of her life. The fact that she\'92d only repeated his own words apparently didn\'92t matter.\
\
No, it was 
\f2\i her
\f0\i0  fault for repeating what he\'92d said, exactly as she\'92d heard it. It was her fault that they couldn\'92t use the names they\'92d been born with, her fault that her father was no longer the lead musician in the Boston Philharmonic, her fault that they were living in this shithole of a town in the mountains, her fault that her family was in witness protection. \
\
It was her fault that she would never be able to use the gifts she\'92d been given, to use the musical talent she had, to rise to stardom as she so rightfully deserved... because if she did, she would eventually be identified by the people they were hiding from. Stardom wasn\'92t worth dying for.\
\
The thrush lay in her bed, still shaking in fear for several seconds before she started the breathing and meditation exercises her therapist back in Boston had prescribed to help with the nightmares. It took a few minutes before her heart rate had returned to something close to normal. She rolled over to look at the clock... Just after three in the afternoon.\
\
She lay there, staring at the clock for a moment when suddenly something in her guts seemed to shift slightly. Ginnie immediately doubled over in pain as the worst pain she\'92d ever experienced seemed to radiate from somewhere behind her navel. Sharp, concentrated, and unexpected. Almost as soon, it ended. Then it happened again. She wanted to scream for help but could do nothing but gasp for breath. \
\
Between cramps, she somehow managed to roll off the side of the bed, hitting the floor, then tried to use her hands to get upright. The pain vanished, though the strange intermittent tensing in her guts didn\'92t. She took a few cautious breaths, afraid to move, then straightened again. The rhythmic clenching continued for a few more seconds before it seemed to stop.\
\
Unsure just what the hell had happened, Ginnie got to her feet. Whatever it was, there were two things she was absolutely certain of: that she wasn\'92t going to karate practice tonight and that she was going to stay 
\f2\i very
\f0\i0  close to the bathroom.}