i might as well be the man on the moon

[truthwright]

Their Isabella having just gone to welcome a new Bell into the peal, Kas and Petaal snuggle up together and take a nap. They'll want to be well rested for the party.

When they wake up, she still isn't back.

[Jane?]

No response.

Kas teleports down to the Janepoint, Petaal wrapped snake-shaped around his shoulders.

The display reads: error 7788: lycanthropy

"...So that's new," he says.

"No shit," says Petaal. "Now what?"

He shrugs. She coils tighter.

"Hang around and wait, I guess."

Comments

[alicornucopia]

Charlie rocks her. "Hi there, Helen. I'm your grandpa. But that's a secret. You can just call me Charlie. Your mommy did that too when she thought I couldn't hear her."

[truthwright]

Kas giggles.

[alicornucopia]

Kesathi wants to nuzzle Kalavar. Where is Kalavar?

[truthwright]

Petaal has Kalavar!

[alicornucopia]

Kesathi trots up to them and nuzzles grandbaby-daemon as is right and proper. Kesathi can be fierce and toothy, but right now she just looks like a fuzzy critter.

[truthwright]

Petaal is being a smallish dragon. Kalavar is being a duckling. Kalavar makes excited noises and bops her beak against Kesathi's face.

[alicornucopia]

"Hey little fuzzy one," Kesathi says to Kalavar.

[truthwright]

Kalavar bops Kesathi's face with her beak again.

Petaal giggles.

[alicornucopia]

Charlie chuckles and goes on holding the baby. "Thanks for bringing her by. Will we get to see much of her?"

[truthwright]

"Yeah, once in a while," says Kas. "Grandma wants her with the clan a lot."

[alicornucopia]

"Gonna learn to be all witchy like her mommy," murmurs Charlie. "Just - mind she doesn't get into anything too big?"

"Kas says Isabella's coming back. I told you."

[truthwright]

"Yeah," says Kas.

[alicornucopia]

"It was still too big," says Charlie.

"You're back," Ranata murmurs.

"So," Charlie says, "I can say that."

Everyone thinks the disappearance was related to the afterlife; it's a natural thought.

[truthwright]

A natural thought and a rumour Kas started.

"If Helen wants to do something that impressive, I'm not stopping her," he says with a shrug.

[alicornucopia]

Charlie grits his teeth, and he doesn't tighten his grip on Helen, but he looks like he'd like to. The hackles on the back of his daemon's neck rise a bit.

[truthwright]

"What would I even do? I can ask her to be careful, but I can't make her listen."

[alicornucopia]

"Well," says Charlie. "Do ask her."

[truthwright]

"Of course."

[alicornucopia]

Charlie nods, and he pet's Helen's hair. Ranata sits next to him and puts her arm around his shoulders.

[truthwright]

Petaal nuzzles Kalavar's fuzzy feathers.

[alicornucopia]

It's a couple months after Kas has departed when Ranata says, [Are you thinking of bringing Helen by soon, dear?]

[truthwright]

[Has it been two months? Yeah, sure,] he says.

[alicornucopia]

[Do you want me to come get her or are you coming too?]

[truthwright]

[I'm coming too,] he says. [I'll be there in a while.]

[alicornucopia]

[We'll see you soon, dear. The queen's got everyone to quiet down about where she came from.]