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 Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:58 pm
The sun was sinking behind the distant hills as Nobleheart sat on the edge of the main cliff, watching it go ponderously. His usually-warm features were set in thought as the daystar sank out of sight until tomorrow morning.
The chicks were growing...at first, he'd tried not to notice, but it was undeniable now. The smallest of them was now able to jump, play, and run amock in the grassy fields below and Grumpy....well, he was nearly as big as himself and True by now.
It was funny...he reflected back on all of the times they'd spent late nights juggling the nestful of fussy hatchlings he'd wished little wishes that they might grow up a bit faster, and now....well, it was true what they said about empty nests.
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Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:15 pm
Well, it's a good thing that's done. Trueheart let out a sigh as she returned from her daily schedule; chasing the smaller hippogryphs back to the caves. Sure they have grown and all but she still treated them as if they were newly borns. Her own newly borns.
"Mm...?" That's when she saw Nobleheart sitting by the edge, looking off quite thoughtfully. "Dear? Are you alright?" True padded towards his direction and sat by his side, nuzzling into his neck just to grab his attention from whatever he was thinking about.
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Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:28 pm
"Mm..." he murmured, stirred out of his thoughts by the nuzzle and turning his head to look at Trueheart, smiling faintly. "I was just thinking, that's all..." he assured her. He shifted a bit to be closer to her as he redirected his eyes to where the sun had once been, and was now only a half-ring of fading golden light against a darkening sky.
"It happens so quickly, doesn't it...?" he said softly, his voice little more than a rumble in his throat. "One day you're gathering berries to bring back to the nest for them, and the next they're beginning to explore the world for themselves...and all you can do is hope you've taught them everything they'll need to know."
He sighed a bit, trying not to sound sad. It was a happy time, honestly...knowing that his and True's efforts had paid off with cliffs filled with well-meaning gryphs that wanted to show the world how to care.
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Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:50 pm
Smiling back, she leaned against Nobleheart and watched as evening came. "I know what you mean." Her eyes closed for a moment, playing back those old days of her old care-taking madness, before reopening them slightly. They couldn't go back in time, no matter how much she wanted to, sadly enough. It would be lonely in a matter of time once the chicks began to live their own lives.
"Dear?" True lifted her head up slowly. "Have you..." Her words trailed off, wondering what she should say. They have been together for quite some time, working and all... "Have you ever thought about having children of our own?" For it to be an approriate question or not, True had been thinking of that, ever since she was questioned by a few den mothers at the Center.
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:02 am
Noble's eyes widened at this and he blinked in surprise. The thought had, of course, crossed his mind....one did not take a mate, after all, and never think of the possibility of chicks. But then the others had come and they'd been so busy tending them, that the notion had all but been forgotten in the rush.
"I have..." he ventured, turning to meet her eyes now that the sun had fully gone. "I think of it now and again, love, but..." his wings shifted on his shoulders. Well, they had been together far too long for bashfulness, he supposed. That had passed in the awkward adolscent stages of their relationship long ago. "...is it something you've been thinking of too?"
He didn't want to press the issue, after all, if she was just musing.
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:14 am
She nodded her head, "I have as well." Taking care of chicks that were not linked in their blood was interesting, but would it not be much more awarding if she could see her own children grow up? That would be any parent's blessing. "The den mothers from other flocks were shocked to hear how long we have been together and have not even beared one child." True giggled to herself.
"Our nests won't be empty and we would have to start over again... trying to get them to take their naps, helping them talk." It was as exciting as it sounded.
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:10 am
"Gathering for them...helping them get around those first few days after their eyes open...." The warmth in his expression spread, erasing entirely the ponderous thoughtfulness Trueheart had first caught him in.
They....honestly had no excuse to put it off any longer. Nothing more was in the way, and nothing was foreseeably coming in the future other than perhaps watching their adopted charges one day raise families of their own, making aunts and uncles out of one another.
He ruffled his fur a bit, nuzzling his love tenderly, and all but thrumming with joy. "Trueheart...."
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:34 am
"Yes... yes." She whispered into Nobleheart's ear and licked him across the cheek. They will, most certainly, but proud of whomever the up above has given them to care for. She was willing, as much as her love, to teach her future children the ways of the Care-a-lots.
Ending their nuzzling, Trueheart turned towards the caves and gestured for Nobleheart to follow. Her smile never left and it grew even softer as she gazed at him. "It will be a wonderful night."
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:57 am
"And the children will be just as beautiful as their mother..." he whispered, following Trueheart into the caves and out of sight.
One by one, the stars winked on....and it seemed that three in particular, ones that had never been seen before, were shining especially brightly this eve.
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