My babies were already losing the battle with their heavy eyelids.
Raiden’s little white-and-black ears were drooping, and Phina was content to chew on the edge of her new sleeve. Lyra—the ever-watchful silver doll—was finally going limp in that deep, post-feed satisfaction.
"Three days," Fenric murmured, sitting cross-legged beside . He reached out and gently uncurled Raiden’s tiny, chubby fist from my shirt, his red eyes fixed on the boy’s face. "No stone-cutting. No blueprints. No argunts with the council. Just... this."
"Just us," I whispered, closing my eyes for a second. "And a lot of learning. We’re going to need to figure out the new version of everything with them, Fenric. They aren’t just going to tumble around the grass anymore."
They might start walking on their two feet soon. They don’t have teeth yet, but they’ll start teething too as well.
Gosh, there are just so many things to take note of.
Fenric’s face went pale quite a bit, a look of sudden, panicked responsibility crossing his features.
"I... I will talk to the wolf tribe and Sheep Tribe mothers. They must have a strategy for... shifted babies."
Thalor, who had been quietly watching from the foot of the furs, moved a bit closer. He sat with a grace that felt entirely too elegant for a floor-dweller, looking at the family pile with a quiet sense of belonging.
"I can help," he offered, his violet eyes soft. "In the sea, we have ways of tending to the young that require great patience. I have much of that to give."
I smiled warmly at him.
"Thanks, Thalor? We’re already a regular task force," I chuckled, my voice trailing off as the adrenaline finally started to drain away, replaced by a bone-deep contentnt.
The sounds of the village outside were changing. The clinking of tools had been replaced by cheers and the rhythmic, celebratory thrum of drums.
Noah was clearly making good on that feast. But inside, it was just the sound of five different heartbeats finding a single, steady rhythm.
"Damar would have loved this," I breathed, my eyes fluttering shut as I felt the warmth of my children against my skin.
"He’s here, Arinya," Fenric whispered, his hand covering mine over the babies’ backs. "He’s in the silver of her hair and the green of her eyes. He isn’t missing a single thing."
"Yeah, and he’s here too," In my heart.
I hope he’s safe wherever he is and isn’t getting into trouble.
I felt Thalor’s hand rest gently on my ankle, steady and cool. It seems like he likes my ankle quite a lot.
The next three days were more of a disaster than the wholeso vacation I was looking forward to, welp.
I had this rosy image in my head of lounging on furs, watching my beautiful human babies sleep while my three handso husbands fanned with palm fronds.
The reality? It was a tactical nightmare of sticky limbs, high-pitched cries, and a sll that no amount of mountain air could mask.
The first ’incident’ happened exactly four hours into my leave of absence.
I was sitting on the floor, trying to show Thalor how to support Lyra’s neck, when Noah suddenly let out a yelp that sounded like he’d been stabbed. I turned around to see him holding Phina out at arm’s length, his face contorted in a mask of pure horror.
"Little tiger! Sothing is wrong with her!" he yelled, his golden eyes wide. "She’s leaking! It’s yellow, and it’s... oh, gods, the sll!"
I looked over. Sure enough, a steady, warm stream was soaking into the expensive white fur rug the Sheep Tribe had gifted us.
Back when they were cubs, they’d give this specific low groan and lower their backs. It was a five-second warning that gave enough ti to scoot them toward the grass or whatever pen I had prepared for them. But these human bodies? There was no warning. No groan. Just a sudden, soggy surprise.
"She’s not leaking, Noah. She’s peeing," I said, rubbing my temples. "Fenric, hurry and get the hide ties and the wool napkins."
Fenric, who had been sharpening a dagger in the corner, dropped his blade and scrambled for the basket Robin had left. He looked just as panicked as Noah. He handed a square of knitted wool and a piece of soft, cured deer hide I’d pre-cut to act as a waterproof cover.
I’m so glad I prepared for this scenario along with the clothes making. What would I have done otherwise? Ngh.
"I... I don’t understand," Fenric muttered, his red eyes darting between Phina and the rug. "Why didn’t she signal? A warrior always signals."
"She’s a baby, Fenric! Her only signal is a ss," I snapped, though I couldn’t help but snicker at the sight of the Great Snow Tiger Beast Warrior looking like he was about to faint over a wet spot.
Then, after he brought the ’goods’, I sat them all down in a circle. It was ti for so parenting lessons.
"Alright, listen up. Since I’m the only one here who’s seen a diaper comrcial—well, who knows how to handle this—you’re all going to learn. Noah, stop gagging. Thalor, pay attention."
I laid Phina down. I took the wool, folded it into a triangle like I rembered from the old TV ads, and wrapped it around her chubby waist. Then ca the tricky part: the hide ’napkin.’ I had to tie the leather strips just tight enough to hold, but not so tight they’d pinch her skin.
"Watch my hands," I commanded.
Noah leaned in, his nose still wrinkled. "You’re going to tie her up like a sack of grain?"
"It’s a diaper, Noah. It keeps your rugs clean," I grunted, pulling the final knot. Phina imdiately kicked her legs, the leather creaking. She looked like a little round football. "There. Done. Now Thalor, try it."
"My turn?" Thalor asked, his voice hesitant. He reached for Raiden, who was currently busy trying to shove his entire fist into his mouth.
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