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After returning to their small scouting ship, Holt radio'd in their update on the situation from the mysterious floating island. Fishclaw was safe and sound albeit with some new revelations about himself, and in recognising his defeat the former kidnapper Aarbron offered them a gift in the form of two hives being sent towards the human base to help with repairs. It was understandably tense at first with the soldiers not knowing whether to fight or wait until they were assured by Holt and Oddie that that was not the case as creatures both strange and frightening started fixing everything they could. Wasps and hornets used their sap to suture the cracks, whilst dragon-headed grasshoppers binded together steel with their immensely powerful grip crushing together plates to fit them back into place.

During this Fishclaw started to explain his new abilities in the best way possible, rather by demonstrating as he lifted large chunks of debris up into the sky before lowering them back down to the shock and awe of everyone watching. Kevin took him in for a cautionary scan regardless to examine his new condition whilst Oddclaw, Eggfang and Holt joined with Jane attending.

"Any pains in your chest?" asked the doctor.

[i]"No,"[/i] said his patient.

"Muscular spasms, bleary eyesight?"

[i]"No."[/i]

"Headaches, pains in the skull?"

[i]"Wait...yes, sometimes when I, when it happened, my head starts to hurt and my ears were bleeding."[/i]

"Hmmm..."

Kevin pulled out an auriscope and shone a light into the raptor's earhole, finding a somewhat-drying trail of blood coming out from it.

"Well that's worrying, you said this happened when you were doing your uh...psychic thing?"

[i]"Yes when myself and Starleaf are wielding stones."[/i]

[b][i]BLOOD IS RELEASE DO NOT FEAR IT FATHER[/i][/b]

[i]"I know...Starleaf but I-"[/i]

"Wait wait who is Starleaf?" asked Kevin pulling back to clean his auriscope.

[i]"He is the one inside my mind, the one that allows me to lift stones into the sky."[/i]

[b][i]HE DOES NOT BELIEVE BUT HE HAS NO FEAR[/i][/b]

[i]"Child do not be rude, she is a friend."[/i]

[b][i]WHAT IS FRIEND[/i][/b]

[i]"A friend is someone who helps you, cares for you."[/i]

[b][i]FRIEND IS FAMILY?[/i][/b]

[i]"If they are good enough friends, yes!"[/i]

"Um, a-are you talking to him now?" asked Jane feeling a nervous twitch in her steel arm.

[i]"Of course I am,"[/i] said Fishclaw with insulted huff, [i]"who else would I be speaking to?!"[/i]

"Well it's just...well, I cannot hear him, I don't think any of us can."

[b][i]I AM ONLY YOURS AND NONE OTHER, FATHER[/i][/b]

[i]"I see..."[/i] the raptor sighed with a growing headache from exhaustion as he laid down onto the floor, [i]"I do not know why I thought you could hear him, but you know I am not mad, right?"[/i]

[i]"Of course you are not,"[/i] said Oddclaw hugging him close, [i]"you are not like Eyeclaw was...even though you do have the Killing Eye like he did."[/i]

"Aarbron said that too," said Holt, "sumthin' about if he hadn't had that ability this uh...star-thing woulda driven him mad."

[b][i]FATHER IS STRONG HIS MIND PROTECTS ME[/i][/b]

[i]"Hmhmhmhahaha,"[/i] Fishclaw chuckled shaking his head, [i]"I...I wish I could understand this better myself, but all I know now is that Starleaf wants to protect me, and this...this skill I have will help me protect all of you as well."[/i]

[i]"I am glad to hear,"[/i] said Eggfang nuzzling his cheek, [i]"I am sorry about all that has happened, I still feel I am responsible for some of this-"[/i]

[i]"No no. This was my choice Eggfang, you only made certain I was safe."[/i]

"So what EXACTLY does this power do?" asked Kevin scratching his chest. "Do you only lift like rocks or stuff, like Magneto but with stones?"

[i]"No, I...I cannot explain, I feel as if...as if the air changes around me whenever I wish it to, I can make it crush upon someone like a great stone, or lift them into the sky like a leaf."[/i]

"Really? ...hmmmmm maybe Andrea will want to hear about this, you mind giving us more of a demonstration after, if you are not too tired?"

[i]"Actually I would like to return home and see my family first, I will show you my skills another day."[/i]

"Oh yeah I mean, wow shit we got a LOT to explain to them!"

[i]"I will do my best,"[/i] said Oddclaw, [i]"but I admit I am still trying to understand what even happened to my brother."[/i]

"Perhaps James and Haytham might help," said Jane, "where did they go by the way?"

"Ahhh I think they were gonna chat with Thomas an' Andrea," said Holt scratching his stache, "just glad everyone's alrigh' to be honest, I'm still surprised that Aarbron bastard even agreed to come quietly."

"Still keep an eye on him, we're keeping him outside of the base for a reason after all, even if he is assisting in the repairs oddly."

[i]"He was defeated,"[/i] said Eggfang with a proud tall stance like a chieftain, [i]"he accepted that with honour, and despite his cruel intentions I respect that he submitted to our strength. He knows we can destroy him if he tries to betray us."[/i]

[b][i]FATHER'S ENEMY SHALL BE ERASED[/i][/b]

[i]"Hmmmm..."[/i] Fishclaw grimaced at the "words" Starleaf used. [i]"Do not revel in death, child. To kill is only to survive, not to savour the suffering of others."[/i]

[b][i]FATHER'S ENEMY TRIED TO KILL FAMILY[/i][/b]

[i]"Yes, but we are not them Starleaf. We are hunters, we fight to protect our home and family and kill only to ease our hunger, not relish in joy."[/i]

[b][i]IS THAT NOT JOY TO END HUNGER?[/i][/b]

[i]"It is, but there is a difference between the joy of life, and the joy of taking another life."[/i]

[b][i]JOY OF LIFE NOT JOY OF DEATH?[/i][/b]

[i]"Yes,"[/i] said Fishclaw with a solemn blink much to everyone's confusion around him. [i]"Do you understand now, child?"[/i]

[b][i]I DO NOT KNOW I WANT TO KNOW[/i][/b]

[i]"Then I shall teach you such, just as I taught my other children."[/i]

[b][i]FEED ME KNOWLEDGE THANK YOU FATHER[/i][/b]

During this bizarre examination, Haytham and his pupil were meeting with Thomas and Andrea at the meeting room in private.

"As the chief representatives of our base," said Brightman with hand on heart, "doctor Dixon and I thank you for all your help with the anomaly."

"Tis nothing," said Durai waving a hand humbly, "we are but travellers and nothing more, no need to extol us."

"I disagree," said Andrea leaning her hand on the table, "you walk in out of another world, by your own behest, and then you just figure out the damn blind spot we've had for the past two years-"

"Was that an unsightly pun madame?"

"It-......fuck." She started laughing with a hand over her mouth. "Hhhhmhmhahahaha, oh god dammit I didn't even think tha-hhHHAH!"

"My apologies continue."

"A-anyway, yeah, you...you've done a lot for us so I think we should thank you."

"I am just happy that Oddclaw's brother is safe," said the lemming bowing on his umbrella like a cane, "that was frightening, I-i have never fought like...that before."

"You did perfectly well," said his mentor rubbing his hair, "we were fortuitous that Fishclaw managed to recover and control his new strength to defeat Aarbron."

"I'm keeping a watch on him," said Thomas crossing his arms, "soon as his bugs are done fixing up the damage I'm having his ass booted out as far away from here as possible."

"He has agreed to leave this place, there is nothing left for him here now."

"What about you two? Are you planning on going too?"

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Haytham swishing his head.

"Well it's just that usually when these incidents come to an end the people that come here always leave back to their home, so they don't get stranded here."

"Ahhhh yes, your third-energy enhancements to reverse the cataclysm I recall that. But, since we have come of our own volition, I believe we are not so privy to that rule and this brings us to our formal request."

The student and his tutor looked at each other before placing their linking books upon the table as they composed themselves with clearing throats.

"since you are searching for a means back to your epoch," began Durai, "and we are capable of traversing between the stars themselves, we would like to formally request that we be patrons regular to your base in assistance to your endeavour."

"Huh?!" The Major-General sneered with a step back in surprise. "You...wait, you want to come back here, after all that's happened?!"

"Why not? We would be honoured to assist you in your quest, though we may not be as endeavoured in the ways of science as you we are prepared to formulate measures relevant to it in the fields of magic."

"Your...huh, well...it's not that I don't appreciate your offer mister Durai, but it's just, with all due respect you are both civilians who have wandered in here only a few days back."

"I understand." The human scholar bowed curtly in grace. "We would still like to return someday, after perhaps we return to James' homestead to visit his family as well as undertake our new research in finding some new direction for your third energy experiment."

"I-i would be, um, honoured to help in any way possible," said James almost tip-toeing on his feet, "if anything I-i feel I...I, owe it to my namesake to help those who are friends of Oddclaw, at the very least let us try to assist!"

"Hmmmm...what do you think?" The soldier turned towards the scientist who stroked her chin with ponderment. "Other than for security reasons I admit I don't really have a reason to object if they want to help, but it's up to you."

"I think we should try," said Andrea nodding firmly, "we're not getting anywhere with our research alone and still we can't recreate what caused Holt to come here no matter how hard we try...I think we should let James and Haytham come and go, if they are willing."

"We most certainly are!" cried James. "Oh please let us help, th-there is so much we could learn from each other, a-after all YOU opened a portal into my room and now here we are, would you not call that fate doctor Dixon?!"

"Hah, you sure you just don't wanna read more books when you come back?"

"WHA-U-UMMM...w-would you be offended if that was-"

"HMHAH, hahaha I'm kidding it's fine, seriously I appreciate the fact you two wanna help us with stuff, and after that subspace nonsense I certainly don't mind someone who can see things different from us."

She offered her hand to shake across the table with a winning smile.

"Sometimes you need a new pair of eyes to see things, right professor Durai?"

"Indeed!" replied Haytham gladly shaking it in return. "I cannot tell you how excited I am for our future co-operative and by that I mean we shall give our veritable all to assist you!"

"A-absolutely!" added James shaking her hand also. "I know we are doing this for you but, I...I-i never imagined in my life I would become involved in such a partnership, thank you doctor a-and of course to you sir Major-General!"

"First off," said Thomas with hand raised to stop them, "there are some ground rules I wanna put down before we start on anything. Rule number one, do not talk to anyone in any other world about us or our mission, matter of security. Rule number two, do not bring back any living creatures with you, we don't need more than we can already handle."

"Naturally," said Haytham nodding, "that means we must censure your diary entries James."

"I understand," replied the young lemming, "but, what about our Linking Books, they mention them."

"Oh that is no bother, in order for us to return we shall need to leave those books here as a waypoint. Would you be able to keep them safe for us? If they were damaged we would not be able to return here easily."

"Miss Anna will look after them," said Thomas clicking his boots together, "I hope our partnership will be fruitful."

The meeting was adjourned as James headed out to find Oddclaw, but Durai was halted by Andrea before he took his leave.

"Professor Durai."

"Yes?"

"You said that, the books are basically protected and there's no way we're gonna get a blank copy for us to use?"

"Unfortunately," he repeated.

"Well it's clearly not the ONLY way, I mean you travelled between worlds with your research even before you got to James' place."

"That I did...am I correct in assuming that you desire an alternate means to travel back to your time? Because I must warn you, the stars control space, not time."

"Actually stars can control time too," she replied tapping her chin methodically, "at least the research in my world indicates such. I was thinking that since you want to help us, we should collaborate with us on what you know."

"I would be honoured to assist you as a fellow wayward traveller, doctor Dixon."

"So tell me how it happened, travelling from your world to James'."

"Well," he sat himself down as she followed, "it was frankly more chance than anything else, as an astrologer I watch the stars but in my homestead I have the power to move them to a certain degree."

"Wait......what?"

"I understand that that may sound rather egregious but tis the reason why my profession is so highly noted in Ivalice."

"You...can move the stars?"

"To a certain degree," he reiterated with a finger raised, "I had come upon a rare syzygy which, aligned within the month of Leo formed an exceptional small tear in the space of reality. Subsequently I was pulled in and I presume that no one has discovered how or why I disappeared from my world. And before you ask, I cannot control the stars over this land for the ones of Ivalice are much different than yours."

"I...sorry I-" she took a moment to rub her head, "I'm still trying to process you saying you could MOVE stars somehow."

"An old diction of my world sayeth this. 'If you wish to bake an apple pie, one must first create the stars themselves'."

"...hah...hhhhahahahaha, hahahaha!"

"Hmm?" Haytham raised his brow. "Did I say something amusing?"

"N-n-no, no just," sputtered Dixon, "just there is a s-scientist, a very famous one back home who said something almost EXACTLY like that, he was an astronomer and astrophysicist."

"Astronomer? Is that what you call an Astrologer in your world?"

"Yes, basically."

"Fascinating. I daresay I think our alliance shall be most fortuitous then, and whilst I cannot shape the stars of THIS world I shall most assuredly find some other means to aid you."

"I'm very grateful to hear that, professor Durai."

"Please, madame, call me Haytham as you wish."

"Hmhmhm...alright, Haytham."

As science and magic united together, James came rushing to find Oddclaw still waiting at the clinic. The raptor anthro saw him approach with a wave as the lemming asked with throat-translator still on:

"Um, O-oddclaw can I speak with you before you leave?"

[i]"Alright."[/i] He excused himself and stepped out into the hall with James. [i]"Is something wrong?"[/i]

"No, nothing I just, I wanted to tell you that master and I have agreed we are going to visit you often, so as to help the humans return back home."

"Really?! You know how to get them home?"

"W-well, not as such, but we are going to find a way by travelling to other realms and any research we find we can bring back to them. Hopefully there is something!"

[i]"That is good, that is very good!"[/i] Oddclaw hugged him tightly much to the lemming's shock. [i]"Thank you for wanting to help my friends."[/i]

"I-i-it is nothing," stuttered the young pupil with an exceedingly heavy blush, "tis only right we do our best to help...is your brother alright?"

[i]"He seems alright, but his new skill is very odd and I do not know if it is good or bad for him."[/i]

"Well is he in pain, or fears anything?"

[i]"No...but he does say his ears bleed when he uses it."[/i]

"Oh, th-that is quite distressing. Can I do anything?"

[i]"No thank you. You have been of great help James, thank you."[/i]

The student rocked on his feet with a beaming grin creasing up his face.

"I also um...w-wanted to tell you I will be leaving soon but I will return! I have to see your children too, I know they will be as kind and strong as you are, O-oddclaw."

[i]"I hope so too,"[/i] said Odd crossing his arms, [i]"I need to take my siblings back home and after which I will not be leaving my family until my children are old enough to fend for themselves."[/i]

"But of course. Would it...can we come visit? Me and my master that is."

[i]"After they are born, yes. They need to know their family first, any strangers might confuse and frighten them."[/i]

"Yes, yes of course, I have a little brother myself so I understand."

He offered his hand to shake which Oddclaw took gladly, but then decided to pull the lemming close for another hug which soothed James in the heat of his mostly-naked body.

[i]"I will always be grateful for you and your friend helping to save my brother, James. Thank you, you are welcome anytime to our home."[/i]

"I-i-i...h-hoh...th-the honour is...mine, O-oddclaw."

The two remained embraced as James shivered from the warmth, smelling the thick feral musk that seethed around Oddclaw's body and smouldered across his own clean face. He became lost in a trance briefly as his head pressed buried against the raptor's chest, reminded of their height difference which only made his knees turn weak. Once they released, they went their separate ways as Haytham took him to the library where Ms. Kerkorian was given the full instructions on caring for their Linking Books.

"They must be placed somewhere they can open, so please do not put them on the shelf or a cupboard."

"I see," she said, "so as to allow you two to come out of it?"

"Precisely, but beyond that you should care for it like you would any other book."

"I will put them in my personal study, no one else goes in there but me and only I have the key."

"We have also fireproofed them," said James nodding, "it won't completely protect them but it will certainly give some protection."

"Well that is certainly not a problem," she said taking the books into the library's backroom, "my library is STRICTLY fire-free and our sprinkler system is in the form of an anti-oxygen gas to suffocate any flames."

"Anti-oxygen? ...but what happens if someone is caught in it?"

"I have an oxygen tank safely tucked away, at my age I may practically need it hohoho!" She put the books down side by side upon her desk, marking them with James and Haytham's names. "There, now you are free to return anytime you wish."

"Thank you miss Kerkorian," said Haytham shaking her hand, "your most high regard from your fellow patrons were not unwarranted."

"A-and I would love to return to read some more books," yammered James with restrained excitement in shaking her hand also, "I-i admit I would most love to reread the Alice story again, it was ENTHRALLING with its surrealist picturesque!"

"Ohohohowellll you are most welcome," she replied patting his head, "whenever you return my books are always waiting...though I must ask, how did you come into this world before you had a book here?"

"The first time we enter a world we do not require it. It is like being in a ship during a storm, you do not choose to land on the island so much as steer towards it, but you can never find that island again unless you mark it on your map. Once we have visited a world, if we like it enough, we place down the Linking Book we formed for it."

"I see! ...do you have a lot of them?"

"No, only three including that one. To re-enter a realm without one would take a greater effort."

"Well then I am honoured you enjoy our world so much to want to revisit it!"

After certifying their means of re-entry, the master and his pupil stepped outside to where Thomas and Holt stood before Aarbron after the repairs to the base were finished. The demon towered over everyone around him as he made certain all of his creatures had completed their tasks before barking at them with a hissing tongue to send them back to the hive.

"Have to admit," said Jeremy, "them bugs are pretty good fixer-uppers."

[b][i]"A parlance for my indiscretion,"[/i][/b] replied the beast of Karamoon, [b][i]"I am prudent in the absence of mercy."[/i][/b]

"You got that right you black bastard."

Thomas gave him a look but said nothing, putting hands on his hips with one finger rubbing on his beretta as a warning to the creature.

"I thank you for your reparation, sir Aarbron. I am glad you decided to accept defeat in more amicable terms."

[b][i]"At the behest of the one you call Fishclaw,"[/i][/b] insisted Aarbron, [b][i]"a fortune lost by my own underestimate of the strength by which you possess."[/i][/b]

"That's right ya wally," boasted Holt with shaking fist, "don' mess with us humans, we nailed our fuckin' god's son to a STICK!"

"Holt that's enough!" Thomas cuffed him at the cheek as he saw Haytham and James arrive. "We were just sending off our former opponent."

"As I see," said Durai bowing to the demon, "twas a meritable battle we fought good sir."

[b][i]"Where are the native beasts?"[/i][/b] asked the creature looking past them.

"They have returned to their homes carefree without your intrusion. So too must you return to your home by our insistence."

[b][i]"As I tell...yes."[/i][/b] His golden gleaming eyes roved towards James as he bent down before him. [b][i]"Remember what I said boy."[/i][/b]

"H-huh?!"

[b][i]"Either wield your strength with confidence...or let it wield you instead."[/i][/b]

"I-i do not know what you are talking about, now PLEASE leave this place!"

[b][i]"As you insist."[/i][/b]

He stood up and walked away from them, activating some strange ornament on his back to have it burst fire from beneath and send him shooting to the sky to follow the swarm back home. An hour later the T.E.A.R. base registered a fluctuation of 250 TEFs, the same energy level as two years past as the great floating island from Karamoon went shifting back into the world from whence it came. In turn James and Haytham would disappear back to their world by means of the Linking Book, inviting their newfound friends to give one last farewell before they opened the tomes that Anna kept safe in her library and revealed the true magic of their art.

The books opened up to a small window of another world, living and breathing like a video recording of the small lemming village as they touched the page of their separate volumes. With a gasping howl across dimensions, light consumed their bodies into a million stars before they were all sucked into the page, spiralling cascades of beauty that shocked and bedazzled them as the book closed itself tight. None of them could open it again, sealed by the spell of the Lemming scholars to ensure that none could ever follow them back as they could only wait for their next return. But in a few weeks' time they would be more concerned with some new arrivals to the world.

[b][i]FffhhhwwwwwWWHHHHHH-HH-HHH-hhh-hhh-[/i][/b]

"A-AAAH!"

"Aaaand HUP!"

The gasping howls of a dimensional abyss signalled two pairs of feet landing upon a dusty trail on the outskirts of a village. Some of the locals nearby gasped with a start before realising the familiar shape of James staggering to almost fall on his face, the twisting lens of light dissipating from his back as he clutched his book.

"O-oh, t-talisman that...that rush never gets old-h-HRRK!"

"Are you alright lad?" His master stooped over him to steady his balance. "I daresay at my age I thought I would be the one turning ill with dimensional travel."

"W-well I...I am still young, y-you are experienced!"

"Hahaha, wise wording there boy."

"J-james, JAMES YOU'RE BACK!"

Two lemmings from the village rushed forth to greet the newcomers, one of them in a green bowlcut and the other with a central parting. Both of them appeared to be fresh-faced guards wielding javelins and a simple chainmail suit with helms shaped like cones on their heads.

"Welcome home James, h-how are you?!"

"I am well thank you!" he hugged both his friends gladly with hefty pats. "It has been some time hasn't it?!"

"Where have you been," cried the parted youth with hands in the air, "any exciting places?!"

"Oh I have seen plenty, but let me see everyone else first. Anything happened whilst I was away?"

"Naaaaaaah just as dull as a drizzle," said the bowlcut rubbing his shoulder, "nnnngh, guard duty is even worse, why would anyone even come to fight us?!"

"It is always best to be prepared," said Haytham nodding at the youths, "are you lads well?"

"Oh, yes mister Durai, just...hhhhhnnnngh this is just standing around keeping a lookout!"

"Ahhh but you are the most important people of the village!" He clapped his hands upon a shoulder each. "For without a lookout then nobody would be prepared for anything and without preparation, even the most bold of warriors wouldst be naught but a stale corpse in their bed. So take pride in your work for you are the salvation of this village, the first and greatest line of defence!"

"You...y-you really think so mister?" asked the boy with parted hair.

"I know so, too often I have known some tragic tales from my home of villages ransacked and ruined for want of a good lookout. So again I say you take pride in your role."

"I-i...suppose so, when you put it like that-"

"I guess," muttered the youth with bowlcut, "if mister Durai says it's important then it must be. Oh, and uh you can come in of course."

The guards stepped back with a nodding bow as they entered the village grounds. Houses made of stone and fireproofed wood lined up on either side of them with a cobbled street beneath their feet. The sounds of a dozen voices filtered from every direction amidst hammer-and-chisel striking, the smells of sulphur sweltering from a furnace at a blacksmith who was forging a set of carpenter's tools. A small gaggle of children came rushing past in front of them, cackling and swinging wooden swords with daring quests of adventure ringing free in their hearts as mothers and fathers beat out the dust from carpets and cloth hung upon lines outside their houses.

Some of the people recognised James as they waved to him, bowing to master Durai as he waved back. The sounds of the sea could be heard from three directions, the town itself sitting upon a large promontory point on the southeast of the Lemmings' home. Vast mountains in the northwest, a grand sweeping beach to the far west and to the very north a strange valley of columns painted gold with bizarre isometric shapes in blue and pink, like some giant modern art sculpture left fractured in pieces. The village itself however was a humble place beneath a clear blue sky upon whistling greens, more of a township in its size with a small clinic, a meeting hall, a tailor's shop with weavers, a blacksmith and even bakers where the finest bread rose to their nostrils with thick loving scents of warmth and salivating fullness.

"What should we do first?" asked James looking up to Haytham.

"Well it would be prudent for me to report to the chief," replied the human towering over everyone, "he will not require both of us so why not return home and let your family know you are safe and sound?"

"Would that be alright? I did not want to impose but-"

"Of course it is fine my boy go, please, spend time with your family! I shall have the chief call on you once we are done and, remember our deal with the humans."

"Yes master, they are but survivors not scientists."

"Good lad, now go I shall see you forthwith."

They both went their separate ways with Haytham heading towards the elder's house whilst James went meandering towards the general direction of his home. Within one small grouping of houses he saw a heartwarming sight, a cabin not too different from the others besides some painted dyes on the walls and the choice of clothes on the washing line. But he could recognise it anyplace as he walked up to the door and tapped it with his umbrella's handle.

"Yeees who is iiiit?"

The door opened to reveal a somewhat-portly lemming in a freeing robe with long green hair draped across her shoulders. Clutching a hand over her mouth she grabbed the boy from her doorstop and squeeze him desperately in a tight hug.

"OHHH, JAAAAMES!"

"H-HAH, H-hello mother!"

"OhhhhHHHHH my beautiful boyyyyy look at YOU!" She released him from the hug with hands clasped upon his shoulders. "Have you grown since you departed?!"

"N-no, I do not think so at least?!"

"Well you most certainly have gained some inches, ooooooh my sweet dear boy come in come in!"

Pulling him by the sleeve she dragged him into the front room of their house as he almost tripped stumbling in to a small set of chairs around a dining table near the window. The smell of soap and bread permeated the air making James sigh with nostalgic bliss, setting his umbrella down inside the closet next to the door. The mother walked into the kitchen area of the same room where a half-square of ceramic stone sat with a boiler, a large soapy washtub and a tabletop with cutting board.

"Come come sit down dear!" she cried as he pulled up a chair. "Have you eaten today?"

"N-no," he admitted bashfully, "not yet."

"Well then it's time to change that, would you like some bread? Your father bought some delicious ham from the highlands last he went!"

"Oh, that would be lovely thank you! Is...is father here?"

"Nooo not today he is at a trade fair with the beach tribe."

"Ahh." The lemming youth sighed quietly to himself in relief. "How is Ali?"

"Oh he is doing fine," said the mother slicing open a loaf of bread, "he's becoming QUITE the cartographer in his studies!"

"Really?!"

"Oh yes, his knowledge of the earth is astounding!"

"Hahahaha I do remember he loved reading the atlas, can he still name all the mountains?"

"Absolutely!" She walked over with a plate of sliced dry ham sandwiches and sat down beside him as he ate. "How are you though, are you alright?"

"I am well!" he cried scarfing into a sandwich as politely as possible. "MMMMPH-[i]KRRRCH[/i], h-hohhhh talisman I missed this bread."

"Hahaha, you miss the bread more than me?!"

"N-no, of course not I missed you more than anything, a-and Alistair too!"

"Are you staying long? Did master Durai come with you?"

"Yes he is now with the chief, mm-mmnnnnh..." he popped down his first sandwich and readied himself for the second one, "do you know how long it has been since I had fresh bread?"

"Well you left around three months ago...so I can imagine." She reached out with one hand towards his that he clasped tightly in return. "By the Talisman's grace I am so happy you are home again, I was so worried!"

"I am fine mother do not worry," he smiled between bites and chews, "I have done this before."

"But there are very few of us who have mastered the Art, it is a great undertaking but also very dangerous, whatever realms are out there must be a far cry from our home."

"Oh they are certainly, but master Durai and I have managed well, speaking of which I have so much to tell you, you will never believe who I encountered this journey!"

"I would love to hear, but I would love more if you told them to me and your brother."

"I want to tell him to, he would love to hear! When is he back from school?"

"Ohhh in about an hour's time, why not rest for a bit?" She took his plate once he was done and stood up. "I kept your room as it is."

"Thank you mother." He stood up with her and hugged her tightly. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too...my little hero."

She nuzzled his soft curled hair and smooched his temple before he excused himself to his room. His bedroom was actually shared by his brother with a bed on each side showing their different owners. The older lemming's side was clear to see with detailed scribbles and complex patterns reminiscent of a helioscopic view from the stars and a small shelf of rather detailed books specialising in history and sociology. The other side of the room had childish colourful drawings of brave knights and monstrous beasts, but both of the sides met in a chest of drawers where a small collection of figurines and toys stood together united. Birds crafted from wood and painted white, heroic-looking ninjas alongside sturdy moles and in the centre of them all was a single reptilian beast, who stood proud above them with a giant pair of scissors. James could not help but hold it up with fingers deftly rubbing across the bare chest and snout markings with great care as a smile creeped over his lips.

"I found...a part of you." He sighed clutching the figure to his chest. "A perfect mimic of your grace, your power...your wholesome kindness."

He sat down upon his bed and laid his head onto the pillow, placing the small figure back on the dresser before drifting off to sleep.

Whilst his pupil rested, Haytham stepped up towards an unassuming house no different from the rest of the village. He knocked on the door politely as it opened to reveal a young-looking boy with his hair wrapped in a topknot.

"Ah, good morrow lad, is chief Arino decent?"

"OH, h-hello master Durai!" said the boy bowing shyly. "I-i-i did not expect, u-um...welcome! Please come in!"

The squire opened the door to allow him into a main room similar to the one in James' house with kitchen and dining room. Beyond that were doors to two other rooms, one of which the boy knocked on.

"S-sir? Sir we have a visitor!"

"Hmmm? Whosere?" asked the door.

"Master Haytham Durai, he has returned!"

"Really?! Send him in then!"

He opened the door for Haytham to walk through as the human entered what appeared to be a study, a simple place that had not a single clue on the owner's state of position. A bed to his right, a desk in front with a line of books on a shelf beside it and a simple chair where the owner sat writing. The walls contained a few paintings and gifts from the town as well as other tribes, such as a kilt from the highlands or a strange headdress reminiscent of Egyptian tombs but the most prominent one of all was a broken monocle hanging from its chain, set into a glass frame with the words "Prudentia et Lux" engraved underneath it. Seated at the desk was an old lemming in an imperial-blue robe that pooled around his chair's legs. The sounds of a gentle scribbling could be heard amidst the call of children and bantering neighbours from outside the window, hammers chinking upon iron anvils and crackling fires faintly simmering.

"Aaaaah sir Durai." The chief put down his pen. "Tis good to see you well."

The elder turned his head showing a grey beard that dipped to his chest, along with a pair of half-moon spectacles resting upon his large pinkish snout.

"Where is young James?"

"At home with his family," said Durai stepping forwards with tender bow, "are you well sir Arino?"

"I am thank you."

The chief of the Lemmings reached for his red umbrella leaning against the side of his desk, standing up carefully with his weight upon it like a cane as he shook Haytham's hand.

"It appears your fourth venture with the Art has gone swimmingly."

"Indeed!" replied Haytham. "James has become a fine pupil, his steadfast curiosity and voracity for knowledge makes a fine boon of our journey!"

"Hah, well that is good, I admit I was quite worried for such a venture even if for a short time."

"Even if it was not our first?"

"No, but I have a right to worry about my people no matter where they are."

"I am glad to have assuaged those fears my good sir." The human bowed again. "Shall I recount our report?"

"Please."

The chief offered his bed for Haytham to seat himself as Arino moved his chair to face the human and hear his tale. He spoke of worlds where trees made of flesh fed upon the blood of birds nesting upon them, of barren plains where lightning struck to become frozen glass columns of sheer ice for miles upon end and of darkened scapes where animals of hollow bone crossed between valleys using thick porous clouds spewing from volcanic regions. The elder listened with rapt attention, nodding calmly without a word until Haytham reached the part concerning Oddclaw's world and the humans that lied within. But he did not mention their scientific advantage nor their mission of investigating anomalies as he promised, hoping that James would do the same.

"And that is what we have discovered," ended Haytham. "It was a truly momentous find and even I would have called it alacritous for such a coincidence."

"I see," said the elder bearded lemming before him, "these...hyoomins, they are the same race as you?"

"Twould appear such, at least from an outward appearance they are remarkably the same species as me. But as for their race that is another thing."

"Why are they trapped in a different time period?"

"I do not know," said Durai with a straightened face, "I know only that they are survivors in that regard and I wish to help them return to their epoch."

"I would have appreciated my counsel before you made plans," said chief Arino with a darkened brow and tensing hands upon his umbrella, "I do not send out our Scribes for levity or interference with other realms."

"My apologies," the man bowed forwards with hand on chest, "we were lost in the thrall of charity after rescuing a native from a demonic beast."

"I do not protest against charity, but one must be prepared to commit to their word with the resources they have."

"Then would it be impertinent of me to ask that James and I return to them to assist these wayward survivors?"

"In the spirit of our people I think it only fair that we find means to aid others from enslavement, both by the ages and by cruelty of others."

The elder pulled himself up from his seat, leaning upon his umbrella to step forwards and pat Haytham's head.

"You have shown nothing but kindness and wisdom since your inception here. Let me speak to the boy first and then we will decide, you are dismissed for now."

"Thank you chief Arino. There is one last thing I have omitted, but I think it only fair that James tell you that himself."

"Oh?"

"He will most assuredly explain it, until then I bid you good day."

The human left as the clan chief waited by walking around his study and peering across his collected totems from each of the twelve tribes. The monocle enframed however always caught his eye most, sighing as he rubbed across the glass.

"We are still here my friend...we are still here."

Twenty minutes after there came another knock at the door.

"Enter please."

The shuffling footsteps of a young citizen marched into the room, along with that familiar clack of an umbrella's tip on the floor.

"Aaaah James, how wonderful to see you, please sit down."

"Thank you sire." The lemming bowed to his chieftain before sitting on the bed. "Has master Durai told you everything?"

"He has told me plenty," said Arino sitting carefully back in his seat, "but I wanted to hear it from your words as well."

"Mine?"

"Yes, you are a fine student and one with great honesty. Sir Haytham has told me the details in his formal manner but I wanted to hear it from your heart of what went on in your journey."

"Oh there is so much to tell! F-first we travelled to a barren plain where thunder struck into frozen shards and turned into pillars of light forever trapped between the earth and sky!"

"I see...fascinating."

"Then we roamed to a swamp in another realm where brains lived, dozens of them from different species all of which had elevated beyond the need for physical bodies, yet...at the same time they would not speak to us having developed beyond the need for speech, and I daresay they were not sapient minds."

"Extraordinary. He has also mentioned the trees of flesh that harvest blood and the hollow-boned beasts that walk on clouds."

"OH YES, oh they were fascinating I-i-i was awestruck! I only wish I were able to paint so as to sketch them for you."

"Well then I take it you have been learning the Art well?"

"A-absolutely!" The young student brought out his Linking Book and handed it to the elder. "I have been learning so much since travelling with master Durai, and I am more confident in the Art then our first outing went."

"Wonderful."

The chief pored over the pages studying his vocabulary with a firm scrutiny. The handwriting was immaculate, soft green ink with barely any splotches or misspellings from a hand with steady focus. He ended upon the last page which spoke of the humans in a world of reptiles as he replied:

"Your usage of the Ink is almost astounding for how natural it looks, it's quite the far cry from your first scribblings."

"Th-tha, thank you sir," James blushed as he took back his book.

"Now, tell me about this last realm you went to."

"OH yes, you would not believe what we saw there! There was this tribe of feral beasts, raptors they were called, they were large reptiles as tall as this room and lived in nests in a forest, but...there was one beast, his name was Oddclaw and he was able to speak our language!"

"Really?" Elder Arino crossed his legs with pensive fascination.

"But this one was...I-i-i need a moment." James carefully composed himself with a calming breath and hand to his chest. "Forgive me but I must tell you this and I...I-i...h-haaah-"

"Yes, what is it my boy you're turning pallid!"

James started to become white and feverish as his chief stepped over towards him and pulled out an item from his robed neck. Dangling upon a necklace was a piece of a golden talisman that he pressed to the youth's head, cold golden sheen soothing him as he made a prayer of levity.

"By the talisman's grace give guidance upon thee, to calm thy thoughts and soothe thy ills with its sheen and bless the guiding force of fate."

"So as to deliver us from evil," continued James calming down, "against the Great Darkness of which we pray shall never come, and we stand united, in twelve tribes of peace, in life and death...hhhaaaaaah."

"Better now?" asked chief Arino pulling the talisman back into his robe.

"Y-yes...thank you." James sighed with a tender smile before he braced himself. "This...O-oddclaw, the beast I spoke of, he...he is the son of James Campbell."

"Wh-...wh-WHAT?!" The elder stood up with sudden start as his heart jumped to his throat. "A-are you...are you certain?!"

"I am certain yes! He spoke of his father and he described him exactly the same as you did, purple marks and green eyes that his son inherited! I-i could not believe when I first saw him either he is almost the spitting image of his father!"

"And you met him?" said Arino with bandy legs setting himself back down shakily. "By the Talisman that...that is quite fortuitous I must admit...sir Haytham said that you had something to tell me rather specifically, was, was that it?"

"Yes. He is a wonderful creature, he is so patient and understanding and whilst he may not possess much knowledge of things beyond his realm he is very quick to learn!"

"I see...what else happened, I note this part of the five-fingered hairless beasts who 'twisted the laws of existence in them'."

"AH, yes, we met some humans like that of master Durai which, frankly was a relief since, while Oddclaw's tribe are sapient too they were rather primal and their language we could not comprehend. But the humans all spoke surprisingly similar to our tribe, master Durai only needed his translations for himself!"

"I see, and what were these..." the clan chief leaned forwards with his chin on his umbrella, "hyoomins and their purpose about?"

"Well, they..." the young lemming suppressed the urge to gulp as he worded his story carefully, "said that, they were lost travellers, they had come from another realm themselves and had no idea how to return."

"Twisting the laws of existence you wrote...did you understand what that meant?"

"N-no, not at all, I think that that must have been how they came to be in Oddclaw's world. We asked if they wanted our assistance to help, they said if it was allowed by you then we could. I know we cannot allow them the Linking Books as I have told them myself, but perhaps we can find other means to assist. I would like to help them, master Durai said so too."

"I see, and that is good that you told them such," said chief Arino with crinkling beard. "I will accept your offer to aid them in any way that you can, provided you must not impart any of our knowledge of the Art to them."

"No, absolutely not sir."

"Did anything else happen?"

"Well...Oddclaw's brother was stricken blind by a demon from another realm, he too had come for...reasons I cannot quite comprehend but the strange thing is, he claimed that he was once a prisoner of Meen."

"...what."

The elder's voice became flat with shock, his eyes bulging with fingers twisting against the wood of his half-circled umbrella handle, knuckles turning white.

"I-i thought it was absurd too but, his...his magic that he cursed Oddclaw's brother with, it was the same as...the one that cursed us back in imprisonment, the blindness."

"Are you absolutely certain?" asked the chief sternly.

"Yes, I recognised the signature of the spell, it is the same as the books we have here."

"That...that is rather disturbing. So what happened next?"

"Well we fought against, we rescued Oddclaw's brother and with a small team of the natives, we marched into the monster's home and fought to free him successfully. Then we had him submit to repair the wounds he caused and once he realised he would not obtain what he wanted he just simply left. If anything he was...strangely honourable in defeat."

"I see. And all is well?"

"Yes. Then we returned here and now I am here before you."

"Very good..."

The look on Arino's face gave trouble to James' thoughts, the young lemming starting to lick his lips out of anxiety as he clasped his hands together tightly.

"Do you think...th-that, that I-u-um-"

"Yes?" The chief glared at him for a moment before softening his gaze. "Something troubling you lad?"

"I...do you perhaps think that it was fate?" he asked his elder leaning forwards. "What if...what if the Art has guided me to him as if it sensed some destiny-"

"That is a dangerous thought and you should strike it from your mind immediately." The chief waved his finger like a pen to emphasise said strike. "The Art is nothing more than your hands guided by the whisperings of the universe, your mind attuning itself to what can only be the muses between dimensions. Destiny has nothing to do with it, you are nothing more than a feather in the breeze."

"B-but sir, surely it is not just a coincidence you must agree-"

"I agree it is an unusual circumstance but it is nothing more, so please try not to become so caught up in such things."

"And...and my mission?" asked James hopefully.

"You have no mission," stated Arino, "I told you before, let us handle that, you are but a Scribe and you are here to learn new fonts of wisdom."

"But, as a scholar I have a gift in learning that which we can use against the Great Darkness!"

"And that is all you shall do, impart but never engage, do you understand me James?" The clan leader reached forwards with a careful hand on the boy's shoulder. "I want you to have the freedom of choice, I am not so unkind as to trap you here but you are a fledgling still, both in magic and in spirit despite having sought a gift that very few of us even have."

"I...I-i-i know, sire but-"

"Please, do not fall into that trap they call destiny and continue your journey unabated. I want you to cease any such thoughts and to roam free without the weight of any self-imposed task, that is not why I had you seek the Art and wield its Ink, I wanted you to LEARN, to explore as I once did when I was your age and found this rich source of power. But I want you to do better than I did, to not be fooled by dark forces who can so easily manipulate those of innocence...like you...like I was."

His other hand placed upon James' shoulder gave him a slight rubbing warmth, soothing the youth who sighed and nodded.

"I understand sir...but, if I find something, something that can aid our people for the future, would you at least let me try?"

"So long as it is not a living thing," warned Arino, "or a power too great for us to handle, that is why master Durai travels with you as someone who understands such forces with the magic of his realm. That is why I entrust you to him."

"Yes...do you think you will ever find the one who created the Art, the one from Myst?"

"No. And I have no need to, I have studied their craft and I aim to use it to both better our people and to expand our lore. That is what you must do as well, to cast aside such ambitions and let your mind roam free across the fields. If one were to walk only upon the roads and paths of the land, you would miss so many things in your grim determination, understand? Freedom is utmost."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." The young student smiled up at him with a renewed glint in his eye. "I understand what you mean exactly."

"Good lad," the chief stood up with a groan and took James by the hand to hug him tightly, "now go, I am sure your family are excited to hear about all your travels."

"I will, thank you sir. Good night."

"Sleep well James."

As he left the elder's house James could not help but think if his words were true concerning freedom and not duty. His fingers rapped across his steel oval-shaped umbrella handle as he made his way back to the house he was born in. It was then however he saw a smaller lemming approach the same walkabout as him, his head suddenly turning and a squeal ringing out across the village.

"[i]BROTHERRRRRRR![/i]"

Before he even realised it he was pounced upon by a bundle of blue and green, hands wrapped around his waist as he hugged back in an instinctive response.

"YOU'RE BACK! Y-YOU'RE BACK WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?!"

"A-AAAH A-alistair please let me-AAAH!"

"I MISSED YOU BROTHER! WHERE'VE YOU BEEN!?"

The boy looked up at him with wide gleaming eyes and a messy-looking head of hair that became jagged prongs in every direction but up. James ruffled his hair to even worse a state like a frozen sea of green before walking him back to the house.

"I was JUST about to return home and tell you, how are you Ali?"

"I'm okay, what about you?!" cried the little one. "Wh-when'd you get back?!"

"Oh about an hour-ish back, I almost dozed off in our room."

"Where's mister Durai?!"

"I think he is at the library, probably, you know what he's like."

"But, YOU go to the library all the time too!"

"I do not!"

"YEAH YOU DO!" challenged Alistair poking his gut. "You, y-you spend, you, you spend so much time they got a BED just fer you to sleep there!"

"That is NOT true!" he barked with mock insult.

"I seen ya wash the ink off yer nose, 'cause it's been in a book like every day, you even SLEEP with a book!"

"That was one time, it was a really good book and you're one to talk with your fingerpainting LOOK!" He grabbed one of his brother's hands to reveal the mess of a rainbow on his digits. "Practically a walking palette I should call you Palette-stair!

"HEEHEEHAHAHAHA, nooooo don' call me thaaaaat!"

"HHHA HA HA HA!"

With arm wrapped round each other the two siblings walked back to their peaceful home, despite the younger almost bouncing along the way with fidgeting excitement for what his brother had seen. The stories he returned with were better than anything he would ever learn from an old book.

[i]"Oddclaw, O-ODDCLAW THEY ARE HATCHING!"[/i]

The family rushed towards Moonclaw and their hatching eggs, wiggling bundles of joy that started to creak and crackle from the top, running lines of stress as mother and father sat close as they could. Barren watched with a quiet tearful whimper of bliss as Eggfang nuzzled her soothingly. The twins watched with eyes widening as Fishclaw peered from the other side with his family in turn watching. Tender sounds started to emerge from within the shells, a soft mewling rasp followed by another, and a third more high-pitched that came muted from within. No one said a thing, not a single sound but for the struggling infants, even the twins falling silent as they rocked on their feet struggling to contain their excitement. Oddclaw prayed in his heart quietly, clutching his hands against his chest as his fingers trembled ceaselessly. Moonclaw caressed his face with her tongue softly, chirring a tender sound to help ease him as he pulled her close and nuzzled her longingly.

The eggs started to shiver and struggle less. The hearts of the raptors began to tighten with a cold fear creeping in. Barren started to whimper and tried to step forwards but something stopped her. Her son was on the edge of tears as his hand reached out with quivering lip. There was a crack. One of the eggs shuddered as a tiny claw came bursting through.

[i]"OH!"[/i] Moonclaw shook with disbelief as Oddclaw held her tight. [i]"Th-th-the...h-hoh my child yes c-come on, come, push harder please!"[/i]

[i]"Come on little one, come on,"[/i] urged Oddie, [i]"show me how strong you are, break through for us!"[/i]

The eggs started to wobble more greatly as the children inside frantically pushed through, stretching their bodies out and forcing the shells apart with rippling fractures, starting to bleed a thick goo that pooled around the eggs. The eggs fell over one by one as the first finally came apart, revealing a small infant feral raptor.

[i]"OHOHO sh-she is beautiful!"[/i] squealed Barren bursting into tears. [i]"O-oh...ohhhh I am a grandmother agaiiiiin!"[/i]

[i]"It...o-o-oh h-hello child."[/i]

Moonclaw approached at first but made a hesitant pause to look towards her husband. He smiled with a smooching lick to her snout.

[i]"Go on...welcome our child."[/i]

Fuelled by his confidence, the older wife leaned forwards to lick across the albumen-coated body of her firstborn daughter. Her screeching gasp for the first breath of air was a song of joy to the raptors who barked all at once with ubiquitous rapture, celebrating a new life into the world as the mother cleaned her child. She started crying in turn with stuttering breaths before the child who looked so small that she could fit in her footprint.

[i]"What is wrong?"[/i] asked Odd. [i]"Is she alright?"[/i]

[i]"...I...I-i-i-i..."[/i]

[i]"Moonclaw?"[/i]

[i]"...I am not hungry."[/i] She nuzzled the little one whose claws grasped with nipping teeth at her snout. [i]"H-hoh, ohhh I c-cannot believe this, I am not hungry, I-i-i am not...oh th-thank you."[/i]

[i]"I told you did I not?"[/i] He smiled moving closer to his daughter. [i]"I knew you would make a good mother."[/i]

[i]"Th-thank you...ohhh, thank you. Hello little one, hello, it is me...it is me your mother."[/i]

After cleaning all of the egg's liquid they could see that their first child was of pale-brown scales and green eyes in the spitting image of her father, but with feral body as she lunged feebly for his snout and bit him as he laughed. Her teeth were sharp enough to nip and puncture the skin as the baby girl started to taste blood, clawing her feet at his skull as he laughed even harder.

[i]"HHhahaahah, ahahahaa-A-OWW, oh she is a good hunter!"[/i]

[i]"Such a FEISTY female!"[/i] cried Barren with pride. [i]"Awwwwww I remember Sand and Leaf were just like this too."[/i]

[i]"We were?!"[/i] cried Leafrunner swivelling her head to mother.

[i]"Ohhhh I like her already,"[/i] squeed Sand with a warbling croak, [i]"you want yer aunties to teach ya how to KILL?!"[/i]

[i]"OOOH YES YES, we could teach her lots of things-"[/i]

[i]"LOOK, ANOTHER ONE'S HATCHING!"[/i]

Sandrunner barked at the second egg which cracked apart as another shrieking cry resounded through the nest. Shattering like fragile glass, the shells crumbled to reveal another feral infant who made a more muted growl than its sister.

[i]"A male!"[/i] gasped Leaf.

[i]"And a CUTIE too!"[/i] said Sand trying to hop forwards. [i]"He's got odd teeth!"[/i]

[i]"Heeheehahahaa, yeah he looks like Eggfang but he's got TWO of 'em!"[/i]

[i]"TWOFANG TWOFANG!"[/i]

[i]"BE QUIET!"[/i] barked Fishclaw. [i]"Do not mock your nephew!"[/i]

[i]"Oh Oddie doesn't miiiind does he?! Silly little nephew with two little fangs-O-OW, HEY who threw that?!"[/i]

Fishclaw had levitated a stone unseen whilst most of the raptors were busy watching the hatchlings, hurtling it towards Sandrunner's face as she pouted with a sting in cheek. The second child was cleaned by Oddclaw, lapping up the albumen as he noticed the bucktoothed fangs of his newborn son, his scales grey as ash like his mother but also having the same green eyes of his father. Oddclaw pulled him up carefully into his arms as the boy's tail flopped about, his claws trying to scratch at his chest with tender little feet.

[i]"Hello son...h-hello...hahaha, you look just like your mother...oh...h-hohhh you have such small feet."[/i]

He was on the edge of tears but managed to hold himself as he gripped one of the child's toeclaws and watched him try to resist against him. He tussled and fretted and snarled with rampant energy, his father lost in the boy's eyes and wide-toothed grin that he almost forgot about the third egg until it crackled slowly, much slower than the others had been. They all turned and watch but nothing was coming out, not a sound could be heard as the father scooted himself over.

[i]"Child? A-are you alright?"[/i]

[i]"Mmmmaaaah!"[/i] His son in his arms scrabbled much more frantically towards the egg.

[i]"Is...i-is something wrong?"[/i]

[i]"What is it?!"[/i] cried Moonclaw.

[i]"I do not know...son, do you know something?"[/i]

[i]"A-AAH, AAAAH!"[/i]

Forced to put him down by the increasing struggle of his child, he watched as the little raptor stumbled towards the egg still fresh in his scents and chomped at the shell with his overdeveloped fangs by his newborn instinct still strong. Cracking and tearing at it he managed to open the egg, from which another creature fell through into a hot mess on the earthen nest. The family gasped in shock and Oddclaw's heart stopped for the second time that day as Fishclaw whispered:

[i]"Hhhh! Oh...it...i-is it-"[/i]

[i]"Just like...Oddie,"[/i] gasped Leaf.

[i]"Oh no,"[/i] whimpered Barren, [i]"Ohhhh no I was afraid of this."[/i]

Moonclaw said nothing, watching her husband's face for any reaction. He was stunned, confused and perhaps a part of him was saddened which he immediately regretted. His third and last child was a son with the same body as him, a brown creature with human proportions in pudgy weak limbs and a somewhat bloated-looking head and a flaccid inch-nail of flesh between his legs. His eyes could barely open unlike the other hatchlings could and he made not a single sound lying prostate upon the dirt. The feral son however was curious and started to nip at the infant's cheeks, backing off for any reaction before trying again until he pinched just a bit too hard before the newborn screamed from his first taste of pain. His face became red in a howling screech as Oddclaw immediately scooped him up into his arms and cuddled him tightly.

[i]"OH, ohhhh, shhhhh sh-shhhhh, it is alright, I am here, I-i am here son please...please...h-hoh..."[/i]

He cradled his second son with a controlled but desperate pace, the infant's cries continuing to knell as his mind raced through a thousand things on how to calm him. Then he remembered one thing as he pressed his lips to the boy's earhole and made a soft humming sound, close enough that his head would vibrate gently. In the midst of all this, Oddclaw's tears dripped down his cheek and dabbled across his son's pudgy face, with one hand stroking the back of his head.

[i]"Hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm...hhhhhhmmmmmmmm...hhhhhmmmnnnnnnnhhh...shhhhhhhh...I am here son...it is alright...it is fine...h-hhhhhhh...hohhhh...m-my son. My beautiful children."[/i]

[i]"OUR beautiful children."[/i] Moonclaw sat up next to him as she pulled her children close. [i]"We are together now, truly and forever."[/i]

[i]"Y-yes...hhhhhhh...hohhhhh I have waited for this day."[/i]

[i]"Are you alright?"[/i]

[i]"I-i am...j-just..."[/i] He wiped his face but the tears wouldn't stop. [i]"I-i-i am so happy...but...but my son is the same as me."[/i]

[i]"I know. But we are here and together, yes?"[/i]

[i]"She is right."[/i] Barren stepped forth and licked across his face calmly. [i]"You will be more prepared than I was raising you."[/i]

[i]"Your family is not just Moonclaw,"[/i] said Eggfang with a proud grin, [i]"we are all here, together. Always."[/i]

[i]"Even your brother Barkclaw, he is watching from over there."[/i]

Oddclaw turned his head to see indeed his brother bashfully watching from the trees, pacing back and forth with eyes constantly watching and his body twitching with a contained panic whilst Dronin waved from next to him. He smiled and waved in return before him and Moonclaw looked back at his anthro son and saw his eyes open with feeble struggle. Red glimmering rubies.

[i]"Ohhh...h-he has your eyes,"[/i] gasped the new father.

[i]"And your body,"[/i] she said licking them both, [i]"the best of both his parents."[/i]

[i]"S-surely not."[/i]

[i]"I say it is so it must be true, I was the one to birth them was I not?"[/i]

[i]"Y-you were...I have no reason to argue then."[/i]

[i]"...let your brother see him."[/i]

[i]"Wh-what?"[/i]

She smiled at him with gentle purr.

[i]"He should meet his nephew. Go, please, I will wait."[/i]

He carefully stood up clutching his son close to his body. The small humanoid creature cuddled tighter against him, his soft stubby clawed fingers gripping at his scales as he walked towards Barkclaw fidgeting with himself. He had not noticed his brother approaching him until he stepped under the trees and Dronin stepped aside.

[i]"Are you alright Barkclaw?"[/i]

[i]"H-HMM?!"[/i] The feral brother stepped back with a small fright and looked down at the child. [i]"Wh-what...what are you doing?"[/i]

[i]"I want to show you my son. Please."[/i]

[i]"B-but..I...I-i-i do not know about children."[/i]

[i]"But you know about family."[/i] The father looked down at his infant son and lifted his head towards his brother. [i]"This is your uncle, child. Say hello."[/i]

[i]"E-eehhhhhhnnnn..."[/i]

The child did not understand nor even open his eyes well enough to see anything. But he could smell his father, and his mother nearby and now this new scent as Barkclaw carefully leaned forwards with a soft sniff across the pudgy naked belly. The son reached out from the puffing breaths on his skin and grabbed Barkclaw's snout making him turn suddenly still with contained panic and a small whimper escaping him.

[i]"Hahahaha, he likes you!"[/i] cried Oddclaw.

[i]"H-he does? H-he, h-he is touching me!"[/i]

[i]"Is that a bad thing? He is my son, you trust him yes?"[/i]

[i]"I...I-i-i-i...h-hnnnngh...h-hel...hello nephew. Hello."[/i]

Barkclaw tried not to move as the fingers gripped tightly, mumbling little mewls from the son as he tried to pull his uncle's snout closer to sniff and suckle his lips across the muddy-brown scales. His breathing turned intense, but the softness of the baby's touch soothed him enough that he relaxed and allowed him to keep touching and numming his gummy mouth on his face before he yawned and pulled back against his father's arms.

[i]"He is a good son,"[/i] whispered Barkclaw with bashful look.

[i]"He has a good uncle,"[/i] said Oddclaw smiling, [i]"when he is older I will need someone to teach him about all the smallwings that live in the trees."[/i]

[i]"OH, I-i-i would like that, yes, I will tell your children every smallwing and crawler I can find!"[/i]

[i]"Hhhhahahahahaha!"[/i]

They started to laugh with a sense of release, and once they started they couldn't stop as the rest of their family joined with infectious relief as Oddclaw brought his brother closer to the nest to watch over the new children. The others gathered close in turn cooing and preening over the next generation with tender licks across their bodies, familiarising them with the scents of their family. Far from the raptors' nest and deep in the forests to the east was another group watching on with deep love and excitement for the new arrivals, crouching down in the green with binoculars on their faces.

"I...can't believe it," gasped Jane.

"It's incredible," murmured Kevin, "I just...god this is unreal, did you see that newborn hatch?! He had a baby's body but the face of a raptor and the hands they were like claws, the feet-"

"I know. God this is-I mean..." she put down her binoculars and rubbed her head, "one part of me as a zoologist is finding this fascinating and yet so very improbable, a newfound missing link that just SUDDENLY exists as some bizarre interspecies birth, it makes me wonder who was the first...well, WHAT caused someone like Oddclaw to even exist."

"Mmhmm," said Kevin brushing his hair, "and I have to wonder how much care and nutrients that child needs compared to a human."

"Well Oddclaw's mother managed to raise him fine so at the very least we know that he does not require milk like mammals would. But the other part of me just worries if he'll be alright even if Oddclaw managed-...s-sir, sir are you alright?"

"Hmm?!"

Beside them Thomas had been watching everything, and it was only just now that Jane noticed his eyes were burning as he constantly wiped at them.

"You uh, seem to have-your eyes are all red."

"Just plants irritating me nothing to worry about."

"Uhhh these are just ferns," said Kevin smirking, "they can't irritate anybody-"

"Kevin just shut up and watch!"

The scientist and therapist looked at each other with teasing grins but said nothing more as Brightman kept watching, his heart stuttering and fingers shaking at the sight of the happy family.