After the Party, for Otters.
Characters: Aikuen, Fira, Venei, Ella
Location: Redwall Abbey; Aikuen's Quarters
Bright and early at Redwall. Well. Lunch time it seems. First night the otter family of Tazan have stayed here. And by golly. The bed is no place for them. Its a nice bed for a single beast. And its big enough for two. If they don't mind being really close. But the bed for four? Even if the other two are still dibbuns. There is no room for them. Ella is the first to get that and she had already stole a pillow in the middle of the night and sleeps on the floor. Venei on the other hand, decides that her parents make an excellent bed. Being she flopped all over them. Aik sleeps next to his wife, hugging her back in his sleep. He doesn't seem to mind his daughter much. Even when Venei begins to kick. Does cause him to grunt though.
Fira sleeps long into the morning, sleeping off all the excitement of the party. Her whiskers twitch every time Venei kicks as she fights off the urge to wake up. It's just her family, she doesn't have to worry. She can keep her eyes closed, if she doesn't she might not get back to sleep again. Sadly she always does struggle to stay asleep when she can feel something moving, it wakes up her mind and then she can't stand to keep her eyes closed and rest in nothingness. Ok, she's awake. She opens her eyes and lifts her head till she can see it's Venei doing all the moving.
Venei lays in the little crevasse that her parents make. Mouth wide open and pointed to the celing, breathing slowly in and out. She is asleep by all accounts. And she kicks lightly. Must be having some sort of exciting dream. Maybe if she can see the look on her mums face. She would stop kicking. Even Aik knows that look. Silly young'un. She yawns lightly smacking her mouth together and licking her lips before seeming to flop back. And of course Aik snores while all this is happening.
Fira watches Venei groggily for a moment before she suppresses a sigh and carefully she extracts herself from Aik's arms, trying not to wake him up. She's awake now, she may as well get up.
Aikuen snorts as his love moves his away from him. And he soon stops snoring. He is awake. Sort of. Kinda. Just not in a deep sleep anymore as his empty arm flops to the bed, and Aik proceeds to squeeze the nothingness. The crevice is no longer there. Venei is missing the side of her wall. Down she goes, to the bed and, she blinks awake with an ufff, "Ouhh..." she looks to mum and waves a paw slowly. Yawning and smacking her lips again. She is now also awake. Just don't ask her to do anything yet, as she flops against dads side. Lucky for Aik is was above his waist. That's a rude awakening.
Fira grimaces faintly as he stealthy escape doesn't quite work. She leans down to softly kiss the top of Venei's head "Go back to sleep dear" and one for Aik as well "You too" everyone else waking up has woken up Ella too who was curled up on her pillow nicely. She squints up at the other otters, mostly seeing Fira as she's the one stood up "Mum?"
Venei blinks at Fira, smiling and mmming at the kiss. Leaning her head more into it. She doesn't need to be told twice as she crawls over and takes the place of Fira in Aiks arm. Aik chuckles at Fira. Still unmoving, still not blinking, "Well..." quiet yawn, "Good morning Fi... darling..." he hmms, pulling his daughter closer as she gets near. Venei proceeds to curl up and bury her head into his fur.
Ella goes unnoticed with mum not looking that way and she's suddenly all lonely with everyone else over there. She gets up and tugs on Fira's clothes to get her attention before raising her arms "Want t'come on the bed too" Fira looks a little apologetic as she moves her other daughter up onto the bed and watches Ella curling up to Aik sleepily too. A small sigh and Fira sits back down on the edge of the bed "Sorry guys, should all go back to sleep, just cause I'm up doesn't mean all you have to be"
Aikuen smiles, as he can feel Ella get near. He reaches over and strokes her back for a minute before reaching out his paw for Fira's when he feels her sit, "I think its a little to late for that honey." he smirks, still not cracking open an eye, "What time is it?" he asks, quietly.
The kids would disagree since they seem to be curling up all ready to sleep the rest of the day away. Fira glances towards the window "Not sure, might have just missed lunch"
As much as Aik would love to spend the day, lying in a bed with his girls. After lunch time is a little much, "Dang... What's with us and sleeping till dinner time?" he chuckles quietly. Venei uhhs lifting her head up and making a shushing noise at Aik. Aik smiles and then proceeds to mouth, stroking Venei's back to pacify her, "Fi. Whats goin on?" he asks, as if she got up for a reason.
Fira just shakes her head "Nothing" she doesn't mouth but then as he gets more practice in mouthing words it gets harder for her to tell when he's doing it since the main difference is a lack of sound which isn't much of a change at all for Fira. She smirks at the kids faintly, any ideas of getting up to work forgotten just for now "I'll go and see if I can get some food back here before it's all gone"
Aikuen reaches out again for Fira, "Well. As long as it was nothing. Then i have nothing to worry about...." he whispers now. Forgetting to mouth, "Ayeaye. that sounds like a good idea. Ill get the kids up and ready, hopefully..." nah, "Fira... I love you..." he wants to get in before she heads off completely, "Your the best mate ever. you know that?" he smiles and yawns.
Fira pats Aik's paw and moves to give him a kiss before she reassures and smiles again "Everything's just perfect, I love you too dear, make sure the kids wear something nice again, breakfast or rather lunch is coming up"
Aikuen finally cracks open an eye, as he watches her leave, "Yes... Yes it is..." he sighs happily, "Ayeaye captain!" he smirks before cracking open both eyes and scratches each of his daughters in turn on the back of the neck, "Alright my little rudderkins. Time for the getting, of the uppy" he chuckles. Venei groans and spreads her arms wide all over the bed, "Oh no!" she quietly giggles.
Fira keeps an eye on them all while she still can "Lucky lot" she smirks before slipping out the door. There's still Ella to entertain though and when Venei spreads her arms, Ella chooses to strike! Pouncing her sister "Rar!"
Aikuen smirks at Fira once she is gone. Going to get up slightly rubbing the gunk from his eyes. So he can watch his daughters beat each other up. They're otters, its okay. Venei still has her eyes closed when Ella pounces. She ecks loudly putting her paws in the air for self defence, "Ahhhhhhh! Help!" she giggles, wrapping her arms around her sister and trying to get her on HER back, "Rawr!" she retaliates.
Ella doesn't really have a purpose in mind other than having fun so she doesn't stop Venei rolling her over, she just latches on and growls playfully as she gnaws on her sister's shoulder.
Aikuen snorts at their antics. Getting up out of bed and heading over to the chair where he tossed his tunic unceremoniously last night. And he goes about reclothing himself, to make him look a bit presentable. Buckling his belt and what not. The he is off to find the little ones clothes among the pile of other things. Venei giggles and growls right back at her sister, "Ells!" continues to roll around, trying to pounce the other one again. Kinda hard with her sis attached like that. Aik smirks at them and tosses their dresses at them, "Hey hey!" he walks over trying to pull them apart, "Mum is gonna be back soon. And you guys are not dressed yet... tsk tsk. Come on Ella. Your first..." he pats the space next to him so the kids can come over.
Ella squeaks as the world goes dark and she's suddenly buried under clothes. She lets go so she can dig herself out again "Awww but dad" she instantly replies. The patted spot is looked at before she glances to Venei and grins. She has an idea. She points at her father "Get him!" and she charges, going to pounce Aik instead whether she has help or not.
Venei is also buried but not as much as her sister, "Daddy... Your no fun..." she tosses the dress off her and frowning. She then smiles at Ella. Ella always has the good ideas. And Venei is right behind her sister as she pounces their dad climbing all over him. Aik chuckles, "Come on you two. You can play later, when your all... ARHG!" he erfs as he is tossed back landing on the bed with little ones on top of him, "Ag! Got me when i wasn't lookin'. No fair!" he laughs, acting like they really got him, "Oh you guys got me... The terrible twosome." he smirks before grabbing the both of them and tossing them on the bed, "Aha!"
Ella stands up on top of him and points at his nose "Now you got to- eek!" eek? No, that's not a demand, that's when she's grabbed. She bounces on the bed and back onto her paws, discovering that's fun too and continuing to bounce as she faces Aik again.
Venei whees, watching her sister to discover that, hey. This is fun! She bounces up and down a bit. A little bit less than Ella as it somewhat frighten and full of enjoyment at the same time. Aik glares at both of them, and says, "Ella. Venei... If you don't get dressed soon... I'm thinking food might run off without you..." he grins.
Ella stops bouncing to give Aik the big soppy otter eyes "Noooo, daaaad, I'm hungry!...An' don't want to get dressed, want to bounce!" she starts up springing round the bed again.
Aikuen cant take the eyes! NO! NOT THE EYES! Sigh, "Uhhh! Don't give me that face! Your mum taught you that face didn't she...?" he shakes his head and chuckles, "Well. Tell you what. If you get dressed. Then after we eat. How how about i take you to the pond again. Would you like that?" Its the eyes! Gets him everytime. Venei stops bouncing at the mention of being no food. But follow the leader, and when Ella starts to bounce around again. She joins right back in, "Yays!" she giggles. Aik sigh and rolls his eyes.
Ella narrows her eyes and makes a show of tapping her chin at the pond offer which on her is a ridiculous look "Oks..." she watches Venei "But we're goin't bounce first!" the bouncing is kind of interrupted by Fira's return complete with a tray of food "You two behaving?" obviously not since they're bouncing on the bed.
Aikuen snorts quietly at the look. Oh my. The things she picks up. He smiles and nods, "Okay. Sound like a deal." Cant win them all, "Look like fun... Might even join yo-... OH! Hey Fi..." he ergs and laughs. He then jokes, "Nah. I'm not behaving." he smirks, "And i swear i tired to get 'em dressed!" Venei continues to bounce and wave, "Hey mummy!" She doesn't really care if they are, or not. They are having too much fun!
Fira smirks at all three of them "That's ok Aik, can't ask for miracles, you've not all gone back to bed, that's something. I have food!" she sets down the tray on the bed a little away from the kids so they won't jump on it "No bouncing on it mind, can eat it though"
Aikuen smirks going to sit of the edge of the bed now, "Nah. Ella decided that sleeping was not for the warrior!" he growls with a grunt. For emphasis you know. The male otter smiles at the food, "Oh goody. What you bring me? The oatcakethings? Please please please!" he chuckles. Just as bad as the kids. He gets up and when Fira isn't looking get a little snack of her neck, "Hey love." he smiles, "We can stay a bit longer... So you can delve the library a bit more..." he grins. Before going over to his daughter patting the spot next to him for Fira to curl up against as they eat. Well. They might not all be fully dressed. But they are all otters. They are all family. And most importantly. They are all happy.
