Worries and Babies

Characters: Kentar, Aikuen, Fira, Will, Kentar, Chris

Location: Moledeep

Moledeep: Mole Hall

Finally, Kentar is up and about by himself. And without his crutch or cane of any kind. The stubborn stoat wanders about molehall, smiling as he tries to figure out where to put that painting that Robin managed to bring back. The one of his family. Mom, dad, Brother, him. That one. "Hmm."

Aikuen is in Molehall, All by his lonesome today. Fira went off outside to walk around a bit, and she forced Aik to remain here. Aik is okay with this... Not really. But he will get over it. Fira, to comfort him, said she would be in yelling distance if anything should happen. Including the big moment. Aikuen is looking over some of the veggies that he picked yesterday, when he spots the stoat, "OI! Stoaty!" he chuckles.

Kentar hms a little and aha's when he finds a great spot to put it. But before he does, the stoat looks over and smiles. "Hey Aik!" he says before setting the rolled up painting down as he limps over to his friend.

Aikuen smiles, "Hey Kentar... See your planing to put up the painting you got... he nods and looks to the limp, "How ya feeling mate?" he asks.

Kentar nods and smiles. "Yeah. I'm so. Amazed Robin was able to take this." he laughs. "I'm so happy!" Then he looks to his leg and shrugs. "Hurts a lot. But It won't get better without use." he nods.

Aikuen nods, and pats the seat next to him, "Are you telling me that he stole the painting?" he chuckles and nods, "Well, don't stress it too much. Or else you might have a limp for the rest of your life!" he laughs.

Kentar laughs. "No. Jasper gave that to him as a parting gift actually. He had a choice of anything. And he took the painting. For me." he smiles a little then thinks a bit as he sits. "I won't, I won't. I'm being as careful as I can be." He chuckles before scratching his ear. Little longer then usual.

Aikuen sighs and tosses him a misshapen carrot, "Here! The bounty of our garden!" he chuckles, "Glad you didn't steal it. Though i probably wouldn't have cared either way... And GOOD! BE careful. My stoaty friend. The infirm is not the place to be..." he laughs.

Kentar takes the carrot and laughs, setting it down. "Don't worry Aik, its not stolen and I'll be fine. I promise you, okay?" he chuckles. "So Aik. How are you, hm?" he asks, tilting his head. "Better then myself I hope."

Aikuen nods, "I trust yah enough!" he eyes him for a moment before patting him on the shoulder, and leaning back in his chair, "I'm... Okay... Fira is expecting any day now..." he chuckles weakly, "I'm just a little... Nervous and such..." he nods, "So better than you... you can say that... i guess..."

Kentar chuckles a little bit and nods. "I know the feeling. I was nervous as anything when Christopher was born. More nervous then anything my entire life." the stoat grins. "It will pass when you hold your child in your arms."

Aikuen smiles and nods, "Yah... yeah... and i hope so..." he nods, "I know it will... Ever since Fira left i have been running around like an idiot, trying to get everything ready... for when the time comes..." he rubs his eyes, "Its the waiting..."

The stoat nods a little and smiles. "You're always running around like an idiot." he laughs before yawning slightly. "Aik. Don't worry. Everything will be fine, I promise!" he smiles a little before hearing Chris cry from the infirmary. "Sigh. The life of a father is never quiet." he chuckles, standing gingerly before heading for the infirmary. "I'll catch up with you later."

Aikuen sticks his tongue at the stoat, "I do not!... Okay I do... But only when I really need too..." he nods, "I'm still nervous as heck... I'm sure Fira if off her chain as well..." he smiles and waves, "See yah Kentar..." he sighs and goes back to the pile of vegetable atrocities. Humming to himself, to keep his mind off things.

After a bit of examining the vegetables, the otter picks up the bunch and heads off for the kitchen. He plops them down on the counter and sighs. Out of the whole tunnel, this is the only place where dust has not collected. Aik chuckles, "Racky..." he laughs and goes over to the stove, and starts a fire underneath it. While that warms he starts to cut up some of the oddly shaped vegetables, including the hotroot. He hmms for a minute before nodding, "I know what it needs!" he chuckles and runs back into the hall. He shortly returns with a dock leaf that was stored in his pack. He dumps the contents into the pan. Dried Fish? The otter grins and adds the cut up vegetables. He doesn't know what it it. But he bets it tastes good!

Moledeep: Kitchen

It's a while before Fira returns. Coincidently about the time she decides the food smelt like it was nearly done. She sniffs as she waddles on in, looking about and seeing no one she raises her voice "Aik?"

Aikuen is just humming to his self when he hears the fateful call, of ones lovely wife. He puts the pan off the fire and goes to the door to the Hall, "Fira!" he waves until she looks that way, and sees him.

Fira was wandering towards the kitchen anyway so it's just handy that it's Aik who's doing the cooking "I smelt food" right down to business then

Aikuen chuckles, "Oh aye! I was bored. So i decided to take my paw in cooking..." he kisses her softly, as she approaches him, "Dont know how good it is... but we'll see!" he laughs and bounces over to the pan, "So Fira! How are you, and your fine self doing today!" making sure to look over his shoulder so she can still read him.

Fira waves him off after the kiss, going into the kitchen to hunt down the food. She sniffs at the pan "I'm already tired, my feet hurt, my back hurts and I'm hungry. Think carefully now, don't you think you should give me food?"

Aikuen nods quickly, "Oh yes. Before you eat me!" he chuckles quietly and goes to get a plate. He dumps the freshly sauted food on said plate. He then looks around quickly, "WHERE'S THE BREAD!" he erks and looks in the oven. He pulls out a few of the biscuits made yesterday and plops a few on the plate, "Lets see... OH TEA!" and he goes over and puts the kettle on the stove. What else, what else... "Here yah go darling..." he places the plate in front of her.

Fira carefully settles into a chair, looking a little silly as she can't really bend very well. She flops into the chair and awaits food, picking through it when it does arrive. She soon identifies most things and starts to eat though, if slowly for once.

Aikuen smiles a big ole smile, and watches her eat for awhile, before he realizes he is staring. He chuckles lightly, "I thought you said you were hungry? Does it taste alright? Is it hot enough? I can add more hot root if need be!" he tries to make it better, "So... any day now..." he hmms to himself.

Fira waves a biscuit at him to get him to leave the food alone "It's fine, don't fuss over it" the heavier she gets the more grumpy she can be and the less the mood swings back the other way. She's got over the happy home feeling quite quickly too "I know. I know. Soon. Kids" chomp goes the biscuit.

Aikuen chuckles at her, and hears the kettle whistling, "Ill be right back..." he heads off. There is some light clatter, as the otter burns his paw, putting the leaves in "AHHHH! THAT'S HOT! Wheh!" he grits as he brings the kettle to where Fira is, and then he is off to find some cups. Quickly retuning with some cups, no saucers. Nothing fancy. He pours one out for her, "Are you excited?" Probably should leave the pregnant otter to her food. But he is just wondering, as he sits next to her.

Fira frowns at the movement when he burns his paw "What did you do?" she can't really get up to check without a struggle. She keeps a close eye on him "I'm looking forwards to not getting crushed by my own weight" not the answer he wants but he'd get better one if she was full and not achy.

Aikuen holds out his burned paw. Its looks the same, just a bit red, "Sorry. I burnt my paw. Forgot that hot water is really hot... I'm fine..." he nods slowly at the next part. He wants to hug her. Try to get her on happier things. Probably a bad idea right now. Might lose an arm, so he settles just for staring at her, "Fira... Before you go back to eating. I just want to say... That your going to be a great mother..." that might work.

Fira stares back at him for a moment before gesturing to the door, still frowning though looking a little more worried "Go and put something on it, the pain's making you deluded" she had a nice long walk to build it all up.

Aikuen holds out his paw again, "Its fine... Look See!" he wiggles the paw around, "It doesn't even hurt..." he sighs, "But if you want me to go put something on it... I will..." he gets up and kisses the top of her head, before walking toward the infirm. But before he disappears he looks back, "Fira. I love you!" and is gone.

Fira nods and insists "I would prefer it" her ears splay for the kiss before she watches him go before sighing faintly. She pushes the plate away a second later and sinks into her chair. Trying to get the blind panic of her mind into order again before he gets back.

Aikuen returns after long bit, because he is making a joke. After putting on gauze, and wrapping it properly. He overly wraps his paw with a sheet. Then wraps it with more bandage. It looks like it has a very large white lollipop on the end of his arm. He walks back in and waves it at her, "Hey hey! Think i used enough? I think i could have used more!" he laughs.

It doesn't really work out so well since by the time he gets back Fira's got her paws on her eyes trying to stop crying. She didn't really succeed in the whole calming down thing. She's going to have a baby soon, panic is probably expected.

Aikuen blinks at her, "F- Fira?" he can see it. He rips off his 'lollipop' leaving just the normal bandage, and he runs over to her. He is lost for words, not like could she see or anything. He places a paw on her shoulder, "Fira?" he is very alarmed.

Fira obviously didn't hear him come in so she jumps a little when something touches her shoulder. A glance at him and she quickly looks away, trying to wipe the remaining tears away from her eyes with a paw "I'm fine"

Aikuen follows her eyes when she turns away, "No. Your not fine. You were crying. What's wrong Fira. Please, I'm your husband." he wipes a scattered tear off her cheek, with his paw, softly.

Fira tries to avoid his eyes but she can't help lip reading, old habit. She seems to be searching for something else to say before bringing her paw back to her eyes, partly for the further tears, partly to hide behind so she doesn't have to watch him "I don't think I'm going to be able to do this"

Aikuen sighs softly. He reaches up and removes her paws from her eyes so she can see him, carefully but, forceful enough "You can do this Fira. I know you can. Your going to be great. And i will be there every step of the way..." he holds back tears himself. Your going to make him start crying now

Fira clutches onto his paws when he takes hers "But, it's, it'll cry...and cry and cry and I'm never going to know. I could turn my back and anything could happen!...It's going to think I'm ignoring it"

Aikuen takes a deep breath. That thought has crossed his mind, "Fira. Yes. That might happen. That's why I'm here. I will tell you. And if not. I'm betting you will have this sense that something is wrong." he gives her a very tight hug.

Fira is slowly calming down a bit with the reassurance. Now she's just not happy "It's the 'not purposeful' part that worries me."

Aikuen nods, "You will love it whole heartily... and... yes, you might ignore them... And we will have to tell you if they start to cry. And i understand that makes you feel like a bad mother. But its not your fault. As long as you do recognize when he or she is in trouble. And you will do everything in your power to make it better. They will love you back. As you are their mother. And they know that you care about them..." he doesn't know what else to say. This is a problem.

Will had smelt the nice foody smells from down in the cellar. As the rat nears the kitchen he hears voices, otter voices. He slowly peeks into the kitchen to see what's going on, being very quiet as he does so.

Fira's ears go back and she seems to be looking at the floor more than anything "This wouldn't be a problem if I was just normal" she's not spotted Will's arrival either yet.

Aikuen leans down and nudges her face up softly with his nose, "Yes, You're not normal. You're special. Very special. To everyone. You're Fira Tazan. You are my wife. And no matter what... no matter what you think... You will be a great mother. I've seen you... And can tell..." he kisses her forehead, and pulls on her ear lovingly. He is not looking in that direction. So he also doesn't see Will.

Will doesn't know what is going on but he can guess and stays quiet wanting to see what will happen.

Fira sniffs and wraps her arms round him to hug him tight "I hope you're right" she doesn't entirely believe it but she'll be ok for now.

Will figures whatever was wrong is fixed now and steps for fully into the kitchen. "Hello," he calls out as if he hadn't been standing there already.

Fira is as good as she's going to get for now and she just spots Will when he moves into the room. She straightens up, trying to look like everything's fine, or at least forcing a smile through the worry "Hey Will" another glance to Aik and she pats his paw "I'll be fine. Really...someone else should probably eat that though" a nod going to what's left of her lunch. She's still not feeling all that willing to eat yet.

Aikuen hears Will and he goes to sit normally in his chair, "Hey son" and after the pat, he takes her paw and rubs the top with his thumb. He nods back at Fira, "Are you sure? I cant stand to see you this way. And i want to help you as much as i can..." he sighs and kisses her cheek, "Right..." he looks to Will and says, "Here. If your looking for something to eat... you can have some of that. Its good I'm told." he looks back to Fira and mouths, "Here. Try imagining holding the little otter in you arms. Try imagining that..." it may help.

Fira tries but she's having trouble really imagining it without thinking of everything that comes with it. Hopefully she'll just be alright when the day comes. She nods to Aik "You do help" she attempts a smile "One of these days I'm going to stop worrying...Right now I think I'm going to get a nap. Help me up?"

Aikuen has been watching her, trying to send happy thoughts via brain waves. It might have worked, "I'm glad that you worry. It just means you care... I'm proud of that" he nods and stands you, holding out his paws, "Right Fira. Come on, up yah go!" and he helps her up. When she is up he smiles deeply at her and tries something else as he walks her to their room, "I have another idea. Try imagining it again. Now imagine the little otter reaches up and grabs your claw with its entire paw... and it holds it so tight, never wanting to let go..."

Fira smiles properly at him. She can picture that a little better so maybe it's that, maybe it's the happy brain waves or maybe it's just the fact that he's trying so hard to cheer her up but she does feel a bit better. She goes to hold onto his muzzle to shut him up "I'm fine, really this time" moving her paw out the way before going to give him a kiss "Don't wake me up unless something's on fire" and she waddles for the door.

Will takes the offered leftovers. Aparently whatever it is isn't over. He shrugs the otters seem to be taking care of it and he has food so he's fine. He keeps an ear turned toward the door just in case as he tucks into the remains of Fira's lunch.

Aikuen was just about to try something else, when his muzzle is zipped shut. He blinks and nods at her, mmming at the kiss, and give her nose a nudge with his. He says, "Right... Fira... Fire..." he chuckles lightly and waits till she gets comfortable before saying, "I love you Fira... I know you will be..." and he closes the door behind him. He sighs and leans on the door, just resting, and thinking, for a bit, before heading back into the kitchen, "Hey son..." he picks up his 'lollipop' before plopping down in the chair.

Will's mouth is full but he nods at the otter when he sits down.

Aikuen starts to fold the sheet and remains pretty quiet throughout the process. What Fira had told him is now starting buzz around in his head permanently. Add that to the least of worries. He is not a worrier. But he does when she does. He shakes his head randomly before going to pour himself a cup of tea. Still silent as ever. Sitting, the folded sheet in his lap, pretty much gulping down his tea.

Will continues to eat but watches the otter as he does so. After a while he finishes and asks, "Something wrong, Pa?"

Aikuen puts down his cup and stands up. He goes over to one of the cupboards and pulls out a jar. He goes back over to the table, pour himself out another cup of tea, and sprinkle some of the sugar from the jar, into the cup. Sweet tea. Aik takes a sip before sticking out his tongue. He continues to not answer Will until he is back in his chair, "Well yah. Just... thinking... About stuff... About the little kit... And Fira..." he nods.

Will ohs, "What kind of stuff?"

Aikuen puts down his cup and taps the top, "Just..." he sighs, "She worries a lot about the kit... And when she worries... I worry... Plus she told me something... That i don't know how to fix. I feel so... helpless... i tried to make her feel better... and it worked... but it didn't solve the problem..." he breaths deeply, "I need more tea..." he gets up and pours himself another cup.

Will nods a little, "You have all of us t help when th baby comes. Whatever it is I'm sure it'll work out."

Aikuen nods, "Thanks. But that's not the problem... Its the fact that she... feels helpless... in the problem... that she is having..." he goes to refill the now empty kettle with more water.

Will chews on his lip thinking a bit, "But she's not. She had a lake all t herself an went around th woods finding food an stuff for a long time. She's not helpless."

The small cries of Christopher can be heard. And they get louder and louder until finally Kentar steps into the kitchen, his son in his arms, wearing the BIGGEST frown on his face. Kentar can only sigh as he looks around for something to feed him, the stoat not noticing Will or Aik in the room.

Aikuen puts the kettle on the stove to boil again, "Yes she is quite capable of taking care of herself... in survival...." he wonders if he should tell, might help with the problem, "Its the Kit. She is worried that... because she is deaf. She wont be able to hear the kit when he or she is crying... And the babe will think the she is ignoring them... As a mother. That would be devastating..." he sighs and blinks at the stoat, "Kentar..."

Will hmms, "But th rest of us would hear them and tell her or take care of whatever th baby needs and when it gets a little bigger it'll figure out she can't hear and find other ways t get her attention." The rat pushes his plate away then turns to look at the stoats. "Hey, Kentar. Chris."

Kentar huhs and looks up, giving a sigh. "Hey guys." he says before setting Chris on a counter as he stops for a moment, looking to them. "Are we...interrupting anything?"

Aikuen nods at Will, "I told her that. She still feels helpless though..." he sighs and looks to Kentar, "No nothing. Just talking and stuff. How are the stoats?" he asks, still waiting for the kettle to boil.

Will smiles at the stoats, "Mum was kinda worried about th baby but that's probably normal."

Kentar hms and nods a little. "Yeah. It is." he chuckles quietly. "Normal I mean." he then looks about and shakes his head slowly, sitting down to get off his leg. Chris finally stops crying when he does that, the kid sitting up now and looking around. "Seem's he was hungry after all."

Aikuen takes the kettle off the heat and goes to place more tea leaves inside. He hmms at Kentar, "It is normal for them to worry. But its not the same from beast to beast... And this one, has me stumped... anyway..." he lets the tea leaves steep, "Is the little buggar hungry?" he chuckles and reaches into the oven and pulls out a biscuit, "Wonder it he will go for this?" he places it on the counter near Chris.

Chris tilts his head at the biscut, says something they probably could never get in their wildest dreams and starts to crawl towards it before sitting and taking it. He smells it. Bangs it off the counter a few times, then tries to eat it. Kentar just laughs and nods. "I think he will."

Aikuen grins and rubs a claw on the little stoats stomach, "Glad my cooking has improved... I made it sweet. So it should taste pretty good..." he pours himself a cup of the tea, and drinks the scalding liquid and in a gulp. He grins and nods, "Very good... Add it to my things for kits..." he laughs.

Chris giggles and nods as he finishes off the biscuit. Kentar yawns and looks around a little. "So, aside from worried, Aik, how are you?

Aikuen after polishing off another cup of tea walks over to his son, "Will, can you go to Fira's room and check up on her... Just to make sure she is alright..." Will nods and hugs the otter before running off toward the sleeping hall. Aik smiles and goes bak to the kettle, "I'm alright. Tired mostly... due to the worrying... But I'm okay. Mostly glad to be home and all that..." he chuckles, "How about you?"

Kentar hms a little and nods. "About the same. Tired. But mainly because of Chris, Garnet and my leg." he scratches his ear. "I'm tired. More tired since I got back really."

Aikuen nods and pours a cup for the stoat, "Here. This will perk you up a bit..." and he asks, "Why are you so tired... Thought you would be able to sleep better now that were home and indoors..."

Kentar huhs then smiles a little. "Thanks." he then shrugs. "Because of Chris. He's having trouble sleeping. And I promised Garnet I'd watch him for a few days while she gets rest and all." he says as he sits back in his chair.

Aikuen ahs and nods going to play with Chris a bit, he pokes the little one on the nose, "I gotcha nose!" he chuckles, "I wonder why he is not sleeping well. And don't say that's hows babes. Chris is not a babe really anymore. Look how big he is!" he laughs.

Kentar hms a little bit as Chris laughs and bats at Aik. "Yeah. I know. Probably just not used to being home." he chuckles as he sips at his cup every so often with a yawn in between.

Aikuen looks to Kentar, after patting the little one on the head, "I can watch Chris, while you can take a little nap. I don't mind. I kinda pepped up on tea anyway!" he grins excitedly.

Kentar perks up his ears and smiles wide. "Really?" he asks. "Thank you so much. I need the nap!" he laughs.

Aikuen smiles and nods, "Aye of course! I plan to use this favor thing. When the otter is born. Just so you know!" he laughs and hefts Chris in his arms, "Your a big boy arent yah! Arentcha!" he laughs.

Kentar nods a little bit. "Haha, don't worry, I'll take care of yours as long as you take care of mine." he grins. Chris laughs and squirms a little in Aik's arms but eventually just places his arms around the otter's neck.

Aikuen eyes the little one, "Your a little nut arent yah!" he grins and looks to the older stoat, "Of course mate! I do love the little ones!" as he support Chris's Backside to he can sit, and hold around the otters neck, "You go take your nap. Me and him well have loads a fun! Wont we!"

Kentar smiles and stands up, nodding. "Thanks Aik, I really owe you." he says as he goes off. Chris laughs and mimic's Aik. "'un, 'un!" which is his poor attempt at saying fun.

Aikuen waves, or least tries to wave at the stoat, "No problem Kentar!" he chuckles and pats the little one, "Fun. F- F- F- Fun Chris. Make the Fff sound. fffffffffffun!" he chuckles and goes over to the stove, and close the vent with his footpaw, smothering the fire "Fira will only wake when the place catches on fire. So... were not going to wake her... Can you say Ffffffira?" helping him with his words, is some sort of game.

"Un, un!" Chris giggles then pauses at the Fira part. He blinks and tries to get it out. "Ira!" he pauses again. "Ira..." Fira...Ira. Close enough.

Aikuen chuckles, "Needs work. But close enough... Need to work on your Ffffs!" he laughs and heads out the door, and then the outside, "Can you say... Pretty otter?" he laughs. That would be a good way to help cheer up Fira.

Chris giggles again as Aik carries him outside. "Ottah! Ottah!" he claps his paws together. "'Retty ottah!" before he pauses to yawn.

Aikuen laughs at the little one, leading him to the garden, "Heh! Alright...lets put it all together now... can you say... Fira is a pretty otter?" he chuckles, and sits down by a tree, "Tired as well eh? Do not think I can let you sleep. Your being all fussy at night. And keeping up your parents... Isn't that right nutkin!"

Chris hrms a little as Aik tries to get him to say that. "'Ira 'retty ottah!" he giggles and claps his paws again, seeming quite pleased with himself

Aikuen smiles and pokes the little one on the nose again, "Very good. No if i could only you to teach it... so you can say it around here. That might cheer her up a bit..." he rubs the tops the little ones head, "Maybe after the birth... Your going to have a cousin! A little otter cousin! Or... what a minute... you're going to be a nephew to the out little one... I'm confused..." he shrugs, and sets the stoat down onto the ground.

Chris tilts his head a little at the nose poke before giggling and yawning, leaning into Aik and closing his eyes. "Ira pretty ottah." he sys after a moment or two before drifting off.

Aikuen chuckles lightly, "Yes... Yes she is..." he mumbles, continuing to stroke the little stoats head, "Fine... go to sleep... I got yah, just in case" he hums lightly to his self, still too peeped up on tea to fall asleep himself, but not enough to make the little one wake.