Hooked III - The Colour of the Wind
by Winter

The huntress waited patiently, staying as still as possible. Her prey was on its way; she could smell it on the wind and she could hear it hum a happy tune, unaware of its impending doom.

Just around the bend now.

The huntress's muscles tensed, but she stayed where she was, hidden by a low bush so that her snow white pelt wouldn't give her away.

Closer. Closer still. She could see her prey now, grey fur visible through leaves and twigs. Strolling casually on her path, in her forest. The sheer audacity of it made the huntress grit her teeth. Soon, though, no more. Soon she would strike, and there would be plenty of fresh meat to bring home to her family. The prey passed by her position, and she slid soundlessly out from her hiding place. She pounced, and her teeth sank deep into its tail.

"Ow, hey!"

Luna flicked her tail, and the little girl went flying into a blueberry patch. Snarling, she bounced back to her feet and charged again. This time Luna simply stepped aside, and the huntress fell to the ground in an indignant heap.

"Andie, enough!" Luna said sternly while clutching her spit-wetted tail. "That really hurt, young lady."

"Sorry, mommy. Just practisin' my hunting."

"Why don't you practise on wood pigeons like your brother does?"

"'Cause they're too fast!" Andie complained. "I never catch any, an' I bet they taste like feathers."

"You're not supposed to eat them raw, Andie. What do you do if you catch a bird?"

"Kill it quick so it don't suffer, then take it home so you or daddy can cook it," Andie recited. She kicked a pebble off the path as her mother resumed walking. "I just wanted to hunt something bigger. I'm sorry, mommy."

"Apology accepted." They continued to walk along in silence for a little while, then Luna spoke up again. "You know I love to play hunt with you, Snowdrop, but you have to ask first. If you had tackled my legs I could have fallen, and that's not a good thing right now."

"'Cause of the pup."

"Because of the pup." Luna draped an arm across her daughter's shoulders and pulled her into a half-hug. "Just think before you do, that's all your father and I want."

"Okay." Andie rubbed her muzzle against the side of her mother's large belly, while breathing in her scent. "How come there's just one pup? When I came out there was three of us."

"How many times have you asked that question?" Luna smiled. "The answer is the same as always, nobody knows. It just happens the way it happens."

"Maybe daddy's sperms are lazy, now that he's old."

"Maybe."

Luna bit back a giggle; this was definitely something she would use to tease Marcus later. Old, at twenty-five. Then, of course, he would tease her right back, calling her ancient if she called him old. Thinking about the difference in age between the two of them brought her mind back to the night they first met. Marcus had been trying to catch fish, and ended up with a barbed hook stuck in his cheek. He had been so young, no more than a kitten, and looked even younger, but she had come to know him as mature and thoughtful, caring and loving. Especially loving. Mmm, the stories these woods could tell about that...

"Mommy?"

"Yes, little one?"

Luna realised that she had stopped walking, and that Andie was a few paces ahead of her, glancing back with a curious expression on her muzzle.

"You smile funny."

"Sorry, sweetie, mommy was woolgatherng."

"No, you're not, you were fishin'. You got fishes in your pack, I can smell 'em."

"I mean I was remembering things. And I got lost in my thoughts."

"Like Lux?"

"No, not like your brother. I was just thinking about how your father and I met, and how much I love him."

"Oh." Andie's face split into a grin. "Are you gonna make more puppies t'night?"

"Sweetling, a woman can't get pregnant when she's already pregnant. We talked about this, remember?"

"Yeah." She tilted her head in concentration, while she raked her lower lip with her teeth. "I still think you're gonna make the funny noises."

Luna smiled and shook her head. Trust her precious little Snowdrop to see the fun in everything. While Cass had squirmed and blushed and been dreadfully uncomfortable during their mating-and-reproduction talk, Andie had loved every second of it and giggled at every picture in the textbook. Lux, of course, had just listened with apparent disinterest, and his only question afterwards was if he could have an ice lolly.

As alike as they were, in some ways the triplets were different as day and night. Speaking of different...

"Andie, are you wearing your brother's loincloth again?"

"Yah..." She squirmed a bit. "But it's okay, 'cause he's got mine so he's not nekkid."

"Did he actually let you have it?"

"He struggled a bit. But he didn't cry this time."

"You took it off him?" Silence. "Andromeda..."

"He didn't wanna trade! An' you can't scold me for it 'cause daddy already did."

"What did he say?"

"He said Cass could go play by the river. An' Lux never wants to play so I had to be all alone."

"I wish you'd stop doing that. You have a blue loincloth just like his."

"It's not the same."

"Only the nametag differs."

"Exactly." Andie pouted. "I don' wann wear girls' clothes."

"Technically, a loincloth is a male garment. So you are dressed like a boy even when you're wearing yours."

"Still not the same." The girl spun around, then she let out a giggle. "Are you dressed in a male ga... gamma... thing too?"

"I guess I am." Luna looked down at herself. Her breasts, which had not yet began to make milk for the new baby, were resting against her belly. Underneath it and thus out of sight, she wore a larger version of Andie's one piece of clothing, only hers was sunset red. "All my shirts are too small now, and I can't be bothered to dig out the old ones I used to wear when you and your brothers were on your way."

"I can help you. I love lookin' in the attic."

"Do you think I need more clothes?"

"Nah." Andie fell into step with her mother, and they walked side by side. "I like when we look the same, 'cept for your boobs an' your big belly."

"Except for those," Luna agreed with a smile. "Snowdrop, please stop bullying your brother. I know you just want to play, but he doesn't like it when you play too rough."

"I know." She sighed. "Daddy says he's an artist's soul, whatever that means. I do sit still an' draw pictures with him sometimes."

"And he plays hunter with you sometimes. All is balance."

"Huh?"

"That means you both give and you both take."

"What about Lux?"

"Lux doesn't really understand those things. When he wants to play, he does."

"Today he's just watching daddy in the garden." Andie sighed. "Can I go to the river an' play with Cass?"

"Maybe later, after lunch, when daddy or I can go with you. Because..."

"...I can't go there without you or daddy watchin' me," Andie filled in. "I only fell in once!"

"You fall in all the time, especially climbing that old tree."

"I only nearly drowned once."

"Three times. And I'm not counting the time when you lay face down in the water and pretended to be drowned."

"That was just a joke."

"It spooked daddy pretty bad."

"Fine. I'll be good."

"Don't make it seem like such a chore." Luna smiled as her daughter huffed. "You are a good girl, you're just... a bit more of a handful than your brothers."

Luna opened her hand, and Andie took it. Hand in hand, the two wolves walked the rest of the way home in companionable silence.

* * * * * *

Every time Marcus dug a hole with his trowel, the boy let out a soft giggle, as if it were the funniest thing he'd seen that day. Occasionally, he'd hop down off the fence and stroll over to watch the seeds get planted. Soon carrots would grow there, Marcus told him, but Lux just shrugged his shoulders and waited for him to fill the holes. Which was apparently almost as funny as to watch them get dug. Marcus had not given up his attempts to turn at least one of his pups into a gardener, but the little grey wolf did not seem interested in using the trowel himself. Still, as long as he liked to watch his daddy work, there was hope.

Once the last hole was filled in the carrot row, Lux sighed, his shoulders slumping. Marcus considered getting started on the peas, just to hear his son's happy laughter again, but his tummy was telling him that it was lunch time. Unless Luna had failed completely in her morning endeavour, which he highly doubted, they would have fresh fish. Grilled, he decided as he packed away his tools. Lux stared at the ground where the last carrot seed now waited to sprout, and on a whim Marcus picked up a handful of soil and let it rain down between his fingers. Lux squealed and clapped his hands, bouncing up and down until his yellow loincloth fell off. The boy didn't seem to mind, and he squirmed a bit in protest as Marcus tied it back around his waist.

It wasn't really a big deal. Marcus and Luna had decided early on to let the pups play au naturel if they wanted to, but with the exception of the front yard. They didn't get many visitors, but every now and then Richard, Marcus's older brother, came over to see them. Marcus smiled as he remembered the numerous occasions when Rich had been reduced to flummoxed stammering from seeing his niece and nephews run around in the altogether. That, plus infrequent visits from a thankfully very understanding mailwoman, led to the clothes in the front yard rule. Which was mostly adhered to.

"That was a rainbow," Lux said in his soft voice as he stared at the place where Marcus had dropped the soil. "Can you do it again, daddy?"

"Sure thing, little guy."

Marcus filled his hand with dirt and laid it out in a neat line, while Lux stared at it with a dreamy expression on his face. His head swayed back and forth as if he were listening to a symphony, and when Marcus threw the last of the soil down hard, he laughed out loud.

"That last one was great, daddy. The best one yet, at least in the garden."

"What is it you like so much, son? The noise or the way it falls?"

"Mhm. It looks so shiny."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's okay. I don't either." Lux stepped closer and patted his father's shoulder. "Cass does. He loves colours, too."

"What colours?"

"Mhm. Just there when it falls. So pretty."

"I see," Marcus lied. "Can you... can you show me the colours?"

"Nuh-uh!" Lux shook his head, making his long, silvery hair flow. "Nobody can hear the colours, nobody but me."

"I can see colours. But I can't hear them."

"It's the same thing." The boy's eyebrows furrowed, and he tilted his head in thought. "Kinda like how ice-cream is both cold and yummy. Or like how you're a cat and I'm a wolf. Same but not-same."

"And only you can hear the colours?"

"Yeah. An' see the sounds."

"How come you never told us before?"

"Cass knows. He knows me, an' he knows colours when he puts 'em on his paintings. But he can't see them like I do." Lux leaned in closer, his blue eyes gazing deep into Marcus's. "I didn't tell you 'cause I didn't have the words. I think I do now. Are you mad at me, daddy?"

"Of course not, sweetling." Marcus opened his arms and Lux fell into the hug. "Tell us in you own time, when you find the right words."

"You talk blue, daddy. Blue and green an' sometimes a bit purple. I mostly talk yellow."

"Yellow words?"

"Nuh-uh!" Marcus could feel the little head shake against his cheek. Lux leaned back and their eyes met again. "Words are words. Talk is colours."

"I'm not sure I understand fully." Lux got a sad look on his face, not cry-sad but a kind of lonely sadness that made Marcus's heart ache for the boy. He ran a finger down the white stripe that ran along the pup's muzzle. "It's okay, Pollux. No worries. We'll figure it out when the time is right."

It was the right thing to say. The boy jumped out of Marcus's embrace and left the garden, careful to not step on any of the plants or seedbeds, then he ran around the corner, singing a wordless melody. Marcus smiled, but he couldn't help to feel a little bit concerned. There were things he might never understand about his most timid child, and this colour thing was yet another mystery. Still, he had promised no worries, and he had used Lux's full name to show sincerity. It'll be what it'll be, he told himself as he stood up and went over to put his tools away in the shed.

While in there, he picked up a book of matches and an armful of firewood, then headed over to their outdoor fireplace. It wasn't anything fancy, just a round patch of bare earth covered in old ashes, encircled by a ring of stones to keep the fire at bay. The way it's worked since the dawn of furkind. At Richard's new house, Marcus's brother had a very modern grill, with all the bells and whistles. With Luna's income, which had recently been added to when his own children's stories began to sell, they could afford something like that, but he didn't want it. Grilling over the open wood fire felt homey. Primitive in the true sense of the word. He'd take that over grills and stoves any day. He stacked the wood in the centre of the stone circle and lit some kindling. By the time Lux came strolling back, hand-in-hand with Cass, he had a good fire going, and by the time Luna and Andie arrived with fish the embers were just right for grilling. With fresh veggies and sweet-sour dipping sauce and the whole family spread out on the lawn, it was a perfect lunch.

* * * * * *

Cass gulped down his last mouthful of soda. Then he let out a mighty belch and fell down as if mortally wounded. Both his siblings giggled gleefully, and Luna was sure she heard a suppressed snigger from Marcus. She caught his gaze, and they both grinned. At the same time she reached out and shut the cooler lid, just as a small, white-furred paw reached for it.

"No, honey, no more burp wars."

"Aww, no fun." Andie sighed. Just then, Lux hiccuped, shrieked with laughter and crashed down next to his brother. "Please, mommy? I can beat them both."

"I know you can, darling. But you just ate two helpings of fish. And drank a whole soda." Luna rubbed her fingers against her daughter's cheek, and the girl leaned into the touch. "I don't want you to get sick."

"I didn't think about that. Thanks, mommy. I don't wanna throw up, neither."

"Why don't you join the puppy pile, and have a nap?"

"Okay."

Andie yawned, got to her feet and wandered over to the spot where Cass had fallen. He was already asleep, snoring softly, and Lux had scooted up to his side. Part of Luna wanted to tell Andie not to pounce her brothers, but she bit it back. Andie was getting better and better at controlling her impulses, and Luna knew she needed trust. It warmed her heart when her daughter gently crawled into the centre of the pile and wrapped her arms around Lux. Cass turned over in his sleep, and hugged her in turn. Soon all three were off to Dreamland.

Soft feet behind her perked Luna's sensitive wolf ears, and she felt her tail begin to wag as Marcus's hands found her shoulders. He massaged her gently until she was purring like a kitten. Once those muscles had relaxed, he knelt as his touch moved down her spine. She melted into the his hands, and soon she was lying on her back in the soft grass. Marcus lay right next to her, on his side. One arm snaked its way in underneath her head to act as a pillow, while the fingers of his free hand started ruffling her belly fur. The touch tickled, but not in an unpleasant way. She moaned, when he started kissing the side of her neck.

"My queen," he mumbled while his lips and his tongue searched for and found her sweet spots. "My beauty queen."

"I thought... ah! I thought I was your angel."

"Hmm," he purred, the rumbling sound sending shivers down her spine. "You'rrre both, and morrre."

"Ahh!" Luna felt teeth scrape against the skin over her collar bone, followed by a gentle nip to the side of her breast. "Marcus, ooh..."

"Rrrr..."

Another nip, then tongue. Warm, soft tongue digging through fur to reach skin. But he didn't move towards her nipple as she had hoped, but up to her... oh! He tongued her armpit, lapped hard and deep while purring like an engine. Luna breathed in a gasp and held it while a shudder went through her body, a precursor of the joys to come.

Soon they were both making the funny noises, but the pups were all too deeply asleep to hear.

* * * * * *

In the afternoon, Marcus went with Cass and Andie to play by the river, while Lux chose to stay with Luna. She picked up a basket and started walking down the path that led to the chicken coop. Lux danced around her, his lithe body swaying to music only he seemed to hear. Every now and then he would stop to stare at nothing in particular, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Early on, when the triplets were learning to walk and talk, she had worried about Lux, about how he wasn't developing at the same rate as the other two. Marcus had calmed her nerves, as he so often did, telling her that all they could do was wait and see. Lux, he kept saying, would be Lux. And that was all he needed to be.

Still, it had been a relief when the timid boy had started talking. It happened almost over night. Lux went from being the quiet one who mostly watched as the others played, to a regular little chatterbox. And when they asked him why, he shrugged and said he wanted to learn the words before trying them. Also, that he found it hard to make them look right, whatever that meant. These days, he talked as well as the others, but he had bouts of silence when he might not say anything for hours on end.

The rest of the family let him have his quiet times, because they knew that he would come back from them eventually.

The chicken coop had once been a barn, where Luna's father had planned to keep a tractor and other farming equipment. But that was before he fell in love with the forest, and found that he couldn't bear to cut down the trees to make crop fields. The building now housed two dozen hens, one proud rooster and a number of tiny yellow featherballs. It was well roomy, and added to it Luna's father had built a front yard protected by chicken wire, where the animals usually spent their days when the weather was nice. In the winter, the opening to the yard would be closed, while electric heaters kept the inside nice and warm.

Luna and Lux entered the barn through a side door, then went from nest to nest to gather eggs. To the other two children, this was an exciting game, keeping them on edge to see what they might find in each nest. Lux was more interested in petting the birds, who never seemed to mind his attention. The chicks even followed him around, peeping happily whenever he picked them up.

Luna had dreaded the day when her children would first make the connection between chicken coop and chicken dinners, but they had taken it in stride.

Marcus had told them a story he called The Dance of Life; how the sun and the earth and the rain fed the plants, how some animals ate the plants and some animals ate other animals. And how in the end the earth always took back, in death, what it had given. To begin the Dance anew.

It was the first story he sold, and it had been followed by many more. Just thinking about it made Luna's heart swell with pride. The insecure and taciturn boy-kitten she had met, a life ago, now regularly travelled to nearby schools and libraries, where he would talk about writing and read aloud from his books.

Maybe it was the Dance of Life that Lux had performed earlier, hopping and twirling until he finally, just outside the barn, fell to the ground. Going back to the earth? After raiding the last nest, Luna stopped to watch her son as he tip-toed gently through the clutch of chicks surrounding him. Always so careful. Lux never joined his brother and sister to play-hunt, and while he did eat meat, he often recited The Dance of Life, telling the chickens or the trees or the vegetable garden, that when his own dance was over, he'd come back to them. As Lux earth.

When they left the barn, Lux waved goodbye to the chicks, who followed him inside the chicken wire for as long as they could, and then peeped dejectedly when they couldn't. Unable to resist the tug inside her chest, Luna pulled him to her, then leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"Love you, son," she whispered into his ear. "Mommy loves you so much."

"Love you too, mommy," he said as he nuzzled her belly. "I love my baby brother too, even though I haven't seen him yet."

"How do you know it'll be a boy?"

"'Cause Andie's a girl, and he's not her, so he must be a boy."

Lux logic. Luna smiled and kissed him again. This time he squirmed and squeaked in protest, but he seemed happy enough to walk back to the house hand-in-hand.

* * * * * *

When the two of them reached the river bend, where a pool of still, shallow water had formed, a pirate attack was under way. Marcus fought bravely, but he was clearly outmatched by his two vicious assailants. Weapon of choice seemed to be splashing.

"Blue!" Lux squealed as his loincloth joined the pile on the grass. "Blue, blue, blue!"

Luna sat down to watch, ignoring her husband's pleading look for help. Facing three pirates, he was quickly forced to surrender. The four of them went under, but they soon resurfaced, sputtering and laughing. With pups hanging onto his neck and shoulders, Marcus waded ashore where he collapsed in a heap of fur. Cass and Andie proudly proclaimed victory, while Lux started singing a song about roses. The other two quickly joined in.

"Some first mate you are," Marcus said, still breathing heavily. "I needed rescue."

"First of all," Luna smiled. "I'm definitely the captain of this ship. Second, you get into the water, there'll be sharks. You know that."

"Pirate sharks!" he groaned while the children giggled. "Spare me."

* * * * * *

The remainder of the afternoon was spent on chores. Andie and Lux elected to follow Marcus into the forest to forage, and to mark a tree for felling. It was still summer, but when the first cold nights arrived they needed the shed packed from floor to ceiling with firewood. The house did have electricity thanks to Luna's father's good planning, but this far from any town or city, it often came and went during snowfalls or storms. On those occasions, safe was very much better than sorry. It was hard work to cut down and chop up an entire tree, but it needed to be done in time for the wood to dry.

The three of them marched off singing a song about butterflies, which was from one of Marcus's stories. Luna watched them with a smile on her lips, then she turned to Cass and held out her hand. He took it, and they went inside. While she cleaned the stove and the sink and dusted the shelves, the boy gathered up toys, clothes, books and other things that lay strewn all around. It was amazing how much clutter a family of five could amass in such a short time. The last cleaning felt like yesterday, though if Luna were to be honest, it was probably more than a week ago. When the main room was clean, they helped scrub the bathroom.

It had originally only been a toilet, a sink and a small shower stall. Perfect for one wolf, but inadequate for a family. With the aid of Richard, Luna and Marcus had expanded it to include double sinks, and a large bathtub instead of a shower. Now, she thought, with another pup on the way and who knew how many more to follow, maybe it was time to expand the whole thing. It would break her heart a little to tear down dad's old house, but maybe it was time. There would surely come a day when the pups needed their own space. Up until now they had slept in a bed in one corner of the room, with her and Marcus's bed across from it. With the table and its chairs taking up centre stage and a sofa in front of the fireplace, there was precious little floor space. And soon there would be a crib as well.

"Mommy?"

"Sorry, dear." Luna blinked, realising that Cass had spoken to her. "Mommy was miles away."

"In your thoughts?" The boy grinned. "I do that sometimes, too. Drives Andie nuts."

"Your sister is quite earthbound," Luna smiled. "What did you say?"

"I said, can we take a bath tonight? All of us?"

"And dirty up everything we've cleaned?"

"We can always clean it again. I like it when it's all of us."

"We'll see. The tub is kinda small, with my belly."

"Yeah." Cass grinned, then leaned in and kissed her tummy. "When the baby comes out, it'll get better."

"Not the way the rest of you are growing." She placed her hand on top of Cass's head, but when she then moved it to the wall she raised it up, making him seem taller than she was. It set off a chorus of giggles. "Soon you three are gonna sleep with your heads out the door and your feet in the bathroom."

"Mommy, you're silly. We're still small."

"Not for long." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish you could stay pups forever."

"But then who's gonna look after you and daddy when you get old? We can't cook, and we're not allowed to make a fire."

"I think we'll trust you with that," she said in her normal voice, but then she switched to a stage whisper. "Don't tell your litterlings, but you're the only one we could trust."

Cass's ears fell flat in a lupine blush, and he stammered when he tried to answer. But when Luna ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek, he straightened up with a radiant smile on his lips. Almost as if he grew another couple of centimetres right then and there. He returned the kiss, a peck on the lips this time, then they picked up doing their chores. Cass cleaned with vigour, beaming with pride every time he showed her something that was done. It didn't take them long to finish up, and Luna nodded to herself. The house looked better than it usually did after a touch-up.

Since the others weren't due home for a while, she opened the freezer and pulled out ice lollies for them both. While they tore off the wrappers, she gave him a hushing gesture, which made him giggle.

Much later, after dinner and after she and Marcus had cleaned and packaged berries, roots, leaves and even some early mushrooms, and after a very crowded bath, the two of them lay in bed. Moonlight shone through a window, just enough so they could see each other's faces. From the other corner came snores and the occasional yip. Even though they had made love earlier that day, Luna felt ready for more. Her hands roamed all over her lifemate's body, from his sweet face all the way down to... oh yes, all the way down there. He grew in her hand while they kissed, but when he tried to touch her breasts she shooed him away. This was all about him. At least, the first time. Later, she'd be happy to let him play with her in any way he liked, but for now this was the Luna show.

She trailed kisses down his chest, all over his tummy, until she found what she wanted. Funny noises, yes. The first of the night.

* * * * * *

"I'm hungry, daddy."

Marcus returned to the world to find a little imp sitting on his chest, blue eyes peering into his while a cascade of silvery hair framed them. He smiled, and lazily pulled Lux down to give him a kiss. The pup sighed happily and returned it.

"It's barely dawn." Marcus's voice was a bit hoarse, and it made the boy giggle. "How 'bout we stay here for a while?"

"I'm not cuddly time, daddy," Lux protested, shaking his head against the nape of Marcus's neck, "I'm food time."

"Right." Marcus stretched, yawned and sat up, letting the pup hop to the floor. "Why don't we cook something outside, and let the others sleep."

"'Kay. Cass woke me up. He's snoring all yellow."

"Did you try and turn him over?"

"Mhm. But then my tummy wanted up."

"Let's see what we've got." Not bothering to get dressed, father and son walked over to the pantry. "What would you say to grilled bread, scrambled eggs and fresh snap peas?"

"Hop into my belly, please!"

The sun was still mostly hidden behind trees when the two of them finished their breakfast. Lux patted his belly, then grinned and reached over to rub Marcus's. They were sitting in the grass next to the fireplace, eating with their fingers like proper woodsmen. The air was crisp and clear, and their butts were wet with morning dew. It was perfect. It was serene. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the tree, and Lux looked up, smiling as he seemingly followed the wind with his eyes.

"What do you see, son?" Marcus asked in a whisper, as if to not disturb the moment. "In the wind?"

"Orange," Lux whispered back. "An' yellow an' red, almost like the beddy time sun."

"And the leaves?"

"Messy. All kinds. I like the clean wind best." The boy shuffled closer, and touched his father's arm. "Is it a bad thing, daddy? That I see things nobody else does?"

"Not at all." Marcus took the little hand and held it. "It just means you're a little bit different."

"An' different is good, right?"

It was something Marcus and Luna had been teaching their children ever since they were big enough to understand words.

"Absolutely. Just look at your mommy and me. We're very different, she's a wolf and I'm a cat, but we love each other. And we love you pups. That you're different from each other only means there's more things about you to love." The boy climbed into his lap, and Marcus put his arms around him. "Andie does things the Andie way, Cass, the Cass way."

"And I'm the Lux!" He giggled, and Marcus smiled. "Different. Right, daddy?"

"Right. The Lux path might be a bit curvier, but it is still the perfect one for you."

"Where does it go?"

"Who knows? The future isn't here yet, and it's up to us to make the best of it when it comes."

"In a car. A blue one." The boy met Marcus's eyes and nodded seriously. "With a white hood, that makes it look like the sky an' the clouds."

Just then the front door of the house creaked open, and two little faces peered out. Marcus patted his son's rump to make him hop off, then sliced up more bread for the skewers. Seeing that the clothes in the front yard rule had been temporarily relaxed, Lux's siblings tossed their loincloths aside, and greeted both him and Marcus with sloppy morning kisses.

"Mommy's still asleep," Andie whispered with a grin. "I think she's tired from making all the funny noises."

"She probably is," Marcus said with a smile, his ears flicking a bit. "Let's give her her beauty sleep."

"She don't need it," Cass announced. "She's already beautiful. I wanna paint her, with her big belly an' all. Before the baby comes."

"It'll just come off when she goes swimmin'."

"Not her, Andie! I meant I'm gonna paint her."

"It's the same!"

"I think he means like a portrait," Marcus interjected before the argument turned into a wrestling match. "Right?"

"Right."

"I love when you write down the colours," Lux said, smiling at his brother. "You do it so pretty."

* * * * * *

When Luna woke up, alone in the house, she couldn't help but smile. Bits of her were still tingling from the night before. Marcus was so talented with his fingers and his mouth and... aah! She reached around her belly and touched the place where the tingles were most prominent, but before she could do much she felt a kick inside her.

"Hungry, little one?" she cooed. "Mommy, too. Let's go find your daddy and your siblings."

She couldn't smell anything cooking, and the angle of sunlight told her that she had slept in late. Stopping by the pantry, she grabbed a couple of tomatoes and immediately downed one in just a couple of bites. She-wolf on the hunt, she mused as she stepped out of the house. The front yard was empty, and she could hear no squeals and no splashing from the river. By the fireplace she found a foil-wrapped package which smelled heavenly. Opening it, she discovered a couple of slices of toasted bread and three fried eggs. Sweet Marcus. Not wanting to sit down, since getting up on her own was becoming a chore, she ate the lot standing up.

When she came out again after disposing of the foil and washing up, she was surprised to see a car coming down the road. It was a small one, all white, and she wondered briefly if Richard had bought a new one. But her mate's brother was still hoping to settle down and start a family of his own, so why would he trade down? Then the car pulled to a stop just off the lawn, and a middle-aged fox woman stepped out.

"Ms Day?"

"That's me," Luna said, her ears flicking as her eyes moved down her own naked body. "Can... can I help you?"

"I'm Jane Wren." She frowned at Luna's puzzled expression. "From the Children's Education Board? We spoke on the telephone last week."

"Oh!" Luna's ears slapped down against her skull, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Ms Wren. I must... I must have got the dates mixed up."

"It's all right." The fox woman smiled. "I'm here to talk to you about..."

"About home schooling the pups," Luna filled in. "Please excuse me while I get dressed. Have a seat over by the apple tree. Can I get you something to drink? We have freshly pressed juice."

"That would be lovely. Thank you."

She walked over to a picnic table, which rarely saw use unless the family had visitors. Why sit on planks of wood, no matter how polished, when you could lounge about on the lawn? Luna hurried inside, donned her loincloth, then cast about to try and find something that would do as a top. In the end, she settled for draping a towel over her shoulders. It just barely covered her breasts, but it would have to do. She poured them both tall glasses of apple juice from the fridge, then stacked a plate with cookies and the last of the oats and chocolate treats that Marcus had made a couple of days ago.

Outside, she found Ms Wren seated, watching the forest's edge. Luna took in her appearance as she walked over. The fox woman was short, with bobbed reddish-brown hair and large glasses. She was wearing a white blouse with a proper grey business jacket and matching middle-length skirt. Luna felt very underdressed. When she approached, Ms Wren looked up with a friendly smile.

"Thank you, dear," she said as she took a glass from the tray. "It's lovely out here. So... verdant."

"My father built this house and made room for the yard. I chose to stay when he moved to the city." She held out her arm in a sweeping gesture. "We own the land all the way from the bridge, then just about as much in every direction."

"Oh, that explains your... free state." She laughed softly, while Luna squirmed a little. "Not to worry. If I lived like this, I wouldn't bother with clothes, either."

"We usually do. At least in the front yard."

"Are the children around?"

"Actually, I don't know where they are. I just woke up. Late night, last."

"I see." She smiled and winked, and Luna smiled back. She was beginning to feel at ease, and realised that Ms Wren was someone she might come to like. "Well, I hope I get to meet both them and your husband before I have to leave."

"Marcus isn't... well, we're not technically married. But we are a couple for life, I assure you."

"That's sweet." She sipped her drink, then nibbled a cookie, humming appreciatively. "When we talked earlier, I said I wanted to talk about your children's test scores. You know, for the start of school."

"That's still a year away, isn't it? I mean, we teach them things all the time, but we haven't set up any regular school schedule yet."

"Of course. But it's always good to be prepared, isn't it?"

"Absolutely. So...?"

"Well, Castor and Andromeda are fine, nothing to worry about there." Ms Wren pushed her glasses up. "They are both developing as their age group should indicate. But we have some concerns about Pollux."

"Ah, yes." Luna put her glass down and willed her hands to remain steady. "Our sweet Lux."

"He seemed kind of... detached, when he took the tests. From what Mr Cole told me, he understood the questions and performed most of the tasks set to him. But his answers were sometimes a bit peculiar."

"Lux's mind works differently than those of his siblings." Luna tried on a smile, but it felt forced. "He figures things out in his own time, and he sees the world in ways that the rest of us don't always understand fully."

"I get that. And all children develop at different rates. He talks a lot about colours."

"That he does." Luna shifted in her seat as he back gave a little twinge. "Lux is... well, we talked to our family physician, and he said not to worry. Lux might be a bit on the spectrum, so to speak, but Dr Glen said it was too early to form a complete picture."

"It's good that you have addressed it." She took off her glasses, then placed her hand on Luna's arm. "Don't worry, dear, I'm not here to take him away. or to cast judgement over your parenting. According to Mr Cole all your children seem healthy and happy."

"That's good to hear." Luna relaxed, and picked up a cookie. She patted her belly. "Our new little one isn't satisfied with breakfast."

"Lovely." Ms Wren laughed. "When are you due, if I may ask?"

"I'm still half a month away. It's only one this time."

"Will he or she also get a name from the night sky?"

"Yes, definitely." Luna smiled warmly, and told the tale of how the pups got their names. "We're thinking Perseus if it's a boy, which Lux thinks, and Lyra if it's a girl. There's not many females up there."

"There's Cassiopeia."

"True, but two Casses might cause confusion." They both laughed, but then Luna's face turned serious. "Do you think we need to do something for Lux? Like, special classes or extra teachers?"

"Not for now. We'll see how things turn out. I just wanted you to know that we're here to help if you should need it."

"That's good to hear." Luna's ears perked up as she caught the sound of voices. "I think they're on their way."

"Jolly."

Even though Ms Wren had been casual about Luna's nude state when they met, she was still relieved to see that Marcus and the pups were wearing their loincloths. They were all carrying baskets, which meant that they had either gone to the chicken coop or raided the forest floor. Both, it turned out. Andie and Lux hurried up to meet and greet their guest, eager to show off what they had found, but Marcus and Cass hung back.

Cass could be a bit shy around strangers, and Luna knew that Marcus sometimes got fidgety when it came to others seeing his chubby tummy. When it was just the family, or when Richard came over, he was fine. But on a public beach or in a swimming hall, he usually preferred to wear a t-shirt. He knew that Luna loved him just the way he was, but the teasing and berating he had grown up with had left a lasting insecurity. Still, he came over to greet Ms Wren, before excusing himself and vanishing into the house. Cass followed. When they returned a minute later, both were wearing shorts and shirts.

They chatted for a while, then Ms Wren asked to talk to each of the children in turn. Luna told the pups that it was okay, that they were just going to talk about home schooling and learning, and even Cass agreed without fuss. Before his shyness could creep in again, Marcus and Luna took Andie and Lux and went inside to stow away the eggs and package the foraged goodies. Andie wanted to know if the nice fox lady was going to be their teacher, while Lux simply remarked that she had nice-looking eye windows.

After about a quarter of an hour, Cass came inside, and Luna sent Andie out. Soon they could hear giggling through the open door. Cass, in the meantime, went over to the toy cupboard and started leafing through his drawings and paintings. Clearly, Ms Wren had asked to see some of them. The boy seemed animated, and Luna was impressed with how quickly he seemed to accept the newcomer.

When it was Lux's turn, Luna took his hand and led him out, while Marcus was left to hear a blow-by-blow review of Andie's talk. Ms Wren smiled as they approached, and Lux gave her a little wave of his hand. Luna wanted to stay within sight, and walked over to the garden to check on the latest harvest of tomatoes. Even though they were still mostly green, she ate one and relished its sharpness. She caressed her belly, sending all the loving thoughts she could to her daughter or son to be.

Marcus, Andie and Cass soon joined her, the latter clutching a folder of papers. The pups told her about their talks with Ms Wren, and before long Lux sauntered over.

"The nice lady wants to see you and daddy," he told Luna. "Can I have an ice lolly?"

"Sure. Why don't all three of you go inside and eat them. Cass, I'll make sure to remind Ms Wren to look at your pictures before she leaves."

Marcus herded the pups inside, then swiftly returned with a pitcher to refill their glasses. They shared some small talk, but then Ms Wren pushed her glasses up, and her face turned business-like.

"Luna, Marcus, first of all let me say your children are lovely. Andromeda is lively and friendly, Castor is sweet and thoughtful." She smiled. "Pollux seems to be an intelligent young man, but it is as you say, he thinks things through his own way."

"Our Lux," Marcus sighed dreamily, and the love radiating from his eyes made Luna want to kiss him right then and there. "We all live in the same world, but we don't see it the same."

"I think he's going to do fine, being home schooled. As long as you're both kind and patient, which I just know you'll be."

"Thank you, Ms Wren."

"Please, Luna, call me Jane. You too, Marcus."

"Thank you, Jane." Luna smiled happily. "I assume you'll want to come back and check up on him when the time comes."

"Assuredly. But only to see if there's anything we can do to help." She glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Lux might need some extra help with maths and arithmetic. It seems as if he's not very interested in those subjects."

"The way he's told us," Marcus said, "he doesn't care how many of something there are. Just that they're there. I think he'll learn in his own time, but maybe you could help us come up with a way to make it interesting for him."

"He did talk a lot about colours. Maybe you can ask him to count them."

"That is a very good suggestion, Jane," Luna said, and she took the woman's hand. "I can see that you're very good at what you do, and that you really care for the children."

"I do." She squeezed Luna's hand gently. "Very much so. But, Lux did say something that intrigued me."

"What's that?"

"He said that the moon is on your property. He wants to go there, but he says he isn't allowed."

"Well," Marcus began, "our Lux has a very vivid imagination. He likes to make up stories inside his head."

"Gets that from his daddy," Luna said, and this time she couldn't stop herself from leaning over to steal a kiss. "According to Lux, there is a path to the moon just before the bridge. If you follow it, you can bypass space and go directly to the lunar surface."

"I didn't see any path when I drove here."

"That's because it's not there." Marcus chuckled. "At least, not for the rest of us to see. The pups aren't allowed to go there on their own, 'cause the river is quite deep near the bridge, and there's currents and underwater rocks."

"He's happy to wait," Luna added, "but when he grows up he wants to go there to find a moonstone."

"I hope he does find it." Jane took off her glasses, then shook their hands. "It was lovely meeting you both, and the children as well. I'll send over some books with tips about home schooling, especially maths."

"Thank you." They stood up, but then Luna remembered... "Cass! Jane, sorry if I keep you here longer than necessary, but he so wants to show you his drawings."

"Yes, that's right, he did want me to see them. I almost forgot."

"I'll go get the pups," Marcus said. "With a quick stop at the sink to wash up."

* * * * * *

The children went to bed early that night. During the afternoon, grey clouds had rolled in, and now it was raining heavily. Marcus cleared the table, then washed the glasses and plates. He and Luna had had a late snack of cheese and vegetables, together with their favourite red wine. While he worked, he hummed to himself, and every now and then he glanced back. Luna still sat at the table, leaning back to give room for her belly. After Ms Wren had left, the family had unanimously decided to have a nature day, so every bit of clothing had gone into the washing machine. When the dryer was done, nobody really felt like getting dressed again.

Even though he couldn't see what hid underneath Luna's belly, he could smell her arousal. This night, too, would be a busy one. He didn't mind, not one bit. After washing his hands, he went over and took her hands. As she stood up, he began to purr. They kissed, and he ran the fingers of one hand through her chest fur, gently squeezing her soft breasts and teasing her stiffening nipples. When he broke the kissed and took one of them into his mouth, she hissed.

"Arrrre you okay?" he mumbled. "Sensitive?

"Yes, and yes," she gasped. "Oh, honey, please don't stop!"

"Mmm," he hummed as he sank to his knees, kissing her all the way down. "I wouldn't drrream of it."

* * * * * *

In the morning, after breakfast, the two of them lay side by side in the grass, while the pups chased a ball up and down the yard. Marcus was on his side, one arm acting as Luna's pillow again, while he nuzzled her neck. She felt so at ease, so in tune with the world. So perfectly happy.

"Are we sure..." she began, but a sigh interrupted her when Marcus kissed her cheek, then began nibbling her ear. "Oh, sweetie, yes. Right there. But honestly, are we sure we can... ooh... home school the pups?"

"Mmm."

"It's a huge responsibility."

"We'll do fine." He licked the side of her muzzle, and her whiskers twitched. "They're so eager to learn new things. It'll be fun for them and fun for us."

"Ms Wren, Jane, she was a bit worried about Lux."

"I'm not." He chuckled. "Our little dreamer will make his way in the world. His very own way, but still."

"And the other two?"

"Same goes for them. Their own way. The only question is how long it'll take Andie to conquer the known universe."

"Silly boy," she laughed. "I'm glad you're so sure. I worry sometimes. You know, mom worries."

"Dads worry, too. About little things, and big things." He kissed her again, and ran a finger along the side of her breast. "But like I told Lux, we'll have to make the best of the future. Whenever it comes 'round."

"You're such a wise man." She turned towards him, and bumped his nose with hers. "Are you just gonna tickle my tits, or are you gonna suck 'em?"

"Later. I have a feeling it's going to be snack time pretty soon."

"Now that you mentioned snacks," she whispered, "I could really go for an apple or two."

"As you wish." Marcus began to sit up, but changed his mind halfway. He laid a gentle hand on her belly. "Don't worry too much about our young ones. I really do think they'll be fine. And so will this little one."

"We might need to expand the house soon. Or even build a new one."

"When the time comes." He drew circles on her belly, and the little one inside twitched in response. "All in due time."

He kissed her, then kissed her belly, then he hopped up and began jogging towards the apple tree. Before he even got halfway there, he had three little ones in tow, squealing voices begging for apples. Luna sat up, and watched them interact. Some people, she mused, might call Marcus's attitude too casual, even careless, but she knew it for what it was. Self confidence. The little kitten she had found at the pond one night, had grown into a confident and competent man. And she was so proud of him.

As she watched her little family, a breeze blew past, ruffling her fur and making the trees whisper. Lux cried out 'orange!' and giggled happily, jumping up and down and waving his hands as if trying to catch something. Marcus put a hand on his shoulder, pointed up and spoke to him. Lux nodded, and together father and son reached for the sky. Trying to catch the wind, or the colours, or whatever.

It didn't really matter. All that mattered was that they were all together. Marcus was right. The future would come when it came, and they would deal with it then.

Together.

* * * * * *
Epilogue:
* * * * * *

One rainy morning, a few weeks later, little Perseus greeted life with a yowling wail. Marcus had, once again, proved to be a perfect midwife. The other pups had been gathered around them, eyes wide and smiles even wider as their baby brother finally made his appearance.

His fur was all white, like his father's and his sister's, and Luna just knew that his eyes, when they eventually opened, would share his siblings' sky blue colour.

"Born in the rain," Andie whispered as she reverently touched the newcomer's little face. The baby quieted, and pushed back against her finger. "He likes me."

"He loves you, Snowdrop," Luna said. She felt tired, even though it had been an easy birth, but it wasn't yet time for sleep. "He loves all of us."

"How can you know?" Cass asked. "He can't talk yet."

"His green talks," Lux replied dreamily. "Green, and a bit red. I love you too, Percy."

"As many times as you kissed mommy's belly," Marcus said as he returned with washcloths and began to clean Luna, "he knows all the love in the world. Born in rain doesn't mean he'll live in tears."

"He will be happy," Luna stated, knowing in her heart that it was true. "Like all of us. A happy family."