Chapter 112: Episode 111: Thank You
"Mochi, allow your brother some attention too!" Rue giggled loudly from her spot by the warm stone hearth.
Theron refused to share. The toddler slithered rapidly across the warm wooden floorboards. His brand new silver snake tail made a soft, heavy scraping sound against the wood. He reached Knox’s tall legs and immediately threw his chubby arms right up in the air. He wanted his designated spot back.
Mochi puffed out her fuzzy grey chest. The tiny snow leopard cub sat proudly on Knox’s broad left shoulder. She claimed the giant panther as her own personal furniture. She looked down at the baby boy and let out a tiny, vibrating hiss.
Theron didn’t care at all. He grabbed Knox’s thick pant leg and pulled hard.
Knox stood still in the middle of the room. The terrifying Southern warlord looked totally helpless. He didn’t want to step on the baby. He didn’t want to drop the grumpy cat. He just held his hands up in the air and looked directly at Rue for help.
"Little one," Knox pleaded softly. "They’re going to tear me apart. Do something."
Rue just laughed again. Her pink eyes crinkled at the corners. She loved watching her giant, scary mate surrender to two tiny babies. She pulled her heavy woollen blanket up to her chin to stay warm.
Theron got tired of waiting. He decided to climb. The baby boy used his strong arms to pull himself right up Knox’s leg. His thick silver tail whipped wildly behind him for balance. He lacked any basic coordination. The heavy tail swung right in a uncontrolled arc.
Smash.
The thick scales slammed directly into a small wooden side table. Three heavy stone cups flew straight into the air. They crashed onto the floorboards. Cold water splashed absolutely everywhere. It soaked right into the woven rugs. It splashed directly onto Knox’s heavy boots.
Silence filled the room.
Theron froze. He looked back at the mess. His lower lip pushed out in a tiny pout. He expected someone to yell.
Nobody yelled.
Caius walked smoothly into the room from the kitchen. The Serpent Alpha didn’t even sigh. His golden eyes swept over the puddle of water. He didn’t look annoyed at all. He just raised his pale hand. A soft, freezing wind swept across the floor. The spilt water instantly turned into thin sheets of ice. Caius kicked the ice cleanly out the open front door. He picked up the stone cups and set them perfectly back on the table.
Problem solved.
Rue watched them work together. She felt a wave of pure love totally crash over her. They didn’t fight. They didn’t blame each other. They just fixed the problems and kept their family safe.
Then, her stomach betrayed her.
It let out a loud rumble. The sound echoed clearly in the quiet cabin.
Rue blushed. Her long silver ears flushed a bright pink. She pressed both of her hands tightly over her flat belly. The brand new pregnancy hormones were ruining her dignity. She had just eaten a giant bowl of fruit a few hours ago. Now she was starving all over again. She didn’t want sweet things anymore. She wanted heavy, warm food. She wanted roasted meat and thick soup.
Knox heard the sound instantly. His panther ears twitched.
He didn’t hesitate. He reached up and plucked Mochi right off his shoulder. He placed the grumpy cub gently onto the rug. He scooped Theron up into his arms. He walked straight over to the warm hearth and set the baby boy down next to the fire.
"I’ll cook," Knox announced. He turned right toward the kitchen. "Don’t move. I’ll make the roasted bird you like. The one with the sweet tree sap."
"I want potatoes too," Rue called out weakly. She leaned back against a pile of soft pillows. "A lot of them."
"Everything you want," Knox promised loudly from the kitchen. The heavy sound of pots and pans immediately started clanging.
Caius walked over to the hearth. He sat down right next to Rue. He didn’t say a single word. He just reached out and gently pulled her tired legs directly onto his lap. His hands were perfectly cold. The chilling temperature felt absolutely amazing against her hot, swollen ankles. He started rubbing her feet with totally smooth, firm pressure.
Rue let out a long, pathetic sigh. She melted into the soft pillows.
This was her new life. She was a demanding, permanently hungry mess. Her rabbit body hated the fast changes. She felt hot and exhausted. But her mates never made her feel like a burden. They treated her like absolute royalty. They turned into a flawless, perfectly oiled machine designed to keep her happy.
The cabin filled with the incredible smell of roasting meat. Knox moved fast. He seasoned the bird, tossed the root vegetables into a heavy iron pan, and kept the fire roaring. He peeked his head out of the kitchen every five minutes just to make sure she was okay.
"Almost done," Knox promised. He wiped sweat off his dark forehead.
Caius kept rubbing her feet. The cold snake looked relaxed. He watched Theron and Mochi totally forget their fight. The two babies were currently chasing a tiny dust bunny across the floorboards. Theron’s silver tail dragged heavily behind him. He was getting bigger every single day.
"He’s growing too fast," Rue whispered. She watched her son giggle and slap the floor.
Caius nodded slowly. "His serpent biology is strong. He’ll need to shed his first set of scales very soon. It’ll make him irritable."
Rue groaned softly. She didn’t want an irritable toddler. She barely had enough energy to keep her own eyes open. She just wanted to eat her potatoes and take a very long nap.
Knox walked out of the kitchen. He carried a wooden tray loaded with hot food. The roasted bird smelled absolutely perfect. Thick steam rose from a giant pile of soft, mashed root vegetables. He set the heavy tray directly onto the floor right next to her pillows.
He didn’t make her sit up at the table. He brought the table directly to her.
Knox sat down on her other side. He pulled a small iron knife from his belt and quickly carved the meat. He handed her a wooden bowl totally full of her favourite food.
Rue didn’t wait for a spoon. She just used her fingers. She picked up a hot piece of meat and shoved it right into her mouth. She groaned happily. The sweet sap mixed perfectly with the salty meat. It was the absolute best thing she ever tasted.
Caius handed her a clean cloth to wipe her messy fingers. Knox poured her a fresh cup of cold water. They totally surrounded her. They anticipated every single thing she needed before she even asked for it. They fed her constantly.
She ate half the bird by herself. Her stomach finally stopped aching. A warm, heavy satisfaction settled totally into her bones. She leaned her head directly onto Knox’s broad shoulder. She kept her feet firmly in Caius’s cold lap. She was trapped between the hot panther and the cold snake. She loved it here.
"Thank you," Rue mumbled sleepily. Her eyelids felt heavy.
Knox kissed the top of her silver hair. Caius kept rubbing her ankle. The chaos in the cabin finally settled down into a quiet, peaceful evening.
Theron got tired of chasing the dust bunny. The toddler looked over at the hearth. He saw his mother snuggled between the two giant men. He wanted to join the pile.
The baby boy slithered across the floor. He didn’t use his arms to pull himself this time. He just moved smoothly over the wood. He reached the edge of the woven rugs.
Rue opened one pink eye. She watched her son approaching. She smiled tiredly. She reached her hand out to help him climb onto the pillows.
Theron didn’t grab her hand.
He stopped moving. His bright golden eyes blinked twice. A sudden, bright flash of silver light swallowed his chubby little body.
Rue gasped loudly. Knox sat straight up. Caius totally froze.
The light vanished in a single second.
Theron wasn’t a baby boy with a snake tail anymore. The toddler was gone.
A perfect, tiny silver snake rested on the rug. The snake had bright golden eyes. It lifted its small head and let out a tiny, familiar happy hiss.
Before Rue could even speak, the little snake moved. It slithered fast over the soft pillows. It bypassed Knox’s hands. It ignored Caius.
Theron managed to shift into a tiny silver snake, slithering right around Rue’s neck.