"Come on, Starclaw." Betelgeuse murmured. "Just a little farther." She gazed at her oldest daughter with love in her eyes. "Please babe, just a little farther."
Starclaw coughed and lay down, not moving. "I'm so tired, Mommy," she complained. "Why can't we just stop here?"
"It's not safe here. You know that." Betelgeuse looked at Starclaw, sympathy welling in her heart. "I would carry you, but you're the oldest, and the others don't have as much strength. I would transform, but there's not enough room, and we have to be quiet. Come now." She reached out a hand to her daughter, while trying to juggle four sleeping kids in her other arm and neck.
Her daughter slowly staggered to her feet, gratefully taking her mother's hand. "Thanks, Mommy," she said. Her voice was quiet, not because of a lack of conviction but a total lack of energy. "I wish we could fly."
Betelgeuse sighed. "I know, darling, I know. But we have to be careful not to alert Buu. He could sense any increase in our energy." She trudged on a few more steps, then suddenly brightened. "Starclaw! I can see the cave ahead! We should be there within ten minutes."
"The cave! Where's Daddy? He could fly us! Buu can't sense his energy. Why is that, Mommy?"
Betelgeuse smiled. "I've told you, dear, he's an Android. They don't have energy like we do."
"Why?"
"It's just the way he is. But he still loves you just as much, just as I do. Maybe I can explain more when we get home. For now, let's concentrate on getting there. Okay?"
"Okay, Mommy." Betelgeuse could tell that Starclaw wasn't satisfied, but she knew she would wait until they got home to ask more questions. Besides the fact that she was generally obedient, she was too tired to wonder any more.
A few minutes later, the cave finally took precedence in their viewpoint. It wasn't very inviting looking, a gloomy opening cut into cold, brown stone, but it was home. Betelgeuse muttered to herself again that they needed to get an actual house. At least it looks and feels better inside, she thought.
Starclaw started to run forward, but Betelgeuse pulled her back. She sensed something wrong.