"It is warm out already…" Naas commented from the porch of her quiet domicile, her eyes tracking the black miniature form that tore about the ocean of dull yellow grass surrounding her property. She blinked her lenses as a breeze picked up, swirling the field and dust about. Naas 'Androm had always preferred to live in the more open plains of Sangheilios, the closed-in cities never appealed to her. They always reeked of oils and other pollutants, and she was no fan of the methane fields one had to pass through to get to certain places. The State of 'Androm was known for it's peaceful occupants and rich vegetation. The serfs were treated well, despite the hard work, and the food was extravagant. Her husband, L'on agreed with her on that, and they spent a majority of their marriage here. Currently, L'on was away to war, he had been for fifth teen months now.

Even the very word "War" made the Sangheili's blood boil. She could not fathom the point of view someone had for destroying another race, or each other. It was futile, and a waste of life. Of course, had she spoken these words in public, she would surely be standing before the Hierarchs awaiting a death sentence. So naturally, she kept her opinions to herself.

Only once had she spoken up on her own on someone else's behalf in front of the Hierarchs, and the outcome was scurrying about in the grass.

The hock-high black form spread it's small wings that poked from the back of a dirty red shirt, the thin and frail membrane glowed in the sunlight, revealing tiny pulsing veins branching from the base. She would never forget the day she brought home the young Sangheili that now played in the fields. An inky black head popped up from the grass, a pair of iridescent green eyes full of mischief and curiosity shimmered as he looked towards the house. She smiled as he spotted his adoption mother and made a face. She could tell he was growling at her, as his tiny mandibles rattled against each other. Her hand drifted over the towel that hung from her forearm as she let out a laugh, making a face back at him. "Oh Agun… What am I to do with you boy?"

She tittered as he looked off into the grass, his neck held high and stretched thin, it was obvious he had his eyes set on something in the grass. It was probably a rat. Her head bobbed as she turned to enter the house, leaving him to play as she prepared his bath.

The morning suns gave the stone-walled bathroom a soft golden hue. The floor was a dark gray-blue slate, darker spots freckled the 16"x16" tiles. The tub sides were a deep gray metal the back rising in an elegant curve where one could set their arms to rest, and the bottom a ridged limestone, treated to keep from breaking apart in the water. A sink jutted from the far right wall, and a stall to the left it held toiletries and linens that sat on soft purple metal energy trays, ever since the joining of the Covenant, their technology had been integrated with even some of the simpler Sangheili products. A bowl-shaped glass lamp hung from a bronze chain in the middle of the ceiling. She sat on the rim of the tub and pressed an aqua-colored button on the small holo-pad that floated to her right; it blipped at the touch and flickered to confirm her command, then dimmed as water poured from the curved half-cut pipe, steam hissing from the gentle flowing water. She sighed as she watched the water spill into the tub, her eyes fixated on it in a trance-like state as her mind wandered through her memories. Through the day she met L'on, to when she found out she was sterile, and could not provide him any children, then to the day she adopted the Sangheili boy.

Out of all the children he was growing with, he was the odd one. A striking black Sangheili child with a brilliant white underside, and the most estranged part of him was his thin, boney, "growths" on his back, a pair of wings that over the years underwent a painful growing process. He had told her they still hurt to this day, she figured they would until he was an adult. Something about him made her hearts' sing that he was the one, and with an elated L'on they chose him of the thirty-one infants that were up for adoption. Even more bizarre, was the fact all thirty-one children had wings, Naas was not dull, and neither was her husband, and they delved deeper into their son's origins. What they found, they promised not to tell him for so long as they lived. It became clear that his extra appendages would not be a concern to L'on as well.

0o0~

Agun yelped with the sharp sting of pain into the still soft pad of his hoof, falling onto his plump belly he looked back to find the culprit was a small jagged rock. Shuffling ahead caused him to swivel his head, and he growled at the sight of the rustic red furred rodent that stood on it's hind legs. Beady black eyes staring him while it's tiny nose worked the air, almost mocking him. His hollow bark alarmed the rodent and the spiked hair on it's back raised before it turned to flee. Kicking up waves of sand the boy followed, more determined than ever to catch the damned thing. Even though his turns were sloppy at best, he matched the rodent's movement point-for-point and swiped at it every chance he got. A guttural "Urfing" noise emitted from his nose the duration of the chase. A sign he was enjoying the challenge.

With brows raised, Naas grinned upon exiting the house at the rather humoring sight: The native rat cutting through the grass with graceful turns, the lumbering boy following close behind, kicking up sand and grass in a mobile geyser. "Agun! Slow down my boy, you'll hurt yourself!" Naas said between her laughter, she laced her fingers together and rested the palms of her hands against her trim figure, shaking her head as he ignored her and continued to assault the field with a path of destruction.

The rat turned and dove into a rather sizable hole dug into a grassy mound, leaving the little one to slide and brace too hard. He rolled with a grunt and scrambled to gain his footing, abruptly charging the mound with a growl, being too large for the hole only Agun's head fit, albeit barely. He retracted his head, snorting dust from his nostrils and growling as he began to dig insistently, trying to widen the den entry.

Stepping down off the porch into the warm decorative blue sand around the front of the garden, Naas shook her head. "Agun, come on! The poor thing's gone and left, I think you've re-landscaped it's home enough…" She sighed as the waves of dirt and rocks stopped, and tracked the small form as he made his way through the grass, appearing before her in several seconds. Shaking her head in distaste at the sight of the moist dirt stuck to his black scales she bent down and scooped him up, carrying the pouting boy into the house.

Upon seeing the water Agun squirmed in her hold, which grew tight expectantly as they'd developed a routine out of this nonsense after seven years. "Agun, don't you even start." Naas said with a stern tone, sitting down on the side of the tub as she set and held him in her lap. His growls as she peeled away his dirty clothing made her smile even though she was in for a fight, she could never figure out why he put up such a fuss during his baths, the only thing she could conjure was that he liked to give her a hard time and the occasional streaking chase, just one of his many charmingly annoying quirks.

As expected, the moment she settled him in the water he began to flail, assaulting her face and front with warm water by kicking out. "Oh enough! Just for once can you not cause trouble?!" She refrained from laughing as she tickled his sides, his squealing laugh bringing through a grin anyway. He seemed to settle down after she had stopped, allowing her to wash away the dirt without much hassle, although she'd known better than to assume the best had happened, and eyed him warily even as she left him in the tub to grab a warm towel from the rack above the commode. Her wariness paid off as she heard the water slosh about in the tub, and the clopping of wet hooves trotting out of the bathroom. With a growling sigh she turned, towel in hand, to see the watery tracks leading out to the bedroom and stalked after him. "Agusta!" She called out the name she'd given him the moment she and L'on brought him home, it was the name of a Human song she'd heard from her homemade tuner. Pausing to look down at the water stain on the center rug before her and L'on's bed, she grumbled, irritated that he'd gotten it wet. "I just bought that rug, if you've ruined it boy that hind of yours will be sore for weeks!"

Hearing the faint rapping noise of his hooves on the kitchen floor she made her way around the corner stealthily, listening intently on the direction he traveled. She could tell he was sniffing the air for her, and hearing for the clatter of the golden metal rings on her belt-line. Carefully, she removed two of the rings, and knelt down before the secondary kitchen opening, tossing the rings gently enough across the dining room floor. His loud snort and clattering feet signaled her chance and opened the towel, dropping it onto the little black form.

A smile formed on her face as she watched him growl and squeal, kicking out at the towel that engulfed him. "You never learn do you, love?" She bent down and bagged him, carrying him back to the bathroom to dry him off and clothe him for the day.

0o0~

"Where are we even going?" He whined as she placed herself on the foot of the bed, cradling him in the crook of her arm. He cuddled against her anyway despite his pouting, his finger fiddling with the V-shaped collar of his deep blue top.

With a quiet exhale she addressed him, a grim smile on her face. "Tonight's your last night here, love. And I'm sure you'd appreciate having your favorite dessert this evening hm?"

He sat up in her hold, his small fingers gripping her top. "But I know it is my last night here, which is why I don't want to go anywhere…" He trailed off and nuzzled his stepmother's chest, toying with one of the beads on her leather choker.

"Do you want to stay here then? I won't be long, just to buy some ingredients and a few other things."

He shook his head as he climbed up to hug her neck. "No, I don't want you to go anywhere either…" Splaying a hand against his back she smiled softly. "Agusta, it's either one or the other. I won't be long, or you can come with me, either way I need to buy food for tonight, we're low on everything."

There was a moment of silence before he decided to go with her, eagerly hugging her flowing orange and red spatter top.

Tying her satchel to her waist she exited the front door, pressing a few keys of the holo-pad to activate the alarm. "Is there anywhere you'd like to go particular?" She asked as she stepped off the porch and kissed his forehead, making her way to the airborne vehicle that was stationary under the large tree shading the side of the courtyard. It was sleek, with a pointed and arched front where two snake-like headlights grooved beneath the windshield, the back half curving into two upward point rims that partially covered the backseat windows, and the back doors were barely noticeable with the decorative gills that protruded and acted as turning signals. He shook his head wordlessly as she opened the door and allowed him in first, he crawled over the center console and sat in the passenger seat, looking to her curiously. "Very well then… But do not gripe once you do want to go somewhere and I'm already doing something." She looked over at him as she shut the door and found him examining the car. He was sniffing the air, sighing afterward. She knew he was taking in the smell of the vehicle he rode home in seven years ago one last time, her chest tightened at the brief sadness in his eyes. She placed a hand on his head, smiling lovingly as he looked to her in question. "Did you hear what I said?" He nodded, "Yes, mamah."

And satisfied she removed her hand, tapping a finger to the glowing holographic console. The engine rumbled to life and she then placed her right hand on the circular disk panel, rotating her fingers counter-clockwise to turn the transport's propulsion tubes. Using her left she pushed her two index fingers upwards on the rectangular panel, leaning back in her seat as the dark black-blue car hissed forward and out onto the street, pushing her fingers forward a bit more to pick up speed.

0o0~

The city always fascinated Agun, no matter how many times he visited. Overhead, drop ships carrying Military Personnel and even casual flight carriers came and went, some heading for the Docking Tower that stood on the outer reaches of the city, glowing brilliantly even in day. Many massive Covenant Carriers floated overhead, and lights from the tower's elevators beamed up and down the structure.

The scene changed every day, the people were different, but one thing remained the same, and that was the bustling. It'd become a trademark of the city, which was newly built and was only four years old. He leaned against the door, staring out of the window, his tiny palms flat against it. He didn't notice the glance Naas had given him, smiling to herself as she watched her adoption son stare at a group of Kig-Yar adorned in casual garbs that clucked and chattered to each other in their native language. "Do you know what they're saying to each other, mamah?" He looked to her with wide eyes and she shook her head.

"No, their language was too complicated for me to learn, and it was not essential going through school for me in the first place, and they are incapable of our language as far as I'm concerned, although I'm sure translators have become a little smoother for them. Learning a language like that is more of a hobby past time for both species or any other species within the Covenant."

He grunted as he looked back out the window, finding himself face-to-face with a larger vehicle, the black paint causing him to see his own reflection. "I bet I could learn it…" Naas laughed at the determination in his voice. "I'm sure you can, love, I didn't say you couldn't. It just never struck my interest when I was a girl."

He looked down at the arm of the door before glancing back at her. "Do you know when Papah is returning home?"

She tried not to flinch at the question, looking up in thought briefly as they came to a crossway. "Oh…. It has been five months, two months from now he will be home." She looked to him, hiding the pain in her smile. Knowing Agun would be long gone into training by the time L'on returned, most likely heartbroken he didn't have the chance to say goodbye.

"Do you think he'll visit me?"

She nodded as she powered the car forward into a turn towards the market area, slowing down considerably for the number of pedestrians that hurried along the crosswalks. "I'll make sure he does, little love. And I will come to see you as well. But I can't say it'll be soon, it may be years before we can see you."

He tilted his head, his smile fading. "Why?"

Naas shook hers, smiling sadly. "It will just take that long for you to become a warrior, Agusta. That's all…"

He growled low in his throat as the car hummed forward and leaned back as Naas turned into a horizontal parking space. "Then what is the point of becoming a warrior if you cannot spend time with family?"

She laughed humorlessly while waiting for the doors to open and pull back, setting her hands in her lap with a slump. "I do not know, I've never been a warrior. You'll learn in time little one… Now come, let's go have fun and quit worrying about that till tonight." They both exchanged sighs as they exited. Naas looked down as he trotted to her side around the front of the car and lifted him into corner of her arm once more, looking back as the doors of the car hissed shut. She smiled at the affectionate lick he placed on her cheek before hugging her neck as she carried him off into the shopping area.

0o0~

The suns began to kiss the edge of Sangheilios upon their arrival back home, exhausted, Naas rubbed her eye as she turned the car into the driveway, letting it drift in by it's own inertia. She glanced over at Agun to see that he'd dug through the grocery bag in front of him to find the compressed package of squid tentacles that were pickled in a sugary liquid.

"Agusta, can you not wait until dinner?" Naas began, shaking her head as Agun pulled another faded blue squid tentacle from the bag, not caring as the flavoring juice dripped from his sticky fingers onto his shirt as he slurped it up with vigor.

"Agun!" She finally barked as the car came to a halt, leaning over the center console to take the bag from him gently, tsking at the dark brown stains on his shirt. "Look at you, I know you know how to eat better than that…" She licked the pad of her thumb, rubbing it against the stain in a vain attempt to get it out. "Please eat better than this at the keep… I don't want them to think my son is has no social dining manners." He grunted as she tickled under his the lip of his throat, biting her finger gently, smiling at her soft laugh. "Oh behave…. Come, make yourself useful and help me carry things in…" She stroked her thumb she previously licked over his cheek before straightening and getting out.

Habitually she lifted her foot as the front door swung open, the boy running under it a second later with an excited giggle, obviously happy to be home. He rested the light bags on the floor at the entry of the kitchen, running through it and into the gathering room, leaping upon the couch and laying down with a sigh, looking over at Naas as she shook her head at him with a good natured smile.

"Oh it must be so nice when you're a boy who doesn't have to cook…" She chuckled and left him to rest as he rolled on his side, facing the back of the couch away from the irritating harsh kitchen lights to sleep.

0o0~

After awaking to the smell of fresh hot food and his adoption mother's sweet voice, the two settled to eat, and much to Naas' dismay, go over what it would be like for him when he left for the keep. Partly, she smiled at the excitement he showed at the thought of becoming a strong warrior, the other hurt, for the fact she knew he wouldn't be going to the keep as she said, and that she may never see him again. Looking down at the half-eaten fried squid tentacles curled on the remaining slightly charred bread, she felt light headed.

"…Mother?" His voice brought her back to reality, and she lifted her head. "Are you okay, mamah?" He tilted his head, swallowing a bite of food. She nodded quickly to reassure him. "Yes, love. I was just thinking of seeing you as a man in armor…" She smiled warmly as he giggled and stood, gathering his empty plate. "The cream-bread is still too hot to eat, so shall we go out on the swing and wait till it cools?"

He nodded eagerly and slid from his chair, pattering around her legs as she set the dishes aside, bending down to pick the energetic boy up, holding him to her tightly and waited till he stopped squirming about before carrying him outside.

The air was cool, now that the suns fell, but it was still bright out, thanks to the stars and moons. Naas' foot hung lazily over the edge of the hand-woven swing-chair. She was particularly proud of it, as she made it. With a content sigh she leaned back into the sling, cradling her boy to her sternum. He kneaded her top as his eyes grew heavy, closing eventually to the lulling rocking and rhythmic drumming of her hearts. That and mixed with the warm breeze that carried the perfume she brewed herself, it was heaven. She tilted her head, looking down at him with an endearing smile and watched him sleep, reaching up to stroke his small bare shoulder, feeling the faint scar engraved in his scales, it would fill out with his muscles and eventually fade, she knew that much, but it still brought up the bitter memory of the event that caused it. Looking up into the swirling sky she recalled in the incident, which was the first time in her life she'd fought so hard to keep something.

She could hear them even now, the murmuring and pointing of the other children and adults alike, snide and disgusted comments that she had tried to hide him from. She told him they were nothing, to let them sit back and say what they wanted, that they would never be as great as him. She treated him as her own son and saw him as nothing more; his wings did not matter in her eyes. The other children his age tugged at his wings, and tossed pebbles at him, the teasing eventually brewed his anger, and earlier in the day a fight erupted on the short grassed hill by the lake.

Him and three other children, the three consisted of older males, he'd injured one of them, the tallest of the bunch named Jekk. He'd sent a swift kick to his hock created a thin fracture in the struggle. Agun nearly lost his life to Jekk's severely displeased uncle who was first to arrive and disband the scuffle. He was bound to kill the youngster for hurting his nephew and potentially stripping him of his chance to enter the Covenant Army.
But Naas immediately stepped in and assaulted Dun Han 'Veramalee verbally in front of his nephew for raising such a selfish tyrant. 'Veramalee restrained himself from slapping the female aside, gathered his nephew and his minions, and walked away. Naas had been uptight the rest of the day, cleaning Agun's wounds and scolding him for his actions. But in truth, Naas was proud that he had defended himself, as Jekk never bothered with him again out of fear and respect. When she asked him what finally set him off, he told her that they said bad about her, and that he wouldn't stand for lies. The day ended in the same scene they were in now, him asleep in her arms as they sat in the swing to enjoy the hot cycle evening breeze.

But that was the past, she should be worrying about the present. But for now, there were no worries, just her, her boy, and the rest of the night for mother and son to spend with each other. She'd worry about the morning when it came.