Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.
Summary: One afternoon with four Leopard cubs and a Centaur. Part of the 24 in 24 Authors' Challenge.
A/N: Pure fluff piece requested/suggested by Lady Firewing. Hope you enjoy it! This is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe but can be read as a standalone.
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"Tuulea, with respect, I do have a number of things to take care of today."
My faint hope that I would be able to avoid whatever it was Tuulea wanted me to do died as soon as the Black Elder Nymph fixed me with a glare. "It is Seventhday, Oreius, and you are not on duty today, are you? Of course, you aren't, though one would never know by the way you act. I ask for a moment of your time and you immediately try to wiggle out of it. You are almost as bad as my sons. I am not asking for much, in fact, I only have a simple message. Are you going to allow me to convey it or not?"
I sighed, feeling as guilty as a colt caught sneaking sweets right before a meal, then nodded, "All right, Tuulea. What is the message?"
Tuulea looked up at me with a satisfied gleam, "I am conveying Sherket and Sefu's thanks for volunteering to watch their cubs for three hours."
I dropped the reports from last week's patrol along the Western border back onto my desk, "And, exactly when did I volunteer, Tuulea? I don't recall even being asked to do such a thing."
Tuulea shrugged a little, "Oh, I volunteered you to volunteer. Now don't give me that look, it is a perfectly reasonable, not to mention considerate, thing for you to do for Sherket and Sefu. They've both served under your command for years with nary a complaint and this is the least you can do for them. The cubs are just shy of turning two weeks old and they've all opened their eyes and are just now beginning to walk, so it will be very easy for you to keep an eye on them. Try not to look so worried, Oreius, you're not going to be alone with the cubs. There's another volunteer and she's most enthusiastic about the whole thing." Tuulea finally paused in her speech and gave me a questioning look, "What are you still doing here? Sherket and Sefu are expecting you to be there in the next few minutes."
For a brief moment, I considered pointing out that Tuulea hadn't let me leave, but then I recalled several memorable lessons from colthood about why it was usually easier to just agree with Tuulea. And, she had been...testy for the last three weeks. It was definitely in my best interest to just cooperate, so I bowed to Tuulea and quickly made my way to Sherket and Sefu's quarters. Halfway there, the potential consequences of the tiny mention Tuulea made about someone else watching the cubs with me fully registered. Oh no, if Tuulea was on a matchmaking quest, I would never have a moment's peace. I felt even more reluctant than when I first found out what Tuulea had volunteered me to do as I tapped on the door.
As soon as Sefu opened the door, I could hear the soft murmur of feminine voices further inside the quarters. Apparently the other volunteer was already present, unfortunately they were speaking in low enough tones that I couldn't readily discern who the second voice belonged to since one had to be Sherket. Sefu inclined his head, "General, I- Thank you for doing this." The Leopard's voice gave away how fatigued he really was and even Sherket, when she appeared, looked more stressed than I had seen her in a long time.
I glanced from Sefu to Sherket. "Captain, Lieutenant, I have new orders for you."
Sherket and Sefu exchanged confused looks before they both questioned, "Sir?"
I was careful to keep my face impassive as I ordered, "Go take three hours to yourselves, starting now."
The Leopards smiled faintly then slipped out the door. I walked further into the quarters, only to pause when a very familiar voice rang out, "Watch your step, Kentauri." Well, at least I knew what to expect with her help...for the most part.
"Why is that?" She didn't answer at first and I shook my head as I realized what she was most likely trying to figure out how to say without it sounding terrible. "Katerina Alambiel, are you telling me that Sherket and Sefu just left and you have already lost their cubs?"
I dropped my gaze and scanned the floor carefully before I decided to take another step. I could hear the slight laughter in her voice as she called out, "No. I'm telling you that only one of the cubs is currently out of sight."
I rolled my eyes then paused when I noticed a small shadow sneaking along the underside of a long bench. I flicked my tail and a small black body tumbled out from under the bench and immediately attempted to grab my tail. I sidestepped and turned so I could grab the small cub before the cub even registered I was doing so. At two weeks, the cub was tiny, especially when held in my hand. Carefully cradling the cub, I finally walked into the back room. I smirked a little at the sight of Katerina Alambiel standing on the other side of the room with two squirming Leopard cubs in her hands. She turned to face me completely and smiled, "Ah, there you are. And you have Shehsheta, wonderful." She raised the slightly larger golden cub, "This is Keket and this is Davu," she raised the other black cub then paused as she looked at another bench then at the floor, "and Khufu is...not where he was a second ago, naturally." She frowned a little then she looked at me, "Don't kick!"
I didn't even have time to wonder what she meant before a sharp pain bloomed from the pastern of my left rear leg. Fortunately, unlike horses, I could resist the urge to kick whatever was responsible. Katerina Alambiel didn't meet my eyes as she stepped forward and handed me the other two Leopard cubs, then darted around my side. Knowing her, she was trying not to burst out laughing. The three Leopard cubs all leaned forward in my hands as we watched Katerina Alambiel try to coax a golden Leopard cub into letting go of the only part of my leg he could reach that wasn't hoof. She lilted at him as she carefully ran a finger over the top of his muzzle, "Now you be letting go, little one. It's not polite to bite people. Hysterically funny, yes, polite, no."
Khufu let go with a sneeze then tried to bite Katerina Alambiel's finger. She laughed softly as she avoided his teeth and instead scooped the squirmy cub into her arms. Straightening, she finally met my gaze and gave me a completely unrepentant grin. I rolled my eyes, "Enjoying yourself, Katerina Alambiel?"
"Immensely, Oreius."
Of course, she was. I shook my head again then carefully lowered myself to the floor. Now I wouldn't have to worry about stepping on any small cubs or having my legs chewed on. Katerina Alambiel ducked her head but not before I caught a glimpse of a smile as she quickly joined me on the floor. Khufu wiggled in her arms until she started stroking his head and back. I watched in amusement as the cub went completely limp and purred under her attention. Keket and Davu squirmed until I set them down, but little Shesheta seemed content to stay in my hold, giving a tiny purr of pleasure when I carefully stroked her back.
For a few minutes, Khufu and Shesheta were content to be held and petted while Keket and Davu practiced a very shaky stalk between Katerina Alambiel and myself. I chuckled as Davu tumbled nose-first into Keket, sending them into a hissing and growling roll across the floor. Katerina Alambiel shook her head then Khufu sprang from her arms to land in an awkward crouch with his legs all splayed out before he shook himself and tackled Keket and Davu. Shesheta perked up from where I was still holding her in my hand as she watched her brothers and sister roll by in a spitting, hissing, and growling blur. They might not have been able to talk yet, but that definitely didn't stop them from making as much noise as possible. Shesheta squirmed a little and I set her down. The little Leopard watched with her head tilted and ears pricked forward, but seemed satisfied with remaining somewhat removed from her siblings' antics.
Katerina Alambiel was watching the squabbling Leopard cubs when she casually asked, "So how did Tuulea the Terrifying corral you into babysitting these little fuzzballs?"
I shook my head at her, the familiar sense of fond exasperation accompanying my attempt to hide my grin at her phrasing, "You are going to get yourself in trouble...again."
She tilted her head slightly and her eyes flicked up to look at me before returning to the cubs, "You say that like you disagree with my assessment and you're avoiding the question."
"I am not avoiding the question."
"Yes you are, Kentauri, which makes me wonder what she said."
I rolled my eyes, but secretly I was pleased to see more proof that her spirit had finally made a complete return nearly a full year after her run-in with the mercenaries and that witch. "She guilted me into it."
Katerina Alambiel rolled her eyes at me, but the Leopard cubs' decision to jump on her skirt and crawl over as much of her as they could reach distracted her before she could throw something at me for not giving her the answer she wanted. I chuckled, content to watch her try to corral the three Leopard cubs for the moment. Shesheta wrinkled her nose at the chaos then wobbled her way back to me. Picking her back up, I didn't bother to hide my amusement when Katerina Alambiel glared at me, "A lot of help you are, Kentauri."
She finally rolled Keket and Davu onto their backs and tickled their bellies causing the cubs to mew and squirm in delight. I shrugged, "You do not seem to be in need of aid."
She gave me a disgusted look, "One, you are so going to pay for being this unhelpful. Two, don't you think you should keep Khufu from chewing on the furniture?"
I leaned over and gently set my hand on the cub's head, "Khufu, do not chew on the furniture." He immediately let go and looked at me with wide blue eyes before he started to shakily creep toward Katerina Alambiel. That wasn't difficult. Then I winced as Shesheta sank her claws into my shoulder. I turned to look at the little cub and she bit me on the chin. Shesheta let go almost as soon as she bit down and sneezed before making a face.
Katerina Alambiel laughed before she lilted, "Ah, Oreius, it do be appearing that Shesheta does not like the taste of your beard."
I carefully detached Shesheta from my shoulder, attempting to keep the scratches to a minimum, then set her down on the floor before I rubbed my chin. "A pity she didn't figure that out before she bit me." Katerina's shoulders shook with silent laughter as she picked Shesheta up while the other three cubs were nosing around her skirts, cautiously patting the fabric with their paws whenever they thought she wasn't looking at them. "How did Tuulea guilt you into doing this, Katerina Alambiel?"
She grinned as Shesheta batted at some of the loose strands of hair framing her face before she answered, "Tuulea didn't guilt me this time. She didn't have to. Passing up the chance to play with these sweet little fuzzballs? Definitely not going to happen. The only thing she didn't tell me was that you would be here."
I smirked, "Probably so you wouldn't have time to come up with another one of your pranks."
She shrugged, "Probably. So how did she guilt you into actually taking the day off?"
I didn't answer right away as I looked over my shoulder at a soft touch to my side. Keket was attempting to peek over my flank as she delicately balanced with one paw pressing against me. She wasn't even close to being tall enough to achieve her goal. Her attempt didn't last long since Khufu came sliding around my front and crashed right into his sister. The cubs fell in an tangle, hissing and doing their best to growl at each other until they managed to roll apart and shakily stalked in opposite directions: Keket heading back toward Katerina Alambiel while Khufu move to sit between myself and the long low bench with his back to his siblings.
I finally looked back at Katerina Alambiel who was watching the whole thing with an amused look even as she continued to hold Shesheta while Keket climbed into her lap and Davu was preoccupied with sniffing and poking at where her boots were peeking out from under her skirts. I suddenly remembered the drawing she had done of Queen Lucy with a litter of Kittens in her lap and how she had said Lucy had made a lovely picture. At that moment, I had to admit Katerina Alambiel made a lovely picture herself...with Sherket's cubs. Yes, together they made a lovely picture and it was a shame no one had a chance to draw the scene before me. Regrouping my thoughts, I shrugged, "I think you know why I didn't try to gainsay Tuulea."
"You mean other than the fact it wouldn't do any good anyway?" I graced her with a mock-glare and she giggled, "You know I would have thought that Tuulea would be ecstatic that Illusin and Caia are married, but apparently eloping killed her good mood completely. I didn't know that was possible. And, where is Illusin anyway? I haven't seen him since the Sixthday before last."
I paused before I responded, "I sent Lieutenant Illusin to check on a report of Fell activity in the Shuddering Wood. He reported the claims were the result of a very drunk Faun who jumped at the shadow of a fellow reveler." She looked amused but didn't interrupt as I reluctantly continued, "I told him that he was released from duty for the next fortnight."
She tilted her head, "Isn't Caia on patrol? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't her patrol the one assigned to pass through the Shuddering Wood? Khufu's trying to eat the furniture again."
I twisted in order to reach the cub who was making great progress in leaving a new pattern on the wooden leg of the bench. He tried to growl unhappily when I gently pried his mouth off the leg, but it sounded more like a purr, and bit down on my finger. However, he let go as soon as I set him back down on the floor. Khufu then stalked toward Katerina Alambiel who was still covered by his siblings...and was still waiting for my answer. "Yes, Caia went with the patrol to the Shuddering Wood."
She narrowed her eyes at me, "I thought there was a rule about newlyweds not being allowed to join the same patrol save in extenuating circumstances when separate patrols are called to join up with each other. Something about being distracting to each other and the other soldiers on patrol."
I cleared my throat, wishing I had never reminded Katerina Alambiel of Illusin and Caia. I hadn't been planning on telling anyone about my decisions. "I gave Caia a writ of permission to leave her patrol and immediately go on a fortnight's worth of leave whenever Illusin approached the patrol commander." Fortunately, the commanding officer of Caia's patrol was an older Centaur who understood the concept of discretion completely.
Katerina Alambiel gave me a surprised look before it slowly transformed into one of her more brilliant smiles. She ducked her head and kissed Shesheta between the ears as the cub wiggled in her hands, "You are such a softie, Oreius." She sounded absolutely delighted. "You arranged for them to have a good, long honeymoon."
I shook my head, "No I just arranged for them to be able to stay out of Tuulea's path for a little longer. Perhaps by the time they return to the Cair, she will have forgiven them for not letting her plan the wedding."
Katerina Alambiel laughed, "Softie. I- Ouch!" She leapt to her feet sending Keket in a short tumble as her skirts were jerked from under the cub's paws. I couldn't stop the bark of laughter from escaping me when I saw Davu and Khufu crouched just behind where Katerina Alambiel had been leaning against the edge of the bench. Those curious little cubs had apparently sunk both their claws and their teeth into her. She brushed at her left hip while still holding on to Shesheta who mewed in delight. "Very funny, Kentauri. At least, I didn't laugh out loud when they bit you."
I shrugged, "You should not have allowed them to sneak around behind you."
She stuck her tongue out at me and I smirked. Katerina Alambiel carefully scooted the two cubs forward so she could sit back down, but this time she knelt more than sat. She set Shesheta down in her lap, but Davu and Khufu had already shifted their attention to chewing on the wooden legs of the bench again. Keket came over to me and I tickled her behind the ears, immediately causing her to roll over as she batted at my fingers as I tickled her belly. She managed to catch one finger, pricking me with her sharp little claws as she licked my finger then attempted to chew on it. I tickled her belly again to distract her. It didn't work as well as I had hoped since she merely wiggled and opened her mouth wider before biting down on my finger again. Katerina Alambiel laughed and I looked up. She had both hands up behind her head, doing something with her hair. My silent question was answered half a second later when she grinned at me and pulled out a long blue ribbon. She dangled it for the cubs and we watched in shared amusement as all four cubs scrambled around in their attempts to catch the ribbon.
Her gaze was still riveted on the cubs when Katerina Alambiel resumed our conversation. "I'm not sure Tuulea will forgive Illusin and Caia for eloping until she gets a grandchild. In fact, she threatened to disown Silverstone if he copied Illusin's actions. I sincerely doubt that he and Deianeira are going to escape anything less than Tuulea's wishes for a large wedding. Actually, she's already threatened me with disownment if I even think about eloping. And if she ever found out that I was interested in someone...she would have us married within the hour."
My surprise at hearing it was the Oak Nymph Deianeira who had caught Silverstone's eye shifted to something entirely different when Katerina Alambiel commented on her own potential fate in a much softer voice. She was thinking out loud more than talking to me because as far as I knew she still held stubbornly to the cynical view of love and romance, especially in regards to herself, that she had divulged a little over three years earlier. The cubs played with each other, chasing the ribbon that Katerina Alambiel still dangled in the space between us and completely unaware of the sudden silence that had fallen between their two watchers. A question began forming in my mind, but then the doors slammed open destroying the question before it was even half-formed...that was probably a good thing. I surged to my feet and Katerina Alambiel leapt up beside me, dropping the ribbon as she did so, as Sefu and Sherket raced up to us. Sherket immediately went to her cubs and they hid between her legs as she stood over them. Sefu looked from Katerina Alambiel to me, eyes wide from alarm, as he growled, "Calormene soldiers attack Archenland. Lune sends for aid. The High King has summoned both of you to come to the council chamber." We both ran from Sherket and Sefu's quarters with Sefu not even a full pace behind us. Rest and simply enjoying each other's company was no longer our priority. We both knew from the moment we heard Sefu's news that Narnia was going to Archenland's aid and there would be no time for anything else until we had completed our task. Though looking back after we returned from Archenland, I did wonder for a brief moment what she would have said if I had been able to ask her that half-formed question the afternoon she spent with four Leopard cubs and a Centaur.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! 40th story! Okay, so here is the Oreius and Kat babysitting oneshot requested by Lady Firewing...I'm considering doing another one where the cubs are older, talking, and still in their chewing phase and cause a bit more mayhem. Anyone interested seeing Kat and Oreius deal with that scenario? The situation of a Calormene war party attacking Archenland is an idea of Dreaminsapphire's, which she graciously allowed me to borrow because I couldn't let Kat and Oreius get too comfortable playing with those cubs, now could I? ;) Leave a review and let me now what y'all think of this one.