"Baron!? Baron!? Where are you!?"
"Haru! I'm right here! Haru!"
"Help me Baron! Please, help me Baron!"
"Haru! I can't see you!" Baron peered into the darkness, trying to see. He could make out two people, a young girl and woman.
"Mommy, what does the word origin mean?"
"Well, Haru, your origin is where you came from," explained the red-head.
Baron woke with a start. He was safe, and Haru was still alive. Suddenly, it hit him. Origin.
"Your origin is where you come from."
"Haru's origin….."
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Toto swooped down into the clearing. Baron jumped down from his back and kneeled down. He gathered some dirt in his hand and put it into the leather bag in his other hand. Baron turned back to Toto.
"There, we have everything."
"Finally. Wait, what about that last part of the riddle?" asked Muta.
"I figured it out," explained Baron. Muta spit out the water he was drinking.
"What!? Since when?" Baron grinned.
"Since this morning."
"Hmph! Well, you better be right!" Muta warned him.
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King Dominic rushed into the garden, closely followed by the new Queen Naoko. They were greeted by Baron. He handed the King the leather sack.
"There they are, the ingredients," Baron said. Dominic waved over a servant.
"Take this to the spell-casters. Tell them it is the ingredients for the anti-fading spell." The young half-cat didn't even bother with a bow; he nodded and sprinted down the hallway. The King turned to Baron.
"Would you like to see her?" Baron nodded. Dominic turned and led him down another hallway. They walked into one room at the end of the corridor. Haru was sleeping in a bed in the corner. Baron rushed over. Her arms, legs, and part of her torso were gone. Baron leaned over and gently kissed her bulging stomach, then her cheek. Two servants came in holding a cauldron. It was filled to the brim with a clear liquid with blue tinting the edges. It was a miracle that the liquid hadn't spilled.
"Here sire, the antidote," gasped one of the servants. Baron nodded his thanks.
"Set it down over there." He pointed to the only corner without anything in it. The panting cats slowly walked over to the corner and set down the cauldron. A nurse, already knowing what to do, pushed a curtain in front of it. Baron gently picked up Haru and walked over behind the curtain.
"We're going to need a portal to the human world, right after I bathe her," he called over his shoulder. Dominic was surprised but did as asked. His portal was blue with gold tingeing the edges. He stood to the side with Naoko. They heard liquid splashing a bit before Baron emerged, holding Haru wrapped in a towel. He stepped into the portal, followed by the King and Queen.
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Baron emerged next to the Cat's Paw Lakes, on the human side. He watched Haru nervously in his arms, not even noticing when the King and Queen appeared. He smiled as Haru's waist appeared, followed by her arms and legs. Haru opened her eyes and blinked a little.
"Baron…" she whispered. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. "Baron!" Her tone was a warning. "They're coming!" Baron's eyes opened wide.
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Everybody in castle winced as they heard Haru's piercing screams. In the Medical Wing, Baron gripped Haru's hand as she shuddered.
"Almost there Haru," he soothed. She shrieked once more and it was over. Haru smiled tiredly at Baron. The nurse handed four teeny tiny bundles to her. One kitten was a beautiful red with blue eyes. One was white with hazel eyes. The third was a peachy color with chocolate-brown eyes. The last was orange and cream with the same piercing eyes as her father.
Haru looked at her four children before lovingly looking up at her husband.
"Beautiful," she whispered.
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"Rachel! Be careful! I'm sure the doctors don't want you back in the Medical Wing again!" Haru called to her orange and cream daughter.
"Daddy, can you show me that fencing trick again sometime?" asked Loirna. Baron looked away from his other daughter flying on a crow. He loved his daughters beautiful brown eyes; they were exactly like her mother's.
"Of course Loirna," Baron said. Loirna smiled.
"Thank you Daddy!" she exclaimed before running off to play with her hazel-eyed brother, Howl.
"Come on Loirna! Lets go try the maze again!" Howl called.
"Okay, lets see if we can get out in under three hours!" Loirna called back, running after her brother. Sorfius (the red kitten) walked out of the castle into the gardens, followed by Darya, Muta's daughter. She had inherited her fathers pelt, but not his girth. Seeing them walking away, Muta called after them.
"Oi, Darya! If he tries anything, feel free to give him a good kick!" Darya giggled.
"Don't worry Daddy, Sorfius is too much of a gentleman to do anything other than kiss my hand!"
"Who does that remind you of?" Haru joked.
"Who indeed?" Baron smiled and leaned down to kiss Haru. 'life is good……'
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Thanks to Yarningchick for letting me use her story. Thanks also to: Lunarobi Pride, Archon Dragon, Cuteknight101, and Seto-Sesshoumaru-Lover18. I've got my next stories written out, and I've got another in the making, so expect more soon.
J -Grassina3