Alice Hobbes came out onto the back porch. A moment later the cat-flap banged and Duster, her Maine Coon cat, stepped regally onto the cold boards. She smiled and ruffled his felt-soft ears. He graciously permitted her to pet him for a moment before padding down the steps and into the back yard, stepping into the snow like a refined gentleman crossing a muddy farmyard. Hobbes settled herself onto the wooden bench that stood against the wall. Only the waterproof fabric and fleece lining of her thick, winter coat kept her from freezing the skin off her ass on the frost-rimed wood. She took a small rectangular pack from her pocket and opened it - fumbling slightly because of her gloves. Drawing out a cigarette, she lit up, inhaled deeply. and then blew a long, satisfied stream of smoke to hang in the air like a frozen cloud.
"Don't go too far Dusty, it's cold." The cat gave her a haughty look and continued picking his fastidious way across the yard. Hobbes leaned back against the wall and took another drag, feeling deliciously sinful. She had started smoking in her teens, quitting when she found she was pregnant with the girls. As far as her husband and daughters were concerned, she was almost twenty years a non-smoker. Since taking over the running of her dad's bar, she'd allowed herself to backslide into enjoying the occasional, secret cigarette.
Hobbes knew her family would raise hell if she got caught but Gabe was away at some sort of work conference. Angie and Layla were on a winter sports vacation with friends. Hobbes imagined they'd probably do as much drinking as snowboarding but however much she might worry about the girls, she wouldn't stop them - wouldn't want to. They were young women now, after all.
Hobbes loved her family, but she was enjoying having the house to herself. Duster returned to jump onto her lap with wet paws. Absently she scratched his jaw, feeling his thrumming purr through her jeans. "You're only young once Dusty," She raised her glass in ironic toast "I guess I'll just have to party with you."
Her mind drifted as she watched the white flecks fall, sorting through the business of the day. She was considering opening another bar and had been over to look at a unit that had come vacant in the middle of town where she thought business would be good. She flipped through her mental notebook as she continued to sip her wine; "Licensing costs, overheads, refurbishment plans…"
She was right in the middle of a complete mental renovation of the bar room (and considering whether wood panelling or brickwork would look best) when Duster suddenly unsheathed his claws. "Ow!" Hobbes shifted and was about to shoo him off when she felt him tense like a spring in her lap. His tufted ears pricked up as he stared into the trees. She followed his wide green gaze, trying to see what had spooked him, but there was only darkness.
Silently, she put her glass down and lowered the cat to the floor. He padded to the edge of the porch, tail fluffed, back arched. Hobbes opened the back door and disappeared into the house for a moment. When she emerged, there was a bolt-action rifle in her hand. Ever since coming back from the Hunter's planet, she couldn't relax without knowing there was a weapon nearby. Gabe hadn't wanted firearms in the house but in the end he capitulated, wanting his wife to feel safe in their home. Hobbes was ex-army after all, she was well-trained in the use of guns.
She resumed her seat on the bench and noiselessly slipped the cartridges into the chamber. She shouldered the weapon, squeezing the stock snug to her shoulder, and peered out into the night. The house was surrounded by nothing but forest. Stray snowflakes danced before her, shimmering, white motes in the shadows. Silence reigned out there. Her eyes narrowed "My rifle will take your head clean off!" She called, her voice deadened by the frozen air.
"It's a deer," She told herself, trying to breathe deep to calm herself "Or at worst, a bear - only a bear - "
Suddenly the gun jerked up, firing into the ceiling with a the bang that shattered the winter's hush and brought down a rain of splinters. The rifle was torn from her grasp and she was thrown to her knees. A slash of crimson marred the sugar-frosting perfection of the snow...
Hobbes felt the shock of adrenaline flood through her. A weight was on her chest and she could not rise or breathe.
Then, she heard a female voice say calmly "Hobbes! It's ok!"
Hobbes froze: the voice sounded normal and human.. and familiar.
"Lex?" She said cautiously.
The face of her friend materialised right before her incredulous eyes.
"Lex!" Hobbes pushed herself to her feet, half angry and half overjoyed "What is it with you people and scaring the shit out of me? What the hell is wrong with just ringing the doorbell?!"
"I didn't know if you were alone," Lex took her weight off Hobbes and the former medic drew in a great lungful of air. Then she looked up at the splintered shotgun hole in the roof of the porch "Goddamn it Lex!" She said, with feeling.
"I'm sorry Hobbes! I didn't want you to accidentally blow my head off."
"You're lucky I didn't accidentally blow my head off!"
"I'm really sorry!" Lex grimaced, then looked down at the red-stained snow "And sorry I spilled your wine."
"There's more in the house," The ex-soldier said practically "Help me up because now I really need a drink."
"Just a moment," Lex went to the edge of the porch and gave a call that Hobbes did not understand. She assumed it was the hunter's language.
"Is… er... he with you?" Hobbes asked uneasily.
She almost swallowed her tongue as a small, lithe shadow sprang up onto the porch railing, landing so soft it barely disturbed the snow. Perched there, still and silent, it twisted to look at Hobbes. The eyes it turned on her were black as holes in the universe. Hobbes shrank back fractionally in alarm, but then… she looked closer "It's a small version of S'Kia," she realised "Same face, same jaws... same everything, except those eyes. This must be the baby I delivered!"
"This is my daughter," Lex said behind her "Spyrro."
"Hello Spyrro, we've met before." Hobbes said, smiling. "When you were a tiny scrap in your Mommy's arms."
The figure put her head on one side "Pey-yod-dey Arrr-may-dharrr." She rasped. (Translation: 'Soft meat'- human. slang, pejorative)
"Spyrro!" Lex said sharply and barked a stream of terse words in hunter's language.
The girl's head jerked round. Hobbes could almost hear the clang as the gazes of mother and daughter locked. The frosty air crackled.
Instinctively, Hobbes tried to lighten the mood "I've got ice cream indoors if you'd like some, Spyrro?"
The starless eyes swung round, fixing on her again.
"You know," Hobbes prompted "Ice cream?"
The girl glared at her suspiciously, then she looked over to her mother for confirmation.
"Yes, Spyrro." Lex nodded solemnly "You will like it."
"Eyesss creeeem?"
"Yes, ice-cream!" Hobbes found herself nodding, then stopped as those twin voids stared into her very soul.
"Give it to me!"