Lilith quickly finished brushing her hair, put on her boots, silver belt, and moved to follow Gwen back to the table. She paused at the doorway, turned back to the room, and let out the quick two tone whistle that she knew would call Slobber to her side. Most of the others were already sitting at the table, and the only ones who weren't, was her, Gwen, and the 'Thing Sisters'. Rave wasn't there either, but then, she knew that he'd gone to his room after watching the recording of what her life had been like in the basement. She didn't blame him for not wanting to be around her now that he knew what her own parents had thought of her. She walked around the end of the table and started to climb up into her seat. She never got the chance.
As soon as Lilith started to climb into her seat next to his mother, Hulij-bpe reached out, picked her up, and placed his ooman sister in her chair. Then, he quickly moved her bowl in front of her and poured a fresh cup of broth before placing that in front of her as well.
"You still need to eat, Little Sister," Hulij-bpe said with a grin before looking up at the others and smiling widely. "I've wanted to call her that since she shared a meal with us on the ship, and now… I can!"
'I just wanted out of the basement,' Lilith thought sourly in a mix of both anger and sadness. 'I didn't ask to be put down there, I didn't ask to be taken to Antarctica, I sure didn't ask to come here, and I sure as hell didn't ask to live with these Predators! But here I am… living with them... and there's nothing I can do about it.'
Lilith reached out and picked up the cup of strange meat broth that she was starting to think was better than she remembered orange juice being.
"Yes… you asked about having Lilith for a sibling before we even left her world. So the question is… what will you do now that she is your little sister?" Kwei asked with a smug grin.
Lilith froze with the cup against her lips, before glancing over at Old Bruce and then looking up at Celtic sitting next to her.
"I will have fun! I can take my little sister to meet all of my friends; show her the best hunting places, and I can help teach her how to fight even better than she already does!" Hulij-bpe answered proudly.
"Our younger brother might not be too pleased with that last one Hulij-bpe, but you won't be the only one to teach her useful things," Al-Nihkou'te said as he walked up to the table.
Just as Lilith was turning to look back at Rave, the Predator reached over her head and put something on the table in front of her before taking his seat between Celtic and Scar. She glanced at what was placed in front of her before looking back over at Rave. When she saw that Rave was just sitting there and watching her with an almost smug looking smile, she looked back at the object in front of her.
It looked like some kind of weirdly curved sword that was still in the sheath. The sheath was a solid black thing that was almost like chrome at the same time. The midnight chrome color was really cool, but what held her attention was the end of the handle. It looked like a closed mouth with about a dozen really sharp teeth that looked like they were made of polished steel or something. With one eye on Rave, she reached out and picked it up. The sheath was the same color as the handle, but made with a strange diamond pattern in the leather that she could swear that she'd seen somewhere before. She pulled the thing from the sheath and gaped at the weirdly curved blade on it. The words 'As long as we live' were inscribed on the blade... actually they were etched into it. The blade itself was as long as her arm from her elbow to the tips of her fingers, and the handle was as long as her arm from elbow to wrist, and she could tell just by looking at it, that it was just as sharp as the one she'd gotten from her parents, if not even sharper.
"Are you giving that to her?" Guan demanded in disbelief.
"Yes… I am," Al-Nihkou'te answered proudly. "She earned that during my Chiva when she attacked that same drone to save my life. In fact, it was the way she attacked it that gave me the way to kill it without using any weapons at all. I just used the same attack that she did… with a slight variation."
Kwei couldn't help but laugh at that admission, because he knew it to be true.
"That knife is made from the inner jaws and tail blade of the same drone you attacked Lilith. The sheath is leather that I made from the skin of that drone's head. You put your life at risk to save mine when you attacked that drone, and that is something I will never forget, Little Sister. Your ooman parents gave you a blade that they intended for you to use on yourself until it killed you. The recording on mother's mask translated what is written on that blade. It says 'Until you die'. Well there are also words on the blade I just gave you. Words that should say 'As long as we live', at least, that is how the computer said they should look. The reason those words are there, is because you are now my Little Sister for 'As long as we live'. You are now a member of this family for 'As long as we live'. Instead of using your blade to end your own life, you used it with honor to save mine. Therefore, I am giving you a portion of the trophy from the drone that you and I killed together! Just as our blood has joined within our veins, our lives are now joined as well. Without your intervention, I would not be a Blooded Warrior as I am now. Without your intervention, I would be dead. Without your intervention… that trophy would not exist! You have earned the right to have that blade Lilith, and as far as I am concerned… you have proven that you are worthy of having a family that knows the meaning of Honor, and adheres to that Honor. That is why I am both proud and honored to claim you as my sister," Al-Nihkou'te declared boldly while looking Lilith straight in the eye.
"Very well said, and I think you might well speak for all of us!" Kwei said in approval.
Lilith looked at each of the Predators around the table and saw all of them smiling and nodding their heads in agreement with what had just been said. That was when she looked back at the sword thing in her hands.
'Grid. That's what I called it… Grid. I thought it was going to kill me, but it didn't get the chance, because Rave must have killed it first. He made a knife out of that thing that was going to kill him… would have killed him if I hadn't stopped it. 'As long as we live'… that means him too… doesn't it? Is he telling me that he wants to be my brother… forever?' Lilith wondered in confusion.
Lilith was having a hard time believing that these Predators actually wanted her. It wasn't that she didn't want to feel both wanted and loved, because she truly wanted, craved, and actually needed such feelings, but instead it was because she didn't think she deserved such a thing. In spite of what Gwen and the others had told her, Lilith still knew the truth. She knew that her own parents wouldn't have beaten her as many times as they had, caused her the pain that they had, nor would they have made her suffer if she wasn't a worthless mistake!
"That is now yours Lilith. You won't be allowed to carry it around with you yet, because you have not passed your own Chiva, but you can either hang it on your trophy wall or have one of us carry it for you. I know that many would not allow another to carry a weapon for them, but since you can't carry it yourself, one of us could carry it for you, and you would be able to use it whenever you need it," Guan offered candidly.
"That blade is proof of the Honorable family that you are now a part of Lilith. As of last night, when we shared our blood with each other, and formed the Blood Bond, you are my niece. I will tell you now that if I did not care for Guan as much as I do, that I would have happily challenged her for possession of you…" Yeyinde began earnestly.
"What?" Guan demanded as she interrupted in outraged disbelief.
Yeyinde held up a hand to signal that she wasn't finished speaking yet. "From the first day I met you, I knew that I wanted you for my own. The Honor that dwells within your heart hasn't faltered no matter how brutally your ooman parents treated you. The proof of that Honor is sitting at this table, and it is embodied by the knife that you now hold in your hands. So I won't be able to claim you as a daughter for myself, I can claim you as my niece, and I am both honored as well as proud to do so! You have given many things to me Lilith. You have given me a brother, and my Hunt Sister as an actual sister. Then there are my nephews to consider. I would not have them to claim if you were not here. Where before, I had only my two sisters as family, I now have a brother, three sisters, three nephews, and you to claim as my niece. We are now a family Lilith. That blade is just as much a physical reminder as the scar that we each have on our left hands. It should also serve as a trophy to remind you of the Honor that you displayed in saving Nihkou'te's life, and proving that you deserve the right to claim all of us as a family."
Lilith looked again at the inscription etched into the blade of the sword looking knife as many things went through her mind.
'This is supposed to be a trophy… but Thingy said it's also proof that they made me part of their family. They act like they're glad to have me living here with them… like I'm not a worthless mistake. They said I'm not worthless, or a mistake… and they said that a bunch of times. They act like they really mean it too. Thingy and Rave even said that they were proud to have me as part of their family!' Lilith thought as her mind raced in confusion while she stared at the strange blade.
As she stared at the strange knife that she'd been told was made from parts of the thing she'd attacked, Lilith slowly began to realize what these Predators were telling her. That realization brought something with it… that something was hope. This wasn't the same mild form of hope that she'd recently begun to have while living on this world. This was a completely new kind of hope that she just knew had a very strong chance of being something real!
'If… if they're telling the truth… then… that means… it means they really mean it. They mean all of it! They know what my parents said and did… they know all of it, and they still say that they're glad I'm here! This big ass knife proves it… doesn't it? It's supposed to be a trophy. Gwen said that I'm supposed to put my trophies on that wall she showed me. She said that wall was for the things I'm proudest of… my greatest achievements. If… if they're really serious about wanting me, then that means that having a family that won't beat me or lock me in the basement will be the best thing that will ever happen to me!' Lilith thought in surprise.
'If I show them that I'm glad to be here, to be wanted, to have a home where I don't get chained to a wall, and beaten all the time…would that let me stop being so worthless? How can I show them what this means?' Lilith wondered.
Suddenly, Lilith got an idea. She put the weird looking knife back in the sheath and jumped out of her chair. Even as she landed sprawling on the floor, she was scrambling to her feet, and running for her had to wait for a second for the door to slide open, but as soon as it did, she darted to one wall and pulled the bulletin board down. She knew that there were quite a few pictures on it already; pictures of everyone who now claimed her as a member of their family. Holding the bulletin board tightly to her chest, she left her room, only to find everyone standing near her door looking at her.
Nervousness and apprehension filled her as she looked up at all the Predators. Then she started edging her way around them, and ran straight for the stairs that led to the upper levels where the trophy room was. Lilith didn't bother to look back and see if the Predators were following her. She knew they were, because she could feel it!
Even though the steps were taller, and wider than those she remembered on Earth, Lilith still ran up them as fast as she could. She was breathing raggedly, and heavily as she reached the top, but she didn't let that stop her as she darted to the room where the trophies were. When she entered the room, Lilith was once again struck by the huge number of skulls mounted on the walls. She remembered Gwen telling her that this was where her trophies would be kept, and she went over to the section of wall that had her trophies on it.
'That's that skull of the first space rat I killed with the baseball bat Gwen bought me, and that one with the spine still on it is the one I killed with my bare hands. Gwen even said that she was proud of me for doing that.' Lilith thought as she looked at her wall.
Lilith set the weird knife thing on the floor while she tried to hang the bulletin board on the wall. Even though there was a peg available, the bulletin board wasn't exactly made to hang on such a thing, but she finally managed it. Then, she bent down, and picked up the big knife and put it on a small shelf that was beneath the bulletin board. There were still a lot of empty pegs, and shelves that she could put things on, but Lilith knew that she didn't have anything else to put there.
When Lilith turned around, she saw all of the Predators standing there and watching her. It made her nervous, because she couldn't tell from their blank expressions, what they might be thinking.
"I can understand her putting the knife on her wall, because that is a worthy trophy to have, but what is that other thing she's put there?" Kwei asked curiously as he stared at Lilith's wall of trophies.
Guan was curious herself, and she donned her mask to see what had been placed on the wall. Cycling through every last one of the visual modes commonly used revealed nothing but a large rectangular object. That was when she decided to see if it was something that only Lilith could see because of the difference in vision. She switched masks and immediately saw a difference in the strange object. She stepped past Lilith to get a better look at what she could see there. The strange object was decorated with many much smaller objects that had images on them. She turned to look at her family intending to ask if they might have an idea about it when she recognized something. Instantly, she was looking back at the wall, and then to her Life Mate, when she saw that he was actually on the wall!
Guan began looking carefully at each of the small images on the rather strange object and found that there were images of each member of her family, including Bakuub! She was rendered mute by the strange sense of curiosity that nearly overwhelmed her while she stared at those images. Then, she was turning to look at Lilith as a novel idea occurred to her.
'I told her that this wall was for her victories… her greatest achievements in life. Those things that she is most proud of… but she's put us on her wall! I know that she suffered because of what her ooman parents did to her, but surely it couldn't have been so devastating to her that she sees us as one of her greatest achievements, could it?' Guan thought rapidly, before something else struck her with the force of a plasma cannon.
'She has an Honorable family now. One that will treat her with Honor. Have we become one of her greatest achievements by simply claiming her as part of such a family? She must have done this because she is proud to be a part of this family! That is why she's placed our images there! Why else would Bakuub's image be there if she didn't feel proud of this?' Guan realized suddenly.
Guan knelt down in front of Lilith, and as she did so, she removed her training mask to hold it out for someone else to take. "Lilith, I am greatly honored by what you have just done. While I admit that I have thought of the possibility that I could be a trophy on the wall of a bad-blood, I never would have thought that I could become one of someone's greatest achievements while I was still alive."
"What do you mean, Guan?" Kwei asked curiously, as he took the mask that his Life Mate was holding out.
"What I mean, is that this object that Lilith has placed on her wall, holds at least one image of each of us. There are several images of Bakuub there, and a few of what I think might be images of me," Guan answered seriously. "My training mask is equipped with the part of the spectrum that oomans see, and using that mode, you can see those images just as Lilith does."
Kwei took the training mask that was being held out by his Life Mate and put it on. The instant he did so, every one of the images that Guan spoke of could be readily seen. He stared at them in silence for several long moments, before he turned and looked closely at each of the Warriors standing behind him. There were differences that allowed him to determine which Warrior matched which image. Then he noticed that there was one image he couldn't find a match for, and he chuckled loudly.
"I am guessing this is an image of me?" Kwei asked while pointing at one of the pictures.
Lilith nodded her head nervously because she had no idea how some of them might feel about what she'd done. After all, she thought she had heard somewhere that the aborigines of Australia didn't like to have their pictures taken at all.
Guan watched in silence as her training mask was passed around so that all of her family could see the Honor that this small and fragile ooman pup had bestowed upon them. That mere images of them could be considered to be trophies worthy of recognition was an honor. It was one that Guan-Kv'var-de knew she would always remember. Suddenly she was staring at Lilith in stunned shock as she realized something.
'She took that object off the wall of her room… she already had those images of us! Even before she was accepted into this family, she had those images of us displayed in her room where she could see and appreciate them!' Guan thought in surprise as she watched Lilith's apprehensive behavior.
Guan knelt down, and pulled Lilith into a firm embrace. She had no idea what Lilith might be thinking at that point, but she didn't really care either.
"I realize that you had those images in your room Lilith, and I can't help but wonder… did you not think you would be allowed to place them here?" Guan asked softly.
"I… I wanted them where I can look at them. That's why they were in my room." She answered hesitantly.
"This wall is for your trophies Lilith. It doesn't matter if I or anyone else believe that what you place on this wall is worthy of being there, this is for you to place what you consider to be proper and worthy achievements. The only ones who might say different are those you show this wall to for a reason that you are too young for at this time. The only thing they can honorably say is that they are not impressed… anything else is unacceptable… understand?" Guan told her firmly.
Lilith nodded her head, even though she didn't quite understand some of the explanation.
"Good! Now come Lilith, you still need to eat your morning meal. None of us have anything important to do this day, so we can spend our time learning about each other, unless someone comes up with another suggestion." Guan said smiling at Lilith.
Lilith nodded her head and then looked up as Thingy stepped over to her. She stared up at the Predator and couldn't help but wonder what was about to happen.
Yeyinde stepped over to her niece and looked down at the little ooman for a moment before kneeling down and pulling Lilith to her side before standing up with the little female in her arms. She could smell the instant increase in both fear and stress from Lilith, but chose not to ignore it this time.
"Relax Lilith... I simply want to hold my niece for a while. Now that you are my niece, I plan to hold you like this quite often. It's been a long time since I was able to hold a pup, and the last one I held before you was your brother, Setg'in. I've never had a female pup to hold, and I find holding you to be very enjoyable." Yeyinde said with an easy smile.
"I think many of us will enjoy holding her, but I think we'll have a strong challenge in doing so while Hulij-bpe's around. Because I'm sure that we'll almost have to pry her out of his arms." Setg'in exclaimed with a smirk.
"My little sister is fun to hold… I held her on the ship before we left her planet, and she made me laugh so hard my stomach started hurting. She's small enough to fit in a lap perfectly!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed eagerly.
"Hulij-bpe… you will have to ask Lilith is she is willing to be held. You are not to hold her if she refuses… is that understood, son?" Guan said firmly.
"Of course it is mother! I might not be as smart as others are, but even I know better than to try to force a female into doing something she doesn't want to do. Especially that female!" Hulij-bpe replied with a chuckle before grinning at Lilith.
Kwei-vor'mekta shook his head in slight amusement at his ginning son, though he was not at all surprised by his behavior. He looked over at Lilith who was in the arms of the female who was now his youngest sister.
"Lilith… are you ready to speak to me now?" Kwei asked in a soft purring but expectant tone.
Lilith gaped at Old Bruce before swallowing nervously and nodding her head slightly. "What do you want me to say?"
"I would like for you to tell me if you like it here. I know that our world is much different from your own, but I am certain that there must be something that catches your interest about the planet that is now your home." Kwei said with a light smile.
"I… I do like it here. I'm not chained up in a basement, and almost everyone's been really nice so far." Lilith answered softly.
"Good!" Kwei exclaimed proudly. "I know that our world is very different from the planet you were born on."
"I know…" Lilith said softly. "Even the rain's not cold here."
"The rain isn't cold to you… it's very cold to us." Setg'in burst in with ruefully.
"That's a fact Lilith. That is why I am very thankful for that device you gave me to ward off the rain. What is it called anyway?" Guan added in.
"It called a umbrella, and that's what it's for. It keeps the rain off. I used to have one. It was white with pink hearts on it. That was before…" Lilith said before she broke off, not wanting to continue that train of thought. "I don't need one now though."
"That's one thing at least. What else do you like about your new world?" Kwei asked interestedly.
Lilith frowned in thought before her eyes shot wide, and a wide smile appeared on her lips while her entire face lit up. "I really like those giant mangos! Big, red, and so juicy they drip all over everywhere! The ones you have are even better than the ones my parents used to get me from the store."
"What is a 'mango'?" Than-guan asked curiously.
"That's… um…" Lilith frowned as she tried to think. She couldn't remember what the Predators called them, although she was sure she'd heard it a couple of times. Then she tried to think of when she'd had them and realized that she had a way to let them know what they were.
"Do you remember that big red thing that you handed me the first day I was here? Celtic said not to give it to me, 'cause I'd choke on it, but you told him I could eat it, and gave it to me anyway?" Lilith asked uncertainly while looking over at Gwen from her place on Thingy's hip.
"I remember giving you a slice of naxa fruit… but who is this 'Celtic'?" Guan replied. She was certain from the explanation that was given that Lilith was referring to Hulij-bpe, but she couldn't understand why she hadn't spoken his proper name.
Lilith was both nervous and very apprehensive as she pointed over at the large Young-Blood. "I… I didn't know what his name was when I made up one for him. Then, when I found out what his name really is… I knew I wouldn't be able to say it, so I just kept using the one I came up with."
"You do not need to be afraid because of this Lilith. It would be different if you were intentionally saying Hulij-bpe's name wrong in order to insult him, but you aren't, and your reasoning for doing this makes sense." Yeyinde said while looking down at the pup she was holding.
"Does this 'Celtic' have a meaning?" Guan asked interestedly.
Lilith swallowed hard, because she knew that this was where she was sure to get in trouble, but she wasn't going to lie about it. "I remember learning about Celtic warriors from somewhere. They were supposed to be really big, and always had huge swords or axes and stuff."
"I've been named for a warrior! This is one of the few times that someone hasn't tried to use my large size as an insult against me." Hulij-bpe said with a wide grin.
"So you refer to me as 'Scar'… why?" Setg'in asked in casual interest.
"Be… because the first time I saw your face was when you were making that scar on your forehead." Lilith answered nervously.
When he heard that Hulij-bpe started laughing, before he stepped over to Lilith, took her head in both of his hands, and pressed his forehead against hers for a brief moment. "You named me for a Warrior because of my size, and you named Setg'in after his Blooding Mark… that makes me wonder if you have names for the others too. The ones you've told us so far have honorable meanings behind them."
"I didn't have much of a choice since I can't say most of your names." Lilith answered as she tried to explain.
"Very well then, Lilith. Why don't you tell us what names you have decided on, and why you chose them for us?" Guan asked easily.
Lilith pointed over at Nihkou'te before she spoke. "I call him Rave. That's a kind of party where people get dressed up real nice. I picked that one because of his necklace."
Nihkou'te looked down at his chest for a moment before he smiled widely; his mandibles almost to the point of aching because they were flexed so much. "I crafted this from the very first kill I ever made. I find nothing dishonorable about being named because of my first kill."
"I call you Gwen. That's short for Guinevere. She was King Arthur's wife and was a legendary Queen of England." Lilith said while pointing at Guan.
"I am a little familiar with that ooman legend. This 'King Arthur' was a High Elder, and a very honorable Arbitrator, who led a council of those who were some sort of Arbitrators. You have named my Life Mate after a High Matriarch of great honor." Kwei declared with a rumbling purr.
"Have you chosen something to call Kwei and my sisters something as well?" Guan asked interestedly.
"The first time I saw him, he was wearing a cape, and that was a little weird because no one wears capes on Earth anymore. I couldn't decide on whether to call him 'Batman' or 'Superman' because of the cape. Then I figured out that he was older than the others, so I decided to call him 'Old Bruce' because when Bruce Wayne got too old to be Batman anymore he started teaching someone else to do it." Lilith explained before she glanced at the Thing sisters nervously.
"I am a bit familiar with those ooman legends as well. Both are gifted and dedicated Arbitrators. I am honored." Kwei said with a purr of approval.
"And what of us?" Than-guan asked interestedly.
"Well, the first time I heard your name, I almost started laughing, because it sounds like 'Thing-One', and I thought 'If she's Thing-One where's Thing-Two?'. A little while later that's when your sister told me what her name was. I just started laughing because I couldn't help it. Thing One and Thing Two show kids how they are supposed to act, by showing them what they are not supposed to do, but they're funny too." Lilith said apprehensively.
"This 'Thing One' and 'Thing Two' are teachers of pups?" Than guan asked with interest.
Lilith nodded her head. "They been teaching kids since before my parents were born. I know they aren't real, but that's what they do."
"I see nothing dishonorable about being named for ones who teach pups the path of honor." Yeyinde said in a pleased tone.
"So my niece… what did you choose for my name?" Yeyinde asked with interest.
"I couldn't think of what to call you. There wasn't anything I knew of that would rhyme with your name. So I started calling you 'Thingy'. That's one of the things you call something when you don't know what it really is. Doo-dad, doo-hickey, thing-a-ma-jig, a what-cha-ma-call-it, or a thingy. Thingy kinda sounds like your name, so that's what I used." Lilith answered in a distracted tone because she'd had to think about her answer.
Yeyinde burst out laughing. She had to admit that the word Lilith had used did sound like a bit like her name, and it had the same beginning as the names which had been decided on for her sisters.
"While that is not a name which is as honorable as the others you have chosen, it isn't an insult either. Besides, I think that one is amusing. I like it." Yeyinde said while still chuckling.
"So do you really call Bakuub 'Slobber', and if so… why?" Setg'in asked curiously.
"Yeah! She's Slobber, because she drools all over everywhere! Especially when she licks me." Lilith answered quickly.
Hulij-bpe started laughing and several of the others started looking at him curiously. Setg'in looked at his brother for a moment before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the ooman pup in his aunt's arms.
"You do realize that you only have to tell her to stop, and she will, don't you?" Setg'in asked with a grin.
Lilith shook her head. "It's more fun to just wipe the drool off and smear it back on her."
Hulij-bpe started laughing even harder as he looked at the others. "Now you see why I like her so much! She's funny, especially now that she'll talk to us."
"I do see why you like her!" Yeyinde told her nephew before turning her head to look at Lilith. "I also greatly enjoy the fact that you will speak to us now." She added as she turned and headed back to the table.
Yeyinde quickly descended the stairs with Lilith on her hip. She would be the first to admit that she liked the little ooman, and she was unable to imagine how her ooman parents had managed to commit such atrocities upon her. Now though… now she was with those who valued honor.
As she approached the table, Yeyinde slid Lilith's morning meal over in front of the place where she would now sit at meals before taking her seat with Lilith still in her lap. "This time you will not be interrupted, so I want you to eat your morning meal."
Lilith looked over her shoulder at the Predator who was holding her and saw a light smile on Thingy's face, but she also saw that the Predator was serious. She reached out and grabbed the cup of broth as the others began to take their seats.
"Now, since none of us have anything scheduled to do today, why don't we all do something together?" Guan suggested as she looked around.
"Can we go to one of the Clearings? Most will be out hunting, so they are bound to be almost empty, and we can have one all to ourselves!" Hulij-bpe said excitedly.
"Why do you want to go to a Clearing?" Nihkou'te asked curiously.
"Because… it… it gives us a place to celebrate! Lilith talks to us now… and she's a member of our family! Those are good reasons to celebrate aren't they?" Hulij-bpe answered quickly.
"Yes, son, they are! In fact, those are excellent reasons to celebrate!" Kwei replied with a smile.
"Well then, we will wait until Lilith finishes her morning meal…" Guan began with a smile before she looked directly at Lilith. "And you will finish eating Lilith, because you are far too thin for my liking! Once Lilith has finished, we can gather a few things to take with us, and then we can go to a Clearing. I certainly wouldn't mind spending most of the day in a Clearing."
Lilith pulled the bowl a little closer to her, and saw that everyone was passing the pitcher around so they could have another cup of broth. She finished what was in the bowl and had drained her cup. She was still thirsty because she was so nervous that her mouth was dry. She wanted to ask for some more to drink, but she knew that everyone was waiting for her to finish.
"Lilith, if you want more… all you have to do is say so. All of us will be glad to see you eating more." Guan said pointedly.
"I just want some more to drink." Lilith said in a near whisper of nervousness.
Setg'in smiled as he took the pitcher in his hand and started to pour Lilith some more broth. "Well that's easy enough. You act as we'd have to cleanse a large hive of Hard Meat before hunting something for you."
As soon as Setg'in finished pouring the broth, Lilith picked up the cup to drink some of it, but before she could, she was pulled deeper into Thingy's lap. At first she tensed up thinking that she was going to be punished for something. It was a completely instinctive reaction, but then she felt Thingy's body heat against her back.
For the first time, in a long time, there was no pain in her back, and that usually only happened because it went numb from the cold basement wall even though that always made her feel even colder than she already was. This time was different though, because her back wasn't hurting, and Thingy's body heat felt really good! She settled against Thingy and reveled in the warmth against her back.
Yeyinde had felt Lilith's muscles tense and smelled the increase of stress in the little ooman. Then, strangely, Lilith had begun to press firmly against her. This caused her to hope that Lilith was in fact trying to overcome a level of distrust that now ran so deep and so strongly that it had become a survival trait.
Yeyinde acted quickly and started a very soft but powerful purr in hope that feeling safe and secure would help combat the pup's past. She knew that the more Lilith felt safe while being in contact with them; the more she would begin to trust them. She knew that there would be no quick or easy solution to Lilith's fears, because those fears had far too often been needed in the pup's life. The unfortunate part was that Lilith's fears had been completely justified, though they been unable to help her in any way, but now those fears were a hindrance.
Yeyinde looked down at her ooman niece in her lap and smiled lightly through her constant purr. She could see that Lilith was hesitant in her actions and trying to drink the hot broth as fast as she could so she could finish quickly. The scent of her slight increase in stress was a clear indication of how apprehensive she was. A subtle move of her head caught Guan's attention. She then indicated her own cup, Guan's cup, and then the pitcher without making a single sound.
Guan looked at Yeyinde curiously for a moment, but filled the two cups anyway. That was when she saw Lilith relax a bit and drink at a slower pace. A nod and a subtle smile was flashed to her sister when she realized that Lilith must have been worried about making everyone wait on her. She sipped at the broth slowly, making sure to give both Lilith and Yeyinde time to finish theirs before she downed hers.
Guan set her empty cup on the table and looked around at everyone. "Gather what you plan to take with you. We'll be gone for the entire day, so if something is left behind, you'll have to do without it."
Lilith sat in Thingy's lap for a few minuets after everyone got up and left the table. She had no idea what a 'Clearing' was, so she had no idea what she should take with her.
"Lilith… do you not wish to go to a Clearing?" Yeyinde asked softly.
"I don't know what a clearing is." Lilith answered plainly.
"A Clearing is a place where many, but not all of the trees have been removed. There are tables with benches for us to sit at. There are pits dug into the ground so that meats can be cooked in the manner of our distant ancestors. All the plants are kept short so that even the smallest of pups can safely run and play while there. It is a place where we can properly honor our traditions, by enjoying the presence of family. The Clearings are large enough that many families and sometimes even entire Clans can use one without disturbing others who might be there as well. I am certain that you will enjoy it, Lilith." Yeyinde replied with a smile.
'That sounds like she's talking about a park. I haven't been to a park since…' Here Lilith frowned as memories rose to the front of her mind. 'The last time I was at a park was almost a year before my parents locked me in the basement. That was when I thought they still loved me.'
"Is Slobber going to come too?" Lilith asked nervously.
"Of course! I doubt that Guan would leave her here for an entire day unless she has no other choice. Besides, Bakuub will enjoy a Clearing as much as the rest of us." Yeyinde answered quickly.
Lilith nodded her head and slid down out of Thingy's lap, before heading to her room. The first thing she did was put on her necklace, and look in the mirror. She wished that she had some earrings and a bracelet to match, but she certainly wasn't about to ask for such things. It was strange enough that these Predators wanted her to talk to them, but they claimed that she was now a member of their family. That was something that scared her. Her mother and father were supposed to be her family. But they didn't love her, didn't want her, and didn't even want to be around her unless she was being hurt and feeling pain. She was still partly convinced that these Predators would start doing the same thing now that she was supposed to be part of their family.
Lilith couldn't help but wonder though. Her own mother and father hadn't wanted her… so how could she be sure that Gwen and the others really wanted her? Kids were supposed to love their parents, but she hated hers. Even now she could wish that they hadn't died so quick and easy. Not only did she wish they had died slowly, but she even wished that she could have been there to see it. It only proved that there was something wrong with her; something else that proved she was a worthless mistake.
Satisfied that she looked as good as she was going to, Lilith turned away from her mirror, and looked around her room while she tried to think about what she should take with her. She was still thinking when Gwen entered followed by Thingy.
"Yeyinde has informed me that you didn't know what a Clearing is, and that she has tried to explain that to you. I will tell you now that there is plenty of room for you to play, and run around should you wish to. Bakuub will also have that opportunity, so select things to take with you that you will enjoy doing. We will be there the entire day, so gather everything you feel you should bring." Guan instructed while looking at the clan emblem around Lilith's neck.
"I'm glad you have that on Lilith. I want you to wear that every time you leave this house. I don't care if you are with me or one of the others; I want you to wear that… understand?" Guan said gently.
Lilith nodded her head before she turned and started pulling the rubber swords and knives from their boxes before sticking them all into one box without the belts and sheaths. She also grabbed one of those golf disks, along with a set of table ware. Once she had what she wanted, she turned and looked at Gwen, wondering what she'd be told to put back.
"Is that everything you wish to take with you?" Guan asked. She was a bit disappointed that Lilith only nodded her head instead of speaking, but she had learned through a very painful discovery that Lilith had been tortured into silence for several years.
"Very well then, let's see what everyone else is taking." Guan said lightly before she and her youngest sister followed Lilith out of the room.
Guan knew that Lilith's habit of not speaking would not be easily overcome, because her very survival had depended on remaining silent even while being subjected to horrendous amounts of pain. It was something that angered her to no end. She knew that Blooded Warriors had no qualms about killing another sentient being, or even killing oomans in a fair and honorable fight. Taking the skulls and sometimes even the skins of an opponent as trophies were a means of tribute to an honorable opponent. The torture of a mere pup though… that was something that turned her stomach. It was one thing to face an individual or even a group that had the age and knowledge to fight back… but a pup? A pup stood no chance! Only the most dishonorable of complete and utter cowards would dare to harm a pup. Yet in front of her stood the pup who was now her daughter, and who had endured such foul treatment.
"Is she bringing those water-casters?" Setg'in asked as he and Hulij-bpe walked up.
"No, she isn't… but she is bringing along those strange swords of hers." Guan told her son.
"Good! That means we can show my Little Sister some more about how to properly use a sword." Hulij-bpe exclaimed excitedly as he turned to his brother.
"Techniques and methods yes… but she'll also need to gain some muscle, and I think mother will be better suited to teaching her the advanced techniques since she has better training than we do." Setg'in replied while looking at Lilith.
"You can be certain that I will show her such things, too! I will not leave my daughter unable to defend herself against an opponent… no matter who or what it might be!" Guan stated firmly.
"I agree." Yeyinde said as she reached out and lifted Lilith to her right side once more.
Lilith put her left arm across Thingy's shoulders while her right hand held the box with her stuff in it. With six rubber swords, six rubber knives, a fork, knife and a golf disc inside; it was starting to get heavy. She lifted it up, intending to get a better hold on it, when it was taken out of her hand.
"I will carry this while my sister carries you. There's a respectable distance before we get to a Clearing, and you do not yet have the strength or endurance to make that trip while keeping pace with us. Once we reach the Clearing, Yeyinde will put you down, and I will give this back to you, at which point you may enjoy yourself as much as you like." Guan said easily.