3/22/2262
Alyen and L'Naym's Quarters
5:30 PM
"Is everything ready, D'Ray?"
"Oh yes. I've been quite busy the last day or so!"
Alyen put down his comm. and turned to L'Naym. "Are you ready, Beloved?"
She smiled as she looked down at her baby. The Bonding was a precious, sacred time cherished
by all Nlian parents. For six days nothing existed but mother, father and child.
But gradually her primal instinct to remain sequestered with her new family had faded. Slowly her
thoughts had begun to return to her friends. And now on the seventh day of her child's life she and
her lifemate would at last leave their quarters. As it had been from the Ancient Days the new family
would leave their nest and return to the tribe.
Their destination would be the Mess Hall where the Naming Ceremony would be held and their son
officially welcomed into to the tribe. During the Mothering, one of the tasks of other loved ones was
not only to watch and protect from afar, but to oversee the Ceremony and festivities that followed.
From what L'Naym knew of D'Ray, she knew the one prepared for their son would be lavish.
She smiled as she looked at her lifemate's outfit. Both of them were dressed in Nlian festival clothes.
The gathering to come was not of officers but of friends and family.
It was time to return to the tribe.
It was time to introduce their son to the crew and for the crew to learn his name.