dens_tf_den | DTC, Family Matters

Kriti: *curled up with many blankets and a stein of mead in a corner after getting pwned in the Junka Steam Vents and incurring a 12,000 XP debt*

Ironhide: *sitting with an arm around Kriti, watching the egg rock on the hearth*

Kriti: *reaching for the stein of mead again, has already had half of the mead in the stein*

Ironhide: *offers her some bread and clotted cream with berry preserves*

Kriti: *okay, noms are a bit more interesting than mead right now*

Ironhide: *smiles, glad to see Kriti taking an interest in the sweets that she splurged on*

Old Lumen: *bringing over a couple of plates of food*

egg: *rock rock rock, split*

Ironhide: Wow!

Kriti: *attention going to the egg now, curious sound*

baby lizardgirl: *sits up and looks around warily, then cries hopefully*

Ironhide: *grabbing the plates* Lu, y'u wanna git th' babeh?

Old Lumen: *quiet chuckle, nods and moves to gently pick the newborn up* Any idea what her name's gonna be, 'Hide?

Ironhide: *as the little lizardling squirms and cheeps* Sludge.

Old Lumen: *another quiet chuckle as he brings the newly named Sludge over to Ironhide and Kriti* Good thing I got a lot of meat on those plates...

Ironhide: *not totally sure what to do with a baby, but thankfully Sludge is tough and strong compared to human ones. The little thing is soon perched on Ironhide's knee, being dried off as she buries her nose in Ironhide's plate*

Kriti: *is SO gonna offer the little one bits of meat off of her plate*

Sludge: *blink blink* *NOM nom nom nom....*

Ironhide: *chuckling gleefully* Lookit th't, wouldya?

Old Lumen: *has caught sight of the stein of mead* ... *raised brow as he glances to Kriti, who is focusing on giving Sludge more bits of meat*

Ironhide: *very slight head jerk, inviting him to drink it*

Old Lumen: *don't mind if I do... If only to keep Kriti from drinking the rest of it and trying to pick the pockets of strangers*

Ironhide: *slight, approving grin. Then she reaches to touch the little lizardling, expecting to be snapped at and bitten*

Sludge: *looks up alertly* Sludge... liiiiiike!

Ironhide: 0.o

Old Lumen: ... *blink blink*

Kriti: *'Bzuh?' expression*

Ironhide: Y'u kin talk?

Sludge: *looks at her and then tilts her head and peeps*

Kriti: *offering Sludge more meat*

Sludge: *ooooo, NOM!*

Old Lumen: *trying to meet Ironhide's eyes before giving quick nod towards Kriti, asking the War Master if she's asked Kriti about the adoption thing yet*

Ironhide: *mouths that she mentioned it, but she's not sure the youngster absorbed what she'd been trying to say*

Old Lumen: *slight frown, small nod*

Kriti: *talking baby talk to Sludge*

Sludge: *nom nom nom nom nom splatsleep*

Ironhide: *laughing and lifting the little one out of her plate*

Kriti: *puzzled look*

Ironhide: Thrrpt useta do th' same thing at th't age. *hands Old Lumen her plate and then wipes Sludge off before absently stuffing the lizardling back down the front of her tunic* Hey, Kriti, y'u thought about wh't Ah mentioned th' other day?

Kriti: ... *quiet for a few moments before she's nodding*

Ironhide: *gently* Y'u know wh't y'u wanna do?

Kriti: *another nod, before she's moving to snuggle closer to Ironhide*

Ironhide: *gentle arm around her, stew forgotten. Rests her cheek on Kriti's hair* Lu sez iffin' y'u want a daddy 'e'll step in.

Kriti: *slight wibble before she's hiding her face against the older woman in an attempt to keep her tears from being seen*

Ironhide: Shhhhhh, babeh. Shhh. *hug and rock slightly*

Old Lumen: *moving to set the plates aside, will put a gentle hand on Kriti's back*

Kriti: *hiccupping quietly*

Ironhide: *humming softly, waiting for the teen to cry herself out*

Old Lumen: *gently rubbing the teen's back*

Kriti: *it takes awhile, but eventually, she does cry herself out. When she does, she's moving to snuggle closer to Ironhide*

Ironhide: *softly* Y'u wanna do it now?

Kriti: *nods*

Ironhide: *looks around for witnesses*

Flashpoint: *giving Dion a dressing down after he, Quickstrike, and Whiplash got into a scuffle*

Ironhide: *grins, sticks two fingers in her mouth, and whistles*

Flashpoint, Dion, Quickstrike, Whiplash: *flinch*

Flashpoint: *looks over to see who whistled* ?

Ironhide: Y'u guys wanna come ovah heah f'r a minute?

Flashpoint: *nods, moving to herd the louts towards Ironhide*

Ironhide: *realizes Sludge never moved at the whistle and looks down the front of her tunic*

Sludge: *warm, full, hears her usual noise. It's all good*

Flashpoint: Wh't's up, 'Hahde?

Ironhide: *starts to answer, and then chokes up a little. Looks at Old Lumen*

Old Lumen: We need witnesses to make sure everything's official, since we're adopting Kriti.

Flashpoint: ... *sends Dion to go get Anna*

Anna: *hands in flour, tries to chase him away, but finally comes*

Kriti: *hiding against Ironhide even more now*

Anna: *understanding what's going on, and then slapping Dion with a floury hand and going to get some parchment and a pen*

Dion: *Acks, now has flour on him*

Anna: *back with writing stuff, sits on the hearth by the empty egg shell and carefully writes something down, then shows it to Old Lumen and Ironhide* It'll make it more fancy, and give her a paper if she ever needs one for something.

Old Lumen: *nods, still gently rubbing Kriti's back*

Ironhide: *scans the writing and nods, then looks down at Kriti* Dontcha got no otha papers, darlin'?

Kriti: *headshake*

Ironhide: *lips thin* Th'n le's git th's th'ng sahgned.

Old Lumen: *nods, reaching for the pen*

Anna: *has the parchment laying on one of her cutting boards, and has two colours of ink. One for the writing, and one for the signing* Right here. *points to an X*

Old Lumen: *nods, carefully signing with the ink meant for signing, the runes for his name looking a bit harsh in comparison to Anna's handwriting*

Anna: *sprinkles fine sand on the ink when he's done, waits a moment, and then blows it away and offers the pen to Kriti*

Kriti: *carefully signing her name, the loopy-looking signature a stark contrast to the blocky runes of Old Lumen's*

Ironhide: *nodding approvingly as she watches*

Anna: *sands that signature too, then hands the pen to Ironhide*

Thrrpt: *comes in and walks over by Quickstrike* Thrrpt?

Quickstrike: Kriti's getting adopted.

Thrrpt: *big grin and she turns her green eyes back to the scene by the hearth*

Ironhide: *signature really does look like a worm crawled through the mud*

Anna: *frowns at it sceptically, but then sands it and turns to look at the witnesses*

Thrrpt: *pushing forward, reaching for the pen, and woe to anyone who tries to stop her!*

Dion: *has no desire to try*

Kriti: *Very slight wibble as she gets a look at who the first witness is*

Thrrpt: *face nearly on the paper as she bites her lip fiercely in her effort to get the kanji for her name right side up and in order*

Whiplash and Quickstrike: *Tussling as they try and decide who gets to sign next*

Flashpoint: *will sign next*

Thrrpt: *gets it done and looks hopefully from Anna to Ironhide*

Ironhide: *hand on the young Outcast Engineer's shoulder* Y'u did real good, Thrrpt.

Thrrpt: *grins and sits by Kriti if she can*

Anna: *sands the signature and gives Flashpoint the pen*

Kriti: *Reaching for her Sworn Sister now*

Flashpoint: *Carefully signing in her neat penmanship*

Thrrpt: *snugga sister as she watches the piece of parchment become an identifying paper for her Sworn Sister*

Anna: *sands that too*

Dion: *will sign next, since Quickstrike and Whiplash are still tussling on the floor*

Ironhide: *aims a kick at the tusslers as Dion signs*

Flashpoint: *to Tracks* Tracks? W'ld y'u mahnd sahgn'n' s'meth'n'?

Tracks: *looks up from his book* Hmmm, darling? What is it? *getting up, book being slipped into his satchel*

Flashpoint: Kriti's bein' 'dopted bah 'Hahde 'n Ol' Lu....

Tracks: *blinks and then strides over, his smile telling what he thinks of that*

Dion: *offers Tracks the pen*

Tracks: *shakes his head and gives him a slight smile, then borrows the ring from his wife and makes a careful seal on the paper with a bit of permanent wax he found some time back*

Ironhide: 0.o

Old Lumen: *chuckles*

Anna: *blinking and then staring at Tracks*

Tracks: *steps back and puts his arm around Flashpoint, then offers her back her ring*

Flashpoint: *slipping the ring back onto her finger* *Quietly* Th'nks, darlin'. *snuggles close to her husband*

Tracks: *lifts her hand and kisses it gently, then turns his eyes back to the group by the hearth*

Old Lumen: Four witnesses enough?

Ironhide: *looks up at her Sworn Sister* Y'u r'member how many we needed back in th' Mountain Kingdom, Flash?

Flashpoint: ... *slight frown as she thinks* 'T least three....

Ironhide: *looks around* Six can't 'urt. Wh're's Wake 'n Jill?

Dion: Last I saw 'em, Jill was snuggling Wake 'cause he got another debt.

Ironhide: Go boot 'em outta th't fur bag 'n tell 'em we need two moah witnesses.

Dion: *nods and hurries off to go bug the couple*

Wheeljill: *grumbling good naturedly a moment or two later as she meanders into the tavern with WakeJumper's hand in hers*

Wake: *also grumbling slightly about having cuddle time interrupted, trails off when he sees how Kriti is situated*

Ironhide: Wake, y'u 'n Jill wanna witness Kriti's fancy paper?

Thrrpt: Thrrpt!

Wheeljill: *blinking and trying to turn her head so she can read the paper* Sure... what is it?

Wake: *tilting his head as he tries to decipher what's written* *raised brow* Adoption papers....

Ironhide: Yup. Me 'n Lu're gonna be 'er folks.

Wake: *reaching for the pen*

Anna: *hands it to him*

Wake: *moves to sign under the other signatures, the kanji of his name done precisely and neatly*

Anna: *sands that too as Wheeljill reaches for the pen*

Wheeljack: *wandering over out of curiosity* What's up?

Tracks: Oh nothing much. Ironhide and Old Lumen are just formally adopting Kriti.

Wheeljack: *perks* Oh really? How many witnesses do you guys have?

Ironhide: Six. *grinning at Wheeljill's clear but slightly tipsy looking kanji*

Wheeljill: *grins too, and then orders a round of Buckenbroth mead for the house*

Ironhide: *groans*

Wheeljack: *Grins behind his mask*

Old Lumen: And a mug of milk for Kriti... She's already had a round of mead.

Wheeljill: What he said. *grins as her bug blinks*

Ironhide: *looking over the paper and grinning widely, then looks at Kriti* All done, sweet'eart.

Kriti: *small smile*

Ironhide: *arm back around her and kisses her on the forehead* Y'kin move y'r stuff up t' th' loft later.

Wake: So, what's it feel like to have a daughter, Old Lumen?

Old Lumen: Two daughters.

Wake: ... Wait, what?

Ironhide: *mischievous grin and pats her bulging tunic*

Wheeljill: ...The egg?

Kriti: *nods and tries to snuggle closer to her mother*

Wheeljill: .... *confused head scratching*

Anna: *blinks then, and picks up the egg shell* ...Is that where this came from?

Old Lumen: *nods, chuckling* The little one's a female... and she's already had her first meal.

Anna: And she didn't try to eat anyone? *marvelling*

Kriti: *headshake*

Tracks: *smiles* Why should she, with Anna's good stew to fill her tummy?

Wheeljill: *grinning again now that she understands*

Old Lumen: Plus, I think Sludge got used to hearing our voices, so she recognized us as protectors...

Tracks: *eyebrow* Sludge?

Ironhide: Yeah, Sludge. She lahks 't. *gives him a mild stink eye*

Kriti: *absently checking Mama's pockets for shinies or noms*

Ironhide: *notices and looks at her with concern, and then offers her the rest of the plate of stew*

Kriti: *blink blink, noms stew*

Anna: *brings the paper to put it in Kriti's bank box, and then comes back with more clotted cream and jelly bread for the girl in celebration* I think I'll bake a cake.

Ironhide: *eyes widen slightly. She can remember Anna baking cake ONCE, and that before Thrrpt was born*

Anna: *will now chase everyone away from the hearth so she can work*

Ironhide: *grumbling as she gets up, holding Kriti's bread, cream, and jelly in one hand. But she's not too upset. Her memories of cake are pleasant, though the cook from her childhood would have thrown up hands with horror at the robust apple studded bread dough creation that bears the name here*

Kriti: *is curious about what cake is*

Wheeljill: *going to grin at Kriti and then see if she can't drag her husband back out under the willow tree*

Tracks: *will kiss his wife and excuse himself to return to his book now*

Flashpoint: *promises to bring her husband a piece of the cake*

Tracks: *thanks her and smiles, then opens his book and finds his place*

Ironhide: *kicks a couple n00bs off her favorite bench, then makes sure Kriti's comfy there with her stew and her bread and goodies before turning to Old Lumen and offering him the sleeping Sludge* Hold th's whal Ah mix us up s'meth'n good t' drink?

Old Lumen: *nods as he moves to sit down next to Kriti, will gently tuck Sludge into the front of his tunic*

Kriti: *nomming quietly*

Ironhide: *grins and heads for the fireplace to argue with Anna a bit and mix a favorite hot drink*

Moony the trader: *coming over as soon as Ironhide's moved away* I'll give you two thousand gold for that lizardman hatchling.

Kriti: *has her normally hidden small blades out in a flash*

Old Lumen: *Scowling* She's not for sale.

Moony the trader: *shrug* Two thousand and twenty five.

Old Lumen: *repeating himself* She's not for sale.

Flashpoint: *coming over* 'S th're a problem?

Moony: Two thousand and fifty.

Kriti: Slag off. My sister's not for sale, ya yahoo. *Scowling darkly*

Moony: *frowns at the teen* I'm not talking about your sister. I'm talking about that little monster that I commissioned Ironhide to go get for me.

Old Lumen: Take it up with Ironhide then. *Is SO in protective mode*

Moony: You can give her the gold when she gets back. But I need the hatchling now.

Old Lumen: *Getting up, intends to go and talk to Ironhide*

Flashpoint: *scowling dangerously, reaches to grab a handful of Moony's shirt* Wh't's wrong wit' y'ur 'earin', boy?

Chromia: *moving to put herself between Moony and Old Lumen, will also shout for Ironhide and Anna*

Moony: *grabs Flashpoint's wrists* Hey! I wasn't offering any violence!

Ironhide: *coming their way even before she's finished turning around* Wh't's wrong, 'Mia?

Anna: *drops her bread dough in the pan and stands up, scowling as she dusts her hands off*

Flashpoint: Yeah, but y'u weren't list'nin' t' Ol' Lu. Th' li'l bit ain't f'r sale.

Moony: You're all talking like the thing's a child or something.

Ironhide: *had paused to ask Old Lumen what's going on, but at those words her head snaps around* WH'T??

Kriti: The slagger was trying to buy Sludge from us. *Scowling and moving to stand on the bench*

Ironhide: *scowls darkly* Th't deal's off, Moony. Y'u wouldn' bah th' egg fr'm me wh'n Ah brung 't 'n, 'n Sludge ain't f'r sale now.

Moony: But do you know how much that thing is worth? It's a female!

Anna: *turns back to her cake preparations* Throw him out.

Flashpoint: Gladleh. *will also give Moony a shake for being a git*

Moony: *protesting and cussing. It sounds like he's already pretty much sold the hatchling before he ever got his hands on it*

Flashpoint: *Saying something very much unladylike and unprintable as she carries Moony out the door* 'N 'f y'u show y'ur face 'round 'ere 'gain, Ah'll give y'u t' th pale Necromancer 'r th' dark-'aired Reaver!

Denthe: *following close behind Flashpoint*

Moony: And then who'd buy all your dead monster parts? *snide and smug*

Denthe: The Bone Lord.

Moony: ...What?

Denthe: *Points to the Giant Bone War Suit that's fast approaching*

Moony: *yelps wants DOWN!*

Flashpoint: *throws him off the grounds*

Moony: *swears vengeance and then retreats*

Den Fallbretheren: *Stomps towards him*

Moony: *retreats faster!*

Denthe: ... *Facepalming and snickering* Miss Fallbretheren, leave him be.

Den: *from inside the Giant Bone War Suit* Awww, do I have to?

Sunstreaker: *standing behind Flashpoint and grinning in high glee* Yup!

Den: *huffs* Fine... *heads for the stables*

Sunstreaker: *cackles and runs back inside*

Flashpoint: *heads back in as well, Denthe following behind her*

Ironhide: *has brought a steaming hot stein of her brew to Old Lumen, and set her own on the table. Now wants to sit between Old Lumen and Kriti and put an arm around each* *she's still scowling slightly*

Flashpoint: Th't Bone Lord th't's been 'angin' 'round 'ere made sure th' slagger ain't gonna be comin' 'round f'r a whahle...

Kriti: *biiiig yawn, snuggles against Mama*

Old Lumen: *patpat* *quietly* After we have some cake, let's get to bed, alright?

Ironhide: *looks toward the open door* 'S't th't tahm alreahdeh?

Sludge: *starts to wriggle a bit*

Old Lumen: *acks softly and moves to get Sludge out of his shirt so the little one doesn't think to bite him*

Sludge: *wriggle wriggle, wants down*

Ironhide: *watching curiously*

Old Lumen: *will set Sludge on the table*

Sludge: *looks around and frowns, her tongue flicking, and then she hunkers down....*

Ironhide: *acks and puts her on the floor moments before she pees*

Sunstreaker: *killing himself laughing*

Kriti: *blink blink, leans on Mama more, will reach for some bread*

Ironhide: *sheepish glance for Anna, but it's not like the rushes didn't soak it right up* That all y'u gotta do, Sludge?

Sludge: *giving the funny stuff on the floor a puzzled and curious look, but then cheeps and toddles toward her big one's voice*

Old Lumen: *Quiet chuckle, takes a long draw from the stein Ironhide gave him*

Den: *entering the tavern from the stables, looks like she quite possibly is related to Denthe*

Denthe: *offering to buy Flashpoint a round of Ouzo, is politely refused, shrugs and goes to see whether she can interest anyone else in some Ouzo*

Ironhide: *offers her hand to Sludge and chuckles as small fingers grasp it and the little hatchling looks up at her earnestly* Wuld y' lookit th't.

Old Lumen: *another quiet chuckle* She knows who her mama is...

Sludge: *looks at him and cheeps quizzically, still holding onto Ironhide's hand*

Old Lumen: *clucks his tongue quietly, offering Sludge a bit of meat off of the plate of stew*

Sludge: *Oooo! Toddles over and looks at it, tongue flicking. But then she looks up again and tilts her head at him before glancing back at Ironhide*

Ironhide: Go on. *nodding and smiling, her arm around Kriti again*

Kriti: *watching her baby sister now, a slightly sleepy look in her eyes*

Sludge: *takes the meat and sits down to nom on it*

Old Lumen: *will carefully pick Sludge up and set her on his lap while she eats*

Sludge: *blink blink* Liiiiiike.

Ironhide: ...Ah knew it. She k'n talk!

Old Lumen: *Blink blink, is flabbergasted*

Sludge: *flicks tongue, sniffing his hand as she cheeps hopefully*

Old Lumen: *reacts by reaching for more meat*

Sludge: *is a happy babby lizardbutt!*

Kriti: *noms bread*

tavern: *starts to smell like baking cinnamon and apples*

Sludge: *can see you eating, Kriti. Is gonna try to crawl away from Old Lumen and across Ironhide to see you*

Kriti: *blink blink, pauses mid-nom, bread sticking out of her mouth* ?

Sludge: *bitty claws scrabble at her clothes, and then the little one is trying to climb her front*

Ironhide: *is laughing*

Kriti: *holding onto Sludge, will resume nomming*

Sludge: *cheep cheep cheep! You're eating, and this baby is hungry. Cheep!*

Kriti: *will poke meat from the plate at your mouth now, Sludge*

Sludge: *nom nom nom, happy little sounds*

Ironhide: Y'gotta eat 'n make 't look g'ud, Lu. *grins at her friend*

Old Lumen: *Snerks*

Ironhide: *gives him a kiss, and then takes her arm from his shoulders so she can reach for her own drink and have a long pull*

Kriti: *attention going to the hearth, can smell the cake*

Anna: *chasing the twins away from the hearth with the poker*

Quickstrike: *gonna try and steal a bite while Anna's distracted*

Ironhide: *nails him with her empty stein*

Quickstrike: *Acks and makes a break for it, only to get the n00b bucket upended over his head by Whiplash*

Ironhide: *laughing now and offering more meat to a curious Sludge, who is soaking this all in*

Kriti: *leaning against Mama again, and closing her eyes. She'll just have a quick nap, that's all...*

Anna: *brings the cake over then, along with a pitcher of milk to eat it with* ...Slag, she's asleep.

Ironhide: *looks up from the feeding of the little being that is now hanging off the edge of the plate* Wh't? Awwww.

Old Lumen: *quietly* She looks so innocent like that...

Ironhide: She 's. *gently rubs the older of her new daughters' back*

Old Lumen: *Soft snerk* The people whose pockets she's looted would probably disagree....

Ironhide: *snorts and then chuckles as Sludge snorts back in a feisty manner*

Sludge: *belly is nearly full. She wants to explore her world! By climbing all over her bigs*

Anna: *softly* Kriti? Kriti, wake up and look at your cake.

Kriti: *sleepy sound, barely opening her eyes* Hm?

Anna: Don't you want some cake?

Ironhide: *is grinning at the cake and at Sludge, and covering Old Lumen's eyes with one hand*

Kriti: *blinking and trying to chase sleep away as she nods*

Old Lumen: *trying to get Ironhide's hand off of his face*

Ironhide: *finally moves it after Anna's straightened up to put the cake on the table and cut it*

Old Lumen: *Razzes Ironhide*

Ironhide: *grins at him*

Anna: *big piece of cake, with Kriti's favorite clotted cream on it and even a fork to eat it with!* Here you go.

Kriti: *quiet murmur of thanks, is still not fully awake*

Ironhide: *very gentle tickle for Kriti*

Kriti: *Surprised squeak*

Ironhide: *grins at her* C'mon, darlin'. Eatcher cake.

Kriti: *Soft razz, will start doing that*

Anna: *cake for all Ironhide's family that's in the room, even the louts*

Ironhide: *happy sounds as she eats*

Sludge: *sitting squished between Ironhide and Old Lumen and looking pleased with herself*

Kriti: *getting about halfway through her piece of cake before she's starting to nod off again*

Anna: I'll save the last piece for her for tomorrow. *carrying it away to the pantry, where only Kia goes besides herself*

Ironhide: *has finished her piece and is aiming her fingers at Old Lumen's*

Old Lumen: *Will protect his piece as he eats!*

Ironhide: *laughs and intensifies her attack!*

Sludge: *totally unafraid of being caught in the middle of this*

Old Lumen: *will get stabbity with his fork if he has to!*

Kriti: *soft sound as she's jostled*

Ironhide: Owwww, y'u.... *turns back to Kriti and rescues the teen's plate* Sorry, darlin'. Y'u alraht?

Kriti: *wants to sleep, settles for leaning against Mama*

Ironhide: *softly* Awwww. *will finish up Kriti's cake and set the plate and fork aside, then glance at Old Lumen to see if he's done yet*

Old Lumen: *is finishing his piece*

Young Lumen: *returning with willow withies in hand*

Ironhide: *starting to move away from Old Lumen, slowly so as to not dump Sludge, who cheeps and clings to both of them at the movement* Awwww. Y'wanna grab 'er, Lu? Ah got Kriti.

Old Lumen: *tucks his fork away in a safe place and nods, gently lifting Sludge* C'mon, kiddo... Let's go get some rest.

Young Lumen: ...Did your egg finally hatch, 'Hide?

Ironhide: *looks up from Kriti's face as she stands with the girl in her arms* Huh? Oh, yeah. Wh're else y'u th'nk we got a lil' green kid fr'm?

Young Lumen: Heh... What's its name?

Ironhide: *frown* Sh' ain't no 'it'.

Young Lumen: Lemme rephrase that then, what's her name?

Sludge: Sludge! *cheep cheep wriggle*

Ironhide: 0.o

Young Lumen: Awww! ^^

Ironhide: Name.

Sludge: Sludge!

Ironhide: What's yu'r name?

Sludge: Sludge!

Kriti: *leaning more on Mama* Her name is Sludge.

Sludge: *peeks over toward the voice* Sludge.

Ironhide: *laughing now* Yeah, it is.

Young Lumen: ... *blinks at how Kriti is being held* ... What'd I miss besides Sludge hatching?

Old Lumen: Kriti's got 'Hide and me as her parents now.

Young Lumen: ... o_o *and then he's digging something out of his satchel*

Ironhide: *frowns at him, shifting her grip on Kriti slightly*

Sludge: *starts exploring the front of Old Lumen's shirt*

Young Lumen: *finds what he's looking for, which turns out to be a fairly good-sized ruby* Want me to give this to Anna to put in Kriti's bank box?

Old Lumen: *will gently tuck Sludge into his shirt again*

Ironhide: *blink blink* Wh't's 't f'r?

Sludge: *wiggle wiggle, curl up. Sleep*

Young Lumen: A congratulations gift.

Ironhide: *glances at Old Lumen, since it's his child they're talking about too now* Sounds alrahgt t' me. Lu?

Old Lumen: She'll be wondering where it came from, but I think it'll be okay. *quiet chuckle*

Ironhide: *grins and gives him a gentle hip bump, mindful of the bump in his shirt*

Young Lumen: *as his older name sibling acks softly* Do you two need a witness?

Ironhide: *gives him a funny look* Wh'tnow?

Young Lumen: ... You two aren't gonna get married?

Ironhide: *gives him a blank stare*

Young Lumen: ... Never mind then... *going to show Eruiste the withies*

Ironhide: Wh't're y' doin' wit' th'm switches? Th'y ain't thick enough f'r bows.

Young Lumen: No, but get enough of 'em woven together, and you've got a platform.

Ironhide: *eyebrow, waiting for further explanation*

Eruiste: These are perfect. Nice and limber, and still alive. *grins as she talks to the cuttings* We're building a house, Ironhide.

Young Lumen: *Grin, did good!*

Ironhide: ...A platform? *frowning now*

Eruiste: Yeah. About twenty man lengths up that old oak back behind the orchard. *bending a withy* But we're going to need a lot more. I can't get them to grow long enough fast enough.

Young Lumen: I'll go get more. *and off he goes*

Ironhide: *watches him depart* ....

Kriti: *soft sound, snuggles closer to Ironhide, resting her head over the War Master's heart*

Old Lumen: ... He forgot to leave the ruby.

Eruiste: I'll remind him. *heads out the back door, trilling softly to the withies*

Ironhide: ...Ah w's rahgt. Elve's're slagged in the haid.

Showtime: ...No, just those two. *going back to writing something down in her journal*

Ironhide: Platform inna tree.... *shakes her head* 'N us, git hitched....

Old Lumen: *Patpats Ironhide's arm* Let's go get Kriti and Sludge tucked into bed.

Ironhide: *looks down at the youngster she's holding, her expression softening into a smile* Yeah. Yu'r rahgt.

Old Lumen: *will guide Ironhide to the stable*

Ironhide: *as soon as they've safely gotten Kriti up the ladder she lifts the teen up, turns, takes a few steps, and knocks her head on the beam* Slag....

Old Lumen: We've really gotta talk to Anna about that beam.

Ironhide: *snort* 'T's wh're 't's gotta be, Lu. *ducks and heads for their nest*

Kriti: *soft murmur, doesn't wake*

Ironhide: *softly* Shhh, darlin'. J's settin' y'u down. *does so, and then grabs her cloak and wraps it around both herself and Kriti as she settles beside her daughter*

Old Lumen: *moves to carefully lay down beside Ironhide and Kriti, mindful of the sleeping lizardgirl currently using his tunic as a bed*

Ironhide: *offers him the edge of her big fur lined cloak, her blue eyes sparkling as she sighs*

Old Lumen: *quiet chuckle as he carefully scoots closer, making sure the part of his tunic that Sludge is sleeping in is covered*

Sludge: *moves a bit and makes tiny peeps, but then settles down again*

Ironhide: Slag... Ah'm a mama.

Old Lumen: *another quiet chuckle, reaches to gently pat Ironhide's arm*

Ironhide: *squeezes his hand, and then ponders this unforseen development as Kriti nestles against her and the quiet sounds of the stable rise up all around her. After several moments the peace of two sleeping children gets to her, and she sleeps too*

Old Lumen: *keeps watch over his family until he can no longer keep his eyes open*

Moonbeam: *comes and hides an egg in their bed sometime around midnight, and then goes to break up the rat party at the other end of the loft*

((co-written with

random_xtras))