The Guard- Elders-Part 3

Untitled Part 47

24

At our evening meal a few days later Colleen was nursing Melissa. She looked very tired. "Is Melissa keeping you up Colleen?" She was nodding off while she was feeding her. "Yes she eats more that Cory and Gen did put together. None of my children ever had an appetite like this one does."

"Do you think she needs something more than Mother's milk?" I knew Colleen was tired. She never thought to feed her something else. "Like what?"

"These two loved porridge," I pointed at my children, "maybe she might need a little."

"Right now. I will try anything for her to sleep more than an hour at a time."

I got up and made some runny porridge. Colleen fed it to her. She ate it all then fell asleep.

We ate our meal. Colleen kept an eye on Melissa waiting for her to wake up.

By the time we finished eating and cleaned up which was about two hours. Melissa had stayed asleep. Colleen and Shaun looked hopeful. They have not been able to sleep since her birth.

The rule was: Do not interrupt a shapeshifters sleep cycle. Seeing that Melissa was mortal. I told Colleen I would watch her while they slept.

"Kylie I am not going to have you watch her until she sleeps more than an hour at a time. She is constantly hungry."

The next morning Colleen and Shaun came and gave me a hug. "She slept for six hours. I gave her some more of the porridge after I fed her. She slept for another six hours." They had big smiles.

"During our next sleep cycle you will be able to watch her." I smiled. I missed my babies. Mine were full grown and almost forty years old.

Colleen nursed Melissa and gave her some porridge. The baby smacked her lips.

"I think she likes it." Within two days she doubled the amount of porridge she was eating. At the end of the second week, Colleen made the porridge less runny. Now that she enjoyed. She liked squashing it up in her mouth.

Melissa was growing at an amazing speed. She had doubled her weight in her first month. Quinn was totally smitten by his aunt. He had never been around a baby this much before.

I made some tea one day for Colleen, Gen and Quinn. Melissa was very attached to Quinn. She would only shift for him.

"Is this normal for one of your children to be so attached to someone else that was not their parents?"

"Not really Kylie. My children had a favourite aunt or uncle but not like this." She watched her daughter and grandson rolling around on the floor. "We will have to see what develops between the two of them."

I watched my son play with his aunt. I have never seen him so happy. He was definitely enjoying his time with her.

Cory walked in kissed his little sister then his twin, his mother, his niece then me. He smiled. "I love coming to say hello." Cory sat beside me. "I took the wrapping off of Robin's arm. It healed nicely. No sore spots just a thin scar where the glass cut him."

"Is he able to use his arm Cory?" I asked.

"It is a little stiff but he is able to move it. It might be a while before he will be able to hammer a nail. I do not see any problems."

"Good I am glad." He turned to watch Quinn. He was holding Melissa's hands. She shifted into a baby panther. I leaned close to Cory to pick up his scent. He still had the wild animal scent under his human scent. They all did except for Melissa. She smelled mortal. I do not understand how she is able to shift.