Restitutio in Throni: Liber Unum~Orgines

Part One, Chapter 4

Auburn's POV

I laid under the warm blanket and stared at the ceiling for a bit. Staying in bed seemed to be more fun than training. Something's wrong with me...I love training. I turned onto my side and mid-slide from the bed to the floor, I shifted to my tetrapod form. I gave myself a usual wake-up shake and a good stretch.

A voice in my head told me I looked foolish, so I decided I could use a short groom session. The same voice told me to check my claws. Unsheathing them, I noticed some dead keratin shaving off and detached it. I then went and sat in front of my mirror, wondering how the voice knew. This instinct hadn't been there before. I looked at my partially sheathed claws, shook my head, and walked out the door.

The tiled floor was still warm, despite winter's cold scratching at the door. The Commons just as busy as ever, generals and gods speaking of battle tactics, children playing, and soldiers drinking to last night's victory. I looked around, hoping to spot a friend. I saw a familiar face emerge from a hallway. The lion/cat hybrid finally triggered my memory. I walked over.

He gave me a faint look of recognition. "Auburn?" he said, finally remembering me, "Where have you been?" Eagle, the voice in my head reminded me. "Eagle! I should be asking you the same! I haven't seen Petal in a while. Where she off to?"

Eagle blushed slightly, and replied, "She's...been visiting her mother for a while, but since northern Feliciabru's gotten safer, we decided to come back..." A lame excuse, if you ask me. Something seems...odd.

Eagle looked quite more nervous than usual, and I wanted to know more of Petal, but it seemed rude to push any farther. "Where is she? I want to pay her a visit." He didn't quite look me in the eye but led me back down the hall.

"I understand she moved down with her mother and family, but why couldn't she have a letter sent? I know she's been trying to see me." Eagle's left hand fidgeted and he looked the other way. "She was awfully busy, trying to break away from Tazar and all..." I looked at him again with an unsatisfied and quizzical glance. "What is it? I know something's up." He stopped walking and his face turned red.

Petal's pregnant, the voice told me.

Eagle opened his mouth to speak, but I spoke to him before he said anything. "Where is she?!" I exclaimed, turning to him. He looked at me, confused, but led me further down the hall and to the right. He opened a mosaic glass door, and he stood before an empty bed. "Where is-"

Check the bathroom.

I listened to the voice and met my dear friend face-to-face.

She was wearing a maroon, long, loose-fitting robe, a ribbon above her swollen belly tying the overlapping clothing in place. Her hair was incredibly long, and she had been brushing it. Her blue eyes seemed shocked to see me, just as much as I was to see her.

"Petal..!"

"Auburn!"

She hugged me hard, but I didn't hug as hard back because I was afraid of harming her. She held both of my hands after our embrace and smiled happily.