Sunrays and Moonbeams

What's In A Name?

As I continued to carve at the fish pulling the multitude of smallbones out I couldn't help but fondly remember the fish from my home.They were so much easier to clean but at least the same anatomy seemsto be in the case. Though I saw no glands to remove...

By the time I was finished I could just slightly hear the pains ofhunger and frowned as I looked over to my mate, watching me withguarded (eye color) orbs with our son in her arms. I had worried thatmy mate would not accept Theodore especially before I could explainthat he was my son in all ways but one that last one was by my body.

However she accepted him fully, loving him as much as any motherwould. I would make sure to explain to her when I could that he wasnot related to me and what had happened to Thomas and Dora. What hadhappened to my parents, and my sisters.

Anna, Bella, and Grace...

Sighing I sent up a silent prayer that they are happy and safe beforemoving onto finishing the last of the food. The sun was alreadysetting, getting dark and chiller and she was shivering the slightestbit. While normally I would have used the best method to keep herwarm, holding her tightly to my body, while Theodore could easilykeep her from getting too cold. I would never allow my mate to beuncomfortable at all if I could ever help it. I would always help it.

However right now when we would be eating I couldn't keep my arms onher, and I needed to eat to keep my energy up so I could take care ofthem, I am a hunter and that is what I'm meant to be whether or not Iremain the leader.

Instead I move closer, pressing my lips to her temple cooing slightlybefore I hurried off to get the needed fuel. A fire. Just till wefinished eating. I couldn't believe I was bringing fire into ournest. Anything for her.

Had I known what she planned to do with that fire I would never ofallowed it near our nest. Much less into our nest.

I worried that she would be even more scared of me, but I couldn'tjust allow her to be cold. I'd deal with the fallout later. I wasn'texpecting for her to get closer. She had put Theodore down, strokinghis hair before moving over to it, holding the food above it. I wasso shocked, as humiliating it was I just sat there, not understandingwhat she was doing. She used some leaves, which she must have gottenin the small amount of time I was gone. I wasn't gone long enough forher to begin climbing down again but I must have been gone longenough for her to grab some green leaves. Why is what I don'tunderstand.

She held the strange smelling meat and I wanted to demand why she haddestroyed the meat. It was worst than rejecting the meat. Why? Whathad I done wrong?!

And then she pulled a piece of the now lighter then before and put itin her mouth humming happily.

And now I was entirely speechless. Even James inside my head wassilent as well. What was she doing?

She took another bite smiling before turning to Theodore, settlinghim on her lap and offering a piece of the fired meat, holding it upto him. Before I can think, sure Theodore will reject it and breakher heart, he leaned foreword taking the offered bite. My fear growseven more, perhaps it was okay for earthlings but he could be hurt bythis. She didn't mean to, it was obvious with how he took a bitefirst, probably trying it to make sure it was okay, as I've seenparents doing if they got food from a place they did not trust.

I was there, wanting to find a way to tell her, to explain, but asshe turned she still looked scared, and part of me wanted to shakeher. She had to understand by now that I meant her no harm. But shewas holding up a piece to me and it was like I was under a spell andthough I knew how dangerous the fire was I allowed myself to take it.

Was it because it was the first real bit of caring I've seen from herthat had no need to be done? Was it because it meant my lips would beso close to her? Was it because this was the first time she hadinitiated contact?

Whatever it was when I took it the feeling of...something...differentfrom the raw fish. Like I was tasting smoke trapped in the meat. Itdidn't feel like poison. It tasted delicious and it felt like it'dmake me even stronger. Without thinking my tongue darted out, chasingthe flavor to her (skin tone) fingertips.

She pulled back shaking her head sighing as I whimpered and shelooked up at me before feeding the rest of the fish to Theodore. Hecooed happily and she cooed back to him as he finished all the food.I frowned before she took my fish, holding it over the fire wrappedin the leaves, finished she handed it to me before picking up thefish that I had given to Theodore and began cooking it and I finallyrealized what had happened, she had fed her portion to Theodore.

She had only the portion meant for the hatchling to eat.

I felt sick in myself, how could I have not realized that? I frowned,but at least I could keep this injustice from continuing. Once shehad finished and settled down, Theodore with his belly full washappily cooing his wings stretching and flapping. I gave myself amoment to smile as I saw the proof that despite the things that thehatchling had been through he was growing well and reaching themilestones he was expected to.

Sitting beside my mate who looked at me worriedly but she saidnothing. I pulled off a large piece of the cooked fish, offering itto her. She looked from the light pink flesh then up to my eyes andthen to it again as I tried to look as calm as possible. After amoment she took it from me and smiled mumbling something I did notunderstand. However for the first time she was smiling at me.

After a while of us eating together, her refusing to take all of thefish so I would take small pieces so she would accept it. After awhile she had turned to me and was looking at me with those trusting(eye color) eyes. She put a hand to her chest and slowly saidsomething.

"Name."

Name?

"Name." She repepated tapping her chest and then taking my handmoved it to touch her face, I did not question it as I cradled herface in my hand. "Name."

"Name?" I questioned and she nodded looking pleased with what Ihad said.

"Name." She repeated herself and then pointed to me and waited.It was then that I finally realized what she was trying to tell me.Her name. My mate's name was Name. It warmed me as I finally knewwhat the name of my heart was.

Name.

"Name." She repeated again and then pointed to me once again andI realized she was asking for mine. I could feel James screaming atme to tell her our 'true' name. But no. It was his name. I would tellher my name. It was I who had won her trust!

"Konrad." I smiled as I said my name and she repeated it softlyand I nodded as she said it again with more confidence. I shudderedas I heard her saying my name, if I knew it would feel even half thisgood I'd have tried getting her to understand my name the firstnight.

I really liked this chapter, for the first time I feel like thisstory is really moving, and Konrad has gotten reader-chan to know hisname and has learned hers. Wonder what this will cause?