\n Rising Anew - Chapter 11, Family and Learning-

\n Slowly the sound of feet padding down the stone hallway brought

\n Narina into the world of the conscious again. She sat up with a grimace as

\n her head pounded her back down.

\n "Uggghh, my head is killing me..." she said out loud, thinking for

\n sure she was alone, when out of nowhere three little girls pounced her from

\n a couch on the side of the room. "AAAACCCKKK!!!!" she exclaimed.

\n "NARINA NARINA NARINA!!!" they all shouted happily as they all clung

\n to her. Narina was dumbfounded. "Who in the world..?" she said as she

\n finally gained a foothold and managed to hold them off a little and look at

\n them. "Sissy? Clair? Rhoana? is that you guys?" she asked as she looked

\n them over. They all burst out in giggles and "yays" as they doubled their

\n efforts to cling to the poor girl.

\n "We missed YOU!!! Tell us about your trip!! Yes Tell us!!!" the

\n young girls shouted vigourously. Suddenly the thick oak door to the room

\n swung open slowly and Purrma slowly walked in.

\n "Out you three, Narina needs rest, and i believe... an

\n explanation." Purrma commanded. The children smiled innocently and marched

\n out like a troop of soldiers on patrol. As soon as the door closed, bursts

\n of giggling and play orders were bandied about as the girls made their way

\n down the corridor.

\n Quietly, Purrma sat down on the edge of the bed, her ears flicking

\n in amusement at the children. "Hello my dear, how do you feel?"

\n Narina shook her head slowly and looked up at the old matriarch. "I

\n dont know Purrma.. Last night was terrafying... What was that creature?

\n That.. Marcerous thing that Papaw fought?"

\n Purrma sighed sadly and closed her eyes for a moment. "That was

\n evil incarnate... Marcerous is a cruel and malicious animal. He lives only

\n to kill, and will do so at a moments notice... He killed Narcenac's mother

\n long ago. She was the only one who accepted him too... If that can give you

\n an idea of the malice in that beasts heart."

\n The young tiger shivered softly and slid her knees up into her arms.

\n "Why was he after Narcenac and I? It was like he knew who we were, where

\n we were going, everything about us..."

\n "Marcerous has the ability to listen to dreams, we dont know how but

\n he listens for dreams we send out, it is dangerous to speak any longer in

\n that way for that reason." Purrma replied softly. Rising to her feet, she

\n made her way to the wardrobe and pulled out a forest green dress with leaf

\n patterns sewn down it in a spiral shape. Setting it down on the bed she

\n smiled softly and started for the door. "Come into the hall when you are

\n dressed dear, we will go to see your grandfather."

\n Narina stopped breathing as the memory of her grandfather covered in blood

\n when the twins had brought him into the glade, flooded her mind. "Is he ok

\n Purrma?"

\n "He is already up and running after the children again dear, would

\n you expect anything less from that old codger?" was the reply as the door

\n slid shut.

\n ******************

\n The snow fell slowly around Narcenac as he made his way through the

\n glade. He was impressed by everything. The protective wall was invisible

\n from the air, yet stood a good 60 feet tall and 30 feet in depth. Most of

\n the buildings he had been informed, were built underground and into the

\n massive trees inside the perimeter. Those trees astounded Narcenac, many of

\n them were large enough to hide a moderately sized house inside of with room

\n to spare. He had spent the morning exploring and going over what Purrma had

\n told him about Marcerous.

\n Despite the events of the previous night, he had slept very well.

\n Somehow he knew he was safe here. There were many warriors around. Not all

\n of which were tiger. He had seen more wolves, some fox, a few hares, and to

\n his suprise, a troop of squirrels. But there was one person that truly

\n piqued his interest. A big dark blue reptile. He carried a large broad

\n sword and had many tattoos across his back and down his arms, all seemingly

\n tribal. And despite the cold, he only wore leather pants and a scarf.

\n Narcenac had seen him patrolling alone along the wall and had instantly

\n found him interesting.

\n Quietly, Narcenac slipped into the door to the building his room was

\n in. "These underground buildings are cool, but i am going to lose my mind

\n without a map!" he thought as he walked along. Looking up he saw Purrma and

\n Narina leaving her room and sped along to catch up to them.

\n "Hey Narina, Purrma, where are you going?" he asked cheerfully.

\n Smiling, he took Narina's paw in his and squeezed affectionately.

\n "We are going to go see your grandfather dear." Purrma replied. She

\n strode down the hall smoothly, her tail flicking from side to side, making

\n the back of her dress a waving shimmer of gray, like a sheet of smoke

\n surrounding her.

\n "Your paw is cold, where were you?" Narina whispered in his ear as

\n they walked. He smiled and kissed her own paw. "Just outside exploring."
\n ******************

\n The three tigers could feel the warmth permiating through them as

\n they walked into the large main chamber. The fire in the hearth blazing

\n lazily as the sounds of laughter and joy filled the air. Papaw was sitting

\n with the children, Tarsus included, telling them a story about his

\n childhood. "So i look up and the fish is hanging from my tail!! Oh hello

\n there dear, Narcenac, Narina, how do you two feel?" he said with a happy

\n smile despite the bandage around his neck as the group all burst out

\n laughing.

\n "We feel very good Papaw, and how do you feel?" Narina responded

\n with a smile. Purrma sat down beside Papaw, the young couple finding seats

\n of their own near the children.

\n "Well, it could be better, but then again! it could have been

\n worse! He could have well lopped of my head, but then there would just be a

\n goofy head here telling these little furrballs silly happenings!" he

\n exclaimed with a grin. "Besides, your grandmother's cookies do the soul

\n good."

\n "We not liffle fuwballs! We ish liffle wawriahs! GRRRR!!!

\n hehehehehehe" one of the little children exclaimed with an exaggerated

\n battle cry from the rest of the group.

\n "Oh deary me! we will never be bothered again will we my little

\n Tenda?" Papaw shouted, playing along. Tenda stood up shakily, her tubby

\n baby belly pooched out proudly as she acted tough. "We beat up dat mean bad

\n beast, we not scareded of fuffy bottom, we liffle sneakers, we fight him all

\n way home and frow sticks at him!"

\n "Oh you are so tough Tenda, we are always safe with you around."

\n Purrma said with a smile. The young girl beamed with pride and the whole

\n group commenced to having play sword fights with wooden spoons.