Telnor Warren #97
12/11/97

Talking Babies 

It was getting late. She needed to hurry if she was going to have time to
drop Trebin off with his grandfa and still make it back to the green in time
to meet with L'vand for their patrol tonight.

Even though it would only be a short one, lasting just a couple of hours,
she didn't want to miss out on it.  Not after it had taken her so long to
get permission to patrol again. 

In her hurries the baby's bag had become tangled and as she tried to juggle
her son around to a more convenient position, the bag became more tangled
and the stuff in it threaten to spill out.

Kattibrie caught up with Tera and offered to help. "I'll carry Treb, if it
helps."

"Sure," Tera said, and handed the child to the Queenrider. "Thanks. I was
having a little problem here so your timing is couldn't be better."

Without the wiggling babe in her arms she was able to straitened out the bag
and continue on towards her in-laws-house. While they walked she couldn't
help but notice the longing in the younger girls eyes as she looked down at
her son.

"You and Kay seem happy together," Tera said. She'd never spent much time
with the woman. But maybe now she could take the time to get to know her a
little better.

"Yes, we are," Kattibrie said quietly.

"Then, what's wrong, Kitty?" Tera asked, noticing a sadness about the girl
that belied her words.

"Everyone's calling me that now," Kattibrie chuckled.

"Well, the dragon's like it, and it suits you," Tera shrugged. "So what's
wrong?"

"Its... babies," Kattibrie sighed.

"Oh?" 

"I want to have Kay's baby so bad.... but he's afraid -- no, terrified --
that it will be born deaf like him," Kattibrie confessed.

"Why that's silly," Tera exclaimed. "Where did he ever get an idea like that?"

"I don't know, but he's afraid it'll happen and the baby will grow up just
like he did. I know he had a hard life before coming here. He's told me of
his past, and he's afraid it'll be like that for a child of ours if it's
born deaf."

"Now that's even sillier," the tall blond frowned. "First of all. You both
live in the Warren now where everyone loves Kay."

Kitty threw her a sidelong glance.

"Well almost every one I'll admit," Tera said, thinking about Traplin and
Danielle. Though she knew her friend still cared about Kay. She just loved
Trap more. "But still. If you two were to have a baby, it would be raised
here in the Warren where there would be so many people looking after him or
her with love and kindness in their hearts. It wouldn't be for the child
like it was before Kay before he came here."

"You really think so?" Kitty asked, reaching out for any thing to help
settle her own fears. Her arms tighten around the tiny bundle in her arms 
as a little hope entered her heart.

"I know so," the blonde replied. "If by the off chance, you two did have a
baby and he/she was born deaf like Kay, would that be so bad?"

Her eyes moved to watch the girl's face for any signs of her own feelings.
She wanted to know how she would feel if she did give birth to hearing
impaired child. Would she be able to handle it... could she. Had she opened
her heart enough to think of what it would be like?

"No..." the girl said slowly. "I don't think I would care if our child *was*
born deaf. I think it would make me love it all the more. It would be like
the Gods had given us a special child. One put in our care to love and to
raise."

"And I think you would do a wonderful job of raising a child Kitten," Tera
grinned, noticing how her son was smiling up at the woman making funny faces
at him. "See...Treb agrees with me."

"I just wish I could make Kay see that," the girl said softly. "He's so
afraid that if we have a child and it's deaf... no one would... would...."

"Kitty let me ask you a question," Tera stopped just outside of Ga'brin's
parents house. "You say you're in love with Kay?"

The girl looked up and Tera could see her love for the man shining in her
eyes. "Oh yes!! I've never felt this way about any one else before. It's
like...like..."

"Like the way I feel every time I'm with Ga'brin," Tera laughed slightly. "I
know what you mean. I never loved any other man the way I love my mate....
and Kay's deftness... it doesn't bother you?"

"No!!" the girl said firmly. "Just because he's deaf, it doesn't make him
any less of a man!! That's not the reason I feel in love with him. It was
because he's kind and loving. He cares deeply about others and would never
hurt anyone if he could help it. It's not like he can't do anything because
he's deaf. He has so many good qualities, so many things about him. Why he
paints the most beautiful pictures. They also seem to talk to you. Almost
like you can reach out and touch something living. And he can hear the
dragon's talking. Not to many others can do that I tell you!!"

Tera had her answers. She believed the girl's feelings for her friend were
real. "I'll tell you what," she said slowly. "The first chance I get I'll
try and have a talk with Kay. Maybe I will be able to help settle a few of
his fears. I'll try... but I'm not promising anything will come of it."

"Oh would you!!" Kitty's face lit up. "I think he'd listen to you. I know he
cares a lot about you and you've always been his friend."

"I'll try." Tera wondered if it would do any good. But she had promised she
would try and she would. Now she just had to find the time. "But I'm not
sure when it'll be. Right now I have a patrol to fly.

-----------------------------------------  

Nrpg: Well Kris... think Kay would listen to Tera's sage words of advice ;)

*****Submitted by: ******

Barbara (a.k.a. 

Tera & Sundellath
Telnor Warren