A small leather bound notebook was left, perhaps by accidient perhaps by design, open on the desk as if just waiting for the writer to pick up pen and resume the tale held in its pages, or for a reader to pick it up and begin the tale at the start.

The words on the open page began with a flourish, a bit of scrawled almost decorative script, that drew the eye. Once caught, maybe the reader would chose to read on.

"Pledged, Mated, Wed. What wonderful words those seem to me tonight. I sit here trembling and breathless looking over at the man sleeping in the bed, the one who claims me heart and soul and can not help but wonder 'Why Me?' What did I do to deserve the love this man lavishes on me? "

"It feels as if I have loved him forever. And truely mayhaps I have. I watched him from afar years ago, afraid that he would pay me no notice. And then, when our paths crossed again we both belonged to others, and still I longed to be the one he smiled at, the one that filled his eyes with joy. And now, I am his. And it is more than I dreamed."

"My heart flutters in panic fearing this a dream, a rushed and foolish act. I have acted impulsively before, the choice of my little ones father being a shining example of my tendancy to not think things through. But Queit never made me feel as Antonio does. I never felt as though I was treasured above all else, the way I do when I am safe in Antonio's arms."

"I confess that panic is what drove me from the bed tonight. Sheer terror that I had rushed into another marriage. That perhaps again I had chosen foolishly. A talk with my darling wife, ever paitent soul that she is has soothed me somewhat. Charna made a point of telling me that Antonio is not my former mate. That I should not fear being abandoned again."

"Returned as I am from my midnight jaunt to seek the council of my wives, And watching my sleeping husband curled lovingly in the pillows with Aysel, I realise something. I love him. He is breath and life and joy to me. I would not let him pass idley from my life the way the others had. He is one worth fighting to keep. One worth loving with all I have. He is mine, and I am his... And I am content"

Another slender leather volume rested on the pillows of the bed, their soft covers dampened with tears. The writing in this volume was different, hard and crisp, tear stained in places. And the words carried an angry tone.

"Lies! Bitter, baseless lies told by an angry man. And the very way they were whispered has Taban beliving whole heartedly in them. His anger is like fire, he stalks around our home growling and gathering items into his bags."

"The cubs tremble in their basket every time he passes. Poor little things do not understand why he will not let me near to comfort them. All I can do is watch them from across the room. This is one of the rare moments that I am glad Imili ran away to be with Blaze. She is not here to listen to her father rage."

He calls me Whore and Faithless, But I have never broken our marriage vows. He will not listen to my denials prefering to belive the poison Ty has fed him. My heart aches that he would have so little faith in me. He is coming this way now. Maybe now we can talk."

Here the page is spattered with blood, brown and dried with age. One might wonder what happened to the writer, and worry just a bit if one cared at all.

Antonio set the journal down on the table where he had found it. When the first writings had shown up, a few weeks ago, he had been loathe to pry into the book -- he did not know if it had been left out to be read, or had simply been mislaid. When the second journal showed up, the hint was taken. He started reading...

Now, he keeps an eye out for the slim volumes, and is admittedly a bit disappointed when one does not show up for a while. The insights that he has gained into his wife's past are more dear to him than diamonds, and more valuable than pearls. And pearls they are, in a manner of speaking - pearls of wisdom and knowledge...

But this most recent revelation troubled him more than he would care to admit, even to himself. He had taken an instant dislike to the slimy figure that stood behind he and Kina that night at the duels. And to think that this mistake was playing mind games with Kina. Well, it was not to be tolerated. And would not be tolerated.

A grim smile crossed his lips, the expression not quite making it to his eyes, which were narrowed and hard. Kina would not be the only one taking great care around that miserable excuse for a man. He would as well. And if the creature should ever dare to harm his family ... well, perhaps the Gods might have mercy, but Antonio would not.

Once again the newest volume was left out, this time amidst the cushions in the tent Kina had fashioned in the library. A half finished glass of juice sits beside the book making it obvious that the writer rushed off unexpectedly.

"The weeks since the Autumn gala have been filled with excitement here at Gryphons Eyrie. I had forgotten the effects that the changes of the seasons have on the fertility magics that my bloodline was so "blessed" with. I find myself again with child and growing larger and more uncomfortable every day."

"Adding to the discomforts of a normal pregnancy is the fact that according to the Stars End medical docotor I saw my baby, instead of being the cub we had planned for, is apparently very human. The doctor warns that this will make for a difficult delivery, as my body is unused to giving birth to a child so large."

"But Our son appears to be growing healthy and strong despite the near constant illness I feel. Antonio is delighted by the baby, and I adore the look of wonder in his eyes every time he looks upon my swelling body. The reactions of the children are somewhat more mixed though. Aysel seems to resent the new life growing inside me, fearing that it will take her place in my heart. Katyana has been clinging and asking constant questions seeming fascinated by the process of bringing a new life to this world."

"And then there is Fayte. Such a precious little child and such a joy to have in our lives, but so confused by the coming of the new baby. Wisper and her talk of Canadians did not help any at all. I dont know how i am going to explain to Fayte that his new brother is going to be mostly human and not a "kitty" like his sisters."

"Prep...."

Three subdued clinks danced through the room as Antonio dropped ice into his rocks glass. Pulling the cork from a venerable bottle of single malt, he poured three fingers of the amber liquor, and then set the bottle aside. A small frown creased his mouth as he more flopped than sat down in the overstuffed leather upholstered chair in his office. He held the glass to his forehead, rolling it back and forth, as if the cooling scotch could ease the troubles in his mind.

So, the children from pairings of humans and felinoids often were too large for the mother to birth properly. Gods, I wish Kina had told me this from the start.

He dropped the glass down to his mouth, draining a good third of it, and then set it aside on the table to his left. His gaze crossed over to the fireplace, and he sat quietly for a time, lost in contemplation of the capricious tongues of flame. Eventually he nodded off, and began to dream.

It was an odd dream, strangely flickering between many different scenes, no one seeming to run its course, before he was torn from it and thrust into the next. Their baby lived, and was learning to walk...standing on the deck of his first ship with the wind in his face...their baby was stillborn...a successful merchanting venture - the first time he cleared 400 percent profit on caviar...Kina died in his arms, and there was blood everywhere...he was back in his youth, holding his first bride in his arms as the life ebbed away from her - poisoned at their wedding ceremony...a bar fight while he was working in the Inn...lying on his back on a hill watching the clouds go past...extreme pain the first time he had been forced to realize that he had mental abilities that went beyond the norm... and then nothing. An empty blackness so complete, so cold that it terrified him - threatened to drag him down to a place he could never escape from...

With a start, he woke in his chair. He had been the receiver of disturbing dreams before, but never anything quite like this. Willing himself to relax, he looked around the room. The fire had died to embers - a look at the clock on the mantle told him that he had slept for several hours, and that dawn was fast approaching. Though the room had chilled, his clothes were soaked with sweat. Reaching over, he downed the rest of the scotch, the ice long since melted. He stood from the chair, a little unsteady on his feet from the aftereffects of the dream. He would have to try and figure out exactly what that meant, and soon. Likely it was just from worry. He felt in his soul that he could not stand to lose Kina - that his world would crumble if he did.

Then the rational side of his brain took over. They had hired one of the best healers available, from the spaceport sector, and he had technology that removed much of the risk. Everything would be fine. And after the baby was born, if things were difficult and they could not risk having more children, he could always have one of those operations - just a little snip...he winced inwardly just thinking about it. But he was not so selfish that he would avoid doing something that posed a small risk for him, to ensure the safety of those he loved.

He made his way into their bedroom, and stood next to the bed for a long while, watching Kina sleeping in the half-light of false dawn. As he undressed, then got into bed and gently snuggled against his pregnant wife, the phrase that kept running through his mind, almost like a mantra of protection, was simply:

Everything will be all right.