The sky was filled with dark clouds that released a relentless drizzle down upon the land. It was the sort of day in January that kept most beings locked up indoors; curled under blankets and cuddled up before a fire. Because it was that sort of day, the animals of Rising Star Stables were nestled in beds of fragrant moss and dried flowers napping the chilly day away. In one of the smaller outbuildings, all the windows showed signs of bright cheery lights.

Jogging with an overflowing box clutched to a slicker covered chest, a lone figure made her way towards the beckoning light. Upon reaching the side door, a shove was given inward before the girl could step inside. Momentarily blinded by the light, she stood in the open doorway until a voice from inside the building was calling out, ?Born in a barn? Close the door!?

In response the girl kicked the door closed, leaning back against it while responding back with a hint of annoyance coloring her voice, ?If anyone should know where I was born, it would be you, wouldn't it??

From the back of the building, behind the large tarp covered item in the middle of the space, a woman popped up, her silvery blonde hair protected by a dark blue dust rag. A grin lit up her features as emerald eyes locked on the visitor, ?Rora! I didn't expect you out here.?

Grumbling in a good-natured way from under the hood of her slicker, Aurora BlackMoon eyed Caytlin. ?I didn't expect to come out here either but Hedwig sent me with some stuff from Ardane. Said there wasn't any more room in the cellars.?

While Aurora spoke, she moved away from the door towards a table laden with boxes to the left. A less then gentle nudge was given to one of the other boxes, which was filled with old racing silks, where a curled up feline was sleeping. Rora dumped her burden onto the table while shooting a look inside the box she had shoved out of the way. The sleeping cat inside the box opened one eye and fixed it on Aurora. A cream tail tipped in dark fur flicked once, as did one dark tipped ear then all movement stopped as the feline drifted back to sleep, as if the girl wasn't interesting enough to bother paying attention to.

Violet eyes narrowed on the animal before a slender hand reached up and pushed the slicker?s hood back off her sable colored hair. Purposely flicking a few droplets at the feline, Aurora muttered something that vaguely sounded like a growl but turned into words, ?I don't like you much either, Trit.?

Cayt chuckled softly as she rounded the tarp covered obstacle and made for the table, ?Is that so? Don't suppose you suggested the stuff be stored in the arena, huh??

Aurora?s snort was answer enough but it didn't stop the girl from giving a look around after turning. The dark haired girl focused a look on her mother when she was closer and offered back in a less than friendly tone, ?I thought that was what this place was supposed to be for. Storage. The arena is where we spar.?

Cayt knew that ?we? didn't include her but the other Hishn who made their home at Rising Star Stables and Ardane respectively. For a second or two it hurt not to be included but considering the source, Caytlin only slid a look aside to her daughter and smiled faintly, ?It was a joke, Rora. Nothing more.?

Watching her daughter?s features Cayt could see so much of William that it was hard not to smile sadly. Emerald eyes lingered a little longer than they should have on the birthmark on Aurora?s temple before Cayt shook it off and turned her attention back towards the box. The first thing that caught her eyes was an old beaten up stuffed wolf practically falling out of it.

Blinking quickly, Cayt reached for the animal and then shot a look aside to the much too stern features of her daughter, ?But this is ..?

One of the girl?s dark brows went up, ?Yes, it is but I hardly need to keep this or any of these other things in my room do I? I am not a child any longer.?

?But Roanoke gave you this. And this?? Cayt went on as she pulled out what on first look might have appeared to be a snow globe, a perfect likeness to a Hishn wolf captured in crystal set upon an aged piece of wood. ?This is not a child?s toy, Aurora. It is a link to your,? Cayt meant to finish but Aurora broke in.

?That is a link to a man who does not exist any longer and a way of life my pack has given up. Don't try to debate this with me, Mother. These things are of no use and I see no point in keeping things around for sentimental reasons. Unlike you.?

It stung, it really did and Cayt had a hard time not wincing from the tone in her daughter?s voice. Apparently Aurora could see it because she softened her words with an added phrase, ?Which is why Hedwig had me bring them to you. I may not want them now but who knows when your habit of storing memories away for rainy days might rub off on me??

Cayt didn't look at Aurora while putting both items back in the box and just nodded. Emerald eyes moved from the rain-splattered box to the one beside it, reaching in to stroke along the sleeping cat?s side. Trit?s eye opened briefly while she shifted her position just enough to better receive the affection. A soft rumbling purr began before the cat?s sapphire colored eyes drifted closed once more.

Aurora stood frozen there for a moment, trying to find her footing in a situation she had never really been equipped to handle. A child lost inside an adult body always trying to act as old as she appeared while wearing the indifference her father had worn like a well cared for cloak. The only problem was that the cloak fit William BlackMoon?s daughter far better than it had ever fit him, something the Hishn who remained with Aurora were trying to fix.

As Cayt stroked the cat, Aurora turned her head and looked around quickly as if searching for a way to break the silence. She found it by the most obvious thing in the building.

Stepping away from the table, the dark haired girl moved towards the covered machine and nudged one of the tires with the toe of a boot, ?Why do you keep it around if it no longer works??

Cayt blinked, looking away from the cat and over her shoulder at the tarp covered vehicle then back to her daughter. Pert nose twitched just a little before Cayt pulled her hand out of the box and away from Trit so that she could turn to face Aurora. Leaning back against the table, the blonde crossed her arms across her chest and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. ?I don't know. I always kind of hoped to find someone capable of fixing it. Unfortunately the mechanic who works on the stable?s trucks won't even touch it.?

Aurora made a motion to the tarp with a brow raised in question. Cayt just nodded with a small smile. The half Hishn began to tug the dust-covered tarp off, sending dust into the air and causing both mother and daughter to sneeze a few times.

Wiping at her face with a handkerchief, Cayt chuckled while watching the dark haired shifter. ?I'll have to show you how to do that the right way so we don't have this problem the next time.?

Aurora gave Cayt a less than pleased look while tossing the tarp into a heap on the floor, fully revealing the reddish orange Supra complete with a sleek silver wolf racing along its side. Light bounced off the preservation spell causing the air directly around the car to shimmer.

Silence reigned for longer than Cayt would have liked it too so she spun on her heel and took a set of keys dangling on a hook by the door in hand, pressing a button so that a very muffled *beep* could be heard. Followed by a touch given to the object the preservation spell was connected to in order to deactivate it.

?I was planning to give it a thorough cleaning after I finished going through those boxes back there but I can start now,? vague motion made before going on, ?Want to help??

For a long moment it looked like Aurora was going to bolt right back out the door she had come in. In fact Cayt really expected her to do just that. But Aurora did something to surprise the both of them; she shrugged out of the still wet slicker and murmured, ?Sure, not like I can ride today anyway.?

Cayt shook the shocked look away and grinned, ?Well then, let?s get to work.?

With that mother and daughter spent quite some time with the strange machine from another realm, actually getting a long. Funny what a rainy day can do for people, huh?