Temih grumbled to herself that the only thing the rest of the tribe really wanted her to do, was bear offspring. As many as possible.

Not that she had any desire to do so. She was a warrior and a powerful witch - she liked the Human word for her powers. She wanted to be known as the Kin Witch, or something.

Not "mommy". Perhaps some day, sure. But right now? Her priorities were on making the tribe safe in their mountain hideaway, and keeping track of the errant members when they got rowdy.

A gentle nudge from her mind, or perhaps a not-so-gentle energy blast to the back of the head, either would do just as well as a clearing of her throat in most meetings.

Her tail moved through the air and she watched several of the Tribe as they argued over who'd killed the beast they were eating. It wasn't important, and no one really cared once their bellies were full.

They weren't like the pack-wolves, or the lionkin. They didn't really have much structure to their meal time. As long as everyone got to eat, they were happy. Of course, as long as Temih was there they'd always offer her the first juicy bits.

As such, she'd already had her fill. Qodara and Iryudyo went back and forth - I got it's head, no, I got it's neck.

"Enough," Temih grumbled, and stood to leave.

The cavern they resided in for the moment was a secure base of operations, but it was nothing like the star ports where they'd all traveled through. Getting to Planet Twenty was like...

Temih remembered the trip, though she was extremely young when she was sent away. Her parents had no powers, she was the only one in her close family that did. When they entered the vacuum of space, Temih's mind almost broke. It was the steady voice and purring tones of Omaciyu that kept her sane. When they arrived to Planet 20, Temih homed in on the others of their type.

Within days, a three year old child and her teenaged guardian had assembled half the Twelve. Temih's mind-seeking ability faded over time, and she was glad. What kind of hell it was, to wake knowing that someone nearby had just been slaughtered?

Or was it just a beast? She could hardly tell the difference at first, between the PreyKin and the wild animals. Slowly, she distinguished between animal and person - then individuals. Now, she could still spot a Powered Kin from miles away, but apart from that, she had to concentrate to get any distinguishing information.

She could use this, Oma reminded her, when the Humans came. She could spot the ones with the weaker willpower, the ones with fears, the ones they could use against their own kind - just like they wanted to use Twelve and One against the rest of the Kin.

Right now, Temih only wanted to use her feet to get her out of the cave. The bickering went on, without her.

Outside, the sun had begun to set and was casting a brilliant bronze glow over the whole countryside. She watched it for a number of minutes, and then went to her own den for privacy.

There, she took out one of her many bladed weapons. The Warthog Kin would trade what they made, and as long as the Cheetah Kin didn't kill their kind with the weapons forged in their own halls, they were happy. Polishing the blade made Temih calm and focused her energy.

She felt one of the PreyKin nearby, not injured and not in distress. Curious, Temih put her knife down and set it aside. "Hello?" She called.

She heard a coarse voice, "Temih - are you home?" It was one of the local bird Kin, a tall legged and rather ugly female Stork. She may have the looks of a boot on a bad day, but Temih's golden eyes brightened when she saw her visitor.

"What brings you here, this evening?" Temih asked.

Bol, the Stork, chuckled. "The fish are jumping out of the streams, and your people still don't bother to net for them. Our tribe has had a good day indeed."

"Oh, we've got our own reasons for not fishing, Bol," Temih laughed, but surpressed a bit of a shudder. The thought of entering the water for anything other than a drink or a brief cleansing bath was... Distressing. Cheetahs didn't swim at all, and she had never bothered trying to get over that particular fear. "But I'm glad your people are full and happy tonight."

They spoke at length, of nothing in particular. The bird Kin couldn't fly like their animal predecessors, but they were smart and enjoyed their thumbs. Temih couldn't bear watching them eat, though. They gulp-gulped back throat fulls of meat...

Finally, though, Temih and Bol spoke of her tribe. "There is only the one of you," Bol said, sadly. "I wonder why that is?"

Temih shrugged, "my family wasn't like me either. Maybe I'm unique."

"But all the males are powered," Bol pondered. "I wonder if it is just something about being a male or being the right gender."

Temih snorted out a laugh. "Did you know they want me to choose one of them, next week. Next week!" She leaned back onto her furred couch. "I hardly even want to choose among them, and they want to vye for me so suddenly."

"Surely there is one of them good enough for you," Bol commented. "They are all fine males, your tribe prospers."

Temih sighed again. "Yes, I know. They are, actually. Handsome and strong and... Well, arrogant. That's the problem with them. They're all boys at heart. You know that the cheetah doesn't usually hang out like this, in tribes, except for the young males. We women are left alone."

"You want to be alone?" Bol said, leaning her beak down and making a strange face.

"Not from you, but... the guys are my friends. My defenders... I don't look at them in the same way as they'd like."

"What about that tall one? The light colored one?"

"Who, Iryudyo? He's far too scary..." Temih said. "Nice feet though."

That made Bol pause. "Did you say feet?"

Temih nodded, and sipped at some water from the bowl nearby.

"What do feet have to do with anything? And how are they any nicer than other Kin?"

Temih leaned in, and said, "Well, Omaciyu is very fine, of course, he's quite smart and all that. But he's got huge feet! Have you ever looked at them?"

"He's the one who wears that clever turban?"

"Um hum," Temih said. "His feet are just enormous."

"And this is somehow preventing you from ... mating with him?" Bol trailed off, unsure that her friend wasn't just completely insane. The weather had been quite hot, maybe her brain was fried.

"Well, what would the kits be like?" Temih explained. "Nameh's feet are nice, petite. But he's so burly... He's always working at something big, like he wants to prove he's as strong as a Jaguar or Lion."

Bol looked concerned. "He does this why?"

"Because he is the strongest among us, but... I know, I know... he's still Cheetah Kin, and we're just not built for strength. If he were in a fight with a big Leopard, or even a small Lioness, he'd be history."

"But he's got nice feet." Bol completed. Temih laughed again. "What about that beautiful ashen colored one? I've never seen a Cheetah look like him."

Temih looked away, "I think he doesn't like me much. I talk to Humans too often for his taste."

"Isn't there one of them that you do like enough to bear kits for? Temih, believe me when I tell you - you won't have all your life to decide. I'm past my own egg-bearing age, you know. You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I've nested five times!"

Bol fluffed her slate-colored feathers and struck a pose, arm swinging her head-plume feathers back. Temih nearly lost her composure laughing.

"But five nests, that's a lot," Temih said, after settling back down a bit. "I ... Cheetahs aren't known for big healthy kits, either. One usually dies."

"That is very sad. But you have all the others to keep them protected. I'm sure that they would, if you were to bear even one of them kits."

Temih looked away, golden tan eyes narrowed in thought. Bol lifted herself off the floor, legs bending that strangely backward way.

"I'm going to leave you with that. I hope you come to a decision - if not for you, for the sake of the poor boys in the cavern. They cannot wait forever. And if another Cheetah witch like you is found and deported to Planet Twenty, your priveleged life might change."

Temih watched Bol waddle off down the hillside, back to her own Kin. They lived near the larger lake, and on a good day the Cheetah tribe could see the Inner Ocean from their perched homes.

Temih remained distracted for hours, before sleeping. The heat of the morning would wake her - and perhaps she would have a decision by then.

Temih looked around her at Abri, and decided that she was the least of their oddities. From the way that Ivo played the locale up in their conversations, it was clear that they would be hosting stranger things than cheetah Kin or shapeshifters.

What Temih hadn't expected was that Ivo was so... forward. It wasn't just that he was a bold bronze rider, it was that combined with Temih's current hormonal state. He could surely detect that she had come into estrus, and like all the other males around her at the Plateau, he responded.

But she didn't really worry. This time, for some reason, she felt it perfectly fine. She wouldn't ride this out, she wouldn't try hiding herself. Her tribe mates would be jealous - insanely so, perhaps - but they weren't here.

Were they.

They weren't able to compete any more, though their dragons would surely want to have a say in the matter. Ivo explained it in detail, while Temih attempted to settle in to her temporary barracks.

Shortly, though, Ivo and she were snuggly and warm by the small fire in the hearth. Temih had never been with a male so she hardly knew what to expect. And with Ivo, no one knew what to expect. He shifted from human to half-cat, down to all fours, which both disturbed and bemused Temih. They made love for hours, as only a Sanger-sired male could do.

It would be several weeks before Temih realized that she was pregnant. But, she was - and in less than a month, the eggs on the sands broke open. She was filled with worry suddenly, when the call for the candidates went out. Would this change anything? Would she be able to do her work properly? Hunt? Help her dragon?

Those questions were swept aside as the unsual eggs began to hatch. A lovely blue-ocean marked dragonet hatched first and paired off with a human male. Temih would feel better when the rest of the humans present had paired off and left her.

Normally she wouldn't feel so strongly against these folks - the riders at the Healing Den, as well as Ivo's discussions, had proven that most humans weren't like those near Planet Twenty. Yet, with the new life stirring in her womb, she did not want anything to go wrong. And of course, Human = Wrong.

A pair of eggs broke against one another, and the most beautiful coppery green male apologized to the brown before wandering off on his own. The brown paired off, to the sole dragon that waited beside the candidates.

Several of the eggs weren't going to hatch this day, that was obvious. But there were still a couple that were rolling about, and one of them broke up to reveal a beautiful mottled-brown-green female.

She nodded to her clutch brother on the sidelines, and Temih hoped that she wasn't going to go off and bond to him! Instead, the dragoness walked toward Temih and bespoke broadly to everyone.

Temih, Temih. We are powerful, you and I. We are strong and smart and capable. We are quality apart, and together we are improved. The dragoness whispered and Temih's heart soared.

"Kelssyroth," She said. I love you, you will keep me and my younglings safe, won't you.

We will both do that job well. I look forward to seeing your eggs!

With a smile, Temih led her away from the sands and into the other rooms where fresh meat was laid out. Temih's mouth watered as well as her dragon's!

When the days for learning how to fly on paper turned to actually learning how to fly upon her dragon's back, Temih's pregnancy was well on its way and in fact, made all of her instructors at Abri nervous.

"It's not typical to have a girl this pregnant on a dragon back, and not with an inexperienced dragon at that..." One of them commented.

"Kelssyroth won't let me get hurt," Temih assured them.

"We..." The weyrling master looked at his assistants. "We don't think it would be a good idea until you're done with... this," he indicated her belly, which was quite taut and swollen. Few of Temih's clothes fit, at this point. None of the human attendants at Abri could tell whether she was going to drop soon or not - in fact Temih didn't know.

"Please just put it off another month, and if you still want to fly then," the girl who was the main assistant in the flight area said, "we'll help you on her back."

Temih sighed deeply. But there was obviously nothing she could do. She wanted to fly, Kelssyroth wanted to fly with her. The young dragonet had grown into a good sized weyrling, though not nearly as large as the copper-gold male that hatched after she'd left the sands.

It will keep. They will hatch and we can fly then. Kelssyroth bespoke as Temih sadly dragged herself into their den. They watched as the other weyrlings got up on their dragons, and assisted by the flight instructors and other more experienced dragons, they flew for the first time together.

Kelssyroth could fly already, her wings were strong, but they didn't know if she was strong enough yet to hold Temih on her back too. And - Temih was carrying too precious cargo to ... Wait, what?

Temih approached the dappled earthy colored dragoness. "What did you say?"

I meant born. They will be born and then you can fly. Not hatched. Two legged things do not hatch. I keep forgetting. Sorry. Kelssyroth turned her narrow nose toward her rider, who seemed a bit startled. What is wrong? Did I say something wrong?

Temih stood straight and looked at her odd reflection in the tall mirror that was on the door to her den. She was hugely pregnant, she knew that. Her breasts hurt and were beginning to seep a bit, which was a good sign in general, but embarrassing when they'd do so at a social function.

But she hadn't known...

"Kelssy, you can detect something I guess I cannot," Temih said. "I used to be able to sense things better. I wonder if it's gone away completely now..."

No, I can detect two minds. Both are quite strong. And they are almost ready, so soon you will be able to ride me and we will learn the tricks in the sky like all my brothers!

Temih laughed. So intent on learning was Kelssyroth.

***

When the twins were born, Temih almost strained herself trying to keep the humans away from her cubs. But she was settled in enough that finally she could allow someone else to pick up the twins and help out with her duties.

Two females. Both had the same brilliant blue eyes - Ivo's eyes. One was rather more red in color than the other, her elder sister took more strongly after Ivo's deep brown coloration. Both had a sheen of pale grey fur down their back, but the darker sister had more of it, started at her head and went all the way down to her rump. They were both quite demanding, chirping like cheetah cubs would do for attention. They were the lovliest things Temih had ever seen.

They would be the salvation of her tribe, not just herself. She would not have to worry about the males going all wild over her every few months. Temih had a plan of action, too. She sent word to Ivo, about the birth, and that she would be holding back on going to Planet Twenty until later than originally intended.

By the time the twins were two years old, and Kelssyroth was just barely older, Temih announced that she was going back to the Healing Den, and would be found there for "a while."

Because outside of time, was exactly where she wanted to be. Baeris greeted the young cheetah-kin and her little fuzzy daughters with a broad grin.

"You've made a good decision. We've played host to others wanting to do this, before. I'm sure we'll do it again." Baeris assured her. "But you're still going to have to make yourself useful around here."

"What can I do? I've ... well, oh! My!" Temih's mental powers began to work suddenly, and Kelssyroth rumbled from the dragon aerie beyond. "Kelssy says that with my powers and her wings, we should be searching. Is that okay?"

"Is it okay," Baeris muttered with a serious look. She brightened a moment later, "of course it is. We don't have enough people looking high and low and we never will. You'll be more than welcome to fly about and find candidates. Bonders are going to be needed everywhere, so you're going to have to familiarize yourself with the nexus computers."

"I can do that. It's not hard, I remember it from last time I was here." Temih said.

She fit right in, especially when Tessrabia and Cynonix offered to help take care of the girls.

Mihve and Tovih were welcomed into the furry household with gusto. Tess and Cynonix's children were a bit older, at 8 and 10, but they were just as furry and held just as much responsibility at the Healing Den as anyone else. Tyssix and Xenrai did their best to keep the little girls healthy and active.

In four more 'years', while the girls grew up and their older cousins grew into fine young adults, (and Cyten, their newest brother, was born after that one rather odd flight) it seemed that the girls would grow very quickly. Ivo visited often enough so that they knew their true family heritage, but he only remained close so long as Temih wanted him there.

He knew that at least Mihve would be needing his assistance when she grew into her teen years: she of the long black and golden hair, with deep gold fur and dark spots... She would be a shapeshifter like Ivo. Tovih didn't seem so inclined, but did not seem to mind either, as she would regularly out-do her sister in other ways. Mostly, her ability to spot people and locate them, detect their emotions and all the same things that her mother could do at her age. Only, they didn't appear to be fading. If anything, they were getting stronger with every passing week.

And eventually, Temih and her daughters would return to the Plateau. Home - for the first time...