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And the room now smells of scorched fur. Hopian is unburnt, but his fur looks awful... and Tam still sleeps, even when puffed into a static ball of fluff...

Now Hopian looks hard at the white lion, who looks more like she is in a trance than asleep... and feels like kicking himself. He's seen astral walkers before and knows the signs well. Tam's body might be there, but Tam certainly is not.

A short time later he finds a soft white cub nosing his paws away. She stares at him, gives his nose a tentative lick then with a delicate huff, settles down to take her nap right under his chin, even to the point of squirming around a bit to work her way up there. The other cub is still asleep, snuggled up to her oh so fluffy mommy. Hopian blinks and checks his field. Yep it's still up and going strong. He grows indignant and angry, but it's hard to stay mad at a tiny purring ball of white fur, when it has taken up residence up against his throat. Nevertheless it is troubling. How in the heck did she get through his barrier?

Tam is flying swiftly towards his adopted son's location. It was a risk, leaving Hopian alone, as angry as he was, with only his cubs as company, but he was not going to allow the gemchild to endanger himself further than was absolutely necessary. Trouble was, he had only the crystal to go on as to where Kerobian was.

Tam simply closes his eyes and begins to sing... pouring all his love into his song. It is said that music can soothed the savage beast. He has yet to try it, but he will do his best to bring sanity back to his beloved son.

Tam settles down next to him and gathers him close in his ghostly embrace. "Shhh... little one, time to go home... shall we see how everyone is doing back at the office, hmmm. Come along...." and he teleports them both back to Kerobian's office, so he can check up on Rhea and her children.

Tam kneels down beside her and gently takes the poor limp body from her arms. This is something he can do and has, though very very rarely. He cradles him close and sings a lament, an entreaty to the All Father, begging him to relent and send this one poor soul back from which it was sent. He doesn't know how long he is standing there, singing his heart out, pouring his love and adoration into his music, crying twin rivers of silver tears which rain down gently on the child's face, when......

He kneels once again by Rhea and tries to instill her th a touch of loving acceptance.

"I am so very very sorry, child of living laughter.... I... I tried... I can do but one more thing... It... it won't bring him back, but I can guide him to my home... and he can take his place as one of us... but only if... if you agree to set him so free."

Tam sighs and reaching out, pulls Kero close. "Little one... he's gone... his soul has already gone on... If you give this body life... it will only be an animated lump of flesh... a zombie, if you will... incapable of thinking for itself. Is that what you four want?" He asks looking each in the eyes. "For if ye do, realize this... ye will be condemning your loved one to oblivion... his soul will find no peace... no place of rest. At best, it will simply dissipate... at worse it will become a ravaging spirit. Rhea, ye know this. This is the realm in which ye work...

"I... I will try once more... perhaps my entreaty was not strong enough, but I can promise ye nothing..."

And again he sings, his song beautiful, wild, and all consuming. He places the body on the floor before him and lifts his arms to the all high, pouring himself into the song, offering himself in exchange for one small soul.