Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tam sighs. "That is something else we need to talk about, princess. You do realize Puss is not a toy, don't you. He's a lot like you... only smaller. If someone held you like you were holding him, how would ye like it?"

"I know... tell ye what.. yer going to have a baby brother or sister soon... and they will be soft and cuddly too... and very very squirmy. Why don't ye practice being gentle and careful with him. Pretend he's the baby... how would that work. Babies are very fragile... you don't want to hurt it right?

"Tell ye what... I'll make ye one when we get back today... I'm pretty good with a needle and thread. I fixed Kero's like it was almost new when it got damaged. I think I could do even better if I'm making one from scratch. What kind of animal do you like best? Bears? Unicorns? or Dragons?"

Tam chuckles softly. "A snake it is, then... only we better make it have wings or something or yer daddy is going to have my neck... after today, I don't think he wants to see another one for a long time. You really really scared him, kiddo. No kidding... he told me so."

Tam smiles fondly at her. "But you did frighten him very very much, princess. Truly you did. He saw your paw start to go into that nest and was afraid he couldn't save you in time. He loves you so much. How do you think he'd feel if you died, hmmm?"

"Love is a funny thing, princess. Ye give it away and it comes back to ye a hundred fold. Ye hold it in tight and try to keep it to yerself and it dies. Your daddy knows all about this, trust me.. and he'll have plenty of love... for you and for the baby... mommy will, too. She'll be tired and busy at first. Babies come out tiny and small... and they need a lot of care. But iffin ye help her, ye soon see she'll have time soon enough for the both of ye, time enough to spend some of it with just you upon occasion. And those times will be some of the best times of yer life... wait and see."

Tam rubs her head and pushes himself erect. "Well, you need to finish yer time out and I need to pack up our gear. " He puts on a dramatic pout, sticks his hands into his pockets and shrugs heavily. Then he laughs and winks at her. "So, since we both have things to do, we better get doing them, huh? Think about it princess. You jumping on mommy's tummy could have hurt her and the baby very much. Fortunately I don't think you did. But instead of demanding stuff why not work to help make it happen. Help them out instead, hmmm. Mommy will be happier, Daddy will be happier... and believe it or not... you'll be happier, too. Like I said, Salunia... love that is given away grows bigger than you can ever imagine. I should know... it's my element..." Then he walks away whistling a lilting birdlike tune.

He has her roll up the bed rolls while he takes down the tent. Kero is fixing lunch, so packing up the foodstuffs will be the last thing they do. While he works, Tam sings a silly catchy ditty about an old farm wife who had so much work she didn't know how she could remember it all, until she began to sing the chores as a merry list. By the time he is done he has Salunia singing along with him.

"Lauwndwy, chwikens... steww on thew stoff... bwead in ta owen... oh wha shawl I doooo."