Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tam hears him moving around and smiles to himself. He really didn't want to nag Kero about this and was grateful the cat had chosen to obey. He leans down and corrects Salunia's tracings in the wax board.

"No princess, if you keep crossing in that direction, the flow of your writing will be broken. See how easy it is when you do it this way?"

Salunia bobs her head tentatively and sighs. "Wighting is vewy hawrd, Uncwel Tam."

"But once you know how you won't forget it... and it gets easier and easier each time you do it." says Tam rubbing her ears.

Tam flicks out a tendril of thought and grins. He has no doubt Kero has been waiting for this visitor and had started practicing because he knew he was near. He opens the door and smiles fondly.....

"Corby! Come in. Kero told me you were up at the temple. Please... take a seat... I'll call him down..."

Tam shows the small neko in and apologizes, going over to tend to Salunia's paw. "Here, princess... let me get that washed off. Come in to the kitchen...." He goes off leaving the neko sitting by the door, a little stunned and overwhelmed.

Corby sulks on the chair. He's not sure what he had thought his reunion with Talesian would be like, but it most certainly wasn't this.

Tam smiles and gives her a hug, keeping an ear on the other room, trying to figure out how Kero is going to handle this one.

He finds a piece of silk and makes an elegant bandage for Salunia and tells her he has something that will make it feel much better. Then standing on a stool, he reaches up into a cupboard and pulls down a rich golden colored snake . It has a silvery flannel stomach and a gold velvet back with emerald green eyes and two tiny russet gold wings. As Salunia oos and ahs over the snake, Tam produces another snake, this one is all flannel with blue eyes.

"That one is for you..." he says pointing to the one in her paws. "This one is for the new baby... If your daddy objects. Tell him it's good training... someday you will be one of the best snake hunters there is."

"Actually Kero will be ungrounded before the baby gets here, but it won't be long, sweetling. Lion babies don't take as long as human babies take to be born."

****

Meanwhile Corby drags out his pipe reluctantly, unsure what Kero is getting at and tries to follow the lion as he works the scales.

At first Corby's playing is leaden and dry. It is accurate but has no feeling, then slowly as Kero begins to challenge him, he rises to the occasion. He really isn't a bad musician. He simply isn't in the same league. Finally as Kero out strips in him abiity, he does what Corby has always done best, improvise. He begins to play a simpler descant to Kero's melody. The harmony of the music is delightful to Tam's ears, but he doesn't re-enter the living room until Kero has called the testing to a halt.

The neko lowers his pipe, breathing heavily, his eyes bright and more alive than they have been since his arrival. "Well and a day, ye've improved some, Kero. I would not have believed it, had I not heard it for myself."

Tam decides that now is the time to make an appearance. "He's not my equal.... yet. But he's getting there. You, on the other hand, are sorely out of practice, cat man. I realize it must have been hard picking it back up after Chrystal... but...."

"But nothing..." snarls Corby savagely. "I couldn't save her, Tam... all the magic in the world at me finger tips and I couldn't lift even one to help her out." The neko shoves his pipe into his robe and sits there dejectedly.

Tam walks over to him and gives him a hug. "Kero... who don't you go practice some more. Corby and I need to talk a bit, okay?"