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Chapter 19. Natural Beauty

The warm afternoon rain endured for more than an hour before trailing off to a light drizzle, accompanied by the strong scent of wet vegetation on a rainy day. The dark overcast lightened but never revealed any more than a peeking glimpse of the blue sky above for the next few hours that the testing required. Sarah's rain-soaked skin had long since dried while Storm's fur remained moist, unable to dry quickly in the humid air.

"Do you require any further adjustments to study?" Storm asked.

"Nope..." Sarah replied with a pause as she scribed her last few remaining thoughts onto her screen of notes. "I have all I need to understand how this thing works. I mean, I don't know why certain things make the wormhole behave in different ways...that would take years of studying the forces and physics behind it...I just understand how to operate the thing." Sarah realized how much she was stumbling over her thoughts and recognized the signs of her fatigue. "How about you? Do you need anything else?"

"No, I believe we have all the necessary data recorded," he responded. "I will review it again before shutting down the system."

"That sounds good," said Sarah. "I just had a thought...I've been here all day and haven't done anything with my body back home. Once I thought about it I suddenly had the feeling to go to the bathroom, so I guess I regained awareness of what my natural body is feeling. While you look over the data, I'm going to transfer back and take care of things, alright?"

"Yes, that is a very good idea," said Storm. "I also forgot to ask you about that when we returned to continue testing earlier today. I will be here when you return."

"Ok, sounds good," said Sarah as she sat down on the surface of the roof and leaned against the control console for support. As soon as she could trigger her eyes to open back home, she transferred and was gone.

"Bathroom?" Storm wondered aloud.

Sarah's eyes opened to a dark room with only the nearby streetlight streaming past the open drapes of the bedroom window to light the room. She laid there for several seconds to regain her senses, then reached over to find her glasses on the nightstand. With clear vision restored she was then able to see the time glowing on the clock.

"Almost ten? Holy crap, it's been a long day!" Sarah said to herself. When she pushed against the bed to sit up her body flexed and compressed things, reminding her of why she returned. "Oh man, I have to pee," she continued to say to herself. After getting up onto her feet she noticed how stiff her body felt after laying motionless in bed for so many hours. She shuffled to the bathroom as quickly as she could, turned on the light, and took care of all her necessary activities with much relief.

Afterwards, Sarah got the shower flowing, keeping the temperature similar to the mild cool rain she'd experienced earlier in the Arfuran day. The thoughts of Storm, the Arfurans, and the defense project endlessly paraded through her mind as she quickly bathed, dried off, and headed for the kitchen. Every time her mind brought up the image of any Arfuran she smiled; images of Storm made her smile the most. In the kitchen Sarah prepared a simple meal of fruit, canned soup, and a large glass of milk. While the soup heated on the stove she brought the other items to hear living room and set them next to the couch, then returned to the kitchen to retrieve the last item.

As Sarah ate her late dinner on the couch she pulled her notes off the coffee table where she'd left them the previous day. She held them close to look over them in the light of the lamp, and shook her head slightly. "I can't believe this works," she said while she read over her newly completed theory. "But it works...the numbers work, the formula works, the cylinder works..."

Sarah softly laughed while she ate and read the pages, showing more reserve than she did when she completed it. She took a sip from her milk glass, set it down, and grabbed the pencil she spied on the table. As she continued eating she used her free hand to draw more pictures of anthropomorphic animal people in the empty spaces on the paper, trying her best to make portraits of Storm and her other Arfuran friends. Not wanting to take an excessive amount of time she finished her dinner, returned the notes to the coffee table, and delivered her dishes to the kitchen sink. A quick rinse was all she felt she had time for, followed by a run to the bathroom to brush her teeth for the night.

When Sarah returned to the living room to turn off the light she decided to lay on the couch for the night, thinking it was best to change her position for the long times she was away. The streetlight outside was all the light provided to her for adjusting her pillow and arranging herself on the couch. Sarah's bare skin sensed the house was cooler than it was earlier that day, so she pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself before setting her glasses on the end table, resting her head back on the pillow, and closing her eyes.

The bright late afternoon of the Arfuran day was a strong contrast to the dark room Sarah had just left. Sarah looked forward for a moment before looking to her side, then looked up at Storm to see his face staring intently at the screens of data. "I'm back now, Stormy," she said with a smile. Her sudden presence snapped Storm out of his sharp focus with a slight startle.

"Hello again," he said as quickly as he could after awakening his awareness to the world outside the projected screen. "I am glad you have returned. The reading of this data...I believe it was beginning to impair my brain because I think I could smell the numbers."

Sarah laughed as she got up from her sitting position and stood next to him. "I'd help if I could but I can't read your language yet," she said. "Does everything look good?"

"Yes," Storm replied. "I am finishing now and all the data looks clear. No anomalies."

"That's good," said Sarah. "Now what?"

Storm responded, "The next step is to shut down the units here and inform the other four the data is ready. They will correlate the data from the sensors with the adjustments we made to understand the effects from the variables. They are all highly skilled at programming these control systems. They will create an interface for us to use that is far easier and faster than our current controls. We can continue testing tomorrow."

"What's left to test?" asked Sarah.

"We will test the interface they create for any necessary adjustments," he replied, "and we must test the dimension vein with a higher energy output from the light weapon."

"Ok, good idea," said Sarah. "We wouldn't want the increased power to cause the exit of the wormhole to appear in the planet's core and make it blow up."

"No, that would not be beneficial," replied Storm.

With the systems all shut down they grabbed the wooden fruit container and headed for the stairwell, the roof lit by the setting star glowing behind the blanket of clouds. "I didn't realize how long the day has been," said Sarah. "At home it's late at night now."

Storm replied, "I did not notice the day to be any different than usual because I am accustomed to it. We will likely return to the outpost fleet before you become accustomed to it as well."

The third floor of the building was where the pair finally found some members of their earlier team. Sarah smiled when she saw Camash and Russaf curled up together in a large padded chair, sound asleep next to the balcony of the atrium. "Awwwww...they look so sweet," Sarah whispered to Storm with a continued smile. "Should we wake them up?"

"We will have to wake them," replied Storm. "I do not know if Safan or Bolgaras are still here in the facility. I do not wish to wake them but it is the best option."

Storm quietly padded over to the sleeping pair and gently began to scritch the top of Camash's head, who was most easily accessible for waking. "Camash, this is Storm," he said softly in the thin rodent ear. "Please awaken." Camash stirred slightly but did not wake up, so Storm nuzzled into his cheek and tried again. "Camash..."

Camash slowly opened his eyes and looked toward Storm and Sarah. "Hello, Storm...hello, Sarah," he said with a sleepy smile. "What may I do for you?" Russaf remained fast asleep, unaffected by the wakeup call except for twitching an ear.

"We are finished with our testing," said Storm. "All the data has been collected and is ready for you all to make the interface. We will return tomorrow to continue testing it."

"Thank you for the information, Storm," Camash responded. "We are resting so we may work on the interface tonight." He then looked around and said, "I do not know where Bolgaras and Safan are...perhaps resting somewhere else. We should be ready after another half tar of sleep."

"That sounds very good. Rest well," said Storm. He gave Camash another nuzzle with a lick, gently nuzzled Russaf's fur, then stood upright next to Sarah to leave. As Camash put his head back down to go back to sleep, Sarah reached over to scritch his head and scritch Russaf's back before leaving.

Storm and Sarah casually walked down the different levels and out of the research facility. Sarah felt accomplished about the work they'd done while Storm felt no different than he did any other day due to his sense of duty and necessity to the defense project. For him, it was just another work day. While they walked down the moist sandy path toward his home, Sarah took his hand in hers as she walked alongside him. Storm took notice and looked down at the shared handhold.

"Is it customary in your world to grasp the hand of someone you walk with?" Storm asked.

Sarah glanced down toward their hands before looking back up at his vulpine face. "No, not really," she replied. "I mean, some do. I guess I did because it...feels comforting."

"It feels comforting to me as well," Storm said with a smile.

As the overcast afternoon sky began to darken with the approaching evening it cast a dim glow on the forest that was darker than they experienced earlier in the day. The travel was mostly quiet; Sarah didn't know what to say and couldn't think of anything to talk about. She'd been feeling self conscious about being a nuisance with all her questions and decided to silently enjoy the walk back to Storm's den. With the full light of the day she was much more able to see the forest scenery she had walked past that morning. Sarah felt like the walk went more quickly than it did in the morning and before she knew it they were within view of Storm's den.

"If we follow this path we will find different things to eat," said Storm, motioning toward another path that branched off the main one.

"Oh, I hadn't noticed that path before," said Sarah. "Lead the way."

A few hundred feet down the trail the pair passed the end of a stand of trees and arrived at an area filled with hundreds of short bushes containing countless small berries with a bright greenish-yellow color. Standing over them were trees, taller than the bushes but short compared to the rest of the forest, with branches filled with another type of fruit that was unfamiliar to Sarah. Storm held the handmade wooden basin while reaching up to pick fruits from the trees. Sarah picked berries from the bushes and filled the basin with them as quickly as she could, stripping the plentiful berries from among the leaves.

"Please take some of the leaves as well," Storm requested. "They have a pleasant flavor and are strong in nutrients." Sarah nodded and began stripping leaves from the branches, then stopped to taste some of them along with some of the berries. She found the berries to have a very unusual flavor combined with both sweet and tart, and found the leaves to be sweet and taste very good. After sampling she turned her attention back to the bushes to continue her harvest. With her attention diverted, she didn't notice Storm's ears swivel toward the path at the sound of someone approaching.

"Storm!" two voices called simultaneously. Sarah turned her head as quickly as Storm's ears swiveled to find the source of the calling. Cresting the top of a short hill up the path was a couple of Arfurans with smiling faces and wagging tails. They increased the pace of their stride to catch up to the harvesting pair.

"We heard you were home but thought you would be at the research facility all day," said the male half of the couple. "It is wonderful we are able to see you so soon!" As they approached Sarah could see the male resembled a coyote with fur the color of sand, and his mate was a female wolf with white fur that was brighter than the freshest snow. Glancing slightly lower she noticed the male was cradling a small pup in his arms.

"Dalo! Serana!" exclaimed Storm. "I am very happy to see you both!"

Serana bounded toward Storm first with arms open wide. "We are very happy to see you again, Storm," she said as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her nose into his neck fur. "When we heard you were home we both talked about how much we have been missing you."

Storm hugged her tightly and shared nuzzles and licks. Releasing her from the embrace Storm then approached Dalo more slowly, not wanting to squeeze against the small puppy in his arms. Stretching his arm around Dalo's back he said, "I have been missing you both as well. Who is this small one?"

Dalo looked up with the beaming pride of a new father. "This is our son. He was born thirty-two days ago."

Storm's wide smile and soft eyes looked down at the young pup who was slowly looking around at his surroundings. Sarah slowly stepped closer and gasped at the immense cuteness of the baby pup. Storm remembered his friend standing there and looked up at her. "This is my friend Sarah. She is here to help with our defense project. Sarah, these are my very good friends Serana and Dalo."

"It's lovely to meet you all," said Sarah with a smile, glancing between the baby and his parents. "Oh, how cute..."

"It is lovely for us to meet you as well," said Serana as she approached Sarah to greet her. Sarah enjoyed sharing the hug because Serana's fur was so thick and soft. Just before their hug parted Serana licked Sarah on her cheek; Sarah giggled and kissed Serana's cheek in return.

Sarah then stepped closer to Dalo and gently put an arm around his back to greet him with a half hug as Storm did, being cautious of the pup in his arms. Dalo extended his left arm around Sarah as well while still cradling the pup in his right. Sarah could not take her eyes off the tiny furry creature in his arms. "How cute...he's so handsome," said Sarah with a smile, looking up at Dalo and back down at the pup.

Without a word Dalo took his arm from around Sarah's shoulder, cradled it under the pup for extra support, and turned toward Sarah. She was speechless with surprise as he held the pup out, lifting him up into her arms. Without hesitation Sarah put her arms under the young one, breathlessly taking him into her arms. Sarah was overwhelmed at the immediate trust shown toward her, that they would give their new baby to a being from another planet to hold without any reservations.

Sarah's gaze never left the face of the pup in her arms, her smile growing. Once he was comfortably positioned in her arms she pulled one from underneath him and started to gently rub his tummy. As his tiny arms and legs began to wiggle about from enjoyment of her loving touch she giggled and smiled even harder.

"What's his name?" she asked as she looked up at Serana and Dalo.

"His name is Moka," replied Serana.

"Moka," she said, her voice trailing off as she looked back down at the infant pup in her arms. "What a beautiful name..." After a few more moments of gazing at Moka she looked back up at his parents. "He's absolutely adorable!" she said with squinting eyes and a smile pulled as wide as possible in happiness.

Dalo and Serana proudly put their arms around each other as they stood side by side. Storm stepped up next to Sarah to look back down at the pup, a large smile still on his muzzle. "I did not know you were preparing to give birth," he said as he looked back up at his friends.

"We did not know until long after you left for the outpost fleet," said Dalo. "Do you remember the day you were invited to join us but could not attend because of how quickly you were required to depart?"

Storm nodded his acknowledgement. Dalo continued, "That evening...we became pregnant with Moka." Dalo paused, analyzed his thoughts, and corrected himself. "I mean, Serana became pregnant with Moka. I merely helped."

Sarah was still overwhelmed with adoration and happiness as she held Moka in her arms. Instead of listening to the conversation of her friends catching up on details of their lives she could do nothing more than look at and listen to the small pup in her arms. Most of his body had the same sandy colored fur as his father, but his face had the snow white fur of his mother which continued down his chest and belly. His deep aqua colored eyes reflected the dark green eyes of his father and the ice blue eyes of his mother. His silent presence was occasionally interrupted by soft yipping sounds and other quiet vocalizations.

"My home looks different," Storm said to his friends. "Do you know what happened to it?"

"Yes," replied Serana, "we had to rebuild it. A little more than sixty days ago there was a very strong storm. A large limb of the tree next to your home broke off and fell down. The impact collapsed the top of your home. Dalo and several others removed it and rebuilt the roof."

"We cleaned your things to the best of our ability," added Dalo. "The dirt of the roof got into everything. Serana was so close to the end of her pregnancy we did not want her to harm herself, so she most lovingly brought food and drink for the rest of us so we would not have to stop working as often." With the end of his sentence he leaned over and very affectionately nuzzled and licked Serana where her neck met her jawbone.

Storm smiled most happily at the news from his generous friends. "Thank you so very much, my friends. You have done so much for me...I can not do enough to show my gratitude." He then stepped over to the couple and wrapped his arms around their necks to pull them close for another hug, nuzzling and licking both of them several times.

Sarah stood there enchanted by the small pup in her arms. His tiny hands reached up to grasp at her hair that flowed down around her shoulders. She laughed softly and leaned down to go nose to nose with his small muzzle, continuing to tickle his tummy. She remained oblivious to the conversation between Storm and his friends, discussing life on the outpost ships and life on the ground. A few minutes passed as Sarah entertained Moka, enjoying the cuteness of his canine feet with tiny claws sticking out of the toe fur and pads as pink and soft as anything she'd ever felt. While she held him he turned his head toward her and began to nuzzle and paw at her chest. Not being a mother it took her several seconds to realize what he was doing.

"Oh, my..." she said, looking down at him and then looking up to his parents. "It looks like the little guy is hungry. He must think it's dinner time." As she spoke she still could not wipe the smile of pure happiness from her face. Sarah stepped toward his smiling mother just as Serana stepped toward her, and they very gently slid him into Serana's arms.

Before Sarah even realized what was happening, Sarana held little Moka close to her breast and he began to suckle. Sarah was again speechless as she watched what she'd never personally seen done on Earth, performed before her without the mother so much as giving it the slightest thought. Serana gazed down lovingly at her pup for several seconds before looking up at Dalo and Storm to rejoin the conversation. Sarah glanced at the guys, seeing they took no real notice to the event occurring before them. She looked back at Serana and Moka, unable to take her eyes off the beautiful loving sight of mother with tiny pup.

"...and that is why there is more height between your floor and ceiling..." said Dalo with words that barely filtered in through Sarah's ears. She watched Serana and Moka for several minutes, trying her best to not rudely stare but captivated by the pristine beauty of the closeness they shared. While Serana talked with her mate and Storm, Moka gently drifted off to a contented sleep, still attached to her breast and happily full.

"...we were enjoying a walk after we had eaten our meal and did not expect to find you," said Serana with words that snapped Sarah out of her trance. "We thought Moka would enjoy the forest as well...he is asleep...he will not see any of it now," she said as she looked down at her young one, never pulling him away from her. Dalo stepped to Serana's side with an arm around her shoulders and his free hand gently stroking his son's head. Storm stepped closer, reaching up to rub Moka's tiny feet with an equally gentle motion.

"We will have to continue our walk tomorrow," said Dalo. "Perhaps we may find a soft spot to lay down for a while before returning home. It appears Moka is ready for sleep. Storm, it has been wonderful to see you again, and Sarah, it has been lovely to meet you."

"Yes, it has been wonderful and we hope to see you again before you leave for the outpost," said Serana with a quiet voice to avoid disturbing Moka. "I have enjoyed meeting you as well, Sarah."

Storm replied, "It is wonderful to see you all. I also hope we may visit again before we leave."

Sarah shook her attention back into awareness to respond. "It's been lovely to meet you all as well," she said with a most happy smile. She then stepped closer to the three, sharing a hug and cheek kiss with Dalo, a gentle hug with cheek kiss with Serana, and leaning over to give Moka a soft kiss to the top of his head. The tiny pup twitched his whiskers but remained fast asleep.

Storm shared hugs, nuzzles, and licks with his friends before they turned to depart in the direction they approached from. "They are some of my closest and most wonderful friends," said Storm as he picked up the basin full of fruit. "I do hope we...Sarah?" When he looked toward Sarah he noticed she was standing in the middle of the path, motionless, silently watching her new friends disappear up and over the small nearby hill. Storm padded up next to her and saw she had tears streaming down her face. "Sarah, what has upset you? Why are you crying?" he asked.

"That...was the most beautiful thing...I have ever seen in my life...all three of them," she replied, choking words out through hear tears. "That mother and her pup...as natural as could be, sharing something so...beautiful..." Sarah covered her mouth with her hand and cried harder with closed eyes. Storm set down the basin, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close. As they hugged her tears soaked into his fur but he paid no attention to it. After several seconds of a warm embrace Sarah held her head back to look up at Storm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react like this. These are tears of happiness, and..."

Storm pulled her close to him again, effectively silencing her apology. "I understand," he said. "I understand completely."

Chapter 20. Starry Starry Night

Sarah and Storm returned to his home shortly after departing from their friends. Sarah felt much closer to Storm because of the compassion he'd shown her, a feeling she remained silent about. On entering they could see how dark the unlit den was, prompting Storm to fire up the lamp. Sarah could partially see what he was doing as he took the protective cover off, fired a bright spark to light the flame, and placed the cover back on the lamp.

"What is that thing?" Sarah asked as she set the wooden fruit basin on the table.

"This is an arc igniter," he replied, holding up the small unit in his hand. "It uses a strong pulse of electron energy to start fires. If we already had a fire going I would use that instead."

"Interesting," she said, "but I thought you never used technology for convenience when your body is capable."

Storm answered, "It is not that we never use it. We just use it very rarely. I could start a fire by hand but it would take quite a while, and there is more to do to prepare our meal."

"Ok, I understand," said Sarah. "You wouldn't want to start a fire just so you can light your lamp, right?"

"Yes, you are correct," Storm replied.

"I was also wondering, why do you use a flame lamp like this instead of an energy light of some sort?" she asked.

"It is because there is energy all around us from different sources," said Storm. "The creatures we take from the river for food have certain organs that contain very much oil. Some plants also have much oil. Both can be purified to fuel this lamp. We feel that is preferable to wasting it." He paused momentarily before continuing to say, "As I mention those creatures in the river I am reminded I must catch some for our meal."

As Storm headed for the door Sarah asked, "How do you catch them?"

He stopped briefly to reply, "I must be faster than them." Storm then continued up the ramp to the trail beside the river with Sarah following close behind. He stepped down into the water and slowly waded out until the depth was halfway up his thighs. Sarah sat down on a rock at the riverbank to watch. Storm positioned himself so the light, shadow, and reflection was most beneficial to his vision into the water. He leaned over close to the water, lowered his hands into the water just below the surface, and waited.

Sarah watched him closely as he stood as still as a statue but with careful eyes scanning the water for movement. After a couple of minutes Sarah wanted to ask how long it usually takes, but she remained silent for the hunt. Her question was soon answered as Storm thrust his arms down into the water with lightning speed. Gently he stood up and pulled a strange fishlike creature from the water, wiggling about in a failing attempt to get free. With the determined face and remorseful eyes of someone who must complete an unpleasant but necessary task, Storm wrapped his fingertips around the creature with a claw positioned on either side of the head and squeezed firmly until his claws popped through and punctured its brain. Instantly the creature was dead with minimal suffering.

Storm waded back to the shore to place the fish creature on the ground, then waded back to his previous position to resume the hunt. While they waited Sarah looked down at the motionless creature. It had an overall body similar to an Earth fish but had patches of thin tentacles instead of fins, and the skin was a smooth glossy black instead of scaled. Flaps that appeared to be a sort of gills encircled the head behind a circular mouth.

The sound of a splash alerted Sarah to the fact that Storm had caught something else. When she looked back at him he stood up from the water with a different creature in his hands, killed with the same speed and precision as the first. As he waded to the shore Sarah could see that creature had a dark green appearance but she could not study much of the other details. Storm picked up the first catch from the ground, splashed it in the water to rinse off the dirt it picked up, then stepped out of the river with both in his hands.

"Hmmm...I wanted to keep that dry," he said, looking back at his tail. Sarah glanced at his tail, giggling when she saw how matted down his dripping fur was. With a blur of speed Storm shook his lower half and whipped his tail, flinging water and fluffing the wet fur out to dry. Sarah had to laugh as she was splattered with the flying water.

As they headed for the den Sarah asked, "You cook those to eat, right?"

Storm replied, "I do sometimes. Would you prefer them to be cooked?"

"Yes, I think I would," Sarah said, feeling somewhat disgusted at the thought of alien sushi.

"Very well. I will prepare them," said Storm.

"What do you call them?" asked Sarah. "I mean, on my planet we call such creatures 'fish' in general, but each species has its own name."

"This is a gurtand, and this is a jamapnes," he replied, holding up the black and then the green fish. "Our generalized word for such water creatures is telvakee."

"Interesting," said Sarah. "Too bad I won't be here long enough to learn your language."

Storm thought for a moment and said, "Yes, but if you did learn our language it would not serve very much purpose when you are back home."

"True," said Sarah.

In the den, Storm laid the fresh catch on the table, hung the lamp from a hook in the ceiling and adjusted the flame brighter to fill the room with light. He then went over to the fireplace in the wall and started to add kindling and some small pieces of wood to build a fire. As he worked Sarah began to pull the larger pieces of fruit out from the large wooden bowl and place them on the table. Storm stepped up next to her with a small stick and inserted it through a gap in the lamp's cover to light it.

"Do you have a knife and a smaller bowl I could use?" Sarah asked.

"Yes I do," Storm responded. "I will retrieve them for you after I start the fire." He then took his burning stick over to the fireplace and carefully lit the kindling at the bottom of the pile. Once it began to burn on its own he tossed the stick in with the rest and turned to the cabinet next to the fireplace. He pulled a medium sized bowl out from underneath the work surface and took a knife from an upper shelf. Placing them next to Sarah he asked, "What do you need these for?"

"You're going to prepare the fish...telvakee I mean...so the least I could do is prepare the fruit," she said. "Can I cut them on this table or do you have a cutting board I can use?"

"Alright," he responded. "I will be interested to see what you prepare. You may use the table. It is clean and you will not harm the surface."

Sarah began slicing up the fruit and placing the pieces in the bowl. She paused to taste a piece of the new fruit that was unfamiliar to her, enjoyed it, and continued with the rest of the fruit and berries. While she worked, Storm retrieved a shiny metal tray from the fireside cabinet and placed the telvakee on it to begin his preparations. Sarah kept glancing over at the strange creatures as he cut them up, unable to stop herself from thinking of eating alien creatures.

"What parts do you keep and what do you cut away?" she asked.

Storm replied, "We can not eat these external appendages or skin of the gurtand because they are for defense. The taste and stomach distress would make you greatly regret eating them. Most of the internal organs of both are removed because they contain body wastes or have toxins they filter from body fluids, and we collect those organs that have the oil to be used for lamp fuel. And we do not eat the heads out of custom...they contain the brain that held the consciousness of the creatures, so by respect for the life they had they are not eaten. They will be buried with the rest of the unused body parts in the ground so their nutrients will benefit the plants of the planet."

Sarah smiled. "That's a nice custom," she said. "People should respect their food."

Storm nodded. "Aside from those parts, the rest may be eaten, and they taste very good...to Arfurans they taste good. I do not know how you may enjoy them."

"I'm willing to give it a try," said Sarah. "Do you also have a utensil that's rough for grinding things?"

"Yes, I do," said Storm. "You are making me curious but I will wait to see your results." He went back to the cabinet and retrieved a rasp-like tool. "I use this in my wood shaping."

"That'll work just fine, said Sarah. While Storm placed the oily fish organs in another container, Sarah went up the ramp and out the door, soon returning with the pelonwa pit she left outside that morning. "I'm not sure how well this will work, so I'll test it first."

Storm set aside the unused telvakee parts, sliced the bodies in half on the tray, then carried the tray over to the fire. He slipped it into a sort of rack that was built into the sides of the fireplace opening and let it sit above the hot coals of the fire that had burnt down. While he watched them cook, Sarah used the rasp to shave the side of the pelonwa pit, sprinkling a dusting of powdered pit onto a piece of fruit in the bowl. First she got some of the powder on her finger, tasted it, and decided it was pretty good. She then tasted the fruit with the ground spice on it and found the two flavors went very well together. With eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise, she picked up the pit and rasp and continued to grind it down over the sliced fruit.

Storm glanced back at her briefly and asked, "What are you doing?"

Sarah set down the pit and rasp, picked up a piece of spice-dusted fruit from the bowl and stepped over to him. "Here, try this," she said, holding it up to his mouth. With no hesitation he opened up and gently took the piece from her fingers with his sharp teeth. Chewing slowly he analyzed the combined flavors.

"That is very good," he complimented. "How did you know to do that with the seed kernel?"

As she stepped back to the table Sarah replied, "My Dad was a really good cook. One of the things he taught me was to experiment with food and try new things, and to recognize the potential of something that seems unusable."

"I wonder if he would have enjoyed our food as you have been," Storm said.

"I can guarantee you, he would," Sarah replied.

Storm reached for another utensil from his cabinet, a flat piece he used as a spatula to turn the telvakee over. Soon it was done, and as hungry as he was he didn't hesitate to pick up the tray and carry it over to the low table in the middle of the room. He took the knife Sarah had been using from the taller table and accompanied her to the low table as she brought the fruit bowl. She had carefully mixed the fruit and berries to coat them all with the pelonwa spice and piled the leaves on once side for ease of picking them up. Storm sat with his back to the fire so the warmth would help dry out his fur. He sliced a piece of meat from each type of telvakee and slid them across the tray near Sarah.

"I am not sure if you will enjoy these. Here are some small pieces for you to try," he said.

Sarah picked up first one piece, gave it a sniff, and then proceeded to eat it. She then did the same with the second piece, enjoying it as she did the first. "They are both quite good," she said. "They taste a little bit like chicken, and while such a saying is a bit of a joke in my world, it's the truth. They're good."

"I do not know what 'chik in' tastes like," said Storm, "but I am glad you enjoy them."

Sarah and Storm took half of each type of telvakee and set the fruit bowl in between them for easy reach. Sarah used the knife to cut her pieces up into smaller chunks while Storm picked up entire halves to eat from. Each one alternated between bites of meat, pieces of fruit and berries, and bush leaves from the bowl, enjoying the way the foods complemented each other. Their dinner was mostly quiet with not much said as they ate. The silence became broken when a rustling sound began. After several seconds Sarah realized it wasn't the crackling of the fire, but drops of water.

"It sounds like it's raining again," she said.

Storm nodded his agreement and swallowed his food before speaking. "Yes, I agree." As they continued to eat Sarah noticed the sound became louder as the rain became quite heavy. Realizing they were sitting down essentially in a pit she quickly looked back toward the entrance. The rain was flowing down through the short grass on the ramp but disappeared into the pea gravel as soon as it hit the patch by the doorway.

"Oh, so that's what it's for," remarked Sarah. "That's a pretty smart feature you have there."

"Thank you. Yes," said Storm, "homes like this are very commonly built with a stone pit like that. Its depth is about equal to my height and allows the water to drain without coming in. There is a similar detail in the smoke channel for the fire opening."

Sarah glanced at the fire and saw dry walls within. "Good thinking," she said.

When they were finished eating Sarah glanced around and couldn't believe her oversight. "I'm sorry...I should have thought to get us something to drink."

"That is quite alright," said Storm. "We have the juice in the bowl, left from the fruit."

Sarah looked and saw there were about two inches of juice remaining in the bowl. "Hmmm...I didn't think of that," she said.

Storm picked the bowl up to his lips and tipped it back for a good hearty drink. When he finished about half of it he handed it to Sarah. Without hesitation she picked up the bowl and drank from it just the same. Before she finished it she offered the rest to Storm, and drank the rest after he took another large sip. After everything was done she set the bowl up on the table behind them and Storm picked up the tray with knife and set it on the table as well.

"We ate quite a bit," Sarah commented.

"Yes, I agree," said Storm, "but it may be preferable to waking up early before light because of being hungry. I will clean those items in the river at a later time. I do not want to go back out in the rain yet."

"Won't the cooking residue stick to the pan if you don't clean it quickly?" asked Sarah.

"No," said Storm. "It is made of a metal alloy that is very strong and has molecules that are charged in a way to repel things so they do not stick. It is commonly used for food devices."

"Ok, very cool," said Sarah. She paused a few seconds to lean over and lay on her side on the padded mossy seating with her arm propping up her head. She then asked, "So, what do you usually do in the evenings like this? How do you pass the time?"

Storm replied, "I do different things depending on how I feel. Sometimes I am away visiting friends or they come to visit me here. We play games, talk, or other things. If I am alone I will play a game, read texts from the information archive, or create pictures with thin colored pastes. I have also told you of my wood shaping interests, and there are times I will enjoy a long walk. Sometimes I go to sleep early if I am very tired."

"You're an artist too?" Sarah inquired with interest. "I'd love to see some of your paintings."

"I apologize but I do not have any here," said Storm. "All of my tools and current projects are back on the outpost vehicle. I use them to pass the time there during my rest periods. All of my other completed pictures I have given away to friends or family. It is a custom in addition to being a gift. If I want to see my previous pictures I must return to visit them."

"That's a nice custom," said Sarah. "Well, no painting...you don't want to go out in the rain again so a walk is out. Would you like to just talk some more?"

"Yes, I would enjoy that," Storm replied with a smile. "What would you like to discuss?"

"It doesn't matter to me," said Sarah with a soft smile. "I just like listening to you talk. I love the sound of your voice."

Storm returned his own bashful smile. "Thank you for the compliment," he said. At that moment a large native insect flew in the door and fluttered over near the fireplace. Storm followed the creature with his eyes and said, "You do not belong in here." He got up from his seat and slowly crept over to the fire where the insect had perched on the wall, then coiled back into a striking position.

"Oh, no...somebody took a wrong turn," Sarah said with some humor in her voice. As she watched Storm he paused motionlessly for a moment and then sprung his arms forward with incredible speed. Sarah thought he had smashed the bug but soon saw that his fingers were wrapped around it like a cage. He stood up to a normal position, walked up the ramp through the door, and released the insect with an upward tossing motion.

"You live out here, little one," Storm said before turning around to go back in to his seat. Sarah was awestruck at his compassionate act that didn't include bug smashing.

"So...can you tell me about the history of your people?" Sarah asked. "How old is your civilization?" She returned to silence to focus her attention on Storm's smooth voice.

"Several million years ago," Storm began, "our people were much more primitive than we are now. "Our bodies were smaller and so were our brains, so we did not know much beyond eating, sleeping, finding mates to reproduce, and surviving. Each variety of Arfuran gathered in their own groups of similar individuals. They were territorial and conflicts only arose when one kind traveled into the area of another. Very far back some groups hunted other groups to eat.

"Over time our bodies and brains grew, we became more intelligent, and different varieties began walking on two legs. With intelligence those who were hunted could avoid being caught, so only species that did not advance to such intelligence remained hunted for food. Plants have always been a food source as well. Many were still territorial but overall everybody lived peacefully. The increased intelligence allowed the development of more advanced languages, as I told you about previously. In more time all the varieties abandoned their territoriality and lived very peacefully together. They knew it was more important to help each other survive and grow rather than fight over something as insignificant as land. The only separation that continues today is between us and those Arfurans who live under the surface of the water. That separation is only because of the physical requirements and limitations of their bodies, and of ours. We are just as peaceful and respectful of each other as anyone who lives on land.

"The interaction of all varieties required a common language. That is how we came to speak the words we use today. With the peaceful living and interaction between the different varieties of Arfurans, mateships between pairs who were different became common. We began to advance our technology about 250,000 years ago, and the advancement of simpler tools began long before that. It was about fifty thousand years ago that we first began receiving attacks from the Kra. The need for advancement for defense caused a great increase in our technology."

Sarah broke from her enchanted silence to respond. "The same has often been true in our civilization. It's too bad that it takes wars and enemies to create such advancements."

Storm sat silent for a moment. "What are 'enemies'?"

"You don't have a word for 'enemy'?" Sarah replied with surprise. "It means an individual or group that hates another individual or group so much as to want to bring war, defeat, and death to them."

"We do not have such a word," said Storm. "We call them 'invaders,' because they are trying to invade our planet."

Sarah was amazed. "You have a very unique civilization that you've never needed to invent such a word." Storm nodded his agreement.

"I just realized," Sarah commented, "you nod your head when you mean 'yes' or agree, and shake your head when you mean 'no' or disagree. We do the exact same thing on my planet."

"That is very interesting," said Storm. "I do not know if it would be a common response by such advanced organisms as us, or if it is an amazing coincidence."

"Or maybe it was a behavior picked up from somebody from my planet who transferred here in the past," Sarah remarked. "It could have spread among your people to be a common action."

"That is another possibility," said Storm.

"I was wondering," Sarah began to say, "What kind of work do you usually do? I mean, before you joined your fleet to develop weapons, what was your job?"

"I believe I understand your question," Storm replied. "The tasks and projects I performed were those that involved designing and building things. I have created large structures similar to the research facility, and I have created very specialized scientific tools. I plan and figure how best to build the project to satisfy the requirements. It is the area of knowledge I have applied most of my learning and research into."

"Ok, I know what you mean," Sarah said. "On my planet such a person is called an 'engineer.' They don't usually cover such a wide variety of things to build, but the purpose of their job is the same."

Storm continued, "The ability to create solutions to problems and plan how to build things is why I was chosen for my tasks of creating weapons and planning strategies." He paused for a moment and asked in return, "What tasks do you perform with your knowledge?"

"I work in the research department at a university, a large learning facility," Sarah replied. "I perform research into various things from the physics of astronomical objects all the way down to the physics of atomic and subatomic particles. I also do research in the physics of energy. I thought it would be a good job but I don't like who I work for. I wanted to learn about the universe and study parts of physics that are only theoretical, but I don't enjoy it. Maybe I would enjoy it if I worked for someone else, or worked somewhere else.

A bit more time and pleasant conversation passed before Sarah realized the lack of noise. "Hey, I think it quit raining," she said.

Storm sat silently to listen before responding. "Yes, I believe you are right. Now I will be able to clean the food utensils."

"I'll help you with that," said Sarah. She then rolled over on her back, stretched for several seconds with her hands as far apart from her feet as she could reach, then sat up to stand. Storm got his feet under him to stand and included his own stretching action in the motion. He took the cooking tray and spatula from the table and Sarah grabbed the fruit bowl and knife. She followed him up the ramp, out to the trail and next to the river. The gentle trickling sound of the water flowing past the rocks accompanied the sound of the nocturnal insects singing their tunes. Sarah glanced around in the darkness and saw the flickering light of the glowing wings of insects that fluttered around the flowering plants.

"Wow...what are those?" asked Sarah.

"Those are small creatures like the one who flew in through the door a short time ago," said Storm. "Their wings create light to attract a mate. They are out to feed on the flowers."

"That's really pretty," remarked Sarah. "We also have insects that create light to attract mates, but it's not their wings that light up." She continued to observe the delightful night when she lifted her eyes upwards. "Oh my, look at that," Sarah exclaimed as she looked up at the sky. The clouds had cleared away to reveal a pitch black sky with bright pinpoints of stars and the moon Deskalth peeking through the trees overhead with rays of green moonlight. "What a gorgeous sky. You're lucky to not have city lights drowning out the stars with endless glow."

"Your cities are large enough to create such light at night?" Storm inquired.

"Yes. There are lights everywhere," Sarah replied. "The only way to see a night sky like this is to travel somewhere that is very far away from any city."

Their path was dimly lit by the lamp light emanating from the den as Storm stepped into the river. Sarah paused beside the riverbank. "The telvakee in the river don't bite, do they?"

"No. You will be perfectly safe," said Storm. "When they detect motion they swim away."

"Alright, good to know," said Sarah as she stepped down into the water next to him. The river presented flowing water that was cool at first, but Sarah's skin grew accustomed to the temperature quite easily. Storm set the tray back on the riverbank and reached to pluck a leaf from a plant growing next to the water. He held the plump leaf over the tray and squeezed it until the thick juice inside it burst out and squirted onto the surface. He then popped the flattened leaf into his mouth and ate it.

"Is that the plant you told me about with the cleansing juice in it? And you can eat it?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, it is," Storm replied, "and it tastes sweet."

"Wow, you really can eat anything here," Sarah replied with amazement. "Our soap tastes awful." She copied Storm's actions by taking a leaf, squeezing its contents into the bowl she held, and ate the empty leaf. "Hey, that is pretty good. I bet somebody lathering up with this stuff could pretty easily get licked by somebody else," she said jokingly.

"Yes, that does happen quite frequently," Storm replied in all seriousness.

"Oh, my," Sarah said with a bashful grin.

Storm rubbed the leaf juice around the surface of the pan, and then rubbed the excess off from his hand onto the spatula. Reaching down into the water he washed the spatula utensil, swished it around in the water to rinse, and set it up on a clean-looking rock. He then took the tray and did the same with it. Sarah quickly caught on to his methods and did the same with the leaf juice in her bowl, carefully washing the knife and then the bowl. With everything rinsed clean they stepped out of the water and returned to the den to put them away.

Momentarily, Storm reemerged from the den with the unused telvakee parts. Sarah followed closely behind him into the dark forest, observing with curiosity. Several yards away from his den Storm set the parts down and began to dig a shallow hole in the soft ground with a stick that was lying nearby. When the hole was a few inches deep he placed the parts in the bottom and recovered them in the dirt. Once he completed his task he returned to the river to rinse the dirt and telvakee residue from his hands. As he shook the water from his furry fingers he returned to the inside of his den with Sarah close behind.

"Storm, I don't know if this is something you'd like to do," Sarah said, "but would you like to go outside to look up at the stars some more? If we can find some high ground, I mean."

Storm smiled. "Yes, I would like to do that very much. I love the sight of the stars and there is a hill nearby that is very beneficial for viewing." With that decision Storm placed another small log on the fire, reached to turn down the lamp flame and blow it out, then turned for the door. Sarah followed and once they got up to the trail outside she took hold of his hand again.

"I can't see in the dark as well as you can," Sarah said. "The moonlight helps but it's still a bit dark for me."

Sarah couldn't see his smile but could hear it in his voice. "That is fine," he said. He turned and began leading her down the path in the direction opposite the research facility and landing site trail, following the flow of the river. Sarah happily walked along with Storm, finding the trail to be smooth like the others and easier to walk in the dark due to its flatness. The dark trail was intermittently spotted with moonlight that had broken through the trees overhead to reach the ground. Several minutes of walking passed before Sarah heard a rushing noise.

"What's that sound?" she asked.

"That is a waterfall. I do not know if you have an equivalent word," said Storm. "Ahead the river flows over some rocks and drops down, a height about twice that of mine."

"Our words are equivalent because I heard it translate perfectly," replied Sarah. "We have waterfalls too, from small ones to very large and very tall."

"We will not be going that far because our turn is here," said Storm as he turned to lead Sarah down a side trail. She followed, still feeling excited from all she was experiencing. A few more minutes of walking passed before they turned down a smaller side trail and began to walk uphill. "This is the hill I told you about. It is not far to the top," Storm reassured her. "The trees at the top were laid flat by the winds of a strong storm several years ago and it has been a clearing ever since."

The slope of the path became steep in some places but Sarah had no troubles keeping pace with Storm. She could see ahead that the trees were beginning to thin out and become shorter, and beyond them the low bushes thinned out to nothing. Passing the last few low bushes Sarah could feel that the ground under her feet transitioned from dirt into grass, making the walking much softer on her feet. She kept her eyes to the ground to avoid stumbling in the dim light even though the moonlight aided her walk. As soon as the upper periphery of her eyes indicated to Sarah that she was nearing the top, she looked up into the sky.

Stars. There were more stars in the sky than she could imagine, shining brightly against the black void of space and accompanied by a few easily visible galaxies. Down below she could see the faint glow and silhouettes of the trees under the moonlight. Sarah looked around and saw that not only was Deskalth overhead, but Bletisl was above the horizon, glowing brightly in a near full state. The breathtaking view left Sarah with little more than a gasp to part her lips. Speechless, she placed her arm around Storm so they may sink to the ground and view the night.

"I hope you find this as beautiful as I do," Storm whispered. "This is one of my favorite places to be at night."

Sarah nodded quietly. "I do, very much so...it's exquisite." She paused briefly to look around a bit more. "I have never been someplace where I could see two moons at once, or see galaxies so clearly without a telescope."

With his arm around her back and hand on her shoulder, Storm leaned back with Sarah to lie in the grass and look up. Several silent minutes of stargazing passed, interrupted only by the soft sound of the warm breeze in the air. Sarah didn't want to speak and possibly spoil the tranquility of the scene. With Storm's arm under her neck she snuggled against his fur with her head on his shoulder.

"Are you asleep?" Sarah quietly asked after several more minutes of silent viewing.

"No," Storm replied. "I would not want to fall asleep and miss this."

"Neither would I," said Sarah. "Do you have constellations? You know, using groups of stars in the sky to make a sort of picture that you can recognize?"

"Yes we do," replied Storm, "but there are many more than I can remember."

"Where is that nebula we could see from the transfer room on the ship?" Sarah asked.

"That is not visible this time of the year," said Storm. "It will not be visible at night until Arfurah has orbited to the other side of Kothalos. We are able to see your galaxy instead. It is there." As he spoke he raised his pointing hand to the sky.

"I thought that might be it but I wasn't sure," Sarah responded. "It's kind of funny to think about...I'm here, looking up at the galaxy that contains 'me.' It makes me want to shout out, 'hey Sarah, don't open your eyes over there because you're having too much fun over here!'" She and Storm both laughed together at the thought.

Sarah then rotated her head to look at Storm. "I'm glad I'm here," she said. "The circumstances that required you to bring me here in the first place may be unpleasant but...well, not to say I'm glad you're at war, but I'm happy and fortunate to be here...to meet you and spend time with you."

Storm smiled softly, feeling flattered. "I understand what you mean, that you do not wish there to be a war, but I agree. I am very happy to have met you as well. It is very pleasant to spend time with you, too."

Both went quiet and resumed looking up at the stars. After several more peaceful minutes Sarah let out a contented sigh and said, "It's so comfortable up here, with the soft grass and warm breeze. I could just about sleep here all night."

Storm agreed. "I have done that many times, more than I can count. Alone or with somebody, this is a lovely place to stay for the night."

"Yep," said Sarah in agreement, "especially if that somebody is a mate."

"That is true," said Storm after several seconds of silent thought.

Minutes silently passed as the two looked up at the stars and moons. A flash of random memory made Sarah think of the time and how long they'd been on the hill top. "Hey Storm, I just realized, I think we've been here for over an hour. What time should we get back to your place? I'm sure we want to get enough sleep before going to the research facility tomorrow."

"You are correct," replied Storm. "I agree, perhaps it is time we returned home for sleep."

Reluctantly the pair sat up from the ground to stand up. With a stretch and one last look at the starry hemisphere above them, the two headed down the hill toward the trail.

"You get to see this whenever you want. Do you ever get tired of it?" Sarah asked.

"No," replied Storm, "I never do. That is why I go back so often."

Sarah returned her hand to Storm's, partly to be guided through the darkness. As they neared the bottom of the hill trail Sarah said, "Storm, while I'm here there's something else I'd like to try, if you don't mind."

"What would you like to do?" asked Storm.

"Well, after laying in the grass it feels like there's dirt and things stuck to my back. There might be nothing but that's just how my skin feels. I wouldn't want to get dirt in your bed, so...well, I'd like to see what it's like to shower off under a waterfall. If it's shallow enough to stand under it, that is." Sarah finished her request feeling slightly embarrassed but excited to try.

"I would be happy to take you there," Storm replied with a smile as he turned down the main trail in the direction of the waterfall. "Yes, it is shallow enough to stand underneath. It is a frequently used bathing area for many people. There is another waterfall farther down the river with a deeper basin underneath. It is easily deep enough for swimming."

Sarah felt almost giddy as she followed Storm to the waterfall. It was a very short distance to get to the top of the falls, and a short walk down a steep path got them to the bottom of the falls. The light of Deskalth overhead clearly lit up the entire area, adding a glistening sparkle to the tumbling water. Sarah pulled Storm by the hand and stepped into the cool water, wading through the river until they met the falling water. The blast of cool water flowing over Sarah's skin invigorated her with an incredible amount of energy. She released Storm's hand and leaned her head back to let the water strike her face and wash her hair back. Storm felt a similar exhilaration as the water quickly soaked his fur and contacted his skin underneath.

Sarah leaned forward under the falling water to let it wash away any remaining feeling of dirt or grass stuck from the ground. She rubbed the water over her body to cleanse away any skin oils from the day, although she didn't know what skin oils her synthetic body might even make. Storm rubbed his fingertips through his fur to wash away any dirt and loose hairs. Sarah noticed him reaching to rub his back, so she stepped over next to him and began to do the rubbing for him with both hands. Storm stopped reaching and stood there, thoroughly enjoying the massaging feeling of her fingertips scritching through his fur.

When she was done he turned around to thank her, but before he could speak Sarah threw her arms around him and squeezed him in a very tight hug. With pleasant surprise Storm remained quiet and hugged his arms around her as the waterfall flowed down over both of them. After several seconds they released each other and waded toward the riverbank again. Sarah held Storm's hand for support as she stepped out first, and he followed immediately after.

"Wow, that felt wonderful," Sarah exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. As she watched Storm under the moonlight he pointed his head toward the sky, straightened his stance, and began to rapidly twist back and forth to shake the water out of his fur. The wave of shaking flowed from his head, down his body, and ended up going out through his tail which whipped around to fling the water.

Sarah giggled at the display she found to be rather cute, and decided to try it herself. She started a slow twist of her head but increased the speed, flinging water out of her hair, and let the shake flow down her body as she saw Storm do. When she stopped she suddenly became dizzy and stumbled, but stopped herself before falling back into the water. "Whoo, that was kinda fun!" she said.

Storm let out a soft laugh through his smiling lips before he extended his hand out to offer to Sarah. She smiled back at him sweetly as she placed her hand in his, and followed him back up the trail toward his den. The walk back took the same several minutes as the walk out, giving her skin enough time to dry, but her hair and his fur remained damp. Sarah didn't feel any chill from being wet due to the warm breeze of the night.

Back in Storm's den the fire had burn itself down to a bed of glowing red coals with very little flame remaining. "Do you need the lamp to be lit?" asked Storm.

"No, not if we're going to sleep, but I could use a toothbrush," replied Sarah. "I don't suppose you have those here?"

Storm responded, "If you are referring to a tool for cleaning the teeth, then yes I do. I normally use one every day but I forgot to bring one with me on the vehicle we returned home in. My other one is here, and I think I have a spare you are welcome to use." He went over to the cabinet next to the fireplace to retrieve his brush, then slid open a shallow drawer from under the table that Sarah hadn't noticed before. Inside he found a second brush and handed it to Sarah. In the dim light of the fire Sarah could see that it was different in shape from what she was used to, but it would serve the purpose very well.

Storm led her outside to the river and plucked a thick leaf off the soap plant growing on the riverbank. He squeezed the thick fluid out of the leaf and onto his brush, then reached over to Sarah so he could squeeze the remainder onto hers. In the same manner she was used to, Storm popped the brush into his mouth and began to scrub his teeth. Sarah did the same, finding the sweet flavor to be different from the mint she was used to but still very pleasant. After a couple of minutes he pulled out the brush, licked the lather off his lips to swallow, then crouched down to the river to rinse his brush and take a drink. Sarah copied his actions, figuring it was probably the best method.

On their way back into the den Sarah joked, "I'm surprised you don't have some plant with bristled twigs that you use to brush your teeth."

"We do," replied Storm. "They do not grow in this region of Arfurah so we must use these brushes that are modeled after them.

"Oh, ok..." Sarah said sheepishly. "I guess I spoke too soon. Anyway, my teeth feel much cleaner, thanks."

"You are welcome," said Storm as he took Sarah's brush from her to set on the shelf above the cabinet to dry. "Do you feel ready to sleep?"

"Yes, I do," said Sarah. "It's been a long day."

"I agree," said Storm. "Tomorrow will be just as long but I am hoping we can complete our project."

Sarah responded as she laid down on the bed and turned onto her side. "Me too. Good night, Storm."

Storm laid down next to her and turned on his side to tuck his arm around Sarah and snuggle against her. "Good night, Sarah."