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VII

16thBirthday

Alix groaned and rolled over onto her back. For a brief moment, she was confused as to where she was as her eyes opened. Thames, the large river otter plush that her brother had gotten her a few years ago, was clutched in her right arm. Looking up at the familiar ceiling of her room, she wondered how she had gotten back home. The last thing she could remember was starting to get the pace of her running. Alix's head shifted to her window, where the light of an afternoon sun was filtered in through the half drawn curtains. A gentle breeze stirred the branches of the the tree outside the window, the autumn leaves rustling, some falling.

"Well, look who's finally awake," came a voice to Alix's left, and then Nova stepped into view.

Alix made a move to sit up, and cringed in pain. Lifting the blankets, Alix found herself in the extra long tee-shirt she used as a night shirt. Both of her legs had bandages wrapped around them. The left one had a bandage wound around the lower part of her leg, between her two knees. The right one had a bandage wrapped around the upper part of her thigh, close to her panties. Pulling her arm from around Thames, she saw her right arm was also wrapped in bandages from the knuckles to her elbow. Her jaw felt sore as well, and when she touched her lower lip on the left side of her muzzle, she pulled the hand away when she felt a sharp pain. Then she suddenly looked at her left arm. The cast was gone, and the arm looked completely undamaged.

"What happened? Why am I covered in bandages," Alix asked Nova.

Nova gave Alix a smile, and adjusted the blankets. "Hold on for a moment. Let me get your parents, and they'll explain everything. You stay there, and try not to move around too much. You took quite a spill."

Nova moved Thames closer to Alix, and then walked out of Alix's room, closing the door softly behind her. Alix lay there, feeling her sore muscles, and cuddling up to Thames. She was starting to doze off when her door opened, and her parents stepped in.

"Hey, kiddo," Henry said with a smile. "How're you feeling?"

"Everything hurts, and I'm really sleepy," Alix said.

"Not surprising. You took a nasty fall. Most of the injuries you took are from when you hit the track. While they look nasty, they're primarily superficial, and should heal in a few days." Henry's smile disappeared for a moment. "Do you remember what happened?"

Alix shook her head, slowly, wincing as she did. "I remember starting to find a comfortable pace," she paused, "but I can't remember anything after that." Alix frowned. "Was I...attacked again?"

"No, hun," Heather said, sitting down on the side of her bed. She reached out and gently stroked the right side of Alix's muzzle. "Not this time. Apparently you were so exhausted from the events of this week that your body simply had enough. You hit your head when you fell. The doctor said that you have a slight concussion, and that is why you're so sleepy."

"And my arm? Did I smash the cast?"

"No, kiddo," Henry said. "When they took you to the hospital. They found that it was healed enough to come out of the cast."

"However, your exhaustion will have you out of school for a few days. Doctor's orders," Heather said.

Alix groaned. "Not again. What about Beckie and Kae? Can I see them? Or call them?"

"I don't see a problem with that, but tomorrow. You're to take it easy for the next few days," Henry said. "I've already contacted the school to let them know what is going on. Miss Iona has already agreed to deliver your homework on her way home. Now, we still have the matter of your birthday party tomorrow. We were originally going to take you to the aquarium, but we'll have to save that for another day. The doctor will be by in the morning to take a look at those injuries. Till then, you're not to move around too much."

Alix looked at her parents for a moment, confused. "My birthday party? Tomorrow? How long was I out?"

Heather gave Alix a small smile. "Hun, it's three o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the twenty-second. You've been out for almost twenty-four hours. The doctor said you might have been out longer if you weren't a Foxling. Something about our high metabolism."

"Whatever the reason, we're glad your awake," Henry said. "For now, you're to go back to sleep after you take some medicine that the doctor prescribed. We'll wake you around seven and get you something to eat. We also got you an intercom so you can call us if you need to use the bathroom. Your mom will help you with a bath after dinner."

Henry pulled out a bottle of pills out of his front right pocket of his slacks, and a bottle of water from his back pocket. "You are to take one now, and another before you go to bed," he said and watched her take one.

Heather placed the intercom on the night stand next to Alix's clock, made sure Thames was snuggled up against Alix, and adjusted the covers.

"Get some sleep, hun. I'll see you later."

"OK," Alix said sleepily. She was out before either Henry or Heather were out the door. Heather closed the door softly and looked at her husband.

"I'm not so sure we should be hiding what happened to her, Henry. She's going to find out either from her friends or when she goes back to school. Shouldn't we tell her the truth?"

Henry gave his wife a hug and started moving down the hall toward the living room. Heather followed behind him after glancing at Alix's door.

"It can wait for now. She's still exhausted from the strain on her body, and that doctor...what was her name? Niam Connacht? Well, she said that Alix should not be overly stressed until a proper trainer could be found. I don't understand all that talk about magic, but I do understand that Alix is still emotionally unstable. What would be the result if we tell her when she's not ready? No, it's better to wait until we have someone who could better be suited to deal with this then us."

"But what of the event itself? You know her friends will talk to her about it!"

Henry sighed. "I'll call Miss Iona and ask her not to talk about it until after Alix's birthday. We'll talk about it with her on Monday. Don't mention anything about magic; we're just going to talk about the event itself. And if she presses us, we'll simply state that we're looking for someone who could explain what really happened. It's close enough to the truth."

"I don't know about this, Henry."

"I know, love. But I have no more idea on what's going on than Alix does."

Both of them sat down on the couch and began to talk about what they were going to do for the birthday party. At one point, Nova came in from the kitchen and joined them, helping to finalize the plans.

* * * * * *

Alix woke slowly. Her body was sore, but it did not hurt as much as it had earlier. Glancing at the clock, she noticed that it was six twenty in the evening. Alix had been out for a little over three hours, and she felt better for it. Slowly sitting up, she drew the part of the curtain nearest to her aside, and gazed out of the window at the beginning of a spectacular sunset. The sky was filled with golden yellow, ruby red, and in the far distance to the east, royal purple. Gingerly, she unlatched the window and opened it. A cool breeze instantly hit her face, but it felt refreshing all the same. Winter would come early this year, she thought. The leaves on the tree outside her window had already turned, and the air was getting cool enough to wear a jacket in the middle of the day.

There was a quiet croak, and Alix suddenly became aware of what looked like a large crow on one of the tree branches. It looked at Alix with bright green eyes that were surprisingly intelligent looking. While the bird looked very much like any crow, the beak looked a little odd. Close to the end of the sharp beak tip was two sets of 'fangs', one sent on each of the upper and lower parts of the beak. These 'fangs' over lapped each other, and reminded Alix strangely of the fangs on a wolf. The crow's glossy black feathers showed that it was well fed, and since it was rare to see a crow within the city limits, more likely it was someone's pet. Alix, loving animals in general, gave it a little wave.

"Hello," she said softly. The crow cocked it's head, gave another soft croak, then opened it wings, and flew over to Alix's window sill. At first, Alix was a little startled by this, as crows were generally skittish at best, but as this one made no aggressive moves, she began to relax. Slowly, she raised a hand to the crow, expecting it to either to take flight, or attack her. Instead, it closed it's eyes and allowed Alix to gently stroke it's head and back. After a few moments, the crow opened it's eyes and looked down the street. Alix could not hear or see anything, but she could guess what was going on.

"Is your owner looking for you," Alix asked. The crow looked at her for a moment, gave a sort of whistle, and then flew off into the tree. A moment later, there was a soft knock on her door, then her father cracked the door open and peeped in.

"Well, good evening," he said, stepping in. "I'm glad I didn't have to wake you up. How are you feeling? A little hungry?"

Alix was suddenly aware of her complaining stomach, but there was another need that had to be addressed first.

"Famished," she said. "But I need to use the bathroom first."

"That can be easily arranged," Henry said as he walked over to her bed. Drawing the covers back, he scooped his daughter into his arms. Alix had forgotten how strong her father actually was, as he hardly struggled with her weight.

"Oh, you should know," her father said. "Nova will be joining us for dinner. Your mother has made her chicken/spinach casserole, and afterward, if your feeling up for it, we can watch the newest episode of 'Captain Longfin.'"

Alix visibly brightened. "That would be great!"

Henry, smiling, nuzzled his head against Alix's, causing her to giggle, and carried her from the room. The crow watched the closed door for a moment, and then took flight, heading west over the district. Three streets over, it spotted what it had been looking for. A figure was walking down the street in a slow, steady pace.

The figure appeared to be a large black Guarden, a male, the black fur on his wolf like head thick, scruffy, and a little unkempt. His long tail was bushy and swayed back and forth in a lazy way. He wore a pair of black boots, worn and scuffed with age and use. Over this was a pair of dark blue slacks, held up by a dark brown leather belt with a worn bronze buckle. At one point of time, the buckle had had some sort of design on it, but it had been worn away with time and constant use. An ultramarine colored dress shirt covered his chest, with a black silk waist coat over the shirt. From a separate belt hung two large revolvers in tied down holsters. Over all of this was an indigo colored long coat. On top of his head, from which his shoulder length black hair fell, sat a black large brim hat with a silver hat band and trim. Holes had been made in the hat to make room for his large triangular ears. Across his back, angled so that the grip sat just over the right shoulder, was a large sword in a black leather scabbard, the collar and cap of which were made of silver. The hilt of the sword was made of simple steel, save that the large crossguard and pommel were heavily engraved with vine work. The grip was covered in a long strip of rich black leather, which was wrapped tightly around the grip from the pommel to the crossguard.

The crow let out a caw, and the figure stopped, letting the bird land on his left shoulder.

"Hello, love," the Guarden said in a heavy welsh accent. "Welcome back. Been behaving yourself?"

The crow gave a couple of short croaks, and then one long whistle.

"Huh, really? You had better tell me what you've found then."

The crow gave one quick squawk and then put it's beak to the Guarden's ear. Though no one would have been able to hear anything, some one watching would have seen the crow's beak moving, as if it were talking. After a while, the crow sat back and looked expectantly at the male it was perched on. The Guarden, for his part, stared at the ground in silent contemplation. After several minutes, he looked up at the crow, a pale blue eye focusing on one of the crow's green.

"Good job, love. Keep an eye on the girl, but don't interfere directly again. If something happens, let me or Atli know immediately. Use the emergency procedure; don't wait for the normal channels. Someone is moving, and we're still in the dark."

The crow gave a squawk, then a croak.

The Guarden chuckled. "OK. I will. You be careful. Off with you, now."

The crow leaped from his shoulder and flew off into the darkening sky. The Guarden watched it go, and then turned around, moving back up the street at a surprisingly brisk walk. In moments, the shadows had swallowed him.

* * * * * *

"Hey, Alix," Henry called out as he came out of the kitchen. "Would you like some ice cream?"

Heather was sitting on the coach, and she put a finger to her lips as Henry walked into the living room. Wrapped in a blanket, and curled up against her mother, was Alix, out cold. The medicine they had given to her after dinner seemed to be working better than they had though. Heather, with Nova's help, had taken Alix into the bathroom for a quick bath directly after dinner. They had already seen a remarkable improvement on her injuries. Some, like the ones on her right arm, were nothing but new pink skin. After the bath, they had gotten her into a fresh pair of panties and a new night shirt, and then Henry had wrapped her in a blanket. Carrying her back downstairs, they had put on the new episode of 'Captain Longfin.'

Marian Longfin was a Sharlin marine biologist that traveled the galaxy to look at all the life forms she could find and study. The last few episodes had been on 'The White Terror of Terranova,' a legendary, gigantic white Sharlin that had turned completely feral and had take up it's abode deep within the planet's oceans. Alix, always interested in anything dealing with water, had been fascinated. She had gotten her parents to watch a few episodes, and had gotten them hooked as well. And, as the show was educational, they had no problem with Alix watching it.

Henry looked down at his daughter, and grinned. Over in a chair in the corner, Nova smiled, stood up, and helped Henry to untangle Alix from the blanket. Nova had decided to stay the night in the guest room on the bottom floor, just in case Henry and Heather needed help. Alix woke up long enough to wrap her arms around her father's neck, a small smile on her face, before she dozed off again. Heather stood up and followed Henry upstairs while Nova collected the blanket, folding it back up. Up in Alix's room, Heather moved the blankets aside while Henry deposited their daughter in her bed. Alix whined a little as her arms were take from around Henry's neck, but Heather maneuvered Thames into it's place. Alix settled down almost at once. Heather pulled the blankets up to Alix's neck, made sure the window was closed and secured, then looked back down at her daughter.

Alix was out cold, laying on her back, right arm wrapped around Thames, the left stretched out under the blankets, unconsciously returning to a position that would accommodate the cast that was no longer there. She had the right side of her face snuggled up against the large plush otter, mouth slightly gaping. Her hair had shifted so that it fell over her right eye, revealing the jagged white line of her scar. Heather, smiling as only a mother could, brushed Alix's hair completely out of her face, and kissed her forehead. There was no response, confirming that Alix was truly out. She was such a good girl, Heather thought. It was kind of hard to believe she would be sixteen tomorrow. Secretly, a part of Heather wished Alix had been born a girl. It might have been different had Alix had been one from the start.

"Goodnight, my lovely girl," Heather whispered before she followed Henry through the door, which he closed gently. And for the first time in a long time, the nightmares left Alix alone.

* * * * * *

Alix sat on her bed in a pair of light blue panties and a bra, as the gray Guarden in front of her unwound the bandages and looked at each of her wounds. The female Guarden was average height, for a Guarden, at six foot one, but as she was two feet taller than Alix, she seemed gigantic. It was worse for Alix when she stood next Rebecca, who added her natural bulk to her height. But compared to Rebecca, Niam Connacht was almost skinny. Tall, slender, with a beautiful, but not overly athletic figure, she had a serene aura that seemed to hover around her. He gray fur reminded Alix of thick fog for some reason; dark enough to absorb light, but light and fluffy all the same. It was soft as well. Niam's long hair fell down her back, the upper part, between the base of her skull and the base of her neck, was braided, with the lower part hanging loose. A slender blue ribbon was tied just under the braid to prevent it from unraveling. Bright scarlet eyes looked out over a slender snout, filled with an intelligence that seemed almost bottomless, unsettling both Alix and her mother a little. As unsettling as those eyes seemed to be, there was not malice anywhere in them, and their owner was more intent on healing her patient than anything else.

Niam's dress was as unusual as her appearance. She wore a long, white pleated skirt that fell down nearly to her ankles, and a pair of simple black flats on her feet. A slender black leather belt held up the skirt, its simple steel buckle gleaming in the sunlight coming through Alix's window. Over her upper torso, Niam wore a long sleeved, light gray dress shirt, that was in turn covered by a black silk waistcoat. Around her throat, under the open collar, Niam wore a small chain necklace that held a Celtic knot made of silver. A gold wedding ring decorated her left ring finger, but there was no sign of an engagement ring. A white long coat and a light gray trilby hung on the coat hanger on the back of Alix's door, and a white shoulder bag lay on the floor at Niam's feet. Niam sat on Alix's computer chair, and Heather sat on the bed next to Alix, far enough away to stay out of the way, but close enough to give any assistance.

Niam finished unwrapping the last bandage and smiled.

"Good," she said. "They healed remarkably well. It's well that you're so young, or we would have had to wrap you up like a mummy for a little longer. While those wounds were minor, they could have left some nasty scars if we hadn't gotten to them so quickly. As it was, they'll be visible for a few more days before they fade away. The fur will grow back without any problem. Now, do you still have any of those pills left?"

"Yes, we have three pills left," Heather said.

"Good. I want you to take one each night before you go to bed, until they are all gone. How does your head feel? Still a little woozy? Any headaches?"

"A small one, nothing like the one I had when I woke up yesterday," Alix said.

"OK. I have something that should help with that." Niam reached down into her bag and pulled out a small ceramic vial. Popping the cork, she handed it to Alix. "Now, swallow it quickly. It'll taste a little bitter."

Alix tipped back the vial and swallowed. She nearly gagged. Bitter did not come close to describing the flavor. She snorted and coughed for a moment. Heather rubbed her back until the fit passed. Niam, smiling at the girl's expression, handed her a cup of water. Alix gulped down most of the glass in one go.

"Tastes pretty nasty, doesn't it," Niam chuckled. Alix nodded as she finished the glass. "But it works. Give it about half an hour, and you'll feel right as rain."

She packed up the vial, neatly folded the bandages and stored them in a black velvet bag that went back into the shoulder bag. Niam then sat up straight, then looked at Alix's eyes. They were clear and bright, showing no sign of anything wrong. As she looked at the girl's left eye, her thumb, which she used to open the eye lids wider, came into contact with the bottom part of the scar. Niam almost pulled away, but stopped herself just in time. The knotted scar tissue told her that the wound had been deep, but it had not effected the eye, other than to change the color of the iris. The eye should have been rendered useless at best, and at worst, been completely removed. Yet the girl seemed to have no problem with the eye. Niam took her index finger and gently ran it down the scar. Alix, for the first time since she had gotten the scar, closed her eyes, and allowed the Guarden to trace the scar without comment. Heather, for her part, was amazed. Alix had not allowed anyone to do that.

Niam dropped her hand and leaned back. "It's a lovely scar," she said with a smile she did not feel. "Though I'm sorry you had received it." She grabbed her bag and stood up. "I want you to rest for the next three days. Don't over exert yourself, or you'll have a relapse."

"We were planning on having a birthday party later," Heather said. "Will that be a problem?"

"No, so long as you keep it low key. No physical activities. And if she begins to get overly excited, give her a time out."

"Alright. Thank you, Doctor."

"It was my pleasure," Niam said as she handed Heather a card. "This is my number. If you need any questions answered, give me a call. In the case of an emergency, call the second number. Someone will get a hold of me directly. Goodbye, Alix. Please be a little more careful in the future."

"Yes, Ma'am," Alix intoned automatically.

"Hun, go ahead and get dressed," Heather said. "When you're done, come downstairs. Nova had to make a few errands, but she'll be back. In the meantime, we'll have lunch and open your presents."

"Yes, Mom," Alix said in a chipper voice and moved over to the bureau.

* * * * * *

Alix, dressed in a green hoodie and a blue miniskirt, sat on the living room floor, opening the last of her presents. Beside her lay a small pile of the already unwrapped gifts. A book on The White Terror of Terranova. The first season of Captain Longfin, which included a special interview with the host. A sculpture of a sea otter. And a book on Asgardian Crows; a resent interest of Alix. Alix pulled out a new, bright green, one piece swimsuit from the box she had just unwrapped. It had a key hole back, with the tail hole in the proper place. A wide, white stripe ran down the front right side of the swimsuit. Alix held it up in front of herself, a wide smile on her face, and beamed at the swimsuit in delight.

"Thank you, Mom, Dad. This is great!" Alix gently folded the swimsuit back up, and placed it on top of the pile of gifts. Standing up, she moved over to her parents, who were seated side by side on the couch. Henry had his left arm wrapped around Heather's shoulders, which he pulled away to give his daughter a hug. Heather followed, though she glanced at the clock over on the wall next to the TV.

"Why don't you take your gifts upstairs, and we'll start the last episode of Captain Longfin. You kind of faded out before we could really get into it," Heather said.

"OK," Alix said. Her face was bright with excitement.

"Don't rush," Henry snapped quickly, slowing his daughter down before she could start running. Heather snorted, trying to prevent herself from laughing. Just as Alix had disappeared upstairs, the door bell rang. Both parents stood up, and walked over to the door. Henry opened it, and was greeted by Jon. Standing over six foot now, his hair had changed to almost nothing but the dark gray that decorated his back. It was also cut short, though not quite a military cut. His frame had also bulked out with constant workouts. He wore a blue sweatshirt that had "I live for my little sister" printed on it. It had been a gift given to him almost three years ago by Alix, and he wore it every time he visited. His legs were covered with a pair of camouflage patterned pants, a habit he had developed since joining the Space Knights.

Jon gave his parents a broad smile, clasped his father's hand, and gave his mother a hug.

"We've missed you boy," Henry said. "It's been a long time."

"I know. I'm sorry. Just things have been hectic after that second batch of training. Then there was that incident with the Technolon Technocracy four years ago," Jon said.

"Boy, was that a mess."

"You were still dealing with hold outs until recently, correct," Heather asked.

"Correct. That's why I've been so busy. The news of some of that will probably not hit for a month, and until then, everyone is being tight lipped about it."

"Well, all this can wait till later," said Nova from behind Jon. "For now we have a sixteen year old girl to entertain. Besides, you're letting all the cold air into the house. Henry, could you give me a hand with this?"

"Of course," Henry said with a smile.

"I could-" Jon started to say.

"Go see Alix," Nova barked over her shoulder.

Jon looked at his mother. "Well, the boss has spoken."

Heather smiled up at her oldest child. "You asked for it. Now, get in here so I can close the door."

"Yes, Ma'am," Jon said and stepped in.

"Alix," Heather called out as she closed the door, "come see who's here."

"Coming," Alix called down. Alix came down the hall, and was halfway down the stairs before she looked up. When she did, her face broke into a wide, toothy smile. She was down the stairs and in front of Jon before anyone could react. She was jumping up and down, trying to get her arms around his neck.

"Jon! Jon! Jon! Jon!"

"Whoa! Calm down, Alix," Jon said as he picked her up in a warm bear hug. Then he noticed her weight. Was she always this light, he thought, or have I gotten that much stronger.

"Alix, you have to calm down," Heather said, a worried expression on her face.

"I'm sorry," Alix said, still clutching Jon's neck in a fierce hug. Her head was nuzzled against his jawline, eyes closed, the smile still on her face. Jon had a smirk on his face, along with a 'What's going on' expression mixed in. Heather actually broke out in laughter. She motioned Jon over to the couch while she got control of her mirth.

"I'll explain later," Heather finally said.

"Alright. Well, it's good to see you, squirt. How's the new school?"

"It's interesting. The teachers are really good, and really nice, and they have this huge pool. Do you remember Rebecca Iona? She's attending school there as well. She's in the same class as I am. I've met a few of her friends and made friends with them myself. And-"

"Alix," Heather interrupted sharply. "Calm down."

Alix took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then slowly let it out. It was a technique she had gotten from her psychiatrist. "Sorry, Mom."

Jon chuckled. "Well, you can tell me about it later. For now, Nova and I got you a very special present. Dad is helping her bring it in right now."

"Really," Alix said, her eyes wide and lit up with excitement. "What is it?"

"Go help with the door and you'll find out."

Alix got out of Jon's lap, and did a quick walk over to the door, which she opened in time to allow her father in, a box under each arm. Jon noticed how she moved. Her hips swayed a little, and her figure had more curves on it then he remembered. Alix was most assuredly growing up. Jon looked at his mother.

"Does she have a boyfriend yet," he asked.

"Not yet, and I can't figure out why," Heather said. "Most of the men are either indifferent, or pick on her."

They heard Alix gasp, and both of them looked over in time to see Nova carry in a crate, covered in a blanket. From inside of it could be heard the sounds of squeaks, chirps, and churls. Henry closed the door, and motioned Alix into the living room. Alix obeyed and moved in front of the coffee table, all the while keeping her wide eyes on the crate. Nova, smiling, pulled the blanket up, and hit the release catch on the top of the crate. The side facing Alix fell down, and from out of the crate stepped what at first looked like a Martin from Old Terra.

The creature was about two feet long, the upper part of it's body covered in a shiny black fur. Along it's belly, from the chin to the tip of it's tail, was a flame red stripe of fur. The same color of red fur covered it's paws. Two golden yellow eyes looked out over a long triangular snout. Between its thick toes could be seen webs of skin. A bright blue collar was buckled around the lower portion of it's long, thick neck.

Alix fell to her knees in disbelief. It was a Brimstone Martin from planet Fanix. Raised and trained by Sharlins, they served as companions and assistants, much like dogs do for humans. Since Sharlins have no need of attack animals, having filled that role themselves, the Brimstone Martin did not have to be all that big. When the Sharlins moved to the stars, they had brought the Martin with them. Brimstone Martins were breed to be friendly and intelligent, as they were meant to be receptive to the feelings of their masters. This was why many people who suffer from mental or emotional damage seek them out. Despite this, Brimstone Martins are still very rare across the galaxy, as they are raised and trained exclusively by Sharlins. And Sharlins are extremely reluctant to sell their favorite pets.

The Martin looked around, and then laid eyes on Alix. It instantly knew who it's mistress was. In a flurry of webbed feet and chirps, the Martin ran over to Alix and practically tackled her. Alix let out a surprised shriek as she fell backwards onto the floor, and then burst into laughter under the barrage of licks that was delivered to her face. Alix's arms wrapped around the creature, and she gave it a warm hug.

"Looks like he had no problem figuring out who his owner was," Nova said with a large smile on her face. "Now, Alix, this is important. He's only a few weeks old, so you need to name him right away. This is so he can learn the name, and so we can register him in the Animal Registry."

Alix looked into the Martin's golden eyes for a moment. "Salem," she said. "Your name is Salem."

Salem looked at her a moment longer, blinked, and then landed another barrage of licks, causing Alix to squeal with laughter. Jon leaned forward on the couch and smiled.

"I think he likes his name. I'll take care of the Registry tomorrow," he said. "OK, squirt, pay attention. We've also got him a litter box, a food dish, and a water dish. He eats a specially formulated kibble, but he can also eat just about any kind of fish. You'll need to change the litter twice a day, and trust me, he'll remind you. I've already told Dad what he needs to pick up and where to get it."

"OK," Alix said as she stood up. She then walked over to Jon, and gave him a hug. "Thanks, Jon."

Jon returned the hug. "Your welcome, sis."

Alix then quick walked to Nova and gave her a hug as well. Salem followed in her wake, chirping happily all the way. Heather walked over and picked up the box of kibble.

"Alix, grab those two dishes, and lets find a place to put them. Henry, could you take the litter box and the litter up to Alix's room. We can probably put it in the corner over next to the closet. Tomorrow, we can get a mat to go under it."

"Yes, Mom."

"Of course, love."

"Let me help you with that, Dad," Jon said as he got up.

The family dispersed in the various directions, leaving Nova in the living room, smiling and chuckling to herself. The door bell rang just then.

"I'll get it," she called out as she moved toward the door. Opening it, she saw Rebecca Iona and three other kids she was not familiar with. She guessed that they were friends of Alix. Rebecca had on a charcoal colored gray miniskirt, white stockings, and a pair of brown leather deck shoes. A bright pink tee-shirt covered her chest, with a thick blue coat over top it. The ribbon that held her long hair up in a high ponytail, and the scarf around her throat, were a bright red. Winters on Asgard came early, with short springs and falls, and long, warm summers. Bympyrs were originally from a hot, volcanic planet, and did not do so well in extreme cold, with the interpretation of cold being anything below eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Of the four kids in front of Nova, Rebecca was bundled up the most, even more so than the Sharlin in the back, who had the excuse of having no fur.

"Rebecca, what a pleasant surprise," Nova said breaking into a wide smile. "What brings you here?"

"Mr. Astarte invited us," Rebecca said. "We came to wish Alix happy birthday and check up on her. Mr. Astarte already told us not to talk about what happened on Friday, so you don't have to worry about that problem."

"Good. Alix is doing better, and seems to be finally relaxing. She'll be thrilled to see you. But lets get you guys inside where we can talk more comfortably. Who are your friends," Nova asked as she ushered them in.

Rebecca introduced them as they stepped in. Kaelyn was dressed in a neon blue miniskirt, dark blue stockings (the ones made specifically for Foxlings), and a light gray sweatshirt. A yellow belly pouch was buckled around her waist. Angel was dressed in a pair of black slacks with a lime green turtle neck on her top. A small, black leather purse hung from her left shoulder. Micah was dressed in a pair of kakkie slacks, a pair of black walking shoes, and a blue hoodie with the logo of the Asgardian Sluggers, Yggdrasil's baseball team, on it. In his right hand was a white plastic bag with some sort of box in it.

Nova frowned at the mention of Micah's name for a moment. "Micah Jameson. I think I've heard that name somewhere," Nova said.

Micah froze briefly. "Alix might have mentioned my name a few times," he said.

"Hmmph. Well, she might have. She'll be out shortly. Please come in and get comfortable. Rebecca can I take you coat?"

"Yes, thank you."

Alix came out of the kitchen at that moment. "Hey guys. What brings you here?" Alix had a large smile on her face as she came over and gave everyone a hug.

"Came to see how you were doing," Rebecca said.

"We also brought something for you," Micah said as he held up the bag.

"Really," Alix asked.

"Yep," Angel said. "Happy birthday, Alix."

Alix took the bag and moved over to the coffee table. While she pulled the box out of the bag, Jon and Henry came back from Alix's room.

"Nova, who was at the-" Jon began, as he came down the stairs, when he spotted Micah. He recognized Micah at once. "You," Jon barked, a snarl forming on his face.

"How dare you show yourself in this house. I ought to-"

Suddenly, Alix was between them. She stood with arms spread out and legs wide apart, barring her brother from getting any closer. No one had seen her move. One moment she was on the other side of the room, the next she was standing in front of Jon. Jon stared down at his sister in surprise. Alix stared back, a determined frown on her face and in her eyes.

"No," was all she said.

"But he-" Jon began.

"No," Alix said.

"Alix-"

"NO," Alix said with surprising force. Jon blinked in surprise, and then noticed she was starting to breath hard. Nova walked over to her fiancee and quietly placed a hand on his arm. Jon looked at her for a moment, and then sighed.

"OK, Alix," he said, "you win. But if he does anything to upset you, he leaves."

Heather and Henry joined everyone around the coffee table as Alix opened the box. Inside the box was a perfectly formed, three layered cake with whiter frosting, and the number sixteen written on top of it in green frosting. Alix gingerly took it out and placed it on top of the table.

"Micah made it," Kaelyn said. "He's quite good with cakes, cookies, and pies."

"I'm thinking of going to cooking school," Micah said, blushing. "I hope if no one minds, but it's simply yellow cake with vanilla frosting."

"It's perfect," Heather said. "I'll get some dishes, forks, and a knife."

Heather went into the kitchen, and at the same time, Salem came out, licking his jaws. He looked around for Alix, and then moved over to her with a few chirps and a churl. Alix giggled, knelt down, and gave him a hug.

All four of the kids looked down in surprise, and blinked in unison. Both Rebecca and Angel reacted at the same time.

"Is that a..." they said together. Alix, Kaelyn, and Micah burst out in load laughter. Both Rebecca and Angel were pointing at Salem with the same hand, held in the same exact way, with the same expression on their faces. They looked at one another for a moment, and then joined their friends in laughter.

Heather came out with a pile of plates, silverware stacked on top of them.

"OK. So who want's cake?"

* * * * * *

Rebecca yawned and looked at the clock. It was almost nine in the evening.

"Oh, my gosh! I need to get home. My Mom is going to kill me," Rebecca said standing up. Heather glanced at the clock as well, and gasped.

"That late already," she said. "We need to get you kids back home. It's a school day tomorrow. Come on, I'll give you a ride." Heather moved off to get Rebecca's coat and her own car keypad.

"Alix," she called out, "you need to say good night to your friends."

"I don't think that's going to be possible, Mom," Jon said.

Everyone turned to find Alix curled up on her brother's lap, out cold. Her head rested on Jon's chest, her left hand clutching his shirt, and her mouth slightly a gape. Salem was curled up at Jon's feet, awake and watching everyone with those golden eyes.

"Well, our goodbyes will have to wait for another time," Micah said as he followed Kaelyn and Rebecca to the door. Angel hung back for a moment, sensing something.

"Jon," Heather called, "Can you and Nova get Alix into bed?"

"No problem, Mom."

"Thanks, hun. Oh, don't forget to have her take her medicine."

"Right. Where is it?"

"I'll get it," Nova said.

"Dad?"

"Go ahead. I'll clean up here."

Jon tried to gently pry Alix's hand off his shirt, but Alix closed her mouth, whined, and clutched him all the more harder. The feeling Angel felt suddenly intensified.

"Angel," Kaelyn called. "You coming?"

"You guys go on. I'll see you tomorrow. I think Alix is having one of those nightmares she told us about. I live only a few houses down anyway."

"OK. Night!"

"Night!" Angel turned toward Jon, noticing Salem had also gotten up and was staring up worriedly at his mistress. He gave a high pitched whine and a short bark. Angel reached down and stroked the top of his head, calming him down. She then looked at Jon and gestured to Alix.

"May I?"

"Go ahead," he said, a little curious.

Angel reached out, gently stroking Alix's hair between her ears, and gently pulled Alix's hand off Jon's shirt. At the same time, Angel sent calm, comforting feelings down their link. Alix whined, but allowed herself to be pulled away from her brother. Angel carefully picked up Alix, showing everyone in the room how strong she actually was. Jon, who had worked with Sharlins before, was the only one who was not surprised. Size did not matter to a Sharlin, they, like the Bympyr, were naturally stronger than they appeared.

"Which way to her room," Angel asked.

"Follow me," Nova said.

They headed up the stairs and down the hall to Alix's bedroom, Salem following close behind. As Angel deposited the Foxling on her bed, she looked around the room in surprise. The room was so tidy. Everything was were it should have been, and there was almost no clutter. Angel had heard of some girls being neat freaks, but this was just plain weird. Alix was so low key, and then you saw her room, and wonder what really goes on in that mind. Nova changed a very sleepy Alix, with Angel's help. The girl never actually woke up, even when Nova gave her the medicine and a cup of water to wash it down. They then got Alix under the covers, Nova putting Thames in Alix's arms, and Angel putting Salem on the bed. They then moved quietly out of the room.

"Thank you so much," Nova said to Angel as she close the door.

"I'm glad I could help," Angel said with a smile.

Inside the room, Salem glanced out the window through a gap in the curtain. For a brief moment, his golden eyes met the green of the crow's. The crow cocked it's head, curious. Some sort of agreement seemed to pass between them, as Salem yawned, gave a friendly churl, and then curled up between his mistress and the window. Alix slept soundly though the night.