Chapter 209: The Twins Transformed
Several more weeks passed.
Ironwood survived.
Technically.
The walls still stood.
The crops still grew.
No ancient monster had climbed out of the ground.
No new Veilkin had appeared.
The Veskari were still camped outside the boundary, irritating everyone simply by existing.
And Swanly’s daughters had become mobile.
This was worse than all of the above.
It happened on an ordinary morning.
Which was probably why Swanly nearly died from shock.
Eira had been placed on a thick hide near the sleeping area while Swanly sorted clean wraps.
At that moment, the elder twin still had her usual pale snake tail.
Perfectly normal.
Well.
Normal for Swanly’s life.
Eira sat quietly with one hand resting on a wooden ring, silver eyes watching her mother move around the shelter.
Swanly turned away.
Only for a moment.
She picked up a clean hide.
Shook it once.
Turned back.
And froze.
The hide slipped from her hands.
There were legs.
Two.
Tiny.
Pale.
Chubby little baby legs.
Swanly’s brain stopped working.
Eira stood in the middle of the hide.
Barely.
Her knees trembled.
Her tiny toes curled into the fur.
Her arms were spread slightly to the sides for balance.
And her expression?
Completely cold.
As though waking up with legs had been her plan all along.
Swanly inhaled.
Then screamed.
"AAAAAAAAAH!"
Eira blinked.
Soren appeared first.
The shelter curtain nearly tore from its ties.
His pupils had narrowed to thin lines, claws partly extended.
"What happened?"
Kael came directly behind him.
The triplets came charging after both males.
Kairo already looked ready to fight.
"Where?"
Nilo looked around wildly.
"Is someone hurt?"
Miko had somehow brought a wooden spoon.
Nobody knew why.
"I HAVE A WEAPON!"
Everyone stopped.
Swanly pointed.
Nobody understood what she was pointing at.
Then Kael looked down.
His golden eyes widened.
Soren went utterly still.
Kairo’s mouth dropped open.
Nilo gasped.
Miko lowered his spoon.
"Eira has feet."
Silence.
Swanly whipped toward him.
"YES!"
Eira looked down at her own feet.
Then lifted one.
Her entire body tilted.
Everyone gasped.
She put it back down.
Everyone exhaled.
Soren slowly crouched.
Something almost unbelievable had entered his face.
Wonder.
Pure, quiet wonder.
"Eira."
His daughter looked at him.
Soren held out both hands.
"Come."
Eira stared.
Soren waited.
She stared longer.
Kael folded his arms.
"She doesn’t want you."
Soren’s eyes flicked toward him.
"Be quiet."
Kael’s mouth twitched.
Kairo immediately crouched beside Soren.
"Come to me."
Eira looked at Kairo.
His face brightened.
"Come on. I’ll catch you."
Miko shoved his head beside Kairo’s.
"I’ll catch you too!"
Nilo pulled him backward by the shoulder.
"You’ll make her fall."
"I can catch."
"You fall while standing."
"That was once."
"It was yesterday."
Miko went quiet.
Fair.
Swanly was still staring at the tiny legs.
"Oh my God."
She crouched too.
"My baby has toes."
Swanly grabbed one tiny foot.
Eira looked down at her.
Swanly touched each toe.
"One, two, three, four, five."
Eira tried pulling her foot away.
Swanly held it.
"Wait. Mama waited months for these."
Eira’s face became visibly annoyed.
Soren’s mouth curved.
"She dislikes that."
"I gave birth to her. I am counting the toes."
"You already counted them when she was born."
"I am counting them again."
Eira finally yanked her foot free.
Swanly gasped.
"Attitude."
Eira looked away.
Kairo whispered:
"She is very pretty."
Nilo nodded.
"Her legs are tiny."
Miko tilted his head.
"They’re fat."
Swanly immediately looked at him.
"They are baby legs."
"Fat baby legs."
"They are cute baby legs."
"That too."
Soren picked Miko up by the back of his clothing and moved him aside.
"Do not insult your sister’s legs."
"I said they’re cute!"
"You said fat first."
Miko dangled.
"Both can be true."
Kael turned away to hide a laugh.
Then Eira moved.
Everyone instantly forgot Miko.
One foot lifted.
Forward.
Down.
Wobble.
Swanly’s hands flew beneath her without touching.
"Careful."
Another step.
Eira’s arms stretched wider.
Her face remained completely serious.
Kairo whispered:
"She’s walking."
Nilo whispered back:
"She’s trying."
Soren’s chest visibly lifted.
Pride.
Far too much pride.
"My daughter."
Kael immediately glanced at him.
"She has taken two steps."
"At her age."
"Yes. Two."
"Panther young develop slower."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
There it was.
Competition.
Swanly did not even look at them.
"Not now."
Eira took a third step.
Her knee buckled.
Her little body tilted.
Swanly lunged.
Kairo lunged.
Soren lunged.
Nobody got her.
Eira landed directly on her bottom.
Puff.
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Eira sat there.
Her silver eyes slowly lowered toward the floor.
Then toward her legs.
Then toward everyone who had witnessed the humiliation.
Miko covered his mouth.
Too late.
A tiny laugh escaped.
Eira’s eyes moved toward him.
Miko immediately straightened.
"I didn’t laugh."
Nilo elbowed him.
Eira’s face became colder.
Swanly knew that look.
"Oh, baby, it’s okay."
No.
Apparently it was not okay.
Eira’s tiny pale legs shimmered.
And disappeared.
Her snake tail returned.
Everyone blinked.
Eira dropped onto her hands.
Then shot across the hide at ridiculous speed.
Gone.
Swanly stared.
Kairo stared.
Nilo stared.
Miko pointed.
"She gave up!"
Soren looked offended.
"She chose the more efficient form."
Kael looked at him.
"She gave up."
"She adapted."
"She gave up."
"Panther."
"Snake."
Swanly slowly stood.
"If both of you turn my daughter’s first transformation into a bloodline argument, I will hit you."
Silence.
Eira crawled behind Swanly and wrapped her little tail around her ankle.
Swanly looked down.
Her heart melted immediately.
"Are you embarrassed?"
Eira hid her face against Swanly’s leg.
Swanly clutched her chest.
"Oh no."
She scooped her up.
"My baby!"
Eira immediately buried her face against Swanly’s neck.
Soren came closer.
"Give her to me."
Eira tightened her arms.
Swanly grinned.
"She chose Mama."
Soren stared.
Eira peeked at him.
Then hid again.
Kael laughed.
A terrible morning for Snake Papa.
...
The next morning, Sira transformed.
Swanly missed the exact moment again.
This time she heard laughter.
Tiny, bubbling laughter from outside the shelter.
She stepped out.
Stopped.
Sira was standing.
Two tiny pale legs beneath her.
Both arms raised.
Her entire face glowing with delight.
"MA-MA!"
Swanly screamed again.
"MAMA HAS TWO WALKING BABIES!"
Soren came running.
Kael came running.
The boys came running.
Nobody panicked this time.
They knew the scream.
Sira took one step.
Wobbled.
Laughed.
Second step.
Nearly fell.
Recovered.
"Gah!"
She looked absurdly proud.
Kairo dropped to his knees.
"Come here."
Sira waddled toward him.
One.
Two.
Three.
She fell face-first into Nilo instead.
Nilo caught her.
"Got you."
Sira looked up at him.
Then grabbed both his cheeks.
"Ni."
Nilo’s entire face softened.
"Yes. Nilo."
She smiled.
Then shoved away from him because apparently affection had ended.
She stood again.
Miko spread his arms.
"My turn!"
Sira waddled straight past him.
Miko slowly lowered his arms.
Everyone tried not to laugh.
He looked offended.
"Sira."
She kept going.
"Sira?"
Nothing.
"Hello?"
She reached Kael.
Fell against his shin.
Kael immediately picked her up.
Sira grabbed one black panther ear.
"Ka!"
Kael froze.
Soren’s eyes narrowed.
Swanly slapped both hands over her mouth.
Miko pointed.
"She said Ka!"
Kael looked unbearably pleased.
Soren looked unbearably displeased.
Then Sira spotted Swanly.
Everything else ceased to exist.
"MAMA!"
She launched herself toward her.
Kael barely had time to pass her over.
Swanly caught the tiny girl against her chest and smothered her with kisses.
"My baby has legs!"
Sira squealed.
Swanly kissed one cheek.
Then the other.
Then her forehead.
Then her nose.
Sira grabbed Swanly’s face.
"Mama!"
"Yes!"
Another kiss.
"Ma-ma!"
"YES!"
Across the hide, Eira sat in snake form.
Watching.
Swanly looked at her.
"You can do it too."
Eira’s face remained blank.
"Come on."
"No."
Everyone froze.