[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Slowly, and after me, ok?" He muttered, slipping into the stable with Borealis behind him.

He felt her tense when she met the creature's eyes, but it just peered at her and the crate in her hands curiously from where it lay.

"Hey pal" Cassus murmured, wetting his lips as he strode towards it. "I brought someone to meet you."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis stepped closer, as Cassus knelt down beside it and put hia crate on the floor.

He began to carress the bony struts on the creature's head, and it closed its eyes and began making that rumbling, purring noise again.

Borealis nodded to Cassus, and opened her crate, allowing the roosken inside to make its way out.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus drew his hand back and released the second roosken, before making his way over to the structure at the back to make up nests for them.

The creature sniffed at the birds for a moment, before standing and stretching like a Draculi and making its way over to sniff at Borealis who stood still in alarm.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

It was much bigger than it had seemed whilst lying down, easily big enough to ride on, and her eyes were as wife as they could go as it sniffed her from head to toe.

She jumped when the creature flopped down onto its back in front of her, and sight with relief as it chirped and wiggled, baring its stomach to her.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding as he watched his mate stroking the creature's belly, though he didn't relax until he saw her smile.

He hoped this would make it easier when they next parted - he wouldn't be alone, and with the creature's help he should be able to make the journey faster and bring back more than usual.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"What should we call it?" He murmured, coming to stand beside her as the two Roosken made themselves at home in the nests he had prepared for them.

She tilted her head to the side, and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"What about Cal?" she murmured, pointing at the coloured scales on his hide. "He's calico-colured, after all, and behaves a lot like a large feline."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

The creature let out a chirp of contentment, and both Cassus and Borealis both jumped before letting out quiet chuckles.

"I think that decided it. Cal it is." Cassus grinned, and bent to rub the creature's neck. "You be good and look after the roosken, Cal - there's a good amount of space in here for all of you."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis looked around - she had been so focused on Cal, she hadn't even really looked at the stable itself.

"We could even see about getting some more roosken in here, and maybe a tuskow and yingshee in future" she murmured, picturing it.

Cassus nodded. "Fresh milk and wool to be spun - we'll need to save up for them, though."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He rubbed Cal's belly. "First step is getting some proper saddlebags sorted out for this guy - with his help, I can probably gather four times what I've been expecting to gather, and I can reach places I couldn't on my own. See his claws? I'm pretty sure he can climb, and I know he can jump."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis looked at Cal's claws, and looked away thoughtfully.

"Have a look for saddle bags, but check the prices of tanned hides - if making them ourselves is cheaper, we'll do it that way, and I'm sure we can find cheap bags in the market of different sizes that we can adjust as well."

She looked at Cal before murmuring "and see about getting a proper saddle, as well."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus stood, and rubbed Cal's head affectionately before making his way to the door.

As they made their way back to the house, his eyes drooped and he yawned, the energy leaving him as the stress faded.

"I will do all of that, but tomorrow" he muttered as they unlocked the door. "For now, we should eat, and then I need to rest."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis helped him prepare a light soup with eggs and potatoes, and he crawled into bed with a full stomach and a smile on his face. As she went to join him, however, the pups began squealing, so she fed them as he lay and held them, tickling the ones who were waiting while she rotated between them.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

The pups settled against his bare chest, and fell asleep, their little bellies full and noses buried in his thick fur. For the first time, Cassus realised that to them, he was their father - they would never know the scent of another male as they did him, despite their unfortunate origins, and he held their tiny bodies close in his embrace.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"What's wrong?" whispered Borealis, concern fling her voice as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Cassus shook his head slightly, unable to put words to the feeling that had filled him.

"I'm their father" he murmured, sending a shiver up Borealis's spine and filling her heart in the same moment. He glanced into her wide-eyed face, and placed a kiss on the little boy's head.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"It just felt - overwhelming" he whispered, "when they burrowed into me. I'm their father - and they won't know any different, at least until they're old enough to understand. It just suddenly hit me, I guess."

Borealis wiped her own wet cheeks, and gave a shaky smile. This - she hadn't hoped for this, but it was such a wonderful ache in her heart.