“What are you thinking?” asked Flame.

He smiled. “Just pondering the purpose of life,” he replied.

“The purpose of life?” Flame laughed. “Why everybody knows that life is for living. Life is its own purpose.”

“That’s either just plain silly, or really profound.”

“Well, maybe it’s both,” said Flame. “I think the gods have a sense of humor sometimes.”

Aidan smiled wryly. “No kidding.”

“Enough philosophizing, let’s run!” and with that she took off over the starlit grass. Aidan raced after her, leaving the remains of the deer for the scavengers.

Much later as they lay contentedly side-by-side Aidan said softly, “All good things must come to an end.”

“Hmm?” asked Flame drowsily.

Aidan sighed. “I think we’ve left Littlespark with Belak long enough. We ought to go get her tonight and go home.”

“I think you’re right,” said Flame. “Though I could wish for more time.”

“Yeah. And once I change back to my usual self the spell will be used up. It was a once only thing.”

“How long until sunrise?” asked Flame, knowing that Aidan carried an accurate internal sundial.

“A little bit more than two hours,” he replied.

“Well, that should be more than enough time,” said Flame.

“For what?” asked Aidan, with a mischievous grin.

“For this, among other things,” replied Flame, and seized his ear between her teeth, tugging gently. Aidan twisted around, freeing himself, and then tackled her, sending them both tumbling. Flame somehow still ended up pinning him. “Gotcha!” she said gleefully.

“Now that you have me,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye, “what will you do with me?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of something,” she said.

It was just past sunrise when they arrived, Flame Song slightly out of breath and both still laughing from their last race, at Coppertop. Aidan stayed in firecat form, putting off the moment when he would have to return permanently to his own shape. They moved swiftly down the cobblestone streets to Belak’s place. Flame didn’t ask Aidan to change and knock, nor did she shift shape herself, but instead balanced on her hind legs and managed to lift the knocker with one paw. Aidan grinned at the sight. He wanted to surprise his dwarven friend, and Flame Song no doubt had guessed and was playing along.

When Belak came to the door he jumped. “What the…? There be two of you!”

“Hi Belak,” said Aidan, a feline grin on his face.

“Have you become a shapeshifter too, my friend?” asked the startled dwarf.

“No, much as I wish I could. This is a once only deal.”

“Well, you nearly scared the life out of me, so you did.”

Aidan laughed. “Where’s Littlespark?”

“One moment, I’ll go get the wee lass,” said the dwarf and vanished into his house.

A moment later Littlespark came running out. “Mommy!” she said and ran up to Flame Song and hugged her. Then she looked at Aidan, asking hesitantly, “Daddy?”

“Yes, it’s me, fuzz-ball” said Aidan, rather curious to see how his daughter handled his change of shape.

“We’re all firecats!” she said gleefully, and shifted form herself. She immediately started stalking Aidan’s long, feathery tail. Her own tail was still kittenishly short, and she hadn’t come into her stripes yet either. Belak shook his head at the sight.

“You’re quite the unique family, so you are,” he said.

Aidan nodded and smiled. “You’re right about that. Thank you for tending Littlespark for us.”

“’Twas my pleasure, lad. Though next time I might do well to remember that the lass is used to being up all night. I didn’t get a wink of sleep.”

“I’m sorry about that,” said Aidan with a wry smile. “And thank you again.”

“Ach well, ‘tweren’t no trouble really. That lass is a charmer, so she is.”

They said their farewells and got ready to leave. The sun was well up in the sky as the tired trio followed the path that led to their home. It wasn’t long before Littlespark stopped and said, with a yawn, “I’m tired. Carry me?”

“I’ll carry her,” said Aidan, stopping Flame just as she began to shift. “I can’t say like this forever.” He shimmered back into aerian form and took the ring off of his finger. It was nothing more than a thin circlet of gold now, not really worth anything. He put it in his pocket anyhow before picking up his kittenish daughter. As he cradled her she shifted to human form and, snuggling her head on his chest, fell asleep.

Aidan came in the door from another hunting trip and found the house filled with music. Flame Song was sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the floor and playing her clarinet. Her fingers moved nimbly over the dark wood of the instrument and a flowing melody filled the room. She stopped and looked up when Aidan came in.

“That was pretty! I haven’t heard you play in forever.”

“I know, I’ve been neglecting it,” said Flame. “It’s just too frustrating sometimes. I practice and practice, but I don’t think I’ll ever be as good as the other bards.”

“But you can sing better than any of them,” said Aidan.

“One of the five gifts,” said Flame

“That what?”

“The five gifts of the firecats. I haven’t told you that story? I’ll have to sometime. I should tell Littlespark too. I’ve been neglecting my duties as a storyteller almost as much as I’ve been neglecting my skill as a bard. She should know all the stories of her tribe. Which reminds me, I’d like to take another trip to Snowcap.”

“What already? We went just last month.”

Flame laughed. She put her clarinet down and got to her feet. “We can go shopping more than once a year you know. But that’s not why I want to go. There’s someone there I need to talk to.”

“Who?”

“A lady I met last time I was there. She’s got a little girl about Spark’s age.”

“Why do you need to see her?”

There was a twinkle in Flame’s eye as she said, “Oh, it has to do with her job.”

Wondering what in the world Flame was going on about Aidan asked, “And what job is that?”

“She’s a healer, and a midwife.”

“A mid…” Aidan stopped, his jaw dropping. “Are you saying you’re…?”

Flame grinned. “I think so. It’s a bit early to be completely certain, but all the signs are pointing in that direction.”

Aidan gave a whoop of joy and caught her up in a hug.