Inside Flame Song was cradling a sleeping Littlespark. She looked up when he entered and her face lit up with a smile. “Aidan.” The way she said it was so full of love, that Aidan was ashamed of his suicidal thoughts. She loved him, and he loved her. Who was he to try and end that? He smiled a real, heartfelt smile for the first time in days. Then he walked over to Flame Song and sat down beside her. He put his arm around her and hugged her. The moment was abruptly broken by a sudden awareness of the scent of Flame’s blood. He hadn’t eaten in days now, and he was very hungry. He jerked away and stood up.

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “Flame, I’m sorry. I… I’m not sure how I can deal with this. I just want to be near you, but when I am, all I can think of is hunger. I don’t want to hurt you! I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve actually been thinking.” She smiled warmly at him. "You remember the last world we visited, the Lavasida from that world? He was a vampire, and had been for many years. I remember he told me once that he lived on animal blood."

"Animal blood..." Aidan blinked. He hadn't even thought of that.

"We can at least try it! I can hunt live prey. I used to help my mother catch rabbits live so she could teach my little brothers how to hunt all the time. I could do the same for you!”

Aidan’s head came up and he looked at Flame’s excited face. “You’re right,” he said with dawning hope. “I could even make live traps.”

“Yes! Here, you keep an eye on Littlespark. Our mixed up day-night schedule has her all back to front, so I don’t know if she’ll stay asleep. I’ll be back soon.” And with that she handed the baby to Aidan and went out the door into the freezing night.

It was several hours before she finally came back. Littlespark had, as predicted, woken up. She had also needed to be changed. Aidan was in the bedroom with her lying on the floor when he heard the door open. He was trying to get her to hold still long enough for him to get the cloth diaper pinned on her. When she heard the door, she waved her arms and said “Mama!”

“Yes, Mama. Very good Spark.”

“Mama!” Littlespark said again, and suddenly she squirmed free and crawled at lightning speed into the main room. With a sigh Aidan picked himself up off the ground. He heard a sudden crash from the front room and Littlespark squealed, but it sounded like her delighted shriek, not her scared one. More curious than alarmed Aidan went to the doorway and looked into the room. Flame Song, in human form, was sprawled on the floor. The crash had obviously been the sound of her tripping. She had apparently been successful in her hunt, for a live rabbit, white in its winter coat and with a terrified expression on its face, was hopping around the room. And crawling after it, giggling and squealing and naked as the day she was born, was Littlespark. The sight was so ridiculous, that Aidan started to laugh. He laughed so hard that he had to lean against the door. He laughed until his stomach ached from laughing. Flame Song picked herself up from the floor and said irritably, “Don’t just stand there, do something!”

Aidan just laughed harder. Flame Song shook her head and went after Littlespark. Aidan finally managed to stop laughing and pounced on the rabbit. He held it carefully, tight enough to be sure that it didn’t get away but not tight enough to hurt it, and stroked its ears until it stopped trembling. “Why don’t you go and get a diaper on her and I’ll go see if this is going to work,” he said.

Flame Song nodded and carried Littlespark back into the bedroom. Aidan decided to go into the kitchen. He carried the rabbit in and set it down on a counter. It stayed where he put it as if rooted to the spot. “You know I find that even with you, bunny, I’d rather not do this. But better you than Flame Song, I suppose.” He picked the rabbit up again. Waiting won't make this any easier, he thought, and bit down on the rabbit’s neck. The fur got in the way a bit, and it was messier than he would have liked, but it didn’t take long for him to drain it dry. He licked blood off of his lips and looked at the dead rabbit. Somehow it was easier when Flame Song brought one home already dead, or when he found one dead or dying in a trap. Killing a defenseless bunny that he’d held and petted seemed so much worse. He sighed. At least it had worked. It was good even. It wasn't the incredible euphoric rush of human blood, but it had taken the edge off of his hunger.

After making sure that no traces of blood were on his face he went out into the main room. Flame Song was there with Littlespark again nodding off in her arms. “Did it work?”

“Yes. It’s not the same, but it worked.”

Flame Song smiled at him. “I’m glad. And really, this works out perfectly. There’s my dinner, all ready to go. You’re not the only one who’s hungry after a long day.” Her smile broadened into a grin. “Just let me tuck Spark into bed.”

Aidan dropped down onto one of the cushions scattered on the polished wood floor and stared into the fire. Flame Song’s footsteps went into the spare room, and he could hear her crooning a soft lullaby to Littlespark. After a bit her footsteps emerged. He continued to watch the mesmerizing patterns of the flames. She went into the kitchen, and he heard the steps change from the crisp sound of booted human feet to the almost inaudible padding of firecat paws. There was a soft thud of the dead rabbit being pulled onto the floor, and then tearing and crunching sounds told him that Flame Song had chosen to not bother with cooking the rabbit. I guess my eating habits aren't really any worse than hers, he thought with a smile. What a family we make. I wonder what Littlespark will be like when she grows up?