Path of the Hunters [PART 4] (NSFW)

The kit nodded, smiling softly.

"Oui," Aurélie mused. "The sooner we leave, the better."

Aurora began to yip at the word 'leave,' wriggling in her father's arms.

*

"It fucking sucks, but whatever. We can probably just ask Katherine where the hell we need to go."

"Aw, man," Nova groaned, working to calm Aurora down. "You just had to use the L word, didn't you?"

Yue giggled. "At least she's close to you."

*

"The hologram-girl, right? Well, that works for me." He grabbed a pair of towels, handed one to her.

Aurélie smiled, watching Aurora lap at him. "Very good point, Yue."

*

She rubbed down her fur, grinning.

"Don't get me wrong, I love that," Nova said through laughs. "But I only need to clean myself two times a day!"

Mani laughed. "She sure is nothing like when Yue was that age."

*

He went to scrubbing down his head. "Outta curiosity, why so interested in me, all of a sudden?"

"What was Yue like?" Aurélie asked. Dart let out a soft bark, so she scratched him behind the ear. His tail began to wag happily.

*

"Shit, I've always had a thing for you. You got a rock solid body and you're up front, but you were with Elesis. Then Crescent got a hold of you." She smirked. "So fuck it, my turn. And it sure as hell wasn't wasted."

"Yue was an angel, barely ever made a sound. Coming out of the womb, her cry was soft and quiet. I didn't even have much trouble with her, during pregnancy. Smart, too. She was easily crawling in fifteen months, only took another six to walk. By then, her smart sounds developed into actual words, which she only had a select few of, at the time."

*

"Damn right it wasn't." He returned the smirk. "Y'know, I ain't that hard to get a hold of. There was plenty of time between Ellie and Crescent for you to step in."

Star drew Trip against her for a squeeze. "Why so sad?" she whispered.

"You don't have a baby," he said quietly.

She smiled softly. She'd always wondered what it was like to have a baby... She wouldn't mind if she had a demon or an angel, just so long as she could have one. But she would never discount the kit she held now. "I have you, sweetie. And I love you just as much as if I had had you forever."

*

"Like I see you enough to know what, or who, the hell you do when."

Cross looked over at the two, frowned slightly. He didn't like being reminded of that story. He wanted to settle the score on that, but it wasn't exactly his place...

"Hmm?" Yue cocked her head to the side curiously. "Why so serious, Uncle Cross?"

The echidna shook the dark thoughts away, smiled halfheartedly at his niece. "It's nothing, Yue. Don't worry about it."

*

"Shit, you know just as well as anyone else: If I ain't at the gym, I'm roamin' the hood it's in. It ain't but so big, y'know. And with your skills, I'm sure you can sniff me out."

Star laid her head in his shoulder, smiling. "Love you."

*

She shrugged. "I'll keep that in mind."

He smiled warmly, nuzzled her. "Love you, too."

Yue smiled, relaxed. It must not be too serious, if Auntie Star can calm him down. Either that, or Uncle Cross was a really good pretender.

*

He wrapped the towel around his waist. "So, any particular places you hang, outside StarShine?"

Trip smiled. He couldn't wait for them to get all married.

*

"Bowling alley." She smirked, walking out of the room without the towel. "I've been bowling since I was a kid. Or the airstrip; s'where I train."

Cross smirked. "Okay, I'm starting to get impatient. What's keeping that Lab?"

*

He watched her, smirking as he followed. "Bowlin', huh? Kinda fell outta that for a sec, so I'm a bit rusty. And what airstrip do you go to? Must be damn near deserted fopr your trainin'."

The hedgecat laughed. "You can't rush good sex." She nipped his ear and whispered, "You should know that."

*

"Yeah. This old abandoned place. Star goes there to write and stuff, so she showed me where it is." Stretching, she located her clothes and began tugging them on.

Cross chuckled. "Boy, do I ever. But not what I meant. Nova and his team still have to get going, and time is of the essence for them."

Yue blushed. "You two are going to have some alone time?"

Sol flinched. "Worry you not about that, young lady!"

*

"Sounds familiar. Might've been an old turf of mine." He tugged off the towel, started pulling on his own clothes.

Star laughed. "Yue, Cross has to leave soon, too. There won't be enough time."

*

"Possibly. It's about two miles out of StarShine, where I sent Trip off to meet up with Cross when the daycare was attacked."

The hedgehog blinked. "Oh, okay."

Mani sighed. "What a handful. There's no secrets around this girl."

"Gave her 'the talk' eh?" Nova mused.

Sol shook his head. "No, she figured it out on her own, she's that smart."

*

"Oh, I know that spot. Grew up in that area." He sighed, smiled. "Damn that brings back memories."

"That could make it easier and worse," Aurélie mused, looking at Dart. He licked her chin.

*

"It's where Star told Trip she was going to adopt him. Pretty big place for all of us, I guess."

"In this case, it's fail." The hedgecat turned to his daughter. "First time you caught us, what did you ask?"

"Oh, um..." Yue thought for a moment. "I think I asked if I was gonna have a little brother, or something like that."

"On just the first time?" Nova laughed, ruffling Aurora's fur. "Talk about a burn! Damn!"

*

"Yeah, I remember takin' Nova in there. That was my gang's first turf."

The pup started to yip happily, tail going wild.

Aurélie laughed. "Well, Nova, we will 'ave to avoid that."

"Good luck," Star muttered, looking at Trip who blushed brightly.

*

"My turf now," the dog mused, snickering.

"You're gonna need it," Mani added, looking at Yue who shugged as if to say, "What'd I do?"

*

"All yours, girl," the wolf responded with a shrug. "Got outta gang life after 'Ms. Perfect,' so meh."

Star laughed, nuzzling her son. "Usually, after one walk-in, you'd expect them to be more careful for the next time... Not so much."

Aurélie lifted a brow. "You are against locking the doors?"

"Well... hm..."

*

"Never been into it." She walked over and nibbled his bottom lip. "I like the way you taste. Anyway, food." Turning, she strode from the room.

"In case you missed it," Sol said. "Locks and other security systems are pretty much useless with this kid."

"Oh!" Yue looked up at her parents. "That reminds me. I think I might have some powers!"

*

He smirked, followed her out. "You can wake up the taste buds, too."

Trip nodded. "Yeah."

*

"I know." Grinning, she looked around. "Now how the hell do we contact Katherine...?"

"Well now that you're done screwing, I suppose that you want me to lead you folk to the mess hall?" She was standing there in front of Sunny, smirking. "I am so glad I can turn off security camera feeds. Come along you two."

"Shit, nothin' wrong with morning sex." Smirking, Sunny followed her.