Three days later, Sil returned on his own. He had gone hunting with Quinn and the team gave Quinn the crystals so he could get better gear. Since Quinn was going back out on his own in the morning for a week or two, he told Sil he should visit his family. Of course, Sil didn't object.
He easily found his home and entered his bedroom just as Lana was putting the twins down for the evening. Sil was looking around the room and marveling at what he didn't have time to pay attention to last time he was here. Lana came out from the nursery, having put the dirty diaper away for cleaning later and saw him. She leaned against the doorway between the two rooms and watched the expressions on his face. She saw his big smile. It looked like he was finishing his visual inspection of the room.
"Do you like what you see?"
His smile grew bigger and he took her in his arms, giving her a long passionate kiss, "yes" as he broke the kiss off.
"Just so you know, we can't have any…fun… for six weeks."
Sil nodded. "This house is amazing."
"Have you seen the upstairs yet? Do you want to see the nursery?"
"I have not and would love to," he smiled.
Lana took the next several minutes to show him around their home. He liked how she put in enough rooms to have more children.
"Are you hungry? I was going to get something to eat."
Sil nodded, "the Cursed are out of food. They are on food pills right now."
"Excuse me? Why is this the first I have heard of this?" Lana was livid.
Sil shrugged, "I just know what they told me."
"Do you want to eat here or the Travelers' Center?"
"Here, please! It's too much attention."
Lana chuckled, "you're the famous missing husband of the Family leader. It will die down eventually."
They stepped outside to the porch area while she grew some food and then into the kitchen where they cooked. Well, she cooked, he tried. Lana was happy he was willing to put in some effort.
"Do you want to go hunting tomorrow? I can get some people together and we can go."
"We?"
Lana smirked, "do I hear a fight coming on?"
Sil sighed, "let's just finish eating and go to bed. I need to hold my wife."
Lana smiled, nodded and asked him to fill her in on his day with Quinn.
He told Lana how a new faction had moved onto the planet while Quinn was away. New factions automatically had an F rank until the first month's hunting results came in. It hadn't been long but this faction was stealing kills on the hunting grounds, overcharging and demanding lower prices because the Cursed had a low rank. Quinn managed to get some galathrium off them through a trade but their leader Mantis was not a nice person.
Sil was very happy he got to see Quinn play the Block Block game again, the way he did at the inter-base tournament. He reminded her of the video that circulated at the time and told her that was Quinn. Only, this time, he got to go past level 5.
Lana smiled at his excitement.
Sil also told her that Quinn told him to only help the team if they needed it.
Lana nodded. "What I'd like is for you to do the kills. We will be there. You'll get the abilities and such. But I think it would mean more to you if you earned the crystals used to create your clothing yourself. Plus, if you get enough, you may be able to have Alex make you something on top of that."
Sil nodded, "galathrium is still an issue, though. Quinn didn't get much."
"It sounds like I need to have a talk with Sam. I understand they don't want my money because I have the kids and I'm still building the shelter but what good is it aligning us with the Cursed if they don't have what they need? I can easily give a hand and be paid back later."
Sil nodded, "I agree. Hunting the way you described sounds good."
"We don't have a large amount of travelers but the only ability you can't copy is mine and Shalt's so you can choose those in the morning."
"Why not Shalt's?"
"You can't copy vampire abilities, even if they are in both species. It has to be a human."
"Yours is strange too. I can hear something but not make it out. I don't understand."
"Mine seems to be gender specific. Also, I am teaching a girl and she collapsed in pain like when Quinn turns someone, just not as bad. Only then could I teach her my ability."
"Strange."
Lana nodded. "Let's go sleep."
For now, the babies slept in a bassinet at her bedside and she wore bags that she attached to herself to collect the milk that leaked from her so others could help her feed the babies. Sil did that for her that night. Caser helped him with diapers so Lana could get some good sleep before heading out in the morning.
At breakfast in the travelers' Center, Sil kept his head down the whole time. Still, he needed to choose who went with him on the hunt based on abilities. Dobin was obviously going being the highest earth ability user. Alto was the strongest water user so he was chosen. Bonnie was chosen for her telekinesis. Sean was a rank E but he had ice so Sil chose him as well.
Rene was needed for healing, regardless. She would be teaching her ability once she returned. She just needed to decide which of the volunteers should learn. Lana told her all of them but she thought that was overkill. The last to get chosen was Biff with wind.
Since it was his trip, she wanted Sil involved in the decisions. She showed him the unexplored map and he chose to go out the way they went before and circle around to the south. If there was enough time, they could go all the way around. Based on this, Kattie drove them out and dropped them off. She told them to let her know when they were ready to come back and she'd come get them.
Lana had her usual gear but this time Shalt was carrying the bag with her lab as well. Her family would be staying in there. She brought Mandy as well to continue her training while they were out.
The agreed upon formation would be the six ability users walking in the back. They were to get involved only if they were needed. Lana walked next to Sil with the babies on her chest, held firmly by her vines. Shalt and Mandy walked behind them. Caser decided to walk between his humans since it was so rare to have them both out like this.
An hour into their walk, they heard an ear-splitting screech. They could see nothing until they looked up and saw a flying reptile like beast heading straight for them. It very loosely reminded Lanaa of a pteradon. It sported three shades of green and two shades of red. It was beautiful in a terrifying, prehistoric sort of way.
Sil threw an ice dagger the size of a harpoon using telekinesis to make the impact felt. It moved at the last moment but not enough. Its wing was ripped from the middle to the bottom and it was forced to land. Just as its feet hit the ground, Sil encased it in earth and crushed it.
The ability users were all looking at each other trying to figure out what they just watched.
Sil got rid of the earth and collected his crystal. "This isn't going to take long, is it?"
Lana giggled, "I don't think so. Shall we continue?"
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