Haaji'hashmel watched as his mate soared overhead, her fiery wings (both fire-colored and literally aflame) a beacon in the descending night. His own three extra pairs of pale, ghost-like wings appeared as he too took to the air, glowing faintly in the darkness. They two circled, performing the ritualistic aerial dance of his kind, she welcoming him home and testing the fitness of her chosen mate, he showing off for her, proving that he was still worthy of her. It was a tradition that had long since lost it's significance, since sira pairs mated for life anyway. Life, and afterlife. But it was still important to most sira, and Chi had clung onto any tradition he had offered; since she didn't exactly have a family or lineage of her own, she felt it important to emphasize his. Haaji didn't particularly like his own kind, but it made his mate happy.

He smiled at her looping aerial jubilance, and, even though he himself was near exhaustion, gave his best for her. Haaji would always give his best for her, he would give his life for her. He had given his life for her.

As they spiraled down, Chiami began to shift from phoenix to human, and Haaji followed suit. They almost always kept their human forms now, since it made their rather glaring species difference all but imperceptible. Species mixing wasn't exactly accepted in Haaji's peoples' eyes, but then, neither was choosing a side, which he had also done. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly poplar in most social circles. Any social circles, actually.

The two made their way home to their modest cabin, and sat down for a quiet meal. There was almost always silence between the two of them now, and it worried Haaji. Chi was normally a passionate, fiery woman, had always spoken her mind, albeit in a soft, slightly timid manner, which only made him love her all the more.

After dinner, Chi sat with feet curled beneath her on the floor before the fireplace, her favorite spot, and her Haaji sat slightly behind and to the right. He looked at her face, highlighted by flickering firelight, and saw a deep longing in her eyes.

~What is the matter, beloved?~ he sent, touching her mind lightly. Mated pairs always spoke mind-to-mind amongst his people, and though she couldn't, he still felt that she liked it when he did. He didn't keep at it long, though, because he felt it was rude.

She turned and looked back at him, smiling faintly. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"

He waited a moment for her to continue, and when she didn't, he chided her gently, his mental voice at once accusing and amused. ~You didn't answer the question, love. What is it? You've been subdued for almost a week now, and it worries me.~ He ran his fingers through her short-cropped, wild orange hair, and she leaned back against him, resting her head on his chest.

"It's just... your brother came for a visit today, while you were out." Her voice was soft, but Haaji couldn't understand why something like that had made her sad, until she continued. "He says his youngest daughter is expecting her first child any day now. He wanted to know if you would be there for the naming." She looked at him for his response to the question, which he waved aside.

"I'll speak with him later. Please," he urged her to continue, but she only shrugged. "I can't bear the thought of you being sad," Haaji said, his voice pleading, "Please, tell me so I can fix it. Was it something I did or said? Or my brother...?"

She cut him off with a faint laugh. "Silly, that's not it at all. It's nothing you or anyone else could have done." She turned away then, and Haaji could tell she was on the verge of tears, which only made him more confused. Chi tried to continue, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire. "We can't have... I can never... I want...." finally she just gave up and shrugged.

Haaji kept his frustration to himself. Why must females always keep what is truly important to them inside? There were countless times when his mate had spoken her mind when she probably shouldn't have, but now, when it's truly important, she can't seem to bring herself to finish a sentence.

He thought hard and they sat in silence for a long while, Chi curled up practically in his lap while he stared into the fire, holding her gently. "You want a kit," he said finally, and Chi looked up silently, eyes hooded. "You want children, and I can't provide you with any."

The young-looking girl's eyes widened, and she shook her head "It's not you," she said quickly, "I... I can't... because of what I am, I can't...."

Now it was Haaji's turn to be silent. He had always thought that, because of his albinism, he would be unable to father children, so had always blamed that lack on himself. Not once had he even thought it might be the other way around. He had gotten used to the idea of never seeing a small version of himself running around, and when he was younger, had even been against the idea. So now, when his mate was again on the very verge of tears, he had to think fast.

"Maybe we can adopt a youngling?" He knew at once that that was the wrong answer, as Chi turned away and shrugged, gazing once again into the fire.

"We could," she said, and he could tell that, while she didn't not like the idea, she didn't want someone else's child. She wanted her own. She wanted what all mothers she knew wanted; to mix her line with that of her mate, entwine the two of them so closely that nothing could ever separate them, including death.

He winced at her tone and tried again, hoping that this time he'd hit on something that would make her happy. He wracked his brain until something that had seemed almost entirely unrelated came forward. Recently, Niaryalii, his Chosen deity, had been going on about some new place. Apparently, the people that mingled there shared her love of the draconic. Not only that, but they shared the love with each other, or so she put it. He hadn't understood at the time, but had been informed that some dragons intermixed with those from other realms, across species, completely disregarding genetic boundaries. Maybe they could help his mate and he? Maybe there was hope for them? He wasn't sure how anyone would be able to reach past his mate's apparent inability, but it was worth a try, right?

"What if," he began, choosing his words carefully, "What if there was a way?"

Chi turned back to him slowly, and he could tell that she was trying to hide her warring suspicion and hope. "How?"

He was quiet for a moment "I'm not sure yet, but what if there was? Would you leave here and have your kits in another realm?" It was a big step for him, since he'd never left Lliyani before, but the moments the words left his mouth, he knew she would do it. She was not born here, as he was, so obviously, she had no real tie to this planet, except for him. (She reminded him of that fact almost daily, teasing him unmercifully.)

Her eyes brightened, hope replacing despair, and he knew he had to do anything to keep that hope alive.

The next day, he didn't hunt, but instead, meditated outside their cabin, calling to Niaryalii. After a long moment, he began to doubt whether she could hear him. She did come, but seemed to be somewhat distracted, so he kept his call brief; whatever she was up to must have been important, because she kept fidgeting, as though anxious to return. He was honored that she placed him so highly in her list of priorities that she'd come to his call even when something more urgent was happening.

In the end, he wasn't entirely sure what had transpired. She had known everything, of course, and was more than willing to help, but he and Chi would need to speak with someone else, on something called a 'Space Station' floating out in the middle of the stars. That thought made him even more nervous than traveling to another realm had. She had mentioned that it was possible for this man, a Dr. Schroeder, to help them.

Chi was overjoyed, and insisted that they leave at once, but Haaji was forced to quell her enthusiasm. "She said we can't go yet. The man is apparently very busy, and really, who can blame him?" He could see her impatience rising, and from long years of experience, could tell that it wouldn't be a happy thing if she had to wait too long for something so important to her, so he tried to distract her. "In the mean time, you can practice your mothering skills with saavi'liivissi new baby. I'm sure she won't mind."

And that was the right answer. Where once the kitten had been a symbol of her own inability to be a mother, now it represented the hope she now had. And whether or not this Doctor person would actually be able to help them, she had regained her hope for new life, something especially vital to a phoenix.

Waiting wouldn't be so bad; she might actually rise soon, so it waiting would give her some time to regain her memories again and prepare for the new arrivals, how ever many they were blessed with.

As they both curled up to sleep that night in his nest, Chi purred a him softly. "I hope they get your beautiful form."

Haaji, somewhat startled, looked at his mate, stroking her cheek. They were both in human forms, since that was really much more comfortable than anything else they'd tried, though Chi did love cuddling up with him when he was in his true form. "Don't say that, love," he chided her, "You know I love your beautiful feathers. I would be terribly upset if they didn't show up in the next generation."

She giggled "Oh what a sight! I do hope something happens; I'd love to see what a noble sira would look like with feathers sticking out everywhere."

Her mate rolled his eyes, but decided not to argue the point. Really, a sira might look funny with random feathers everywhere, but if they could just mix traits and keep her lovely crest and tailfeathers, he would be happy. He only spoke once more before they both drifted off, his voice the merest of whispers. "You silly thing, I do love you."

When the fateful day finally arrived Haaji was a mass of nerves. Chi tried to reassure him that it would all be fine, and that really, for anyone to live in this space station place there had to be air, and yes, she was sure Niaryalii would be there if there was trouble.

The actual place was even somewhat familiar to Chi, though she couldn't remember what lifetime it had been that she'd seen anything like this. As they wandered through the corridors surrounded by metal and technology on all sides, se knew that her poor mate was close to some sort of breakdown. Every once in a while he jumped at a sight or sound, and his human form slipped a little. Long, pointed ears or a twitchy tail sometimes appeared and disappeared as he reacted to the unfamiliarity of the place. She held his hand to reassure him. Poor thing.

Haaji started again, and berated himself mentally. There were stranger things on his own world, why must he be so jumpy in this place? What was he doing in this place anyway? His home was in the grass and trees, not metal and flashing lights! He reminded himself again that he was here for his mate, that this was what would make her happy. Still.

Chiami looked much younger now than she was in reality, maybe thirteen in human years when she was countless centuries above and beyond her mate, since her rebirth had only been a month or so ago. They came to the door, she had been looking for, and entered, Chi tugging Haaji along.

"Doctor Schroeder?" she said, tentatively, hope shining in her eyes. Today, her most precious dream might just come true.