Eclipse was a bit reluctant do so, but he loosed his embrace over her. The child started to cry and it seemed it was afraid of the ebony knight, trying to squirm away. Eclipse was comforting her. Lance knelt, touching the child with his fingers, feeling a soft fur.

She really had a hedgehog shape and greenish stripes. The markings on her limbs reminded him something, but he wasn't able to remember. "Moriana, tell if the pregnancy took only one month, who could be the father judging by a race?" He continued to touch this infant, noticing it's still scared.

"A month?" he pondered about it for a while. "I honestly don't know, but it must have been someone with a lot of magic power inside of his body. Maybe someone from really ancient race... like a demon."

"So a demon," repeated Lancelot, examining the child even more. He heard Eclipse sobbing. He was well aware of the mother-and-child bond Darklings had in their family. He didn't want to keep this one. Who knows what could have become of it, but Eclipse... he didn't want to hurt him.

He stood up. "Take a rest... both of you," he said. "Then come home... I'm sure Amyce and Magnus will be happy to have a younger sibling."

"So!" Eclipse gasped.

"Yes, I have decided to keep this child as my own. I hope with proper care it will grow into a good person." He smiled back at Eclipse, before walking home. ' But if it would turn hostile...' he thought.

[** Two years later **]

Lancelot made sure he won't leave his family for too long. He carefully watched over Aalis, the youngest child... but only by the birth order, by her physique, she was seven and her mentality was even further. She quickly learned to read and write, and she had an amazing memory. He made sure to be strict with her and to oversee her training.

During her growth, she developed more greenish stripes over her quills and body and the strange markings... they become more distinctly... but it seemed they are just slightly purplish fur on her limbs and tips of her quills. The one thing that made him most uneasy was her eyes. She had split yellow pupils.

"Mom," she called her mother when Lancelot was gone. "Does father hates me?"

Eclipse let go of the dishes she was helping with and hugged her. "Of course not, sweety."

"Then why is he so strict! He never smiles at me like on others!"

Eclipse was petting her long quills. "Aalis, I know it may seem that way, but deep down he loves you just like others."

"Then why he doesn't show it?" She broke the hug, crying.

"You see, he may just be... bit surprised the way how fast you have grown up despite being the youngest." he wiped her tears. "He is afraid if he won't teach you well you may be lacking it in the future. But know this, he is proud of you."

Aalis nodded. She also thought she is strange... how fast she has grown up.

Later, at the evening Lancelot returned, bringing a piece of deer meat. Eclipse was happy, he wanted to get some for a long time to make a special dish for everybody. But that will have to wait for tomorrow, so he only made sure to store it well so it won't rot.

Once the children were in their beds in the room on the second floor, their parents went outside.

"So, she is feeling it," pondered Lancelot.

"It's making her seriously anxious," added Eclipse. "Maybe we... should tell her the truth."

"You think so? Isn't a bit too early?"

"Yeah, but she grows so fast, it's hard to tell when is the right time."

"I think it's never the right time, but she has to know. Tomorrow evening, I shall tell her." Lancelot looked toward the deep forest and Eclipse took his hand.

"I'll be there with you. I'm her mother after all."

They kissed, not knowing someone heard them.