

“Only for several days during my travels. “You were in the Ice Empire?” Kaze wondered as his eyes turned to the stoic vixen once more. It drove her to distraction, but at least she could still swim (even if she complained about how awkward legs were in the water). As far as they knew, no hybrid of a merhog and hedgehog had ever been conceived, so the physicians had suggested keeping to her land-based form to prevent any stress for the little ones. Darren recalled from her first pregnancy with the twins that there had been great concern about the babies’ health if she went back and forth between the two forms too often. She touched the pendant marked with several runes at her throat, indicating without words that it was responsible for keeping her from shifting back into a merhog. I haven’t been allowed to use it for over half a year.” She pouted a bit as she drifted off in her mind, “And it will certainly be nice to have my tail again.

Should be born anytime,” his sister-in-law announced while lovingly caressing her well-rounded belly. “I see I came back just in time for the new member,” Darren mused to himself when he saw Sapphire’s condition. “Your timing couldn’t have been better, Brother,” Kaze grinned, pulling him toward the white merhog who had waited politely during the initial greeting. After one solid minute the brothers broke away, but their hands continued to clasp onto each of Darren’s shoulders as though to make sure that he wouldn’t try to escape. Internally Darren was thankful for the warm welcome as he slowly returned the hug. It was real! His brother was truly here! A split second later the two big brothers were hugging their youngest sibling fiercely. He couldn’t help letting out a choked but relieved gasp. Once they stood face-to-face with their young brother, the azure hedgehog’s hand shakily reached out to touch his shoulder. Benonic followed close behind, nearly as stunned. Ignoring the solemn words, Kaze walked toward him, hoping that the other wasn’t an illusion that would disappear in the next second. “Your Majesties,” he murmured, his voice so formal that it was almost foreign. At first they didn’t see any difference from two years earlier, but then the deep lines of tiredness and unbroken depression became apparent. He didn’t glance up, but rather seemed to shrink back as though ashamed of himself. The ebony hedgehog stood slightly behind Queen Eirwen, looking tense and unsure. “Da… Darren?” Kaze asked in a disbelieving whisper.

Secret of the Wings Part 5.1 (The final chapter)
