COLD - BWWM

*TWENTY*

The baby Krishna wriggled in her arms, his chubby arms waving back and forth as he chatted up a storm. Olive wasn't sure what he was exactly he was saying. She wasn't sure of what to think of his attempts to communicate, but when he grabbed his foot and stuck it in his mouth. Olive let go of her hope that teenager remained inside.

Trustingly Krishna rested against her arm, cringing away from the crowd of eyes that were focused in silent shock on him, in an effort to hide away from them he buried his face against her neck.

Olive, amused at his behavior, bit her lip in an effort not to laugh.

"Is...Is that our boy Krishna?"

Teira spoke first, the only one comfortable enough to approach Olive and the babe. She nodded at his question, he saw the stone in the baby's head and frowned, "And Kofric?"

Olive shook her head, even though she had never liked Kofirc, she still felt bad for her returned soul.

"The child carries the stone," This was said, by the man who stood next to Lilah, his face was weathered and wrinkled thanks to his excessive of the fire spirit, his eyes were sharp and fiery like coals. "It must be reclaimed."

Teira shook his head, as Olive tightened her hold on Krishna in defense against the other elder.

"Alor, it would kill the baby," He motioned towards the baby, "The child's spirit is intertwined with it now." He lifted a hand and brushed it over the stone, "It would be in our best interest to leave it where it has chosen to lie."

"Then...the child will stay here," Alor announced, Olive could already see the calculation going on behind his beady eyes, "I will take him into my house, and train him."

"No, you will not." Olive said, stepping away from both men, she tightened her hold on Krishna. A fierce protectiveness taking her over, "None of you wished to house him when he came here as a boy of eight, and I will not let you take him and create a puppet of him for your own devices."

Alor glared at her, his fire whipping up in the shape of monkey, causing the others to back up in alarm, "You dare...accuse me...of such a disgusting agenda!"

Nira, her tail lashing back and forth growled deeply at the monkey, appearing at Olive's feet, "I only state what has been done before, when one from your house captures an innocent child." Olive didn't look in Lilahs direction, but she felt her friend flinch.

"Enough!" Tiera, his wind snake striking the cheetah and monkey causing them to disperse instantly, "You both will cease this behavior!" He turned his sharp gaze to Alor and said, "As his guide, Olive has every the right to take the child into her house till he has returned to his original age," He then turned his tired gaze to Olive, "You will be allowed to take the boy, but...he must be brought back for his awakening at five."

Olive reluctantly nodded, her narrowed gaze still focused Alor, "I will bring him back for his awakening, but I will not leave him here." She turned her gaze away from Alor, whose own fury had not melted. "My mother would be blessed to have the Stone of Ishtar and Krishna in her house."

Eventually the rest of those who'd been standing in observance, melted away and Alor with no choice, angrily left dragging a flustered Lilah behind him.

Teira smiled as baby Krishna returned to babbling nonsense, and chewing on his foot. "I am glad he has you this time my sister."

Olive nodded, blushing, "I am too, but..." she glanced towards the trees, some clearly knowing that Lucien was fast approaching the end of his patience. "It grows late; I must return to the human realm."