"Recognition"

Mid day -- Kossia’s favorite time of day. Anyone who was familiar with her habits knew she would be sunning herself on one of the rocks at the surface.

Kossia stretched and let out a long sigh. It had been too stressful a hunt with her father and Skarloc. The latter kept joking around while the former continually told her that her lifemate would never be a good hunter. Kossia decided that she had had enough of Huin’s nitpicking and bickering and told them that she wanted to be alone. She was beginning to think that Skarloc would never take her father’s instructions seriously, and that Huin would never take her lifemate’s...well...would never take her lifemate seriously.

While Gentle Wave had finally gotten Huin to face facts and accept their daughter’s bond, he just didn’t think much of Skarloc -- even now, twenty years after their Recognition. Her mother had always approved, finding Skarloc’s at times over-abundant sense of humor a perfect balance to Kossia’s serious spells. Their daughter, Riana had somehow always fit between them, sometimes too serious, other times too lighthearted. But then again, Riana had always been an element apart from them...

Riana had always taken more to Aiko, Skarloc’s soul-sister, than she ever had to her parents; a fact that had always weighed on Kossia’s mind. Yes, Riana was her child, but as a result of Aiko’s nurturing, it often seemed more like an aunt-to-niece relationship than a mother-to-daughter one. While it was true that they had raised her from her infancy to ten turns, it had made things that much more difficult to deal with when Riana decided to live with Aiko. It wasn’t easy, but Kossia accepted it. Aiko and Riana were somehow spiritually linked, and Kossia refused to interfere with that. But now that Riana was maturing, Kossia wondered just how much she had missed out on in letting Aiko foster her child.

Kossia ran her hands over her belly and sighed again. Her child wasn’t really a child anymore, and despite everything she told herself, she mourned for not having fully raised their child. It was hard to tell how Skarloc felt on the subject. Often, when Kossia brought it up, he would change the subject. Kossia rolled onto her stomach and rested her head on her crossed arms. Yes...he avoided it. He had so looked forward to raising their little one...but she had preferred Aiko. Kossia closed her eyes against the tears that were forming. It shouldn’t matter. She was raised well, and she visits frequently...It shouldn’t bother me, she thought. And yet...it did. However, no matter what she felt on this matter, she kept it hidden from the colony, and most of all from Riana and Aiko. She did not want to make them feel guilty, because it was something she knew that was now unchangeable and that shouldn’t affect her like it was.

A soft brush against her mind alerted her that someone was coming. She pulled herself together and sat up. A pair of slightly tanned hands grabbed onto her rock, and in a split second, Skarloc had hoisted himself up next to her.

"Thought I’d find you here," he said. Kossia leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, embracing him tightly. "Thought you’d never get here."

Skarloc kissed her forehead and said, "I thought you wanted to be alone." She looked up at him and said, "I did -- until you showed up."

They stayed that way for a while, not saying anything, just being together. Finally, knowing he wouldn’t get a better chance to broach the topic, Skarloc meekly ventured, "Tylii?"

"Yes, Ymoie? Is something wrong?"

"I miss...having...I...I miss," he stammered. Kossia knew whatever he was missing was very important, to make him draw it out like this, so she waited patiently.

"I miss having a child around," he said. "No one jokes around with me anymore," he added on in a mock-pouting tone. Kossia smiled and said, "I’ve missed it too, Ymoie."

Skarloc looked into her eyes and saw only his gentle Tylii, his lifemate -- his Recognized. And in that moment, a spark flew between them, and they once again felt the pull of Recognition. Kossia smiled, and Skarloc kissed her gently. They slid into the water, and found that they needed very few words anymore.

* * * * *

**You’re very smiley today,** Tyree sent as she, Kossia, and HighGloss gathered seaweed for making nets and various other things.

**Well, why shouldn’t I be? ** Kossia sent. **It’s a beautiful day. **

**I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call a day spent doing this ‘beautiful’,** HighGloss contributed.

**Not you too, Glossy! Why can’t I enjoy myself without everyone asking about it?**

**We’re not saying you can’t,** Tyree started.

**Just that you have to tell us why you are!** HighGloss interrupted.

Tyree playfully slapped HighGloss on the arm. **Glossy, really!** she added.

**So come on, Kossia -- something’s going on -- what is it?** High Gloss continued.

Kossia smiled and sent, **You’ll find out...** She wouldn’t answer any further questions on the subject, but she kept a slight smile on her face while she kept on working.

* * * * *

Skarloc was lying naked on the bed that he and Kossia shared -- a habit he had picked up over the years. He and Kossia had decided not to inform the colony of their Recognition until they had told Riana, Tollan, Benti, Huin, and Gentle Wave. They didn’t forsee any bad reactions (and even if they had, there wasn’t much that could be done about it), but one could never tell.

Skarloc blew some if his hair out of his eyes and placed his hands beneath his head. His main train of thought had been breaking the news to Riana. He wasn’t too sure how to phrase it correctly. After a few hours of contemplation, he was down to ten possible choices, his favorites being : "We’re not replacing you, we just want a younger version" (which he knew Kossia would hit him for), and "Your mother and I have recognized again". He felt the second was more straightforward and direct, while the first was just more funny. He decided to settle on asking Kossia and then went to sleep.

* * * * *

When Skarloc woke up, he found Kossia curled up on her side next to him. He brushed some hair away from her face and then got up to avoid disturbing her. He usually woke up when she came in to join him, but this time he hadn’t. He didn’t really mind, it just struck him as odd. He looked over at her and smiled. She frowned in her sleep, reached out next to her and groped around for a bit. Then she sighed and was peaceful again. Skarloc decided to wake her up, so he sat back down next to her.

**Tylii,** he sent. Kossia stirred and curled up tighter. "Tylii...wake up, beloved," he said softly. Kossia rolled onto her back and smiled up at Skarloc.

"Why? Are you...bored?" she asked with a mischevious grin.

Skarloc mirrored her grin. "I might be...but you shouldn’t sleep all day."

"All day?!" she asked. "What ‘all day’? You were asleep before I even got here!" Kossia sat up and playfully swatted at him.

"Yeah, but I only just went to sleep when you came in."

"Ha! I could hear your snoring all the way from the other side of the palace!"

Skarloc looked indignant. "I do not snore!" Kossia burst out laughing, and Skarloc soon lost his composure and joined her.

Once they finally stopped, Kossia kissed him and said, "Go find Riana, beloved." Skarloc quickly kissed her and said, "Don’t go anywhere, otherwise I’ll end up telling her that we’re not replacing her." With that, he dove into the exit pool of their cave.

* * * * *

When Skarloc found Riana, she was being chased by Tir. Skarloc shook his head and smiled. The boy’s got it bad...he thought as he remembered doing similar things to Kossia just yesterday. It never stops being fun, though. Then he decided to have some fun of his own.

**Come on, Tir! You can catch her!** he sent to them. Tir was so shocked he stopped dead in his tracks as Riana got even farther away from him, a wicked smirk on her face. Tir rolled his eyes and sent, **I’ll catch you yet, but it will have to wait until later.**

Skarloc nodded his thanks and Tir swam off. Riana turned and came back to Skarloc and Crest, Willow trailing behind her. **Is something the matter, Father?** she asked.

**No, no! Not at all,** Skarloc said with a smile. **But your mother and I want to talk to you for a minute, if you can spare it.**

**Sure. I’m not doing anything important at the moment.**

Skarloc nodded and they swam back to the caves.

* * * * *

When they got there, Kossia was waiting for them. She smiled and hugged Skarloc when he was in, then did the same to Riana. Sensing something going on, Riana got a suspiscious look about her and said, "Okay -- what’s going on, you two?"

"Your father and I have some news for you," Kossia started.

"We’re not re -- OW!" Skarloc said as Kossia stopped his comment by slapping the back of his head. Rubbing his wound, Skarloc informed her, "Well if you’re going to treat me that way, then you can tell her."

Riana stifled a giggle and tried to keep her composure.

Before Skarloc could get another chance to tell Riana that she wasn’t being replaced, Kossia said, "We’ve Recognized again."

A grin lept onto Riana’s face, and very shortly after she rushed forward and hugged both of them.

"That’s wonderful! When did it happen?"

"Yesterday afternoon," Skarloc said with a grin.

Riana kept smiling and stepped back a little and looked at them.

"So who have you told?"

"You’re the first. We haven’t made the announcement yet," Kossia said. "We wanted to tell you, Gentle Wave, Huin, Tollan, and Benti first."

"Then I figure on telling HighGloss, so that way everyone will find out."

"Skarloc!" Kossia scolded, lightly slapping his arm.

"What?!" he implored. "What did I say?"

"Come on, let’s go tell Tollan and Benti."

Skarloc kissed Kossia, and then Riana, Kossia,and he left to go tell his parents.