Wine Woods

10. Regular- Sure.

Alfred grumbled to himself, cooing to the baby he rocked in his arms. He could hear the little snores of York and the deeper breaths of Ivan.

There was another rumble from the thunder outside, and York pulled in on himself with a whine. He heard little shrieks from outside the door as Kentucky started crying again.

He sighed to himself, looking out of the window and rocking his baby, kissing her on the forehead as she whined, before looking up at him and grabbing his ear with her pudgy little hands. Tennessee was quiet, making small noises and occasionally whimpering.

Thunder struck again and he heard the shrieks again.

Walking over to the door, he opened it, moving out of the way as Connecticut, Vermont, and Hampshire ran in.

"Mama..." Hampshire whimpered, grabbing onto his loose pants.

"It's only thunder," Alfred said softly, "it won't hurt you."

"But- but it's loud," Connecticut replied, grabbing onto his other pant leg.

"It's a thunderbird," Alfred said, "it's protecting us from the lightning."

"But the lightning got a tree..." Vermont replied, looking to the window and looking away as lightning flashed again.

"Did it get you?"

"No..."

"Go back to sleep, little one," Alfred said, kissing him on the top of the head, "it's all right."

"How come Yorkie gets to sleep with you?" Hampshire asked, turning to him with wide eyes.

"Because, he's been getting more nightmares," Alfred sighed, "now run along, the thunderbird won't hurt you."

The kids nodded, stalking out of the room. He heard York whimper again and the rattle of trees and the taps of the trees on the window. Looking out the window, he noticed that the lightning had gotten a lone tree, and it was on fire. Luckily, it was away from everything.

Kentucky wiggled again, and he put her back in her crib, walking away from the little two-month-old.

Tennessee was still asleep.

With a hum, he walked out of the room, throwing a shawl over his shoulders and shoving his hands in the pocket of his pants. 

He walked down to the first floor, scooting past Warrock, who was sleeping in the living room.

He could hear Nesrin cooing to the dragons, trying to keep them together in the amphitheater. Something went wrong with the cave, and they'd have to fix it. He didn't know how much would have to be blown up to open the entrance again.

He slipped into the sewing room, chuckling a bit as both Luna and Bonnin jumped before the woman shook her head and the girl went back to the leather she was working on.

"It's late."

"You seem to have an odd amount of kids to be saying that," Bonnin replied, glaring as she worked the loom.

"True, but right now isn't so late," Alfred said, "it's almost eight. It's just dark."

"Uh..." Luna groaned, "how long is this going to go on? It's almost been two days."

"I know," Alfred sighed, "it seems to be dying down."

"Is it?" Delaware said, the six-year-old pulling on his shawl, "Penn is scared."

"I am not!" they heard from behind the door.

"Yes, it won't be too long, all right?"

"Yay..." Delaware said softly, looking around the room, "I can't find Vos."