• It was the middle of the night, and I was sleeping peacefully. Aura was next to me and he too was asleep.
    Until...
    "Wah!"
    The cry had sounded from Aura's young son, Gad. It had only been a couple of weeks since he had hatched, and four more Riolus were yet to come.
    I woke up sleepily. "Aura, wake up," I muttered. "Something's wrong with Gad."
    Aura woke up, and he too was half awake. What is it?
    I didn't have time to explain, for at that moment, little Gad had flung himself at the both of us, and tried unsuccessfully to wrap his short arms around us both.
    "What's wrong, Gad?" I asked him.
    Aura was trying to calm him down by holding him with one arm. I wrapped my other arm around him as well.
    He says it was a nightmare, Aura confirmed. He was all alone, and we weren't with him.
    "Poor kid," I said sympathetically. Gad was choking out tiny sobs and whimpers against the both of us.
    Let me handle this, Aura told me. You need your rest.
    But when I tried to lay down again, Gad clung to me tightly, his volume increasing.
    "Why me?" I groaned. "Shouldn't he want you more? I mean, your his real father!"
    In the darkness, I saw Aura smile. You are still his mother, surrogate or not. You're his only mother.
    "Okay, I'll take care of him, and you go back to sleep."
    But it seemed that Gad needed both of us, because he grabbed onto Aura as well.
    "I guess we're both staying up, then," I said. We spent the next couple of minutes stroking Gad's tiny head, until he fell asleep against the both of us.
    Sleep well, my little son, Aura said lovingly.
    "We'll be right here with you," I added.
    After checking on the eggs that were Gad's brothers, as well as Aura's other sons, I finally was able to lay down with Gad nestled between us.
    You are a good mother, Aura said to me.
    "And you are a great father," I responded with a tired smile. "Good night."
    Good night.