Titan footsteps are unmistakable.

If you spend enough time among the people of the Tribe, as Molly had, you learn to distinguish the pace and force of each Titan member of the Maris family. Whether it’s the gap between steps caused by Aezhay’s longer legs, Aisell’s purposeful stride, or the careful and unsure steps of Daz and Luke Maris who try very hard not to wreck anything when they step into Tribe territory.

The tremors that Molly felt now, however, were the comparatively soft steps of the oldest sister Lezah.

Molly stepped onto her porch and saw the middle aged Titan woman carefully making her way through the town square. She couldn’t be sure, but she had a feeling that the Matriarch of the Maris clan was coming to see her. Probably it was the way Lezah’s expression had changed when Molly had stepped into view.

“Molly!” Lezah called from across the square and began to pick her way across the small village.

“Lezah wait, I’ll come to you.” Molly called back, smiling and shaking her head ruefully. The village had been built with the Titans in mind, but everybody agreed that if the Titans could avoid walking through it, they probably should.

So Molly grabbed a light jacket from a hook by the door and stepped out into the square. She quickly made her way over to where Lezah was absentmindedly tapping the toe of her practical brown leather boot. As soon as Molly had stepped close enough, Lezah’s hand lowered down like a pale freight elevator which Molly gracefully climbed into with the ease of several decades’ worth of practice.

“Hi Molly.” The red haired Titan said. “I was hoping I could speak to you for a moment. In private.”

“Of course.” Molly responded as Lezah turned and left the Tribe’s territory. The Titan walked a fair distance away before seating herself by Aisell’s Rock. Molly climbed from Lezah’s hand and seated herself on top of the rock-which was the size of a small hill from Molly’s perspective.

“What did you want to speak to me about, Lezah?”

“I wanted to ask you if the rumors are true.” Lezah said. “Are the Tribe thinking of getting life extension?”

Molly chewed her lip for a moment, trying to decide if any of the information should be kept secret. But then she decided that was silly. She doubted Thurfrit would have kept anything from his wife, which meant Lezah likely would find out sooner or later. And, for all intents and purposes, the Marises were as much a part of the Tribe as Molly herself was.

“They’re still considering the long term ramifications.” Molly finally said in reply. “But it does seem like they’ll be making that decision, yes.”

Lezah was quiet for several moments. “How do you feel about that?”

“Part of me is glad. Most of me is, really. It’s been hard watching so many people I consider friends and family grow old right in front of me, and I’m left… sort of frozen.” Molly sighed. “But on the other hand… this is going to change so much, and I just wonder if the Tribe is ready for it. This is going to be a big change. I mean… there’s a reason I never had any of my kids get the procedure done unless they chose to.”

“Yes, but it is different when everyone around you ages at the same rate.” Lezah said. “They don’t seem to have had any real issues on Avalon.”

“That’s a good point.” Molly replied.

“Why… Why did you get the life extension, anyway?”

“Charlotte.” Molly answered with a laugh. “She convinced me. It was during that time I moved to Avalon to give acting another try.”

*.*.*.*.*

“It’s down this way.”

Molly had been living on Avalon for several weeks, because Charlotte had promised her a role in her latest movie. Molly had, initially, been skeptical by the idea, she didn’t enjoy the idea of playing the role of some Titan’s pet. Charlotte had assured her it was an Avalonian production company, and therefore human owned and operated. The film was based on an old Avalonian myth, and Molly would be playing a powerful sorceress.

Currently, the two of them were walking through the streets of Atlantis towards a medical clinic. It had taken some persuasion, but Charlotte had convinced Molly that if she was going to live on Avalon, she was going to need to get the life extension… or she would quickly find herself left behind.

“Look, I get why you’re concerned but, really the procedure is completely safe. By this point there have been hundreds if not thousands of people who have successfully received the treatment.” Charlotte was saying as she pulled Molly along the sidewalk. “Practically everybody in Atlantis has gotten it, and they’re starting to bring it to the other cities of Avalon. I’ve had it, and I feel fine.”

Molly would have to concede that point. She was getting into her later thirties, but thanks to the way the initial treatment walked back someone’s age, she looked the same as the day they’d met.

“Is it any worse than getting a tummy tuck or some lipo?” Charlotte continued.

“Well, maybe. I don’t know of any facelift that will keep me alive for another hundred years.” Molly shot back sarcastically.

Charlotte sighed and stepped in front of her friend, placing her hands on Molly’s shoulders. “Molly… look. I’m going to be completely honest with you… there’s sort of a selfish reason why I’m trying to get you to go through with this, and I’ll feel like a jerk if I don’t tell you beforehand.”

Molly rolled her eyes. “You’re afraid to outlive me, Charlotte. I get that.”

“Well uh, yeah.” Charlotte mumbled, once again put off by how well her friend was able to read her. “But, can you blame me? You’re my best friend. The closest thing I have to a sister anymore… I don’t want to lose you.”

Molly sighed. “All right. I’ll do it. God, you’re pathetic…”

Charlotte hugged her friend tightly. “Trust me, you won’t regret it. Practically everyone in Atlantis already has already had it done.”

“I heard it makes it possible for a human to have kids with a Titan.” Molly said suggestively. “You and Vanser have any plans?”

Charlotte choked a bit, and looked away evasively as a blush spread across her cheeks. “Well, I don’t know about that. I mean… we’re both very busy right now and… uh…”

“Oh come on…” Molly teased. “You’re the closest thing to a sister I have now and I want to be an aunt.”

“Very funny.” Charlotte muttered. “But, no, there are no plans for the moment. We’re just going to… you know… wait and see.”

“Uh huh.”

At that moment, they arrived at the clinic. Charlotte held the door open and Molly, after taking a deep breath, walked inside.

*.*.*.*

“Would you have done anything differently if you’d known you’d be moving back to the Tribe a short time later?” Lezah asked.

“I… I don’t know.” Molly sighed. “Honestly, probably not. I was still pretty young, even then, and I don’t think I would have been able to comprehend what it’s like to outlive nearly everyone else around me. Besides, there have been upsides too. I wouldn’t have been able to help nearly as many children as I have. You remember that it was only a short time after I moved back that Flower was brought to the tribe.”

Lezah smiled and looked off into the distance as she recalled the first meeting. “Yeah, I remember you weren’t convinced it was a good idea.”

*.*.*.*

“You want me to do what?”

Molly stared incredulously up at the two giant women in front of her. Lezah had asked her to meet Aezhay up at the house because the Titan woman had needed a favor from her. While Molly hadn’t really known what that ‘favor’ was she wasn’t really expecting…

“We need you to look after a little girl for a while.” Aezhay said with a shrug. “She was brought in with the people we rescued from the Human Owner Society shelter and… well, she’s all alone and scared. I thought maybe if we introduced her to an adult, if she knew someone, that maybe she wouldn’t feel as afraid to stay in the village.”

Molly closed her eyes and sighed. “I… I don’t know guys, I mean… I don’t really know anything about children.”

Aezhay knelt down so she could look the smaller woman in the eye. “I know we’re asking a lot of you, Moll.” The Titan said softly. “But I think it’s important that she get used to being taken care of by a human. She’s been raised her whole life to expect Titans to look after her, so if me or Lezah do it we’ll just be reinforcing that.”

Molly bit her lip and shifted her weight between her feet. “I…”

“Look.” Lezah muttered, as she lowered herself down next to her sister. “Flower is sleeping right now, but… well can we at least introduce you to her so she’ll know someone in the tribe?”

Molly blinked. “Her name is Flower?”

Despite herself Aezhay grinned. “Yeah… that was my reaction too. I’m sure someone at the shelter thought it was cute.”

Molly chuckled but then her expression sobered again. “All right… When she wakes up, I’ll be happy to meet with her.”

*.*.*.*

Flower awoke from the short nap she’d been taking on Aezhay’s kitchen table. The Titan had fixed her up with a mattress and blanket made from a folded piece of cloth. The little girl sat up and yawned. She looked around blearily for a moment before she remembered where she was. It felt strange to not be behind a wall of glass, and it left Flower feeling vaguely uncomfortable. She felt exposed without the security of a barrier between herself and the dangers of the outside world. Large insects or rodents could just leap onto the table and get her.

But then she felt the reassuring vibration of a Titan’s footsteps.

“Aezhay?” She called into the vast expanse of the kitchen around her. As she waited for the Titan to appear, Flower gently ran a hand over the bits of clothes that she’d been told to wear. When Aezhay had first asked this of her, Flower had thought the idea was somewhat silly. Humans didn’t wear clothing, after all, why did she need anything covering herself? It was still warm out. But, Aezhay had been rather insistent about it, so Flower had put on the long shift to make her happy.

At first, Flower had found the clothing somewhat uncomfortable. But it was a pretty blue color, at least, and she found she was starting to get used to it.

At that moment, the tall blonde Titan who had called herself Flower’s friend reappeared. Aezhay smiled and bent down to Flower’s level.

“Did you have a good sleep?” She asked, keeping her voice low.

“Yes. It was very comfortable.” Flower answered politely.

“Good.” Aezhay smiled. “Flower, there’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

The little girl slid out of her makeshift bed. “The person from the tribe?”

“Yes.”

Flower didn’t look entirely convinced that this was a good idea. “Okay. I… I guess I’m ready.” She said timidly as she climbed into Aezhay’s hand.

She was carried from the kitchen and out into a sitting room where she was able to see another Titan waiting with another human, both of whom had bright red hair.

Molly looked up as Aezhay entered the room. She peered at the Titan woman’s outstretched hand in an attempt to spot the small girl sitting in the center of her palm. Unfortunately, there was too much distance for her to be able to make out any real details.

However, Aezhay crossed the room quickly and soon enough the young girl was deposited on the table in front of where Molly waited.

Molly took a deep breath to try and calm the butterflies in her stomach, and put on as warm a smile as she could before taking slow steps to where the girl stood watching her warily.

Flower looked to be maybe five or six years old, although it was hard for Molly to judge. The girl’s large brown eyes watched as Molly drew closer. She nervously played with a lock of her long blonde hair.

Before either of them realized it, Molly was standing in front of her. Moving slowly, Molly knelt down and looked Flower in the eye.

“Hello Flower.” She said softly. “My name is Molly.”

“Hello.” Flower mumbled quietly.

There was a bit of awkward silence as Molly struggled to find some way to continue the conversation.

“Lezah and Aezhay tell me you’re a bit nervous about going into the village.” She finally said, as she sat next to the little girl. “Is that right?”

“Well, um, maybe…” Flower muttered.

Molly smiled. “It’s okay. I was a stranger here too once, but the people here are very nice.”

Flower looked up at her. “Did you come from a shelter too?”

Subconsciously, Molly rolled her shoulders a bit and felt the immoveable lump of the tracking chip embedded in her back. “Something like that.” She muttered softly before shaking herself and smiling at the little girl beside her.

“But, never mind that.” Molly said as she jumped to her feet. “How about I take you down to the village and show you around a bit? You’ll see it’s not so bad, and there are a lot of people that want to meet you.”

Flower scrunched up her face as she considered. She glanced up at the two Titans watching them silently, both of whom gave her encouraging smiles.

Hesitatingly, she reached out a hand but before Molly could take it, the girl suddenly stepped back.

“No… I can’t!” Flower cried, before turning and diving back onto the mattress she’d been sleeping on and disappearing underneath the blanket.

Molly stared at the quivering lump underneath the blanket in shock, before deflating with a sigh. She was disappointed that Flower was still too scared to venture away from the Titans, what surprised her was the ache in the pit of her stomach at the girl’s sudden rejection.

She sat on the mattress next to where Flower still hid under her blanket.

“That’s okay Flower.” Molly heard herself saying suddenly. “Nobody’s going to make you go into the village.”

“Really?” Flower asked, peeking out from underneath the blanket.

“We aren’t?” Aezhay asked at the same time, before being roughly elbowed by her sister.

“No.” Molly said gently, ignoring the Titans above her. “You don’t have to go until you’re ready. Right Lezah?”

“Of course not, sweetheart,” Lezah said softly. “You can stay here as long as you like.”

For a moment, Flower didn’t move. Then she slowly crawled out from underneath the blanket, scooted closer to Molly and took ahold of her hand. Molly squeezed the trembling palm reassuringly.

“Okay I’ll… I’ll go,” Flower finally said. “If you go with me.”

“I won’t leave your side.” Molly said, feeling surprised at the feeling of warmth spreading through her chest.