The storm outside has subsided, but the darkness it came with lingered.
After Garthem's morning inspection of the house, the family gathered around the dinner table to discuss the elephant in the room, or other room.
Garthem started, "I'm gonna find the baby's parents, they can't have gotten far."
"It might not be safe yet dear, let's wait for the Ferriers to come around, have them look for whoever did this." Heeded his wife, Selia.
Considering his aggressive speech, he took a few seconds to reply, "Those dogs will take too long. Who knows where the kid's parents would have gone."
He failed to curb his hostility, an attempt mostly in consideration for his son, who aspires to become a fully fledged Ferrier one day. A job for those powerful enough to survive the Integrated Creatures and dangerous natural disasters without protection.
"You were one too!" His son yelled, a bit angry at the deprecating words.
"That's right, which means I am perfectly capable of heading o-" Garthem paused, his wife looking at him seriously this time. Both sighed.
The three spent some time in silence, pondering the future changes a fifth member would bring.
The man's palms were clasped on his knees. 'There was no sign of anyone nearby. It's like the child came to be out of thin air.'
'Should I check on him right now? What if he moves places?' The woman had her teeth clenched.
'I hope the baby will turn out to be as loveable as Tanya.' The boy thought, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Felix, go down and wake your sister up will you?" Selia requested, perhaps to speak more privately with Garthem, who walked up to his beautiful wife. In the other's embrace, both closed their eyes in silence.
*
Another pair was walking up the stairs to the living room. One with steady steps, the other almost in a dance.
"I can't believe it wasn't a dream! His eyes were so pretty right, right?" Rhetorically asked Tanya.
"Sure.." replied the bemused older brother. 'How can you be so lively right after waking up?'
Arriving at the table, they saw their father who told them to eat first. As Selia went to feed the baby boy in another room. Tanya, whose excitement had been deflated, ate slowly in protest.
After breakfast, Selia came to the room with the baby in her arms. Eyes still wide open, as if physical exhaustion is something it could never experience.
The meeting began in order to ease each of their worries, but ended with more confusion and concerns than before.
* * *
He listened. He learned. All the different sounds that came from the family's mouths and the intent they carried. The facial expressions they made and the feelings they exuded that came with those expressions.
Those were the first memories that Leon, the boy who so mystically appeared in front of his family's home had.
'Hehe, it's my birthday tomorrow,' he thought. Excited at the prospect of another gift. He was about to turn 4, and would soon begin learning as a student. Not in any school in town mind you, Gods forbid the shock that his would-be kindergarten teachers would receive at the things that he does.
* * *
In the days after he was found, the family found no clue regarding the origins of the baby. During another meeting at the table, they began to argue over what name to give him.
"Then what about storm?" Tanya suggested, giggling. "Because, you know, the storm!"
"That's ridiculous." Felix said, rolling his eyes. "You keep giving him names that.. aren't real names."
"You come up with one then." Challenged Garthem, crossing his arms in defense of his daughter's similar naming sense.
Felix hesitated. His eyes drifted towards the baby in question, who stared back at him with unsettlingly calm white eyes. "...Lion" He finally uttered amidst the chattering of the rest.
".. Ivor-" Selia was cut off by the sound of child-like giggling. "Leeyon!" Happily blurted the baby.
The family looked at each other in surprise. Testing the name on their mouths.
"Leon... A lion, roaring into the world it is then." Chuckled the man, Garthem.
During lunch on the same day, Leon proceeded to stand up and walk on the table. As he stood up, he made the cloth that he was wrapped in to stay on to imitate his family's clothes. The rest did not think it was endearing. Leon resembled the Messiah, and it took them their entire strength not to convert and kneel immediately in prostrate.
A baby's head and torso are too big for their body, a characteristic almost every infant stage of a species has in common. But Leon's were not that pronounced, he was proportioned differently, so it, aside from his unnatural strength, is how he stood up without losing balance.
As Leon grew up, he realized that the things he does are not something babies are supposed to be able to do. He felt that although his parents and siblings felt pride for the things he did, there was also distress within. Especially so for Felix, who had felt slight fear ever since he named him. So he kept to himself.
The first time he watched his father and brother spar, he felt excited and wished to imitate the moves they displayed. So he asked his mother, whose turn it was to carry him, to leave him in his room. There he took the stance displayed by his father, visualizing a sword in hand ready for a downward slash. He imitated the exact breathing, minor muscle movements, foot calibration, and then swung. On his face was not an expression of thrill or excitement. It was a grimace that failed to mask his cuteness.
It felt terrible. Not because he had the body of a few days old baby, but because it didn't feel natural. So he augmented the slash, in ways that his experienced father never considered, nor understood to be able to address. Leon swung once again. In his wake, a line that crossed from the ceiling to the floor. He didn't cut anything, but he knew that had he been wielding anything in his hands, it would not have merely been a line in his imagination.
* * *
'Soon I will begin formal education. I left home only once when father tried to identify me with the other adults.' He thought while skipping. He will meet other children, but unlike him, they would be 7 year olds.
Leon's advanced physique and maturity would allow him to pass as another 1st grader. 'I hope to meet other loving people like Tanya, or honest people like Felix.'
His fourth birthday party had the usual four, but now including the neighbors. He had acquainted with them in the four years he had spent as a the newest member of the Oaken household.
The Pryne and the Edarin family. The adults, and their children; Wendy Pryne, Karl Edarin, and Leia Edarin. 12, 10, and 6 years old respectively. Wendy was a talkative but caring girl, who often kept Tanya safe from Karl's courting. Leia was a well behaved, but spoiled girl.
'I'm sure Felix has romantic feelings for Wendy, it's pretty obvious.' Leon thought as he ate a plateful of cake.
"Happy birthday." Expectantly said Leia on his left.
"Thank you! I hope you're enjoying yourself as well." And then continued his indulgence. 'I wonder why she looks disappointed.' He froze.
Then blushed.
With that, his party came to an end.