"Rah! Rah! Rah!" Machli cried as a pair of large paw-like hands continued to clean the infant cub's bottom.
"There, there, little one," Molly Rhoer-Wayne said to her daughter as deposited the special baby wipes in
garbage container along with the soiled diaper, "You're all clean now."
Molly then brought her large round muzzle and nuzzled the tiger cub. Smelling her mother's scent, Machli
reached up with her hands toward her mother's muzzle and answered with her own contented noise.
"Rrrrr... rrrrr..." Machli responded.
Molly only chuffed back in response and prepared a fresh diaper to put on her daughter. It had been a week
since George and Molly Wayne had brought the infants, Machli and Michael, to their home from the Kalispell
hospital, and the two had now settled into a relatively calm and peaceful life as parents. Their little eyes
hadn't opened yet, and their pediatricians had come to believe that Machli and Michael would remain blind
until they were three months old based on the first appointment that they had had earlier that day, but both
Machli and Michael were very healthy and when they wanted food or needed their diapers changed, they made sure
to let EVERYONE know how healthy their little lungs were.
"See, that wasn't so bad, right?" Molly said to Machli.
"Rrrrr..." Machli responded.
Molly only smiled and moved Machli into her crib next to Michael. Her son had had his diaper changed and had
already drifted back into dreamland. Once in the crib, Machli rolled until she was cuddled up next to her
brother, "purred" again and then gave a yawn, showing that she didn't have her teeth yet.
"Good night, little ones," Molly said to her son and daughter.
With that, Molly left the room that she and George shared and had their infant's crib at the food of their
bed. She glanced for a short while into what was normally the guest bedroom at Bandhavgarh Cabin. It had been
where her mother and father-in-law had stayed when they came up from Illinois for the birth of her cubs, but
they had since had to go back. Molly then glanced back into her bedroom and at the crib and knew that in time,
the guest room would become Machli and Michael's room.
She then went down the stairs and glanced into the living room and found it empty. Turning one ear, Molly then
heard the sounds that indicated where her "target" was. George was in her kitchen. She slowly made her way
through the dining room and into the kitchen to find her husband, George Wayne peering into the oven, checking
on their dinner.
"And what are you up to?" Molly asked, half teasing half territorial, "Messing around in my territory?"
George stood up, "Hey, you went up to change diapers. It would be the least I could do to make sure things
don't burn."
Molly found herself giving a chuckling smile at that.
"That's good," Molly replied, "Did anything burn?"
George shook his head.
"That's better," Molly then continued, "and in the meantime, you have a pair of dirty diapers to throw away."
"GRRRUNH!" George gave a grunt, "How could something so cute make something so stinky?!"
"Your poop and my poop don't smell any better than Michael's or Machli's," Molly answered, "The only
difference is that we can use the toilet and flush it away."
George didn't immediately answer, but did eventually nod.
"So how are they?" George than asked after a moment.
"Quite well, and off to dreamland again," Molly shrugged, "they'll probably be ready for a feeding by the time
we're ready to go to bed."
Molly then moved in and checked her timers. They had a few more minutes before their dinner would be cooked.
As she did so, Molly decided to let George know about the conversation she had had earlier in the day.
"I did get a call from Joseph earlier today," Molly announced, "Clemens and his fiance have arrived."
"Oh?" George responded, "How are they doing?"
"They seem to be doing okay," Molly replied, "Though it would appear that Jenny is very interested in meeting
us."
"Well, didn't we expect to meet them so we can introduce them to Machli and Michael?" George wondered.
Molly nodded, "They'll be here at six PM tomorrow to come say hi. I trust you'll be off duty by then?"
"I'm pretty sure..." George answered, "Though, if I'm not, I'm positive that I'll be home before they leave.
Will they be staying for dinner?"
"I don't know for sure," Molly answered, "Maybe... though we do have some leftovers from when your parents
were here... and Clemens' diet is essentially the same as ours so it isn't too bad."
"So we're prepared," George commented, "nothing to fret over."
Molly again nodded, "and hopefully Clemens' life is going well."
George nodded in agreement. While he nodded, Molly again checked the timer.
"And you have garbage duty, George, off with you!" Molly then said with a point and a chuckle.
George sighed and then left.