When she woke in the morning, Aunt Kitana's house was already bustling with activity. Kallie made her way to the kitchen where she could smell the aroma of breakfast sausage and pancakes. Kitana had a small plate waiting for her on the table with a small glass of milk.
Kallie made it halfway through the pile of food before becoming curious about the visitors with her mother. She asked of them and Kitana told her that they were the social services people.
The guests left and Arianna joined the two of them, baby on her shoulder sleeping soundly after a feeding during the visit. She seemed pleased with the things that they said.
Arianna spoke to Kitana. "They found that man and arrested him this morning. He is in jail until his trial, and the baby can stay with us for now. The caseworker said the only issue that might come up is if Suzie has any living relatives, they could petition for custody. Our organization couldn't find any, so I doubt they can either."
Arianna shifted the baby from her shoulder to a front cradle position and she gently swayed on her feet. Kitana noted to herself that her chosen sister was happier with the baby in her arms. She swore silently to protect her "clan" as the Elders put it.The man in jail was a very dangerous man and if he ever finds out where they took his daughter, he might kill them all.
In the old days it made a lot more sense but by the time Kitana and Arianna were sworn in, the Organization and their customs were mostly by the by. Their family and others in the village endured hardships and wars mostly through the generosity of the Organization. They were taught to do as they were asked and they didn't ask questions. Things were just there when they needed them. Their families were carefully paired and separated according to personal strengths and weaknesses.
The man was dangerous but they had the upper hand. The Organization would back them however they saw fit, from lawyers to security teams if they deemed it necessary. Kitana and Arianna shared a lot more in common than just being adopted by the same family. They were family and family is everything.
