Twilight
Bella had never been embarrassed by Kalkan's form, not once since his Settling. Yes, a lamb is not the most impressive of dæmons but she still loved him.
Then they met Edward.
Edward and Kartsel and her stupid mountain lion form. When Kalkan had first seen the creature, stalking across the cafeteria, he had shuddered against Bella's leg. Then, when they walked into the classroom, Kalkan had tried to stay as far from the lion as possible, while they were both stuffed under the desk.
Then they had found out what they were and Kalkan still couldn't go near Kartsel, even though their human's will so in love. It was just natural for dæmons to be scared of vampires.
So Bella was embarrassed because Kalkan couldn't show Kartsel any affection. She could see Edward was upset, even if he didn't show it.
Then, when they were sat in the meadow, Kalkan slowly edged towards Kartsel, until their sides were touching. The lion lowered her head, pressing her nose to Kalkan's forehead. Kalkan leaned into it, still shy but less awkward.
'And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.' Edward whispered, smirking.
Bella smiled, leaning closer to her boyfriend.
Kartsel watches as Bella and Kalkan walked down the aisle, Charlie and Sufya walking along beside them. The lamb trots happily, eyes on the lion. Kartsel grins, sitting down onto her hind legs and Kalkan sits opposite her. Her tail flicks sideways and Kalkan tilts her head. They are both aware of their humans repeating after the victor, aware of Kartsel's siblings smiling and Kartsel can hear every thought in the audience. But it doesn't matter, they are just staring at each other.
She remembers when he was scared of her, when he wouldn't come near. But it doesn't matter because Edward and Bella are getting married now and they are going to be together forever. Kartsel smiles at the idea of a vampire with a lamb dæmon.
Later, when their human's are slow dancing, Kalkan and Kartsel lie together on the edge of the dance floor, just close enough not to cause Bella pain. Supernatural beings have a longer reach than their human counterparts.
She sees Jacob and Liderra on the edge of the dance floor and nudges Kalkan. He leaves with Bella to say hello, while Edward sits next to Kartsel.
'We're married.' He whispers.
'Yes, we are.'
Liderra freezes when she feels something change in Jacob. The German Shepard had stayed outside to help the Cullen's fight while Jacob went to kill the thing. Kartsel will kill her but, right now, that's exactly what she wants. But something's wrong with Jacob and she has to leave the fight.
She runs through the house, wondering what could have possibly made her human stop his mission. Liderra skids to a halt next to Jacob, looking up at him then following his eye-line towards the chair.
There is a great pulse of Dust when her eyes meet the newborn dæmon's. The line connecting her and Jacob has trebled, now connecting her to Renesmee and Datter. Her legs give out beneath and she is on the floor, Jacob's hand fisted in her fur. They are looking at the babies, eyes not moving for a second.
Datter tilts his head slightly, his form changing from a bird, matching Rosalie's, to a cub, a brown wolf. Liderra moves to match Datter's movement, her ears twitching.
Then she and Jacob look at each other, remembering the fighting. Then they are moving, running to stop the war.
For Renesmee.
For Datter.
For their imprint.
Symponia's nose wrinkles as a patient is wheeled in, covered in blood. Carlisle spares her a quick look before getting to work. Symponia nods to herself, lumbering over to where the family are crying. The panda immediately attracts their attention, not just due to her size but from being so far from her human.
'Hello.' She says, shocking them again. 'I'm Symponia, Dr. Cullen's dæmon. I'm here to answer any questions?'
The father smiles, shakily, obviously happy to have someone to listen to him. 'What's happening to Dijan? Her dæmon?'
Symponia turns her big head, watching the fluxing Dust next to the young girl. Sometimes, it forms into a small ferret but, more often, it is bright particles, trying to cling to his human.
'Your daughter's condition is very serious, she is on the verge of death. Dijan is fading into Dust.'
The mother starts crying and Symponia regrets the direct route. 'Your child is not dead, Mrs Walker. The fact that Dijan is forming his shape shows they can be saved. Carlisle will save them, I promise.'
A hand on the back of her neck makes her look of Carlisle, eyes wide.
'Your daughter will be fine.'
Symponia grins.
Pateras is the first to welcome the new dæmons. Of course, Alice and Jasper are quickly welcomed by their new siblings but their dæmons aren't so easily accepted. Kartsel, Neart and Bellazzus will huddle together, glancing every so often at Jovo, with his constant excitement, and Lagani, her eyes still tinged with red. The three of them don't mean to be rude, the cat and fox just unnerve them slightly.
Esme pats his head lightly, nudging over to the smaller dæmons. He runs his striped tail along her arm once before leaping over to where the two are. Lagani instantly tries to stand in front of Jovo but Pateras, trying not to be intimidating, lies down. The tiger tilts his head until the fox relaxes.
'It's wonderful to have new family members.' He smiles.
Lagani tilts her head. 'You really believe that.' It's a statement, like she knows what Pateras is feeling.
Jovo chuckles, jumping onto Lagani's back. 'I told you, Lag. This is our new family.'
Lagani shrugs, stalking off to stand with Jasper and Alice. Pateras smiles, walking back to Esme.
'They'll be fine.' He mutters, licking her fingers.
'I know.' Esme smiles, stroking his back. 'I know.'
Lagani shivers next to Jasper as they wait for Victoria's army to arrive. Neither of them are scared or worried but they can feel the fear rolling off every other person in the forest. Jasper bends down to stroke her neck, sending a wave of calm other everyone else. He can't change his dæmon's emotions but he can try to stop the others affecting her.
'What if something happens?' She mutters in his ear, her red tail flicking around to grasp his arm.
'If something was going to happen, Alice would tell us.' He whispers back, stroking his fur to try and relax her. 'You worry too much.'
'Everyone else worries too much, you mean.'
He laughs under his breath, sending another wave of calm over his family and the wolves. Alice glances at him but he traces no hint of worry, so turns back towards the forest, Lagani's tail wrapping around his leg.
He feels the newborns just seconds before he hears them. All that anger and fear and lack of control is difficult to miss. Smirking slightly, he takes every negative emotion from those around him and throws them at the newborns.
Lagani sinks low, ready to pounce.
Jovo watches as Lagani is pulled from the room by Neart, snapping her jaws in front of the bears nose. Emmett's dæmon just pushes her away, forcing her out of the room. Symponia is not far behind, ready to take action, as is Pateras. Jasper himself is being pulled away by Emmett and Alice.
Jovo shudders as Alice walks out with her mate, leaving the cat alone in the room. Carlisle has taken Bella and Kalkan to the other room and the rest are outside, trying to calm Jasper and Lagani down. Jovo wonders what he can do, the possible outcomes running through his mind each time he makes a slight decision. None of them really end well.
'They'll be fine, Jo.'
He raises his head to lick Alice hand as she walks back in. 'What about Bella? And Edward?'
Alice sighs, having seen the visions as well. 'It'll all work out fine.'
'Can you promise me that?' Jovo snarls, whipping around to bite her ankles. She moved away before he could, a small vision stopping the attack.
Alice hisses, bending down to place a hand on his back. 'It'll be fine.'
Jovo leans against his human. 'I hope so.'
Neart lays next to her human, looking around the cafeteria. They are new to this school so all the other dæmons are hiding beneath the tables or on their humans laps, staring with wide eyes at her, Kartsel and Lagani. The fox not as much but the lion and bear are getting incredibly fearful looks. Neart shakes her head, resting it on Emmett's lap. He threads his hand through her fur.
'It's okay, Neart.' He whispers, lips barely moving. She shudders, her great form shaking the table slightly. The whole cafeteria flinches, turning slightly to look. Emmett waves them off.
'It's fine, I promise.' He mutters, as she continues to shake.
'I don't like the way they look at me.' Neart never liked her form. It reminds her of the thing that nearly killed them.
'They're just jealous. Screw them.' He says, smirking slightly.
She pats her face with one great paw before looking up at him. 'But I'm ugly.'
'Excuse me?' She turns, seeing Bellazzus walking towards her. The peacock preens slightly, brushing his feathers against her fur. 'What's this about being ugly?'
Neart drops her heart. 'I'm big and fat and-'
Bellazzus cuts her off, smiling. 'You're beautiful.'
Bellazzus tilts his head, looking in the mirror. Carlisle had explained that, sometimes when a human was turned, their dæmon can change, shift shape even if have settled. The former dove now has huge, bright feathers fanning out behind him, a bright blue plumage and a curved, proud head ending in a pointed beak. Very different from his old small, bright form.
'Don't you like it?' Rosalie mutters, eyes widening slightly. 'Is there something wrong?'
'No, no.' He smiles back, just as prideful as before the bite. 'I'm still as happy as before. There's nothing wrong.'
He wants to say something else, to moan about the loss of easy flight and smaller form. He also wants to brag about the beauty of his feathers, the royalty of his stance. But he doesn't think either thing will help Rosalie right now.
He turns slightly, watching his human comb her hair. It doesn't need it. 'Are you happy, Rosie?'
Rosalie sighs, leaning forward to stroke his head. Before, the movement might have looked clumsy but, as a vampire, she is graceful, wonderful.
'I am definitely happy. Happier than I've ever been.'
She smiles and he tilts his head, leaning into her touch.
They first begin to notice, actually notice, Liderra when they are six, looking fourteen. Datter had settled a couple months ago, the brown wolf coming to Nessie's shoulder. Datter hadn't liked the form at first, used to flying around Nessie's head and landing on Jacob's shoulder.
He had always been allowed to touch Jacob, like Liderra would lick Nessie's fingers. They remember Mom and Kalkan sitting down with them when they turned one and explaining that, while she could do that with Jake, no one else liked to have their dæmons touched. Nessie had nodded, watching Kalkan flinch away from her fingers.
Now, as an apparent teenager, they couldn't help but take notice of the dog who was always with them. Take notice of the way her ears stuck up, the softness of her fur, the darkness of her eyes. Liderra truly was beautiful and Datter loved to play in the grass with her. The older Nessie got, the less time the two of them spent apart.
So, when Nessie turns seven and kisses Jacob under the mountains, her hand curled in Liderra's fur, his placed on Datter's back, no one's really surprised.
The four of them are soul mates.