First things first, Aarani needed to get a feel for the land. With her cubs safely tucked away, the lioness took to the sands with a practiced stride. She had grown accustomed to the sifting earth as a child and now navigated through it gracefully, each step measured and precise. Aarani wouldn't stray too far from her babes, just enough to stretch her legs and see where she might be able to store some herbs. As the lead medic, it was her duty to keep the pride healthy and taken care of, so the sooner the better!

She paused upon a dune and drank in the scene as the sun began to set. With stars twinkling above, Aarani settled onto her haunches to see what she could see from the vantage point. As far as her eyes could see it was nothing but sand, and Rani wiggled with excitement at finally being home.

proin varius aliquam convallis

Integer lobortis purus faucibus nisi iaculis fermentum. Integer sodales sodales gravida. Mauris ut nunc ac dolor sollicitudin ultricies. Vestibulum nibh libero, imperdiet quis orci ac, porttitor volutpat lectus. Proin varius aliquam convallis. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Integer blandit malesuada purus sed sagittis. Proin nulla sapien, venenatis vitae lacinia sed, porta nec erat.

code by corvus

BIG PINK HEART

Night fell, a beautiful twilight veil, as Fionn finally reutrned to his Oasis.

Despite no claws being unsheathed, it'd felt as though he had fought a hard fight. And his prize lay in his mouth, held by the scruff, plump and adorable with her little cub spots.

Patchwork pink, a babe was carried carfeully by him. @Sweet Pea. The poor child. But at least she had come home with him, rather than any of those brutes at the Hollow. Guiltilty, to some degree, he felt relieved she hadn't gone with Vasilis either; the man was too soft for his own good. Who knew what other kind of lies he would've spun the poor child? He knew the lagoon;'s King didn't want any to suffer the same losses he had - but Sweet Pea would eventually need to know what truly happened to her mother.

But that was a problem for another day.

To his relief, he found Aarani upon the dunes, glimmering in the light and his heart pitched a singsong note at the sight of her. She would see him coming no doubt, he a blush cloud against the orange sands under cover of dark, little cub clutched in his grasp.

He would place the babe close by on the soft orange sands, hotter and finer than the sandbar - she seeed healthy, fat and cute as she was. Motherless though. There was no cure for that.

He called out to @Aarani - he hoped the woman would take to the child. Fionn had already volunteered her services. And even if she didn't, Fionn would devote as much time to the babe as he had to. More, most likely - he already felt a parental twinge within him just looking at her. She was his daughter now, as far as he was concerned. A pretty pink princess to sit on the throne with him on this lagoon.

@Sweet Pea @Aarani
OOC: Plz let Sweet Pea post next <3

She had never seen sand at night before. The stars above danced off each grain and seemed to make a sea of glittering silk as far as she could see. Eyes blinked a few times as she took it all in. After all, she had dozed off a time or two since her leave of the passageway with her newfound 'friend'. She was still unsure really, just what her decision earlier in the day had truly meant. Unaware of the world that had taken her mother. A story spun in her mind to keep her heart from the ache. Which had worked quite cleverly, for the time.

Instead during her silence, she is only able to mull it over. Still hurt that her mother wouldn't have found a way to take her to the sea as well. Unsure of why she really had to go, and why now of all times. Why had she not said goodbye? Her thoughts are brushed away as her rump found the sand below. She sat there a moment in her pause as she wiggled down further in it. "Its warm!" She mused as she finally rose to her paws.

The call-out caught her attention as it shifted in the direction of the distance. "Hey yous!" Her own voice broke the air and as she bound forward a few steps. Her head turned to cast Fionn in a gaze from over her shoulder. "I helped."

Aarani had been so dangerously close to daydreaming that she hadn't noticed the king until he was nearly upon her. She would chalk it up to the exhaustion of having newborns and the absolute serenity that came with being in the desert, nothing more. It certainly wasn't because of anything else, because she would have been a fool not to notice his arrival. No, no, it was definitely just exhaustion.

A purr resonated from her throat, clearly pleased to see him once more. She wondered whether or not he was worth taking the risk for, which surprised even her. Aarani was a .. married? woman, so why she felt so.. excited to see him was a mystery. Probably that exhaustion again, she imagined. Making her feel all sorts of ways she normally wouldn't, coupled with the settling hormones of giving birth. Yep, nothing to see here.

It was the child's voice that stood out the most, however, and her ears swung forward attentively as her minty gaze fell upon the cub. Goodness, she didn't know Fíonn was a father! It certainly set her mind at ease in knowing her exhaustion-fueled butterflies were pointless, so she relaxed. Noticeably. "Well hello there, little one, what's your name?" It was strange he hadn't mentioned her before, she thought, but that was alright. No time like the present to learn something new, hmm? Aarani lowered onto her belly with a gentle grin, eager to make friends with the little pink babe.

@Sweet Pea @Fíonn

proin varius aliquam convallis

Integer lobortis purus faucibus nisi iaculis fermentum. Integer sodales sodales gravida. Mauris ut nunc ac dolor sollicitudin ultricies. Vestibulum nibh libero, imperdiet quis orci ac, porttitor volutpat lectus. Proin varius aliquam convallis. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Integer blandit malesuada purus sed sagittis. Proin nulla sapien, venenatis vitae lacinia sed, porta nec erat.

code by corvus

BIG PINK HEART

The cub's sing song little voice mirroring his call made a hefty laugh trickle from his throat, voice rolling into the night-clad dunes. As Aarani came over, he leant down and whispered to Sweet Pea. "You certainly did little one. She wouldn't have heard me unless you'd helped."

The beast's chest swelled as his lead medic smoothly greeted the babe - he ould've sworn he heard her purr. She slipped into the role Fionn had pictured for her; a loving, welcoming mother. It was somewhat a fantasy of his; Aarani, the beautiful mother, Sweet Pea, his perfect daughter and he, the protector. Together, a family. But he was sure it was just that - a fantasy.

Relief clouded him, both from the fact that Aarani had taken to the cub instantly, and from the knowledge that he was home, within his own borders and little Sweet Pea was with him, no claims to fight. Taking her to the Oasis and actually seeing her here, her wellbeing confirmed, were two very different things.

The ease would show on the Sovereign's face as he sat back on his haunches, reclining to the side, leaning and taking a deep breath. Long day. It felt like a week condensed into a single event. He nudged the little cub with an encouraging paw, "Go ahead; tell Aarani your name just like you told me."

To an onlooker, the usually put together man would look happy and world-weary in the dark of the desert. He watched the cub and Aarani interact, too tired to stop fondness flowering on his features, his little fantasy playig out before him. He cast a glance over Aarani's shapely form, he ashen mane falling across her head, dappled and lovely and he felt he was home.

@Sweet Pea @Aarani

Fionn only added to the excitement the girl had felt. Chest swelled for a moment as she stuck it out in a quick manner and let a grin slide over her lips. However, she remembered the other they had called to them and turned in time to find the lioness had already joined the pink duo on their patch of sand. She remained silent, though eager to be given the spotlight once again as the other two interacted a moment.

Soon enough she would have her wish as the lady asked for her name. Eyes darted to Fionn for a moment, a stumbled step taken forward at the nudge before she did it once more. Posture straightened proudly as chest bubbled out. "Am oooh my sweet pea, ma'am." She needed not to be coaxed to tell it like she did the first time. It is what came oh so naturally. It is what she had heard her mother say countless times since the moment she could first remember.

@Aarani @Fíonn

Aarani's heart swelled as she watched the two interact. He was so gentle and kind despite his mammoth size, and in comparison the babe was absolutely dwarfed. The size difference was nearly laughable, but she held it to a gleeful grin instead. The cub then introduced herself and Rani's eyelashes fluttered as she giggled, nodding with some finality. "That's a lovely name, little miss.. and don't you worry about this ma'am stuff, you can call me Rani." The politeness was appreciated, naturally, but the babe didn't need to worry about referring to her so formally. After all, the daughter of the sovereign.. well, she should be referring to her as ma'am, shouldn't she?

"I have three cubs that are only a bit younger than you. I hope one day you will come meet them and become the best of friends." Aarani didn't know why they wouldn't immediately take to one another, but then again, her cubs hadn't developed much of a personality quite yet. She could tell which was more dominant and which was more willing to go with the flow, but otherwise? Well, she could only guess.

Aarani shifted her weight, looking over the cub for any injury or illness. Seriously, she didn't have the slightest idea he was a taken man until just then. Was her nose failing her? "Is your daddy taking you on an exciting adventure today?" she hummed, wiggling her toes in the sand as she glanced up to Fionn. "You never told me you had a family," she said without any hint of malice.

@Fíonn @Sweet Pea

proin varius aliquam convallis

Integer lobortis purus faucibus nisi iaculis fermentum. Integer sodales sodales gravida. Mauris ut nunc ac dolor sollicitudin ultricies. Vestibulum nibh libero, imperdiet quis orci ac, porttitor volutpat lectus. Proin varius aliquam convallis. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Integer blandit malesuada purus sed sagittis. Proin nulla sapien, venenatis vitae lacinia sed, porta nec erat.

code by corvus

BIG PINK HEART

Her manners were a pleasant surprise. And her interactions with Aarani were even more pleasing to him. Part of him pouted, wanted to have the shortened name allowed to him too, but he made no comment. He watched, bemused as the cub puffed up proudly. Half-dazed, he gazed over the exchange, only being snapped out of it when Aarani referred to him as Sweet Pea’s father - and then even worse, asked him about his family. Hurt twanged deep in the well of his chest. By no means was it Aarani’s fault - she’d asked an innocuous question. How would she know it was a sore subject for him?

A myriad of expressions swamed over his face - alarm, hurt, and an acute grief before he got a grip on himself again and let his guard resume, expression settling into something neutral. There was no tension; Fíonn was by no means mad. Just taken by surprise. He hoped Sweet Pea hadn’t seen his face.

“I’m... hm.” he cleared his throat, wondering how to approach this, “I don’t have family, Miss Aarani.” he admitted, as though it were a dirty secret. He shifted uncomfortably, once relaxed pose now rigid. “We’ll I didn’t until I happened to find little Sweet Pea here on the shores to the isle.” his tone was pleasant, but his eyes conveyed a separate message to Aarani. He would explain later fully, when the babe was asleep soundly and safe, “I’m not her father.” he directed this next part to Sweet Pea, warm smile upon his fuzzy, broad muzzle, leaning down to playfully nuzzle her head, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t take care of you, my treasure.”

@Aarani @Sweet Pea

The new lioness complimented her name and Pea gave the woman a wide grin. She rather liked her name as well. After all, it always made her feel so warm and fuzzy when she heard her mother call it out. "I likes Rani too!" Eager to return the kindness in the gesture of her own compliment upon hearing the name she would be allowed to call the lioness. She was excited to learn that this lady had her own cubs and that she would be able to play with them.

Gaze darted back to Fionn, as if she needed his confirmation that it was indeed, alright. "I'd like to!" She exclaimed after a moment of decision. But then, there it was. The word that caused her happiness to falter. The look of sadness and defeat to quickly skirt across her face as eyes danced away from both adults. "He says, he not my daddy." She repeated what the brute had told her when they had met.

And as he confirmed it, she remained silent. Toes wiggled in the sand as she pretended it was far more interesting than the topic of her parent. Or lack of, that is.

@Aarani @Fíonn

Aarani was surprised to hear the two weren't related, but she didn't let it phase her or shift the conversation to a more depressing note. Instead, she placed a brilliant smile on her lips. "You don't need to be related by blood to be her father, @Fíonn." She understood the look, kept her words light regardless. "I'm separated from mine as well, so why don't we make our own family?" Rani glanced between the two of them, expecting no qualms about the idea.

"I think Fíonn might not have met your mother, but I still think he could your daddy if you wanted him to be. Should we ask him?" the lioness asked, ducking her head to whisper towards the cub. She wasn't trying to be stealthy about it and it was entirely likely he would hear, but that was fine. The man was obviously willing to take on the caretaker role, so why not give him a title? Father worked, didn't it?

"Let's all be a family," she said with a soft laugh. Because why not?

proin varius aliquam convallis

Integer lobortis purus faucibus nisi iaculis fermentum. Integer sodales sodales gravida. Mauris ut nunc ac dolor sollicitudin ultricies. Vestibulum nibh libero, imperdiet quis orci ac, porttitor volutpat lectus. Proin varius aliquam convallis. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Integer blandit malesuada purus sed sagittis. Proin nulla sapien, venenatis vitae lacinia sed, porta nec erat.

code by corvus