life was cruel, and it was lonely -- all that poor ira knew with certainty was that she missed her family. she missed the sweet embrace of her mother, and the constant company of her siblings. she missed the pride and the home that she had once known, and the happiness that had engulfed the desert paradise before its tragic decent. she missed when life had been simple, and easy -- but, alas, the older that ira got, the more messy and more complicated her days seemed to become, and the fairytale slowly crumbled around her perched, ivory form.

she had been alone for some time now, having been purposefully kept away from aarani after the disbandment of the oasis, but the babe had decided to stay close to the desert, if only for familiarity's sake. the hideaway had become one of her favorite places, given the more secluded and protected shelter that it offered, providing some sense of 'home', even though she was excruciatingly aware of her solitude. ira only hoped that, when her mother would come to find her, she would think to look within the vast and winding tunnels for her daughter. for now, however, the cub's frame, malnourished from her time spent alone, remained pressed against the back of one of the caverns, hunkered within the shadows, nearly unmoving, as she hoped to be left alone from the prying eyes of strangers, or monsters, as the afternoon waned on.

@Oberon @kalhari @Aarani

"Iraaa!" Oberon pauses, frowning and scolding at his bad luck. unaware that Aarani had found Rama, he searched for the others missing still. he gave the woman his word, after all. he was going to make good on it. "Rama?!" he calls, looking under stray rocks and boulders he had come across "Bhavani?" he parts the sparse foliage in the Dunes before moving on. come on, please be alive... he hoped he wasn't going to find tiny little bodies this day. his stomach couldn't take it.

"your mama is worried!" he tries again as he heads toward the Hideaway "I-I met her. please come out; I won't hurt you. I'll take you to your mom!" though he knows if there were children here, they'd take some persuasion to come and greet him. Oberon knew they must be scared and hungy, so he had a plan. pawing the desert hare he had managed to catch, he leaves it on the ground steps away from himself. if there were cubs here, they'd be attracted to the smell of food. they'd come out.

hopefully.

@Ira @Kalahari @Aarani

Ira, Bhavani, and Rama. Kalahari repeated those names to herself as she loped across the parched canyon ground. Rani had described them, the colors of their pelts and the markings they bore, but if only they had been able to communicate scents so easily. Maybe then she would have had more success in finding them, or any of them. Time was not on their side here, there were so many things that could go wrong when a cub was left unattended in unclaimed territory. Most predators, hyenas and leopards and other things that might take the opportunity to remove a future competitor, would not dare intrude in the lands a lion pride marked. Things were different out in the wilderness.

This place was especially inhospitable. She had seen no animal life aside from a lizard sunning itself on a red rock. Not much food, little water. Survival would have been difficult even for an adult. The lioness paused in the shade of the striped canyon walls to sniff at the ground, then gave a sharp sneeze that sent up a cloud of dust from the dirt. She wrinkled her nose and grimaced. Before she could carry on, however, an echo bouncing off the canyon walls made her pause and prick up her ears. Again, faint with distance--a male's voice, calling names. Familiar names. Rani had told her she wasn't the only one sent out to find the little ones.

Even more dust was kicked up as Kala took off at a gallop, tracing through the canyon until she rounded a pile of boulders to see the source of the calls. He was a strange-looking creature, with thicker fur than the average lion, and it looked like the mane that should have mantled his neck instead grew down his back. "Are you trying to find them too?" A moment later, she realized she ought to elaborate. "Aarani's children, I mean. I'm a friend of hers." She hoped she could call herself that, anyway. She didn't know her well, but she wanted to help her, and see her as spirited again as she had been that day at the Passage. "She's safe in Firnen--have you had any luck finding the cubs?"

@Ira
@Oberon
@Aarani

code by corvus

she kept to herself, quiet, secluded, wanting nothing more than to simply melt into the red rocks beneath her paws — but then, then she hears her name. it bellows throughout the caverns, followed by the names of her siblings, and it is enough to rattle the child’s chest, feeling her heart skip a beat as a million thoughts race across her mind at once. but it wasn’t her mother’s voice, it was that of a stranger’s — so why would aarani send someone else to look for her? how did she know that the words that he was saying were even true?

distrustful was perhaps an understatement for the often naive child, but ira knew that she had to do whatever it took to get back to her family, no matter what. and so, slowly, she brought herself to her feet, tiptoeing towards the sound of two voices now, and following their quiet echo against the stone walls until she finally finds them. "w-who are you?" she asked, unable to hide the tremble within her voice as she peeked from the shadows before @Oberon and @Kalahari. pale eyes glanced up at them, her heart aching for it to be true — but she remained frozen in place, several feet of distance swollen between them, as she gulped down the large bubble hanging in her throat, and waited for a response.

safe. Aarani was safe - good. the woman who came to him now gave him tidbits of information to be used. Oberon nods. "yeah, I just met her in the Dunes" he explains "and I offered to help find her kids." good, a pride was willing to take them in. she needed all the help and rest that she could. before he could elaborate, a pale shape made its way to them. he turns sharply, his eyes filling with the frame of a young girl.

she matched the description of Ira.

there was nothing else to do but - "@Aarani!" he now yells, hoping she was nearby. the man does not move from his spot. he does not want to scare the girl. he thinks she's brave and not a foolish thing, to confront them but keeping her distance "I'm Oberon, a friend of your mama's. you're Ira, right?' he says, shooting the pale beige woman a thankful look.

@Ira @Kalahari @Aarani

Aarani returned to the desert time and time again. She scoured the sands until her sides were matted with sweat, and then she only took a break to wash up and cool down before plunging back into the dunes. Her babies had known of her adoration for the desert, so one of them had to end up there -- right? Naturally, she made her arc as wide as possible when searching, but there was only so much ground a pregnant lioness could cover before being forced to retreat back to Firnen for safety. It was only a matter of time before Vine was up and active again, so time was of the essence. Being a pregnant woman out trying to avoid one particular lion was a recipe for disaster. When night fell, she retreated home.

It was exhausting work, being pregnant. While she had been physically fit and in good health for her first pregnancy, this time she was drained. The cubs were undoubtedly not getting the proper nutrients, but to be quite honest, she didn't care. Her flesh and blood, air breathing cubs were the priority and even if it made the next few weeks a living hell. She would waddle around and call her babies until labor pains caused her to collapse, and even then she would call for them until her body simply gave out from exhaustion. It wasn't ideal, but nothing in her life currently was.

Or.. maybe?

Although she hadn't expected @Oberon to scope the same area that afternoon, she certainly wasn't against having another set of eyes. The urgency in his voice worried her; had he found something? Had he found.. had he found a body? Aarani had never once considered the grim possibility that her cubs had not made it, not once. It was only the emotion behind his voice that caused a spike of terror to flash through her chest, and she froze to the spot instead of moving. What would she find there? Were they all there, dead and curled against each other? Rani began to tear up as she released a call in response, her chuff louder than it had a right to be. "Oberon, please," she quietly begged. Please don't tell me they're gone.

@Kalahari was on the breeze as well, something that struck her as even odder. She was eternally grateful for the two of them and their friendship, she just.. suddenly didn't have the bravery needed to handle the truth.

It was only then the wind shifted enough to drift a familiar scent towards her, grapefruit and the tiniest hint of basil. @Ira. Ira? "IRA!" she cried, finding her footing and tearing across the sands as fast as a whale could do so. "Ira, it's Mama! I'm coming!" Soon. She would be there soon, sweet girl, and she would never, ever let you go.

arriving next round cuz fat

Under normal circumstances, Kalahari might have been significantly more hesitant to approach a stranger, but this was not the time to be suspicious and indecisive. Besides, if he knew Aarani, then he couldn't have been that bad. She was about to suggest they continue searching together, but a quiet voice abruptly grabbed the attention of both lions. Ears pricked, Kalahari turned about to see a girl pressed against the red rock, watching them fearfully from the shadows cast by the canyon walls. Pale fur, still ever-so-faintly marked with cub spots. Eyes the color of new spring leaves.

"Ira?!" It was half question, half exclamation. Had they finally found one of Rani's children? Evidently half-mane had the same idea, for he suddenly threw his head skyward and shouted for her, almost making Kala jump out of her skin. If Aarani was nearby, though, that was even better. She had been turning over in her head the question of how to convince the cubs, if she found them, that she was trustworthy and could take them to their mother. Stranger danger, and all that. Now she wouldn't have to worry about that, they could be reunited here and now.

He introduced himself as Oberon. "Kalahari," she said, addressing both the man and the girl before giving Ira her full attention and a reassuring smile. "Your mother's safe now, sweetheart, the man who was holding her can't hurt her or you and your siblings anymore." Now she looked back to Oberon, hoping he would be able to lead them out of the canyon and to Aarani. "Come on," she said eagerly, gesturing with a toss of her head. "Let's go meet her halfway."

@Ira
@Oberon
@Aarani

code by corvus

her trembling intensifies beneath the newfound gaze of her company, white figurine standing out starkly against the backdrop of red rock and amber stones. she could very well be making a huge mistake and betraying ber mother with her naivety — but there was a small, murmuring voice in the back of her head, that nudged the babe forward a few feet more. "yeah, i’m ira." she said quietly, still meek, in response to both @Oberon and @Kalahari's question. the fact that there was a whole search party out for her was shocking, to say the least, and while they assured the child that aarani was safe — her beating heart could not fully believe them until she saw it with her own two eyes. wanting to be brave for her family, the child sucked in a quick, greedy breath of air, anxiety hot within her chest, before opting to speak again. "but, i — i don’t understand. where is she?"

though it would seem as though she’d get the answer to that all on her own, for it is then that she hears @aarani’s voice bursting from the tunnels, familiar and warm and eager as it called out to her. "mom!" her voice had a newfound strength now, newfound determination, as ira pushed herself forward, no longer withdrawing from the forms of the two other adults. she skidded, and tumbled, and lurched instinctively towards the sound of her mother, warm tears already forming in the corners of her eyes, as she sprinted down the length of the tunnel.

everything seemed to happen at once. one moment, the confused little girl was scared. the next, she was tearing across the sands to reach her mother. Oberon had a chance to learn more - that the man once king of the Mire had actually been holding Aarani against her will. he resisted raising his lip in a grim snarl, not wanting to scare Ira. her mother's voice thankfully was close.

the girl tried to reach Aarani. Oberon, not wishing any more harm on the little family, sprinted after her. he kept a steady pace at her side, making sure no predators scooped her up as they went. he believed Kalahari would also come, so his focus was entirely on Ira. "we're here!" he calls out, letting his voice bounce across the tunnel so the woman could locate them "she's safe!" he yowls.

@Ira @Kalahari @Aarani

There was no grace in her strides as she tore across the sands, quietly apologies tossed to her unborns for the bumpy ride. It was only when she reached the mouth of the winding tunnel that she finally slowed, her sides heaving with exertion as she adjusted to the darkness within. She heard Oberon cry out to catch her attention, followed by words that brought more joy to her heart than she had thought possible. She's safe. Her baby girl was safe, and alive, and Rani would never let her out of her sights again.

Picking her way through the maze, Aarani ducked and dipped until she heard a familiar voice. Oh, spirits. Her eyes fell shut in a moment of genuine peace as she identified Ira's voice calling out for her and, shortly after, rapidly approaching footsteps. "Ira!" she replied, picking up the pace to meet her halfway.

Knowing she was on the way hadn't braced her for actually setting eyes on her, though. That was an entirely different feeling altogether.

Aarani didn't bother to disguise the tears as she rushed to her girl, sobbing openly as she moved to throw both her arms around her in an embrace. She wanted to pull her close, hug and squeeze and never let go. Her joy was unmeasurable as she attempted to lasso her daughter in, kissing and nuzzling and doing all sorts of embarrassing motherly things. "My sweet girl, my beautiful Ira, I love you so much. I've missed you, I've missed you." Emotional as she was, the words were run together and delivered quickly. She didn't care who was nearby to listen, though, as she had the only thing that mattered directly in front of her.

Family. Family was the only thing that mattered, and piece by piece she was putting hers back together. For good.