Good for Something

( pre VB challenge - Scipio is here/being NPC'd by me )

Last night a flurry of snow had come through the north of the lands. The tundra herself received a fresh blanket of snow. Even down into the eternal forest of the Valour family the snow covering reached. Night passed, morning began to form and in the quiet near silent air came the sound of crunching snow. Heavy paws pressing down into the fresh powder at a steady pace. A knight of bronze was seen leaving the Brook's borders that chilly morning. Aquila led his son away from the pridelands and into the more wild reaches of the forest. His silver eyes always found time to turn to Scipio, to watch the young child and make sure he was keeping up. Not wandering off.

They would come to the glade, to an opening with freshly covered sloping hills nestled in the safety of the grove. The sky overhead had lightened to a dull blue-grey, soft, without clear sign of where the sun was. Occasionally a few stray snowflakes flew past but without telling if it was the last lingering breath of the snow storm or if they had strayed from the nearby trees on the breeze. One landed across Aquila's nose as he trudged to the top of one of these hills. He plowed himself forwards cutting clear a path for his son to travel more easily up the slick hillside until they both were sitting at the top. Aquila's figure cut an impressive image, large, dark compared to the sea of winter white and grey around them. Scipio was far less noticeable both for his small size and camouflaged into the alabaster background.

It had been a long time since she had been within the glade but something was drawing her here. Whatever it was, it was unknown to the viking woman as she would travel through the familiar snow. This was the perfect time of year for the viking, it brought familiarity to her in many ways. So this was really just a luxury walk than something in training. Sea foam jewels watching everything around her which gave her the clue to @Aquila. Calling towards the brute, Ástríðr would move towards him, unaware that there was another with him or even nearby. ”Speech”

Good for Something

Aquila and Scipio both turned in response to the sound and looked down the slope of the hill to the Viking woman. Aquila looked with recognition and smiled down at the familiar face, a most welcomed sight. One of his big fluffy paws lifted and it was waved through the air to usher her in closer to him and Scipio, the little white fluff ball had nestled close to his father with some apprehension. Ástríðr, I have someone I want you to meet. He sounded unusually happy... giddy even. His face, the smile that had formed when he saw her, hadn't left and only grew larger upon feeling his son nuzzle into the side of his leg.

Moving closer to @Aquila, Ástríðr would greet him with a smile of her own though small it was as she glanced down towards his chest. Sea foam jewels glanced back towards the male as he spoke already knowing it was the white fluff ball in his chest that he was ready to introduce her to and so the viking would lay down on her stomach. She wanted to be content, relaxed and show that she was not dangerous to the creature before her. She couldn't really tell what it was but she wouldn't ask such a rude question to her friend and would nod her head at Aquila for when he was ready. ”Speech”

Good for Something

Aquila tenderly shifted a paw against his son, holding him steady but secure. Scipio was hesitant to meet the stranger's gaze but took comfort in his father's pressure. The large bronze father leaned downwards and briefly snuffled his nose in the fluffy on top of the pale boy's head. His pinkish hue bright against the colds and greys of winter. I want you to meet my son. Astrid, this is Scipio. He rose his head back up as he spoke, a pride unmatched in his voice and gaze. Scipio. This is your Aunt Astrid. Briefly he flashed his silver eyes to the viking woman and searched for signs that she'd accept the title of "Aunt".

Sea foam jewels went to the cub that was cuddled into @Aquila's chest and the information she was given. Ears twisting at the title that was given to her and Ástríðr gave a small smile to Aquila on her features. She liked that title very much and to feel like apart of his family was enough for her to settle down near him. A pleasure to meet you Scipio. She would coo at him. Shockingly, sounding more motherly than most would think coming from a woman who kept to herself and didn't have feelings towards another. Or did she? 'She thinks.'

Art by sally | Table code by Zodiac

Good for Something

Scipio said his hello back, a little braver with his father's reassurance and Astrid's greeting to him first. Aquila gave his son an approving nudge by way of reaching down with his nose to tap his fluffy skull. He was quite the little thing still, especially dwarfed next to the large lion forms of Aquila and Astrid both.

You've been well? He asks then of the Viking woman while lifting his head back up, giving Scipio room to scamper off a bit and play amongst the snow on the hillside. Aquila's silver eyes watched but his ears twisted to his company beside him for her answer.

A small smile formed when the cub greeted her before @Aquila nudged at him and the white fluff ball went off to play in the snow. Her own sea foam gaze watching the snow puff but listening to Aquila's question. I have been fine. Training so that I can create a band in the tundra. Perhaps it was an extra measure for things unseen yet but anyone who had met the viking knew she wasn't going to join a pride. It wasn't in her nature. How are you doing my friend? The last she had seen of the brute he had still been grieving over Valhalla. Was it still there? 'She thinks.'

Art by sally | Table code by Zodiac

Have you found much support? He questioned, twisting his vision to look off Scipio and to the Viking woman. Last they'd talked about her goal had been awhile ago. Plenty of time to have made progress and build up lions that were tough enough to handle her tundra home in the winter. Lions that could keep up with Astrid. Off to the side Scipio made a happy little squeak sound as his nose buried in the cold snow and he tossed his skull backwards to toss it into the air. He's kept me busy. He said of Scipio. He has two half siblings too. You'd think the numbers worked out, three parents three kids. But no, not quite. They were still exhausting.

I have. Not many but enough to start off. She would muse at him as her sea foam jewels stayed locked on the white fluff ball @Aquila called his own. Though her ears swiveled towards Aquila whenever he spoke, she just wasn't comfortable not looking at the child. Half siblings? Though Ástríðr knew that many had more children and sometimes not with the same woman or man and even though Ástríðr was the same, all of her siblings were just that. Siblings, regardless of who their parents were. But she was curious to know who else had these children. 'She thinks.'

Art by sally | Table code by Zodiac