OOC: No claiming~

It was early evening and the sun had begun to set upon Maua's lands. Its orange hue cast a fire-like glow across the island, evading every personal space of shadows, crooks and crannies. Everything seemed as though it were on fire: but it was in this state of the world that Maia found most of her peace.

Walking idly through the dunes, the woman glanced down at her dull-toned paws as they left gentle paw prints in the dirt. Eventually the softness under her feet turned into hard ground as she found herself in the confinements of the Crimson Hideaway. She had never been here before, but the silence it offered reassured the Tolkien that it was relatively peaceful here. She pondered, just before she settled in the entrance of the Hideaway, if company would join her.

With the fog lifting more and more, Drakon was finding new places to visit. Places that reminded him of home. Of his childhood. Of mother. It was all worth it as he moved through the territories. He was in such a daze that he hadn't realized he had gone from sand to solid ground and another was here. It was only her scent that caused Drakon to blink and stop, glancing around at the setting sun and finally of a woman near by, chuffing at her so she knew she wasn't alone.

@Maia

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

Maia had found herself lost in thoughts when the sound of @Drakon's chuffs caught her attention and pulled the girl away from the land of daydreams. Maia's fire-burning eyes move away from the darkness and focus on the lighter figure of the male. She returns a smile in greeting. "Good evening," She speaks, her tones gentle and soft. "Nice evening, huh?" She asks, hoping to create small conversation. Little did the girl know that Drakon was distant family.

She seems him and Drakon moves towards her once he was greeted by her and Drakon would dip his head at her. "Good evening." He would state as he moved closer to the girl in front of him. She asked about the evening and fiery jewels looked around their area before nodding back to her. "Mmm, yes it is." He would answer her. "Are you new to this land?" She looked new and didn't smell like a pride which made his inner dragon want to claim her. Make her his and much to him; Drakon didn't know that she was a distant relative through Gala. If he ever saw his first wife again it'd be to soon.

@Maia

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

Maia watches the Dragon carefully, her fire-lit eyes catching his own before looking to their surroundings. @Drakon asks if she is new, and she nods. "Yes. I fled my home when a band of rogues attacked. I lost all my family, but I followed a crowd here. Though I'm yet to find anyone. Are you new too?" She asks, curious as to what the white male would say. Little did she know that he was distant family.

She was new. She had followed the crowd which he could only assume was the crowd he had been apart of. Yet she hadn't found any family members. Granted, Drakon was interested in the fact that she had mentioned rogues. "Yes, I'm new. Who is your family? Perhaps I can help you find them." He would mention. Unaware that they were family to begin with. Well, through another at least but still family nonetheless as he would look at her before glancing towards their surroundings.

@Maia

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

Maia smiled at @Drakon's offer but simultaneously shook her head. There was some happiness that slipped away from her at the thought of family. "You could try, but I don't think we'd get very far." She begins, taking a seat if she hadn't already done so. "I'm Maia Tolkien, my parents were Taj and Nimue Tolkien. But when they disappeared because of the exodus, I was part of a guardian family. Hanneth and Dero Hodari. Do you know them?" She asks, unwittingly revealing information that would allow Drakon to know that they were distant relatives.

But for now, the girl would look around the hideaway for a moment and ponder. What had she done to get this far, without any success? Maia was certainly unsure.

Tolkien. It was the name that Galadriel had before she married him. It was the name that he knew very well but it was Hanneth's name that caused him to chuckle at her. "Seems your family has been right under your nose." He would state, sitting down to make her feel more comfortable. "I am Drakon Tollaire, and you my darling, seem to be family to myself through Hanneth who is my niece." He would begin, wondering what she would think about that now. He was concerned about it of course.

@Maia

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

The words that fell from @Drakon's lips caused the grey lionesses head to turn back to the white figure of the dragon. What? Maia had not exactly grown up with Hanneth and her siblings - she'd run away when she was barely four months old in search for her sister and parents. She'd been unsuccessful, but how she had survived the runaway was certainly remarkable. The girl longed for family - a family of her own - but also to be reunited with those she lost. It left a large hole in her chest that couldn't be re-filled. Drakon's words cause the girl to be taken back. "You-... you're family?" She asks, ears pulling backwards and then forwards in a series of uncertainty and reassurance.

Part of Maia wanted to jump for joy, another part wanted to rush over and tackle the other lion to the floor. But the headstength in the girl meant she remained put, the only slight excitement being projected from a twitch of her tail. "Do you know where everyone is?" She asks, ever so hopeful.

She seemed shocked that he was family and Drakon didn't really seemed shocked about it himself. Ears twitched as he would listen to her to words. A nod coming from Drakon's head when she asked about being family. "Distantly, but yes." He would state as he watched her closely. Fiery jewels taking her in. Regardless of how distant they were related, either though Hanneth or Gala. Though when asked about where they were, he would shake his head. "I don't know where they are homed up at but they are here. Perhaps you can come join me and we can go find them together hm?" He wanted her to be safe and because he was under Jewel's rule he wouldn't claim her but instead invite her.

@Maia

image by frida bredesen | art by irish