Violarum

The suspense had built a rattling rumble in his chest, and through the faintest brush of @Olive's toes it would prickle at a lip and fester in an excited snarl - the grasping of her attention elsewhere is not ideal, and where her heart might race his lips would pout - torn away from the easy drift of his shifted state of mind and skewed adoration that delved deeper into his gut than before.

So he does not perk immediately as his friend does, instead resting back in the damp grasses to squint upwards at the weeping skies, but her mention of an angel could really only be one woman - and at the prospect of @Halimede joining their drunken cohorts Violarum stirrs with a jovial chuff. "Every night," he nods assertively in the wake of Olive's decree; more than happy to wash away his lonely nights with slurred laughs and beautiful friends.

And though his Queen's snuggling closeness brims a delighted smile, cheek pressing into her, his fading intoxication rouses other things - not in the least hampered by Hali's presence, but instead seeking to drop his chin so might best lay his eyes upon this pale angel - entirely willing to be the devil-man his sovereign has proclaimed. "I need the angel too," he proclaims basically, opening up the arm on his unoccupied side to invite her in.

"I love you guys," he would purr contentedly in the wake of Halimede's realized beauty, as glorious as the day they had met in a flurry of flirtatious play, perfect even in her under-weight condition. And Olive's warmth at his chest would fill the cavity left by Fallon's absence, all mentions of lonely hearts forgotten - at least for the night - as long as he could have them close. As close as possible. As a family.

coded by flea

Ah, an angel come to save me from this devil-man.

She could hear the drunken slur of @Olive's tone, the half-sheepish look in her eyes, even in the dark cover of rain. Halimede could not help her broad smile, betraying the teasing threatening she'd done moments prior. Her toes wriggled with delight, the temptation to push herself closer to them held at bay if only because she'd thought, for a moment, she were not invited. But quickly would they always dispel her fears, and the realization that she was wanted unfurled a warmth she'd not experienced in years. Suddenly, the Halimede of recent was gone; and in its place, the saucy, fun-loving, scurrilous girl had returned. If only for a moment.

The Lorien Queen is quick to move toward the King, the swagger in her step enunciated by the drunk sha-shay, and Halimede found it hard to keep her eyes from the curve of her hips, the gentle sway of her tail. Had it not been for the consistent resonance of rain, she might have heard her own heart beating in her ears. But she could feel it, that violent thrum against her chest. It had been far too long since she'd laid eyes on Olive, and the dreams of her had been becoming more and more distorted; it were nice to refresh her memory. Almost as nice and being able to be in her company once again. She watches as Olive plops nearly on top of @Violarum, and feels the distinct twitch of her whiskers, the playful raise of her brows.

You missed it, Olive drawls, we ate the—the funny fruit. We ate it and we are gonna plant it and eat it every night

Every night, Violarum adds.

Are we willing to endure that much hangover? she quips, though there is a delighted lilt in her tone. Halimede would happily endure the rest of her days between the stasis of drunken and hungover and drunken again if it meant spending them with Violarum and Olive. Even before she'd spoken, Halimede had already decided what her answer would be: A resolute and resounding yes. Always yes.

By the time the clay King beckoned her over, Hali was already bouncing on her forepaws, shimmying side-to-side like a lovesick pup desperate for attention. How tempting it were to see them there, snuggled in a pile, with pieces not smothered by her dove-gray fur and spots not playfully groomed or kiss. When she'd heard Violarum's command, I need the angel too, it were as if the flood gates opened. Without pause did she amble forward, paws slickened and muddied by the rain but uncaring if she slapped and smothered them with it, and aimed to snuggle deep into Violarum's beckoning free side.

Suddenly, she felt the urge to sleep; the blissful release of what nightmares and trepidations ailed her seemed to disappear at once. Even as she'd been pelted by rain and only half-warmed as she still settled into their cuddle puddle, she felt far better than she had in the depths of her warm, dry cave. This were heaven. This was heaven.

She may not be under the influence of fermented fruit, but tiredness clung to her like an old friend, and the shared heaviness of their fruity breaths leeched off, rousing an almost faux-tipsiness, fueled by her exhaustion. Halimede's eyes fluttered shut, relishing in only the sound of rain, and their breaths.

I love you guys.

Her eyes opened, then, and stared toward the pregnant gray sky. She could see their muzzles out of the corner of her eye, and she quickly turned, pressing herself deeper into Vio's side, reaching out a paw to lay playfully, lazily upon Olive's shoulder, desperate to pull her closer. For all they'd endured, they'd at least still had each other. They had long begun to fill the empty spots Leander had left behind, even if the scar of his absence would never quite fully heal. There were something new there entirely, threaded like the golden veins of broken ceramic vases.

I love you, too, she breathes, resting her head upon Violarum's chest, her eyes catching the deep red crimson of Olive's, just as she had that day, Both of you.

Art by Yumpy, table by cala

and i'm just a problem
however playful the grazing of toes against rifted flesh – however innocuous her intent – olive is perceptive to the primal response it elicits from her drunken target. the snarl that warps his features earns the reflexive quirk of a brow: ever-so faint, but uncharacteristically coquettish in her uninhibited state of conscience. and though baiting questions burn hot on her tongue in a moment so controversial, so pivotal, the sprite expends her final iota of restraint — if only due to the added presence of a welcome distraction in the background.

her curiosity does not wither, but flourishes in the wake of @Halimede. she is a glimmer of golden light to eclipse this dull haze of rain; and olive hounds her approach through a heavy-lidded and awe-stricken stare that marvels at every ripple of sinew, every crease of taut skin. nestled though she were in the crook of vio’s forearm – leeching the heat from his half-armed embrace – she feels surprisingly barren as the tabby resigns to the vacancy on the opposite side of @Violarum. but protest does not find the queen in the midst of shared affection, and instead, she only winds tighter into their heap with a body, pivoted inward.

an aversion to the quiet is silenced as she lay, intertwined — submitting to total tranquility with the ghost of a grin, made genuine in the company of kin. be it inner peace or the fading effects of fermented fruit, her lashes flutter with the sweet promise of slumber; and yet, the sudden baritone of vio’s adoring sentiment rouses her to full coherence. she spares a considerate, sideways glance through the gnarled tufts of his mane, then, prolonging her gaze as warmth kindles from within her ribcage. but she does not verbally reciprocate such claims of love – not even as she catches hali’s vibrant stare in the aftermath of lilted echoes. rather, she stews in the throes of an inner world sent into overdrive, offering only the slow blink of softened eyes in response.

she had almost everything she could ever want, now.

a faint hum rattles firmly-pressed lips: content as pupils waver to and from vio to hali and back again. “it’s home,” is all she professes, perching her chin atop vio’s chest as she submits to hali’s reach. and they truly were home, and always would be.

and no one's ever solved it

table and art by ryuu!

Violarum

There, with @Halimede and @Olive ensnared in his embrace, beneath the dreary Plains sky and coming-and-going of moonlight, Violarum is more content than he had been for quite some time. He cannot warrant any concern for Fallon's return; too relieved by the feeling of wholeness that radiated warmth from the depths of his rattling chest, too completed by the closeness of his friends and the marinating of love.

Where Hali sinks into him and relays his professions, he pulls her in with a rumble, feeling the way her arm reached for Olive - savoring the adoration that oozed from the pores of the lionesses and left him wallowing in their delightful mush. Though easy satisfaction harbors the slowing of their pulses and the drifting of their minds, Violarum is steadily overcome by masculine instinct.

His heart thrummed easily, with more rhythm, and more ferver, and through Olive's quietness he turns his chin to peer at the umber of her moon-caught gaze - not in the least requiring her words to profess the devotion he felt. His golden snout pushed into the crook of her neck, his throat rumbling, dwelling in the familiarity of her scent, soaking her in to every inch of his lungs.

But reluctantly he is pulled from where they rested on his chest, only willing to depart from the soggy Plains carpet where there was promise of further closeness. And assuming he managed to slip free, he would turn easily to stand over them, using the crook of his golden forearm to slide Olive in against Halimede; squashing them together in a perfect, wholesome embrace, like pieces of a two-toned puzzle fitting snugly together in the warmth of a shared reverence.

The King's breaths had grown heavy, taking his sweet time to soak them in - "Perfect," - he would mumble, before making his impulsive advances, seeking to begin with the rolling of his incisors somewhere along Halimede's pale breast, and continue them slowly towards Olive's tawny neck. He would worship them, for their friendship, their souls, their bodies - for everything.

--- fade?

coded by flea

Wherever feelings of intense love transpired, Maua was drawn to. They floated down from their perch, travelling at a delicate pace across the winds as they made their way closer to the trio. The deity remained unseen, invisible to the three individuals as they observed quietly, watching the shared glances and soft touches. The love that radiated from the trio was like a pulse, it thrummed and vibrated, expanding outward past the three in a beacon of warm light. Maua would lift their paw outward, a soft smile given as a flurry of warmth on wind was sent in the direction of the trio. With it came images of children playing at their feet, an obvious combination of the newly founded throuple. An image of what could be, and what would be. Maua lingered for a few moments longer, allowing the vision to spread in their mind's eye until it seemed as if it were nothing but reality to the three. With one last glance in their direction, the Deity would disappear back into the void - content to leave the individuals with a glimpse of their near future.

exit.

ooc: All characters have 48 hours to exit this thread and post the official cub request!

Art & Table code by Zodiac

There'd been questions left unanswered, breaths held in surmounting anticipation, but Halimede were one of the few content with half-answers. She could live here in this moment, letting all her lingering questions drift off somewhere distant, unreachable. Her mind was so enamored in the drunken-breathed presences of them both that she'd seldom noticed the shift in their movements, the inclination of their intentions, or the consequences of it. A lazy smile had sprawled across her lips, eyes only peering open when she heard Olive's voice pierce the sound of the rain—it's home. A long, blissful sigh exhaled from her lips. Yes, this is home. This has always been home. It were only missing a few pieces here and there, but they could survive for now, just the three of them.

Just the three of them.

The thought was pleasant at first, but as she continued to dwell on it, it suddenly turned cold. Something stirred, as if something foreign and unfamiliar attempted to pry her thoughts open and shove itself in. Ever Godless and simple, Halimede first attempted to fight; but Maua's will was unrelenting, and as the warmth and good-feelies returned, in them accompanied a new thought altogether: Was Halimede truly content with living like this forever? Were she not greedy, were she not desperate for more? She'd never wanted so desperately in her life—when she'd looked upon @Olive and @Violarum now, she could feel a mounting pressure rise in her throat, words left unsaid desperate to break their tender silence.

Halimede swallowed the feelings, and allowed them to linger in the back of her mind simply because she could not rid herself of it. Instead, as Violarum shifted himself above them, and pleasantly squished her and Olive side-by-side, an amused purr rumbled from her chest. Their rough housing and cuddling had suddenly shifted; the culmination of a love unrelenting unfurling into what is so typical of drunken, touchy-feely nights. She felt the electrifying feel of Violarum's teeth against her plush breast, and the feeling shifted; a breathy sigh escaped her lips as she engulfed herself in his warmth, and pressed her cheek against Olive's neck, relishing in her earthen scent.

---

Fade to black.

Art by Yumpy, table by cala

and i'm just a problem
for once, she is unencumbered by the burden to fill silence with mindless chatter and sardonicism; content to stew in blissful sighs and kindling warmth as quiet reigns over their cozy trio. however prone she were to toxic reveries in the absence of such distraction, their touches seem to anchor her to an ever-present peace that she leans into with mounting fervency. somewhere in the midst of adoring sentiments and sweet caresses (and lowered inhibitions, courtesy of force-fed marulas), does olive’s love transcend to expressions of physicality: blurring the lines between want and need. and as violarum’s teeth find the crook of her neck, so does the flickering flame in her chest roar to a blazing, all-consuming inferno.

they will know her love, yet — in ways her tongue could never hope to express.

she relents to carnal urges with a roguish giggle as @Violarum shoves her to hali’s side: unifying them at long last. and as her jaws work to find every inch of @Halimede, so does the silhouette of an unknown entity manifest along the horizon. but its presence does not perturb despite its intent to lurk, and olive finds a warm familiarity in the limelight of its celestial gaze. there is no vulnerability, no embarrassment, no indignation. there is only acceptance, and olive’s focus shifts back upon her partners as if nothing were out of the ordinary; for, in truth, it did not feel anything less than natural.

-- fade to black

and no one's ever solved it

table and art by ryuu!