She moved slowly across the terrain, keeping her steps measured so that the young cubs at her heels could keep up. They were by no means so small they couldn't make such a trip, but she did her best to ensure that they didn't feel like they had to be hurried along. Jewel was opting to move her little family along from their homeland, to usher them into a place she had noticed some time ago but had yet to tread into. This land from a distance - she could see towering mountain peaks and sparkling waters.. It seemed far better than the stretch of desolate wasteland their home was slowly becoming. "Come along, sweetlings...We're almost there." Her tones were kind, her lips twisting into a smile as she paused to ensure that her brood were still following. The four youngest were her concern, but she also cast her gaze about for the rest of her children. She knew they were older and far better equiped to care for themselves.. but Jewel only hoped that they would be able to make the trek safely if they struck out on their own. Looking down to the cubs, she felt her heart swell not for the first time to burst with love and joy. She would attempt to pass her tongue over the heads of the rambunctious kittens. "What do you want first? A nap? A bath? Something to eat?" The young mother hoped that by plying them with ideas of 'what next' she could help to distract them from their long journey. Ahead, she saw the mountains she had seen before and smiled, hoping that she would do right by her little family and bring them to a place that could serve as their new home. But, first... they would need a short break so that small legs didn't tire as easily. "Speak"

table by cush/sanuye

keir

It felt like they had been walking since forever! His little paws were throbbing from all the steps they had taken, making him waddle a bit to try to place pressure on parts of his paws that didn't hurt as much. But boy was he tired! He couldn't remember ever walking this much, and walking all through different kinds of places at that. Every now and again Keir would try to stir up a little bit of trouble (or what he saw as fun) by either picking at his littermates or trying to dash across his older siblings to try to get them to trip. The black cub was also rapid firing questions and not seeming to stop to receive answers before he went on to his next ones. 'Where we goin'?', 'What's it like?', 'Are there others there?', and the famous 'Are we there yet?'This adventure mother was taking them on was a big one so he needed to find ways to keep himself occupied.

As mother stopped Keir almost found himself smacking right into her, narrowly escaping it by a hair. Bright blue eyes watched mother as she aimed a lick to the top of his head. Feeling the rough and warm swipe of maternal affection caused for a rumbling purr to vibrate his whole body, eyes closing briefly to enjoy the feeling. "I'm hungry!" his voice would chime, tail swishing behind him as he began to parade around her, the feeling of being tired seeming to be released from his small body as soon as they reached a point to take a break.

"SPEECH."

table coding by ferus, lineart by rach, background image from here

"Wait for meeee!" His shrill voice piped up as he trailed his family across the vast expanse of sandy beach. The small pale child was huffing and puffing as he did his best to keep up with his mother and older brother. Ears were plastered to his skull in his determination to succeed.. To reach them when they came to a stop. Finally the small child collapsed near his mothers front paw, and peeped happily when her rough tongue passed over his skull.

When his brother demanded food, he also lifted his head to pass dual toned eyes at his mother. "Me to, momma! I'm hungry!" As if to emphasize his plight of near starvation, he lifted a paw to his mouth and tried his best to 'point' as if to instruct her on where said food should be deposited.

The valiant attempts at keeping the cub focused where failing miserably as her littlest cub was already pawing at a crap that had scudded its way over the sand and close enough for the starry eyed cub to noticed. Pronged tail wiggling in the air the cub pawed at the strange creature her eyes wide with wonder. Distantly she heard the voice of her mother, but was too preoccupied with the snippy creature that was trying to hastily retreat from her, in it's opinion, massive paws. She scampered after it not even bothering to shout a word back at mother and tell her where she'd be- it wouldn't even cross her mind to do so.

The crab's fast moving legs made little indents in the sand, its claws far too tiny to be of any real use against the giant it had never laid tubular eyes on and so running was the best option. And of course, this only made the cub want to chase it. The crab was quick tho on its sideways legs and ducked from under her paws in a mad dash as she clambered after it. It wasn't until the crap found a lucky rock buried deep into the sand to dive under that the cub looked up and wondered where everyone else had gone.

Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we- No! But mum- I said no! This trip was taking forever. Spitfire estimated he'd die of dehydration before they even reached the destination. Why couldn't it be quicker!? But noooooo they had to trek across so many places just to go somewhere they've never been. Did mama truly know what she was doing? The don't even know if there's fodd here! Oh no, what if there is none! A shocked look gets etched onto Spitfires' face as he slows to almost a stop. What if they really did die!? MAMA! He runs up towards his mother trying to avoid any siblings that may be deciding to trip him up. Mama has to know right? She wouldn't just let them die right? Oh the absolute horror if she did so! The injustice!

Why couldn't they have just stayed home? Oh that's right it's inhospitable now. No more home for them. Prohibited for Jewel and her little ones! He didn't want to live in that stinky land anyway. It was rude to them! Shut them out! Threw them away like they were some freeloaders! How could there home just turn to ash? Spitfire grumbled to himself a little bit.

Eventually the merry band of merrymen stops and Spitfire feels the rough tongue of his mother caress his head "EW!" he exclaims not pleased with her motherly affections at this moment. Mother asks what they want and Keir is first to declare he was hungry. Kyon did so second and Spitfire aimed to shove a paw into his brothers mouth "Fed Ky see?" as if his paw truly would satiate Kyons' hunger.

As her children trailed along Jewel kept a headcount, and frowned when she noticed that she was missing a few. With a long suffering sigh, the female shifted so she could follow along with the trail of her little starlight. It was the grumbling cries of her sons that broke her heart and she rumbled a soft sound to them. "Soon, my sweetlings. We will find you something to eat." Jewel knew with the ocean nearby they could find something useful. Fish would fill their bellies, but so would smaller things in larger amounts. Crabs, once one got past the pincers.. Starfish and other creatures. Urchins? Certainly not. The lioness saw the bright spot of white and chuffed, giving her little star a gentle reprimand. Get your fuzzy but back here, or else! White hairs - she was going to have a million of them trying to corral these children. "How about we find you guys something to eat? What would you like to try? Crab, fish or... Hmmm.." There were gulls gawing overhead, but she doubted she would be able to catch one of them. "That might be about it right where we are..Little star, sweetling.. Stay away from the water." Her voice was lifted as she tried to ensure that the pale child wouldn't get swept away by the current before she could get to her. "My darling fireball.. your brother can't eat your feet.. what would you walk on?" She was amused at their antics, if a little exasperated by them. Jewel made to try to nudge the boys gently in the direction of their pale pelted sister - if they didn't bounce away first. "Let's go fetch your sister.. and then we'll all go find dinner." "Speak"

table by cush/sanuye

Oh, that's right. He was supposed to be keeping up with the group. One of a couple of Jewel's stragglers, when the split-tailed boy finally does come dragging up the rear, his back half is covered in far more sand than should be appropriate for simply crossing along the shoreline. Actually, he had spent considerable time in a deep divot; probably a hole dug by some other creature since filled with saltwater when the tide came in. The sand that filled it was extremely mushy and soft, sucking at his paws when he pulled them out and was just generally way more entertaining than walking for five million years.

He does hear her voice after a time though, and it's a lot farther away than it should be. With the smallest flutter of panic in his chest, he finds his legs again and a burst of speed, slowing to an awkward lope with a groan as his feet remind him of how sore they are. They're talking about food, and his stomach grumbles it's intentions to protest going to sleep first. "I can eat anythin', and nap anywhere righ' now," He admires a sandy hind foot through hooded eyes, before making a point to wipe it casually on one of Spitfire's haunches as he speaks. There, better.

keir

Gaze would watch his siblings, letting out a chirp of laughter as he watched Spitfire place his paw in Kyon's mouth. That's not food, brother! Keir would continue to parade around, every now and again bumping into his brothers as he passed them. It wouldn't be until mother really started to talk that the black cub would stop and listen, watching her before glancing out in the direction of where his sister was at. "Hey, come back!" He'd yell over at her before taking the time to bound towards her. With heaving sides he would close the distance, the sand making him move slower than he wanted to. Darn sand! It was so hard to move on it!

Once he was close enough he would take a minute to catch his breath. "You... need... to... stay... close..!" Each word would be spoken in between overly dramatic breaths. Keir would then attempt to butt his head into her right shoulder gently, as if trying to steer her in the direction of where the rest were gathered, forgetting that mother also wanted to search for food while they went to corral their sister.

"SPEECH."

table coding by ferus, lineart by rach, background image from here

He suddenly found his mouth full of sticky, gross sandy paw and glared at his brother. With a snarl and a 'roar', the pale child launched himself at his sibling in an attempt to wrap his front legs around his neck and bite his cheek. "I'll show YOU hungry! Awarawrawrawr!" He vocalized his 'chewing' noises as he made his attack, not that it would do any good. But it made hIM feel better to get his brother back for that rather sandy appendage he shoved into his jaws.

@Spitfire