All her thoughts were kept between her three young girls sleeping away in the den and the fight that no doubt led beyond. Talisa had no idea what had happened to any of her family members, or her friends and loved ones. All that she knew was that she had made it here almost altogether. Farrow was the only one that was missing now and even though she knew he could handle himself, she still feared for the unknown. Nymeria was likely hurt no matter if she won or lost, but she did have faith in their allies to help them take the trash out for good. The waiting, however, did nothing to ease her weary mind so she stayed at the entrance of Morrigan's den -- desperate to see anyone on the horizon that would come to give them the news.

@Cassandra

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Cassandra Valour

The dark brown yearling was exhausted. Everything that had gone down with the challenge in the Brook had rendered her mentally and physically exhausted. Her aunt and mother both caught up in fights and injured, her aunt knocked unconscious by that bastard... She was just glad Talisa had gotten out of there with her younger siblings when she did. Cassandra was kinda glad her mom hadn't had to see her stake the claim on her aunt... But she did need to tell her about the situation.

Paws dragging on the ground, Cassandra had been aiming for her personal den within the Cove's borders. Morrigan's den wasn't super far from the princess's own den, but she was too exhausted to really notice her mother's frame in the entrance of the den. She had to hope that her uncles would bring her aunt here, and that at least someone would let them know that Viridian was not in control of her.

Slipping into her den, the yearling barely managed to make it to the nice comfy moss and feather nest thing she'd made for herself to make the inside of the den more comfortable to sleep in. If she had managed to have the energy to look around the area she would've noticed @Talisa hanging out at the entrance to Morrigan's den. A yawn split the yearling's face as she flopped her head down between her two paws.

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All the waiting in the order couldn't prepare her for what she had been expected but as she saw her eldest daughter move sluggishly through the Cove, Talisa moved to stand. Paws seemingly stuck to the ground at the entrance to Morrigan's den like concrete kept her locked down. Chuffing quickly and attentively in @Cassandra's direction -- she had a rational fear of leaving the den for even a fraction of a second. The last time that had happened she'd lost a child and she wasn't about to risk losing any of her girls. She didn't to know what had happened -- Cassandra didn't look to be hurt but it was easy to see that there was an unbridled amount of exhaustion.

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Cassandra Valour

She wanted nothing more than to just sleep off the exhaustion that plagued her from the tension she'd held in her body the entire duration of the challenge and the fights. Or maybe she truly wanted to go find Kvi, take a nap with him by her side. But she knew she needed to be here, play her part in the pride with both Sovereigns injured like they had been at the challenge. The yearling couldn't go running off to the Lagoon or the Cay to look for Kvi at this time.

She had almost drifted off completely when she heard a familiar chuff coming from the direction of Morrigan's den. Lifting her head, Cassandra pondered just how necessary and urgent the call was. When she heard the chuffs continue, the yearling sighed and pushed herself back to her paws. Poking her head out of the den, the yearling looked in the direction of Morrigan's den. Spotting @Talisa standing outside the den, she flicked an ear and started over to her mother.

Greeting the paler lioness with a gentle headbutt and a chuff, Cassandra then let herself flop gently onto the ground. A quick peek into Morrigan's den would reveal her younger siblings were tucked away in the den sleeping. ""I take it you all made it here safely?"" The yearling asked, her words parted by a yawn as she spoke. Obviously they had, but Cass wanted to make sure that they all had truly made their way to the Cove safely and without trouble.

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There could only be worry in her heart as she remembered seeing a lion throw themselves down upon Morrigan and begin a war that surrounded them on all sides. The frustration and irritation and fear that ran rampant in her mind still continued on, even as she was several good miles away from the chaos. @Cassandra arriving breathed some fresh life into the possibility that it was over and that her sister was safe and tended to. Of course, she didn't want to immediately get her hopes up.

So she let her attention fly to her daughter as she wandered towards her, gazing in to see her half-siblings slumbering away. Talisa wished she could sleep so easily right now. We did, though I haven't seen Farrow since we got the kids. Nor had she the time or opportunity to go looking for him but she believed that he could handle himself and that he would find his way back to her. Of course, not having realized that Farrow had made a mother out of Morrigan, either, just yet. What happened.. after I left? Who won? Is Mummy okay? Her mouth moved a few extra syllables as though there were several more questions prepared but for now these were the most important ones and she could ask the other ones if given the opportunity.

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Cassandra Valour

A long breath escaped Cassandra as she settled down in front of @Talisa, adjusting herself so that she was comfortable against the ground beneath her. The yearling wanted nothing more than to go sleep now, but she realized now that her mother needed answers about what had transpired at the Brook following their escape. Her mother would assure her that they had all made it safely to the Cove, though Farrow hadn't been seen since they'd gathered the kids. ""I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he wanted to hang back to make sure you guys weren't followed."" She said, a yawn escaping her again as she finished her statement.

The yearling envied her young sibling's ability to sleep peacefully at the moment. She knew her dreams would likely be plagued by nightmares for the foreseeable future. Her world had been shattered by the events before the challenge and then by the challenge itself. The next few questions would come rapid fire after one another, and it took the yearling a moment or two to properly think past the fog of exhaustion to be able to coherently answer them. ""Mummy is okay, she's wounded decently, but she came out alive and won her fight. Aunt Nymeria... she lost to that bastard."" Despite her tiredness, there was the hint of a snarl in the undertones of her voice as she spoke of the rogue who had challenged her aunt.

She paused a bit, hesitant to tell her mother what she'd done to help protect her aunt from the horrors that Viridian had threatened her with. ""I... I placed a claim on Aunt Nym... I wouldn't have done it normally, but I had to do it - I had to protect her from whatever he would've done to her if he had claimed her instead."" Cassandra said, covering her face with her paws as she spoke. She hated that she'd stuck a claim on her own family member... But she had to do it. She had to protect her family any way she could. She couldn't join in with Mummy's fight - but she had been able to protect her aunt in the only way she possibly could.

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If she weren't in such a petrified and worried state, she would've seen how absolutely exhausted and tired her bold daughter was. Would have rectified this situation immediately and expressed that they could do this another time but the events were too dire and too consequential to wait any longer than she had. Already it had felt like years since she had left that challenge in lieu of gathering up the children and leaving as quickly as they had. So she offered an uncertain nod, agreeing that he likely hung back to make sure they weren't followed. At least, she hoped that that or something less dangerous had come up but as it stood right now anything was possible. They weren't as safe as she had led herself to believe.

The news felt like a stone had been lingering on the surface of her heart's ocean and that stone had decided to sink inside of float. Crushing its way through the outside and burning everything within the inside. Mummy was good -- Morrigan was good. She had won and destroyed the heathen who had destroyed their protective circle. No doubt Talisa was going to express her greatest fondness for her brilliant warrior later but for now, there was too much going on and too much unknowns to think on reaping those rewards.

Nymeria losing to that monster made the stone sink through her heart faster. Beating violently in an effort to beat the hurt away but it stood no chance as her shoulders slouched as she felt her spirits give way. He'd taken over Vermeda -- he'd taken her home, and in a way... he had taken Tormund's body. With an emotionally exhausted breath her tongue surfaced. No, that's -- that's good. That's good that you did that. Smart thinking, claiming her. Talisa attempted to reach her nose outwards to give @Cassandra a gentle kiss, supporting her daughter's bold and beautiful attempts to keep the family together. Even though she hadn't fought nor kept watch there, she could feel her body lose its energy all over again.

Tears began to pool in her lavender eyes as the weight of the world seemed to wash over her. The situation unfolding in front of her. He took my home.. her voice cracked as she looked up the sky with a small but growing look of disdain and confusion. Why would Maua do this... A question that had been burning in her mind for hours but had only known found its way to the surface. Why did Maua forsake us?

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Cassandra Valour

Even if it had been a good thing that the Valour daughter had gone and claimed her aunt for her safety, it still didn't sit right with her. She didn't like the idea of claiming one against their own will, though she hoped her aunt would understand once she talked to her. ""Uncles Soren and Gareth removed her from the battlefield after she fell... I staked the claim on her while they were doing it."" Cassandra continued, dark ears pushing back as she spoke. The gentle kiss @Talisa gave her did little to soothe the young girl's heart, even if her mother tried her hardest to help assure that it was the right thing for her to have done.

At her mother's next words and hearing her voice crack, Cassandra would lift her head from her paws to look towards her. ""He took our home, but I doubt Uncle Aquila or others will let him reign for long - not with our family trapped beneath his rule."" For as much as she lived in the Cove, she had still considered the Brook her home as well - the other half of her family was there. Her mother's doubt and questioning over why Maua had done it, made her heart hurt. As long as she'd been alive, she'd known her mother's faith in Maua had been unshaken. It was how she and her littermates came into this world.

""I don't know... Maybe they wanted to show us that we're strong when we stand together? So many stood at Aunt Nymeria's back in support of her, the Valour family has made so many allies..."" She started, trying to think of any way she possibly could. ""We're all still alive, even if we're scattered and separated. We have to be thankful to Maua for that at least."" Cassandra said softly, scooting closer to her mother as she spoke, hoping to press her head against her mother's to provide some form of comfort to the paler lioness.

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The cleric listened as much as she possibly could while she imagined her brothers-in-law helping to take Nymeria away. To protect her and take her off somewhere that was as far away from that mess of a brute. Talisa wanted and needed to see her sister but she had her priorities even if Nymeria was included in those, too. She had to protect her little one's regardless of how many others were willing to step in to look after them. A part of her was thankful that @Cassandra had corrected her. Reminded her that it wasn't just her home, but their home together. It didn't surprise her that Aquila would do whatever was necessary to take Vermeda back; he had always been a stubborn but righteous male. One that knew how much that pride meant to them and that even if they were outnumbered now, it was still their home with far too many memories to let go of.

Even more than that, was her daughter's way of fighting for Talisa's continued belief in Maua. That she could see the breaking point in her mother's words and her expression to know that the glass was cracked. Cassandra was much too smart sometimes, if that were even possible. She seemed to know just what to say to bring her back to solid ground. You're right. We're still here, scattered and separated, but we are alive. Except for Valhalla and Tormund but now was not the time to bring that up lest Talisa fall into the hole again. Thankful that Maua led Mummy to me that day in the Grotto. Thankful that they allowed me the opportunity to create such a beautiful and bold daughter. Maybe, somewhere in her mind, she knew that Amaryllis needed that bridge between worlds. A child created by both worlds that could see each side.

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Cassandra Valour

"“Aunt Nym is free to leave whenever she’s healed and ready to do so too. Mummy, Aunt Ava and I would never try to keep her here against her will.”" Cassandra said, letting out a breath as she spoke. She felt that she needed to get that off of her chest, even though her mother likely knew they’d never keep her aunt against her will. The challenge for the Brook had thrown the Valours and the Greyfloods and the Sigrun into insanity. Her family had had their homeland snatched from under them, and she couldn’t help but to think of all her family members still trapped beneath the reign of that bastard.

"“Even those who are no longer here with us physically, are always with us in spirit. Tormund, Uncle Valhalla, my Grandpa… They’re all still here with us, no matter what happens.”" Cassandra said softly, hoping to reassure her mother. "“We’re still Valour, and no one can ever take that away from us.”" She might be just over a year old, but recent events had matured the young girl to be wiser than her age. A soft chuckle escaped the Caladan Princess as her mother talked about being thankful for Maua leading her mothers to each other that first day they met. "“I think Maua knew exactly what they were doing - you and Mummy are perfect for each other. I hope to find someone like that someday.”" She said with a soft smile.

Even though she knew her moms had had their rocky moments, she still saw them as a prime example of how a relationship built on true love was. "“Perhaps… perhaps you could teach me some prayers for Maua, and we could pray for the safety of those we couldn’t help at the moment?”" The yearling would ask, tilting her head as she spoke.

@Talisa

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Talking to the Moon

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