The snow gently swirls around her, dancing and twirling to unmarked graves on the ground. Some find their way to her whiskers and are dislodged with a quick wiggle, while others she simply tramples underfoot as she moves. Septima is quickly finding the wintry weather to be her favorite, but with such a thick coat, who can blame her? Now that she has gone out and experienced different seasons (it always seems to be summer in the Oasis), Septima finds that she much prefers temperatures that don't make her feel like she's being suffocated underneath a wool blanket. It certainly isn't ideal for hunting, but overall there are few downsides to the nippy air. Besides, it isn't that cold, because she hears the roaring of a waterfall in the distance and is eager to catch a glimpse with her own eyes. The Miroslav pushes onwards through the storm, sucking in a deep breath of frigid air. The moon hangs overhead where there are no clouds, and the crescent is more than enough light to help guide the yearling to her destination. Septima grins and ducks her head, picking up a leisurely jog towards the thunderous song of the falls.

annie is lingering near the base of the falls, looking up through the swirling snow and squinting at the apex of the cliff. how, he wonders, to best get his ass up there. he doesn't know why exactly he wants to stand on the top - it looks fun and daring and just a little bit stupid and if that doesn't sum the miroslav up entirely in three nice adjectives, nothing will. so he paces this way and that, picking and prodding at the slick stones, before sitting back with a hmm in the back of his throat. just when he's about to give up and find something less difficult to do, the sound of @Septima's trot reaches his ears. curious, he tilts his head to look over his shoulder at the pale piebald. a snort escapes him and he shifts to roll his weight onto one hip, sitting like a lazy puppy, and waits for her to reach him. "whatcha doing, little miroslav?" he asks her - because, obviously, she has got to be one of seneca's brood. he hasn't met her officially, but it's easy enough to tell she's related.

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She hears him before she sees him, somehow. It should have been plain as day that there was a mottled brute ahead of her, the contrast against the snow flashing emergency yellow. Septima, however, has proven not to be the most observant yearling after having nearly collided with Prometheus' ass. She isn't surprised this time around, only annoyed with herself for not having learned from her past mistakes. Even more annoying is the fact the man before her is clearly related. Apparently her family was a bit of a plague. "Wishing I could go somewhere without having a family member interfere. At least you're not Diantha or Victoria." Septima sighs, deflating as she often does in the company of her family. "If you have any degrading comments, I've heard them all." The lioness studies her paws, waiting to be scolded for saying as much as she had.

@Antares

she doesn't seem particularly pleased to have found a relative and he morphs his face into one of hurt - which is only a little genuine. "well, shit." he says simply, lifting a paw to press it to his chest. "take my heart out why don't you?" it's half-hearted grumble and his tail twitches, betraying his amusement. @Septima stares at her paws, though, and seems to resign herself to be... mocked? scolded? belittled? his brows knit together and for a long moment antares is still and quiet, staring at the younger girl. "wasn't plannin' on it." he finally says, unable to keep the uncertainty and confusion entirely from his voice and face. what was seneca doing with his kids? after another long moment he drawls. "so-o-o, you want me to leave then?"

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Septima wishes more than anything that she had been born a genetic freak. A solid coat, devoid of any mottling, and maybe a nice dark plum color. Something that truly masks her identity as a Miroslav even from others, and in a way, allows her to move incognito throughout the minefield of her family. Her brows knit together as he feigns being hurt by her words. True or not, she cannot believe for a moment that anyone is actually impacted by what she says. She remains skeptical as he claims innocent intent, but she doesn't know the man from Adam. Maybe he isn't as cruel as his nieces and to his credit, those are truly the only other Miroslavs she's even met. It is an unfair judgment to cast on him, but Septima has learned the best offense is a strong defense.. so far.

Does she want him to leave? She isn't sure. He hasn't been anything but polite so far, but what if it was just a disguise? Septima shifts on her feet, squinting at @Antares as though she may be able to see through his facade. You know, if there even was one. She sighs. "You can stay if you promise not to be a jerk." As if she had any sway over a grown man's decisions.

when she gives him leave to remain he offers a small smile - boyish and almost sheepish - as he stretches out on his side, spine arching, and flexes his toes in a dramatic stretch. "i'd hate to have to walk all the way down to take a nap." annie adds, eyes roving from the waterfall back to the youth's face. she's morose in a way he doesn't expect from a miroslav - especially after meeting his other niece. "i can't promise i won't be a jerk, though. i think my brothers find me infuriating." and that is absolutely truth. he knows leander and seneca love him in their own ways, and that they find him amusing in others, but he's really trod on their toes recently. somehow. as if claiming wasn't what they wanted him to do. as if claiming wasn't what they always do. harrumph. "who's got your tail in a twist?" he finally asks of @Septima, his face softening marginally and losing the impish gleam. he understands, if she believes it or not.

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Septima, suspicious as she is, can't help but find her uncle intriguing. He doesn't seem to be too much older than herself, but she can imagine he is much, much more worldly. Although she has greatly broadened her horizons, the Miroslav still feels a gaping hole where her childhood romping should have been. Maybe she should have followed Victoria and Diantha around more often; maybe she should have gotten into as much trouble as they did.

A single reminder of how beaten and bruised her sisters were at the hands of Wolfbron is enough to stop those thoughts where they threatened to blossom. They seem to get into too much trouble..


Her lip curls at his comment that he can't promise not to be a jerk. "No one in our family can," she replies snappishly, her ears pinned against her head in agitation. Septima shakes her head at his question because goodness, isn't it obvious? "I guess at the moment it's Diantha, but I know Victoria is out there. I haven't seen her since I've come home, but I'm miserable just knowing we're in the same vicinity. I'm so tired of both of them and their shitty attitudes and them looking down their noses at me. I kicked Victoria's ass once and she still thinks she's better than me. They both do. I don't want to live in Andal because I know they're there. I'd give up my title as princess for an ounce of peace where I lay my head to rest at night." The words are frenzied as she speaks them, spilling all her pent up emotions that have only festered inside of her like an infected wound. "And it's not like I can tell anyone, because all it's going to do is get back to them and they'll mock me even more. Call me Septi-suck-up or Baby Septi or something," she grumbles, snorting in disdain.

@Antares

oops, that was the wrong thing to say. her annoyance is palpable and he actually sits up at the sting in her words, his own ears falling flat in a semblance of an apology. his expression bleeds into something more serious and he tucks his tail against his side, regarding her steadily while she unloads what the problem is. it sounds like his other nieces are quite unpleasant and his lips twist, turning down at the corners. he knows what it's like to contend with siblings, especially littermates. "s'why i left mine and came back with your uncle leander." he admits, sighing in a frustrated manner and tipping his head up to peer at the sky for a moment.

after a stretch of silence, he stands abruptly and turns on his heels to start moving further up the path, towards the roar of the waterfall. "c'mon." he tells her, beckoning with a flick of his tail for the grey girl to follow and continue their chat. he needs to pace.

"miroslav women gain more power," he starts, canting his head towards her and thoughtfully watching her from the corner of his gaze. "by marrying. making political gain for the family." a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat punctuates the message. "and neither of your sister have a betrothed, so far as i'm aware." he pauses, brows furrowing. "the boys used to have to kill their littermates for their name, so this might not be the best example but uh-" he flicks his eyes to both sides, looking like the suspicious bear meme. "we can find you a good betrothal prospect and bring it to your dad. make you the first and the favored child." a flash of white teeth. "and i bet i can get vesuvia to kick your sisters' asses and whip 'em into shape." he offers to @Septima, extending as much an olive branch as he can.

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Septima teeters on the brink of a blood curdling scream as the frustration spills out of her. The wound has finally been lanced and the infection seeps out, bleeding into the world against her control. How long has she harbored these feelings? How long has she kept them safely tucked inside, afraid of being openly mocked by those around her? Too long. Too long, and the pressure has built and boiled for over a year. Somewhere deep down she feels guilty for unleashing it on @Antares, but the euphoria of finally voicing her anger is too overwhelming at the moment. She can feel embarrassed and foolish later, when the feelings have dwindled to a low simmer and she is on the brink of an angst fueled nap.

Her folded ears tip forward as he summons her. She assumes he is leading her to the falls (hopefully not to yeet her over them) and the Miroslav had wanted to see them anyway. Two birds with one stone.

Septima does not hesitate to pursue him and falls in stride easily, glancing up at her uncle with a gleam of curiosity in her silver gaze. She listens as he speaks of a betrothal, but it feels as though the idea is unobtainable. "I've been preparing for a betrothal my entire life, but after the boys came.. I don't know, it seemed like the three of us girls weren't necessarily.. needed? I haven't heard anything about marriage for months, so I assumed it simply wouldn't be happening. Maybe I've brought dishonor to him without knowing it?" The him in question was easy enough to identify.

"Will marrying me off gain me favor with him?" Septima asks, her head tilting as she peers at Antares. "Won't it be an insult to bring a betrothal candidate to him? If he wanted it to happen, he would make it happen, right?" She clearly doesn't understand the way things work, not yet, but she is eager to learn. "I just want to make him proud and bring honor to the Miroslav name. I know I'm just a girl and ineligible to be his heir and all of that, but.." her voice trails off. "I'm worried my mother has sullied all of that. Like the three of us are considered unworthy because our mother abandoned us. Him."

The prospect of Vesuvia knocking some sense into them is quite appealing. "As long as they don't find out you sent her on my behalf," she says with a coy grin and a shrug.

he slides his gaze down to her as she strides alongside him, allowing her to ask more question, unleash more uncertainties. when she mentions that the girls didn't matter once the boys were born, he sighs. "sounds like your sisters are a bit much - and your mother was supposed to be raising you while seneca focuses on his would-be heirs." he looks away to squint briefly at the sky, whiskers twitching as he inhales the scents on the wind. he's always been fond of his sisters, but he's still a miroslav - and even he finds it hard to view them as being fully on the same platform. "we find you a good match, your dad'll be impressed. doesn't mean it'll happen, but it'll be a start." he flashes her another grin, turning along the path that leads to the top of the waterfall. "the miroslav women gain favor by bringing alliance and power, babe." he promises lightly, lifting a paw to pluck a little thorn from between his toes with a grimace. "if you can think of any allies that would be helpful to tie us closer to..." he trails off with a shrug, but makes a mental notice to use his sleuthing for the poor thing's advantage. she deserves some wins.

@Septima seems keen on the idea of his sister corralling the other miroslav girls, so long as she's not brought into it, and he grins back at her. "i think she'd cherish the opportunity. she didn't speak fondly of them on the way back." he recalls, tilting his head a bit and frowning lightly. seems like seneca needs a better woman to raise his kids, next time. "what else can i do to help?" he asks, plopping down onto his hips as they reach the apex of the waterfall, peering expectantly at her.

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