Naz appears, and asteria is quick to flash her a warm smile. Through all the loss she had faced in life it was a relief to have a constant friend, one that did not abandon her no matter the trials she had faced. While she did not fault hiccup for disappearing (and worried for him always) she had never imagined she’d be left to face life without her closest friend.

“I couldn’t imagine doing it without you, Naz,” is her quiet reply, infused with the same warmth that was in her smile. “you’ve given us so much…” Yet again she wished she could repay her friend for all she had done, but at that moment @Adrien appears and Asty has a bright smile for her, too.

“thank you. Both of you,” looking from one to the other, feeling overwhelmed by pure joy at the little family they had formed. @Aphid earns a quick chirp from the maned mother, a reminder to stay near, and the sleepy @Dozy and @Spider earn another, an encouragement to join them.

Table by Amanda | Reference by Kite | Background

She looks over to Adrien as the maned woman arrives with gifts aplenty for the children. And Nazonal, as usual, feels glad to have the intelligent noble woman there at her side. Once more they'd come out of a tough spot, the falling of the Hollow, together and relatively unharmed. May their luck never run out. You are all my family. She lifts a paw to place it against @Asteria's, watchful warm eyes looked across the group of children that formed her brood. This is your home for however long you want it to be. There would be no need for any of them to leave until it was their own will, as long as Naz could help it. They move their other forepaw to mimic the gentle touch on @Adrien's paw this time. Naz felt the joyful but intense pangs of sentimentality strum across her heart. Fueled by the flames of the felines around her, of promises Nazonal would keep for them with all of their power. But not just them... You too Sparrow- Nazonal calls out a little louder with muzzle pointed towards the trees, having a hunch that the leopardess would not be far off. Hoping that she wasn't so that they didn't look a fool talking into the air like she was. In crept some longing to the edges of her voice, for a few moments she scrutinized the shadows overhead hoping to see that bright gaze peering back at her.

Naz blinked slowly, head turning away from the overhead canopy and towards the group. She gave a little bit more attention to the young cubs around them, fairly confident Asteria and Adrien would have already heard this- My fathers made their home here, they called it Lightstone. No great pridelands full of glory or immense numbers, small in land and smaller still in numbers. But Nazonal recalled the overflowing of love that came from Gawain and Elijah. How it extended not just to Naz but to any lion that fell to them to care for. And I know they'd have loved you all. An especially long glance was given to Asteria while Naz fought a swirl of emotions, anger for all that her friend has gone through, and regret that Naz and Gawain had not done more or been around more earlier.

I know I love you all. If Sparrow should have come down to join Nazonal would pointedly glance to the leopardess, hold her breath and simply savor the feeling of those words ringing back in her own ears before looking to the rest of the lions there. If Sparrow was to remain in her domain of the tree branches, a simple glance upwards into them but with no less of a swelling feeling inside. And then her brown eyes look back to Asteria and to the young children around, @Spider, @Aphid, @Dozy, @Beetle, and @Benat. It wasn't just a bunch of grown lions living in the jungle together anymore, there were great things to lose to the world. Nazonal had to be better, had to do more. I want to follow the example my fathers set, to house a small group here permanently for us, for anyone who needs a family. Secondstone.


OOC - I'd like to exit in my next post, anyone is welcome to exit before that or after but exits are needed to officially join

Adrien's gilded gaze fluttered warmly across the cubs and their either sleepy or curiously playful antics, her smile growing increasingly gentle. Such sweet little things they were. She hopes that they will only know happiness here, within the jungle's depths - the noblewoman will do all she can to ensure it.

@Asteria and @Nazonal's words recenter her attention, the young mother's gratitude prompting Adrien to shake her head gently. "There's no need for 'thank you's'. It's just as Naz says - we're a family now." Quite a few seasons had passed, but the noblewoman still remembers clearly the day that Naz had found her again in the passage, feeling so very lost and uncertain. They'd promised to look after each other then. She'd promised to help Naz build a place that could help all those who'd felt as she'd did. "We look after each other." She glanced towards her long-toothed friend, heart squeezing with a warm swell of emotion at the pressure of their paw upon her own.

Once, Adrien had feared that she would never belong anywhere again. Now, she thinks that she might not have ever known what true belonging felt like, had she never found her way here.

The story Nazonal tells is indeed one that Adrien has heard before, but still, she listens to them speak as attentively as she did the first time, busying her paws with unpacking her little collection of found toys to help beckon the children ever closer to listen. Curious violet eyes drifted towards the shadows in the branches above, seeing nothing, but offering a warm smile regardless to the leopardess whom Naz had called out to as well. @Sparrow certainly should not be made to feel unwelcome here. There is too much trust and love present amongst those Nazonal's kind soul had drawn to themselves for that.

There is a pause then, deep and meaningful, a thread of anticipation pulsing through the space, and Adrien's gaze was naturally drawn to Naz's sincere brown eyes. Secondstone. "A fitting name, ma amie." A brand new chapter for the jungle, one that followed in the footsteps of those great men Adrien was saddened to have never had the chance to meet. "They would be proud to see you now, ma amie." How could Nazonal's fathers not be, when Adrien herself was so moved by the reassuring confidence that brimmed from them? She feels pride too, to have the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful thing such as this.

"I should hope that it goes without saying, but...I'll be here to aid you in protecting this place, Nazonal. To look after all those who feel lost and alone." 'Just as I once did.' Perhaps her role as advisor could be called official once more. Even if, previously, the job had never had much to do with working with children, she contemplated, gaze drifting back down to little felines. Well, she can't say she has many complaints about the change. "Always."

/exit Adrien via further cub-doting

@Beetle @Spider @Dozy @Aphid @Beñat

speech

code by Cloudy; art by irish

Family wasn't the essential function of two parents raising their cubs, not always. Looking up at the great jungle queen she found a fondness there, as if @Nazonal had come to fill a place that no one else could. Silvery eyes glances towards @Aphid and @Dozy, wondering where their brother Beetle is at.

Now the grown-ups were all discussing things, important things. After they'd flown from the collapse of the underground pride land they'd come here, with Nazonal. It would seem their home would now be forged within the jungle. Deep within the shadows of the canopy, away from those of the outside world of Amaryllis. Not beholden to the same social constructs of the prides.

When Nazonal finished speaking, announcing that she loved them all, there was a grin on the deep ink face, splitting the alabaster maw as she edged toward the older lion. "I love you too!" Excited announcement burst forth as she tried to rub the length of her small umbra body against the adult in affection before skipping back towards her siblings.

Since this was to be their home they ought to explore it! "C'mon let's go find some bugs!" She included @Beñat in her gaze before she rushed off, ruddy and pale locks bouncing as she went. /exit

CODE•ART

Family. The truth of it rang through her, warming her from the inside out. As the children played and napped she knew that she had no desire to leave here, to return to a pride life where she was another nameless face in a crowd. Titles meant little to her, yet, and Asteria had much to learn and do before she wished to climb the ladder of hierarchy.

"I wish they were still here," she says softly, as @Nazonal speaks of her father's. Asteria's memories of them were dusty, now, but she recalled always the kindness that they had shown. Especially Gawain, for she had known him best. "I know they'd be proud to see you now." Echoing @Adrien if only to hammer home the point, to show Naz that she believed it as much as any.

"Secondstone," she repeats, fondly, seeking to grasp her friends paw in a show of support and affection. "I am thrilled to be a part of it, and you know I'll defend it with my life." Asteria had grown up lost and alone, bouncing from place to place, desperate to feel a sense of belonging. Desperate for family. If she could give a lost cub or misplaced adult the same feeling that she had, now, then she would give anything to make it happen.

@Spider is luring all of the children away, then, and Asteria flashes Naz a knowing smile. Without a word she slips off to follow them, knowing that her friend would understand her need to keep an eye out, even if this place was truly safe, now.

-exit after the cubbins-

Table by Amanda | Reference by Kite | Background

The leopardess thought that she had wanted remain only a particularly nosy shadow, but when her name rang out on Nazonals tone, she felt her belly flip with excitement. To know that her tall companion knew her well enough to suspect her presence was a thrilling feeling, and for all that she was uncertain of the others, she trusted Naz enough to slip down from her perch so that she was earthside with the others. A liquid and unblinking gaze considered the other felines, moving over their unfamiliar faces with a bright curiosity, but her ears were cupped towards her lover, attentive to every word.

The mention of love returned the leopardesses gaze with a snap, enough to catch their pointed look, and once again she felt her belly flip and her heart flutter. She could say nothing in the moment, and instead she simply existed in a whirlwind of emotions that were both wild and comforting as she felt her world grow bigger than ever before. The others spoke before her, allowing the shadowcat a chance to move forward, attempting to remove the distance between her and Naz enough so that she could butt the top of her head affectionately into their shoulder. "You are amazing, Naz. I'm all in." She whispered gently, a sudden shyness inspiring her to the surreptitious agreement. Sparrow would glance around then, at the others who she now shared a link with, and she flexed her toes into the earth, nervous and excited and distracted by the other half of the equation: what thus meant for her and Nazonal. She glanced back to the taller feline, seeking clues in their features, and would remain by their side until it made sense to leave.

Exit.

_{BG — ART — CODE}

bleary-eyed and barely awake, beetle didn''t understand the significance of the meeting whatsoever - but he was surrounded by friends, and dragged himself away from the warm snuggle pile as they spoke. spider was particularly energetic, and he found it was contagious, his rounded rosy form clumsily following after her as she bounced around. it wasn't ever word that caught his attention between the adults, but some definitely stuck.

he was pawing thoughtfully at adrien's pretty gifts, particularly taken by an oil-slick black feather, when a particular word was repeated, and he hadn't heard it before. "second h-home," he echoed softly, having sleepily misheard, but to him it made sense. it was, after all, their second home. he hummed happily, distracted, and continued to happily play with their trinkets - in their home, with their family.

-exit-

Nazonal is immensely grateful when @Adrien echoes her sentiment. It's been the two of them from the start of all of this, seeing it grow beyond just her was great but knowing she was still here felt just as grand. That Naz should amass someone like Adrien was unbelievable, they did not think they deserved such things and yet there she was, an essential part of this beating heart. Naz's brown skull nods along to Adrien's words. Yes. Yes. We'll always look out for each other. As much as she loved and missed her fathers they were not here. And there will still lions who needed help, who needed a home and respite. That did not go away when Gawain or Elijah did.

It's a bit overwhelming to hear that her fathers would be proud of them. There is both a feeling of an ending and beginning that plague her at the same time. Naz was brought here as but a child, in need of home and safety herself. It was never meant to be Gawain's job to raise them but it had just happened- and now Naz sat at the end of that part of her life. They had been raised, raised well if it could be said. She looks between the older lions gathered there as there is mention of their fathers and she feels a small tear, one that slipped away as their head nodded. Especially from @Asteria who knew the lions spoken of there came weight, and there came pride, from what was said. Maybe some day they'll drift back here and see. One could only hope.

Naz leans lightly against @Sparrow. They wanted to hold tight to the leopardess, it felt like they stood upon an edge and were leaning almost too far over. The beginning that she felt, something she'd dreamed about for awhile now was real. And they had immensely strong friends at their back to help. Adrien, Asteria, Sparrow. There were the children, Nazonal wondered just how important, or unimportant this all felt to them. After all they'd not felt much different in the wake of her father claiming this land for his band and they did not expect any different of Asteria's children. It didn't matter in the end, they'd have their safety and security regardless. Even young @Beñat destined to move to his parent's home in time. Until that moment there would be safety.

Thank you all, I can't do it without you. She eyes little @Beetle for just a second. Even him. Maybe especially him. What reason was there to protect, to offer home, if not for children exactly like him? Ones who deserved the world, the home of their dreams, but who fate threw every twist at that it could? Naz watches Adrien leave first, giving the beautiful french woman a long nod as she takes her exit. Then Asteria and children, it's left to just Naz and Sparrow. Nazonal is shaking lightly, trembling down into the very reaches of her toes.

Come walk with me? Naz is too much a ball of energy and excitement now to sit still for long. And they don't want to be alone. There is too many things running through her head to leave herself to her own devices. Nothing had changed, and it all had all at once.

/exit

  

  

The one known as Nazonel was speaking, this place was to be their home now? Oh, okay! Very easy going Beñat listened but was sort of only half listening while he looked around them. this was different than that other loud place, nice and quiet here, perfect for naps! Spider grabbed his attention when she mentioned bugs, not realizing the irony of the situation, he stood up quickly. "Yeah yeah yeah! bugs!" he chirped excitedly bounding after Spider, he was smaller than the other cubs and had to make extra effort to keep up. Suddenly he came running back into view to nuzzle up to Nazonel before chirping, "Love you! gotta go! bugs!" he said quickly wrapping himself around Nazonel's legs before taking off after Spider again. He did trip once or twice while he charged past Asteria to catch up to his 'sibling'.


exit

coded by flea + background credit
@Asteria @Nazonal @Beetle @Spider

Though she may have appeared entirely absent-minded in those moments, trudging about in the unknown wilderness; flitting in and out of view of the others. The foliage here was giant in comparison to what she knew, huge elephant-ears hanging like personal umbrella's over her tiny frame. She set about familiarizing herself with the terrain while the others chit-chatted, perching up under bushes or clambering atop tree roots.

Undoubtedly distracted, Aphid hears words of love, and turns to Nazonal to respond with a happy 'Mew!' of enthusiasm, before scuttling eagerly off after her siblings and mother - tiny paws fumbling through leaflitter. A new home, a new adventure!

-- exit_{BG — CODE}