Nazonal could not deny the joy that having Asteria around brought her, and it would be beyond impossible to deny how great having her small children around was as well. They were a breath of fresh air amongst the worry, amongst the weight of adulthood. With them Nazonal was reminded of childhood times, times when things were handled by Gawain and they had nothing to do but grow up, learn, and thrive. It was a shame a wrench had been thrown into things with the earthquake, but Nazonal was better off for it in the end.

Which means they would do anything to make this place feel just as much like home to the family.

Beeeeeettttle. They swoon into the air, their voice playful and sing song like the birds which nested in the trees overhead, ones which turned to the warmer landscape of the jungle to weather winter and those habitants more permanently here. Carefully, but with excitement, they swept their eyes around for signs of the small pale pink child with his head of dark hair. C'mon I got something I wanna show you.

@Beetle

one thing the jungle had that his old home had not: mud.

and while nazonal had been wandering, beetle had been playing. stomping. slapping his big ole feeties in the dirtiest, yuckiest puddles he could possibly find. his paws were tar brown, and his little body was totally covered in flecks of muck. the sounds of his laughter lifted into the air, the foliage rustling above him, as though the jungle laughed with him.

so when nazonal called, he shrieked happily, galloping toward them at break-neck speed - "naz!" - and, already feeling silly and playful, he aimed a pounce towards them, hoping to bear-hug her leg with his whole stinky dirty self, eager to spread the, er, joy..!

@Nazonal

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Through the terrain towards them came the subtle sounds of undergrowth bending, snapping, maneuvering out of the way of a body. There was the weight of footsteps muffled by dirt and it as undeniably coming right for her. Nazonal grinned and steadied herself, they were ready for little @Beetle to appear.

And that he did. And how their heart grew warm. They welcomed the mud, unafraid of a bit of dirt they leaned in to nuzzle their muzzle into the top of Beetle's head, down around his face and shoulders. Simply smothering the boy in affection while picking up plenty of mud on her limb, chest, face, from him. Who's this mud monster? Naz hummed with jest, wriggling her nose into his neck and chest to lightly tickle at the 'monster' 'attacking' her leg.

his chiming laughter rang through the air like a song - the absolute joy of a child so loved. he reached up, wanting to paint a very deliberate stripe of mud down nazonal's face as she nuzzled near him, indebted by kisses atop his darling head, wracked with affection.

he giggled softly at her words, coy. "i'm- i'm beetle!" he grinned, playing along. "silly n-n-n-naz." he flopped down on the ground, exposing his soft tummy, encrusted though it was with dirt, paws splayed at nazonal as they stood over him, wide silvery eyes gazing up at them, shining with curiosity. "what naz want to sh-sh-show me?"

@Nazonal

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Beetle? No! She feigned surprise the best she could, that lovingly painted stripe shifting and contorting to Naz's face as they went wide eyed and opened their mouth to gasp. Such a scary monster can't be my little Beetle. But, happily, it was. Their chest rolled with a warm chuckle and as he flopped onto his back she shifted to hover over him, hanging her neck down towards the muddy child with her equally muddy face.

Well- They began with a sudden, playful shift to serious business. What she wanted to show was quite important. -I wanted to see if my best friend wanted to build a fort with me. I found a giant tree with big roots that we can dig out around. Nazonal was genuinely excited by the prospect of making a little hidey hole under this great tree they had discovered. Only after a second did they realize that there was someone, multiple someones actually, who they could be sharing these types of games and adventures with.

@Beetle

scary monster! his chest puffed out where he lay, ego inflated. he was fierce and brave. yes. of course he was. when nazonal's tone shifted, beetle was enraptured. he let out a very small giggle - "best friend," he whispered, echoing under his breath, almost thoughtlessly, eyes full of wonder.

when nazonal declared that they had found somewhere to dig a fort, beetle's heart skipped a beat, and he scrambled to his dirty little paws as fast as he could. "w-where! he demanded, grinning ear to ear, his tail upright and trembling, barely able to contain his excitement. "beetle best digger!" she wouldn't regret asking him, nuh-uh.

@Nazonal

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Best friend. Would they ever tire of hearing that? Hopefully never. She most definitely did not know how large a heart could grow for each moment she spent with Beetle they felt theirs growing more full. Best friend. They say quietly back with an equally as suppressed and whispering laugh.

C'mon! His excitement turned intoxicating, she ready to fulfil his little demand to get on with it. They would cut a path back the way they'd come, a pace more suited to his smaller strides, right back over the foot prints they'd just made minutes ago. I was thinking we can get a bunch of moss and pelts in there, maybe flowers around the outside- They would fill the air and trip with ideas and dreams for this most impressive fort.

@Beetle