Faline

or was she faint as starlight at the edge of dawn, faint as a fawn’s flank, spattered with so much universe

Jannick had gone somewhere, but this time he had not come back.

He had always come back by the time her stomach had begun to growl, the angry curl of hunger causing her to squirm where she sat. A frown pursed her lips, brows knit as she stared down at her paws, watching as they kneaded into the ground over and over again. The properness with which she'd learned in those short months began to falter far easier than it would had she been a little older, a little stronger. The resonation of her mother's fleeting words repeating over and over again in her head, offering her little heart strength where she suddenly felt incomprehensible dread: Be strong, little one.

It was hard to be strong when her stomach ached so badly, and her paws began to grow dirty with her skittish kneading.

Find home, go back to where we belong.

Faline had held onto that distant promise. It helped, perhaps, that Jannick was ever the optimistic guard. Even in his growing age he had pledged himself to the once-Princess, had kept himself forging past the wounds and grating of rogue life ill-suited to those who had always known family. Despite Faline's best efforts, she was far too young to understand the gravity of all that had happened on their journey, and just how long she'd have to wait for a return that would never come.

There was a trembling of bushes, a sound of pawsteps nearby. A nervousness and relief crept up all at once, and Falina rose to her tiny little paws, wide and wild eyes staring at its direction—Janni?

@Reah

code by cala, art by raph

The woman moved through the familiar grasses of the fields. She had gone on a simple walk, trying to clear her head and calm her mind. Usually, her mind was often racing, wondering what was within the future ahead of her. Her rise to power had been a quick and sudden one, and her attitude and persona had ended up changing with it. With new enemies out and about, she couldn’t help but feel stressed and concerned for the safety of her pride.

A little walk would perhaps relax her, maybe.

It was quiet as she moved, save for the occasional bird that let out warning squawks that an apex predator was prowling about. She didn’t pay any attention to such noises.

The air was nipping at her nose, but thankfully her dark fur had grown out a bit due to the change in temperatures. Thankfully the sky was exceptionally clear, and there were no clouds in sight. The woman moved through some foliage and then a sudden, young voice reached her ears.

Janni?

Reah couldn’t help but feel perplexed, and stopped in her tracks. Her dark eyes fell upon the source of the voice. An exceptionally young cub all by herself, her paws dirtied somehow. Why was she always finding lone cubs? The loving mother within couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated.

Hello, little one, she greeted the little girl with a soft tone, hoping not to spook her. Though she wouldn’t be surprised if she had, she wasn’t the most welcoming-looking woman out there. She appeared to almost be a living shadow if anything.

@Faline_{BG — ART — CODE}

Faline

or was she faint as starlight at the edge of dawn, faint as a fawn’s flank, spattered with so much universe

It was not Jannick; it was a shadow. No, a woman.

Faline immediately shirked, slipping back a few paces and tucking herself against the earth. Were she braver, she might have puffed up as often kittens did; but so relaxed was she expecting to see that familiar man emerge from the grasses that @Reah had caught her blissfully off guard. She was not Janni, and had Faline ever grown brave enough to leave the small clearing, she might have noticed his body just before the line of trees. Tired, worn, starved. He had hidden his wounds from her, and those that he couldn't Faline was too young to understand.

W-who are you? she asked nervously, her frame shaking so much that her voice trembled along with it. Her little tail wrapped around her hind paws, eyes wide and wild as she regarded the dark-pelted Queen before her. A heavy gulp was not well-hidden, the poise and wisdom of adulthood not quite reflecting on the far-younger cub. Far too young to be left alone for so long.

Perhaps the curl of her stomach could be heard, too.

Janni was going to get dinner, she suddenly sniffled, feeling little pinpricks of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. A small sniffle, a rub of her too-big paw across her cheek, and then she spoke again: But he's been gone for so long and I'm so hungry...

code by cala, art by raph

The little girl moved back a few paces as Reah greeted her. The Queen guessed that it was expected for her to be wary. She asked who she was, and Reah then spoke, My name is Reah, I’m the Sovereign of Lorien Plains, she informed the girl. Though the little one was so young, she wasn’t sure if she would even understand what a Sovereign was just yet. What’s your name? she inquired.

The little one then explained that someone named Janni had left to get her dinner, but he had been gone for quite some time now and she was very hungry. Reah nodded, she wasn’t sure who Janni was or what had happened. But, it was apparent that the little cub was practically starving. Don’t worry little one, I can get you some food, okay? she told the girl. She didn’t want to waste any time, starvation was a horrible thing and the girl could end up growing sicker and weaker by the minute. Just stay right here, don’t move, I will come back, I promise, she spoke.

The dark woman moved, turning away. She felt bad leaving the girl behind but it would only be for a moment, all she had to do was find and hunt something down. That was usually easy for the older lioness, thankfully.

@Faline_{BG — ART — CODE}

Faline

or was she faint as starlight at the edge of dawn, faint as a fawn’s flank, spattered with so much universe

Faline wasn't sure what she expected. The stories of knights and lost princesses always had villains; those would swoop in at the most desperate of times and feed from the chaos that erupted in the fallout. But @Reah did not fit the image of those gnashing fangs, teeth glinting in the blistering sunlight. Instead, she was soft, she was kind, and there was a gentleness in her voice that wanted to draw Faline forward. To rest her cheek against the dark maiden's leg, to find comfort in the softness. By the time the Queen addressed her, Faline was pulling herself back from her fleeting reverie.

Quickly, she got to her paws; and just as she had been practiced, she slowly lowered her head in a pleasant, respectful bow. Sigrid had been a princess once, and she'd imparted such ideals onto her daughter before she'd passed. Faline, she introduces back, her words more curt than her actions, But Janni calls me Fae. And she had found herself liking the nickname more than her real name. Sigrid had insisted on calling her Faline. Now, she could hardly remember what her birth mother's voice sounded like.

Though her stomach was undoubtedly delighted at the prospect of Reah finding food for her, her heart sunk. Jannick had clearly gone missing in his attempt to find food, and a looming sense of dread made her wonder if she would lose Reah to it, too. But before she could open her mouth to protest, the Plains Queen had already gone. Nervously, Faline returned to her little curl, her paws and tail covering her muzzle and eyes. Hoping, praying, that one of them came back for her.

code by cala, art by raph

@Faline, but her nickname was Fae. Reah would remember her name as she walked off to find the girl some food, sniffing the air and noting how there was plenty of prey within the Fields. She lowered her dark form as she approached a tree with gnarled roots, noticing a hare that was unaware of her presence. Reah quickly shot forth and made a clean kill, turning and walking back toward the little girl.

She appeared once more and dropped the warm hare to the ground, Here, eat as much as you can, she told the girl. Just try to be slow, I don’t want you to throw it all up either, she added. Too much food could end up a shock to her empty stomach and would cause her to get sick. She was sure Fae wanted to gorge herself, but Reah knew it was better to eat in a slower manner.

She waited for a moment, and then she would ask the girl a simple question. Want to come back to the Plains with me? she asked. It can be your new home, and I’ll keep you safe, she added, curiosity glimmering within her dark gaze as she watched the little girl closely._{BG — ART — CODE}

Faline

or was she faint as starlight at the edge of dawn, faint as a fawn’s flank, spattered with so much universe

Wide and curious eyes peered toward the path @Reah took away from her, at first wondering if she were simply leaving. It mattered little to her, though the interruption had brought much-needed contact with another lion; Faline would simply stay and wait for Jannick as she had before. But not long after did Reah return, and from between her jaws a limp hare. A surprised inhale sounded from her lips as the Queen dropped the prey before her, but as she invited her to eat, her cublike shyness was willed away at the fervent curl of her stomach. She was not in a position to deny any food, something she was certain her companion would understand whenever he came back. Upon Reah's soft chiding to be slow, Fae markedly stopped shoving the hare in her face, and took a more pleasant slowness, remembering the etiquette her guard had imposed on her.

Eventually, however, that temporary silence was broken by Reah once more. Fae's head lifted, fur slightly disheveled and stained with blood from where she'd made a mess of her food. Janni said he was supposed to deliver me to my grandfather, she pursed her lips thoughtfully, though the idea of following this lioness to her home was one that elicited delight, girlish curiosity. And the longer her caretaker was away, the more and more bleak her hopes of returning home became. Can I leave a message for him, then? So when he comes back he knows where to find me?

Before Reah could even answer, Fae cut free a small piece of the rabbit. A small flock of crows had begun to gather nearby, the promise of carrion drawing them in (and little did Fae know that it was not the hare that brought them in, but something else). Cautiously, she presented a piece to one of them; as it swooped down from its perch on the branch and greedily grabbed at the prey, Fae puffed up bravely. If a big scary lion comes here, can you please point him in the direction we are going?

The crow stared at her blankly; blinking once, twice, and then it swooped up to its tree once more. Faline hoped her point had been made.

When she turned paw and returned to Reah, she felt far less frightened now about leaving this place. The promises of warmth and comfort the Queen provided settled her nerves, gave her the mercy of leaving this place knowing that Janni would be able to come find her. I'm ready now, she said, smiling.

code by cala, art by raph

Reah intently listened to @Faline as she spoke, talking once more about the man named Janni. She explained that she was supposed to be delivered to her grandfather, and she requested to leave a message for him. Some crows had begun to gather, and Reah couldn’t help but notice the slight scent of something dead reaching her nose. She hadn’t noticed it prior, but she couldn’t help but feel a little bit of worry creep up her spine.

The dead thing was close by, very close to Faline. Perhaps it was a miracle that Reah had found her when she did.

Despite the smell and the crows beginning to gather, Faline actually offered one of the birds a piece of her meal. She then continued to speak, asking that if Reah ran into a big scary lion, to point him to where Faline would be going. Reah would nod, she wasn’t entirely sure what she was getting herself into with the girl needing to be brought to her grandfather. However, she wouldn’t deny the girl being brought to her true family, should he ever come. Yes, we can leave him a message, she told the girl.

She spoke again, saying how she was ready. Reah offered her a small smile and got to her paws, I’ll keep an eye out for a big scary lion, and I’ll tell him about you, she confirmed. Surely the rabbit carcass would be a sign that Faline was once here, as the bones would end up being left behind. Follow me, she spoke, and she turned. She would walk towards the directions of the Plains, Let me know if you get tired, and I can carry you, she offered as she began the trek back home.

/exit Reah (w/ Faline?)_{BG — ART — CODE}

Faline

or was she faint as starlight at the edge of dawn, faint as a fawn’s flank, spattered with so much universe

In a perfect world, Janni would have appeared. He would have thanked @Reah, perhaps taken up an invitation to stay at the Plains until they could gather their bearings. But such a fate was not in store for the small Larsen girl, and as the dark lioness began to lead Fae away from this place, she had no true idea it would be the last she'd ever see of her companion ever again. Tiny and uncoordinated little paws began to take after the Queen, her pace exhausted after weeks of walking yet almost trained by this point. She spared one final and fleeting glance toward where she once stood, crows now sweeping from the trees to finish the bits of hare left behind by her; and then, she turned, and began to make the short trek back to Lorien.

---

Exit with Reah.

code by cala, art by raph