His wife had won her own pride. Why she picked this one he had no idea. It was hot and sandy and no water in immediate sight. He though if hot and sand was wanted then the Lagoon was an alternative. That place had lots of water at least. Surrounded by water really. Still, Ole was the faithful minion and would support Helah.

While the new High Sovereign took her time in marking her new home, or such the clay male supposed she would be doing, Ole took the time to pack up the den back in the Bluffs. He gathered the furs out of the den and placed on them the antlers and bones that he had collected for the cubs to sharpen their teeth and claws on. He packed up some food for the long walk. And the next thing to bundle on the furs were the cubs, especially Roux because the girl child couldn't be expected to walk so far.

The male tugged the sled of furs from the Bluffs and on towards the Oasis. It was only once the pride was in sight to he pause. "Ne dérangez pas votre mère, aucun de vous. Roussel, Valère, on attendra de vous deux que vous trouviez une bonne tanière pour votre mère et votre sœur et que vous la prépariez." 'Do not bother your mother, any of you. Roussel, Valère, the two of you will be expected to find a good den for your mother and sister and get it ready.' The instructions were given in French so that the children would know what was expected of them once they reached their new home.

With the expectation that he would be listened to and his instructions followed did the male snatch up the corner of the furs again to finish dragging it up to the borders of the pride.

@Helah @Valère @Roussel @Roux

Ever since he and his sister had not-so-sneakily ventured out after their mère all the way out to the strange neighboring territory overflowing with golden sand, Roussel hasn't seen much of @Helah back at home. She's busy, from what he understands. Which makes sense. Important people are often busy, and apparently the big kerfuffle in the desert had somehow made Helah even more important than even he'd always assumed her to be. Which is great!

But even so, the boy stubbornly waits to see her again, all too eager to show off just how much bigger he'd gotten since yesterday (his imagination is what's bigger), and the new words he'd learned in papa's tongue (Laissez tomber ça! - Drop that!), and that shiny black feather that he'd collected himself! (Off a bird of the dead and rotting variety that he may or may not have been 'asked' to drop back outside.) He is wrought with a quiet anxiousness that he must occasionally remind himself to keep in check with the virtue of patience.

In this case, 'occasionally' means every five-ten minutes. The passage of time seemed, in a word - slow.

Ah, but today is to be different!

Today, the family is going on a trip. An awfully grand one too, seeing as all their toys and even their bedding had been invited to come along too. One might even call it a permanent vacation. The boy sat primly upon the furs @Oleander had gathered up, planting his rump down firmly to try to hide the wriggle of his excitable stub tail. The lurching movement of the makeshift sled still sends his nose flying forward into the fur. His stance is a wider one, after that.

Minor hiccups aside, this method of travel is far more fun than going on foot, if only because it requires a lot less effort on Roussel's part. He's left free to blink curiously at the passing dunes with muted wonder, pondering over the rising temperature while perhaps squabbling with Valère and @Roux over snacks until they'd finally reached...the Oasis? That's what it was called, right? Their maman should be here somewhere, he knows, instinctively perking up as he cast his gaze around. Alas, he and his brother are given a job before he can spot any sharp, white-tipped ears.

But it's an important enough job, at least. One that might please both his parents, if he did a good enough job. "Bien! Nous en ferons la plus belle tanière que vous ayez jamais vue!" He declares while nudging @Valère's shoulder, his own chest puffing confidently before he remembered to tamp down on the instinct.

He would quickly turn to scoop up a portion of the shiny rock collection he'd managed to sneak in between their belongings, before (gingerly) stepping off the sled and onto the burning sand, presumably with his clay brother in tow.

It...really was hotter here then he'd remembered, wasn't it?

---

1. Alright! We'll make it the prettiest den you've ever seen!

art x code

Mother had gone somewhere, away... Bussy with something, apparently Roussel and @Silvine had gone away to but had returned. Where Valère jalouse he hadn't gotten to go with them?... Yes... yes, he was... It was really unfair. So as their father started to gather up things the cub kept close watching the older lion work.

And what a grand trip it would be as all their stuff was piled together. Were they gonna be gone for long? Valère sat himself down beside his brother as they were dragged from the bluffs into a sandy space. The air was dry and hot. New... interesting... better... the cub decided though he'd never speak such thoughts out loud. Not that he'd be able to explain why it was better and perhaps, for now, it was simply a childish excitement for something new.

The trip had been slow but not completely boring as they'd squabbled over food and kept themselves busy. But Val was happy to get off the pelts and stretch his legs for a moment as @Oleander stopped. The sand was hot, scorching against his paw pads. He whimpered shortly and oddly for a moment before he got used to the heat and took a few trying steps ears tipping to listen to Father as he spoke. A den? They'd have to find a den. Yes! @Roussel's words spurred him on. They would make the best den, the biggest, prettiest, and most amazing den Mom and their sisters had ever seen.

Val followed Roussel with a wide grin tinny tail wagging in anticipation. "Ça doit être le plus grand!" It has to be the biggest he spoke exited moving with a slight jump to his step. If they did a good job maybe mom would praise them...

@Roux

Her husband she did not doubt would come, it was the scents with him that made her huff in annoyance. Helah neared the scents, crossing the sands as quietly as possible, before emerging from the brush- her eyes coming to the two male cubs and then @Oleander. She studies them silently for a moment, before speaking.

"You will be Gentry?" She asks of him, allowing him to retain the rank he had held in the Bluffs- if he wished. Her gaze, as it studies him is searching- before her eyes drift to the cubs, and she sighs softly.

"You're both royalty, I guess." She says simply. "I expect you to find ways to be useful." She said, her tone a bit flippant- a bit distant really, when she considers the cubs- @Roussel and @Valère. She wondered if any of them would ever catch her interest- enough for her to really care about them, one way or another.

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

The cubs didn't put up a fuss when they were being moved. In fact they seemed to be eager enough for the trip. He couldn't remember ever having been that excitable. He had only moved because he had been told to do so but hadn't felt anything about the move itself. He would have to work on that. He would have to get the boys to tamp down on those emotions so that they might better serve the females of their line.

The boys were quick to leave behind the furs and make promise of finding the largest and prettiest den. So while their was still excitement there they also acted without hesitation. That much he seemed to have drilled into their minds, to do as they were told and not to question it.

Ole looked to his wife when Helah made her way over. A single nod of his head was given as acceptance of the rank. In truth he hadn't expected any but since she wished to bestow something upon him he would take it and do whatever was asked of him. The cubs were named Royalty, another surprise to the clay male.

"Can make work it. Like work name." If the boys didn't prove themselves worthy enough to retain the rank then it can always be stripped away. Just like becoming a Dieudonné wasn't a given. At a year they could easily be tested and see if they had earned the rank still as that was when they would have to earn their names as well. Of course it was entirely up to Helah as to how she wished to do things though.

"You hungry? Brought food." Ole moved over to tug the furs around to present the food to Helah. He then glanced around to see where the boys had gotten to and called out to them. "Find den?" He continued in Common Tongue for Helah's sake. The boys weren't just running rampant but were on a mission as had been dictated by Oleander.

@Helah @Valère @Roussel

"Oui, oui, la plus magnifique!" He agrees confidently with his brother as @Valère fell into step beside him, pushing the limits of his youthful vocabulary in order to further drive home the point.

They wouldn't fail such a monumental task, no siree! Or 'no ma'am,' rather.

Though perhaps Roussel is a bit distracted when @Helah's elegant form materializes out from the sands like a familiar mirage, his prancing gait pausing so sharply that a white-tipped paw remains frozen in thin air, grains of sand dripping from between his toes. Pointed ears strain to hang onto his maman's every word, no matter if he's bounded a quite a few extra feet away from both adults already, his neck craning to look at her.

Something, something...what she says to papa goes over his head somewhat, but he catches royalty well enough, pink shoulders straightening reflexively beneath Helah's distant glance. Wait...really? They got to have a regal-sounding title too, like the girls from the Bluffs did? Oh, wow!

Find den? @Oleander's reminder jars him back into action promptly, even more eager now to prove himself worthy of the gift that had been so generously bestowed upon them. "On it!" He chirps back, brushing a shoulder against his brother's encouragingly (whether he needed it or not). "Regardons là-bas!" He suggests, setting his sights on the vibrant greens of the Oasis proper. It looked shady over there. And there were probably a lot of cool decorations lovelier than even his paltry collection of shiny stones to be found there!

Surely, the den they sought was in there somewhere, just waiting for them to be make it perfect.

/exit Roussel

---

1. Yes, yes, the most magnificent!
2. Let's look over there!

art x code

The boy purs as his brother agrees and a happy bounce is added to his step for a moment. Though his brother's sudden halt also has the russet boy stopping turning at first to his pink brother with a questioning gaze. Though his gaze soon follows his brother's, pink eyes finding their mother emerging from the sand. Queen, High queen, ruler.... leader... She was more now... that much the boy understood.

Valère's eyes widened in surprise as the high queen spoke, royalty... they would be royalty...

The boy shifted about mincing his brother's stance. Pride, somewhere inside that feeling grew. He'd been given a rank by @Helah something he'd not had before. It was important, it was better it was praise. No matter if she had meant it as such. Though @Oleander and @Roussel's words draw him back and he almost leaps forward "Yes!" he declares alongside his brother as he sets into motion nodding at his brother's words. Over there looked good... Less sandy... at least for the desert. He could see green which was a welcomed color amongst the endless yellow and brown.

-Exit-

Deep inside, okay.. maybe not that deep, she really had hoped that her spawn would remain in the Bluffs. After all, she had produced them for the sake of the Dieudonne bloodline- not her own amusement. Never-the-less, she proceeds to ignore the sounds of them vanishing into the territory, focusing her intent and gaze on @Oleander. She gives herself a little shake, and nods to him. "We eat. I'll show you around?" She offers him. Perhaps an odd show of softness, to share a meal with him, but well... her interest and obsession with him was a bit odd at times.

-exit with Ole?-

"OOC NOTE: Sorry it is so brief, just wanted to get him settled and sorted for you!"

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

The boys took off and seemed eager enough to do his bidding. He was certainly glad for that. He seemed to have taught them well enough in that regard. Who said child rearing was hard work? All he had to do was give a demand and it was listened to. At least that was how it had worked out thus far.

With the cubs off and currently on task did he turn his attention back to his wife again. She agreed to the food that he had brought and offered to show him around the place as well. It didn't really seem as if there was too much to see but he wasn't about to say that out loud. No, he knew better than that.

He grabbed up the fur sled and prepared to follow after Helah, perhaps to a shady spot where the meal could be enjoyed.

Oleander Exits w/ Helah