Their fearsome dad was back, and he'd retaken the pride lands. Everything felt right again. Stretched out against his favored flat-topped rock, molten eyes closed against the warming rays on his dark grey back, just taking in life as it existed. Slow and quiet, as it should be.

He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed the plains until they'd made their way back into the homeland. Just the feel of a summer breeze ruffling his young tan mane made him feel more alive. Herbs grew here, not in an over-abundance, but enough useful plants that he could collect for patching up his battle-ready family.

Sometimes his mind wandered to his girlfriend, wherever she lived, with those cute floppy ears. The ones he wanted to nibble on. Wherever she was, it couldn't possibly be better than the plains on a sun-warmed rock, lounging beside her bold, super cool boyfriend. That just meant he'd have to retrieve her, so that he could rub it in Anni's face that he, too, could get someone to like him.

Ah yes, the simple life.

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Plunged mercilessly into the throes of teen-dom, Birdie found herself entangled in a dangerous desire to be grown. As a youngster she thrived in the lax of an easy life and the simplicity of sunlight and poking fun at her smaller siblings. Now however, she harbored an obsessive compulsion for chaos.

And adulthood proved to be a rather vital component to shit-stirring.

Still, with her royalty re-instated the youth supposed she would have to make do with stirring up her siblings and fellow pride-mates for the time being. So for now, she yields to the sight of @Hendrix upon a flat rock. The yearling would saunter with an unmistakably Frei character, gliding up alongside her brother with a mindless quirk of her lips.

"Daydreaming, big brother? Do share."_{ART — CODE}

Toes flexed against air as he stretched atop his sun-warmed rock, content to be Home again. He missed Vera's antics, knowing they could have provoked and caused trouble together. Without her developed a lackadaisical mannerism, stuck to the sun rays while lingering in the background with a makeshift satchel of herbs. These things he needed to learn more about still, for he only knew the most basic of healing arts.

Sun rays, or maybe just laziness, hadn't stirred the deep gray form into learning much of anything of late. However, sweet quiet bliss wasn't meant to remain for the Frei as his younger sister happened upon him, boasting a cheeky smile that reminded him all too much of Vera and Anniston. Body rolled to the side, compensating for the angle he would need to twist his head to see @Birdie sauntering up.

A heavy sigh shook gray shoulders as his bronze lined limbs stretched once more, muscles creaking against the movement after a prolonged period of rest. Shouldn't you be terrorizing Annie or something? Molten eyes sparked as he raised his tan framed face to look upon the purple canvas of his sister. It surprised him how fast they grew. Already, his "little" sister appeared larger than him, growing at an alarming rate. Wow Birdie, did you eat your vegetables or what?

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For a girl as size-able as she, she really did reduce herself to a reclined position with some degree of femininity; sprawling plentiful flesh in even silence across the sun-warmed rock her brother had claimed. Her shoulder would smoosh pointedly into his own, as if to agree with his comments on size and stir him in the only way she knew how.

"She is perfectly capable of terrorizing herself," she mused, chuckling faintly at the suggestion; knowing Anniston would forever be the drama-queen of the family. Birdie's approach to chaos was far less outright; woven beneath conniving schemes and a girlish smile. "Fish actually," she breathed, much better versed in the art of ambush than chasing down prey.

"Perhaps our parents saved all the good genes for myself," a smirk would curl her cheekbones, tail-tip flicking atop the stone as her duo-toned eyes watched @Hendrix mischievously - "Are you going to stay? Be princely again?"_{ART — CODE}

Although he often poked fun at his siblings there was a deep love for each of them, especially the ones that bothered him the most. Body made room for @Birdie's presence as the younger, larger sibling joined him on the sun-warmed rock. At least someone else in the family knew what a good thing was, considering he'd only ever shared such a moment with their mother before, and all his litter mates seemed devoted to their fighting skills, which he still hadn't exercised.

Soft laughter left his jaws at the jest towards Anniston. Their sister was quite the showman in many aspects, though she'd been devout to their father and always willing to serve the family when it was needed, even when she did cause trouble for them. "You're right, she's probably got herself into some trouble somewhere." Funny how the idea didn't cause much alarm when considering one of his siblings putting themselves in danger. He knew that any one of them could take care of themselves, though the younger siblings needed a bit more protection.

Nose wrinkled at the declaration of fish over vegetables having sprouted his sister to such a great size. Those omega-3's or whatever must really work. "We both know I got all the good looks." Considering he was nearly a mirror image of their father (who boasted good looks and the ability to pick up many ladies if he wanted) and he had the darker coloring of their mother, that made him a balanced masterpiece of both parents.

Molten orange and pink eyes side-eyed the deep purple form of his younger sister. "Of course I'm gonna stay. Aren't you?" Even if they didn't own the pride he'd have stayed with them. Family was important, and his family was the best. Unspoken about Lorien Plains, it had the best napping spots, which meant that he was drawn to the golden plains of their birth home immediately. Even if winter could be a bit harsh here.

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birdie frei

"You keep telling yourself that," the girl jests at her siblings claim to good-looks, unwilling to let him have his ego so easily. Sure, as far as boys went he looked alright - but even considering her brother as anything less than a source of entertainment was enough to wrinkle a nose.

"Good," she concludes, accepting him back into the pride with her princess-powers, as if he really needed it anyway. The family were hardly one for formality, and Birdie wasn't entirely interested in royalty - at least not when her father were the one wearing the crown. Some day she might be a Queen, but certainly for more than her blood.

With a hefty groan the young lioness flopped her chin upon a white paw, and blinked the sunshine away behind her duo-toned eyes.

-- exit into sleep @Hendrix

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Sure will. The retort came easy enough, grinning at his sister. Part of him really wanted to push her off the rock, sharing it just wasn't as good as a solo nap. Yet he couldn't find heart enough to do so. Even as annoying as @Birdie could be.

With the proclamation made and himself part of the pride again, he moved to lightly jostle his sister's shoulder. They were all meant to be here, part of one big family. Someday he might have to go be something bigger than just his family's healer, but for now he was content to find the many good napping spots of the plains and enjoy what lackadaisical time was left.

Following suite to Birdie's idea, he rested his bronzed chin atop his dark grey paws, allowing his molten eyes to close against the warmth baking his back. Midday slumber was his favorite, even if everyone else thought it was better for more productive things.

-Exit to sleep-

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