Her paws ache, heated flesh flushing a soft pink beneath the dwindling sun. She's been at this for a few hours now, and in her eagerness she'd neglected herself. Only now, that she's taken a rest, does she realize how sore she is. A disgruntled sigh hisses from betwixt her teeth, letting her haunches fall to the red rock below to rest.

Despite the pain and soreness, she is pleased with her progress -- her intention had been to start a little garden, and she'd done just that. She'd found a portion of the bluffs that was more dirt than solid rock, though the soil had been stubborn. still, she'd done it. The only thing left to do was actually plant the seeds and new growth, but that could wait until she'd caught her breath.

It was a small thing, but a good first step in making this her home.

BG — ART — CODE

i am the storm / and im coming for you

it was hotter than she liked, but faustine had found herself wanting to patrol her family's kingdom now that she was old enough to. her dark eyes peered into every dark corner, to every leaf and plant that moved as the wind blew. not much activity here; most of the lions were lingering outside or asleep in their den. it felt like she was the only one here. a smile stretched onto her face as she prowled forth, head dipped low and ears carefully listening. her tongue rolled across her lips, tasting the air like they always do. soon, faustine heard movement and the smell of a bluff's lion just a turn ahead. the ghoul princess drew near, spotting a merle-coated lioness, smaller than her maman, digging into the dirt. how odd. faustine had never met a medic nor any creature who associated themselves with the caring of plants. lions were carnivores, fit for hunting and killing. so seeing them doing this intrigued her. are you going to grow poison? faustine inquired, her voice low and smooth. @Faolán

CODE BY DAANYEN + ART BY HUSH

Parts of these lands were touched by those long ago lost to them and had become fleeting memories at best. There to be recalled randomly in certain moments and not much else. There was no pressing need to remember those gone, even those once loved so dearly. Ambro aside, though the female was in her thoughts far less now than she used to be. Amara heard @Faustine talking to someone and moved from her sunbathing to see who it was.

Her golden gaze swept over the turned up ground and the way that it looked now and she knew what was going on. She had seen it before. Another once turned up the lands here, to grow herbs to heal and help the pride. Amara said as she approached the pair. She looked over @Faolán, she had seen her around a few times now. It was clear that she didn't intend to be a background member and Amara was content with that. Not sure I have caught your name before. I am Amara, High Sovereign. Maybe that was clear but she wanted to make sure that there was no room for any error. She looked toward her grand daughter. Looking to learn? She nodded toward the turned up ground. Maybe her little fighter would have a healing touch or maybe she should take her to see Helah to learn what her grandda wasn't able to teach her.

Artist | Coding by Analese

Despite herself, she is surprised by the company.

The Bluffs were thick with scents -- pridemembers, strangers and the few familiar alike. The red rock was nothing like the tundra, where every shadow was an enemy. Here... they are simply lions. Pridemates, neighbors. She glances up to @Faustine, young and more shadow than lion, and offers the little royal a small smile Easily mistaken as shy. She is nothing of the sort, though. Not even the question gives her pause -- to her, such things were simply assumed. Being a good medic meant being able to hurt, too.

I am, she confirms with a small nod of her head, eyes cutting to a few of the sprouts still needing to be planted. Some of them certainly lacked a medicinal edge. Mismatched gaze turns back to the ghoulish girl, considering. Do you know much about them? The child already knew enough to ask, at least. That had to mean something.

More footsteps, then, and they're joined by another. Older, and probably related to the little one. The she-wolf's brows pinch together at the implication, lips slanting down in a quiet frown. She hadn't meant to intrude on someone else's space, nor had she realized it'd been claimed. Or, at least, had been claimed. I can move, if it's an issue. It would be a waste of hee time to do so, but this is her home -- and she has to remember how to share.

high sovereign gives her pause, considering. She'd been invited in by louve and hadn't realized there was a queen above her. Perhaps there was one above @Amara, too. FAOLÁN, she answers, easily enough. Ears tick, then, as the woman address the child. She had wanted to take a moment to rest, but a learning opportunity could never be amiss.

BG — ART — CODE

faustine wasn't surprised to find her grandmother @Amara here. even when she lurked within her pride land, and at such an age, there would always be family nearby. she dipped her head at the elder dieudonne. bonjour, grandmere she said, smiling with her fangs. non, je suis juste curieux de savoir pourquoi elle fait pousser des plantes no, im just curious why she's growing plants she said. however, the knowledge of poison and plants was interesting. faustine was not as resourceful enough to raise her own. somewhere down the line, however...

i only know some can kill faustine said to @Faolán. can these take down adults? or are you gonna go after children like me? a smirk spread on her face as she watched the lioness, challenging her for a passable response. it would be so easy for someone to come into a pride, grow poison, and slip it into their queen's food. even easier to poison a group of lions if they had the skills.

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY LARS

They share some of that musical language back and forth, the kind she's gotten awfully used to hearing since coming here. It feels rude to use it in front of mixed company, but faolán has no delusions as to who her pridemates were. She keeps an eye on the two of them as she busies herself with her work once more, hands only pausing once the girl speaks again -- in the common tongue, this time.

The smirk @Faustine wears is unkind, but it speaks to her; it's the same she's seen on her sisters and daughters faces. That seems like a lifetime ago, now, and her answering simper is much... quieter. Soft at the edges, translucent and half-formed. It depends, on which plant, on what her mood demanded...

They did not need to know how soft her heart truly was.

Faolan gestures, lazily, towards a plant nearest to where she's working -- freshly planted and still filled with springs vigor. Her fingers nearly trace one of its leaves, though she does not actually make contact with it -- on purpose, or for show? A measured glance is thrown @Amara's way before she looks back to the girl and says: would you like to test it and see for yourself?

And Still, she smiles.

BG — ART — CODE

Amara watches the pair as they talk and Amara sits down. This would be a good lesson for the young heiress. Learning about plants that can harm as well as heal would help her as she grows into her position. @Faolán gives her a look as she offers for @Faustine to try something. A long look is given before the slightest nod. She had enough trust in the lioness to know that killing her granddaughter right in front of her wouldn't be the best thing for her own health. She looked toward Faustine, Go ahead and try it. See what you can learn here today. Amara wondered just how open to learning her granddaughter would be.

Artist | Coding by Analese