ooc: Hoping for a couple posts back and forth between Reti and Alexander for the 'heads up' if Ani came along she is welcome. Then @Scorpius & @Léonie are more than welcome to hop in! Hoping to avoid limbo so no strict posting order preferred XD )
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Reti's trek from the Oasis to the Hollows was one spend in deep contemplation, preparing to extent it was possible to do so, for the task he must tackle next. Convincing the Oasis Leadership to take his Ward in.

Even before learning there were extra .. complications .. due to Alexander having personally suffered from the actions of the now absent Saxe founder the swirled warrior knew he might face some resistance in getting the youth accepted. However he had been reasonably certain Valerian could be convinced to allow her to join on at least a trial basis.

Now that @Alexander ♔ was in charge once more, and he was the one whose mate had been harmed, Reti was less certain having @Aneistri accepted into the Hollow was an achievable goal. Yet Reti would try regardless, he had put a lot of work into assisting Obsidian and if possible he would like to remain within the pride with the youth at his side.

Having the Rank of Gentry Reti knew he could escort guests inside on a visit, especially as there was no present bad blood with the Oasis. Yet to be polite he would pause just inside the shaded entrance of the Hollow and respectfully call for Alexander to please come speak with him.

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You have me.

The words played on repeat through her mind as Aneistri trailed in Reti’s footsteps, following close on the heels of his golden-swirled, shadowy form from the Oasis to one of the neighboring mountain ranges. Her periwinkle eyes were still red and puffy as she watched his feet, the sand, tear stains snarling the fur on her cheeks. She only occasionally sniffled now, the worst of her emotional fit over, but the evidence remained of her momentary lapse in control. She wanted a nap.

She forgot where exactly it was her friend and newly christened guardian lived, where he intended to take her, but that mattered so little to her now. You have me, he’d said, and she’d declined any and all offers to wait alone at the cave, for a moment to collect herself. She was already feeling too alone with her family scattered as they were; she didn’t want any distance between herself and Reti now.

The scent upon the air changed, and she grew nervous, skipping closer to Reti’s hip. They’d been warned that the family here—whoever that was—might not like her because of her father, because of her lineage, and she hated the thought of being turned away to return to the desert; her “guardians” there wouldn’t let her simply go into the world without a proper pride. As the lion beside her stopped and called politely from the border, she pressed her shoulder into his broad side, as much to take comfort as to hide against him. “They won’t say no…right?” she asked softly, a hopeful, desperate whisper, as she stared anxiously into the cavernous void.

@Reti ♔

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

Feeling her skip to stand closer to his hip as the pair came to a stop Reti turned his head towards her slightly while keeping his gaze fixed at the dark entrance.

After a brief moment of contemplation he also called to see if @Juliette or @Valerian would come discuss and handle the situation as Alexander may be preoccupied with other matters.

As he felt her press into his side Reti rumbled a soft, low, purring reassurance his warm swirled side and chest thrumming for a few seconds. This was a good teaching moment.

'They won’t say no…right?'

He could lie and say there was no chance they would be turned away - however that would be pointless and could soon be proven an empty promise. Lies served their purpose at times, but it was no kindness to offer a youth empty assurances. However that did not mean he could not point out something that might offer @Aneistri comfort.

"I do not know. I hope they will accept us, there are some very nice lions here." he turned his head then to look at her fully without moving to part his side from her "But it will still be fine if the leader says 'no'. I will find us a new suitable home regardless. If none is found, I will -make- one. And if you like I will join you in the Oasis until it is found."

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Kind as Reti’s offer was—to leave his current place of comfort to settle in a sandy, scalding desert with lions who Aneistri was convinced hated her guts—she couldn’t stop herself from immediately making a face. Her entire muzzle wrinkled with distaste, eyes squinted, and she shook her head in the negative. “I don’t wanna stay there,” she answered in an irritable pout—saying without saying it, anywhere but there.

Seating herself at his side, she sighed and stared with him into the vast, expanding darkness of the cavern, searching the shadows for any slippery movement to indicate someone lurking inside. Doing so quietly didn’t exactly suit her style, however, and she talked simply to fill the silence. “Maybe one of the places my sisters have gone to would take us? They’re all finding different homes right now, where lions will be nice to us. Heisa’s probably had some luck.”

@Reti ♔ @Alexander ♔ @Juliette @Valerian

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

The one thing that she did not realize as she moved towards the call for the Hollow leaders was that she was in no fit to take this call specifically. Juliette was rightfully oblivious to anything that the Saxe as a family, or their once head of family, had done. @Alexander ♔ would be the more appropriate lion for the job and likely even @Valerian and yet it was she who was arriving before either of the male leaders. Hello, @Reti ♔ was already presented and received a gracious smile for having greeted their guests but upon further inspection of the layout of their positions she was beginning to get the idea that he had brought @Aneistri here himself. I'm Juliette, the Hollow's Sovereign. What can I help with? Most things within the Hollow's she was readily available to help do thanks to her title and she was going to go into this more blindly than most. Not by her flaws but simply by lack of information going in.

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One brow arched up sharply as her wrinkled muzzle expression was taken in "Not a fan of that idea I see." A pity. It really would have been the most straightforward backup solution.

"Possibly. It depends on where they settled. The mountain, brook, and Lagoon are not suitable. The bluffs and Rainforest are ... not good ideas. Violent and deadly are understatements." period. Given the first three either hosted or he believed were lead by lions who vowed to wipe her bloodline out. And the last two? She would most likely be maimed or eaten the first time she mouthed off. He of all lions understood this all too well.

"I do not think you would enjoy the Mire." it...was a loaded location. "The Plains may be a good choice..." as far as he knew Lorien had no bad blood presently with the Saxe offspring. Of course if it came to that he would look into it. "Do you know what homes they are looking into?" a flicker of concern faintly danced within a cage of curiosity.

There wait came to an end as @Juliette 's familiar scent and figure approached. The smile on his lips twitched slightly wider, the lion pleased to see her arrive. "Greetings Juliette." he dipped his crown in polite greeting before looking to the youth at his side and then back at the lioness " This is @Aneistri , my Ward. I seek to have her live with me. She is of the Saxe bloodline, as such I thought it best to run this by @Alexander ♔ and the Hollow's leadership. Her current pride leadership, the Oasis leaders, are nearby ready discuss the matter following my explanation."

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Aneistri felt reassured when Reti didn’t immediately write off her suggestion of a possible move facilitated by her remaining sisters. She listened with rapt attention as he dove right in to listing the places he knew of which would pose the most difficulty for her—difficulty being a generous term in some cases as it seemed the target on her back was rather broad. The way he described it, many of them were incredibly unlikely to welcome her, and she felt something of her hope fade despite her effort to stir a little optimism in her future.

Ears drooping, she heard his question and realized she couldn’t recall specifically where Heisa planned to try settling. “Uhhhh…Brook? Bluffs?” she muttered, uncertain, face screwing up with the effort she tried to remember. “I think it started with a B…” Could it be either of those? Or perhaps a surprise third option she wasn’t yet aware of?

She didn’t have enough time to figure out the specifics. From the shadows Ani had stopped paying attention to, a figure at last emerged, one of a pretty pale lady covered in stripes. Nervously, the Little Plum rose to her paws—she ought to be standing for this, right?—and fixed the lioness with a nervous stare as pleasantries were exchanged and Reti headed the conversation. Feeling as if she should contribute something, she hastily followed up his statement with the same persistent assurance she’d been spouting since leaving the Oasis, “I promise I’m not gonna hurt anyone.”

Hopefully it would be taken well.

@Reti ♔ @Juliette

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

“Speak of the devil and she will appear,” snorted the desert queen as she was summoned by the chatter. Her hazel eyes found @Juliette, then passed across @Aneistri to seek out @Reti ♔, giving him a nod. She noticed, however, that none of the Savante had yet to appear — not Alexander, nor Valerian. Léonie had hoped to discuss the twerp’s release with them, but if they trusted Juliette enough to lead beside them, she supposed the lioness could serve as their voice. “As Reti explained, this hairball is apparently under his care. I have no issue releasing her to him if there’s no concerns from the Savante family,” she explained to the Sovereign.

(Timelines, but wanted to avoid Aneistri being in limbo!)

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As was typical of the valour, she listened to @Reti ♔ explain who the lioness was at his side and what his intentions were. The mention of her being his ward was interesting though the last name of the girl did nothing and did not illicit any such reaction of negativity or positivity. Something about the Andal leaders — alright, now that sand scent made sense — being nearby. Hello Aneistri, she was able to politely address the girl in the quiet silence that dawned from her pride member's last words.

Juliette had many questions already at peace upon her tongue but @Léonie arriving only made them take a second longer to come to fruition. @Aneistri had weaseled in her will to not hurt anyone and it only made to question the situation further. Though, the longer she stood there and listened to the three the more she realized that perhaps this was not the time to question it. The girl seemed harmless and if it came down to it, Juliette would be happy to take matters into her own hands if she did try to be harmful.

Seeing that neither Alexander or Valerian were present — a matter that was beginning to irritate as well as concern her — it would be up to her to make the call. Being who she was, Juliette did not feel at liberty to cast away someone. Of course. She offered to those gathered before she turned her gaze to what would be a new recruit. Reti, she looked to him first, I hope you can get our new member set up within one of the many dens and get her acquainted with our laws. Fill her in on the important stuff. She needn't keep them here any longer than they already had been and having Reti to teach her things about the Hollow would some weight off her shoulders.

I appreciate you coming out this way, she pauses, Leonie, right? I remember you from the Passage some time ago. You were Heiress of Andal then. Without realizing that a lot had changed since then including a change of address somewhere in the middle.

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Ooc: Sorry for the short crappy post, wanted to exit to end the limbo thing XD


Ic:

She thought it started with a B... none of them did that. But that statement meant the Buffs or the Brook were most likely. And both were not great ideas. He would have communicated this but with the Sovereign's arrival it was time to shift gears.

it caused a slight heaviness to linger in his chest for a few seconds upon hearing Ani repeat the farmilar promise and he glanced from the youth to Juliette. How sad was it she now felt the need to assure strangers of this - just in hopes against odds she was accepted instead of condemned for her liniage alone?

Although the other two leaders must be caught up with matters elsewhere @Juliette listened to all present including @Léonie ♔ after her arrival and accepted @Aneistri Inei the pride. "You both have my sincere thanks." Reti tipped his crown slightly too the side and in a rare show of respect slightly down as well before straightening and looking at the youth beside him with a slight smile "Come, let's show you your new home. " both so she would know her way around... and so the members saw her with him - so an association would be made that she was connected to him and off limits for attacking.

He offered the two leaders a nod in parting and if they did not object he would move to escort Ani into the tunnels.

--- Exit Reti to give tour?

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