She is frustrated at the way things have turned out. Her mother seems to be an increasingly elusive woman; and when a daughter is without a consistent maternal figure, she has a tendency to blossom resentment. Valkyrie is irritated with all of them and only stomps towards the borders of a foreign pride because her father seems to be the only one in her life capable of sticking around. She wants to seek out her uncle Karsa, but she doesn't know if she's welcome at all around the Shitvantes (she's quite proud of that name, she thought of it herself) anymore. After all, she wasn't nearly suffocated underneath dirt when she was born; she isn't one of them. No one had checked on her after the challenge in Caladan. The message had been clear.

Her father is here. He told her that she needed to come and join on her own, something about being too old to be swept in alongside of him automatically. Kyrie perches on the borders and chuffs for her father, peering into the forest with a grumpy expression.

code by scorpixia ♡︎ art by irish

Do you have family here? She spoke quietly to the young girl that had appeared at the borders of Firnen. A girl that was barely a year old and a size smaller than she herself, and one that had no business coming to the borders of this Rainforest solo. Carina wasn't stupid and didn't intend to portray that, either, but the last thing she wanted was for anyone to attack this child on site for crimes they hadn't intended to commit. I'm Carina. Zhis is Firnen. She wanted to tell this child to turn back for they were too young to be sitting upon the borders of a pride of opportunists who looked upon the young as weak. Carina didn't know what to do, however, to make it seem as though she was bringing this child in and that it hadn't wandered here on its own... if only she could say out loud what dangers were presented here.

^{ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY CALA}

He is always the ever watchful eye of his daughter. While she stormed ahead he lingered behind, allowing for @Valkyrie to lead the way and have her space. He knew that Csitri's lack of attendance was growing on her, causing her to form some sort of resentment toward her mother, but Arkyn was only one man and could only do so much. If his wife needed the space she sought for due to the explosiveness of her family then he was not going to get in the way, but to a young mind the brute knew his daughter more than likely seen it as a mother abandoning her children.

As they near the borders of Firnen does his pace quicken, catching sight of another he had seen at the pride meeting not long ago. She questions his daughter on if she had family residing in the pride, knowing that was his que to step in. "She is with me." Drawling voice is deep as he comes behind Valkyrie, giving her a soft look before it hardens as gaze shifts to look at @Carina. "I joined at the meeting Ludivine called. Arkyn Brynmawr, and this is my daughter Valkyrie." The Viking gives a look over his shoulder, brows furrowing together before attention slips back upon the woman. "My three sons, Vukasin, @Eike and @Njörðr shouldn't be too far behind." Arkyn had made sure to tell the boys where there new home was going to be, and he hoped that they would arrive sooner than later.

art by lars / background from unsplash / code

Right on time does the young Viking appear. He had been following behind his father, who was following his sister. Vukasin felt more like a free spirit, not taking offense the absence of their mother like @Valkyrie was. Maybe it was because he was more of a man's man, wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. Arkyn was a constant in their lives, making it hard to feel sad when the parent he was closest to was around.

Long legs carry him toward his father and sister, stopping once he were standing next to Valkyrie. Vukasin would attempt to nudge her with a shoulder, an attempt at reassuring her and calming her nerves. Two toned gaze looks at the lioness who called herself @Carina with a curious expression, ears twisting forward in attentiveness. "I'm Vukasin," he decided to introduce himself, especially since two more should be following not far behind - that is if they still wanted to join.

ART BY LARS, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

Crap. Njörðr realized after arriving that he may have been a tad bit late. Everyone was there already, and they seemed less than pleased at his tardiness. The boy gulped, and shifted nervously as he approached the gathering. He had only caught the tail-end of @Vukasin's introduction, and wondered if should he be doing the same.

Njörðr was surrounded by the familiar faces of his siblings and father, easing him, yet he could not identify @Carina. The lioness was foreign to him, and it seemed he had been too late to catch her name. Drats. "Hello," the boy bowed his head in respect for the stranger. "I'm Njörðr." He gave a quick scan of his surroundings and finally relaxed. Sure, it was a bit too humid for his tastes, yet it was a very stunning place visually. Njörðr was sure he could get used to living somewhere like this.

He turned back to face his sister, and frowned when he noticed her expression. Njörðr could tell something was on @Valkyrie's mind. It wasn't that hard for him to read his family's emotions (most of the time); when they were mad, it stuck out like a sore thumb. Which didn't mean it was any easier for him to understand why - he was still a bit...Oblivious. She was visibly grumpy, and it concerned him. He made a mental note to check up on her after this, or would it be better to give her space? Njörðr honestly wasn't quite sure.

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The sound of voices is what draws the Queen to the borders of her pride, the stench of rogue thick on the air the closer she gets to the small gathering. She immediately spots @Carina on Firnen's side of the border, thankful at how quick the lioness was to descend upon the visitors. Next her sight lingers on @Arkyn, still surprised — but happy — with his appearance in Firnen's numbers. She arrives just in time to hear the tail-end of his words, her ear flicking in response as she draws ever closer to the strangers.

“Your family, I presume?” she questions just to confirm what she'd heard as her pale pink gaze flits between @Valkyrie, @Vukasin, and @Njörðr. What handsome young specimens; then again, with Arkyn as their father, she shouldn't be surprised. Perhaps in another lifetime, she would have snapped him up as her own.

Valkyrie glanced behind her as a collection of several paws drummed against the ground. She hadn't made it a secret that she was stomping her way to Firnen, but it surprised her to see how poorly she had taken in her surroundings. Damn. How long had they been following her?

Kyrie's attention swiveled to @Carina as she approached and asked after her family, at which point @Arkyn quickly offered an explanation that saved the teenager from making a smartass comment.

She didn't have much to add, she supposed. If her father was going to handle all the business, Kyrie was more than happy to take a step back and let it happen. Her attention flickered to @Ludivine as she arrived, doubtlessly the queen, and the young girl studied her cautiously.

"We're here to join our father."

There wasn't much room for debate.

code by scorpixia ♡︎ art by irish

There was a hefty amount of relief that fell straight off the windy peaks of her shoulders as a somewhat familiar face came up to them. Immediately @Arkyn settled on that they were here to come and live with him, his children, and that there were more on the way. At least by this there was a very strong chance that they might survive passed the borders. Something Carina might've howled at the moon for and thanked whatever spirits were watching over them. Oh, I see. Welcome officially, zhen Arkyn, and @Valkyrie. Carina bowed her head to further her welcome into the Rainforest and continued to feel sweet relief that they were family of an existing member and not just younglings on the border all by their lonesome.

Hello @Vukasin, she said to the first lion who had shown up and gave a gentle bow before another showed up, and hello @Njörðr. I'm Carina. As she welcomed each one of them, she found herself quite glad that he had his young children joining him while also subconsciously a little sad that she hadn't any family of her own. Though, every time she had even remotely found someone she was interested in they seemed to vanish so perhaps it was just shit luck.

@Ludivine showed up just a minute or two after the last child and she was over the moon that there was reason not to attack. Either way she lowered her head in respect to her High Sovereign and gave them silence to speak and converse, merely a listening ear and a strong stance should she be needed or ultimately dismissed.

^{ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY CALA}

Two out of his three sons arrive, garnering glances from their father as they introduced themselves. Arkyn's attention then shifts when @Ludivine arrives, giving his Queen a nod in greeting before allowing a huff of confirmation escape him. "Yes, these are my hellions," comes his reply, a quick curl of the lip being given with his words. "@Valkyrie, Vukasin, and @Njörðr. I have another son, @Eike, but he has a wanderlust." His one son always seemed to be disappearing to explore Amaryllis, having to make the Viking seek him out to ensure he was safe.

A shoulder rolls as he glances back down at his now yearling children, a brow rising before he speaks once more. "Mine and your mother's den is near the center of the Rainforest but you all are old enough now to have your own." He shoots Ludivine another look as if to silently ask if they were accepted before sucking in a breath, feeling a weight settle upon his shoulders. "My mate, their mother, @Csitri... She will come when she is ready." Arkyn didn't want to dive into his personal life, especially when it was no one else's business, but if the Firnen Queen pushed him he would have to oblige.

“Welcome home, children.” Comes next, finalizing that they were now apart of the rainforest before giving a nod and padding across the borders, content on allowing his children to wander and explore their new home.

exit Arkyn.

@Carina

art by lars / background from unsplash / code

@Njörðr seemed to have been on his tail, causing for Vukasin to look back at his sibling with a mischievous grin. They all had a whole new environment to explore and learn, and that meant new places to find to hide and scare the poop out of his siblings - especially @Valkyrie. Two toned gaze shifts as a lady appears, quite smaller than his father and almost smaller than himself. An ear twitches as Arkyn speaks, taking in the information that this must have been the Queen - their Queen - which causes for Vukasin to give a polite dip of his muzzle in greeting. "Hello," his voice carries over the soft breeze that shifts the air, bobbed tail vibrating behind him in hidden excitement. An ear twitches as he listens to his father’s words, feeling his excitement growing even more to know they had a new place to explore. He gives the two women a polite dip of his maw in farewell before he gives as playful shove toward his sister, taking off in the direction their father was going and quickly surpassing him.

exit Vukasin.

@Ludivine @Carina

ART BY LARS, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER