It had been ages since he had been separated from his family and there were moments where Aeneas wondered if he could even remember what they looked like. It had been the hardest thing he had ever done, being separated from them, but it had been for a good cause. To make sure that any stragglers found their way to the new land that Hanneth and Dero had set out to find before them. Unfortunately though Aeneas hadn't had the best luck in his endeavors, in fact the only individual he had managed to locate was his younger sister Birdie. And though she was older she seemed even more fragile then before which only made the young lion even more protective of her. They had walked for miles on end in the hot sand and though the climate should have been colder it seemed that this particular area had a tendency of staying incredibly warm. Aeneas continued to push onward though, he had a feeling they were getting closer. Eventually they hit an area that smelled heavily populated and it gave him hope, he turned to glance over his shoulder at Birdie, offering her a reassuring smile before speaking, "Alright Bird I think we made it. Now we wait .. surely someone will come along to recruit and they can let us know if our family is here." He said confidently before his mismatched gaze moved to scan their surroundings. Tilting his head higher he let out a few deep chuffs, curious to see if anyone would answer.

@Birdie

Note: Aeneas and Birdie are searching for Hanneth & Dero, it would be ideal for them to go to Ecrosia Mire or Firnen Rainforest, thanks in advance!

code by javs

Everything seemed like a giant blur to the golden lioness, in fact she could hardly remember the last time she had seen anyone of familiarity aside from Aeneas. Thankfully Aeneas had managed to rescue her, back when she was far too afraid to leave the jungle that had been their old home. He had carried her on his back for miles and miles. They had grown up together, alone in the wilderness, and anyone could guess that Birdie had attached herself to Aeneas' hip. Where he went, she followed. Though over time the girl had virtually almost become mute, afraid to speak, afraid of the new world that she and Aeneas had found themselves in. But still she followed him because she knew he had a plan and in time they would hopefully be reunited with their family again. Her ears flicked atop her petite skull, dual-toned gaze constantly flickering around them as she used Aeneas as her own personal shield. When he pulled to a halt she nearly bumped right into his hind end to which she offered an apologetic smile. There were plenty of scents around, enough to make her optimistic that they were in the right place. But for now she remained quiet, watching and waiting alongside her brother.

code by irish; art by koi

Truth be told, this was the first time Roan had made his way towards Maua's passage since becoming king. So far, Roan had been more focused on getting things settled within the Rainforest before deciding it time to start trying to expand. True, they had already picked up a couple members since the transition, but that really only seemed to fill the empty spaces left behind by the departing Ruriks. In any case, the mauve lion needed a change of scenery, but still wanted to be productive, so off to the passage he went.

It was with a bittersweet feeling that Roan arrived on the bridge that had brought them to Amaryllis. It reminded him of the last time what remained of his family had been together. Now, everyone just seemed so spread out and scattered. Some were still unaccounted for since leaving their home while others went missing after reaching the new lands. The Hodari were a shell of their former selves. Even still, though, Roan seemed to have a knack, lately, for finding lost souls. Passing through the opening in Amaryllis's southern edge, ears would flick in near shock at hearing the sounds of someone familiar calling. After a few more places onto the sandbar, a hazy mirage seemed to materialize in this distance into the shape of his little brother. "Aeneas?" the king questioned to himself with suspicious scrutiny etched across his features. Then a second later, he managed to detect the outline of Birdie's form against the sandy backdrop. "Birdie?" Brows rose as the kings voice grew a bit louder this time. It really was them! The mauve lion quickly shifted into a canter to close the gap between himself and his younger siblings. "Aeneas! Birdie!" he'd call while running towards them, elation ever present across the king's face.

@Aeneas @Birdie

Table & Image by Amanda | Background | Lineart

Birdie didn't say anything in response to his words but her nod of approval was enough for Aeneas. He had managed to get her here safely and that was all that mattered. Aeneas couldn't help but feel the weight of failure on his shoulders though; many of his younger siblings were still unaccounted for including Oak and Shujaa to name a few. But finding Birdie had been enough for Aeneas, at least he hadn't made it here completely empty-handed. His mismatched gaze continued to scan his surroundings, ever watchful as he stood guardian before his younger sister. It wasn't until he heard the distant sound of both his and Birdie's name being called that his head immediately snapped, eyes searching until they found the mirage of a mauve form moving closer to them. At first Aeneas didn't even think it was reality, surely that couldn't be him could it? But then the lion was ever closer and Aeneas found himself moving, running so that his form could collide against Roan's in a huge embrace. A chuckle echoed from his lips as he burrowed his face in his brother's mane, inhaling and exhaling. Breathing his scent in to be truly sure that this was real. "I've found you, I can't believe it. For so long we've walked .. Birdie I told you! I told you they'd be here!" He said excitedly, finally pulling back from Roan so he could turn to motion Birdie closer. "What about the others? Mom and Dad?" Aeneas asked Roan then, his attention completely upon his older brother. And what were the chances that he would find them here? Did that mean that he was a King now?

@Roan

code by javs

She wasn't sure what they were looking for here but still she stood behind Aeneas, allowing him to take the lead on all of their endeavors. If this wasn't where their family was would they ever find them? She didn't want to be a downer in the situation but she couldn't help but question this herself. Eventually they would have to stop looking, but she knew Aeneas would never quit. Would never stop until he found their family again. He had been devastated when he realized that she was alone and she wished she could have provided answers for him, but truthfully she had none. She wasn't sure where her siblings were, after all she had been separated back when all of the craziness began. Her fear had crippled her, had caused her to be left behind. But thank goodness for Aeneas, he had been her beacon of light. An ear flicked at the sound of her name being called and instinctively her gaze turned, searching. She saw the mauve form moving closer and shrunk backwards, meanwhile Aeneas did the exact opposite. He was bolting, running towards the stranger. Except that was no stranger at all, it was Roan. Hesitantly Birdie took a few steps forward, offering a smile towards her older brother as she watched both men embrace. 'I've found you, I can't believe it. For so long we've walked .. Birdie I told you! I told you they'd be here! What about the others? Mom and Dad?' She offered a smirk towards Aeneas, indeed he had told her many times that they would be reunited with their family again. It was almost as if he was speaking it into existence. Birdie took a few steps closer, inhaling the different scents that clung to Roan's fur curiously. "How many are gone?" Her voice was soft but sharp. Aeneas was quick to look at the positives but she.. she knew that the grim reaper had taken plenty of them since they were separated. She could just sense it in her bones. And there was something spiritual about this place, something she couldn't quite put her paw on. @Roan

code by irish; art by koi

The mauve lion would collide with his younger brother, easily mirroring the same tight bear-hug Aeneas was now aiming at him. Bit by bit, it felt like his family was finally coming back together, even if it wasn't all under the same pride banner. At least he knew more were alive. The squeeze lingered for a bit, allowing Roan to take in his brother's scent as well. It had been a whole year since he last saw the boy, no longer a boy, but a young man already. And with that thought, the king could hardly believe that it had already been a year now since they lost their Jungle home.

At his brother's words, though, Roan felt slightly confused. Why was he telling Birdie that they would find their family again? Hadn't she come with them in the first place? Roan could hardly keep track of everyone back then, feeling the guilt of having lost sight of his little sister all that time ago, but at least she was back now. Deciding now wasn't the time to question his quiet little sister, the masked lion turned his gaze back onto Aeneas with his questions. "They're here, Dad and your mom. Avana, Palo, and Corinna, too. Some of her younger kids, as well,. Aunt Furia, and she has a son now." Roan was quickly spouting off every family member he could think of that was in Amaryllis. "Chor came with us at first, but I haven't seen him since we first arrived." A slight glance would flicker over Birdie with this comment, wondering if she even seemed to remember the day of the family's initial arrival since she had been there as well. "And... um...." One more sibling to mention, though the mauve lion didn't know how his younger siblings would take it. "And your older brother, Kiton, my littermate.... He's here, too." A brother they had never met was already a king in these lands. It was weird to think that Kiton didn't know all these other younger siblings that Roan had clung so desperately to after the first move. He had needed them at a time when the loss of so many Tolkien had left a void in his heart.

That void would still never fully recover, but Roan had learned how to deal with it over the years. Birdie, however, seemed content to pick at another part of that hole in his heart. Whereas Aeneas wanted to know who was here, his little sister wanted to know who was not. The use of 'gone' made the mauve lion's blood run cold. He had never let himself think that of any other missing siblings, not his littermates, and not anyone else. They weren't gone, they were only missing. 'Gone' had a much more finite feeling to it. "We're... um... we're still missing a few," Roan started off gently as he turned his attention to his sister, unwilling to use her term of 'gone.' "No sign of Tova, I'm afraid, nor Oak or Shujaa," The younger siblings he was still fretting over, but Roan also had to keep moving on to do what was best for the family that remained. "But Babu and Abuela are here, and they're.... alive." Did the reincarnation of their great-grandparents make up for the lack of other missing siblings? Probably not, but it was still worth mentioning. They were the whole reason their father was still alive in the first place, after all.

@Aeneas @Birdie

Table & Image by Amanda | Background | Lineart

Aeneas was simply too overjoyed at seeing Roan again that he almost completely missed Birdie asking who was simply gone. He honed in on Roan, looking over every intricate detail of his older brother's face. It had been so long since he had seen him that it almost felt like it was a dream. Except it wasn't, he was actually here in front of him and Aeneas could finally breathe the smallest sigh of relief. Immediately without question Roan began to rattle off the names of those who had managed to make it here (wherever here was) and that included their parents, Avana, Palo, Corinna, Furia, Chor, and even Kiton. Aeneas smiled because even though yes there were still some that were unaccounted for there were a decent amount of family members present which was something to genuinely be happy about. At the mention of Babu and Abuela Aeneas shifted his gaze to Birdie, she had always seemed to have their mother's spiritual connection, more so then others, what would she think of their great-grandparents being alive? "That's all great news. I'm glad so many managed to make it here safely.. I too didn't have any luck finding Tova or Oak and Shujaa.. but I found Birdie." Aeneas said softly, glancing over to his blonde sister before returning his gaze to Roan. "So you must be a King or something if you are here to recruit us.. right? I mean .. obviously we will come with you, we want to come with you." Naturally Aeneas decided to speak for himself and Birdie, the girl was attached to his hip anyways.

@Roan

code by javs

Birdie allowed the boys to talk, instead her attention drawn to the land around them. There was something eerily familiar about this place, had she been here before? For some reason she couldn't recall why everything was so familiar but it was as if her paws had definitely set foot in this land at one point or another. She couldn't explain it though, she had no memory of being here. Strange, very strange. However the blonde girl was brought back to the conversation at the mention of Babu and Abuela. As a cub Birdie had always been extremely intuitive to the spiritual nature of things, in fact those voices sometimes tended to be much louder then the ones of the living around her. Her ears flicked forward with curiosity and eyes brightened a bit, "Babu and Abuela are.. here? Alive?" She asked Roan then, taking a few tiny steps closer. Aeneas mentioned going with Roan and she nodded her head in agreement, "Yea .. I'd like that." Her voice was soft but sure because if there was anything Birdie knew it was that she could surely get more answers from Roan. @Roan

code by irish; art by koi

Joy was too little a word to describe the feeling Roan held at seeing two of his siblings alive and well and here. Certainly, they had a lot to catch up on. So much had happened over the last year in these foreign lands that still sometimes didn't feel like home, but so long as the family was together -- or at least somewhat together given the two prides -- that was all that mattered. "Yeah," he chuckled slightly at confirming that their great-grandparents were indeed alive and in Amaryllis. "I haven't seen Abuela in a while, but she's gotta be around he somewhere. Probably just happy to be able to move around in the flesh again." Roan chuckled heartily with the image of Paloma just traveling the world around her given her newfound freedom. "But Babu is definitely around. They, um... they saved Dad.... from the rogues, and brought him here." Roan wasn't keen to look back on what had driven them out of the jungle home, but he knew the sight of their father was something jarring for any of the man's children.

Aeneas was quick to assume that Roan was a king, which obviously he wasn't wrong, but also then quick to decide they wanted to join him. As much as the masked brother wanted to immediately accept them and call it a day, the Firnen king knew he needed to at least let the pair know that they had options. It wouldn't be right not to mention the Mire, where it seemed a majority of their family was already relocating to. "I am, he nodded again to confirm Aeneas's suspicions. "I recently became High Sovereign of a pride called Firnen Rainforest, but.... Kiton is a king, too. He challenged for a pride without even knowing we were here yet. He's king in a kinda swampy land called Ecrosia Mire. I think Dad and Hanneth went there, and Corinna." And Silver, but it wasn't like they would know who she was. Knowing that this was the right thing to do, to tell them about Ecrosia, Roan hoped they would still want to join them. He hoped that their parents being in another pride wouldn't keep them from the Rainforest, where the mauve lion so desperately felt like he needed more family around. Outwardly, though, none of this worry would show on his face as the masked lion kept a calm and cool demeanor for the moment. This was their decision. "I would love for you guys to come with me to the Rainforest, but it's your choice. I won't be offended if you want to be with Dad and your mom in the Mire." The High Sovereign offered a gentle smile with his words. Truly, no hard feelings would be felt if they chose Kiton over him, but of course he still hoped they could come to Firnen.

@Aeneas @Birdie

Table & Image by Amanda | Background | Lineart

Aeneas couldn't help but hungrily take in all of the information that Roan had to offer. He was in a state of euphoric happiness, he couldn't get over the fact that not only had they managed to find their way here but they had found their family. Sure a few of them were still missing but that didn't mean they couldn't locate them in time! And the fact that Roan was a pride leader, well that meant everything to Aeneas! He was following in their father's footsteps, which is what Aeneas had hoped to do as well before everything had imploded around them. There was still time though for him to make a name for himself, the most important thing though was spending time with his family again. 'I would love for you guys to come with me to the Rainforest, but it's your choice. I won't be offended if you want to be with Dad and your mom in the Mire.' When Roan spoke of Kiton in the Mire Aeneas was intrigued but realistically his mind was already set. He had been close to Roan as a child and that hadn't changed even now, he knew exactly where he wanted to go. "I'd like to go with you to the Rainforest.. I won't speak for Bird though." He offered easily enough because although Birdie had followed him and listened to him, he wouldn't make this decision for her.

@Roan

code by javs