All that glitters is not gold

There is a visible sigh that makes its way down his spine as the forested brook comes into view. For a moment the golden man pauses, and simply watches, breathes. Taking it all in. Home, finally. He was home and it remained. Still green and vibrant, still carrying the scents of his kin, of his sisters. And there was something oh so interesting layered in, something new and soft and intriguing. However he is getting ahead of himself.

Right now he simply needed to reach the borders. Needed to stop at the edge of land that ran in his blood and lift his skull. A chuff escapes him. He was back. And he had tales to tell.

@Nymeria @Talisa

Manip by Era, Code by Saph

As soon as she caught his scent, she begun a steady but somewhat fast jog through the territory to locate him. It had been so long since she had seen him and knew that he would return. He wouldn't leave, not forever and not when it was most necessary to stay. She recognized that perhaps he wanted to go explore and see what was in the beyond where they hadn't gone before. Talisa was anxious to know as nothing made her happier than hearing the tall tales of others and their experiences. So Talisa went flying towards her golden brother and attempted to throw her arms around him once she was close enough. We have missed you, brother! For @Aurum, as the only brother to all the sisters, was most special and she would always hold a special place in her heart for him.

manip & table code by k'sariya

there had always been a special place in nymeria's heart for @Aurum -- as their only brother, she was almost confident that all of her sisters felt the same way, as well. he had always been their dutiful, protective, and loving shadow, shielding them from danger and providing comfort in a way that only a brother could. it was for that reason that his absence had been heavy and full of dread, often plaguing the valour's mind, and spiraling her into a pit of worry.

and yet, when she heard him, everything else around nymeria seemed to stopped. she paused for a few moments, her breath hitched in her throat, before she propelled herself out into the open grove, swallowing the distance between herself and the summoning as quickly and as fervently as she could. pushing through a thicket, she found herself face-to-face with aurum once more, features twisting instinctively into an expression of shock. "a-aurum?" she said in a moment of bewilderment, worried, momentarily, that she was seeing a ghost. how long had it been, and how much had he missed? it seemed almost too good to be true, to have him return home to them after such an insurmountable amount of time apart.

All that glitters is not gold

He is not left waiting for long. One thing he had always loved about his family was how they mobilized, how they always came when another needed it. And truth be told, after so much time apart, he needed his sisters. The golden man had missed them dearly and their arrival brought a smile to his face. One that outshone his golden nature and transformed the serious man into a simple, happy cub. He was home.

"Oof" he exclaims when his younger sister collides with him, but he laughs it off. "I missed you too Tali" he rumbles, reaching a paw to hug her right back. She seemed well, happy, though there were scents around her that pointed to something new. Something if he were right then he would have more family to be with, maybe even other boys(As much as he loved all his sisters, he did wish there were more of his gender about). But before he got to excitedly interrogate her, the golden man hears another voice. That which belonged to his eldest sister, perhaps the one he was closest with. Not that he didn't adore @Talisa , but, there was something special about what he and @Nymeria had. Something that had him gently dislodging himself from their embrace to face the druid queen.

She had burst into the clearing and stopped, shock coloring her features as she had spoken his name. The smile softened then. "Yes, Nym. I'm back." he rumbles softly. A beat where he himself took it all in before he made to close the distance between. A little bounce, pounce sort of thing which had him throwing himself at her like Tali had to him.

Manip by Era, Code by Saph

While the Valour kin had almost been dominantly female in the last few generations, it seemed to be turning around (at least slightly) with the addition of Talisa's children. Two boys versus on girl, when Nymeria seemed to have the opposite with three girls and one boy. Still, females still outweighed the male population among the Valour line and eventually she hoped that maybe they would have more boys some day and so long as she had Farrow and Morrigan, she was sure they would be the greatest. Even @Aurum, now, could be a part of their upbringing and could share their insights that she as a mother simply could not. How was your trip? Are you tired? Hungry? The Heiress would not hesitate to find him the closest and comfiest den should he need to rest or get him the juiciest piece of meat that he ever did see. Between the herself and @Nymeria, he would likely get whatever it was he needed. Talisa would do it all without question, so long as she could hear about what he had found on his journey elsewhere.

manip & table code by k'sariya

dumbfounded did not begin to cover how nymeria felt in that moment -- it was almost too good to be true, to have her brother here, back within their arms once more. and yet there he was, standing before them, almost as if he had never left in the first place. tears threatened to wet the corners of her eyes, but nymeria did her best to keep them at bay, watching patiently as her siblings embraced, before it was her turn for a sweet and tender reunion.

the queen looked to meet @Aurum half way, aiming to press her maw into the crook of his mane once the distance had been swallowed between them, as she exhaled a soft, relieved rush of air. "i'm so glad that you're home," she murmured lowly, before pulling back, and seating herself between both him and @Talisa, who's words echoed brightly against her perked ears. "yes, tell us all about it." she added eagerly, for she was, of course, curious to know what exactly he had been up to during all that time away.

All that glitters is not gold

He was rich now, surrounded by his sisters and perfectly content. He would be delighted to be surrounded by the rest but now was just, grand. It had been too long.

@Nymeria met him in the middle, and he hugged her tight with the tilt of his head, his paw. He inhaled her familiar scent and the last bit of tension from traveling the world over left him. He was home. He pulls away as she did, looking at her, and @Talisa with a stupid grin on his face. "I'm glad to be back" he responds to her, but casts his voice out to Talisa as well. Because she is as much a part of home as his elder sister and he would keep them both in the loop.

The smile faded as Nym prompted him to answer the question that Talisa had asked earlier. Not because it was all a bad thing, not that all of it was pleasant, but because it did require some thought. Not to mention he had purposely put it aside to greet them first; family always came first. Eventually he selected his words and began. "I now understand why they moved here in hordes." he begins, a little bit of a wry smile at his littermate. She had always been the most accepting of the strangers, the first to allow one into their lives. "Maua's Amaryllis is truly a blessed land. Famine, malady, and carnage run rampant there." he explains succinctly. What he saw... it would likely haunt his nightmares for the remainder of his life. How lucky he was was ever more poignant. "I cannot say I can agree with all the changes they have wrought, but, at least now I can come from a place of clarity and understanding if I am ever helping you again." he continues, falling silent for a beat.

Then his gaze slips between them, stopping on each. He addresses both his sisters. "I believe I caught hints of changes around here. What have you two been up to?"he asks with a little bit of a knowing grin. He had a guess but he wanted them to say it themselves. It was the sort of news that should be revealed and shared by the bearer of it.

And yes, he is tired and hungry, but he cared more about this than sating any of his needs.

Manip by Era, Code by Saph

For any of them to be separated from one another, let alone from Vermeda, was like missing an appendage. They simply did not work correctly without each other just like how Onyxia choosing to put herself into the Oasis alongside their cousin and Valhalla had been something of an adjustment. They weren't too far, of course, but Talisa had been so used to everyone here that not having that consistency was odd. @Aurum's return was going to always bring forth happiness despite their time apart but she was very interested in hearing his finding's from his own mouth. Morrigan painted a pretty picture but somehow, she felt that there were some parts left out.

Aurum wasted no time in telling @Nymeria and herself about the harsh circumstances that he had seen and why the outsiders had moved in. Talisa's brows furrowed in deep concentration and sorrow that that was out there and so dark compared to the life they had lived here. It was a little disappointing that their peaceful life had been altered so abruptly but Maua must have a plan for the long run and the Heiress had to believe that their Creator understood how they were going to get there.

So she was all too happy to take a deep breath and nod her head as her brother asked what the two of them had been up to. You are now an Uncle... times, like, seven. Khal, Cassandra, Ori, Juliette, Calder, Rhaella and Ariadne -- he had a lot of nieces and a few nephews that would love a chance to meet their one and only Uncle. A part of her surprised that none of them had followed the two mothers out here but perhaps it was for the best. Oh! Aquila has taken claim over the Oasis now. Onyxia joined him. That was something worth mentioning!

manip & table code by k'sariya

the reunion itself was sweet and assuring, but the words that @Aurum spoke were less so. it sent a small shudder down her spine, and prompted the smallest hints of a frown to cross her previously bright visage. they had all heard stories, of course, of life beyond the safe walls of amaryllis, but the fact that her brother had seen it for himself made the horror of it feel all the more real. "well, then we need to remember that we are blessed to live here, and not out there." she murmured softly, glancing towards @Talisa with a pensive look, before switching her gaze back onto aurum as he continued to speak.

much had changed since his departure, and thankfully, the heiress wasted little time giving him the biggest and most exciting news that they had to share. the change in topic allowed nymeria's smile to return once more, a soft purr vibrating from her chest, before quipping on lightly at the end of her sister's exclamation. "valhalla is there too, and demetria." in case aurum would come to wonder about them, it was important that he knew they were still here, within arm's reach, but not specifically within vermeda brook. and while the druid could have gone on and on about the months that had passed since they had all been together, she also did not want to occupy aurum when it was not necessary. surely his travels had been grand and tiring, which was a thought that prompted her next question. "you'll be our noble, won't you? i'm sure we'll have lots of time to chat, if you'd rather get settled in." an open-ended offer, giving him the chance to get some rest, if it would please him to do so. though greedily, of course, she would much rather pick at his brain now alongside talisa.

All that glitters is not gold

He nods. To remember how blessed they were was important, but also. "And if we treat those who come here with patience, I think we will soothe any ruffled feathers." he states simply. Surely sanity would win, and those others who caused strife would, if considered with understanding, would come to see things more peacefully. He hoped it would be the case. Anyway, he was more interested in happier news and thus, latched onto the cheery news being shared.

He all but beamed. "I am looking forward to meeting all seven" he states, resisting the urge to comment that they had been busy. That would be very inappropriate and honestly, there were some jokes that went too far. The continued and this time surprise flashed across his face. "I will have to visit then." he declares. Granted he already knew from his encounter with Arjana, but, to have it confirmed and to find not one, but two of his siblings were living there instead of the brook meant visiting was higher on his list for multiple reasons. Moving on, Aurum faced his eldest sibling @Nymeria as she offered him rank and his home back.

"I would be honored." he states, ducking his head. It was nice to know he was still valued. Then, rather suddenly, his stomach rumbled loudly. He turned his head to glare at it for a beat before turning back to his sisters. "I don't mean to cut this short, but, maybe we could head to one of the caches? I'm not sure if they are in the same place... but obviously." he said, with a bit of a sheepish chuckle. The man waits for for one or both of them to lead the way back home for that was where food and family lived no?
-Exit to dinner with Nym and @Talisa ?

Manip by Era, Code by Saph