Others are quick to answer @Kiton's call and though he knew he was probably still just gangly, he was rather impressed with his own increasing size and didn't mind the chance to show off just a bit if he could. After all... there could be Princesses here today of his own age, and that could prove to be important. The first two were only the younger Vermedan Princesses though, but he knew that would please @Kallan so it was still nice. @Juliette seemed a little intimidated though and he tried to give her a friendly enough smile, forgetting that his fangs were probably weirdly long to her. @Rhaella pointed out how beautiful @Faeyvre was openly and he admired the girl's forward attitude already but he had earned his own wink from the pretty lioness himself and decided it must be his birthday indeed.

His own partners in crime had arrived by now and he openly grinned at Aphelion's shocked expression and Delphine's happy face, relishing in the three of them being so content together with their parents. @Delphine went to dote further upon Kallan and Aphelion had approached Jafar now, and Lysander was just about to go and pick out his own feather when a towering black shape arrived in the form of @Magnus. He carried a fresh meal for their party and the Hodari Prince was honored he'd taken the time to come frankly. He'd never felt so important before as he did today. It was only another heartbeat before the ruby-eyed yearling's attention was pulled from the Obsidian High Sovereign to the girl who followed behind him and very regally introduced herself to everyone gathered... but Lysander already knew who she was. @Hrefna was here.

He'd not come to the same conclusions as she had just yet, as it hadn't even occurred to him to be worthy of that with such a valuable ally. Surely Aphelion would be more suited. But he didn't realize that Aphelion was possible already busied with an equally important alliance... in the form of the pretty Valour girl who looked a lot like @Talisa... @Cassandra had approached his brother immediately, too, so he'd have to question him about that later either way. Regardless, Lysander was momentarily focused solely on the ebony and ivory Sigrun present. He could have been wrong but she seemed to be trying to avoid his gaze. Couldn't have that. He would straighten his posture as he approached the Sigruns to formally introduce himself, putting on his best and most polite face as he did so.

"Lysander Hodari. It's a pleasure to have you all in the Mire," he told them both pleasantly, all trace of the irritating creature he was prone to be hidden beneath a perfectly princely mask. Before he could say much more, other members of his family would arrive and those already gathered began to share their congratulations. The first to introduce themselves was @Roan and Lysander was happy to pipe up, "That's okay, Uncle Roan. We've heard about you," he assured the red-maned lion, happy to finally have a face to the name. @Avana was noticed entering, too, but @Silver captured the yearling's attention next as she called for her oldest children. Her words pulled on his heart again and he approached, assuming his siblings had as well, looking down at the bundles she'd offered.

"That's easy," he began, though his voice was rather serious, "I want to be a warrior." And he wanted to have a garden of poisons to tend to as well, but he wasn't sure that was the kind of thing he wished to announce at his birthday party.

table by ferus

Cue the old man. Birthdays were a somewhat sore spot for the dark lion, for many different reasons. A birthday was a marker of another year passed and often brought back memories of the day being celebrated. Sometimes, those memories were not things he wished to recall when more than just a birth occurred on the day. Other times, it was just a saddened reminder of what they might no longer have since the last birthday. Of his dozen children, Dero only knew the whereabouts of three of them, and they all lived here in the Mire. But today was not about him and his mixed bag of emotions when it came to birthdays. No, it was about his first ever (first known anyway) grandchildren and their entrance into adulthood. It took a little internal convincing, but the battered lion would eventually make his way towards the decorated clearing.

Many lions were already in attendance, his three known children among them, but other than those three, Silver was the only other face he truly recognized. Conversations were already ensuing around the group, with majority of his kids being taken up in the attentions of the children. Dero was a big ol' softy when it came to cubs, but he didn't know these cubs at all, so the dark knight simply situated himself off the side. He wasn't so out of sight that the Hodari patriarch might be missed, but he also wouldn't shove his way into the fray either. Dero would just allow himself to relax and watch it all unfold around him. Body lowered to the ground, his back legs splaying lazily out to his side while his front legs crossed in front of him. His chin rested comfortably atop his paws, just happy to play the role of 'grandpa' now.

Table by Amanda | Reference by Celestial-Drift (Permission given to add scars) | Background from unsplash

She really didn't know where she fit in with the family as it was. She had been so solid in her standing before but Kiton's arrival and then the arrival of cubs made her uneasy. She had never forced herself into Roan's life and had allowed him to accept her as whatever he wanted to. Roan had never once made her feel like she didn't belong and she wasn't really sure that it was Kiton that was making her feel as such or if it was her own issues festering. There was a weight in her chest as she came to sit next to @Dero to watch the gathering. He seemed to be enjoying this new chapter in his life, grandfather, one that Hanneth had always thought Roan would toss that at them first but he was still trying to figure that out it seemed. Hanneth leaned some so she was touching Dero as she took it all in.

Table by Amanda | Art by Bethia | Background from unsplash

let me light up the sky

The older she grew, the more apparent it became that she was an outsider. Regardless of her name, she was just.. different from the rest. She was flighty and aggressive, opinionated and strong-willed to a fault. Looking at the mass gathered for Kiton's cubs, she was in awe of how anyone could obtain so many.. friends. Considering her one and only (that wasn't obligated to like her like Actaeon) was Aquila, well, she sure felt dumb sitting on the outskirts of her own family affair. Her only pregnancy had been throughout a terrible time and she hadn't been able to enjoy it; similarly, Jay's first birthday had come and gone without any fanfare. She worried he would be jealous, wonder why his own mother hadn't thought to throw him a party.

Well, because it wouldn't be much of a party if nobody came.

Furia smiled softly at everyone that made eye contact with her and settled down towards the back, her spine rigid as she contemplated making a swift departure from the group at the earliest convenience. She didn't care much for crowds to begin with, but stacking on top of it the feeling of being a stranger, well, was it any surprise she wanted to go?

light it up for you

Table by Amanda

Well, oops. She hadn't even noticed the yearling @Aphelion talking to @Jafar before she had approached the wallflower. Seemed she wasn't the only on to notice those she sat away from the crowd. Frankly, she couldn't blame the male for she would have probably done the same with not knowing many of those gathered. Avana would give a quiet nod to Jafar's response, finding little to say afterwards. Luckily, she spotted more family making their appearance at the party as well. "Fair enough," the medic murmured in response while looking off towards something else. "I'll leave you alone then." Not that she was insulted by his response, but why force her presence on someone who obviously didn't want it? The maned girl would simply offer him a polite nod before moving on.

Spotting her parents, the pixie started off towards them before another dear family member appeared a little ways off. The familiar sight of @Furia sitting off by herself brought back a childhood memory of the woman as Avana altered her path. With purposeful movements, the medic plopped her rump right next to her favorite aunt. "It feels like so long ago that I sat next to you at one of Dad's meetings and told you he wouldn't like you sitting alone," she smirked before looking to her side at her similarly maned aunt with a playful smile. "That's still true, you know." Though she never seemed to be able to have as close of a relationship with her aunt like her big brother did, Avana still loved her Aunt Furia. Even if the woman herself might think herself flightly, Vana felt like the golden lioness had always been there for the family, for as long as she could remember, at least.

Table & Reference by Amanda | Lineart by Kite | Background from unsplash

kiton hodari.

"Welcome," he greeted happily as the first two guests approached, one as the familiar apparition of Talisa and the other one unfamiliar to him--though, she did seem to smell of the Obsidian pride. "Only the best for our guests," he replied humbly, noticing right along with the others gathered there that she was quite a unique beauty. His attention was torn away by the bumbling presence of his youngest daughter, giddy with glee and questioning whether it was her birthday.
"You are too eager to grow up," he chided with a fake gasp as he also reached down and attempted to lick at one of Kallan's cheeks. "It is not your litter's birthday yet. Today, we are having a party for Lysander, Aphelion, and Delphine!" Kiton explained to her with a glance at the others gathered, interested to see what they would think of such a comment from a cub at a public occasion. While Lysander so gracefully agreed with her and swatted at her tail, and Delphine adorned a blue feather behind the tussles of her new baby mane, he thought it was important to let the oldest cubs have something of their own.
He focused his gaze on the weighted expressions of those sweet cubs, visibly matured even since becoming official royals of the mire though the differences in their heights varied. Kiton swallowed a frog in his throat and shook his head slightly as he felt a sting in his eyes threatening to shatter his composure. Happy or not, he never wanted to be the reason to make them cry. He reached out one arm and attempted to pull the three of them against his chest in a firm embrace.
"And, only the best for you," he murmured in hushed tones just begging his voice to hold steady rather than cracking at the seams. He quickly turned his attention back to Talisa and Faevyre once the sentiment was expressed, noting gratefully how they took to both entertaining the babies and congratulating the older children. With a glint of enlightenment in his gaze, he looked to Talisa. "Do you think Maua would bless their year?" He questioned her in a hushed stage-whisper, not wanting to put her on the spot too badly and yet loving the idea of getting to hear her say a few words.
He almost missed the shadowed form of Magnus approaching with fluid grace, though the smell of the hollows mixed with the blood of a zebra hung potent in the air. "No apologies needed--I am honored you could attend our children's birthday," Kiton clarified quickly, offering a crooked grin to both the sovereign and his smaller shadow of a daughter. She introduced herself as that very same girl Magnus had spoken of at their last meeting--bright, brave, and well-mannered. Her introduction allowed Kiton to believe exactly that as he searched the crowd for his golden son and was pleased to find the colossal boy already approaching.
"Miss Hrefna, it is a pleasure," he greeted her once Lysander had finished to echo his own sentiments. "Your gift is so very kind," he acknowledged it with a pleasant nod. "Lysander, this is Hrefna. You know the hollows are a fair and honorable people. Perhaps you should get to know one another," he suggested with a glance between the three other parties, certainly not subtle about his intent though he did not outright explain his intentions. He then felt Roan's familiar presence at his side and attempted to flick his tail against the leg of his brother and gesture toward him with his head. "This is my brother--Roan. He has recently started ruling beside me," he explained to Magnus quietly, unsure if the pair had already met but figuring such a detail would be useful for their alliances to know.
Perhaps the only thing that could have taken his attention away from this crucial gathering of diplomats was the ghostlike appearance of Silver. His eyes fastened to her like magnets as she positioned herself within the crowd, gesturing to their eldest in her quiet and calm way. He could pick her out in any crowd, no matter how large or how much time had passed between them. Dipping his head to make his excuses, Kiton attempted to slide up silently next to Silver's side and listen in on what she had to say to them, interested to hear that this gift was partly from him while he maintained no memory of it. He glanced from the bundles to the expressions of their cubs once more, grinning fondly at Lysander as he confidently declared his desire to be a warrior. Silently, he remarked that this answer would be pleasing to Silver.

@Faevyre @Lysander @Delphine @Aphelion @Talisa @Magnus @Roan @silver

@Hrefna wasted no time in offering a formal introduction, prim and proper in front of all the watching eyes. Magnus was proud; he was not one for posturing, but had enough self-awareness to know of its importance. Especially here - especially now. The Hodari held power, just as his kin did; to merge the two together would be sensible. It would, at the very least, make it far less likely for the two families to turn on each other in times of war. He would remain silent as @Kiton introduced @Lysander to the black-pelted Princess, expression one of quiet approval as it remained trained on the golden Prince. It is good to meet you, Lysander. His attention moved down to his daughter. And then he sidestepped, seeking to put a bit more distance between himself and the two youths - with that, he'd move closer to the Mire King, and @Roan alongside him. Magnus' expression lit up in recognition. Yes, we've met briefly. Congratulations Roan. A brow arched. The two of you together will surely be a force to be reckoned with.

If only that force were not directed at a neighbour and ally.

No matter. Now was not the time to dwell on such things. As the mauve King excused himself to stand with @Silver - a woman he recognized, he thinks, as one who attended with the Hodari brothers during their first meeting at Ecrosia borders - Magnus would focus back on Roan and the two royal teenagers. Lysander, Magnus began with a rumble, you wish to be a warrior? Have you shed your first blood yet? Yes, that was definitely party-appropriate conversation - violence between children.

the finest fury is the most controlled

code by corvus

@Nadia had finished chastising both @Rasmus and himself for getting into another fight with rogues who didn’t seem to know better. He’d made sure to clean himself up though, using a well groomed pelt to hide the superficial scratches on his hide. Although, he definitely didn’t feel ashamed or anything of the sort for fighting as it was. They arrived on the tail end of @Magnus’ question towards the Mire prince: shed your first blood yet? Myrkvi wasn’t going to lie, he was even prouder to have the answer to this question be yes should someone ask it to him. The inky teenager would pick a spot nearby his father where he would sit in a polite, proud manner to wait to be addressed.

table by ferus, art by munk, unsplash stock

She is late and the dark queen certainly isn't very happy about it. She moves across the terrain with authority, her muscles coiling and releasing like a well-oiled machine. Nadia puts her irritation with both @Myrkvi and @Rasmus aside for this gathering and although she had plenty of more words for them this was not the time nor the place. She knew that "boys would be boys" but not when there were important matters to attend to. The woman moves in behind Myrkvi, her dark gaze moving to @Kiton then as an apologetic smile flutters across her beautiful features. "My apologies for our late arrival.. it seems my boys forgot that we were to attend this today." She flashes a dark glimpse towards Myrkvi and then towards the lagging frame of Rasmus as he sidles in behind them. Turning her attention back to the High Sovereign she dips her head slightly before taking a seat, waiting and hoping she is able to catch up on what she's missed thus far.

oops -- she was being an awful princess by arriving so late to the birthday party, for voluspa usually preferred to be punctual and give off an air of authority, akin to that of her parents. but, hey, everyone had off-days now and again, didn't they? and so she moved hastily, steps wide as they carried the growing sigrun eastwards and towards the depths of the rainforest that she had yet to explore. it was there that she found a rather large crowd of people already gathered, @Kiton's voice fluttering across the winds from the end of his speech, as voluspa looked to slink in carefully next to her parents, pretending blissfully as though she had been there the entire time. she was grown enough now to know that this event was far from being just for fun -- like everything, politics and prestige were at play amongst the adults, requiring the careful cohesion of their families, as well as the others that were gathered here today to celebrate the hodari brood.

dark eyes wandered purposefully around the sea of faces, taking note that the vast array of them were unfamiliar -- or, at least that was the case until a very noticeable shape caught her attention. it was none-other than the vermedan boy himself, the one that she had oh-so fondly promised to take to the ocean in lieu of their original meeting. he was older now, as was she, and voluspa could do little to resist that tugging feeling within her chest, as if gravity was pulling her off in his direction. "i'll be back," she whispered up towards @Nadia and @Magnus quietly, jerking her maw in the direction of @Khal, before she would look to slip off in his direction. closing the distance between them, she would hope to graze seamlessly up along his open flank, emboldened both by the vibrant energy of the party, and her excitement to see him again. "it's not quite the ocean, but we're getting closer." she would murmur to khal in greeting, her eyes bright as the playful words fell into the air between them. it was only after a moment more, after gaging his reaction to her arrival, that the sigrun would turn her gaze upwards, intending to fall next upon @Talisa. "it's nice to see you again," she offered, knowing that it was important and vital to show respect to khal's mother, especially now. it had been a while since they had all been together, but the sentiment was there all the same, offering the heiress a polite nod, before her eyes fluttered back onto the brunette feature's of khal's complexion. hoping that he, too, was happy to see her.