Amara's annoyed state was one she couldn't look past. She felt like she was ready to eat everyone that got near her and it was clear that she was carrying life now. It made nothing easier for her given everything going on in her life but she knew that she had things she had to take care of and get in place before she was tied down with the cubs. She called for @Cassine. Her voice carrying over the winds. The yearling shouldn't be too far off she hoped but time would tell as Amara found a shaded spot to wait for her to show up.

code by corvus | art by BETHIA

things had turned to shit, and they had turned to shit fast -- but cassine would be damned if she stayed within the confines of the lagoon like an obedient, scared girl. and so it was with purpose that she set out beyond the borders, tongue pressed zealously against the backs of her teeth as she moved north, as far as her limbs dared to take her during the breadth of this afternoon. the parisian continued onwards until she heard the familiar call of @Amara, veering off the path that she had been following so that she could make a hasty beeline for the familiar shape of her guardian. she craved amara's presence during all hours of the day, and missed the quiet company that they had often shared together along the shores of the ocean -- cassine may hate the beach, but it had brought her many gifts, in all of its awful, grainy glory. but oh, she certainly had not been expecting the sight that waited for her out across the field.

"you're expecting?" the dieudonne calls out as she makes her approach, noticing the swell of her sides and the clear signs of life that brewed within amara's body. slowing to a stop a few feet from the other woman, cassine's gaze remained fixated upon her stomach for a few moments longer, before eventually trailing up towards the rigid contours of her face, words not too far behind. "you guys picked a bad time." a weak attempt at humor, despite the vacancy of her gaze and the flat line that occupied her lips.

Amara spotted the smaller lioness coming toward her and a wave of relief washed over her. She seemed to be ok. She took a few steps toward her as the lionesses' words reached her. She took a glance at her sides before nodding with a huff. Thoughts entered her mind but she pushed them aside. Her past wasn't for anyone but her to handle. Her gaze moved back to @Cassine. Doesn't seem like I had a choice in how things went after. She gave a small shrug. When they had mated, she had the pride, and even if there was a fight coming, she had felt good about handling it. That didn't play out well. She let her gaze look Cassine over. I am sorry you have been stuck there. My wounds seemed to be hindered in their healing by the cubs I carry. At least that was what she thought. I will find a way to get you out so you can take your proper place within the family again. She would have to figure out some details but she would do it. She sat down, her tail pulled over her paws as she looked at Cassine. We need to talk about how you see the family moving forward. She laid a heavy topic at the young girl's paws but it was time they had this talk. It was needed. Now more than ever it seemed.

code by corvus | art by BETHIA

"how are you feeling?" a statement that could have been interpreted in a multitude of ways, though cassine's question seemed to lack a few keys words upon the end of it; how are you feeling about becoming a mother?. being a parent meant change - for amara and kieran and for the entierty of their family - and it was likely a difficult thing to process in the midst of all the other circumstances swirling around their heads. but even from within her chained place in the lagoon, cassine was intent on making sure that amara was doing well, and that she had what she needed to keep moving forward -- at least, that is, until they were all finally together once again.

instinctively, almost abruptly, cassine would look to swallow the rest of the distance between the two of them, shunning her often cold body language in an attempt to graze her muzzle along the width of her protector's shoulder, almost in a tender sort of fashion. for she craved a warmer sort of comfort amongst the rocking seas around them, hoping that it may better ground herself in the present, and remind her of what needed to be done. remind her that they were real, and alive, and still fighting. "it'll work out as intended. i'm thankful that i can at least keep an eye on the others, if i'm there." she replied finally, pulling back from amara and straightening her posture anew. as the words fell from her tongue, however, the dieudonne was increasingly aware that she was trying to rationalize her stance, albeit the bitter downturn of her lips and the slight prick of her fangs. truly, the fact that the bezras also remained in the lagoon was the only reason cassine had not sought to cause havoc for the sigrun after their takeover. she was not enough of a fool to risk putting any of them in harm's way, but oh how badly she would have liked to give them all a piece of her mind. she supposed, however, that that could all be saved for another time, for there was surely more pleasantries of that sort to come.

amara's final question, however, brought pause to the parisian, prompting a bubble of silence to swell between them. it was a conversation that she had purposefully avoided up until this point, partially because a small part of her had already hoped that ambrosine would return and retake her crown. but, alas, their family felt fractured now more than ever, and it had brought them to a crossroads where all of theirs eyes had fallen, inevitably, upon cassine. "what do you think she would do?" she could not help but ask the question, her tail giving a quick flicker, as hard eyes twisted to plant themselves upon the other woman's face.

@Cassine's question caused her to shrug slightly. How she was feeling wasn't something she could put into words so she just left the question unanswered. Amara watched her as she moved closer and accepted the touch from her along her shoulder and Amara leaned down to offer a gentle head rub against the growing lioness. Are you brothers still there? Had the males left and just not shown up on her doorstep yet or were they there still? Part of her hoped they had stayed and were making sure that Cassine was watched over and not alone with the enemies. Amara sat down and nodded toward Cassine to join her. Amara watched her closely as they shifted their talk to the family and what needed to get done. The question wasn't unexpected. She really wondered just how much of her mother Cassine really remembered. There were things that seem to have stayed with her but how much of what the family was supposed to be. In truth, Amara wasn't even really sure how things were supposed to look. She had been told things but in truth, the world around the family had always been small. She was always ahead of things and willing to use her words before fighting. She was a balance of wits and strength. Amara looked in the general direction of the passage for a moment before looking toward Cassine. Things here are different though. This place was nothing like it was before. You will need to find a new balance and a new way to manage things here. Amara wanted things to be easy for Cassine and she would do everything she could to get things lined up for her but there was only so much that she could offer the young lioness. She wasn't blood and she only knew things from Ambro telling her and in truth, she wish she had paid more attention. There are other family members around now, maybe it is time for you to talk to them about the family laws and such. Kieran would be a good start. Corpse seemed to know more and hopefully, others could help where Amara couldn't. She didn't want to admit that there wasn't anything left for her to teach Cassine but that was how she was feeling.

code by corvus | art by BETHIA