Despite the fact that she knew Caladan Cove relatively well and knew that she was a welcome addition to the roster of guests, Talisa couldn't help but feel off. Perhaps it was simply the overwhelming reason as to why they were here to begin with but it continued to worry her. The state of her home and the way that it had been for years was now potentially defiled by a male who didn't deserve to even look at it. A male that had spoken such awful things to her and her dear sister; the two women could surely handle themselves mentally and physically but the thought of their young girls in the middle of it hadn't settled well.

So Talisa spent a lot of her time looking after each of her own little girls and praying to a Deity she wasn't even sure was listening. Not only was she bothered by the state of her birth pride, but the staunch disappearance of Farrow did not soothe her. She knew that he was battling his own demons when it came to their son's death and worried that something had held him back or that he had found something to take out his frustration on. So Talisa absently gazed out of (more than likely) Morrigan's den -- where she took in the scent of her wife and felt more grounded than she had in a while. The girls wrapped around each other within as mother talisa guarded it with vigor. She had to keep watch -- she couldn't break.

@Arden

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     An adventurer at any given opportunity, Arden would've jumped on this chance to explore every nook and cranny of this place. And she still did want to. But the energy she had picked up on when they were fleeing leaving the brook to come spend time with the other half of their family weighed heavy on the growing girl's chest. Curled up tight amongst her sisters in a tangle of gangly legs and floppy bodies, they napped under the watchful gaze of their mother. Resting after a long journey for the young valour children.

- - -
     Some time had passed before Arden stirred from the cub pile, carefully wriggling her way out from underneath Renly's fat butt. She approached her mother's side, a storm of purrs emerging from her as she nuzzled into her fur. Leaning back she plopped her hind on the ground, her hind legs splayed out to the side. She rubbed her eye with a big yawn. There were many questions that rattled within the earthen girl, but she kept them to herself for now. "Hi, mama,"

@Talisa

Body threatened shivers and violent shakes, eyes straining to catch even the briefest glimpse of anything along the horizon. Searching so desperately to see some sliver of hope come bounding to them but she was growing tired, growing disheartened. Perhaps it was a good moment to feel one of her purring little angels wake from their slumber that it automatically began to push them to side. Pushing the darkest thoughts underneath the rug for just a few moments where she could put forth all her good, positive energy to earthen @Arden. Did you have a good nap? she asked, scooching a little so that she could put her left foreleg around her child and attempt to bring her in. Desperate to soothe not only her child but herself by bathing the top of her head.

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Arden let her body be manipulated by her mother, leaning into her warmth as she lapped the top of her head. Her internal motor continued, her tail pleasantly thrumming at her feet. "Mhmm," she hummed her answer, tone still low from coming out of her slumber. She was a willing participant for the bath for a short moment longer before she pulled her head back and looked up at her mother.

You look sad.

Amethyst eyes sparkled up at @Talisa's, admiring the fact that she truly was an even combination of her parents. "This is where our family lives?" The girl questioned, knowing she had another parent and half-siblings here. "Why are they so far away?" She was always taught that her family was quite large. It was just how large it truly was that she didn't fully comprehend. Her thirst for knowledge and understanding grew hungrier and hungrier as she got older. Talisa was always a pillar of learning for the kindred spirit and the questions that collected within rapped at her to escape.

Lapping at the excess hairs upon her daughter's head was more soothing the more she did. Taking care into her motions and not sticking with one for too long, lest she end the bath too soon by @Arden's choice. Thankfully she was nearly finished as the girl moved her head away to gaze upwards. As hard as she tried, it was difficult to mask the cloud that loomed over her head. How drowned she felt despite having not touched the sea. Mhm, she said and cast her gaze over the spare trees and listened in to the ocean washing against the shore some distance away. Well, you know how Aunt Nymeria leads Vermeda?That's what Mummy's sister does, but she does it here. This is their pride. Mummy helps her sister, just like I help my sister. It was the best that Talisa could come up with given their age. The only other response would have been to highlight that they lived in two separate prides because it was safer. Talisa surely could have gone to another ally's pride to seek refuge but coming here was a lot easier. It made more sense to come where family was and where everyone would know she was.

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Arden stared off into the horizon as her mother explained, her brows dipped in thought as she processed what she said. Sisters helping sisters. Lilac eyes drifted back to @Talisa, her head tilted all lopsided and floppy-like. "I want to help my sisters like that one day," Arden declared. She loved her sisters so dearly and the thought of being with them into adulthood like she witnessed with the rest of her family was invigorating.

The young girl let her body fully lean in and relax into her mother's form, sighing thoughtfully as she daydreamed about being older. "Can I be like you when I grow up?" She asked, her eyes flicking back to watch the horizon.

Whether she had anticipated it or not, she was pleasantly swallowed by pride and love at @Arden's words. The fact that she, at such a young age, wanted nothing more than to help her sisters whenever they needed her. For siblings often called upon their other siblings for help, whether in silence or in voice, but it was up to Arden if she would truly hear them. Sometimes it was hard to ask for help so she would certainly have to keep an eye and an ear out to see when they might need that extra boost. And you will, she murmured quietly and nudged her nose to the top of the girl's ears. Be like me? Why be like me when you can be you? Talisa, of course, loved the idea of Arden wanting to be just like Mama when she was grew up. That was one of many things she dreamed of for any of her children but there was also the brighter truth to it. She wanted her children to be them and no one else. What part of me do you want to be? Perhaps, since she wasn't willing to let Arden not give herself a chance, she could slowly help to mold her daughter into what she truly wanted to be.

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The excitement of what her future could look like helping her sisters, and standing by their side anytime they needed, it filled her belly with a tingling sensation. A small, short-lived giggle came from the girl when her mother nosed her ears. @Talisa's question was almost surprising, raising her brows and then knitting them together as she hummed in thought. That was a good point.

What part of me do you want to be? she asked.

Arden looked up at her as she thought. "Wellll," she stared slowly, rising to her feet and taking a few steps ahead of where they sat. She turned around and faced her when she continued her answer. "You're so brave. Is it because you talk to.. Ma-" She navigated the name for a split second, trying to remember the name she would overhear her mother mention before. "Maua? Who are they? Are they part of our family, too?" Arden wondered aloud.

Even if her world had been throttled and thrown upside down, it was enough to feel soothed by the comfort of a child. Especially when they required her full attention and were eager to discuss things that had always been Talisa's blanket of comfort. Maua had always been there to soothe her worries and to calm her doubts, and though she had been rattled by all the bad that had happened all at once - she still believed in their Creator. There was a gentle hum in her throat as @Arden tried to speak their name, wondering if that was where her bravery came from. Perhaps, but it also came from knowing yourself and those that would be by your side without question.

So Talisa was happy to gaze at her young daughter with tail flicking idly back and forth, back legs adjusting to jut out as she got a little more comfortable. Still... she kept her eyes and ears open as though danger lurked. She couldn't help it now. You could say that, she offers for Maua had always been a part of each Valour one way or another. Some believed more than others but they had always had some part in their upbringing, just as she wanted Maua to have a part in her children now again. Maua is our Creator, they made Amaryllis a long, long time ago. Before you were born, before I was born, and before my parents were born. Maua is strong and they are clever and kind. A piece of life that she desperately wanted Arden to know in the future, just as her older kids would and both her mates. Morrigan had been the only one to have seen Maua in the flesh but that had been the last the cleric had seen of Them.

+10 - Teach a cub something new (double xp)
+10 - Tell a story about the after-life (double xp)

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A creator, huh? Arden’s expression twisted confused at the idea of it all. How one being could create all of this. While @Talisa answered the young girl, she turned her little body to face away from her mother and back out to the sights. “That’s a really long time..” she mused, her tail tuft casually flicking at her hocks. Though, her true concept of time was a little skewed.

“Do they live up there?” Arden inquired, looking up at the sky a brief moment before adjusting her gaze to fall on her earthen mother. Her behaviors mimicked what she observed her do anytime she spoke of this creator. “Can they see us?” She could feel so many more questions and curiosities vying to burst from the youthful scholar.