Spiritus was excited to be going to Vermeda, but he did wish that Parvati was as well. He got it, though. They didn't like change and that was entirely understandable. He wished they didn't have to go through this. Well, hopefully the Brook would be better for them in that regard, once they got used to it. He had a feeling the natives weren't likely to cause massive upheavals within their own pride that had presumably been around for years and years.

They finally got there and Spiritus called out for their daddy and for someone to come greet them, limiting his happy prancing to simply kneading the ground with his paws. He had a feeling that Parvati wouldn't be too delighted with him if he started dancing.

@Parvati @Caligula

Parvati remembered the way too well. Most of the way their mental map was barren of emotion and the gray lion followed rivers and trails with only a scrunched brow of thought. Closer to the Brook, though, they caught the scent of the pride and immediately remembered that night when everyone had trespassed. It smelled different now. It was warm and the pride scent, though foreign, was thick and thorough and reliably laid down. Still weird, though. Still different.

@Spiritus did the calling out thing, for which Parvati was grateful. The silver lion sunk to a bony crouch-loaf, ears flattened against all the new sounds of the Brook life. In the Cove, the beating ocean had always been present. But here there was nothing to distract from all the birds singing to each other and the insects teeming. How would anyone even hear Spiritus with everything so loud? Parvati craned their head sideways. "What if they don't hear you? Is it rude to call again?" This was something Parvati should know. They had been in the pride for a long time. Greeted some strangers at the borders themself, even. Somehow they'd never got the knack.

It was a surprise to actually be called for. Caligula didn't have the social network that he used to have once upon a time ago. Still, he answered it with haste and was delighted to see his children waiting for him.

"Some might consider it rude, yes. It would seem impatient to call again when only a few brief moments have passed. Give it a few minutes at least and then you can call again." Caligula answered Parvati's question upon his approach and moved to try to lightly bump his forehead against the forehead of his grey child. He knew she wasn't one for much physical contact but still he couldn't help to show his affection and how happy he was to find them there.

Next he moved over to Spiritus and sought to run his body against Spiritus's, knowing that Spiritus was more open to overt displays of affection. "How are you?" He asked and glanced over to Parvati. "Both of you." Though the question wouldn't hold the same meaning for them as it would for Spiritus. "What brings the two of you here? Come for a visit?"

@Spiritus @Parvati

"Uhhhh..." Spiritus began, honestly not sure how to answer his sibling's question. Luckily, he didn't have to figure it out as their father arrived with an answer. Well luckily now he didn't have to call again!

"I'm okay! Parvati's upset because we had to leave the Cove though. But we decided to come here and live with you!" he exclaimed with his usual cheerfulness which... wasn't exactly fitting with what he was saying this time. He was just happy to be surrounded by family again so he didn't really care where he was as long as he had them around him.

He leaned against his father as Caligula came to him, happily nuzzling against the older male. Yes, surely everything would be just fine now.

@Parvati @Caligula

Spiritus was supposed to know these things, even if Parvati didn't. Ears wilted. Seemed they were both clueless. The gray lion had held it together for the journey but now, faced with the possibility of waiting hours on the border for someone to answer them, they sunk to their white belly. When father nudged them they didn't so much freeze as remain still, a pliant clay sculpture. Overwhelmed. Sibling spoke for them, explaining that they were upset and the Cove's disband. There was more Parvati might expound on when they were in a talkative mood again but right now they just felt dull.

They trusted that they did not need to speak. That father would trust Spiritus' word and not pry when the gray lion needed solitude and space and quiet. Others, Parvati knew, might pry. The scenery would change but this, at least, would be a relief. Having family to turn to instead of nobody.

"I am sorry to hear about the Cove." He was curious as to why they had to leave but he wasn't about to bombard his children with questions. Those could be answered later after food and rest. He knew just how far of a travel it was from the Cove to the Brook and he imagined them to be tired if nothing else.

He looked to Parvati, watching them. He knew change wasn't the grey child's favorite thing so he was trying to gauge how they were holding up. "I am glad you are here. That you have come to stay here." He had been worried about them and now that they would be in the Brook he could check on them easier.

"Come on in. I'm Noble here so I can accept you. Plus Aquila already said that you are welcome." The bronze male gave another nuzzle to Spiritus before stepping away to lead his children into the Brook. "Aquila is High Sovereign here." There was a moment's pause as he sought to catch the eye of both of his children. "And my mate." There, bombshell dropped. He wasn't certain how it would go over but might as well get it out there while Parvati was already struggling with change so that she wouldn't have to fight for normalcy a second time.

@Spiritus @Parvati

Spiritus danced happily when daddy said he could accept them into the Brook. That meant they didn't have to wait around for someone else to come say hello. Spiritus would admit he still didn't understand all this political stuff, but he didn't need to apparently. As long as one of them did, everything was fine.

His eyes widened when daddy said that this other man was his mate, but he realized that likely none of them had seen father for ages. Not since they'd come here, at least. Part of him was sad about that, but part of him also knew that he and Sarthak likely wouldn't have seen eye to eye on... well much of anything. Father had always seemed more stiff than daddy. Hopefully this Aquila wouldn't be the same way.

"Well... okay! I'll have to meet new papa. Hopefully he likes me..." Spiritus said, not entirely sure how he felt but above all else wanting his daddy to be happy. He wanted his whole family to be happy; that was all that mattered. He stepped forward to try to nuzzle Caligula's cheek, suddenly horribly aware that he was actually BIGGER than his daddy, and looked back to Parvati with a hopeful look. They... probably weren't doing well, he figured.

"Come on Vati, let's find a place to sleep!" he said excitedly, prancing ahead of the rest of his family as he was unable to contain his excitement.

-exit spiritus-

Parvati never doubted their welcome. It was the other lions they must worry about. If they would deal with Parvati's weirdness. If Caligula would have to get involved. Parvati wanted to be independent. Had really tried. They stared dully at the ground, inwardly noting that all their efforts had come down to staring dully at the ground while others spoke for them.

They took father's greeting dully, not looking up. The next information was handled in the same manner. Not handled in the same manner. If Parvati wasn't already not handling the situation, they were now not handling the situation even more. If they weren't already in an inert, loaf form, they would have sunk to an inert loaf form. Caligula had a mate. High Sovereign. Aquila. All new, all unknown. Someone new to meet. High stakes. Wasn't sure how to act. Did know they were exhausted. Too much to even apologize for it. Guilt was distant, far away. Social pressure always existed but couldn't be processed now.

Spiritus was so very loud. And excited. So obnoxiously so. Parvati folded their ears back. Could still hear it. Echoes in the trees and beating around their skull. Spiritus skipped forward. Sounds moving, bouncing. Let's go. Find a place to sleep. How, when it was so loud? Parvati trusted Spiritus to figure it out (despite Spiritus being currently obnoxious). Joints shifted, limbs like levers moving mechanically, poorly tuned, but rising. Into the territory. Foreign scents. One would be Aquila but there were so many more than that. Where was this sleep? Was it somewhere quiet and unscented, if any such place existed?

Parvati might not make good on that promise to stay in the den for a few days. It might be more like a week.

-exit

New Papa? Well, that was unexpected. He hadn't really expected his children to refer to Aquila as such. They were all adults. Besides, he wasn't really trying to replace Sarthak in their lives. Just... Aquila made him happy and he hadn't felt that for awhile.

"If he can love me then he is absolutely going to adore you." Cali said as he returned the nuzzle. How could anyone not love Spiritus? They were just a bright ball of sunshine. "And I already told him about your preferences." So hopefully Aquila would remember and wouldn't get it wrong. The High Sovereign already knew how much Caligula's children meant to him.

Caligula followed after his children, keeping a closer eye on Parvati since they seemed to be doing the worst. He just hoped that they could settle in and that this place would grow on them.

Caligula Exits

@Spiritus @Parvati