ORIGIN

Arsu listened quietly, and then murmured something almost incomprehensible. He, too, was exhausted, and despite the fact that his mind struggled to take in the beauty of the magical sights around him, his eyes kept drifting shut.

"Orange," he agreed, softly, and then "Warm, love. Lights." He curled to lay his head over his brother's back, gaze on the ethereal fruit conjured by his father. As Pride's voice quietly went on, those eyes drifted shut, and the cub-fawn fell fast asleep.

Despite the brief shock of the night, overall, life seemed pleasant. A beautiful garden, and magic--magic that could be frightening, but also wonderful.

He found, during the night, that what Pride had said was true--he could visit the Eventide in his dreams.

Pride watched as the young ones drifted off, his murmuring voice falling ever more soft, his words gentle.

"And that fruit was the kindness of the world--of all worlds. It was happiness. Whatever someone seeks--whatever they wish to find--they can find it at the heart of the greatest tree, at the center of the Eventide, hidden among the purples and the blues and protected by the creatures of the northern snow, and the southern snow." He hoped he'd gotten that bit right, anyway. "Happiness takes many forms, though, little ones," he added, reaching down to plant gentle nuzzles on each of their sleeping heads. "May you always be able to recognize it when it comes."

He lay quiet for a moment, then, letting them drift into deeper sleep, while lifting his gaze to Mercurius. When their breathing was even, and quiet, he leaned down to pull a few leaves over them--then pushed carefully up, inclining his head with his gaze back to the lion.

Come with me, the gesture said, clearly enough--and then Pride delicately turned and stepped from the garden.

He wanted to know who that Light deer had been. He wanted to know why Mercurius had been so afraid.

He wanted to know that it would not affect the children... he wanted to know that it would not be a danger to them all.

He wanted peace for them. He wanted happiness. He wanted their light to take the form of joy, and love--not of a strange doe whose face bled away to black, and left his friend cowering in fear.