"We will! We will!" The cub spun around repeating Ambrus! Immediately focusing on the tall ethereal being that began to nuzzle the cub with such happiness. She was so proud that she was glowing! One would imagine Vicktor would be doing the same if he held that kind of light! He finally found his name! Now all they had to do was find hers!

She spoke of exploring the rest of Pisces, what fun it would be! If the rest of Pisces was like this than it would be one of the best days of his life! Full of fun, love, adventure and name searching! Nothing could ruin this day! The fact she brought up wanting to race him to the water was icing on the cake! Just hearing his voice was joy enough! But to ask for a race! Lucky day! And before he could vocalize his eagerness off she went, laughing bubbling not just from her but from Vicktor as well.

Leaping forward he splashed through the water! All evidence of his previous meals cleaned within moments of this erratic display! He was quickly on her heels, determined to win this little game! Until one misplaced paw and whoops! He began to slip on the shallow stone bottom beneath him! As if it was your run of the mill comedy act he slide underneath her running legs. Managing to gain even more momentum from the sheer force he was running with before!

And before he knew it he rolled out of the water, head over drenched heels and into the grass on the other side! Barely beating her in the race! But yeah, a win is a win! And he was more than happy to take it! Even if there was very little grace in it! "I WONl!" He erupted with joy, standing up a little wobbly from the accidental acrobatic display. Looking up and her he smile, eyes shut tight and mouth wide.



"Speech"

"Thought"

With compliments from his tall ethereal friend he grew quite proud in that moment. Only to frown at the difficulty Ambrus was having, he forgot that at this age the eaglet couldn't keep up with a brisk pace. With no hard feelings the eaglet approached Vicktor and even offered to race with him in the future! Smiling wide he watched Ambrus attempt to take flight. But it was to no avail. Regardless VIcktor was happy, soon Ambrus would be able to fly! He just knew it! "He just knew it! Its ok Ambrus! I will love to race you when you can fly! It will be so much fun!"

Watching Amrbus take perch on her back he stood up and shook some of the excess water from his coat. 'Now, let's be off and find my name, hmm?' A verbal gasp of excitement escaped the young jaguar! He will find her name if it was the last thing he would do! Though he hoped for sooner than later in retrospect. She spoke of the hills off in the distance. That maybe her name was hiding just beyond them! Off she went in a brisk pace, carrying the eaglet with ease.

Backing up just a tad Vicktor took off like a bolt! He would find the name! He had too! After all she had found his! It was the least he could do! Nearly to the top and growing a bit too excited for his own good he tripped over his own feet! Taking a soft but unexpected tumble down the hill! Rolling through small flowers and thick grass all the same! Coming to an end, landing flat on his rump surrounded by plants he had yet to see before. Small little green things with ears? He wasn't sure how to describe them, but they were very pretty! The soft dew on what few he hadn't disturbed.

"What are these? They look so pretty!" He mused out loud! Looking up at the ethereal doe as she approached him.


"Speech"

"Thought"

As she walked with dear Ambrus upon her back, she watched her wonderful cub run up the nearest hill, slip, and tumble into the thick, flowered grass at the base of the mound. She laughed with her Vicktor as she got nearer. Her cub was absolutely adorably cute, sitting there with grass behind their ears, looking around and seeing the new sights with wonder and joy in their eyes. They were beautiful, just as her prideful, wonderful bird was, perched on her back, thoughtful and gleaming after their self-cleaning. She couldn't have been more proud of her gems.

She moved to perhaps help Vicktor up, or race them to the top of the hill, she didn't know, when both they and Ambrus asked her what this type of grass was! She peered down to the lovely, tiny, delicately shaped leaves down by Vicktor's paws, still with some dew on them, and said, "Why, that is a grove of clover, my love."

When she said this one sentence, everything went still, hushed, silent, frozen, and her heart was in her throat, her eye unfocused. That....that was it. What she had been looking for, what she'd been searching for all her life. She half-caught a sob, tried to bite it back, but once she did, everything rushed to her. The sights, the sounds, everything was bright and clear now, and everything felt like more to her now. Her name....her name! They had found her name! She half laughed and half cried. She had it now! No more introductions without a name, no more pitying looks when she said she couldn't find it, no more emptiness where it should be. She was whole, she was complete, she was.....Clover.

"I..." She had to clear her throat, it was so choked with emotion. "My na- my name." She looked down at the grove, leaning down to really see them, to silently thank them, for giving her something so wonderful, then she looked straight at Vicktor, with their wide white eyes, and her voice was barely above a tender whisper, for the raw joy and relief in her was so great. She looked back at Ambrus, laughed, and back again at Vicktor. This was quite possibly the best day of her life.

"My name, my name is Clover."

"This is how I speak."

"Why, that is a grove of clover, my love." as those words left the ethereal doe's mouth, Vicktor could see a shimmer in her eye. She froze now, as if she was caught in time. This was it, this was it! He stood up, standing nearly on the edge of his toes waiting for her to speak. She released in what Vicktor hoped was joy in laughter and loud tears. Clearing her throat she practicaly choked with emotions running through her. Vicktor could feel that this, this word Clover. This was it.

Watching the doe look down at the very clovers beneath her feet, she seemed to thank them. All the young cub could do was smile, and when she looked at him he let out a heartfelt and joyful laugh. 'My name, my name is Clover.' She repeated it out loud for all the hear. This was a joyous occasion! A great day! Not only Vicktor had found his name, but now Clover! "Clover, clover! That is such a pretty name! It fits!! Cause it's just like you! Super pretty!!"

He bounced around her and Amrbus now, celebrating in their streak of luck so far. Two names found, in one day!
[exit]

"Speech"

"Thought"

As her laughing and tears slowly subsided, she felt such unending relief pour out of her. All her insides unraveled the inner worry and pain of not having a name, and the fear of never finding it fell away like a plate of heavy armor. She felt so free and so happy, and her little gems, her Ambrus and her Vicktor, showed their happiness for her good fortune too. Vicktor danced around her, unabashedly showing their joy, and Ambrus wisely stood and congratulated her honestly.

She tugged both of her gems near her and hugged them close. "Thank you, thank you, my loves. I could not've found it without you two. You are the best gifts that I could ever have been given, and I love you two so much."

She sighed, feeling all cried out, and deeply satisfied and happy. There was truly no way this day could get better. "We should celebrate with something, I think. Go and explore something really fantastic together."

As she moved to stand she spotted a familiar shape a little ways away. Was that...? Her mouth opened and she grinned. It was Vazi! She hadn't seen them in such a long, long time! Oh, how happy she was to be wrong!

[End thread, to be continued straight into 'There is Always a Cost']

"This is how I speak."