{for both amaria and xander, because i was supposed to start for both of you so i'm mooshing us together HAH}

oh i'd do what he asked of me, no questions asked. no hesitation to stall me, nothing of that foolish sort. i'd make sure these kittens growing still yet were untouched by foul hands, not even looked upon with an evil eye. would others try to harm them given cancer's past? i couldn't take that chance. so no one would get to them, not without my scrutinizing analysis of the person. i sat just ahead of them, not too close. where they were hidden deep into the corner, i positioned myself so that no one could get to them without my seeing them. my wounds were healing nicely, barely bothering me today so i was certain agility would be on my side.

i was on edge, alert and ever vigilant as i watched over them as he'd asked me to. as it was my duty, as it was my right as a brother. i didn't even care if that meant cancer would love them more than me, if he'd value them more than me. if he no longer needed me with them here, i would not resent them. i'd move on with my life, as any growing lion would do. i'd be mature. of course i would feel a torrent of emotion, however i'd do my best to keep a level head and a neutral alliance. but i wasn't so sure that'd happen, i wouldn't let these worries overcome me and cloud my vision, cloud the reason i was posted as guard. he'd never forgive me then.

@amaria
@alexander

Paws moved silently through the winding structures, hurrying back to where two precious stones rested quietly. She had left only to make an appearance to the maji walezi, not wishing to have others become curious of her dissapearance. Yet she had also went to seek out her brother. There was need to talk to him, but he had not been there at all. There was no chance of her waiting around for him though as an anxious feeling set on and she was off in a hurry back to where her child was growing.

A new scent soon crossed her senses and nigh instantly her fur began to stiffen. Her heart raced as she soon began to sprint the rest of the distance, her once silent paw steps turning into drumming thuds. Fangs bared as she saw the feline and there was no hesitation as she quickly leapt in front of him, cutting off his view of the two precious gemstones. "Who are you. Where's Cancer?" Her two longest fangs were exposed as she tried to keep herself calm. Cancers scent was old within the area and for a moment she wondered just where he had gone. Surely he would not have left his children unguarded knowing full well if a few certain others knew of their conception that they would most likely overreact.

She cast one quick glance to the two gems that were now situated behind her before focusing once again on the lion. For a moment she studied him, searching for any possible signs of hostility. Perhaps she was just jumping to conclusions, but honestly it was better to be safe than sorry.



Ooc: I'm just going with the fact she has never seen not met him before.

This was the first time the Prince had been away from his father since King Adeyemi had adopted him. It was an odd feelings being without the bird’s guidance at all times, but Alexander had to admit he rather enjoyed the sense of freedom. He loved his father dearly, but the older Gembound expected so much from him all the time that it was nice to be his own person for once. Still, his father’s training rang in his ears as he wandered to The Room of Stars and began to look around. His nose told him there were two others nearby, and one recently left. Soon enough, he came upon the scene of two Cats, one a hissing female and the other a male. Behind the female lay two rather large chrysalises.

Xander’s boyish impulses told him to bound forward and demand to know what was going on, but he could hear his father in his head, reprimanding him for such a rash action. ‘Wait, boy,’ his father would say. ‘Wait until you know what is going on. He had no idea if that’s what his father would actually tell him, or if it was just his own instincts, but he listened either way.

Cautiously, he sat down, tail-tip twitching in anticipation. The female looked like she wanted a fight. He couldn’t tell what the male’s reaction was yet. Wait… Was the male… a lion? Like himself? Wow! He had never met another lion before! Now he really wanted to go up to the two of them. He debated for a moment, then decided to approach very slowly and cautiously. He walked like a Prince, straight-backed and head held high, but he tried to look friendly, not like he was looking for trouble. The last thing he wanted to do was start a fight with people he didn’t even know…

@Niru

it was not long and not one, but two creatures came upon the area. jaded lenses narrowed slightly at the female leopard and i wondered if this was the mother, as what cancer had mentioned. i stood now, bracing myself for physical altercation, but noticed the lion cub approaching. he didn't need to see such violence at such a young age, so i calmed my nerves- steeling them so that way i didn't seem as intimidated as i was in the midst of this hostile leopard.
"cancer is about, but left me to guard. i'm niru. he adopted me when i was a young cub."
i spoke quickly, explaining in the short bursts, so that way i wouldn't lose an eye or something this time around. i turned my head to observe the lion cub.
"hello little one! i'm sorry, but i can't let you go past me. perhaps we can have a chat right here, young man?"
i offered the cub the easy route out, for while i wasn't overly hostile the female was, and with good reason. i wouldn't punish her for her motherly instinct to protect. so my eyes fell back upon the leopard, and i gave a warm grin that made the scars about my muzzle scream in agony.
"do not worry, i won't let any harm come to them. i promised cancer that."
i gave a short, curt nod that irritated the scar running the length of my neck so much so that blood began to seep from the fresh scabs located at the epicenter of the gash.

@amaria
@alexander

The lion regarded her almost cooly, but he was unable to answer her as another lion came striding into view. Her back stiffened even more as cerulean eyes darted from one feline to the other. They appeared to be close to the same age, but it wasn't something Amaria was positive on. She opened her mouth to warn the new feline not to come any closer, but it quickly snapped shut when the first lion finally spoke. Ears pushed forward, listening as this Niru explained who he was. Relief washed over her and slowly the clouded leopard began to relax. "I'm sorry. I had no idea. Cancer never told me about you," her brows furrowed as she spoke her apology to the lion. It was ironic really. Cancer had a knack for luring lions to him apparently.

Her gaze shifted to the other lion as Niru turned his focus onto him. Slowly she sat down upon her haunches, keeping herself between these males and the twins behind her. Bevy could not be here to keep watch over their children, but she most certainly could. "Are you from around here?" She inquired curiously as she cast one more glance to Niru as he spoke to her again. She only offered him a nod and set her focus back on the other lion.

Alexander was still cautiously approaching when he smelled blood. It came from the male lion, the one who was… guarding something. The chrysalises, maybe? He couldn’t be sure. He was too busy suddenly worried about the blood. Why was the male bleeding? He did have scars in places. Xander walked with a bit more purpose, ignoring the thoughts screaming in his head that what he was doing was entirely improper. He stopped short, about three feet from the male, let out a sniff, leaned his neck forward. “You are bleeding. Are you okay? Do you need help? I could… help, maybe.” This was embarrassing. Xander didn’t really know if he could help, or even if he should be offering to. But helping others was in his genetic code, it seemed. He could not just sit and ignore the blood pooling at what looked to be a fairly fresh wound, newly scabbed over.

Such a wound did not gross him out. But the thought of someone else in pain hurt his heart. Still, he could not ignore the female to his side, so he turned and greeted her, bowing low as his father had taught him to. “Forgive me, My Lady.” The words felt odd on his tongue, but somewhere he could hear his father cheering him on for being so polite. “I am Alexander Adera, Prince of the Flame, Son of King Adeyemi Adera of the Flame. Pleased to meet the both of you.” Quickly, he added as an afterthought, “Please call me Xander, or Alexander if you really must.” He hated his full title. Here he turned to the male again, bowing low once more.

Except now he was feeling supremely awkward, unsure of what would happen now. There was a bleeding male lion to his right and a female to his left and his father had not taught him what to do when speaking to more than one Gembound at a time. Was he supposed to… ignore one of them? No, that couldn’t be right. But how could he properly speak to two at once? He sat, in internal dialogue, tail twitching uncomfortably.

@Niru

The distaff tried offering her apologies, but I would have none of it. She had nothing to be sorry for. I gave her a gentle grin.
"don't worry, no need for apologies. But I'm.not sure if I caugh your name?"
She asked a peculiar question before the little lion cub before me gushed with awkward concern, but I couldn't help but smile down at him. Muzzle shifted toward the leopard first,
"I was born in Eridanus, but I've made my home here in Orion. Preferably the tower."
I gestured lightly with my head in the direction of the tower. My attention then redirected back to the lion cub, who executed such polite mannerisms, that I was taken aback. He then gave his name, his full name, and I blinked I'm bewilderment. I'd never heard of his father, but that didn't mean xander's words were weightless.
"its a pleasure. You sure are polite. Your father has done a lovely job."
I gave a small chortle, excited to see what would happen next.

@amaria
@alexander

Quietly Amaria listened as the second lion gave his name. A really long name. Never in her time being awake within the caves did she ever come across someone with such a long name. Her tail flicked about beside her, but her focus was quickly pulled away from Xander as Niru began to speak. She had only been to Eridanus only a few times, but it was a lovely place. As he spoke of the tower, Amaria's gaze lingered over towards the structure and her heart gave a small twist. It didn't take long to shake her thoughts before she focused on the boys once more. "My name is Amaria," She finally introduced herself, looking between one male lion to the next. They were the first two lions she had ever met outside of Makyna. For a moment she wondered if Makyna had ever met these two in her travels.

At a loss of words Amaria continued to sit perfectly still between the twins and these two lions, listening as they spoke. Her social skills still weren't that great, but she was far more calm than she had been the first moment she had came into the area.

"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: @Alexander @Niru
OoC:

Alexander blushed like no tomorrow when Niru told him that he was polite, that his father had done a good job. He was glad his fur covered the blush, so it wouldn’t be so obvious that he was embarrassed. He was a cub still, had the mind of a child. His mannerisms, some he’d had since birth and some that had been taught by Adeyemi, made him seem older than he really was. He was a kind Gembound, one who saw the world as something to be explored and loved. But his father had taught him not to act out. So he had slowly found some kind of balance between his young, adventurous spirit, and his polite manners. Sometimes it was hard not to be the child he wanted to be. But hearing even a complete stranger tell him that his father had done a ‘lovely’ job made him swell with pride, for he loved his father dearly.

The Prince listened quietly as the two older cats spoke to one another. He waited for a lull in the conversation, having been taught never to interrupt, then spoke again. “I am pleased to meet you, Lady Amaria, Ser Niru.” What now? “Ahh…” This was the noise he had chosen when there was a pause in his speech. Some said, ‘Um’ or ‘Uh.’ Xander’s ‘Let me think of what else to say’ noise was ‘Ahh.’ He used it when he was nervous, embarrassed, confused, when words did not come to him on time. It was a very prominent part of his speech, and he was entirely unaware of it. “I, ahh… was also born in Eridanus, though I have no particular home now. My home is wherever my father is, and he wanders. We are, ahh, wanderers. What was the word he used…?” Brows furrowed in thought for a moment. “Nomads!”

@Niru @Amaria

I sowwy this took so long. School has been freaking ridiculous. <3 Also I’m currently exhausted so if there are any glaring grammatical errors, it’s because my eyes are like closing of their own accord in tiredness.

i smiled now, turning my attention to amaria.
"hello amaria. which is it? remedy, or cure?"
i asked with enthusiasm, certainly too excited to wait to see which of the babies comes out more like a - whatever bevy was - or more of an amaria. i'd hoped i wasn't being too rude, or too forward. i was indeed attempting to accept the twins as my younger siblings. even though, i knew they were going to replace me.

my eyes rotated back to xander, who mentioned he was a nomad with his father.
"a nomad, you say?"
i gave a small nod.
"eridanus is a lovely place. the first gembound i met was a lamb by the name of wynry there. what a lovely person he was, so sweet and gentle."
i smiled at the memory of wynry, wondering what had happened to him - as i never went back to visit him like i said i would.

@xander
@amaria