A Little Slice Of Heaven, Familiars

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

It was a bright, clear day. The temperature was perfect, the breeze was perfect, and the smell of ocean was perfect. And Grimm, well, he was fairly certain this wasn’t real. He wasn’t sure if it was a dream, or something else entirely, but he just knew something was off. It didn’t worry him, and he didn’t feel threatened, which said a lot. So, Grimm simply let himself be pulled by some invisible thread, through the jungle and closer to the ocean. Everything would be explained, that he knew, and right now, he was mostly curious. But when he saw it? Well, he knew what this was. Maybe not why, but what.

The white marble temple was huge, bigger than he remembered it. Tucked on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean, it stood large and pristine, and seemed to faintly shimmer with magic. It made Grimm take a deep breath, a smile crossing over his feathers as he walked up the slope to the temple. He didn’t hesitate to head inside, the safe and secure feeling wrapping around him and allowing him to relax as he searched for the one he knew was here. This place felt different, and it felt like he was being watched, but Grimm knew there was no danger here, and there never would be. Whispers and echoes kept catching his attention, but he knew all would be answered.

The Temple was large, but the doctor found himself in a room with high walls and painted surfaces, wide windows opened and facing the ocean. And there she was, all golden and grown now, green eyes bright and brunette hair pulled back in a bun. She was a beautiful woman, shimmering with magic and the heart and soul of this safe haven. It bright a bright grin to Grimm’s face, and he opened his arms and hugged her tight, couldn’t resist swinging her around just to hear that laugh and get a light slap on his shoulder.

“I must teach you how to visit here more often, John. You look good here.” A cheerful kiss was placed on Grimm’s cheek, and she all but ignored the scowl that graced his features.

“I told you not to call me that.”

“You cannot deny who you are here. I know better.” With a twinkle in her eyes, she grasped Grimm’s hand and pulled him to the middle of the room. “Can you tell?” She smoothly changed the subject, unwilling to argue about something when she was just so right. Grimm never stood a chance, anyways.

The whispers, the echos, the laughter from a faraway place surrounded them and bounced off the walls. It honestly sounded like children playing in the distance, even if it seemed like things were close enough to touch. It was abstract, but after a moment of looking at her bright, happy, glowing form, Grimm just knew. And it was his turn to laugh, to beam, to scoop her up and twirl her around. “We’ll make things perfect. I promise.”

What was hours talking and planning and enjoying each other’s company was only minutes when Grimm finally woke up. He found himself napping in the middle of a field, his bag under his head as a pillow and Tilly grazing near him.

They had time, of course. Babies didn’t come into the world overnight.

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

The day had come.

However, that morning didn’t start out as he had expected it would.

He was, surprisingly, the first one awake. The sun shone brightly, and Grimm only had to nudge off a few shinies from the bed, and untangle himself from Saiph to get up. Something felt a little off, but Grimm really wasn’t awake enough to deal with it. So, padding into the bathroom in nothing but a thin pair of sleep pants, the doctor went to work with his morning routine. A shower was started, and he gave it a moment to heat up, and, well. It was merely luck that he glanced into the mirror.

Grimm had kept his hair short for years now. Not quite a military buzz, longer than that, but not long by any standards. But his reflection no longer held that appearance. Instead, overnight, his hair had grown longer. It wasn’t ridiculous by any means, having grown to touch his shoulders, and no longer, but it was still a sudden shock. Sure, weird things were always happening, but this...this was not something he was used to. “Oyvae!” Grimm shouted, uncaring that his mate was sleeping still. “The hell did you do?!”

Not my fault! The Star giggled from the bedroom. She just sounded innocent. Not that Grimm believed it.

Cursing up a streak, the doctor just stared at himself and ran his fingers through his longer hair. Well. At least it wasn’t like, pink or something. Just...longer. He supposed he could cut it later. For now...shower. Yeah.

The rest of the morning was hectic. Jo just had to brush his hair, and Grimm was fighting to keep it out of his eyes. But it was alright, and Grimm finally got out of the castle. Dressed in jeans, a comfortable t-shirt, and boots, the doctor was expecting this day to...well. Not get worse.

And he was right. It was about to get better.

Ceizlye had tucked her babies away from the world for the first few weeks. Grimm had been the only one privy to meeting them, the Ilumina protective and private and allowing only her mate and her bonded close. But as Grimm was heading to the village, she was there, in all her brilliant form, blocking his path. It’s time. I’ve gotten everything ready. You’re going to be there, right? The mare asked, ears perked as she took steps closer to butt her nose against Grimm’s chest.

Delight filled the doctor, even when she snorted softly and lipped at his longer hair. “I would be no place else. What have you planned?” Grimm asked curiously. He didn’t hesitate to pull himself onto the mare’s back when Ceizlye turned to offer her side, and he settled comfortably as she took him into the Jungle. He didn’t bother asking again; he would be the first to know, and the first to see, and that was enough for him.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

The doctor couldn’t resist the laugh when they hit the ocean. There, on a cliff face, was a temple, not unlike that of another reality. White marble gleamed in the late morning sun, and the breeze was salty and cool. Out in the distance, the drums beat a message, calling those to the cliff. Grimm ignored it, Ceizlye leading them up the stairs into the temple. Down a long hallway they went, her hooves clicking on the marble, until she reached a large room. There were furnishings around the perimeter of the room, tucked between large columns, comfy, squishy chairs, red divan sofas, and even a large couch. On the east side of the room, huge, tall windows faced the ocean and let in a steady stream of sun and a fresh, ocean breeze. And, of course, in the middle were the precious group of babies. They were bouncy, eager, and playing with one another, while Quinn lingered off to the side. He watched over them like the proud father he was.

“Well. Lets get this party started.” Grimm chuckled. There were plenty of pillows spread over the room, on the furniture and the floor, and Grimm snagged one large one to sit on, near the entrance, to keep an eye on things.

For all those eager to attend, the Damien Jabari would be waiting at the top of the steps. The Jaguar was mostly bristling at everyone, but he would not lay a paw on anyone...unless they started trouble. Go on. Straight in. The hallway will lead you to them. Do not worry about size, this is a place of magic. All are welcome. Fangs were bared in a smile to some of the intended, At least, all are welcome until they step out of line. And then you’re my problem. The top of the cat’s tail flicked, unhappy, but he was peaceful. For now.

Ceizlye and Quintell waited patiently, standing together as those that came entered. They were between the babies and the hopefuls, however, both waiting to see how everyone reacted.

And Grimm? Well. He was just busy tucking his hair behind his ears, and lounging comfortably. It was going to be a long morning, and he knew it. The babies here were Ceizlye's first, and all of them were going to have a hard time giving them up. But they needed to go out into the world, and be everything they were destined to be. It was an important, emotional day, and Grimm was going to do his best to make sure it went okay. That was all he could do.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

---

Notes
...Read the Familiar info.
...Shinies are welcome, big and small. But actions have consequences, and not all the babies might like that kind of company.
...Babies won’t bond to shinies.
...Post as little or as often as you like.
...The babies are likely to move around. Do/don’t follow them, it’s up to you.
...You must claim bonds within a week of being bonded, ICly. If you don’t, they’ll be wilded.
...And yes, that’s all you get for the babies right now. Descriptions will be posted when they bond.
...Questions? PM me.

Bonds 7/10
Damien Daric -- T'Rae
Damien Caden -- Kuk
Calum Warrin -- Da'chetre
Creeper Tsura -- Enke
Creeper Yasmin -- Geoffrey
Ariel Gale -- Estrella
Imp Cimon -- Zaerias

Wild 3/10
Ariel One
Ariel Two
Imp One


Challenges Of Life Damien
Inspiration |Color
Font color: cc0000
Form: Siberian Husky
Damiens have always been the warrior type, the fierce, protective ones, and in this sense, Daric is no different. He will defend to the death his family, fight with fang and claws, and not shy away from the pain of battle. He is not to be underestimated, for nothing is more important to him than his family. Go deeper than that, however, and you will find a brightly intelligent Familiar, who knows much and seeks to know more. Inquisitive, he is full of questions on all things he’s not certain of, but he does seem to know when the best time is, and when it isn’t, to ask. And if it isn’t? Well, you’ll just be questioned later on. He’s not going to forget these things, after all.

When it comes down to it, though, Daric is a peaceful type. Words can change the course of things far better than any violence, and he’s going to use them before he attacks. Some may see it as a weakness, this ability to talk down situations instead of just attacking in a mindless sort of way, but he does not. Words are powerful; they can cut to ribbons, or heal the hurt. There is always something to understand, and violence for violence’s sake is a poor way of coming to understand anything. He is patient, and he is steady, and there will never be any backing down. But there is friendliness, and there is mercy, and above all, there is the willingness to understand.

There is a sense of old, with Daric, a sense of timelessness that will never cease. He is his own being, and he does not need anyone to make up his mind for him. He will always be a constant at your side, but that does not mean he will always agree with you. But he doesn’t expect you to always agree with him, either. He will never be shy about speaking his opinion, about challenging yours if he truly feels he should, but there isn’t too much of a temper to speak of. He's happy with who he is, and he's happy with who you are. There's always room for change, of course, but that's just part of life. And a part of life he's excited to face, both alone and with his friends and family.

Oh, will you be busy with brushing duty. A Siberian Husky’s coat is double layered, and thick. The majority of Daric’s fur is a solid red, but part of his muzzle, throat, and chest darken into a crimson color. His eyes are interesting, one blue and one brown. He’s pretty average for a husky, standing about twenty-two inches at the shoulder, and weighing about forty-five pounds.

A New Day Has Begun Damien
Inspiration | Color
Font color: 990000
Form: Rocky Mountain Horse
Caden shares his brother’s laid back behavior. Sure, he might not be as aggressive as some other Damiens, but he doesn’t see anything wrong with that. He’s caring, though, protective of you and yours, and really, what else matters? He’s quite affectionate, when it comes down to it, prone to romantic advice whether you need it or not, and he sees no point in sitting home alone, wasting away. There are a lot of people out there, and you should be meeting them. You’ll find people you like, people you don’t like, friends, lovers...it’s how it should be. He believes firmly in taking that risk, and stepping forward to meet it. Sure, you’re gonna get burned. It happens to the best of people. But tomorrow is a new day, after all, and you’ll be able to pick yourself up and move on. New adventures await!

Kind and curious, Caden usually doesn’t resist holding his tongue. If he’s got a question, he’s going to ask it, but he’ll start showing more manners as he gets older. He’s not going to stop, of course, but he might at least learn some tact. Asking forgiveness is easier than asking permission, but at least you’ll usually find yourself in a good situation. He doesn’t try to cause trouble, he just...wants to be everywhere. He wants to go with you, to make sure you’re doing okay, and he just wants you to be happy. He will shove you into situations and make sure you play with the other children, don’t doubt that. But it’s all for your benefit. No more locking yourself away in your house to wallow in self pity.

Don’t think he’ll throw a party and just invite everyone over.

Caden looks like a typical Rocky Mountain Horse. He stands at about 15.2 hands (60.8” at the withers), and is completely willing and eager to let you ride him. He certainly won’t buck you off or let any harm come to you while on his back. He’s pretty solid in color, his body a dark, rusty brown that shines in the light, while his mane and tail are a brighter red. He’s got a perfect diamond shaped spot on his nose, matching the color of his mane and tail.

Ace Up Your Sleeve Calum
Inspiration | Color
Font color: 62D0FF
Form: Eastern Lowland Gorilla
Warrin is definitely a laid back Calum. It takes a lot to anger him, that’s for sure. He simply seems to like people, and it doesn’t really matter if a person might not be good, per sey, as long as they are nice to him and those he is closest to. Respect goes a long way for him, and when that respect is given, he’s the best friend you could ever have. Of course, disrespect him, threaten him, or treat him poorly, and you might find yourself surprised. Laid back he may be, but that does not mean he’s a pushover, or unwilling to say his mind. He’d rather keep things peaceful, as he does not like to be the violent sort. But that does not mean he is going to turn away from getting loud or vocal, or that he cannot be violent. His patience is not infinite, but he will still prefer to use words to physical aggression.

That doesn’t mean he can’t, or won’t, kick ass if it comes down to it.

For all his mellow temper, his negotiated words, Da’chetre will find himself with a friend that can be a major help in any battle or violent situation. Warrin might caution against a fast temper, or lashing out first and thinking later, but he’s a smart lad that knows how to fight. He can hold his own, he can protect his partner’s back, and he is going to keep his family safe. This doesn’t mean he’ll jump into the first fight he sees, but by the time he does join, he’s usually got people believing he’s harmless. Despite his size. And that works for him just fine. Being underestimated is what he does best, and he finds it a great amusement when others are surprised that he’s getting involved.

He’s a good friend, though. He’s good at really seeing people, and understanding all the little nuances of conversation and what can be read between the lines. His opinions on people, good and bad, will always be shared with you. He will also not hesitate to tell you when he thinks you’re being too fast to judge, or too fast to get aggressive. What you do with that knowledge is, of course, your choice, but don’t ever ask Warrin to be the quiet one. He doesn’t often do ‘quiet’ well.

Eastern Lowland Gorillas are some of the biggest gorillas there are, and it shows with Warrin. Standing straight, he reaches about five and a half feet tall, and weighs close to four hundred pounds. His fur is short and stiff, the majority of it being a light gray. As he gets older, the fur on his lower back will grow darker, and more blue. He’s strong and muscled, his hands as dexterous as any human, but he at least knows his own strength, and how to be gentle.

Knowledge Is Power Creeper
Inspiration | Color
Font color: 9900ff
Form: Wolverine
It’s never going to be easy to get along with this Creeper. She’s pushy, nosey, and demanding, for starters. She wants what she wants, when she wants it, and don’t you dare try to tell her no. Whether it’s about you, your friends, or some obscure piece of knowledge, she will find out. It’s easier to just tell her, of course, because there is no hiding anything from her. If you don’t tell her, be prepared for rather nasty tantrums. She’s going to get that information, and she’s going to do it the painful way, and then, once that’s done, she just might make sure everyone knows your dirty little secrets. Although, doing this the easy way does not guarantee that she won’t share your secrets with others, of course. It really comes down to what she’s going to get out of the deal. And, sometimes, your discomfort or anger is just worth it.

Tsura is really rather intelligent, when you get down to it. She’s almost as bad as an Imp when it comes to wanting to know things. Books are her favorite, but she’s well aware that not all things can be learned from them. She abhors stupidity, although her patience for correcting it can range from none at all to having the patience of a saint. It just depends on the topic, if you’ve gotten on her bad side lately, or if she’s just doing this to laugh at you. Probably safer to always assume the latter, and that she’s only doing this for her own benefit. When it comes down to it, Tsura isn’t interested in helping you, or anyone else. She’ll do it because it helps her in some way, or because it’s fun to play with you. She’s never going to be a friend, or a partner, but she may play the part.

Just...don’t trust her. She’ll coax you to, prove that she can be trusted, but she’s always going to have her own plans. She will not hesitate to do what needs to be done to get her way, and she’s prone to violent tantrums for no other reason than boredom. And she may not like you, may only want to play with you because you’re amusing, but don’t think you’ll get rid of her now. Your hers, and oh, will she enjoy making you remember that.

She’s large for a wolverine. Close to sixty-five pounds, and standing at eighteen inches at the shoulder, she’s not one to messed with, and not shy about throwing her weight around. Those fangs and claws are dangerously sharp, and she will draw blood. Her legs, belly, and tail are a dark purple, that lightens up to a brighter, purplish-pink mixture over her back. Right in the middle of her back is a large orange mark, and this color can be seen covering her muzzle and up over her face to her ears. Her fur is dense, thick, and coarse; her frame muscled and compact. She’s not going to be doing anything she doesn’t want to be doing, that’s for sure.

Path Less Traveled Creeper
Inspiration | Color
Font color: ff0000
Form: American Mammoth Jack
Yasmin is a difficult creature to be around, as you’ve probably guessed already. She doesn’t believe in making life easy, doesn’t believe in following society’s rules or behaving herself. Unless it suits some other purpose of hers, at least. She’s rather manipulative when she meets someone that she knows she can control, might lead them on a bit to get what she wants, but her attention span can be low for this. People are idiots, and it’s usually far too easy to get what she wants. But hey, if others are really going to bend over backwards to help her, because she’s asked or bullied, than, well, why not take advantage? There are consequences to everything that happens, and this she knows all too well. And, more often than not, everyone deserves those consequences.

If you’re going to be a stupid idiot and let someone tell you what to do, then yeah. You deserve it all.

She’s not kind in the slightest, and always making things harder than they have to be, but she is curious. Like her sister, she has an apparent love of knowledge, and it’s a good way of at least mellowing her mood for a bit. Most of the knowledge she doesn’t use for good...not that you should have expected her to. But it’s not just how things work, it’s how you work, how you think, how you act. And if that means sabotaging equipment just to see a new reaction, yeah. She’s not below that. She might just think it’s the best damn thing to happen all day. You’ll realize quickly she has a strong sense of humor...often dark and morbid, and often at your expense, but well. At least someone is laughing?

Yasmin isn’t going to ever be a close friend, and she’s never going to go out of her way to make sure you’re safe. If you or yours can’t take care of themselves, it’s your own damn fault. She looks out for herself, even if she is a troublemaker. She has no love of taking the easy path through life, and it might leave her bruised and bloodied at times, but oh, does she love it. Independance is no curse to her, but something she embraces, and she won’t turn her back on it for you or anyone else.

Mammoth Jack’s are large, and she is no exception to the rule. She stands at 16 hands (64” at the withers), and has a sleek, soft coat. She’s mostly black and shiny, with a large red spot over her withers and part of her back. There are other, smaller spots of red on her neck and legs, over her ears and mane. For all her size, don’t think she’s actually going to let anyone ride her, though. You might not want to take any offer of it, either. She’s known to be tricky, after all.

Pursuit Of Happiness Ariel
Inspiration | Color
Font color: A827FE
Form: Giant River Otter
Gale is, without a doubt, one of the most cheerful shinies you’ll met. He’s happy to be around all types of people, happy to share in a laugh, or happy to spend his time making someone that’s feeling low happy again. He’s bright, and warm, and happy, and while he does understand that there are reasons for sadness, he doesn’t think that anyone should have to be alone for it. He’s just about everyone’s friend, although that doesn’t mean he’s going to let someone treat himself, or his bonded poorly. Sure, he’s a happy guy, wants to share that happiness with everyone, but he has little patience for abuse or mean words. No, he’s not the type to get violent...it will never be a first response for him, but he will turn and walk away. He sees no point in arguing a pointless battle, and he’s not going to sit there and throw cruel words out.

Really, being cheerful is just easier. For an Ariel, he’s surprisingly sensitive to other’s needs and wants. He chooses to use this knowledge for the good of everyone, instead of just blindly ignoring it and barring on like a bull. He’s too kind for it, too eager to bring smiles to faces and enjoy the laughter. If it means the joke's on him, and that he makes himself a fool, well, so be it! He knows how to laugh at himself, after all. There’s no shame in being the butt of a joke, and he does understand the difference between malicious intent and meanness. He urges other people to understand this, too. Some people are just too caught up in their own self importance, and need to learn to relax. Life is about having at least a little bit of fun!

Gale is full of energy, and will be able to keep up on even their grandest adventures. Bouncy and happy, he knows that he could end up being a bit annoying, but he won’t ever mean any harm. He’s always going to be there for you, that he can promise. Loyal to a fault, he’s going to make sure you smile when you’re down, that you can rant to him if you’re upset, and even if you’re sulking, you’ll have a constant companion, waiting for you to be cheerful again. He’s never going to be a quiet one, but surely you can forgive him for that. There’s always so much to say!

He’s pretty decently sized for a River Otter. He’s about six feet long, from the tip of his nose to his tail, and weighs a good seventy pounds. His fur is a medium shade of purple, while he has a large white marking from his lower jaw down over his chest. He does tend to look darker, however, when he’s been in the water.

Dance Like Nobody Is Watching Imp
Inspiration | Color
Font color: BAD0EF
Form: Leopard Cat
Cimon makes his own way through life, and he really doesn’t care if he’s a little weird or not. He’s nosy, like a good Imp should be, wanting in anyone’s business for no other reason than being a pain, but he doesn’t seem interested in doing much with the information he has. He’s not one to share secrets, and he’s not one to be bribed easily for those secrets. He’s content with his knowledge, and perhaps letting you know he knows, but beyond that? No harm will come from him knowing. It might amuse him to tease you a little bit, but it really is all in good fun. And that just makes him easy to get along with, for all his little quirks and not taking things seriously. Taking things too seriously is boring and not worth it, and really, life is supposed to be fun! Didn’t you know? No? Well, he’ll teach you the right way of going about life now.

He dances to his own tune, uncaring if anyone is watching or not. There seems to be not a shred of shame or embarrassment in him, no matter how foolish he looked when he was caught. And don’t think he won’t try to make that rub off on you, too. Looking silly, being silly, can be fun, and it can brighten everyone’s mood. And yeah, so maybe there will be some people that laugh at you instead of with you, but screw ‘em. You don’t need those types of people in your life anyways.

Alright, so Cimon might possibly have missed the entire notion that his rank were introverts. Sure, he might like some quiet alone time, maybe with a book, maybe with you, but beyond that, he’s almost always moving, always finding out about people. He likes people, and he’s not intimidated by any of them. Crowds don’t bother him, attention doesn’t bother him, and he’s perfectly happy being up and about. And dragging you with him. Don’t think he doesn’t know all about you, and what you actually prefer to do. But he’ll make sure you’re having fun, at least. That’s what he’s here to do, after all.

He’s rather average sized, for a Leopard Cat. He’s about two and a half feet long, with his tail adding about ten more inches to his length, stands at about sixteen inches, and weighs in at around nine pounds. He’s all silvery, with a white belly and neck, and his spots are nothing more than a faint sheen of light blue.

Ariel One
Inspiration | Color
Font color: FF97E8

Ariel Two
Inspiration | Color
Font color: 23819C

Imp One
Inspiration | Color
Font color: C0A545

It was a glorious day, that was certain. Katsumi stretched out, hands reaching towards the sky, eyes closed in the pleasure of the action. Let's face it, there's not a single being that doesn't enjoy a good stretch. Except maybe Geoffrey. But the cyborg seemed, to Kat, to not enjoy anything really. Her head tilted to listen to the drum beats, trying to make sense of them. It'd gotten easier to decipher George's pounding, she'd certainly been here long enough, but every now and then there was a moment of difficulty in it.

Like now.

Either he was inviting everyone to his new bed and breakfast, or there were Familiars at a temple. Either way, it sounded perfectly delightful to Katsumi. The red haired woman stood up from her porch step and walked through the front door of the home her Ariel, Cyrus, had to helpfully assisted in designing.

Within, Katsumi changed into something a bit nicer than the clothes she wore for daily household chores. She slipped into a pair of dark blue jean shorts and wore a black-striped white halter top under an unzipped black jacket. It wasn't anything fancy- Kat had an assortment of scanty dresses for that- but it sure beat smelling like Seere and the Blazies. Off the end table she snatched her strange and furry patchwork bag, the one that had been mangled by Fisi in the past. The woman carefully checked it over for any stowaways and then, content that she was Psyder free, set off for the Temple/B&B.

---

The Hellhound gaped at the tall temple. She'd seen a number of different surroundings that tended to just sort of... appear around the Weyrd, but this place looked huge. She'd never seen a temple of this size!

Then again, she'd only seen two temples. And both times the occupants had tried to kill her. It was with this in mind that she approached the Jaguar at the top of the steps. "Er, hello, I don't suppose this is a bed and breakfast..?" Katsumi asked. The Jaguar gave her a look and a set of brusque instructions. Katsumi was not one to really argue with toothy creatures like Whers and Dragons and Jaguars, so she did as she was bid without too much hesitation.

The silly woman began to look for lines on the floor. He had said not to step out of line, and she was almost positive he meant this metaphorically but... On this Planet, it was best to take nothing for granted. Having decided a row of tiles with which to walk on, you know just in case, Katsumi made pretty good progress down the hallway and into the room of creatures.

There was Grimm. Kat actually didn't know the man's name, as she'd only seem him a handful of times, and was pretty sure they'd never actually spoken. Then there were the two Familiars between her and a bunch of others. "Hi, I'm Katsumi," she said with a grin and a wave. "Nice to meetcha!" She looked at Quin for a fairly long time before announcing with the same cheerful needlessness as always, "You look like Cyrus!" The resemblance was... not uncanny. Quin was a buffalo. Cyrus was a bison. But she was trying to be friendly. She leaned sideways to look around the parents, and saw the second Damien. "Hey! You do too! I should've brought Cyrus, he would've fit right in!"

That was so, totally, untrue. Geoffrey enjoyed not enjoying other things. So ha!

Hey, not everyone can be living proof of the fact that ignorance is bliss. Someone has to, uh, be the counterexample. Right. Go with that.

Anyway. Clean clothes at the insistence of his Ailoa Parade and some subtle comments from Zhiema, his typical ordinary worn leather bag over his shoulder, and a double check that Alcander's enchanted carving was in his pocket, as it always was both day and night without exception. Something out of the ordinary, however, was the Llanor, now grown, who had quietly requested she come with him to see how the bonding proceeded. Of course Geoffrey couldn't turn away the young female Hadriel, aware of how much stress she was placing on herself by taking the risk of seeing inside his soul herself, and Teinhir and Geoffrey would arrive in front of the Jaguar temple bouncer side-by-side.

In case you were wondering, Geoffrey gave the Jaguar a tight, silent, unpleasant toothy grin back. F-cking ponies and f-cking truces.

Inside the temple, he didn't even pretend to make eye contact or offer friendly nods, smiles, hellos, anything of that sort for Katsumi or Grimm. He just found himself a place quite a ways off, actually, and sat down crosslegged on the flat floor, falling into a posture he could hold for a long time and then simply fixing the cluster of babies with a steady, drilling gaze. Teinhir followed suit, settling down on the floor with her head and front half of her body draped resting on his lap, eyes glancing somewhat sideways at the babies.

Meliai had no intention of answering the call of any drums today. No, today belonged to one of her newer bonds. The idea of having a hulking bear creature around was a little frightening at first, but the scout was an adorable cub and the growing bond between them easily dispelled any uneasy feelings. Although still only a little more than half grown now, Persiarc dwarfed Mel's small frame. When the two slept together, or sunned in the grass, Mel almost disappeared, engulfed by the creature that still had a good case of the baby fuzzies. Something that she was unlikely to entirely outgrow.

So when the drums rang out, Mel and Persiarc didn't hear, rather, they didn't bother to listen. No. Their senses were filled with song birds, the rustling of leaves and grass and the thick, sweet scent of catalpa blossoms. And there was plenty to do, even though none of it need be done.

The scout had been showing her how to paint her fur with vine motifs to better hide her in the dappled shadows of the forest. Being hands on, Mel had helped to paint and requested to be painted too. The result was a perfectly mismatched pair smudged with brown-black creeping ivy across their respective skin and fur. Both dressed for the part, their next activity was obvious. As scouts they must go scouting.

They had spotted the temple out on the cliff from far away. The reflection of sunlight was only one thing that made it glaringly obvious. With as much precision as the minds of excited children could manage, they stalked the large building. Their progress seemed painfully slow, but Mel was learning the art of scouting and quelled her desire to hurry.
But when they were close enough she could stand it no longer and rushed from the wooded cover toward the temple, large bear creature in tow.

No! This is not how we scout! The chiding was not serious in tone as the two tore past the jaguar with hardly a glance.

Mel's feet took the to the steps with a wreckless speed as she ran through the grand peristyle with barely a glance. So focused on what was now going to become a game of hide and seek, she did not stop to consider that someone might live here, or that she shouldn't interrupt. Instead she ran down the hall, perhaps leaving smudged footprints and handprints in her wake.

Tucking herself behind the first column at the end of the hallways she spotted Grimm. She waved, trying to contain her laughter. She noticed something different about the man, but she never got to ask the question or reason it out. The doctor had caused her to drop her guard and the Kosaire came tearing in, full on tackling the poor girl.

The move looked much more violent than it was. With Persiarc's size and throaty roar, it would be impossible for anyone who didn't know the pair to reason the Kos would never let Mel come to harm. The only indication that it wasn't a random bear mauling in the middle of a Familiar bondingwas the ringing laughter that bounced off of the columns when the scout's roar died down.

Beneath so much Kos fur she couldn't determine yet that they had arrived at a bonding, but they had arrived, intending to or not.

Those drums again.

He'd heard them a few times now. This place really enjoyed them, it seemed. Zaerias kept walking as he listened to it, long pointed ears trying to block out the ruckus of the jungle in order to do so. Thankfully he had good hearing, and he caught the message to go to the cliffs. What was up with this place, sending such public messages out to go to certain places at random times? The Dark Fey couldn't fathom their reasonings yet... yet. He figured at some point he would. Magic brought him here and he didn't think it was taking him back anytime soon.

He kept on walking, mindless and letting his mind wander. He eventually found the edge of a cliff, and chuckled darkly. Well, he'll be damned. He ended up listening to the drums regardless of whatever intention he'd had. Pushing his hair back, he turned away from the (rather impressive, he'd admit) sights of the jungle below and walked along the edge of the cliff. He kept walking and stopped when he caught sight of a building. It looked like a temple from the Air Court, which made him laugh. He knew that it wasn't, and he kept walking towards it, figuring it must be what the drum was signaling about.

The man slowed his pace considerably when he rounded a side of the building and found a rather large jaguar lounging at the steps. Their eyes connected once he came into sight, and he knew better than to test the feline's strength. He was not fitted for that kind of misshappening; a sleeveless shirt and a pair of dark jeans, not the kind of clothing meant to withstand brute strength, claws, and teeth. The Fey could also tell with the cat's piercing gaze that he was extremely intelligent, and at unease. The telltale sound of voices from past him revealed that there were people inside, however, so obviously a few had gotten past him...

The Jaguar growled and then relayed his message. The Fey quirked a brow to hear the mindvoice filter past his thoughts. So some of these beasts had unlocked that part of their minds. How peculiar. After he finished speaking, the tattoo artist exhaled sharply through his nose and then walked up the steps. He paused at level with the wild cat, glancing at him with his purple eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said in his low, sultry tone, then winked at the cat before continuing on past him. And lemme tell you, the Jaguar didn't take kindly to his tone, growling warningly at him as he continued on.

Just call him headstrong, ladies and gents~

His gaze first snapped over to the side upon entering, noticing Grimm lounging on a pillow with the air of watcher about him. "Evening," he said curtly to the man, figuring he might as well be somewhat civil to the person in charge. He really did have that sort of an air about him, as it were. Then he continued on, peering around at the young animals of varying species, most of which he recognized. But before he could continue any further, there was a loud roar--he quickly jumped to the side as a bear tore through and tackled a slight girl right to the ground.

What the f-ck? Before the Fey could figure out what he wanted to do with this situation, he heard laughter- clearly feminine and clearly from the girl that was being engulfed in bear fur. She seemed to be perfectly fine, as if this was an everyday occurance. The Dark Fey growled softly, for he didn't really like to be confused. He put a hand to his temple, then approached Meliai and her Kos, eyeing the bear in fierce wariness. "This a normal thing for you two? I suppose you speak as well as the others," the first was directed to the girl- the second, to the bear.

On second thought...he seriously hoped they spoke the same language as him.

[ooc; x3 Confused Fey is confused~ Hope you don't mind the rudeness, Mel <33]

It was a miracle. Chet was dressed in something *other* than his brown cargo shorts.

Well, okay, it wasn't that much of a miracle. He was still dressed much the same, but now his usual shorts were white. And his leather harness was a darker brown, almost black color. What had happened, you ask? Redalur, his Catahoula Ailoa had been begging him to dress up ever since she'd become his companion at that dance. He'd looked so nice at that dance, according to her, and she missed her smartly dressed Horansi.

Still, it was weird. So, baby steps. This was a start, right? He looked pretty dashing, if you asked little Red. The change of color just made his eyes stand right out!

It was all for the drums, of course. Showing up at a bonding in his dazzling new pants was surely to draw a few eyes. Redalur wanted to see that for herself, so she insisted on tagging along to the cliffs.

Also at his side was the Blossom Seedmorph, Jag. She was just as pretty as the Ailoa at his side, what with her Orchid headpiece and similarly tipped tail, but she was a far different creature on the inside. A fierce advocate of Political Correctness in the form of not stereotyping other by sex or station, she wanted to come along and spread her message.

Next to the girly, giggling Ailoa, this could be interesting.

But Chet was happy for both their company, finding he enjoyed them for different reasons. They reached the temple and Red squealed in delight, enthralled with the idea of dancing through the hallways.

The passed the Jaguar and Chet's brow lifted in interest. That guy looked an awful lot like, well, Chet. He grinned at the cat, listened to those words. He wasn't here to cause trouble and nodded his agreement. Jag nodded sharply to the Familiar as well, and soon the three of them were walking down the path to the room.

What met them there was a growing group of people--only one being utterly unfamiliar to him. Grimm seemed to be chilling out with what Chet could only assume were Familiars, given their wide array of appearances. His eyes caught curiously on the clouded leopard in particular, but in the end he took up Geoffrey's tactic and found a quiet place to sit quietly. The Catahoula found a spot to sit in his lap and the Seedmorph took up a spot standing beside him, waiting and watching for someone to say something.

((I hope two shinies is alright. I wasn't planning on bringing the Ailoa, but she was very insistant.))

Umber wasn’t one for temples on the ocean, less if they were bright, white, and messed with her head. At least, that’s how the witch interpreted the strange feelings radiating at her psych when she first stepped inside. The Jaguar drew a bit of a smirk from the witch. His problem indeed. Magical creature or not, Umber would take down most creatures with her if they bit. After all, her blood was more poisonous than a medusa’s stare. But, no. The witch was not here to cause trouble, so there was no reason for the familiar to be too wary of Umber.

Cake clucked, scurrying about Umber’s feet in a cheerful mood. The rotund gryphette somewhat ruined the witch’s bad-girl image. At least most of those gathered around would know that even if Umber had a fondness for fat and fluffy chickens, she was not to be toyed with. Her eyes were still dark and heavy-lidded from midnight potion brewing, and she sank into a pillow with a small sigh. Around her, she could see Katsumi, the cyborg, Melai, Chet, and one unfamiliar face aside from the Good Doctor.

Her eyes laid upon the cyborg, A-13, for longer than the others. She couldn’t fault him for Gatsby’s choices, those lay with the werewolf alone. Umber also couldn’t afford to make an enemy of Geoffrey, considering that he held tissue samples from Umber secured in his lab. Who knew what could come from those in his hands.

“It’s been a while, star-cat,” the witch commented from her seat near Da’chetre. Cake clucked in what one might assume was agreement. Chicken agreement.

What's that noise? T'Rae grumbled and rolled over, pulling the blankets further up over her ears, someone was clearly not that keen on the idea of her going back to sleep when there was something happening. Not that it had been a particularly restful three hours of sleep, but that was beside the point. The point was three hours of not-restful-at-all sleep was not at all what she wanted, and she didn't care if there was something else going on she was going to skip out on it and get some sleep instead. Mostly it wasn't happening. Familiars right, Familiars are fascinating creatures, you have Familiars, what are they? It was only a tiny sliver of the endless train of questions parading from the Niatu standing on her back, and finally T'Rae sighed and sat up, dropping him off onto the bed in the process.

"I'm not telling you. We'll go and you can find out for yourself." She grumbled, hauling herself out of bed to find something clean to wear, which would ultimately be disappointed in finding anything that didn't need to be washed. Well she knew what she was doing tomorrow morning, or this afternoon depending on just how this Familiars thing was going to go. So T'Rae pulled up a pair of her nicer slacks, and nicked Geoffrey's backup shirt from her wardrobe, the whole time blankly answering Qlar'hy'ex's questions about Familiars, at least as much as she understood about them. They were a little bit of an enigma to her, and not one that went very well with being easily studied.

The Serpen was not at all helpful in getting ready, quickly making a habit of being underfoot and somehow always sitting where she needed to be, and by the time she got her bag stocked, giving the Niatu a bit of frozen meat to keep his mouth occupied over the trip (it didn't work) she wandered back to the barn for a ride. Korsau was as eager as ever, but for the most part T'Rae had been working on breaking the eldest Dawnblush, though she did stop a moment to sneak Taluhk a treat, the foal still baby-ish enough to sucker T'Rae into it with those pretty eyes. So with Va'ne for a ride, and Qlar'hy'ex wrapped around her shoulders, the Vulcan made her way out for the cliffs and the somewhat impressive temple.

Seeing Va'ne settled outside with somewhere nice to graze T'Rae offered a polite greeting to the Jaguar, with her hand clamped around the Niatu's mouth when he tried to ask the Damien what his true form might be. The location was no problem to find, and a cursory examination was offered of the room and its occupants before her eyes settled on Grimm. Or what she thought was Grimm, perhaps. "Who are you and what have you done with the Doctor?" She teased him absently as she passed, offering a formal bow of her head to both Ceizlye and Quintrell before wandering farther into the room and taking the obvious route to settle down by Geoffrey.

It only seemed fair to the young Familiars, two minds connected being at least close to each other, and she felt safer that way with some of the occupants of the room being who they were. This should prove to be an interesting afternoon, at least, Familiars almost always were.

Actually, it wasn't the hubbub with Oyvae and Grimm that woke him up; it wasn't even that the little Star used him as a meat shield and dove for cover and safety under him from his angry mate. It was the arguing of Oyvae and the newest member of the Ikal'daka pack -- all of three feet from his face.

Hvers vegna, þú pikku rotta! I ar trebui să Sie essen, du räudige Krähe!

At first, he was insanely confused, because he'd counted at least four languages in her rant, as the leggy wolf reared up on the bed to snarl at the little Gryphon. Can't prove it, eek! SAIPH! The little one squeaked, burrowing further under her bonded as Saiph stared vaguely at the giant snarling wolf who'd basically crawled in bed with them. "Linthel," Mildly, sleepily, he closed a hand around the canine's jaw to stop the spittle-expelling snarling. "I'd appreciate it if you'd get your muddy ass paws off of my bed." Just a little more irritable, he ignored the fact that the wolf was sporting a rockin' foot-long coat of fur and shot a glare to the Zanjur's eagle friend, who was peering in his bedside window with way too much amusement. "Oh, stuff it, you. Go fly up a creek or something." Mildly amused, since he knew she was only waiting like a stalker because she wanted to make sure that Linthel wasn't going to be strung up by her tail, he flapped a hand at the affectionate bird. She gaped her beak in a grin. Linthel, will you assist me outside? The eagle requested jovially, and the wolf shot one last angry glare at both of them before prancing off.

"You look like a badass, Linthel!" He shouted after the Zanjur, preening a little when that got a giggle out of Katyusha as the giant bird dropped out of frame. As soon as she was gone, however, he turned a jaundiced eye on the pinfeathered little Gryphon who stared up at him. Only halfway-feathered, she did look kind of mangy, and not at all innocent as she gaped her beak and drooooped her ears cutely. I love you! She chirped, and -- okay, maybe he let himself be buttered up just a little, but she was awfully cute. He grinned, stretching luxuriantly and ignoring the muddy pawprints on his bed. "Why do you taunt the ones who can still eat you, bub?" He asked with a chuckle. "You know you can only push the Ikal'daka so far." It was a gentle reprimand, but a firm one, as he glanced around with a sleepy smile. "Grimm already go off to work?" The lad wondered, scratching his side as he scooted out of bed. It was probably late; he had only fallen asleep at some wee hour of the morning, and after a few days of being up most of the time he'd slept pretty good.

Ummm, The little Gryph's silvery eyes darted around warily. No. Grimm went with Ceizlye! She had babies! I want to see the babies. Can we please? Can we please? She pleaded, and Saiph blinked. Of course, he knew, in a through-the-grapevine kind of way that Ceizlye had a passel of little ones. She was being protective, and he understood that thoroughly -- Alicja hadn't let him allow anybody within half a mile of her or her precious foals, so he hadn't seen them...had he missed the opportunity to? Panic flailed a little in his stomach-region as he stumbled into the closet and pulled on the closest clothing he could find. One of Grimm's black undershirt tee-shirts didn't exactly fit him swimmingly, but he at least found his way into his own pair of khakis and flip-flops. Were he a little bit less panicked, he would have taken the time to select the best outfit, and definitely to at least fix his hair, but...well, he wasn't exactly feeling calm.

He nearly tumbled down the stairs headlong, only pausing to give a sharp mental prod to Carinae to make sure she and Rhyliae were seeing to Joanna's schooling before he flailed bodily from the castle. He was only marginally surprised when Kirae bolted from the clear blue sky and grabbed him around the midsection and gathered him in her arms, laughingly darting up into the sky. That left poor Oyvae and Nicuvae on the steps, but he didn't really doubt that they'd find a way to follow him eventually. They were pretty clever. You think I would let you miss Ceizlye's first children, my own? Shame! Never would I. Hold tight, Saiph, we will be there quickly! She laughed, warm, honeyed voice a soothing balm for the panic he was definitely still feeling. It was hard to panic with a literal bird's-eye view of their home, though, so he let the Star grip him in the sliiightly awkward bearhug and tried not to get in her way. She flew over the mountains and over verdant jungle, for longer than he would have thought -- until a temple appeared far below among the seaside cliffs. The Gryphon swiftly descended, at that point, and the ground rushed up at them dizzily before abruptly leveling off.

Behave, love. The Star laughed, and Saiph was highly amused when she gently dangled him down to a soft foot-steady landing on the top landing of the steps. He saluted her and turned to Grimm's Damien, an eyebrow lofting up for the protective tone. He remembered sprawling in the sand with Grimm and Jabari years ago, the day Ceizlye came into his mate's life, and no, he wasn't too concerned that his mate's Familiar might eat him. Of course, there were bigger fish to fry, so to speak -- and as soon as Saiph caught sight of the Illumina inside, all bets were off. It was totally breaking all protocol as to how you greet Familiar parents, but Saiph didn't give a rusty damn; he bolted inside at a breakneck speed, not caring in the slightest that his flip-flops slapped loudly on the grand marble floors as he approached the lovely Andalusian with a distinct lack of inhibitions or proper tact.

It probably didn't surprise Ceizlye that he flung himself at her neck, wrapping his arms strongly around the soft golden horse and hugging her tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Ceizlye!" He whispered, grinning brightly as he met one of her eyes and planted a way-too-loud kiss on the furry cheek below it. 'Mwah!'ing loudly, he rocked back on his heels, extending the happy grin to Quin; and even going so far as to shoulder-punch the Calum lightly. It was a man thing. Right. Of course. "You better be glad you didn't let me sleep through this, young lady. Don't think you're old enough that I can't make Grimm ground you." He grumbled with a grin once more back at the horse, huffing and finally taking a step back. Right, yes, propriety and all. If everybody went around hugging the ma-horse, that probably wasn't going to go so well. And speaking of Grimm -- the lad glanced around maybe a little wildly, messy hair flapping about his face as he sought out his mate. And skipped right over him twice. But wait:"Grimm?" Blinking vaguely, he eyed the hair with a mystified kind of brow-wrinkle. "...Oyvae." Oh, yes. That. Cue a nice pinch of the bridge of his nose.

The babies, you say? Give him a minute. He was just a little bit distractable when he first woke up. Just wait 'til he sees 'em!

["Why, you little rat! I ought to eat you, you mangy little crow!"]
[DFCLKVNMEFROBKERMJHBERPO FAMS. 8D THAT IS ALL.]

He was not entirely sure which languages the curses were that poured out in a torrent, but they certainly did roll off the tongue with a flourish, so Enke kept them up. It was the blasted heat! He forgot how infernally uncomfortable the world could be, trapped in this useless sack of a human form that positively dripped from every pore. Damn heat and damn jungles and damn...everything else that was damnable, which was quite a lot, and so the curious half-forgotten curses kept tumbling out.

He was kicking at the damp soil and, predictably, scowling, as he batted branches, flowers, leaves, and insects out of his bath way. He was tense, for sounds of a sort he had never heard reverberated all around him. He was just waiting for some beast to leap out and attack.

Ranna was his trusty companion today, however. The bell was upside down, his left hand curled around the clapper. He had let go once and almost subsided for a nap among a suspicious patch of gaudy plants.

Perhaps it was a product of his heat-addled brain, but it seemed the trees were beginning to thin out. He paused, trying to shake off the pesky feeling of fatigue that lingered. Oh. Perhaps it would help if he shed his surcoat.

And so he did, reluctantly returning Ranna to her pouch for a few moments. Almost reverent, he folded the faded garment and then scratched his head. How to carry it without soiling it further...hmm. He tried speaking a string of marks, but they fizzed and died on his tongue, and he yelped at their sting. Ah, not yet, it seemed.

He really ought to see about some sort of pack. It was vexing.

Shrugging, he draped the heavy thing over his shoulder, retrieved his bell, and carried on. Shortly thereafter, he emerged into sunlight. Real sunlight, not the watery stuff that filtered down beneath the jungle canopy. The brightness should have hurt his eyes, perhaps, but they flared brightly, dimmed, and that was all.

Was he experiencing a pounding headache, or was he hearing drums?

He cocked his head, shaking hair out of his eyes. Hmm. Definitely drums. War drums? Message drums? Who knew?

Something was nagging at him, something he could not name and did not particularly like. It pulled him away from the jungle, propelled him toward the Charter only knew what. He'd felt such inexorable calls before, and rarely did they bode will for Enke. Yet every time, he hearkened.

He dropped his head and carried on.

As it turned out, it was well that he did, for the sight he came upon was certainly a feast to behold. A stark white temple, glorious and...magical. Yes, he felt a buzz of magic from it, though it was an alien sort. Beyond it was the ocean, but with the pulse of magic wavering so near, he spared nary a glance for the scenery. Best get on with it, then.

He tramped toward the temple, some of his exhaustion evaporating. When he reached the top of the stairs, he stopped, hand spasming, but the Jaguar-thing spoke before he could flip Ranna to let her sound.

It spoke? Humph. This must be one of those Shiny-Pretties, or whatever, that chatterbox had warned him of. Well, it certainly didn't seem wild, though it was unquestionably dangerous. Best to pass it by. Enke did so, according it a nod. Intriguing...

Oh. Wait. If he was going into a temple, he ought to look his best, at least. After he had stepped inside, he let the surcoat slip from his shoulder and finagled his way back into the sweat-dampened thing. At least here there was a delicious breeze, making the weather fairly perfect...suspiciously so.

Enke was altogether unprepared for what he saw. He noticed rapidly and with some trepidation the chatterbox girl. Katsumi? Yes, he supposed that was right, or near enough. But in addition to that one somewhat-familiar face, there was some sort of...bear-wrestler? Metallic man? Cat person? Various absurdities, all utterly incongruous with one another in a room full of squashy pillows, assaulted him at once, and he swayed back onto the balls of his feet. Now that he thought of it, perhaps the chatterbox-gir-being had tried to warn him of this.

There was the headache he had earlier suspected, throbbing at his temples. The soothing buzz of magic around him kept it from growing unbearable, but he was quite sure he had no idea what was about to happen, and that, in Enke's long experience, was never a good thing.

He hesitated close to the entrance, ignoring the preposterous desire to saunter up to the only person he knew. That girl's sunny babbling would only worsen the pounding in his head, and besides, he was above such foolish human anxieties! Wasn't he?

A Rough Collie was lying next to a Kos much larger than her. They were in the shade of the jungle trees, chatting and relaxing. As the Kos reached over to give a big lick to the side of the Familiar’s face, a crowd watching from afar ‘Awww’d to themselves.

Oh, I wish they could have babies! They would be so cute and Sioani and Liaj would be such good parents! The determined, youthful Golden Retriever rolled onto her back anxiously. Estrella sat next to her, and among an entire group of shinies, spying on the odd-species couple.

There are no boundaries when it comes to love, The Gypsy Vanner Horse announced confidently. All the females (except Estrella, of course) sighed at that ideal statement.

Maybe fate will work out something special for them… The Gryphon’s optimistic, colorful voice provided hope for their musings.

You all need to learn to be more realis— Everybody spun around and shushed the Llanorte at once. The group glare was enough to move him along his way, but the headstrong Agrathne snapped his jaws at them as he passed. Idiots! Idiots in denial, all of you!

Then the drums sounded and Estrella felt the impulse to take the couple on an outing, where all the shinies who were slightly obsessed with them could leave them alone.

Sioani and Liaj walked side-by-side with the pirate in the lead. Even the pirate couldn’t help but smile a little at their contented conversations. When the Angel had brought the Scholar home, Estrella didn’t even know what a Kos was. The male was a bit awkward and illogical in some standard things, but when it came to studying he turned into some sort of genius. His good nature and odd charm was a perfect match for the calm, thoughtful Familiar.

Upon reaching the temple, the trio was a bit taken aback by its sheer size and elegance. However, it felt quite welcoming and they didn’t hesitate the climb the wide set of stairs. The happy pair with Estrella kept the woman calmer than she would be on her own. Jabari received a smile from the pirate.

“I never cause trouble; don’t worry.” As if she completely believed it, the woman strolled right on into the temple.

Thank you. Sioani mentally smiled as she passed, grateful for the welcome. Liaj nodded in agreement, letting the Angel walk in front of him.

They took their time going down the long hallway and, when they reached the large room, inspected their surroundings before approaching the parents. Estrella waved in greeting.

“Hello.”

Oh, they’re lovely! Sioani accidentally cut in, practically melting onto the floor once she spotted the young ones behind the parents. She looked a little bashful at her outburst, and quickly recollected herself before looking at the mother and father. Congratulations. There was a hint of sorrowful jealousy in her voice—just a tiny hint.

Liaj always felt a bit awkward in social situations, but the large creature didn’t look intimidating despite his size. He looked a little nervous and unsure, but he relaxed once Sioani spoke to the parents first.

I’m a physician, he spat out awkwardly. I mean, I just finished overlooking a litter of Demonhound puppies. If you ever require my services, you may contact me. He grinned the best that a bear-like creature could, then realized that he might have sounded rude. They look perfectly healthy from here! They do. But if my field of study can ever help… He trailed off, flexing one of his paws on the ground to distract himself.

Estrella was busy waving at the folks that she knew around the room, grinning and making colorful expressions.

What do you want with more brats, anyway? The only, and he repeats, only reason Lucas ever brought Vhaid anywhere was because she was the only one that could translate for Jiole. And for some reason the two were close, probably because they were related, only because they were related. Xun naut tlu ji hass'l, dalninil. Jiole’s ears bent back and he pushed his head towards his sister’s flank with disapproval. Vhaid scoffed but she did shut her mouth. “You better keep your cute words to yerself when we get there.” Lucas muttered none too mildly. Honestly, he didn’t know why exactly he was going. Familiars for him were kind of a hit or miss, he liked Litus well enough, the Calum was cool. Mitzi though? Lucas was pretty sure her original and true form was a demon or something. You know, some form of b-tch.

We here now. Jiole’s common was definitely subpar, but it still made Lucas smile. The Kyorli had been working his ass off to learn some of his language, particularly because Lucas was his “friend”. Their friendship clearly meant the world to the Common ranked male, and Lucas could see the silver touch at his pupil-less eyes. The lack of pupils was creepy he had to admit, but he’d take Kyorli over nevershutup Zanjur any day. You coming or what? Any. Day.

“Trouble, me? I would never!” No no, Jabari, that wasn’t sarcasm, he was serious! Lucas wouldn’t start trouble, trouble sometimes...just found him. And hell man who could blame it? Lucas was just damn irresistible.

“Sup?” Lucas walked straight in, looking at the doctor from a distance. He instructed both of his Kal’daka to stand down and back, not wanting to freak out babies with two large shinies. Jiole obeyed with ears perked as he peered up at his bonded with interested while Vhaid grumbled angrily at the thought of someone like Lucas thinking he could control her. They both stood at the bottom of the stares, waiting. Lucas ignored them both.

“And the proud parents?” He turned his head to both Ceizlye and Quintell, nodding his head with a grin. “Congrats.” What? It was standard procedure now, make the parents happy before you could get to the kids. That’s how it was on earth, Whazzit wasn’t all that different in that aspect. He did sort of bend his head so that he could get a peek at the babies. There was bound to be some kind of trick, there had to be. Just saying hi to mommy and daddy was too easy, right?

[Deadline was originally Monday, July 9th. Grimm's requested or deadline, so it will be moved to Monday, July 16th.]

These was some strong feelings of disapproval from the parents. The lack of acknowledgement was noted, and filed away for later, but neither parent was about to get in the way of the hopefuls attending their children. Their children were old enough to make their own decisions about things, to have their own views and opinions, and the pair of adults were not going to try to alter them. It was their day, after all.

Ceizlye cocked her head at Katsumi, while Quinn nodded his head a bit. I am Quintrell, and my mate is Ceizlye. It is a pleasure to meet you. The Calum answered warmly, even as he moved aside to let Katsumi do as he pleased.

Damien Two looked up at the hellhound curiously. Head cocking, he snorted softly at her. Just because we look alike does not mean he would 'fit in'. The youngster pointed out bluntly. Looks mean nothing. You should not base opinions on looks alone. He bit out, even as he turned into a Gorilla.

Geoffrey was noticed by everyone here, but while Grimm completely ignored him, Ceizlye offered a silent glare. She wasn't the only one, though, that was ruffled by the lack of respect in such a meaningful place. It was Ariel One that was glaring at him, also, hackles raised and ears flat.

The arrival of a Kos and Mel drew a lot of attention. How could it not? Grimm smiled, not at all bothered by the loud entry, but a few of the babies were startled. However, Imp One was incredibly curious, right away. The form of the clouded leopard flickered away, and the Imp settled back into the form of a Kermode Bear. Standing up on his back paws, the youngster gave a little growl. What are you doing? He asked, completely unafraid of all the loud strangers. And then he glanced at Zaerias, even as he fell back onto all four paws. Why wouldn't they speak? Don't you know anything? The question was blunt, and unapologetic. But, come on! The Fey was asking if they (and he didn't care who 'they' were) could speak! He was allowed to be rude.

Let him ask his questions, brother. Damien One grumbled softly. The foal tossed his head a bit, He has some slight hint of manners. More than most, it seems. And yes, the glare accompanying those words was directed at both Da'chetre and Umber. The Damien did not approve one bit.

Oh, shut up. Creeper Two snapped. They can do whatever they want. The Komodo Dragon hissed just softly, though she was quite content to stay away from just about everyone. She eyed them all, and the new people ha were coming in....and no, she didn't care how her brother was glaring at her.

Grimm, well, he was still not going to get into this mess. But he did offer T'Rae a sheepish smile. "Blame it on the Gryphons. Oyvae is a brat."

Both Ceizlye and Quinn nodded to her, although the Queen didn't hesitate to stretch her neck out to nudge at her shoulder in a friendly gesture. And that certainly got Damien One's attention. You. What do you seek here? He asked T'Rae, even as his form shifted through several shapes before settling on the form of a Poitou Donkey.

And well. Who could miss Saiph's entrance. Ceizlye just laughed as she found arms around her neck, and yeah, how could she stay annoyed at that. I would have never let you miss this, dear. You would have been dragged here, unwilling, if I had to. She pointed out cheerfully, even as she ignored the comment about grounding. Grimm? Ground her? More like the other way around. Saiph should know that!

Grimm merely shrugged at his mate. "Yes. Oyvae. I'm going to kill her later." He promised, even as he self consciously ran his fingers through his hair.

I think it looks good! Ariel Two offered with a giggle. He peered between Saiph and Grimm, before he took the form of a Koala Bear. You're the crazy, insane guy that Jo--

"Don't you even start that."

Fine. You're the crazy guy Grimm always talks about. Right? The Ariel paused for a moment, grooming his belly, before he peered up at Saiph. So. What did you bring us? Demanding, wasn't he?

So, are you just going to stand there, hiding in the doorway, or are you going to come in like a polite member of society? The tone was rude and presumptuous, but Creeper One hardly cared if she offended or upset Enke. The skunk-Creeper wandered away from her siblings, closer to Enke, and just stared up at him. You can't even say hello. How rude! Honestly, the Creeper sounded amused, but hey. She enjoyed pushing buttons. And she really did want to see how this new person was going to react.

Estrella, Liaj, and Sioani's entrance was met was ignored by the Creeper, but the proud parents pretty much just beamed at the trio. Hello. We are glad you could come.

Quin nodded is agreement, and both watched the Kos trip over his words. But Ceizlye nickered softly at him. Thank you, for your kind offer. If we have any problems, we will come to you. No need to mention her bonded was a doctor...it might just fluster the poor Scholar more.

Ariel Three was already incredibly curious. The little guy was shifting forms as he headed towards the pirate and her group. Bee, moth, cat, before finally settling on a Andean Fox. He glanced between the group, before his tail gave a wag. Why do you have a hook for a hand? He asked Estrella curiously. Sure, it might not be polite...but he was curious!

Lucas was also given a warm greeting by the parents. Hello there. The buffalo nodded his head, clearly pleased. Thank you. Please, make yourself at home. Your companions are more than welcome in here, so long as they're peaceful. Big didn't bother anyone, just so long as everyone was polite. Or polite enough.

Imp Two had already flickered to the form of a Mockingbird, and wasted no time in flying t land on Lucas' head. The youngster didn't even hesitate to tug at some of the guy's hair, not really trying to hurt, but well. Hair pulling did tend to sting. Hello. What are you? Yes. What. No who. They'd get to the who later.

As for the lone Calum, he was content to hang near his Damien brothers, and just watch what was going on, and see how people were going to respond. Oh, he was curious...but he was also patient. He didn't have to rush things, after all!

The fact that he was being rude was utterly lost on the cat. No, he didn't sense it one bit, especially as he was so distracted by the arrival of someone he actually considered very dear to himself.

"Umber!" was his exclamation as he turned his great, grinning head to see with little witch at his side. He'd not been called 'star-cat' in some time, and it surprised him just how much he was thrilled to hear those words again. His tail ticked out a pleasant rhythm as he studied her with a curious tilt of his head.

"No dead after all?" he inquired rhetorically. He'd not known what to make of her complete and utter lack of presence around the Weyrd, but he hadn't taken it as a good thing. While and aloof creature even from his perspective, she was still a meddler. She liked to be out there, taking part.

And he was happy to see her doing it again.

Of course, he didn't have long to greet her before Jag was on duty, studying the witch with a calculating thought in her sharp eye. You are wearing a dress, I see. Do you feel compelled to do so by society, Umber, or do you do it by choice? You do understand that simply being of a female gender doesn't require you to dress as such?

She had to be sure, you see.

"Jag..." Chet warned, knowing she could be a little aggressive about her 'mission.'

Redalur, however, also had an opinion to voice. I think she beautiful! This dress, so right for her! Where you be getting it? You making it? I trying dress for Chet up more. He sooo handsomeful. Better in white than being brown, yes? She circled around the witch as she spoke, checking out her dress from ever angle.

This time, both Jag and Chet rolled their eyes.

It was at this point Chet finally paid enough attention to realize the babies were on the move. The Clouded Leopard had made a change (shame) at some point, and Chet didn't know where it had gone. Other had shifted, too. Even as he watched, one of them rapidly changed until landing on the form of some sort of fox that lightly resembled the Seedmorph at his side.

While Red was still busy gushing over the witch, Chet decided to stand. One of the young Familiars had hung back, and Chet was curious at the bird-looking creature. He didn't come too close, as he didn't know Familiar customs--a fact that meant he should have probably brought along someone with more knowledge about them and their bondings, but oh well--but he didn't want to just sit idle. He knew it wasn't wise to sit back and relax at a bonding.

"Feel aloof?" he inquired once was close enough to the Calum. He didn't blame the Familiar if it--he didn't know Familiar ranks, as he only had one of his own, even well enough to guess at gender--did. He sometimes felt a bit aloof himself, as was his Horansi nature. But his mother had taught him to be friendly and social, and that was nurtured nature he exhibited here.

There was a lot going on, very little of which made sense. Enke remained frozen near the doorway as he tried (and largely failed) to absorb all the arrivals and announcements and, most perplexing, the flickering of the Familiar babies through all sorts of different forms.

He might have done that, once. Not so swiftly or so accurately, of course, but in his heyday, he too was unconfined by any trivial shape.

Now he watched the alterations happen before his eyes and was uncertain. There seemed to be conversations bubbling, too, but even his sensitive ears could not hear them. A faint, persistent buzz, like the drone of distant bees, was all that reached him. He wasn't sure if it was the magic of the place or the attendees, but there was something supernatural about it.

Interesting.

A skunk was ambling toward him, and he eyed it warily. He was muchly surprised, naturally, when it spoke. There was no outward voice, but he heard it nonetheless. Well, that explained a bit, then. He regretted that he was unable to respond in kind; something in the changeling's tone suggested he ought to take umbrage.

"I apologize," he said, with a notable lack of contrition. "I have only recently arrived at this...place...and I haven't the faintest idea what it is I've walked into." His skepticism was plain, his tone defensive. It was hot, he had a headache, and he was cranky. "What is this, exactly?"

Enke's eyes swept around the curious assortment. Well, if this animal was going to harp on about politeness...His gaze lit on the nearest pillow, a rather plush, squashy lump of purple. Just now, it looked nothing short of divine. "If it please you, may I sit?" he inquired primly. Only the faintest tinge of asperity could be gleaned from his words.

He rather hoped the Creeper would acquiesce despite his sarcasm. Though the atmosphere of the temple was calming and uplifting, he was still tired and ill. He didn't want any unfortunate incidents to occur today--not in so obviously well-protected a place. There were several no-nonsense faces about, and he was so very weak, still.

((Summer Days ‘relax’ wordcount: 425))

“Not yet,” she let a smile cross her features. It was a strange feeling, knowing that someone actually worried about her. She had also forgotten that the span of a few months could seem much younger to other species. When she was young, she had gone years without seeing another witch besides her mentor. Umber peered at Chet’s companions, rather surprised to hear a few questions directed at her. “I wear dresses because I love them. I find them much more dignified than trousers.” Oh dear another one. “I’ve had this one for so long I can’t remember. I think I bought it at market, though.” Umber nodded in agreement about the better in white than brown comment.

I mean, come on. White was a very handsome color. It would bring out Chet’s fur pattern more than brown. While pondering this, Umber realized something was not quite right.

Geeze, Umber. Way to forget about one of the most important parts of a familiar bonding. Sometimes she really could stand to do a little more research on shinies, maybe even buy a book on them for crying out loud. The witch wasn’t completely ignorant, though. Upon observing whazzitian after whazzitian greet the parents, she felt her face turn a little red with embarrassment.

She sent an apologetic look and a curtsey their way, not that it would make up for her lack of greeting in the first place. But, the witch would at least attempt to be as polite as she could to make up for it, if only just a little. The witch did, however, send a little wink in the direction of Creeper Two.

While Chet began moving as the babies did, Umber was content to sit and watch, for now. If any of them were interested in her, hopefully they would come. But, otherwise the witch would not put any pressure on them or approach at this moment. The word ‘familiar’ held special meaning in witch’s culture. The bond between witch and familiar would be stronger if the familiar chose, not the witch. Besides, that left the woman some time to relax instead of getting into all of the chaos. Umber wasn’t one to jump into the middle of hopefuls crowding around babies, anyway.

So the witch laid back among the pillows and curtains and settled in for a wait. There was something to watching people. And, if she knew Geoffrey at all, the cyborg was likely going to start some trouble soon. What self-respecting meddler could resist that sort of inevitable outcome?

You know who else didn't greet mom and pop?

Meliai and crew. Zaerias and confusion. Da'chetre and c-not being in Grimm's body any more. Umber and creepy. Enke and chains. Oh, sorry, that was over half of them, wasn't it, but let's glare at the man politely keeping his distance becuase he knew he was liable to be on Grimm's blacklist. In fact Da'chetre did the exact same things he did, but mommy needs to play favourites, now, doesn't she? What a good Illumina, let us bow before her grace.

Geoffrey would have not been nearly so bothered (he probably wouldn't even have been aware of the haters to the right) had it not been for the way Teinhir shrunk against him, worn pelt of the bottom-tier Llanor rubbing his shirt and wrinkling it uncomfortably. They don't want us, she whispered privately in dull-toned Common as Geoffrey smoothed his shirt out and she clambered the rest of the way to curl up in his lap, tail hanging out, eyes slightly wider locked onto all the young Familiars she had done no wrong to. She would've looked at Ceizlye and Quintell as well, but as the adults, the ones presumably in charge, she dared not accidentally offend worse.

The cyborg glanced at T'Rae by him only a moment, his unhappiness at having Teinhir exposed to unwarranted treatment evident only in a faint frown as he glanced at Ceizlye next himself, then turned his attention down to the Hadriel. He had hoped the little reptilian would at least be spared being judged simply because she came with him. Obviously, his mistake was in assuming Grimm and anything remotely willing to associate with him, particularly something supposedly such a beautiful experience, would ever make fair judgments. See why we can't have nice things?

He couldn't convince himself to bitch about it in front of her though. Not right now. Probably later, back at the house, but he could tell from the way she sunk her head down that Teinhir had not remotely anticipated the stress not be involved was coming here. Between knowing that being discriminated against was wrong in conjunction with knowing no one ever wanted to associate with her anyway, it was already making her eyes go hard with resignation to an inability to understand.

"You did nothing wrong. Silence is respectful in a place of worship," he commended Teinhir, somewhat aggressively. What stick was up their butts he didn't know, but peacefully staying out of everyone's way and sitting by himself without saying anything distasteful was about the most respectful entrance Geoffrey had ever made.

The Hadriel female simply raised her eyes from the Familiars to his single eye, and twitched her mouth and what might've been a halfhearted effort to smile at him before sinking back down in her safe lap zone. What was the point of pretending? Teinhir knew there wasn't one, and Geoffrey had nothing to tell her. He didn't know either.

Face hard now, Geoffrey glanced around the room to keep tabs on who was where, lest anything decide to attempt to outright bully them he wasn't going to give them a chance to jump them. Naturally, at the moment he wasn't going to inclined to like any of the familiars, although his gaze lingered maybe a second longer over the one currently in the form of a Komodo, briefly contemplating that maybe Teinhir would trust something so similar looking more than the rest, but he dropped the matter instantly. Creepers were nasty pieces of work. The last thing he needed to do was encourage more bullying from anything that reminded her of her own kind. For now he would just wait and sit with her, on the off chance anyone decided to get a moral compass half as decent as hers.

[ My Desires - Hope | 631 words ]

Once T'Rae had settled down she was surprised by a couple of things, really. The reception Geoffrey had gotten, despite being far more polite than she would have expected out of him, frankly she had thought better of the Illumina. Perhaps Grimm's prejudice ran deeper than she thought, but then again she had thought better of the doctor too. Needless to say it was noted, and Ceizyle would be getting a disappointed glare right back in her direction as T'Rae reached over to settle a hand against the cyborg's leg, and offer a quiet scratch to the Hadriel in his lap if Teinhir noticed at all. Frankly she didn't see at all why she would be welcomed if her fiancé was to be vilified.

Her attention was drawn away from the Illumina and her mate by the Damien that had followed her over. The donkey was a little hard to miss all things considered, a red donkey was the kind of thing that it would be harder not to take note of after all, and his question got little more than the raise of an eyebrow at first. It was an interesting kind of question for a Familiar to ask, though T'Rae wasn't the least bit surprised and it was almost refreshing to have one be particularly blunt with her. Garron was more cryptic than T'Rae generally appreciated, and she was fairly certain the Anuraag wasn't actually capable of being serious. There was Yasolin, of course, but anything that she said should be taken with a grain of salt.

So for a moment T'Rae actually gave his question some serious consideration, not that it changed her answer in the least bit. "I have learned that it does not particularly matter what I seek when it comes to your kind. It is never what I actually find." Though her words were, perhaps, a little bit harsh, they were respectful. Even the young of the species showed a surprising intelligence and an interesting demand for respect, and frequently T'Rae found that they deserved it.

It was true though that T'Rae wasn't seeking anything in particular, perhaps a more accurate answer was that she was seeking nothing, so whatever she found would be acceptable. Nothing in any of her familiars would have ever been something that the Vulcan though to look for, except perhaps Ashaya, and they had all come into her life one way or another. That was how this kind of thing usually worked, she found it was simply easier to come into it without any particular expectations at all and simply see what happened.

Qlar'hy'ex was less content to be passive than his Vulcan bonded, How did you do that? Is that something I can learn can you teach me? I've never seen other Familiars do that are you special? The Serpen would have gone on had T'Rae not snatched him back and wrapped a hand around his mouth. "Qlar, hush, that isn't polite." The Serpen mumbled something that probably would have been a muffled What isn't polite? but T'Rae wasn't going to let go and find out for sure.

While the girl and her bear seemed to be debating upon an answer, another one of the animals there wasn't quite so shy. The movement made his head turn, and the Fey quirked a brow when he watched the creature shift from one animal to the next. Now he looked similar to the first bear, and spoke first to the girl and other bear, and then to himself. His rudeness didn't offend the man, only amused him, such a rash and curious individual this 'bear' was.

He was seriously thinking of how he should respond to this youngster- though sarcasm seemed to be the winning route at the time- but before he could, one of his brothers spoke up, a little more muted. A glance was given to the Damien, regarding him curiously before his mind latched onto a more feminine voice. Damn, they just loved to intercede with each other, didn't they? It wasn't hard for him to pinpoint the Komodo Dragon, though she seemed content to stay away from the general crowd. Which, now that he thought about it, was possibly the best decision. Good for you, girl.

His purple gaze turned back on the Imp, and one of his pointed ears flicked a little before he spoke. "Tell me, child, how do you know the worth of the knowledge of this place? I know many, many things, much more than you yourself know-" he spoke deeply, a slight growl on his words and his eyes were now narrowing, "-Yet I've only been here for two days. My sincerest apologies for not knowing that bear was obviously gifted with the ability of speech."

He wasn't going to put up with an adolescent being that rude to him when he was asking a simple question. But after he finished speaking, his gaze returned to be neutral, and he turned his attention back over to Meliai and her Kos, as if the Imp had never interrupted.

In the background Geoffrey was vaguely aware of other conversations in their actions taking place, he refused to acknowledge any of that, keeping his mental blinders on for the sake of his own sanity far more than out of any respect for privacy. He didn't believe invasion of privacy was much of a crime so long as he was one invading. The reverse was usually not a problem, so long as it was say, the privacy of his shower and not the sanctity of his mind as shinies these days were so insistent on charging their way in as if they had a God-given right to the brains of other animals.

Teinhir allowed T'Rae to scratch her head for only a moment before pulling away from the contact, only really going along with that much because it was polite. She was here for Geoffrey, had made this immense effort for Geoffrey, and not look like it was going to be a horrible mistake exactly like she should have anticipated. One clawed foot poked into and awkwardly at the band around her neck keeping her pelt in place.

Geoffrey himself kept his hands were they were, resting on his knees, and merely glared at the unwelcome Damien before turning the same glare at T'Rae, although she was not actually the target of his unhappiness. "And you wonder why I don't like him, when this is how he treats a f-cking truce," he muttered harshly, barely audible and only for her extra-sensitive ears. If her Niatu was being impolite, Geoffrey considered it only the Familiars' dues, seeing as they had set the precedent.

The Emu shaped Calumn was not at all bothered by the company. Head cocking, the Lord seemed to study the cat-like creature curiously...he'd never seen anything quite like him, and well. He was allowed to stare. Overwhelmed, more like it. He answered honestly, even a bit cheerfully. And he didn't even seem to mind Chet close, already stepping closer to get a good look at him. What are you? The tone was innocent, inquisitive, and maybe not a hundred percent polite, but he meant no harm. How could any of them learn anything if they didn't ask questions?

Creeper One had no problem dealing with sarcasm. The skunk's tail twitched, eyes narrowing a bit as she peered at Enke. You shouldn't apologize when you feel no remorse. She sniffed, even as her form flicked into something entirely different. The Saltwater Crocodile somehow managed to look completely unimpressed. How a reptile managed it, who knows, but her jaws did gape unpleasantly. And you do no research before you go to new places. How dull. She hissed. Sit if you want. I do not care. As for 'what is this', it is where my siblings and I seek out those we will bond to for the rest of our lives. So do try to be a little more impressive?

The Creeper seemed to be studying Enke though, however not impressed she was. Not that I care, but you smell sickly. Is there something wrong? There was still nothing friendly about her tone, or in her body language. Not that she was trying to hide this, though heaven only knows why she seemed to ask. Might not want to take it for caring, though.

As it was, Creeper Two wasn't terribly interested in anyone at the moment. She did, however, notice someone's attention briefly on her. The Creeper huffed, even as she got bored and switched easily through a few forms before she settled on that of a Lynx. She didn't move, though, merely laid there and crossed her front paws and stared towards Umber. Maybe a bit impatiently? Always hard to tell...when didn't a feline look impatient?

Not all the Familiars were patient with those they were speaking with. A lack of response from Katsumi made Damien Two huff. But his tantrum was mostly over, and the aggression he felt melted away, and with that, came a new form. that of a Moose. The Damien gave himself a shake, peered around, and then wandered off in the direction of Geoffrey and T'Rae. Ears flicking, the young lord peered at everyone, bust most of his attention was on the cyborg and his bonded. Hello. He greeted warmly. Who are you? He kept the more probing questions away for now...his brother seemed to have that down already, but he was still fascinated. There were so many questions to ask, and so many people to wonder about. He wasn't sure how he was even supposed to begin figuring out where he belonged.

Damien One noticed his brother, but didn't do much more but look at him, and them quietly dismiss the glare Geoffrey sent his way. Instead, the donkey cocked his head curiously, but nodded his head at T'Rae's answer. Does it disappoint you? Are you dissatisfied by what you end up finding? Are we not enough? Rapid fire questions, but he was curious. He could feel the minds, all around, all different and all holding something special. It was a little overwhelming.

But that didn't mean he didn't mind questions in return! The Serpen was eyed openly and eagerly. I don't mind. He assured, I am not being too polite myself, probably. It's only fair. The Damien offered with a chuckle, tossing his head I do not think your kind can do that. Changing shape. We can only do this until we've bonded, and then we take on a single form. I'm not sure even how to explain how I do it...I just....do. I feel fluid, like water, and it's just so easy. ...That isn't much help, is it?

I'll know more than you will ever know about this place and what it means. The low rumble from Imp One hinted at the unhappiness he was feeling, but the male clearly had some patience. He didn't swipe at the Fey, now did he? And I dare say I will continue to know more than you. Not that this seems so difficult.

The Imp wasn't willing to share this knowledge, that much was obvious. His form went pale for a moment, before the bear was replaced by a Chaffinch. The finch took flight promptly, and...landed on Umber's head. He tweeted out a bit of a song for a moment, before hopping around. Hello. Why are you waiting back here? You might never catch anyone's attentions this way. He pointed out, but didn't seem all that willing to get off her head yet. Hey, why should he?

Imp Two had noticed all of that, and with a lack of a response from Lucas, the male fluttered to the ground in front of Zaer. The mockingbird form left, replaced quickly by a bright Schreiber's Green Lizard form. And well...still just as nosy. Same question. What are you? Surely someone would answer this time?

(If you've got preferences, send them to me, please. Favorites or who you don't want to bond to at all. It's not required, but I'd like to see. Thanks. <3)

"If you'll notice, I merely apologized. I did not say I was sorry." He felt the distinction was important, and he narrowed his eyes right back at the impudent skunk. No, wait...crocodile. That was an imposing form, one that had Enke wondering if he'd made a mistake in being so bold. He couldn't help but compare the Familiar's new shape to the denizens he knew lurked beneath the waters of the river of Death. Those jaws looked terribly strong and threatening.

"Research?" He was almost indignant now, but he kept his voice tightly controlled. He was often disgusted by his frail human body, but that didn't mean he wanted it maimed by some angry beast. "Last I knew I was dead, waiting for the stars to take me beyond Death. Instead, I woke up in a stream in this place, and the only soul I encountered before this babbled nonsense." He looked at Katsumi. "Or at least, I thought it nonsense at the time." He hesitated. "I may not be impressive, but perhaps you ought not be so quick to make declarations on things you know nothing about."

He sat with a huff. He had perhaps been rather stupid to insult an already-wary crocodile, but when he was piqued, things such as common sense were lost on Enke. Her falsely solicitous question put him even more on alert. He folded his arms.

"I'm not at my best," he admitted edgily, "but I'm still well enough." Admitting weakness did not seem wise. He wondered if the magic here would prevent Creeper One from attacking him. Probably not. The beast at the door had warned him off, after all. And he most likely wouldn't even have time to draw Ranna before she'd snapped off his arm. If only he could cast a diamond of protection. But that magic was far beyond him now. He would have to rely on his pitiful human instincts and reflexes and hope that nothing came of what he perceived as a possible threat.

He thought of studying the rest of the bunch to see how the others were getting on and maybe what he was doing wrong, but it seemed dangerous to take his eyes from the sinister form of the young Familiar just now. He held her gaze, waiting for something to break the tableau.