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Kin'iro returned with the necessary vines and herbs just as Ari had started his announcement. She paused while he spoke, and once the elder was finished the golden vixen made her way back over to Kavi's side. "Ah, Ari, I am so sorry," she said sincerely as she started to work on Kavi's injury. "I know this separation must be hard for you, but I am sure that the moonfox will keep watch over them on their journey."

Yudoku's feelings towards the news were a bit mixed. On the one hand she did feel bad for Ari not being able to see his loved ones for an indefinite amount of time, but on the other hand she couldn't say that she was entirely displeased to have Kazuki be away. Red eyes watched as the tribe guardian approached, and its words intrigued her. Our tribe has a guardian now? Hm, interesting. She wondered silently to herself if this black and silver dragon before them was anything like guardian over in her brother's tribe. I guess only time will tell.

Seeing the quick manner Kin'iro rushed off to find their healing herbs, Nato decided it was best he stay with the injured boy. He made a soft pile of dead leaves for Kavi to rest his paw on and made sure for the time being, the boy was comfortable. Of course they would move him to a better spot later, but there was no sense in letting him sit uncomfortably until then.

Nato offered Anja a reassuring smile as she came to sit by him. He knew it must be hard for her, but she held her composure well. The older shaman began working with the herbs as soon as Kin'iro brought them over though he listened intently to the words Ari spoke.

After Ari was finished, the dark male felt a stronger connection to the Elder. Many of their tribe members had lost mates, but not many of them had lost mates and children. Lost them without a goodbye. Lost them without knowing if they'd ever return. Nato knew how it felt to raise a child without a mate and only the help of the tribe careers. He knew well the longing Ari must be feeling. But Ari was an Elder and had a tribe to run when Nato did not.

Nato finished dressing Kavi's injured paw with help from Kin'iro and listened to all the other foxes speak in turn, as well as the guardian. Many of the foxes spoke of their concern dealing with the fact of Ari's loss of family (though it was a loss of family to them as well) but no one seemed to comment on the fact that they were down an Elder and had a tribe to build back. When he felt like the time was right, he spoke.

"I know how it feels to lose both mate and child, and I feel deeply for your loss. I can say, though it is hard, time can heal those wounds if you let it and we are all here to assist with that in any way we can. But now we are short one Elder. Do you plan on running the tribe alone then, as you have been recently? I can not remember a time when this tribe was run by one Elder, and though I have no doubt in your abilities, Ari, I must express my concern."



Mitora's bright features dropped as Ari finished announcing the news. They were gone. She didn't know Ari's children very well, but she did know Kazuki. She wanted, like all the other vixens, to express how sorry she was for his loss, but her father spoke up before her. She felt a sting as he mentioned the absence of her mother and brother but she was curious at the issue he brought up. Was a second Elder even needed anymore? Or would a new Elder come be Ari's new mate?

The young vixen couldn't imagine losing Vitali. She nuzzled him lightly to reassure herself he was still there. Yes, she couldn't even imagine losing him, especially now that they were having kits. Speaking of which... She should probably tell everyone about that soon.

((Juli, when would you like to introduce them? Are they born yet or still have them in their BCR's or what? lol))

"Thank you for your concern, Kin'iro."

He then turned his attention to Thea: "Continue to do your jobs. And if you have a problem that needs the attention of an elder, don't hesitate to come to me." He knew they might try to deal with it themselves, to spare him from too much work, or from intruding on him while he got used to his family being gone. But he wanted the opposite--he wanted more work, more tasks, so he could try to keep his mind off the fact that he had no clue when he would see his family again.

And to Nato, even if he cared for and respected the other fox, his tone was harsher than it had been with Thea: "Kazuki is gone, not dead, so the tribe has two elders still! I can handle running this tribe myself for a little bit. Kazuki will return one day, after all."

Ari wrapped his bushy tail around Aysu, drawing her in close to him. "I love you too," he whispered back to his daughter.

Nato retained his serious complexion as his Elder addressed him. There was no use in speaking any more about it. Ari was clinging to the last bit of hope he had and it wasn't Nato's place to shatter that, especially in front of the tribe, including Ari's children. But Nato knew. Kazuki was just like Amira. He wasn't coming back and neither was she. None of the children would return either. They were gone. Nato had come to accept that and move on. The dark male could only hope that Ari would soon do the same.

He had to admit he was a bit surprised at how much Thea had to say tonight. The vixen had said more tonight than he had possibly ever heard her say since he'd known her. But he was thankful for it. She seemed to know the right things to say.

And then Vitali had to speak. He just HAD to announce it. The time had come. Nato took a deep breath and turned to face his daughter and son-in-law. They were mates. Vitali would be joining soon, if he hadn't already received permission to already. They were happy. The older male calmly walked over to the couple and stood before them. Yes, it was time.



Mitora stared at the space in front of her for a second before realizing that Tali had just dropped the bomb. This could not end well. He just got accepted and she had just gotten in a fight with her father. Couldn't this have waited another day?

She wanted to worry but Tali's soft nuzzle on her cheek prevented that from happening. She loved him and it was perfectly fine to start a family with him, whether anyone else approved or not.... Well... Maybe not. Mitora looked up as her father approached and got ready to defend her actions and her mate. But surprisingly, she didn't have to.



"I am happy for you." He told them. "It will be nice to hear the pitter-patter of small paws around the tribe again." Nato looked at Vitali. It was hard not to let the emotions overcome him but the tribe didn't need more drama right now. Mitora didn't need more drama right now. "Welcome to the family, Vitali." And with that, he turned and resumed his place next to Anjafey and Kavi.

So, Vitali and Mitora were having kits. Ari smiled at that, genuinely happy for them. Oh, true, he was a bit jealous too, that they got to be together while his mate was away, but...but it was good to see happiness in the tribe again, too.

He wanted to stay here, with his children, but he couldn't just abandon his duties as an elder, either. However tempted he was to postpone them for even just a little bit...

"Of course," he told Thea. He leaned down to nuzzle Aysu and Kavi, promising them "I'll be right back," before heading over to see what the paint-splattered vixen had to say.

Ari sank a little into himself. Was he really all that unapproachable as an elder that this girl seemed to be nearly terrified of him?

So, maybe his reaction to Nato wasn't helping, but he wasn't like that all the time. He was never like that. Except for now, now that Nato had touched a nerve and implied that Kazuki would never be coming back. No, Kazuki would be different from all of the foxes who had left. He would return. He felt bad for Nato, for having lost his mate, but Ari knew that it would be different with Kazuki. Even if it took years and years, his mate would still return.

...and now he was distracted again, and he was surprised Thea hadn't asked him why he'd been spacing out for the past five minutes. He had to focus better than this. He shook his head to clear it, making his beads clink together melodically.

"I do like my job," he reassured her. And maybe he didn't act it that much, with Kazuki gone, but...

Focus. He had to focus.

"I suppose...I can try..." he glanced around, realized that they had moved far enough from the main group to not be overheard, "but it's easier said than done," he confided in her.

Vitali and Mitora were having kits, and that was something to be happy about, yes, but Kazuki was still gone, and that...there was no joy in that at all.

"More tribe meetings...? We could do that, yeah," Ari mumbled, more to himself than anything. And Thea did have the point--the tribe wasn't what it once had been. Once upon a time, way back at the start, they had been a close-knit group of foxes. But now of that group, only he, Nato, and Anjafey remained. And with the bad blood that was between him and the vixen, he hardly counted her in that anymore.

And he was spacing again. He had to talk to Thea, not get lost in his own mind.

"That's a good idea," Ari spoke up this time, talking to Thea, rather than himself. "It could definitely help bring the tribe together again. Maybe we can even get it to be like it once was, before the kits arrive..." That would be nice--let the kits grow up in an actual tribe, rather than this loose collection of foxes that passed for one right now.