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Athena was a big fluffball of sleeping lion. The only cubs around anymore were his three with Zenobia. If something happened the fluff could wake and be alert in a moment, but the cubs were all three curled up with their mother, so he wasn't too worried right now. Zenobia was just as capable of getting up and taking care of them anyway. The big lion was enjoying the rest and nap. They did not move as fast with cubs, but cubs were exhausting in and of themselves.

Athena's big white mane blew this way and that in the breeze as he slept on. He kept all his fur fluffy and the way it moved in the wind was a direct result of this habit. He really did look like a ball of oddly colored grass at times. Thankfully his perch right now was on a big rock, so it was not as easy to mistake him for plant life, though figuring out it was a lion on the rock could be a little difficult still. His teal and white were what should give him away, if one approached at the right angle to see them.

His mind drifted as always to his cubs and he felt a pang of sadness and regret at the offspring that had left, and those he had not seen in a while. He did regret not having more time with the twins as they grew. Yes, he was happy they had gone with their mother and had the love of their uncle, but it did not mean the male missed them less. He really did love having all his cubs around him, and Zenobia was not the only female he liked having the company of, either. He wished the mothers of his other cubs would have stayed.

Athena half woke as someone approached, but his mind did not fully come awake since the sounds were very faint and there was no alarm sent up by Zenobia or cubs. He was just about to dismiss it as a figment of his imagination when they spoke. He knew the first voice very well, and the second voice no less so. The big fluffball stayed still as he listed to them poke fun at him. He was very good at pretending to sleep, as he was sure his children remembered. He had used it to snatch a few of them when they would approach to wake him, different times.

He waited and just as he thought they might try to get closer he spoke. "Hard to sleep with such indecisive cubs around. One would think I did not teach my children proper manners around sleeping lions." He stretched lazily and hopped off his rock. The big puffball took a moment to look his children over. They had certainly grown up since he had last seen them. "And what is this I see, such beauty cannot be my daughter... and this dashing rogue surely is not my son!" He purred at both of the twins a wide grin on his muzzle.

"Just what brings my little mirrored angels out to visit an old fluffball?" Athena could not think of anything more witty than that right now. Though, given that he had just woken up, the statements probably were pretty amazing even in their lack of wit. Most had problems forming a complete sentence just after waking, and he was managing to do that and try to make those sentences witty of all things. He probably should get bonus points for at least trying. Of course he did not even wait for an answer before nuzzling both his children and grooming their ears.

Athena grinned at the twins. "Manners are for strangers not family? Where did you ever learn something like that? Not from me. I shall blame your uncle for this." The lion fluffed himself up and tried to look innocent, which really was not very hard for him. The fact that current company was begotten from him being anything but innocent was besides the point. "You know me too well, to know that I would have been alert sooner if it was something to worry over."

Athena could not help but find Athende's vanity a bit amusing. He was opposite of his father in this. Athena would claim himself unattractive, fluffy and silly, yet had managed to get many females, and a few males, in his time. Heck, he still did get them. He did it through being charming and mostly humble. He could not understand thinking so highly of ones self. Not that he saw anything wrong with it in his son. To Athena, his son had every right to be vain, he was dashing and attractive, should have no problems getting himself a mate. The old fluffball just didn't quite understand it.

Athena licked Niana's nose. He knew she was not as innocent as she was playing at. It amused him to see her act like him. Usually she acted a bit more like her mother, so this was a refreshing turn as far as the old fluffball was concerned. Leave it to his offspring to tease him as much as he did them, and then try to use the innocent looks that he was so good at. Ha! He was still the fluffiest and thus the best at looking innocent and cute! He would keep telling himself that probably until Aphrodite got to adult. That cub was WAY too much like himself already. "Would you tease your poooor oooooold father, Niana?"

Athena was quite proud of Athende. That boy was turning out to be a charming lion, quick with a grin and acting a damn lot like his uncle Bel. This was probably for the best, though. Athena didn't have to worry as much for the ones that didn't act like himself. They would be more set for the world. "Whether I like it or not? Who would not want to claim such handsome and beautiful spawn as their own? With all the good looks and brains your mother gave you, you are a credit to anyone that claims shared blood. It is a very good thing you managed to take what little you got from me and downplay it."

Athena grinned at his daughter and purred at both of the twins. "Indeed, and I set a horrible example... all the teasing and being fluffy and adorable." He fluffed himself up for emphasis. He was the big fluffball of a lion, afterall. One had to keep up appearances. He did love how he inspired his children to be more playful than serious. They knew that some situations didn't call for it, but they did not get caught up in the stress when there was fun to be had in life. It made him very proud.

Athena turned his attention to his son and chuckled. "Downplay my awful, fluffy appearance, so that you do not make all the potential mates run in fear." He gave his son a lick on the nose as well. "You poor poor cubs, proud to have such an old fluffball as myself around." He was half tempted to snuggle the two of them right there and then, but that probably would not have been wise. The pounce from his son amused him, and Athena turned and pounced his son in turn.

"Sssshhhhh, don't give them ideas!" Athena's eyes twinkled as he chastised his son. He did have his fun, quite a lot of it. "They are trying to fatten me up and take over all the work! I'll not have you encouraging it!" He grinned and used the position from the pouncing to force his son into snuggling up to him. One paw went over the boy's shoulders to keep him right where his father wanted him. Of course snuggling always lead to grooming in this family. Athena was notorious for snuggling and grooming usually both at the same time.

Athena started grooming his son's ears and the top of his head. He was an affectionate old fluff ball, and his children all knew it very well, even if they were not thrilled by it. The majority of them enjoyed the attention as much as he enjoyed giving it, but there were those that found it embarrassing, or bothersome. He was happy that the twins did not usually protest too much on the affection when he did get to see them. It was hard to keep from lavishing them with love when they came around.

Athena chuckled at the suggestions from his children. "I doubt very much you two being around would dampen the number of new siblings that come along, unless of course the females see Athende first." He grinned at his son. "Then they'll never want anything more to do with the old fluffball, and I will get grandcubs out of it. Either way, I win from how I see it." He was easy to please on that respect. Either more cubs or his cubs having cubs, he was still getting more spawn around to love on and he loved it no matter which it was.

"I let the females do a lot more than I used to... and I would like it if the two of you wished to travel with us... about the only female around right now is Zenobia. She will certainly be happy to have a few more paws around." Athena groomed his son and thought about how nice it would be to have the twins around. If he had thought he could have gotten them to do it before, he certainly would have tried. The male was quite aware, though that the twins were much like their mother, and had to do things when THEY wanted to or not at all. He tried to be patient for this reason, and this time it had worked out rather nicely.