Welcome to Gaia! ::

Votzhem fought back sneezes as the inevitable pollen of the plants wafted across his face with every step. This was a wild idea, and he wasn’t sure how Kaalnia had convinced him to carry an entire caravan of flowers with him. Yes, Iroia deserved every one. Yes, they signified years of love and apology and anything else that flowers would be needed for. Yes, he thought they should bring flowers for his wife. But did they really need an entire roomful?

“I didn’t lose any.” he mock-snapped at her, flicking an antennae in her direction, “What about you?” That they were close - and he could see they were, indeed, close to where they had determined that the leaf woman was staying - filled him with dual parts relief and dread. He’d been gone for so long… what would his wife have become? What had he become? If Kaalnia hadn’t pushed him into it, he might have lingered away out of fear, afraid to face the past and future.

But Kaalnia had pushed him, as she did, and he was here, bearing several armfuls and raotis-worth of flowers. And he was scared - more scared than he had ever been of the bandits. “Kaa…” he said quietly, “I don’t know if I…” he shut up and grit his teeth. He had to do this.

Votzhem could see it coming, through the flowers. It was the house, with stairs, and in the window... was that her? His mouth dried, and his feet stopped all on their own. The noise of the jungle felt louder than ever in his ears, and he knew he - who had slain bandits and braved impossible odds to return home - could go no further. Just as he knew that Kaalnia would save him from his terror.

That was what Sisters were for, after all.

So he stood there, frozen with fear, as the rest of the vertiable cloud of flowers began to gather around him…

Iroia tilted her head up, so they were looking for her..what for.. “Kaa!” She shreiked and pounced her best friend, (a separate title from best pack mate both were on the same level of importance for different reasons), “I missed you so much, where have you been, did you get taller?!” She had wrapped her arms around the Alk’s neck and her legs around her waist and just clung there like a large barnacle. Then she buried her face in the other woman’s neck, YUP, it was Kaa, sounded like Kaa, looked like Kaa and smelled like Kaa.

“So much has happened I had hoped you were okay, everybody poofed on me it was terrible! All except for Arron of course I dragged him here to Jauhar. Gah! I’m so happy to see you.” Eventually the strung out leaf woman released the much taller alkidike and thumped to the wood floor. “Nice digs huh? It’s not mine, but I have the use of it for the duration of my stay here.”

Votzhem shifted from foot to foot, discomfort overcoming paralysis as he waited. How long did Kaalnia intend to make him wait, and how long could he wait until... what? He just barged in there flowers and all? Ran away to try again another day like a coward?

He trusted Kaalnia, but he also could feel the nondwa in his stomach dancing, and the flowers were not helping. "No." he said to the Raoti, shoving it forcefully as it tried to eat a flower, "Not for you."

He glowered into the trees, where a sailscale perched, watching. "Or you, too." he said to his pet. Not that Seri would ever eat such things but...

How long was she going to make him wait?!

"Stop it!" he shoved the raoti away again. It was going to feel longer, he knew, than it actually was...

Seriously? How much longer was Kaalnia going to make him wait like this? Holding all these flowers? Managing this obnoxious Raoti? "Pinpin, stop it. Now." he said, giving the creature's nose a firm shove. It was as unrelenting as it's mistress. "Seriously, Ka..." he mumbled, the thick scent of the flowers making his eyes water. His arms, already, were tired. "Please..." he watched the door, as if any moment, Iroia would come through it. He felt tired. He felt sick. He felt like he could easily find an excuse to run and hide somewhere dark and safe and depressing for a little while. He was scared, and he knew it, and the anticipation made it all worse. "Just get this over with..."

“No Arron gets to share with the triplets, they almost don’t fit in there anymore.” Iroia paused. A blindfold? Green eyes eyed up Kaa suspiciously, but she did trust the taller woman. Squinting she accepted the blindfold, she hated not being able to see, but most likely the “surprise” was a pink outfit with frills, and she could just shrug it off then pounce Kaa and tickle her into submission. Of course maybe Kaa would like that a little too much, but what did Iroia have to loose, she didn’t have a chance with Ruelash for a mate, so maybe Kaa would substitute for Vosh, Iroia already loved Kaa, and there were no other that could ever perfectly replace Vosh, she wouldn’t be so alone then. Even if they just got closer as friends, that would be enough. Iroia could adopt she supposed. It would do her good to have other little ones to look after. She tied the blindfold off tight and held out her arms for Kaa to grab.

Votzhem had had enough of this nonsense. This was his reunion and, clearly, he had to take control here. He put down the flowers and cupped his hands around his mouth to hollar at Kaalnia exactly how he felt about being left standing out here, ruined surprise be damned.

He had just taken a breath. His vocal chords had just begun to vibrate. The shout, annoyed and gruff and overly familiar and insulting in that way that siblings can get away with, had just begun to make its way out of his mouth... when it died.

He stared, mouth open, hands falling to his sides as Kaalnia led Iroia out. Aisha's petals, he'd forgotten how much he loved her. He didn't know how he could have forgotten the depth of feeling that rolled over him, or the details that he knew so well... the curve of her shoulders, the glint of her crystals, the tight muscle beneath supple flesh, the way her clothes clung to her every graceful, deadly, feline movement... "Oh..." he whispered. He was falling in love with her all over again.

He missed his cue at Kaalnia's grin, and realized he was empty handed when the blindfold came off, waving like a flag in Kaa's hands. Quickly, he picked up the dropped bouquet and held it out to Iroia. Suddenly, being surrounded by the huge load of flowers didn't seem absurd. It was worth every trade good and moment of strain. He found he had nothing to say. Nothing could be voiced. He had only his bouquet, and his presence. It spoke for him.

All according to plan.