((This is a continuing story of a developing group of individuals, to be called Ekatra'nantaba, which means "united diversity". Should you be interested in joining the group, contact me privately, as this is not an open concept.
You can read about the group's slow growth in the following rps.
Musings
Safety From the Storm
Urgent Summons
Livesaving
Slow Awakening
Is It Over?))


Thought was parent to the deed. Doxa had almost immediately taken to wing to hunt down Kalos after making the pact with Skrissa and Ewo to find a way to make their soon-to-be family group work. This had played right into that discussion that she'd had with the big lion not too terribly long ago, shortly before the injured wild dog had appeared. Now that she thought about it, though, her idea may have already occurred to Kalos... which might explain why he'd been more reticent and busy elsewhere of late.

It wasn't as if she blamed him. This was a really big step to attempt. Sharing one's home with newcomers, relative strangers, wasn't exactly the path for everyone. However, she'd been with him long enough that she was pretty certain that this was indeed the right path for him specifically. She saw the longing and sadness on his face, subtle as the signs might have been, every time their guests had moved on. He'd never admit to it, but he also tended to mope around the home valley for a while, puttering with jobs that required very little attention, but somehow took up all his focus for several days. She supposed it was one way to get the more unpleasant jobs seen to, but it wasn't really terribly healthy for the male to continue doing in this unending cycle.

This time, he wasn't even in their secluded valley. She winged her way out the canyon and paused as the land spread out around her. Now where would he go? Not to the swamp, there was no reason whatsoever to head that direction. The cliffs, then? Towards or away from the Devil's Drop? Probably away, she decided, and angled her wings to the south. Along the cliffs, the terrain browned out and became more sere and rocky. The vegetation didn't get as much water, and wasn't sheltered from sun or wind, so it was easy to eventually spot him, sitting on an outcropping and staring out over the volcanic deserts that lay at the base of the cliffs. Smoke and steam rose here and there in lazy columns from the distant ground, dissapating into a choking pall over the dead land. Not the most cheerful of vistas by any means.

"Kalos?" she called, circling above him to slow her speed before alighting on a handy jutting rock nearby. "You okay?" Regardless of what she'd come here for, her concern for him was first and foremost. He looked somber and sunk in thought. However, his thoughts weren't quite along the same line as she had suspected.

"What is it like to fall in love, do you think, Doxa?" The raven was floored by the question. She resisted the urge to clack her beak in startlement and uneasiness, suddenly getting a very mild taste of what had so upset Ewo earlier. Still, she didn't have the same sort of relationship with him that Ewo had with Brolly, and she felt less was at stake personally with the bent of Kalos' thought. She did rustle her feathers uncertainly and shuffle her feet a bit. What a question!!

"I wouldn't know," she finally answered him frankly. "I might find a mate someday, or I might just find someone to spend a bit of time with, and have a little family to look after as a result." She was rather blaise about that sort of thing, not feeling the strange tug to find her soulmate, as some clearly did feel. She wondered how he felt about it, though she was beginning to think he fell into the soulmate category. "I don't know if love is in my future or not."

He finally turned to look at her, his expression calm but his eyes sad. "I'm not sure if it's meant for me either." His voice didn't hold the relaxed, mellow attitude towards this concept that hers had, however. She looked up at him anxiously, twitching her wings again in concern. "I would like to think it will come someday," he continued, turning his face back out to the forlorn and barren territory that stretched from the base of the cliffs. "But... maybe I'm not made for love?" His features creased into a more recognizable expression of sorrow. "What if I can't even accept anyone into my life long-term?" He paused, then shot her a sideways look with the faintest of smiles. "Except for you, of course."

Warmth touched her at his acknowledgment of their special friendship, but this was entirely too good an opening to let it pass by. "Then change," she said firmly, clicking her beak for emphasis. "You have a chance right under your nose." She waited for his reaction watchfully. The next few minutes would be telling as to how likely this solution of her was.

He heaved in a deep breath as if to sigh and walk away, which was almost what Doxa expected him to actually do. Instead, he held that breath for a time, closing his eyes. Internally, he weighed his feelings, his desires, his fears, and his hopes. She was right, of course, this was an excellent opportunity to change things, to alter the course of events for the better. It would be for the better, wouldn't it? Well, surely if he offered Brolly sanctuary, there would be less of an emotional attachment... from some of the stories Ewo had told them, he was adventure incarnate! Not so much the sort to linger and rely too heavily on Kalos or anyone else. In fact, Kalos wasn't even entirely sure that he'd stick around... but he might, now that things were clearly progressing with the witch doctor and himself.

Neera was another matter entirely, though. They had known each other longer, and already had a standing agreement in place that kept their lives quite separate and distinct. Would it work very well, having her in the valley so close at hand? What if they clashed? They never had before, but the female wild dog was very independent and strong-willed, which meant it was quite possible they would not always get along. Be honest with yourself, he admonished himself. You don't even always get along with Doxa, but that is working just fine, isn't it? No, he couldn't push this off on whether other people got along with him. It was time to step up and be a host, or let the idea go for good.

Doxa was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to breathe again when he suddenly let it all out in a whoosh. It sounded, in fact, like a release of pressure, a welcome relief of something being decided. He turned to meet her eyes in direct honesty. "You are right, it is time for change," he answered. "But I need your help. I don't know how to do this, or how to establish a good relationship with people who will be... staying." Oddly, the corner of his mouth quirked and his eyes lit up on that last word, surprising both of them.

This just might work well for everyone after all!