Welcome to Gaia! ::

The young lion had grown into a devoted mate, as he had been a devoted friend, treasuring the home that they shared in the large tree.

It was a comfortable den, the ground beneath soft and welcoming, the hallow surprisingly spacious. The large branches above formed a bough, a sort of second story, a peaceful spot to watch the stars at night. The walls inside and above were dotted with small paintings, images left there by the tree's previous resident.

A stirring of sound, rustling of paws, the young lion lept from his perch, a ledge carved into the wall of the hollow trunk. A small grin on his maw, he stepped toward the dark lioness, his head lowered to nuzzle his mate affectionately.

He purred, tail flicking happily at her touch. It seemed so much had happened recently, so much at changed, no, it was more that they had simply seen what had been there all along.

His head tilted curiously at her words. She seemed very excited, though about what he couldn't tell. Even so, it made him smile, his voice picking up her excitement.

"Tell me? What is it?"

The lion blinked, blue eyes staring into the orange eyes of his mate. His ears twitched, uncertain for a moment of what she had said, his jaw dropped in shock and surprise. His voice was quiet, just above a whisper.

"P...parents? us?"

For a moment he didn't know what to think or say, his mind racing, realing, to shocked to find coherance. But as his eyes fell on his mate, it began to sink in, his mind finally making sense of what she had said. Parents, cubs, family.

A smile cross his maw, a family. It suddenly seemed so perfect, as if it were meant to be. That thing he had always longed for, always searched for, it was now here before him. He hadn't been searching for a home at all, this is what he was searching for.

"We're gonna have cubs? That's wonderful!"

Mosi's excitement was contagious, and it wasn't long before he too was bouncing on his paws, purring, and leaping forward to bump his head against her happily.

He hadn't thought of that, it was an added responsiblity. But he had survived on his own as a cub, hunting what he could for himself and his friends; and Mosi was strong too. And though it may be difficult at times, it seemed that what they had gained far outweighed anything else.

"Mmm...I think so, we can handle anything so long as we're together."

He purred softly, curling around her, pulling her into his embrace.

He smiled softly, settling on his haunches, his head rested against her shoulder, one paw wrapped around her in what may have been an attempt at comfort. Like her he wondered what their cubs would be like, how they would look and if they would be boys or girls. However he did not share the same apprehention, he couldn't have understood it.

"Maybe one of them will look like you."

He spoke with a smile, purring quietly, tail flicking with the thoughts in his mind. As he sat with her, he felt the brush of the pendants they both worn, his thoughts drifting to the stars that watched over them.

Having been occupied with his mate and the news of cubs, it was several moments before the young lion registered the voice that drifted down from outside the den. His ears flicked at the sound, at first thinking he had imagined it, but then he was sure he had heard his name.

He blinked, tail flicking as his head turned toward the entrance and the direction of the sound.

"I think there's someone outside."

White ears twitching at his sister's call, he did his best to stifle the warm swelll of his heart as he stumbled into the den. He was happy at the chance to see his sister again, silly as that souned. It's not like she lived far away or anything. "H-hi! I...hope I'm not interupting anything?" He murmured with a sheepish smile, tilting his head so that his growing mane wasn't in his face. He came partially into the den, his tail and hind legs still out in the sunlight.