The Elephant King felt remiss about his time (or lack thereof) spent with his middle son—especially after following him to the shore. Zubari, already fraught with dark tendencies, was so alone; Ada, Katua: they both had disappeared like the cheetah their hides were patterned after.

So he had (yet again) followed his dark, spotted son out of the Edge. The mahogany colt travelled further and further east—so far that the stallion was about to halt him for fear that he may be leaving Helovia. But then, “Katua is that you?”

Large, ivory hooves abruptly halt in the Threshold’s thick carpet. Far away, back in the Edge, Mbwene tooted in surprise at the strength of emotion that suddenly flowed through their bond. So great was the Elephant’s shock, relief, and joy that his bright, bubbly daughter had reappeared that his heart pounded painfully against his ribs. And, by the time he finally broached into the small clearing that held his first-born twins, there was more than just Tutti’s return filling the small, overgrown glade.

“Tutti?” was the King’s first, hoarse question—though as his unfaltering steps took him closer to his spotted daughter, his stunned gaze glanced between the egg fragments, the small mewling creatures, Zubi’s bleeding nose, Maude, and the unknown piebald hybrid that filled the space with commotion and noise.

But Tembovu’s first objective was to try to run his large, pale muzzle over every inch of his daughter to ensure that she was real, alive, and present; once that was accomplished (should Tutti hold still for long enough), he reached out and tried to bring his little girl tightly to his chest—just as Zubi had done scant moment before. “I have missed you, my daughter.”

Only then did the King turn his attention to the newly hatched creatures, “A kiboko—or, I should say, kijiboio,” he grinned and looked down at his daughter, whom he remained near, “A fiercely strong, but caring companion. I think she suits you, Tutti.” His attention then shifted to the dark, sharp-toothed creature that had already claimed Zubi’s blood. “A ngawa, both clever and quick. It may be a match for you, my son,” he grinned in approval of his children’s companions.

His head then rose to look at the pegasus, eyes creasing slightly in displeasure at the mare’s unfriendly words and demeanor towards both his children and the sweetling Maude. “Hello, I am Tembovu, King of the Edge.”

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kiboko = hippopotamus
kijiboio = little hippopotamus
ngawa = civet