They had detoured, taken the long way to the Edge in search of Kianzo. Marembo and Khairi, Rexanna’s daughter’s companion had set out ahead of them in separate directions in search for her son. Of course, the adventure had proven to be extremely sad – resulting in not seeing even a trace of the golden warrior. Yet, Rexanna didn’t lose hope. She knew he was out there somewhere, she could feel it. Part of her blamed herself for the colt wandering off and not returning. If only she had been there with them – but she knew how much her children hated her hovering. She was worried, upset, terrified that Tembovu would think it was her fault. Cal would have thought it to be hers, and she found herself summersaulting into the same mindset she carried when she lived in Aciend. Things were different now, however, as Tembovu had often assured her that it wasn’t her fault and she had nothing to be afraid of.

They just needed to find their son.

As they approached the border, the gilded siren paused in her step. Her oceanic gaze trailing over to Tembovu, a sadness gleamed among them but they grew bright with the idea of a new life – hopefully one with both children. Marembo rushed back toward Rexanna, squeaking his findings in a mournful way. They had reached the Edge with the shattered glass walls, but no sign or familiar scent of their beautiful son. Kiada was feeling it too, the siren noticed. She was awfully quiet, her spine engulfed in flames of elephants and turtles, perhaps she had been blaming herself too. Rexanna lifted her ashen legs, carrying her over to their daughter and pressed her muzzle to the top of her head gently but silently before moving over to Tembovu’s side – her body brushing up against his larger frame ever so softly. “We’ll find him.” She whispered to him, pressing the side of her exotic striped face into his broad shoulder.

"Talk."

— hold onto me,

’cause I’m a little unsteady.

Heavy limbs of cream and ebony slowly churn in a tired walk across the Edge’s borders. He had taken the trio to the lone-standing gate, because this was were the ground was the most cleared of shattered glass. A drained, navy glance was give to the silver lunar cycle that gleamed down at them from the gate’s center. The man was so distracted by his forlorn fatigue that he could not even muster an annoyed glance towards the lack of spikes. He also entirely missed how momentous this moment was: Rexanna was coming to live with him in the Edge. But what should have been an occasion for euphoria tempered with relief was, instead, shadowed by the absence of their son.

The King’s mind rumbled with thoughts and the need to continue searching. But both Rexanna and his daughter needed to rest; they needed to settle into their new home. So the Elephant was trapped to deal with his thoughts rather than acting on them. He did not blame Rexanna for the loss of their son in the slightest; the thought never came to his mind. Anger did flare, however, at a particularly broken and blushed woman. If not for Orithia, then Rexanna and their twins would have long since been living in the Edge. And, thus, he would have been able to stop his son from disappearing. Or, at least, he would have been able to use all his possible power to stop it…

It was only when his cobalt gaze turned to meet Rexanna’s brightening oceanic eyes that he suddenly felt the weight of bringing her across this Threshold. A small, tired smile crossed his muzzle, “Welcome home,” a slight warmth colored the exhaustion in his deep rumble. He blinked once at Rexanna’s soft, comforting whisper; body remaining tense for a moment as she pressed into him. But then he nodded slightly and let go of the tension that knotted his muscles, returning her warm pressure and hooking his neck over hers to lean down and look at Kiada, “What do you think, maua? I will take you to the cliffs tomorrow, before we go searching.”

Mbwene, in her exhaustion, had no patience for the family’s touching moments. She trudged straight past the gate in the direction of their pine needle nests.

---

maua = flower

Kiada trailed her parents, her head hung low and small frame full of exhaustion. She knew she needed to rest, but she also knew that she wouldn’t truly rest until she found her brother. A soft sigh passed through her lips as her mother stopped, the border of the Edge returning to her senses and into view as her ocean gaze lifted. She spotted the giant metal gate and turned her head over toward her father with eyes that held a glaze of sadness. Despite having won the recruitment contest, the charm had worn off. She was excited to have something under her belt, but sad that she had no one to truly share it with.

‘Welcome home.’ She nodded quietly as her father spoke, Khairi cooing a quiet growl of a sound in an effort to comfort the child. As her father’s eyes landed on her, her tiny ink dipped head lifted to him with a small shrug. She didn’t know what to think of the place yet – there was so much to see, so much to learn, so much to do to find her missing half. Aimlessly, her head dropped again as she kicked a little rock around the fallen oranges and red leaves that had gathered, snow rimmed ears tipping backward briefly as she thought.

“The cliffs sound nice. When we start looking for Zo can we start where I met the tierboskat?” She questioned, lifting her head to look upon her father. “Ni machungu si kuwa naye karibu.” Her voice was quiet as her attention dropped to the earth once again, kicking around different colored stones and leaves.
"Talk."

---

tierboskat - serval
ni machungu si kuwa naye karibu - it hurts not having him around

Kiada

just like the eyes, the HEART can adjust to DARKNESS.

Mom was never far behind, no matter what her little cubs thought. She always had an eye on them, she knew when they were doing good and she knew when they were in trouble. Now, she knew that Katua had occupied herself with racing a squirrel, but Zubi ... he was far more reserved than his sister so Ada didn't expect to find him partaking in the same nonsense as his twin. So it was really no surprise when she heard his voice and found him speaking to Tembovu, Rexanna, and a pretty young filly that she had to assume was Kiada. Where was Kianzo?

"Zubari." The cheetah woman's voice rang out as she moved toward her son. "Hali. I ba tãyar da kai a zama m. So far she had tried to instill both respect for others and self respect into both of her children, but sometimes it was a losing battle. More often than not Zubari made her proud, but as with every child he needed to be reminded sometimes. She dipped her head and rubbed her muzzle against her son's forehead and quietly whispered to him. "Zama m ga sabon yar'uwar."

Once Ada was satisfied that her son was taken care of she turned her attention to Tembovu first. Had she ever been under any impression that Tembovu had wanted her for anything more than a roll in the hay she would be insulted that he had brought Rexanna to the Edge. But Ada liked Rex quite a bit and when her gaze finally found the golden mare she couldn't help but grin. "Are you here to stay?" She asked as she stepped forward to offer her muzzle in greeting to her friend. But warm greetings only lasted so long and there was one other question that was bothering Adaeze. "You had twins, right? Where's Kianzo?"

"."

Translation:
Hali - manners
I ba tãyar da kai a zama m - i did not raise you to be rude
zama m ga sabon yar'uwar - be nice to your new sister

She witnessed the tired smile that crossed her lover’s maw. “Welcome home.” It was almost a euphoric feeling, had most of it not been masked by the absence of the fourth missing piece of their otherwise whole family. He softened, pressing into her as he hooked his neck across hers beginning to speak to Kiada. The gilded siren stayed quiet, lids shutting across brightening blues as she melded into Tembovu’s embrace. Kiada’s words didn’t miss her flickering pale ears. They twitched, one listening as Mbwene began to trudge to where she’d rest, Marembo stayed close to the gilded mare’s side.

Her eyes only opened as another voice grew. Rexanna pulled away slightly from Tembovu, eyes opening and her exotic striped face swinging over to see what the commotion was. Yet, instead of finding another full grown creature, she came face to face with a colt. The spots seemed familiar to her in a way, the way he spoke to Tembovu caused an eyebrow to raise ever so slightly. And as the realization overcame the mare of the other children the Elephant King had sired, she felt her stomach drop. Breathing in quietly, she watched the boy in silence, eyes flickering momentarily to Kiada whom she was sure wouldn’t be pleased of her question being answered by a stranger.

It was then when Rexanna realized this must be Adaeze and Tembovu’s child. That was the only thing that made sense – and he had even told her of their existence before she left the Basin. If she was willing to leave the Basin despite knowing there would be Tembovu’s blood here, she should’ve been ready to see them off the bat. And with measured calming breaths, she offered a gentle smile to Zubari. “I’m Rexanna, this is Kiada. It’s nice to meet you Zubari – we are coming to stay.” She added in gently, stepping away from Tembovu to reach her muzzle down in a small greeting to the dark spotted boy.

Yet her attention was dragged away again as another spotted child darted into the group, aiming a squirrel up Tembovu’s leg with a chattered hi. Her smile grew larger, listening to the young filly speak to Tembovu and where she might have been upset before, it was merely charming to her even more. At least her children had siblings – had a family they could grow up with and be friends with one day, even if maybe not at first. Then, the voice she felt as though she had been waiting for called out to the dark child, in a tongue native to Tembovu and Rexanna’s attention flickered up toward the beautiful cheetah woman. “Adaeze, my dear.” She beamed a gentle smile, accepting the offer of the muzzles – her velveteens brushing gently against the spotted mare. “We are. And yes, I did.” Her smile faltered as she looked down to Kiada who seemed to be ready to blow. “Kianzo’s gone missing…” Finally, the frown took over her pale lips as her gaze fell from the spotted mare to her child.

"Talk."

— hold onto me,

’cause I’m a little unsteady.

The child ignored the embrace of her parents as Khairi crooned to her. It wasn’t until she heard a familiar tongue of voice that her ink dipped head flipped around, lifting up high as her oceanic gaze darted across the scene to see who had spoken the tongue. Then, as if in rapid fire questions, the boy seemed to try and help her. Instead of Kiada taking it calmly like a normal person would, her gaze simply hardened on the boy – eyes narrowing slightly as her mother began to speak. The filly rolled her eyes, her flames across her back morphing from elephants to wolves on the prowl, her anger evident upon her spine that Khairi sat upon – aiming his narrow blood rapturous gaze on the child.

She snorted when he said that Kianzo might have been here already. “No.” She answered simply, pulling her head back sharply away from the boy. He had invaded such a personal space of herself – and as if in protection, Khairi lifted his large body up her neck and reached his head out toward the child, snapping his sharp beak at the boy as if to say “Watch your space.” Kiada glared at the boy, stepping back away from him as another spotted child ran into the group. Her gaze didn’t leave Zubari until the squirrel ran up Tembovu’s leg, in which case she had begun to feel rather protective. As the child danced about, calling him poppy her glare grew harder.

There were others of her blood here? Wasn’t she supposed to be the special one? Her and Kianzo, the chosen children, made of fire and royalty and power? Part of her didn’t want to have to share her father with them – after so long without her precious parent, she only felt it fair to have him all to herself. She stretched a long dark leg, brows furrowing as she stamped it into the ground as Adaeze came in, speaking to Zubari. Then, her attention had turned to Kiada’s mother and she felt even more protective. How could Mother be okay with this? Other spawn of her fathers while she had been away? She snorted sharply, her flames growing brighter and stronger as the wolves gained clacking jaws as Adaeze asked of Kianzo and her mother responded. “He’s gone and we’re here not finding him. AND. There’s MORE?” Her glare turned to Tembovu sharply, her tiny ebony dipped head sculpted and shaped, staring blatantly at Tembovu. “Are they family? My brother and sister?” She demanded. Khairi’s gaze never left Zubari as Kiada interrogated her father. ’I don’t want more siblings, I just want Kianzo.’ She wanted to say, but instead refrained.

"Talk."

---

tierboskat - serval
ni machungu si kuwa naye karibu - it hurts not having him around

Kiada

just like the eyes, the HEART can adjust to DARKNESS.

”Ni machungu si kuwa naye karibu.”

His daughter’s quiet voice, in his native tongue, sank like a stone in his gut. And it settled among the darkness, adding to the guilt and worry that had begun to grow there, like it would with any father that lost his son. Only, to Tembovu, the pit was larger and deeper, as it already held the grave of one son.

So his head dropped to Kia’s gently ruffling her forelock as she chocked around stones and leaves. “Sisi kumpata, maua,” his murmur was low, warm, and filled with promise. And then he hummed in agreement to her request of beginning their searc for his brother where the serval last was.

But the King was not left long, for suddenly Zubari, his testy and headstrong son (it seemed that the Elephant’s loins bred both testiness and surliness) slammed from a full-tilt run to a stop near them. And his bright yellow eyes (a gift from his mother) narrowed into suspicious slits on his father. Tembovu’s thick lips pursed slightly at the accusing tone in the Dorobian tongue.

But before he could answer his son’s questions (or chide his tone), a squirrel was running up his thick, black and white leg. Though his limbs were as massive as small trees, it still caught the elephant off guard. He snorted as its claws tickled his thick hide, navy eyes widening and neck craning to attempt to see the rodent—but then Tutti was there and his great skull whipped back towards his spotted daughter.

“Tutti,” was his low, warm rumble in reply, a grin crossing his face as she dashed away after the small, furry rodent. A chuckle rolled around in his throat because, despite all his worry and sadness at losing Kianzo, his speckled and spitfire daughter could forever make him laugh.

He needn’t worry about reprimanding his precocious son, either, for Ada was not far behind their twin cubs. And, just as Rexanna forever reprimanded Kianzo about manners, Ada did so with Zubari. “Hello Ada,” the King instinctively reached his muzzle out towards the spotted woman in greeting—after all he did have children by her.

But then his navy gaze flickered towards Rexanna as Ada extended her muzzle towards the gilded mare. So the King retracted his muzzle, shifting slightly uneasily as he looked between the two women. He knew they had met before—and now he had (nearly) his entire family in one place. Deep breaths expanded his barrel, the slight adrenaline rush of this moment keeping his exhaustion at bay.

Introductions were made, Rexanna revealed that Kianzo was missing, and Kiada glared at Tutti before fixing him with a sharp stare and angry questions. The Elephant sighed heavily, realizing only now his mistake in focusing on finding his son rather than explaining things to his Kiada.

“Yes, they are, Kiada. Not all are as lucky to meet all of their family,” there was only a gentle rebuke in his words, because he knew that the filly was hurting without her twin. And, before he could continue to assuage Kiada’s angry concerns, another foal bounded into the clearing.

Mbwene chortled at the words that crossed through the King’s exhausted mind. But his eyes warmed at hearing Maude’s bright giggles, “Hello Maude. This is—“ but she is gone after Tutti before he can introduce Rexanna or Kiada to her.

With a gentle shake of his massive head, his navy eyes turn to Ada and Zubari, “We have spent a long time searching for Kianzo, and it has taken its toll. We need to rest, but I will find you after.” And with gentle reach of his muzzle, he brushed it across Ada’s withers and reached to ruffle Zubi’s mane (should his temperamental son allow it).

And then he began to head after Mbwene.

---

Sisi kumpata, maua = We will find him, my flower.