Leaves Are Not Very Soft

The ivory thraxess had always imagined being a mother, but had never held out much hope. In all of her wanderings, trying to find her own family, she’d been curious of others, watching other families in the vain hope one of them would be hers. But she’d always failed. Been left alone. The mystery of her own family had never been solved. Over time, others had come to know Eridani and had filled her life with other things. Better things. The pain of never knowing had slowly been scabbed over. The confusion of loss had faded with time. Loneliness had never truly gotten a chance to take root. First because of Chantilly, then later the other females the throwess had pulled into the forest. Sam had been quiet, like her and for a while, she’d wondered, but no. Sameya was just like her mother. Quiet and mysterious with a dash of mischievous that could never quite hide well enough. Hydra and Laz seemed so much older than the rest; slowly, their pack grew by ones and occasionally, a pair would reunite, like Yfandes and Faunus. 

Things always changed, just like the seasons. From spring, with its fresh new life, to summer, a time for growing, of training and learning, to fall - gathering for the coming winter because things were dying off to make way for new life. Winter was quiet, a time of contemplation and sleep, for many, it was a time to learn one another and become closer to family - or hope you didn’t kill one another because everyone was stuck inside the same cave. Eridani had seen all of it now, many seasons and many others that surrounded her. Her friends she would have given her life for in a heartbeat - knowing they would do the same - had always astounded her. She’d never thought she’d have what she did and looking back was enough to make even her worst memories faded with time.

This season had changed her in more ways than she’d anticipated. Yes, she’d known what she was getting into when Faunus and Yfandes had approached her. They’d both explained how difficult the thera had when carrying and Faunus didn’t want to hurt her. Eridani agreed entirely and had almost immediately accepted their offer - thankfully the old thera had cautioned her to think about it for at *least* a few hours before deciding. Carrying a child that would be raised with two mothers and a father, giving Yfandes the chance she’d never had to *be* a mother. Giving *her* the chance to be a mother - with the benefit of the pack around her and experienced grans who would know what to do. Eridani hadn’t changed her mind from her first instinct to say yes. Faunus had doted on her, making her feel wanted, though the thrax had never forgotten who he truly loved. It was a bit of a let-down, but Faunus became more like a brother to her in a lot of ways. Quiet, but caring. He loved those around him with a passion that belied the fierce warrior they knew he could be. He would stand in the face of much larger foes - and had - to protect those behind.

A quiet, mischievous rustle of leaves behind her alerted Eridani to the little bundle of joy she’d given to her friends and tried to keep the smile from her face as her daughter, Aeschere, pounced on her from the autumn leaves almost the same color as they both were. The thrax chuckled and rolled over, letting herself be tackled as she play-fought with the little cub for a time, finally tossing the girl into another leaf pile. Almach - who had been trying to keep the leaves *out* of the den area - huffed in mild exasperation when his second pile scattered. Eridani ducked her head in apology at the lan, but the brown male only chuffed a laugh and batted at the cubling himself, far too used to the antics of younglings to be bothered and went back to his leaf gathering.

A louder rustle made the thrax and lan look up and Chantilly herself burst through the largest pile, running full-tilt into Almach and nearly bowling him over in her haste to avoid whomever was chasing her - which turned out to be Grendel, Faunus’ older son from another pairing several years before he’d found his way to the Misty Forest. The blue thrax careened around Eridani expertly with a jaunty wave and the thraxess could only help but laugh. Her tail was suddenly tackled and she looked back to see her daughter had captured it. The little cub peeked at her through her white mane, then darted off to hide into one of the leaf piles. The adult thrax blinked, but a slow smile spread across her face.

If Chantilly could play like a cub, why couldn’t she?

The yellow thrax lowered herself to the ground, then moved around to Almach’s other side, much to the elder lan’s amusement, but he didn’t stop her. Eridani inched towards the suspiciously giggling pile of leaves, then pounced, rolling across the forest floor with Aechere in her grasp. The cub’s laughter exploded across the clearing and brought many smiles and their mother and daughter game turned into chasing one another through the leaves. Almach threw up his paws and gave up with a laugh, then laughed harder when Aeschere ended up with enough leaves in her mane to make a necklace!

The pair ended up out of breath and the cub eventually just flopped over atop her mother. As Eridani was catching her own breath, she realized the Aeschere had fallen asleep and tried to suppress her chuckle. A shadow fell over her head and she looked up to greet Faunus, who had his typical shy smile. He huffed out his whiskers in amusement as Yfandes simply moved over and settled against the younger thrax’s back, much to Eridani’s astonishment. Faunus just nuzzled her cheek and she let him, letting her eyes close as she leaned her head against the taller thrax. Imagining what it must be like to be loved this much. The old thera gave a quiet, throaty chuckle and both thraxes looked over at her curiously. Yfandes tilted her head at Eridani curiously, the small smile still there, then finally offered, “Did you think you weren’t loved by us already?”