In Dire Straits

Quote:ooc;
the whole family is encouraged to post and meet the kids, and i guess... smelly sunblink can post shatter in here to thrill kill these kids
just let the lil babs post first, after that there's no posting order!

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Daddy was dumb, said that I’d be something special

The crackling of fire echoed throughout the abandoned cathedral, among her piles of fur, where smaller piles of flesh and fur nestled close to mother and father alike. The Dragon Mother had become more reclusive as of late, and Zasha had followed, staying by her side and only leaving to bring her food and water. Incubus and him taking turns offering their bodies for warmth and support. Zasha laid behind her, head draped on her back as that singular tired eye watched them. They were far larger now, yappy and full of character, he'd remembered the night they were born. The stench of iron, foul and unpleasant, but with it brought life.

He had been there for the birth of Atlas and Oktober, he regrettably was not there for Adrian, Juni, and Kiefer. The trio handed off to him unceremoniously, the mother dead in a ditch somewhere, but he was thankful he'd been here to see all of these new little lights. A low whine caught in his throat, far too content watching them and simply laying here, but he knew that their mother would want them to make an appearance. Shifting with a huff, he'd be slow to rise, nuzzling into Azuhel's neck fur, he'd nudge each tiny, chubby body with his snout.

Zasha's gentle nose boops would be relentless until the children finally stirred, offering each a kiss. "Up up up! Gonna get up up UP!" He called to them, his voice rasped in a hoarse tone, and if Inc was near by and would allow, he'd nuzzle his nose into the other as well. "Going outside, OOOOOOO AAAAAAAAH!!" He'd say in exaggerated tones, if only to get them to move faster and wake up a bit more.

The male usually took up the reins of mother hen, he was worse than a bear when it came to children. All those stories you hear of mother's doing anything for the children, you could equate it to this father. He might have been tired, but he had enough energy to love his children and take care of them the best he could. Each child deserved that same love. He'd nudge any stragglers as he walked them through and out of the cathedral, mindful to stay close to the vicinity, they'd come to a very small clearing speckled with sunlight and wild flowers.

"Rosie! Griff, Shy Shy, Ren, Faye Faye, Artie! Stay close!" Their father would call, ears flicking back, for the love of god and his goddamn nerves. Listen kiddos. Even with that one eye of his, Zasha kept his head on a swivel, bouncing from one child to the next. They were new to this world, good and pure, and his sweet little babies. Nothing bad could ever be allowed to happen to them.

"Outside is soooo fun!!! OOOOOO AAAAAAAAH! Look at the fun!!! LOOK!"

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Many days had passed since the night the fire embraced his flesh, bringing him into the world. The comforting warmth he has surrounded with was composed of many odors. By now, Griffith had learn to recognize the subtleties between them. There was Mama, the most constant and enticing smell, a flame echoing his own.  There was his siblings, small bodies just like him, but just as ardent as his mother’s presence, each with a distinct quirk. And the most varying of the two - the sharp yet sweet smell of Incubus, his dad, and the intense yet mellow smell of Zasha, his papa. And this was the latter which stirred him from his heavy sleep, with a wet heat radiating from his nose as he bumped his head. Griffith quickly learned Zasha’s persistence. A fine quality, he would love to develop himself. "Hrrmm… right’." In time. For now, the gentle but steady nose bumps surely awakened him, chasing away grogginess faster than bees collecting honey. A yawned escaped him, a lengthy exhalation as he got up on his paws, leaving the dragon’s nest with slow but steady steps, glancing up at the sky every now and then. He loved sleeping…  but he loved his papa even more. "Up up up! Gonna get up up UP! Going outside, OOOOOOO AAAAAAAAH!!" Even though his outward enthusiasm could tell another story. He was always puzzled at the sounds Zasha could conjure, and while he found them over the top, they never failed at getting his attention, nor at invoking fondness and amusement. Papa’s cries reminded him of birds and their calls. It was... weird, but melodious. His little ears perked up, and his olive eyes stayed glued on his father’s face, avid for his display despite the small confusion they always provoked in his mind. Why was he so eager to add them in his sentences? The world may never know. "Rosie! Griff, Shy Shy, Ren, Faye Faye, Artie! Stay close!" Griffith did stay close, glancing around to look if his siblings would do the same. He was especially looking out for the smallest of them, Faye being the number one on his list. If any of them were to lag behind, he would trot up to them, never saying a word, and mimic his father, gently bumping them with his nose. Well, as gently as a puppy could be, with his little clumsy paws and clumsy notions of his own strength. "Outside is soooo fun!!! OOOOOO AAAAAAAAH! Look at the fun!!! LOOK!" "Where’s the fun?" He asked, a little gruff, as if he needed proof as he turned his head in every direction. And he did! C’mon, let the fun stand up his case, as if it was on trial already… for Griffith didn’t see much fun in what his father was showing, nor did he see much fun in all those strange activities like chasing his own tail. And Griff’ would love to be wrong, he would absolutely love for the fun to show up and leave him so entranced he’d be just like the rest of puppies his age — joining on a fantastic parade. For while he didn’t like it, it didn’t mean he couldn’t see others enjoyed themselves. "I don’t see it." His voice, calm as ever, was enhanced by a higher note at the end of his sentence — an elusive intonation. Was he missing something? Or his eyes just were meant for something else? He supposed it was something like that. But, frankly, he had sneaking suspicions about this "fun". Like it was a very silly joke. Perhaps it would be best if he didn’t see it. Still, the curiosity in him was growing discontent. "I don’t see the fun, papa." He finally said, getting closer to Zasha, slightly brushing his legs, with the same inflection in his voice, a small irritation. But only his siblings and parents would be able to tell — his voice always seemed so tranquil. The small clearing seemed a little dull, but since it was a new path he was bent on exploring it. Perhaps there was hidden secrets behind the flowers, or the promise of something more in its location. He would try. If the whole family was there, getting out of the cathedral didn’t seem so bad.

Quote:"Up up up! Gonna get up up UP!"
Rosalind may have otherwise been reluctant to move from the warmth of her mother's neck if it wasn't Zasha who was calling to wake the litter.  One blue eye rolled open, jabbing a small dainty paw into the nape of The Dragon. The hatchling was awakening. She reached towards Zasha, closer to his booming voice. Ros welcomed his kiss with a quick lick of her own. "I'm awake, Pa." she yawned, small speckled rump raised in an effort to get a few more stretches in. Sleeping all day sure did make her little muscles sore.

"Going outside, OOOOOOO AAAAAAAAH!!"
The unrecognizable noises he made cause Ros to stand quickly on her legs, the fatigue now replaced by genuine curiosity. Outside ooo aaah? She hoped this place was nicer than curled up next to Mama, though she couldn't imagine how it would be. "Ma, are ya comin' outside oooo aaah widdus?" But her resting mother took too long to answer, one by one the siblings began to follow Zasha. She wouldn't be left without them.

"Rosie! Griff, Shy Shy, Ren, Faye Faye, Artie! Stay close!" Rosalind reared up, giving herself a small boost in speed to catch up to her siblings. She shoved her way past them until she found herself right at the base of Zasha's frame. "Here I am, Pa!" Zasha would be able to see her, but she had a hard time seeing him. Or much of anything, for that matter. Her duo-toned eyes were taking a bit longer than expected to adjust to the sunlight... But when they did, oh when they did she was overwhelmed with excitement. She teetered back and forth quickly on her paws, wanting badly to explore but knowing better. Pa said stay close!

"Outside is soooo fun!!! OOOOOO AAAAAAAAH! Look at the fun!!! LOOK!"
"Where's the fun? I don't see it. I don't see the fun, papa.

She peered over to her confused and beloved brother, pawing Griffith lightly on the head. "The fun is THERE, Griff. THERE! D'ya see it now?" She gestured towards the patches of flowers. How could he not see the fun? They were practically looking right back at them! And the smell, oh it was nice... Nothing like Ma, Pa, or Papa's smell but equally as enchanting. Rosalind spun to face Zasha, standing unsteadily on her hind legs to try and climb closer. Pa always stands so tall, reaching him is hard. "I wanna see'em, Pa! I wanna see'em up close! They're so pretty." Rosalind loved outside ooo aaah already.

Quote:Her small, plump frame was nestled comfortably against her mothers and siblings, not at all awake, not even in the slightest before papa called for them. His long drawn out syllables make her wag her tail grinning. “AWOOOOOO” she howls with him, raising her voice, to try to match his own volume.

It was easy to get excited. Life was after all, very good. She would waddle out, with her siblings. While she would never be a tall girl in her older life she was a big baby. Possibly the roundest and chunkiest out of all of her siblings. She would turn to look into the cave, “Uhm, Mama, Daddy” she would address her other parents, Rosie interjects, asking if mama if she was going outside with them. “Yeah are yah?” she would ask, she had the same southern drawl her mother did, even as a young girl.

She would break her way into the group, eager to move in front of her siblings, she felt a bit tense in the midst of them all, crowded between the five body’s. “Aww, Griffith” she would say, frowning that he wasn’t having a good time.  

Rosie thinks the flowers are fun, but she isn’t quite so sure. They were pretty at least—and that was good enough for her. She watches Rosie approach papa, and then takes a glance at Griffith, and her other siblings.

“Its okay if we go and look at the flowers, isn’t it papa” she would ask, approaching her brother, taking his tail and giving it a gentle puppy chomp if he’d let her, aiming to give him a gentle tug towards the flowers.

“Oh what if we all hid in the flowers, and someone came to find us!”

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Renshaw loved sleeping, but the idea of exploring somewhere new excited her to no end. When her dad nudged her awake with soft nose-boops, the blue and black girl's eyes fluttered but, ultimately stayed closed. It wasn't until Zasha began speaking that she realized what was actually happening and immediately shot up, eyes wide but disoriented with sleepy confusion. "Up up up! Gonna get up up UP! Going outside, OOOOOOO AAAAAAAAH!!" Her siblings were moving, and though Ren still felt warm and out of it, she followed. What was outside? What was it like? Did it hurt? Daddy wouldn't take them somewhere that hurt them, Ren was sure. He loved them too much to let anything happen to them! The child sauntered along, slowly waking up and blinking rapidly in the bright sunlight. She made sure to stick close to her dad, uncertain about this... 'outside' thing. It was different than the cathedral, different smells and sights and sounds -- unlike anything she had ever seen before in her young life. It was wonderful. "Ooooohhh!" she said in awe, dark grey gaze taking in the sights, amazed at the brightness of the colors and how she could see so far. Outside was so big!! It made her so excited that she just started barking, a few happy yaps complete with a tail wagging ninety miles per hour. "I don’t see it. I don’t see the fun, papa." she heard her brother say, like a party pooper. How could he not see it?! Wasn't he feeling it? Wasn't he  h e c k i n EXCITED? "The fun is THERE, Griff. THERE! D'ya see it now? I wanna see'em, Pa! I wanna see'em up close! They're so pretty." Rosalind seemed to have the situation with their brother handled. "Me too, pa!" Ren said in a hopeful voice - was he gonna let them explore? Oh how she wanted to! It was like a strong pull that she felt deep in her chest; she was too little to know what to call it, exactly, but she knew it was good. Shy was the next to speak, asking the question that was on Renshaw's mind. "Yeah pa, can we go 'splore? Please?" Ren would ask, standing on her hind legs with forepaws planted firmly on her pa's leg if he didn't move away. How could he say no to all those cute little faces?

Quote:They were all awake before her, and she was lost in a dream where she played in clouds and swam in seas. It wasn't all her father's yammering that woke her, it was the sudden movement of everyone and the feeling of cold space that opened up bright, purple eyes. The little girl lets out a yawn, nestling her cheek into Incubus' chest and giving him a small kiss before straying out after her much more enthusiastic siblings.

"Morning, papa, have a good day!" Faye chirped while witnessing the rear of all her siblings but one. "Artorius, come on.." a gentle goad at the larger sibling, but ah.. who knew if that would make the red dawn moved. In any case, she would wait a few more moments before trailing outside and.. and gasping.

The Sunlight beamed down, warming what was chilled in her, and she could hear music thrumming through the forest. It changed as she stepped farther away from her family, her heart tugging her towards an array of brightly colored flowers budding along what pathway her enthusiastic father lead them on. "Appa," she calls to him as she hesitantly touches the tip of her nose to a flower that matched her eyes, but she couldn't tell. "Appa, look, it's so pretty," but she dare not disturb it, she couldn't bring herself to uproot it, and so she backed away and sat down, admiring all the other flowers in their variety of colors.

The acoustic strum of the morning had her head bobbing, trying to hum along with the birds and insects greeting the new family. Faye had only known the love of her brothers and sisters, her parents, and yet.. her heart sung out for the flora that surrounded them.

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Noise… It breaks through dreams of cracking silver and white. It calls to her, nagging and tugging at slumbering consciousness like so many tiny vicious teeth. She’s stubborn, clinging to Mama’s fur and bulk and twitching every so often in an attempt to dig deeper beneath fat and muscle. If she’s hidden, she can’t be awaken, right? But the massive bulk of Mama is shifting, stirred from Zasha’s call to wake up and the other wriggling bodies that are more eager to greet consciousness than Artie currently is. So she grunts and huffs and complains in her own particular way by opening a mouth of razor sharp puppy teeth and sinking them into Azuhel’s general bulk. This doesn’t earn her the relief from wakefulness she seeks however… The hearty whap she receives to her skull is enough to jar her into accursed focus and Azuhel is then standing with a sneer Artie attempted to emulate rather poorly—more out of fear and nervous energy than true anger. But, ah! Now Mama is hobbling away from her—from all the yapping children, actually, who will receive yawns instead of kisses as Azuhel shook her head toward Rosie and shuffled further into the darkness of their cathedral home—the gardens, to be specific—to complete some much needed work.  Which left Artie to slouch and flop on the ground in an attempt to return to sleep without any protection from the vicious elements—or Faye, in this case. "Comin’, comin’…” She rumbled in general grumpiness, but she’s sitting up and she’s ready to go—she supposes! So it’s not long before she’s slipping out to follow Papa, bouncing along behind her family with curled and crooked tail more like a sloppy rabbit than an actual wolf—OOPS. And she’ll skid and crash right into a pile of flowers, tripping over what was probably just air, with a yelp and a— “OUCH!” Well, good. Now she’s really awake.