[Sol Katti]

SOL KATTI

May these words be the first to find your ears
The world is brighter than the sun now that you're here
Though your eyes will need some time to adjust
To the overwhelming light surrounding us

I'll give you everything I have
I'll teach you everything I know
I promise I'll do better

---

      The first of the flowers were blooming, stretching their petals out beneath the sun as snow and ice retreated. Life was returning to her quiet corner of the forest — the world's chatter bustling in light of new life. It was still quieter out here than Saboro's taunting jungle, and Sol Katti could rarely make out the whispers of the trees and wind here. But the Sovereign knew they were singing, their melody soothing and gentle, devoid of Saboro's cooing malice.

It was just as peaceful as it had been in the winter. Louder, but peaceful nonetheless. 

In the warm dawn light, Sol Katti made her way back to her ancient willow, her small frame slowly dragging a fawn she had caught just as the sun peaked over the horizon. It had been too bold for a prey animal, wandering too far from its mother and safety. Killing her catch had been difficult for the dainty Queen; the task of catching larger game still a struggle for her even after all these months as a nomad. But in the end it had been worth it, and a swell of pride kindled lightly in her chest.

Prowling past her blooming gardens that surrounded the large willow tree, she deposited her catch against knobby roots before slipping into the warm den. Soft snored filled foxlike ears, and a hint of a smile curled at her features. "Wake up." The dappled lady sang in her wind chime voice — which probably didn't really help rouse the slumbering speckled bundles. One by one, Sol Katti would nudge each with her nose. Nipping lightly at ears or cheeks and pressing kisses to heads. "Breakfast is outside. It's a special treat today; a fawn. Better get some before it's all gone..." Her gentle voice lilted into a tease before playfully nipping one of the sleepy children's rump and retreating out of the den back into the cool morning air. 

There, Sol Katti would sit by her willow tree, waiting for the song of children's voices to start her day. In front of her, the flowers of her gardens swayed and danced, their colors blending together. Purples and blues and yellows and whites—

—and red, red poppies, reminding her of a secret place.

[Ahi]

#3e8ede
Lemon yogurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
I dropped the ashtray on the floor
I just wanted to be near you

Light broke into the hollowed tree of the willow, a gentle breeze, warm and welcoming with the promising scent of flowers. The warm rays spilling onto a mass of speckled blue, black, grey, yellow, white, and pink. The children all curled around each other, though the pastel little Ahi was the first to have his eyes flutter open as sunlight , bright and glaring, washed over him. Two-toned eyes bouncing about as things finally came into focus.

There was a hushed snoring, as his siblings snoozed the daylight hours away, raising his head, he'd caught a snag as his brother Jin rolled slightly upon the long tuft of black hair that framed the side of his face. "Jin..." Came a whimpered whisper, as he tugged once more before finally shoving at his brother with a chunky little paw. There was a unanimous groan heard as all of his siblings shifted in irritation though eyes never opened.

The sound of foot steps filled his feathered ears, blinking for a moment he peered out to the bright light of the den's mouth, the outside world looking oddly otherworldly as the sun's rays spilled over everything and diluted the colors. A figure, however, blocked out the light and Ahi caught sight of his mother just barely as he pretended to be asleep. Head resting on a brother as his long tail curled against his body. Her words carried a familiar tune of softness as she attempted to rouse them.

Her small shadow cast over her grand lot, and he'd felt a nudging against his back and behind his ears that he finally squirmed and looked up to her. Breakfast? That word caught his ears, and Ahi perked up immediately to catch his mother's eyes, but her speckled form was already stepping out of the hollowed out den. The small pup rolled from the pile, kicking up moss and dirt as he went, legs wobbling as he stood, but they found stability in his stance soon enough.


"Mama! Mama, wait! I'm up!" His soft voice cried as he strained to call out to her, a whirl of pastel blues and yellows against white with a stripe of black. He scampered out into the open air, the world bright and alive with blooming flowers and greenery. Another breeze coming to ruffle his fur, what a lovely morning! Vivid red and seafoam colored eyes came to land upon the form of his dappled mother, and coyly made his way over to her. Eyeing the fawn as he went, though it wouldn't be right to eat it without his siblings also being awake. "Good morning Mama." Ahi's soft little voice came, as he bashfully looked up at her, a forepaw extending to tap at her own. "What are we gonna do after breakfast? Explore? Hear stories?" He looked up to her, eyes wide and full of wonder.

She was the best thing, he'd ever known.

[Calhoun]

It wasn't the snoring of his siblings that woke him, or the kicking of puppy dreams that stirred him from his slumber, but the smell of flowers carried on a morning breeze that tickled his senses into consciousness.  His little nose shook as it tried to identify the scent, before his eyes creeped open, his mouth dry from having it open all night, he lifted his head, and a string of drool followed it.  Strands of black hair were standing straight up on one side of his head, while the others were smoothed down in perfect unison.  Abnormally long tongue hung out of a half open mouth, as he cntinued to wake up, his eyes adjusting to the rays of sunlight streaming through.  He had just gotten used to the light, when the rays were temporarily blocked by the figure of someone larger, someone familiar, someone he loved so dearly.  He closed his eyes and smiled, as his mama nibbled at his head, further scrambling his hair, tail thumping loudly behind him.  Only growing louder at the sight and sound of his brother Ahi, awake and ready to adventure.  

Rolling onto four paws, he stood and stretched, letting out a rather loud puppy yawn, before making his way out of the den, stepping very gingerly over his siblings.  Though he was more rotund then his littermates, he was surprisingly light on his feet, and was always careful not to hurt them.  When he had cleared the minefield of siblings, he took off at a wobbly gallop after his brother, nipping playfully at the tip of his tail as they emerged from the den, eyes squinting softly at the remarkable sight of a field, and open sunlight.  He stood there for moments, before turning his head to his mama, who stood so beautifully against the green of the trees, and the colors of the flowers.  "Good mornin' ma!"  He said, wobbling over to her, a smile on his face and tongue lopsidedly hanging out the side of his mouth.  Legs moved with purpose until his head found his mothers legs, in which he decided to rub against like a cat, weaving in and out of them, until he tumbled onto his back between them.  "Ya!? What are we gonna do after - - oh."  Cal stopped, and cocked his head as he lay upside down on the ground, he'd never seen a deer so small before.  

Wiggling himself back onto his feet, he wobbled over to the fawn, it was so small, so very tiny.. Calhoun's lip began to quiver slightly, and his eyes welled up with tears.  He turned his head back to his mama, his dear, sweet, wonderful mama.

"It.. It didn't hurt much, right mama? You made sure?"  He asked, a shake in his voice.  He knew he had to eat, it was the rule of survival.

But the boys heart was far bigger than his stomach.