Tib shook out his fur and frowned as he looked out over the hot springs. He hadn't been feeling well, but he had finally shaken that off. He decided that he hadn't actually been sick, it had just been some kind of stress related illness. All of his brothers were gone... He knew Bac was on some kind of trip with Abby so they would be back eventually, but he had no idea where Archie or Vitus had gone. To top it off his mothers had seemed very sad about something recently, but neither of them had told him what was going on. His mother was gone a lot, apparently looking for something. He didn't like that they weren't telling him what was going on, but he didn't really know how to ask them about it either. He thought of Arivae and he suddenly felt very guilty. It had been a while since he had hung out with her but with all this going on with his siblings and mothers and then being sick he just never got over to her den to visit, not that he wanted her to catch whatever it was he had if he had actually been sick anyway. He turned around and quickly headed back toward the mangroves to find her to apologize and explain. He hoped she wouldn't be too mad at him. He came to her den and smiled a little at all of the decorations around it. He loved coming to her den simply because it was very 'her'. This place just screamed Arivae now. "Arivae?" he called, sniffing for her scent to see if she was here or if she had left for the moment. Speak Thought Others

Arivae was resting contently, her mind swirling with thoughts, despite being asleep. Her dreams were a mess...and not to mention, her heart was split into two pieces. Why? Because Threar was gone. She had many friends in Threar, including her best friend/cousin, Aslan. He and his family were now homeless, taking refuge in Abaven. Of course that had a good place to stay, somewhere safe where they didn't have to worry as much. But their home...all of their memories, shattered because of the selfish decision of a single, blood thirsty wolf. When she first heard the news, she had broken into tears, unable to hold the trembling rage and sadness she felt in her heart. But now, she was more relaxed, sleeping the exhaustion off. It hadn't even occurred to her that Tiburtius might be upset as well. She hasn't seen him in...well, she didn't know. But it had certainly been awhile. Arivae curled into a tight ball and rested her head on her tail, her breathes soft and calming. When suddenly, a soft voice reached her ears. Being the light sleeper she was, she was instantly roused, and she blinked the sleep from her eyes slowly. She didn't even know who it was until she turned around, coming face to face with her best friend. Even with her blurry, sleepy vision she could make out the green and red of his mismatched eyes. The young girl yawned and smiled. "Tiburtius," She whispered, pressing her nose into his, as his head was already poking through the entrance. "It's been a while." She said, her voice slurred, obviously still a bit tired. "Talk" "You" Think

When Tiburtius didn't get an immediate answer he curiously dipped his head through the entrance of her den. A little smile came to his muzzle when he saw her dark form curled into a little ball, showing off the delicate white stripe that draped across her back. A moment later she stirred and lifted her head, bringing those sleepy blue eyes up to his. His smile widened and his heart melted as she pressed her nose to his. He wished he had come to see her before now. She brightened his day every time he saw her and that was exactly what he needed right now. She mentioned the fact that it had been a while and he nodded guiltily. He settled onto his stomach, his large form half in and half out of the den. Her den was perfect for her small frame, but he didn't quite fit as well as she did. "It has been. I'm sorry for that. I haven't been feeling too great and I've been trying to watch after my mothers more since my brothers have disappeared. The time got away from me I think." He smiled a little and added, "But I'm really happy to see you." He lightly kissed her muzzle. "How have you been, Arivae?" Speak Thought Others

Arivae's smile only grew as he slipped down to his belly, half of his body inside the den and the other half obviously poking out like a burrowing owl. It made her giggle a bit. He could fit, but they'd just have to squeeze. Like, really squeeze. It would be a bit awkward, so she found his method a bit safer and easier. Plus she could see him perfectly in front of him without any uncomfortable head twists. The dark girl spun around slowly to face him, so her body wasn't curled, and flattened her paws beneath her chest while he spoke. Almost immediately her smile faded. He wasn't feeling well. Usually when anyone felt bad, she wanted to run to their rescue right away. She felt sympathy for them like no other girl could...but this was Tiburtius. He was special. She was about to plant a kiss somewhere on his face, but he beat her to it, and she felt an uneasy smile thread onto her lips. She was so happy to see him, too. It had been too long, and they needed each other through a time like this. This disappearance of Threar had scattered many of her family members, and all her friends, her aunts and uncles. She needed Tiburtius now more than ever. But it seemed like he needed her at the same time. Arivae returned the kiss with a soft smile, placing it right on his nose before speaking. "I've been okay, but I could be better." She stated flatly, her blue eyes staring into his mismatched ones. "Threar was the home to many of my family members and friends. So I guess hearing about that was upsetting...plus, you were gone. So I kind of felt a bit lost." She confessed, gazing downward for a second. The mention of his brothers disappearing rung in her ears, and she frowned, moving forward and slipping her head under his chin and into his chest. "I know you and your brothers were close. Are you doing okay?" She felt her face grow hot with emotion. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Being so small and only knowing about the weather and the lands of Alacritis, she felt simply helpless. She wanted to do everything she could to help Tiburtius. But...what could she do? She'd really do anything for him, but she didn't have any experience when it came to fighting or healing, even when her mother gave her pointers. Arivae sighed gently and breathed into his blue fur, squeezing her eyes shut. "Talk" "You" Think

ooc: soooooooo sorry for the wait again ;~; I'll be better about replying! Tiburtius hadn't thought about how Threar's fate might have affected wolves outside of Threar, even one as close to him as Arivae. He felt awful for not being there for her during that. He felt even worse when she immediately tucked her head under her chin and asked if he was doing okay. She was far more concerned for him and his feelings than her own it seemed and he just wanted to take care of her. He dipped his head down around her to nuzzle her scruff. "I'm okay, don't worry about me. My family has a habit of wandering off if they don't have a reason to stay. Luckily for me I have a wonderful reason to stick around." He smiled a little and lifted his head so his mismatched gaze could find her pale blue eyes again. "You help so much by just being here," he added, his tail brushing against the ground behind him outside the den. "I'm so sorry about your family and friends. And I'm sorry that I've been so preoccupied. I'm really more worried about my mothers than my brothers to be honest. They love us so much that seeing most of my brothers leave has really bothered them I think." He frowned as he thought about it and wished he knew why his brothers would disappear like that and worry their mothers so much. Speak Thought Others

The gentle nuzzle against her scruff gave her the comfort she was looking for, but not all of it. She still felt worried for his mothers, his brothers, and for him. She really needed to know if he was doing okay, and if she could help in any way possible. Having him depressed and sad all the time would break her heart all over again. But to her relief, he explained that his family members often wandered off, and that he had a good reason to stay. Was she his reason? Being the broad-headed girl she was, she pondered on the thought for a bit. However it dissipated within minutes as her friend began to speak once more. "You help me so much by being here," She moved her head so she could look at him, and she smiled, her tail slowly wavering back and forth behind her. That was her line. Tiburtius was all she had left right now. Her mother and father were gone, she lacked close siblings, and her friends were scattered like stars. He kept her stationed here in Fiori, which was a home to her distant friends but not family, even though she'd do anything to be with Aslan and his mother. But...over all, Tiburtius was her first priority. She loved him and she would never make the mistake of trying to leave again. Well...not without him. Arivae huffed and leaned her head into his, shutting her eyes and thinking about the way his mothers sparkled whenever she met them together. She hasn't seen them lately, with everything going on...they must be dull, blank. How horrible. "Your mothers are really amazing, especially when they're together." She explained with a gentle smile, kissing his nose. "I can tell they share something extraordinary. I'm sure they'll be fine, as long as they have each other." She finished. She wasn't sure that was she said was necessarily true, but she was 99% sure that was the case. They did raise all four of the boys together, after all. Arivae laughed quietly. She wondered how they bonded as pups. Maybe they were so wonderful and sweet because they had two mothers instead of the usual married couple? Arivae rolled her shoulders forward and slipped her head back beneath his chin, her tail swaying back and forth. "Hey...thank you so much for being there for me. I don't know what I'd do without you." She whispered, pressing herself closer to him, searching for the comfort of his warmth. "Talk" "You" Think

It made him smile to hear Arivae speak so kindly about his mothers. She was right, he knew that. His mothers had been relying on each other for as long as he could remember and probably longer than that. He nodded in agreement and smiling even wider when she kissed his nose. Every time she gave him any kind of little affection it made his tail wag and put a little flutter in his stomach. She always made everything better. He wasn't sure why it had taken so long for him to come see her, he should have known that just being around her would fix all of his worries or at least make him feel better about them. She pressed herself up under his chin and he was more than happy to let her cuddle up to him. He smiled and nuzzled her neck again as she did so. His ears perked a little to catch her whispers and her words brought yet another smile to his lips. It seemed like he was always smiling when she was around. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than with you," he replied just as softly. "You're always there for me, I want to be there for you too." He lifted his head far enough to put a little lick on the top of her head. "I'd be happy if we spent every day together." Speak Thought Others

Feeling him nuzzle gently into her neck made her heart beat faster, but it was good feeling. It was a new feeling she's never experienced before...and this feeling only occurred to her when she was around Tiburtius. Her heart fluttered like a butterfly when he showed up, especially when he got close to her. Better yet, touched her sweetly like he was doing now. Sometimes it made her body ache...she didn't know why, but part of the reason was because she didn't have the courage to express her love for him as much as he did. He was able to nuzzle into her neck and chest so gently, but she was...scared. Scared that if she did something like that, he'd take it the wrong way. Or maybe that the way he embraced he was just out of friendliness and nothing more. Arivae cringed at the thought, and pressed closer to him, her ears flattening back against her head. A friend wouldn't nuzzle her neck, right? These past few seasons had meant so much to her...and she had always thought that they were just friends for a while. But now, she thought differently. Maybe Tiburtius was more than just her best friend. Did he feel the same? Arivae felt herself shift as he spoke, and she smiled, her face beaming. She pulled back and gazed him. It was hard for her to muster up this much courage, really. But she loved Tiburtius. She wanted to be with him all the time, to snuggle up with him in her tiny den and know that he was always there for her. She opened her maw, then shut it. She knew what to say, but she was shaking because she was so scared. Not only would she look like an idiot, but she'd lose what she thought was a friend forever. Arivae swallowed and remembered the affection her mother and father shared with one another, and she forced an uneasy laugh to leave her lips. "T-Tiburtius..." She choked out, pressing her nose against his, their faces literally inches away from each other. The girl curled her tail into her trembling body slowly as she found the strength to continue. "What's stopping us...?" She whispered, her ears flopping back like a frightened puppy. What would he think of her if this was just a mistake? "I...I really, really care about you, Tiburtius. And I want to be with you forever. But...sometimes I can't muster up the courage to show you how much I care about you...and it hurts. It hurts my heart when you're able to embrace me so easily when I can't do the same." She swallowed and stopped herself from bursting into tears, her eyes slowly moving to the ground shakily. "Help me to understand...whether or not this is more than friendship. Because I can't stand hesitating when I want to curl up with you and stay the night with you." She finished, gripping the ground for support. She hated this...she didn't want to see his reaction. Something about this told her he would reject her like a rotten piece of meat. "Talk" "You" Think

Tiburtius suddenly noticed the anxiety that was running off of Arivae in waves. A slight, concerned frown touched his lips as he watched her. He didn't know or understand what was causing her to shake like this and he didn't know what to say to help her. Instead, he listened with his ears perked forward as she spoke, letting her get all of her words out into the open between them at whatever pace she wanted. Slowly, as she said more and more, understanding would cross his expression and his heart fluttered in his chest. He wanted so badly to pull her eyes back up to his, but he would remain still and quiet until she finished. It was no new thought to him that he really cared for Arivae and it had even crossed his mind before that he loved her, but he had never let himself dwell on it since he had never thought that she would feel the same way. He had never been shy with his affections, but somewhere in his mind he had always thought that he would never be good enough for such a pretty girl. But now that he knew how she felt... he couldn't make the words come out of his mouth. His heart was pounding in his chest and he had so many words trapped in his mind that wouldn't get past his tongue. With his words failing him, he turned to the one thing that had always come easy to him in his interactions with Arivae. He pulled himself to his paws enough so that he could crawl the rest of the way into her little den. It was cramped, but he didn't care. He carefully stepped around her so he could lay down beside her and curl his large frame around hers, every fiber of his body wanting to be close to her and protect her. He nuzzled his face into her scruff, his ears folding back against his head as he became so overwhelmed with every emotion he was feeling. "I do love you, Arivae," he told her softly, his voice thick with emotion as he spoke around a lump in his throat. "I've loved you for a long time." He turned his head so he could find her blue eyes with his, a little smile tugging at his lips. "It's okay... I'll give you enough embraces for the both of us." Speak Thought Others

It was only until she felt him move that she turned her soft blue gaze to him. At first, she thought he was leaving, and her heart sank. But it was the complete opposite. He stepped inside, right over her, and rested down beside her. Her face burned and her previously shattered heart mended itself, fluttering rapidly in her chest. She was surprised to have him so close to her that she could feel his own quick heartbeat and the heat that easily traveled from his body to hers. He curled his body around hers, which was probably quite easy for him considering their ridiculous difference in size, and nuzzled into her scruff. Arivae allowed a gentle smile to blossom across her lips. What he said forced a tiny, tiny gasp- more like a breath, to leave her lips. Her heart raced, threatening to ram itself out of her chest and fly into space, leaving her behind. For a second, she couldn't breathe with how overwhelmed she was. But then, a wave of happiness racked her body, and she grinned, leaning into him and nuzzling his neck sweetly. "I love you too." She breathed into his fur, curling into him and closing any distance between them. Not like there was much...they were packed into this tiny den like sardines. The thought made her giggle as she reached up to kiss his chin. "I'm sure I've always loved you." She turned to let her eyes meet his and she giggled again, wrapping her forepaws around his neck and leaning over him, nibbling into his neck. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that." She smirked, letting out a playful growl as she nuzzled into him, returning the many cuddles and snuggles he gave to her. "Talk" "You" Think

He was just so overwhelmed with happiness that he didn't know what else to do but nuzzle and love on Arivae as much as he could. He smiled when she cuddled further into his side and her kiss to his chin made his tail thump against the den floor. It felt like they had been floating in some strange in between space between friendship and love for so long. Now all the puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place and he couldn't be happier with the results. Once Arivae had confirmed that she loved him too he knew that his feelings hadn't been mistaken. He hadn't understood what this feeling he had deep in his chest was until now, but now he had a name to put with the butterflies in his stomach and the pounding of his heart. He grinned and laughed when she wrapped her forelegs around his neck and started showering him with all of the nuzzles and affections he had been giving her. Since she was already leaning over him he let himself roll a bit so that he was more on his back, his forelegs coming up on either side of her to hold her tiny frame above his. It still amused him how much of a size difference there was between them. His mothers were pretty different in height, but theirs was even more extreme and it made him chuckle. They ended up in a mess of tangled limbs, giving each other more nuzzles, kisses and nibbles than he could have imagined. It was like they had gotten into a love fight and he loved it. "I want us to be this happy together forever," he said with a smile, placing a little playful kiss at the end of her nose. Speak Thought Others

There was only so much happiness her body could take. She was tiny, after all. Having it pile on her wasn't overwhelming...it just made her want to cuddle with Tiburtius until it was her final hour. Beyond that, even. Maybe until it wore off? But...would it ever? As long as he was there, this excitement and love and happiness for him would never wear off. Plus, she never knew how happy a single wolf could make her...love was always strange to her until now. What had happened between her mother and father? What had sparked that made them want to be with each other forever? Those thoughts always popped into her head as a yearling or puppy. When they kissed and snuggled, the first thing that left her mouth was, "Eww!" But now she understood how much they loved each other. So much that they slept side by side, trusted each other, cared so much...and had pups together. Or, pup. As he rolled onto his back, she was pulled right up onto his chest, where she fit perfectly. He was massive, she was tiny- his chest was basically a big bed of warm fluff. She had a place for her limbs, and even better, her face was close to his. It was a tiny bit embarrassing, she had to admit...but for the most part she liked it. She wanted all of Tiburtius. And with being so tiny, she could get all the gentle giant she needed. Arivae smiled weakly, her heart pounding loudly in her chest as she felt his heat encase her. She leaned into him and kissed his chin. "Me too." She replied, her tail wiggling back and forth gently. "I'll definitely stay with you and be here for you." She promised with a smile, nuzzling his jaw and lowering down to cuddle herself into his warm chest. What would she do? She was so happy, so excited and warm...it was like a dream. But thankfully real. Arivae shifted forward so she was closer to his face, before continuing to nuzzle and kiss him without a second thought. "Talk" "You" Think