“Mama, Mama!” Her voice was high pitched with excitement as the child rushed back to her mother’s side. “Lookit! Outside! It’s so pretty!”

The only surviving child between her parents looked upon her mother with light eyes full of wonder. Innocence filled her yet -- sheltered thus far from the darkness the world held. But those raising her had lost the one they cared for most, as well as their home, could one blame them for wanting her to enjoy being a child?

“Meme it’s early… go back to bed…” The weary voice of her mother reached her ears and the little one lowered her ears. Her mama looked sad a lot and seemed tired pretty often. She didn’t like it when her mama was like that… She seemed a bit sad when she talked about her daddy too… but Memento Mori loved hearing about him. Her daddy had been an alpha and, someday, she was going to be an alpha too!

“But I’m not sleepy…” The pup pouted.

Well… if her mama didn’t want to get up and look at how pretty it looked outside then… she’d find something pretty to bring back to her mama!

Memento Mori didn’t even try to sneak out of the den -- no, the child calmly emerged from the hole at the base of a tree and sniffed at the misty air. It was still early, and the sun had barely started to share light with the earth. Mist from the falls covered the area and gray skies hung overhead making the day appear gloomy.

One paw after another and then the youth was out of the den and in the open. She lifted her head and took in a deep breath as excitement filled her.

The world was… beautiful...

Whatever beauty was in the world for Célestin had grown muted, not revealing themselves to him like the used to. Even in the moments of his sister's death and his mother's passing the world had seemed alive and bright, beckoning him to come and explore... What he'd never noticed was that the worlded looked that way because he'd been chasing his sun, Pegasus. And now? Well now his sun was missing and he moved through a world of shades of grey. A sweet high voice echoed across the southern continent and his ears perked. The rainbow man adjusted his course, approaching the falls and tracking those melodious tones, like a balm for his soul. His dual toned gaze would easily find the small shape of the girl, his Little Momento. "Meme!" He called out to the girl, an easy smile pulling at his lips, the first real smile he's managed in a while. He may have lost his sun but standing before him was one little star, and this time he wouldn't let it go. Célestin approached the pup, gently lowering himself to try and reach out and nose at the girl's head. His feelings for the girl's mother were still complicated. He didn't blame her for what had happened to her but he wasn't sure he could every say he liked her. But he'd quickly grown attatched to her daughter... his lover's last reminant. He had always wanted children of his own and in his heartbreak had taken to Memento Mori like his own daughter. Though he'd yet to admit it to anyone but himself. "What are you up to today?" He asked her. "Speech"

Art by LilPupSpongeCake

She was standing in awe of everything when something managed to pull her from that wonder; her dad. Memento’s pale eyes turned towards him as a squeal of delight left her lips. With ears perked and tail wagging she helped close the distance between them. The struggles her parents had were unknown to her… all she knew was that she was really ‘lucky’ as her mama had put it cause she had another dad somewhere. They were just waiting for him to come home. But that was okay! She had her rainbow dad too and the fact she was only puppy who her mom knew had two made her extra special!

As the paw ruffled her mane she ducked a little and gave a playful growl as her tail wagged even more fiercely in delight behind her. At his question though her smile faded to a more thoughtful look. “Mama didn’t want to get up…” The little one explained. “She said it was too early.” Her ears lowered some but then, just like that, the sadness was gone as she bounced on her paws. “She just miss my other daddy, right?” She canted her head to the side. “I thought maybe I could find something to cheer her up. She doesn’t really go anywhere to explore.” She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“Please dad? Will you help me?”

Despite the pain he had once felt glancing at the girl he couldn't help but smile as the pup bound towards him, the ache had dulled some since Meme had started to talk and play. She was so vibrant and so different from her father, though his pain wasn't totally gone. No, Célestin assumed the general ache he felt at having been so thoroughly abandoned by the only wolf he'd ever fallen in love with would never really leave but he had a different life now. He was guardian to a tiny bundle of sunshine now and more than gracious she's adopted him just as he had her. His daughter bound up to him, her tiny tail wagging and a squeal of delight leaving her lips as she spotted him. The rainbow man chuckled, watching as the girl ducked his affection and dropping into a play bow. Though she'd quickly straight up to answer his question. Célestin nodded knowlingly as she spoke of her mother and the man couldn't help but feel pity for the maned woman. "We both miss him." He said absently, he hadn't quite yet conffessed his feelings for Pegasus to either of the females but it was obvious that he'd been close to the prince. "I think that that's a good idea Memento." He said, leaning down to gently lay a kiss on his daughter's head and using his own nickname for her. "Let's see if we can find any nice flowers huh? It'll make the den bright and nice to be in for both your mom and you, how about it?" He asked, rising to his full height again and scanning the horizon. He could see a few bunches of plants that had survived the harsh drops in temperature but figured he'd let his little momento see if she could spot them. He could feel his stomach swelling with a warm feeling at her calling him her father. "Speech"

Art by LilPupSpongeCake

The confession that they both missed her other daddy was not viewed as odd; not in the innocent eyes of a child. Meme had always just assumed that both of the males she called father and her mother all cared for one another. Her mind did not recognize monogamy or polyamory, or anything of how a couple should be. All she had known in her life this far were Philly and Cél. They were role models, guardians, parents… the only ones she felt she needed… at least right now. They were her world and the girl found her own smiles brightest when she managed to see a glimmer of happiness from either of them.

Memento accepted the kiss, beaming up proudly at her dad as she puffed out her chest proudly. “We’ll find lots of nice flowers! Some for mommy, me, and you too.” The little ball of fluff let her pale gaze sweep over the grass as she took in a deep breath of the morning air. “We’ll keep everything nice for when daddy Pegasus comes back to us.” She shifted and look up at Cél and gave an innocent smile. “He can sleep with you too! Or we can make the den bigger and we’ll all sleep together. It’ll be nice and warm… and you and mommy can smile even more!” It seemed perfect in her mind, her family whole, no one to bother them.

Then, without waiting for her rainbow marked father to respond Memento Mori bound ahead with the sort of energy only a pup would have. She had caught sight of the different colors in the grass and was immediately drawn to a patch of flowers that, for the most part, hadn’t quite made it. On just about any that could be seen from the front many of the petals had started to wither and die… but Meme didn’t stop at the front. With surprising care she began to nose through them and move the ones that were more dead than alive aside until she found one she liked.

It was small, some of the petals slightly shriveled but it had mostly survived the frost nestled in between the other flowers. Without much ceremony the pup grabbed it by the stem and bit through it, spitting it out at first on reflex as the plant juices filled her mouth.

“Yucky!” She made a face, nose wrinkling at the taste as she pushed her tongue out a couple times as if it would get rid of the taste. Then the small child picked the plant up by the haphazardly cut stem and carried the plant back to her father’s paws.

It was a light orange plant that darkened at the ends of the petals. She sat down, tail wagging as she canted her head to the side and spoke once more.

“Will you wear it? Like the blue one! I want you to wear it!”