By now it should feel familiar waking up in Dumanne. The coalition had welcomed her and her daughter with open arms. Tailtiu slowly got up, taking a glance at her sleeping daughter who was in the back of their den. She was fast asleep, so Tail was careful when she left the den.
It wasn't that long ago that her and Antheia were just wandering rogues, looking for a place to call home. Originally Tail was going to find Antheia a home and then return to her birth pride. However, things did not quite work out that way. The thought of leaving her daughter caused her pain. Antheia was the closest of her daughters. Her other two would be fine. Kuroi'Nera was their home and now Dumanne was hers and Antheia's.
“HEY Tail!”
She heard the voice of her companion followed by the pattering steps as she got closer. The little genet stopped in front of her and stared up at her with a mixed look of anxiousness and annoyance. Tailtiu pretended not to notice, making the genet's annoyance spike.
“Tail, the sun has been up for a while now. You know that you have duties to do. Yesterday you were going on and on about how you wanted to make some decorations for the prides. Your words were 'how can anyone have wonderful dreams if their dens are as barren as the land outside of Demanne.'” The genet said in a mocking tone.
With a heavy sigh, Tailtiu looked down at Svētki. “That was yesterday. Today is a new day. Who knows what I will want to do.” Tailtiu said in her soft, dreamlike voice. “Perhaps today will be a good day to dance instead of making decorations. You seem stressed Svētki, you could certainty use a break from working.”
The reaction of the young genet was predictable as she glared up at Tailtiu. “I am stressed because YOU won't do the job you said you would do. All you do is complain about how the pride isn't your 'perfect' home when all you have to do is put some effort into your work.”
Tailtiu knew that Svētki was right. More often the not, the genet was right. It was a small irritation, but she would not want to change their relationship. Most of her life she always had someone around her that was level headed. It used to be Waysm, but he left the pride and she was left without her best friend.
“Alright Svētki, I will get to work. I feel like flowers would be fitting for some of the dens. We could weave them with some grass and hang them on the walls. What do you think?” It was a simple start, but it was at least something to get Svētki from badgering her.
She started down the path, toward the river. Svētki jumped on her back. “For now it is good. I don't know how many flowers we will be able to find. If we have bad luck we could always go explore the other clans and see if we have any luck.”
Hopefully they wouldn't have to do that, Tailtiu thought as they headed down. It would take up a while to travel to the other clans and she really just wanted to get the task done so she could distract herself with things she enjoyed doing and spend some time with her darling daughter.
They reached the river and started to head north, keeping an eye out for any flowers. Tailtiu's thoughts were less on the flowers and more on her daughter and herself. So far Antheia seemed to embrace the pride. She was always a hard worker, but now she wanted to prove to everyone around her that she was talented and worthwhile. It was a drive that Tailtiu wished that she could mimic. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a tugging on her ears.
“Ow!” Tailtiu said with a growl. Svētki rolled her eyes.
“IF you were paying attention I wouldn't have to pull your ear! You just passed a couple flowers back there.” Svētki said shaking her head disappointingly. Tailtiu stopped and turned around. Near the water, a couple flowers in full blood were there. Her eyes lite up and she walked toward them. Svētki jumped off her back and gave the flowers a closer inspection. “These will be a good starting spot. For now we can work on making one chain of flowers and see how it looks.”
Carefully Tailtiu plucked the flowers and held them in her mouth. Svētki jumped back on her back and they continued their search.
The hunt for the flowers took all morning. Around midday the pair headed back toward the den. In her mouth Tailtiu had a decent amount of flowers. It was not as many as she would have hoped, but it was a start. Svētki was holding a bundle of log grass and twigs.
When they got back to the den Antheia and Thoko were both gone. Both were probably hard at work on their own projects. She was sure that Antheia would share what she was working on when she returned to the den that night.
She dropped the flowers and started to organize them by color and size. Once that was all done, they were ready to start the braiding process. Her years of learning how to dance came in handy for task like this. She had precious control over her movements and knew how to hold and pull the flowers gently without crushing them. The task needed her full focus. Even Svētki knew that it was a good time to keep chatter to a minimum. Instead the two hummed together as they worked.
“I think that is as good as we re going to get it.” Svētki broke the silence as she admired their work. The flower braid was not as long as Tailtiu would have liked it. But it was still pretty. “We could hang it on the outside of our den, right above the entrance?”
It was a good suggestion. The other members of their clan could see it easily and if they liked it the pair could make more. Tailtiu grabbed the flower braid and brought it outside. She stood up beside the entrance, the flower chain still in her mouth. Svētki climbed up her, onto her head and grabbed the flowers. It took a moment, but she managed to find a sharp spot of the rocks and pierced the flower braid so it would stay up. They did the same on the other side.
“Well Tail, was it worth it?” Svētki asked with a grin.
“Hm it does make it feel more like home. But I feel like I would have been more inspired if I had started out the day with a little dance. Maybe tomorrow you and I could work on a dance routine instead of working?” She suggested with a grin.
Svētki shook her head. “I don't know why I even bother with you sometimes.”
“How about a compromise then. One dance and then we can work?”
“Hm alright but don't make it a habit.” Svētki responded.
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