#tyevi

(Featuring Cironus @tides-that-bind-us and Danmalaak @this-rock-floats) Once the sun had started to set, bathing the isles in beautiful pink light and purple shadows, Zalfe started to lead the group down the mountainside towards the beach they had first made landfall on. As they walked, she hummed a tune to herself absentmindedly.

The second her foot touched the soft sands, an idea seemed to click in her head as she snapped to a more alert attention, "Oh, right, since this is your first time visiting the Amphitheater, we should mark you guys!" She said with a snap of her fingers before darting into a nearby hut, only to quickly return moments later with several clay pots.

She eyed the two up and down, clearly thinking something over before opening two of the pots. She picked up one with her left hand and walked over to Cironus, where she proceeded to dunk her fingers into the paint inside before drawing a swirled pattern along his head, arms, back, and chest. Repeating the same patterns with a different color on Danmalaak.

"So with these markings, we're signaling to everyone in the Amphitheatre that we are there for friendly socialization and tonight's paint tag game and not looking for romantic advances since you are first timers. Paint tag is a team game where you are put on teams where your paint matches your glow. Usually, the goal of the game is to obscure others' patterns with paint. The team least covered in paint wins the prize! Since you two do not have biolum markings like us, we paint those on to make it a little fairer since the game's played at night! The patterns I drew on your arms and backs are to let everyone know you are first-time guests and to remind them to mind their manners!"

"Now I'll let you guys choose if you wanna paint your hips or legs and mark them as target zones. But if you don't want to participate in the game since it's your first night and you'd rather just chat and watch from the sidelines without someone running up to slap their paint-covered hands on you, just paint a big ol' X on your chest. I'd use a spiral if you wish to play, but wanna make it clear you are only here for the game and no romantic advances."

"Cironus, I chose blue for you because, based on what I've seen so far, you just read more like a Mi glow to me. And Danmalaak, you are yellow because your curiosity makes me see you more like a So glow! I'm on team La, which is those of us with Orange glows." She smiled as she handed them the pots. "There will be massive jugs of your team's paint already set up in the amphitheatre, but best to get painted up beforehand." She said, painting an orange spiral on her chest.

"Honestly, paint tag is one of the best ice breaker games we have. There's no pressure, just friendly competition and play! Plus a tasty treat and bragging rights if your team wins! Tonight's treat is Candied Titan Jellies. They are very chewy and very sweet! Kids usually go nuts for them. Anywho! Race you there!" Zalfe smiled as she sealed her paint pot and tied it to her hip before bolting off into the water, swimming toward Ampetheatre Rock.

As the trio approached the small circling island, one noticeable thing was that this Island of the Isles was entirely a sheer cliff face with no discernible way to climb up. But it seemed the outside wasn't the intended entrance as Zalfe led them to a low archway that was just barely visible above the water, with the rest sunken with the current tide.

The archway served as a doorway to a tunnel filled with glowing murals of Zorphins swimming and playing, and multiple pairs of handprints placed by what must have been couples or friends making hearts and other shapes and swirls on the rock. Clearly, it was constantly redone every generation or so, as some parts of the stone seemed stained from generations of paint being applied and eventually washed away with the tide.

Based on convos with friends I was thinking of how many kiddos each of my goons would want to have if they did have children or how many they wanted before having children even if they have them now.

Loqua & Kohv: originally they wanted 6 children. HOWEVER, due to how troublesome Zalfe was as a calf especially with her baby brother as her minion of chaos they decided 4 was more than plenty. Couldn't increase Zalfe's one evil minion to 2 or 3 after all.

Zalfe: she always wanted 5 even since she was young. She wanted her children to have lots of siblings to both play with and pester. Like how she had her brother and sisters to play with and pester. She's had 1 and even though there was that tragic loss and she fears going through it again. She still honestly desires a big family.

Fjord: When he was younger he wanted 2 or 3 kids as him being a twin he enjoyed having a sibling growing up. However due to the deep deep scar tissue he has from being electrocuted by the great eel causing his fertility to crash he'd be over the moon if he even has one.

Vrelu: he currently has 3 children from previous courtships and is fully open to the idea of more he just can't decide if he'd keep it low at like 4-5 total kids or if he'd have 10-12 like Scylla wants to.

Scylla: wants as many children as she can physically have as she was an only child and found it rather lonely. She also wants to hold the pod record of the largest family. She has 8 children currently and would happily have at least another 3-4.

Tyevi: the idea of children is a scary thought to Tyevi after everything that happened with Zalfe. She wouldn't mind 1-2 but...she thinks she's also content not having any.

Lyrova: her goal is 3 kiddos max. She has her 2 daughters and is hoping if she and Sahbi have a third that they have a lil boy but they'd also be happy if it was a third girl as well.

Dealu: he's got his little boy and he's perfectly content with that! But if Olka wanted a second he also wouldn't be against that. But he's more than pleased with his one.

and past for Scylla too please ⬅️

Zalfe

Zalfe sat criss cross applesauce on a rock humming to herself. She was weaving a few new beads to her necklace when her attention was peeked by the sound of footsteps walking up to her.

"You seem in a good mood...though your weaving tells me you're nervous." Caspia mused sitting next to her on the rock.

"Haha...yeah a little of both...I've just been thinking is all."

"About what? Scheming something?"

"No! Erm well not a scheme at least! I've...just been thinking about what I want for my future. Working up the nerve to ask the questions that would make my day dreams realities."

"oh like what?" Caspia mused raising a brow. "You have an active mind with many daydreams."

"Ive been feeling happy...like myself again...I think...I wanna...try again. Be a mom again." Zalfe smiled as she fastened off the final bead at the end of her chain.

"You sure?" Caspia said scooting closer to press her arm against Zalfe's.

"Yeah! I'm sure." Zalfe smiled leaning her head against her big sister's shoulder. "I wish I had your titanium spine to cut through me nerve though."

"Yeah. Everyone does" Caspia smiled.

Scylla

Scylla looked over her shoulder at Tyevi with a furrowed brow "What should I say?"

Tyevi shrugged fumbling with her hands while looking to the side "I...I don't know." She whispered before straightening her posture with more resolve "But we def need to let Zalfe know we're here for her!"

"Fefe's been through so much...God does it make me a bitch to think her sister's a bit of a bitch for having her bond with Tilda like that just to take her away from her?"

"A lil bit? I mean it's...not Lyrova's fault things happened..." Tyevi said shuffling side to side a bit.

"Right." Scylla sighed before locking her arm with Tyevi's with a determined glare "Ok! We go together. Besties look out for each other and we're gonna smother Fefe with our love and support!"

"Right!" Tyevi smiled.

"Cradle sisters stick together!" Scylla said pounding her hand against her chest.