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His days since he left Mawu had fallen and risen like any tides would. The red-maned male had his fair share of new lovers, new litters, as well, and each time he believed he'd found 'the one' that he would stay with the rest of his days. Something always happened that broke his heart. With Mawu it was uncomfortability. With Kabusha it was time. He honestly loved both females in his own way. Mawu was his first and Kabusha... He'd stayed with her for a very long time, until the swamps burned and he found himself leaving again.

However, something about this one, his new love, Awitsi... He knew this was the one for him. He wouldn't be compelled to leave her after his litter was grown. In all honesty, the lion with the bad eye sight wanted to be with her every moment of his day. Him and his new litter of eight. That's why he was going to join up with her. He visited the boarders, seeking her company and she updated him on his cubs, but he hadn't joined just yet.

Prides... weren't his strong suit. Mawu and Kabusha came from completely different prides, and he found himself uncomfortable with them both at some point in time. But this one? It seemed stable, much more relaxed. It felt like it would suit him just fine.

So today, he had wandered to the boarders again so he could find his love, but instead of her dark and teal coat he found himself looking at a very familiar female. "....O... Onalim?" he murmured, squinting. His eye sight was blurry, but he knew those colors. That was his pale little princess from his first litter.

Vestip nodded when she said his name, but he didn't make any steps forward. He'd known some of his children didn't want him around. His ears flattened against his head, disappearing into that mane as he watched her. She looked so different than when he last saw her. It was disheartening, really, as well as nerve wracking. Slowly, Vestip moved to a sitting position, brows knitting as he swallowed.

"...I didn't know you were here... H-how are you?" She looked healthy, but was she happy? He was so worried about how she was going to react to this. He looked terrified really. What if she tried to chase him away? What if she didn't give him a chance to explain? What if she drove him away from his new family that lived here? So many questions flew through his head as he stared at one of his daughters. She'd been one of the first...

They were all here? His ears flattened, perked up, and then flattened again, unsure how to take this news. He sighed hard and let his brows knit. Should he even try to make up with them? Most of his children, and Mawu, probably hated him for leaving like he did. Wouldn't it be rubbing it in Mawu's face if he showed up because he had kids with a female he fell in love with here? Licking his muzzle nervously at the question, his heart thumped hard against his chest.

"I... ...I have cubs here," he said softly. "Little ones with my... new mate. I haven't.. joined yet because pride life hasn't really ever been my thing, but..." He looked to the side, not sure how she would react. "I love her.. and I'm trying to do right by her. I want to be with her."

He felt so lame, finishing it like that.

He listened, quiet, face neutral. He was glad that everyone that had made their way here was thriving, but at the same time was it going to cause conflict, him joining because of the cubs and his new mate? His tail flicked behind him, unsteadily. Vestip thumped his tail on the ground hard before nodding.

"So everyone that came here is well off. I'm glad to hear that.. Even.. if his rank was lowered." Flattening his ears against his head, he shrugged. He was hurt she called him dad, but honestly? What did he expect? He'd left them at such a young age, they all probably hated him. In all honesty, Vestip would feel that way about himself if had been put in their situation. "I... find it hard to believe she'd be happy seeing me. As much as I tried to part on good terms, I could tell ....I hurt her so deeply. I'm glad she was able to move on, find someone better for her. I was.. just a poor match to begin with. I did try to make it work though. Do you believe me?"

Her words actually cut him really deeply, though they were probably not meant to. Thanking someone for not sticking around felt like a slap to the face. Vestip just lowered his head and ears and sighed. "...I suppose I will be seeing them.." Slowly, his tail curled around him as he just looked down at his black and red paws. So basically everyone hated him despite his best efforts to have that not happen. Perfect. Fantastic.

Well, at least he had Darlington and his cubs. He knew they'd love him, even if his older cubs didn't. In all honesty, he didn't see anyone of them actively seeking him out, even if they learned he was here. "I suppose... I should see about my mate," he said softly, trying to excuse himself. His voice sounded sad. He could just find her by scent.

"No, it's alright," he murmured, brows knitting tightly. The red maned lion looked away, sighing slowly before rolling his shoulders. A few had his wing markings yes, but most had his mate's wing markings, those more pointed ones with the elegant, almost Ela like tattoo markings on them like she had. Vestip's tail flicked this way and that, slowly, just like he was thinking. His ears were still hidden away in his mane, flat against his head, chest aching.

This was really hard, meeting up with her like this. Confusing, painful and relieving all at the same time. He'd need time with his mate. He'd need to talk to her about this, to figure out what he was supposed to be feeling, if anything. It wasn't that he couldn't make decisions himself, it was just that there was so much going on that he didn't know what to do with himself. He'd changed since his first litter. He'd left two mates, and settled down a third time with the one that just fit with him. He didn't get her pregnant and stay with her. He loved her, then got her pregnant and now was going to be staying with her. Sighing slowly, he just gave her a soft smile.

"Again, I'm glad you've done right, I'm glad the others are alive.. I'm glad your mother remated and has the life I couldn't give her. I really am." Vestip's tail flicked a bit more decisively before his expression changed to happiness. "I want you to meet the cubs. Meet your little half siblings."

"It... It would be better if it wasn't... Not yet. She doesn't.. know I've got children here. I didn't know I had children here," he murmured, swallowing a little and just dropped his ears. She had been so excited, and yet Vestip couldn't bring himself to say yes. He just.. Darlington wouldn't be prepared, and she'd need time to get everything just right for visitors and mentally prepare herself for meeting his children from his first litter.

Now he was nervous. "Soon, I promise. I'll.. come get you when we're ready." His ears lowered against his head and he started backing up. In all honesty, he was too nervous and wanting to just ... cry right now. The greeting with his daughter had gone better than expected, but it just reminded him that most of his first litter wasn't happy with him.

So now, before she could really say anything else, Vestip ran off, literally, towards his mate's den.