astrid ★

You were napping, but some movement caught your attention. astrid ★ was coming towards you with a gerbil snack, but then she stopped. Walked away. Came back. Now she looks like she wanted to bolt. You closed your eyes and pretended to be asleep still, and she finally delivered her gift to you.

Happy but intimidated by your attention, astrid ★ greets you shyly, then backs away to give you some space.

You rolled your eyes once again as astrid ★ asked you about going to the forest. No, they can not become one with the leopards.

backstory/lore

astrid and her brother, bone, were shipped off pretty quickly to another pride. they were put into the favorite den, unfortunately surrounded by many hybrids who were passing away or pretty close to it. the queen there was a powerful being, her name wisteria. she was a beautiful, triple rosette ferus. most of the pride that was left swear that she used to be a cruel, evil queen, her eyes holding daggers. astrid could never imagine her like that, though they all also say that she grew nicer with old age.

eventually, two other mutated lionesses were ushered in the favorite den. nimue, a patches lioness who was often angry at everything. she didn't talk much, gave a few grunts here and there, but astrid saw her speaking with myra on multiple occasions. she suspected there was something more than friendship going on, but didn't intrude. myra was a polycaudal lioness, who loved to chat with others. she was the pride's healer, and would often be found making new potions.

eventually, with a heavy heart, wisteria reluctantly stepped down. she had her head down low, disappointed. astrid knew she wasn't disappointed about stepping down, knew that it was deeper than that. the newly former queen was disappointed that she wasn't strong enough to lead her pride. the leopon silently watched the ferus slowly fade away until eventually, she woke up to myra's gentle calling. wisteria had passed on in her sleep, assumingly peaceful; astrid sat with the pride as they all watched her descent to the dynasty. wisteria didn't even look over her shoulder at the pride she was leaving behind; instead, she kept her jaw set and head forward as she gazed ahead.

amaryllis, the new queen, was gentle and much different than wisteria, at least appearance wise. she was gentle, but not in a way where she would be a lion pleaser. she listened to her pride's needs, and gave thought before each action she took. she checked in on all the dens, versus wisteria, who only really paid attention to the favorite den for a good portion of her leading.

astrid stayed with her brother as they watched lions come and go. sometimes they spoke with the other mutations, other times they visited in the frozen den, where all the immortal lions stayed. she wondered if she would ever join this den, though it felt mildly depressing. fern and mars were hovered over lilac and iris, the conjoined twins. thalia waiting for her awaited lover, aphrodite. astrid didn't like going in that den very often.

one day, a murmur of another hybrid joining the pride arose the leopon from her slumber. she didn't bother to wake her brother, but stayed awake in the early hours and watched amaryllis guiding a peach-toned leopon to their den. she watched as the pink lioness mumbled some things to the hybrid before dipping her head and going over to sadie and vestiya, the other leopons. astrid watched as the leopon awkwardly laid down in the nest, lowering her head to get some sleep. the divine leopon thought to do the same, but she would for sure talk with her soon.

just as she was about to fall asleep, amaryllis approached her quietly. she sat up rather quickly, assuming the queen would want to speak.
"astrid, i think it would be great if you could introduce yourself to flora, make herself feel more welcome." the piebald spoke quietly, as to not awaken the lions around them.
the leopon nervously glanced over to the other hybri- flora, and then back to amaryllis. "are you sure i should do it? i mean, isn't vestiya or even sadie a better pick?" she gave an anxious laugh, ears twitching.
"i'm not going to make vestiya do that," the queen replied kindly. "she should be spending her time doing what she wants. why don't you want to do it?"
"no, no, i, uhm, want to," she mrowed, swallowing. "it's just that i'm not good at really talking. with other lions. that's kinda why i just hang around bone."
"i just think it's better if you do it. you'll make a friend, and i'm sure flora would feel more comfortable with a lion whose around her age showing her around. she can't really make jokes with the old lions," she chuckled. "if you don't do it, it's okay, but i think it would benefit the two of you."
astrid flicked her tail, curling back up in her nest. "i'll do it. i just need to sleep."