Disclaimer: This is a high fantasy AU that I may never get to revisit but I wanted to get this scene out of my head.

Mornings in the capitol city were a sight to behold: the merchants that crowded the square offering trinkets from every corner of the empire, colorful customers from even more exotic locales examining them, and the royal guard marching through the throng of people with their shining armor catching the rising sun. Although her hood was pulled far over her head to obscure her identity, she could still observe the familiar sights with a fond smile, making her way through the crowd with little fanfare. A travel worn brown cloak, patched leather vest, and dusty trousers didn't make for the most flattering appearance, but the practicality of her ensemble soothed any wounded pride over the looks she got from others, especially given the precious cargo latched onto her back and hidden by the cloak, much like the sword at her hip. Although she doubted anyone would harass her beyond the well meaning observer, she'd rather reach her destination undisturbed; she'd been gone far too long to excuse petty delays.

She pushed her way past a group of elves examining the bow collection of a Valen vendor, stepped around dwarfs weighing the merits of Menagerian metal work, and ducked past a few magicians demonstrating the superiority of their Vacuon wares when compared against the Atlesian counterparts. All the while, faded memories of her youth- walking around this exact marketplace, but half as full and filled with exclusively humans and Atlesian merchants- sprang up, causing the small smile on her lips to tug a little wider. Under her sister's guiding hand, Atlas transformed from a cold, brutal nation of bitter invariability to a thriving, colorful country bursting with the flavor of every part of Remnant. Still cold and brutal, especially during the winters, but now filled with a warmth that couldn't be given by hearth or torch.

As she passed the center of the marketplace, her eyes caught on the fountain, water remaining within its bounds thanks to some magic spell or other. Years ago, it depicted a mounted knight using his lance to stab into a dragon's heart, a testament to the valor of humans and a reminder that, though they should be feared, the magically inclined creatures who inhabited the realm could still be killed by mortal men. Conveniently, the fact that the royal family which had ruled over the land for countless generations itself had magic thrumming through their veins- an ancient sort which required no words or wands, just an imposition of will- was left out every warning about magical beasts and the peoples of Remnant who whispered to stones to build their houses and asked trees for bark. Now, though, only the dragon remained, with its wings spread wide and head reared back to spew water instead of flames, a giant werecat stalking between its forelegs while a chimera sat beneath its tail, a myriad of smaller creatures dancing across the water's surface and children of all races seemed to be playing among the beasts. The commission was wonderfully done, the stone somehow shining like scales and rippling like fur as the water touched it, and it made her pace quicken towards the towering castle gates.

They were thrown open, as per usual at this time of day, but curiously absent was the long line of various citizens looking to air a grievance to the crown. At the same time, she didn't see anyone else concerned about the nonexistent gaggle of disgruntled people that seemed to clog the King's Way every other day, all the royal guards standing their post as if nothing was amiss. When she'd nearly reached the gates, she saw one she half remembered as being chatty, almost too much, so she called out to him.

"Guard, is the Queen not taking audience today?"

He blinked, apparently surprised, and shook his head. "No, Traveler; Her Majesty will take audience tomorrow, though, and the taverns will give you a free night's board, courtesy of the Crown, for your inconvenience." His lips lifted in a small smile, gaze darting towards the entrance to the castle labyrinth. "Her Majesty decided to spend the day with family, you see."

"I've come at a good time, then," she replied, reaching up to push back her hood. Now that her blue eyes and white hair weren't hidden, recognition flashed in the guard's eyes before he dropped to one knee. It seemed that, despite the dirt and grime she'd accumulated from her journey, Princess Winter Schnee could still be recognized among her people, if she allowed it.

"Your Highness!" Every guard in the area, now alerted to her presence, immediately dropped to a knee, bowing their heads in reverence. "You must be, uh, weary from your travels- is there anything I can get you?"

"No, Ser Jaune. Just tell me where I can find my sister. Is she in the garden?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Excellent," she said, turning towards her new destination. "Carry on."

Dimly, she registered the clinking of their armor as they got to their feet while her own carried her through the archway, every guard she passed straightening their posture. Once, it might've irked her how lax they stood, the slight slouch in their backs registering as a lack of discipline, but recent years had… softened her, just a bit. Certainly, she'd discovered a well of compassion within herself that was previously frozen over and completely inaccessible until the warmth of her lover thawed it all away. So, rather than a curt reprimand, she merely gave them nods of acknowledgement as she passed, striding between tall hedges and working her way through the labyrinth to the garden's center. Having gone a full year without seeing the younger woman for the first time in her life- without being within the castle's walls, really- almost gave her reason to jog, but she was mindful of the cargo she carried shifting on her back, disturbed by the increase in her pace already.

A few steps away from the last turn, she heard her sister's voice. However, it was not how she'd hoped to hear it.

"Ah! My arm!"

"Weiss?" She took the last corner, fully prepared to draw the sword from her hip, but stopped with her hand on the hilt as she caught sight of the scene playing out before her.

There was her sister, the crowned Queen of Atlas, lying in the grass flat on her back, her left forearm raised in defense as a little grey werecat sank its tiny teeth into the leather bracer she wore, a high whine that would one day become a menacing growl eking out of the feline's mouth. Two more cubs relentlessly attacked the laces of her scuffed black boots, looking like mirrored opposites of one another with their bodies mostly black or white, and the other color cutting a jagged streak over the top of their head and tinting one ear. Yet another, this one white with a broad black stripe running from nose to tail over their belly and back, tried valiantly to wrestle with the young woman's right forearm, using all the strength in their little body to try and muscle the appendage to the ground. It was working, though slowly, even as Weiss' groans of 'agony' increased in volume.

"You wound me, you magnificent beast!" The assailed young woman cried, tossing her head to keep the pure white strands of her offset ponytail from being caught under any of the cubs. "Oh, what will I ever do? How can I ever break free?"

"Dear, you're selling it too hard." Winter followed the sound of the voice, not at all surprised to see the pitch black werecat lounging on the garden grass, ears canted towards the newcomer despite amber eyes never leaving the small white cub currently trapped between her paws. Once, years ago, the very sight of such a creature would send a spike of fear driving deep into her, but that era ended when the former King and Queen of Atlas were dethroned. Now, the werecat, almost pure muscle and easily twice the size of any man, brought comfort and reassurance. Many things would fall before she would dare let anyone harm her mate- or, Winter mentally amended, her cubs- so there was little worry about her sister's well being during her travels. "Also, we have company."

The Queen halted her exaggerated mauling long enough to throw a slight scowl towards the garden's entrance, ready to deal with the intrusion upon her day as swiftly as possible, but stopped the sharp words from escaping once she saw who it was, settling instead for an incredulous gasp. "Winter?"

The weary traveler smiled. "It's good to see you, too, Sister."

Weiss tried to get up but the cubs were reluctant to let their chew toy escape so quickly, sensing the change in their mother's demeanor but unsure what it meant. As a compromise, the elder sister crossed the grass, reaching up the release the clasp on her cloak and letting it fall behind her. Within the walls of her family's castle, she had nothing to fear, and it was a relief to be free of the light burden. Her approach caused the cubs to abandon their tasks, ears perking at the unfamiliar gait of a stranger before seeking shelter behind the Queen and peeking their heads out, eyes of blue and amber watching with great interest.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't return," her sister said, sitting up and gently picking up the all grey cub, which was about the same size as an adult housecat, except with much bigger paws. The cub tried to turn away at first, the fur along their neck rising up as Weiss situated them in her lap, but slowly calmed down, giving their siblings courage to slowly come out from behind the Queen. "Were you able to find Yang? Is she alright? I would've expected her to be with you-"

"She's fine." Winter chuckled, kneeling down and offering a hand out with a limp wrist, waiting for the cubs to approach on their own. "She's enjoying herself right now; she'll join us soon, I'm sure."

"She's been grounded for quite a while, hasn't she?" Blake, apparently satisfied with her grooming of yet another cub, this one with snow white fur, and lumbered to her paws, the werecat's belly still heavy with milk for her cubs. Yet, she looked every bit the deadly predator Winter remembered from before she left, feline grace hardly impacted by the birth of her first litter. She made her way towards them, following the eager little cub racing to join their siblings. Even from a distance, Winter could see that the white one was the runt of the litter, the others several pounds heavier, but that didn't seem to deter them as they immediately clambered up the side of Weiss' thigh, much less afraid of the newcomer than the rest of the cubs. Or, perhaps, they just didn't have a reason to fear anyone bigger than them, seeing as everyone was bigger than them.

"Yes. It's been… an eventful year. For all of us, it seems." She hedged, watching as one of the two toned cubs made their way closer inch by inch. "But catching up on little details can wait. Introductions are in order, no?"

"Of course, of course. Where are my manners?" Weiss laughed, a clear and bright sound that only recently became known to the occupants of the castle. Last year, with the addition of the werecat's presence to the court, the Queen began to smile and laugh far more than her elder sister could ever recall, a welcomed respite from her taxing duties. It seemed her year spent away hadn't dampened the woman's spirits, though perhaps that was more a result of the cubs surrounding than a constant state of being. "Cubs, this is your aunt, Princess Winter, Steward of Atlas and my chief adviser." A sly smile appeared on her sister's lips. "But you can call her Aunt Winny."

A small frown touched her lips. "Don't ever call me that."

"Why not? It suits you." Blake offered, flopping down behind the Queen with a groan, tail curling just enough to indicate both her pleasant mood and her exhaustion. Luckily, Winter understood, even if she couldn't sympathize, and decided to let the teasing pass for the time being.

"And who do we have here?" Her smile stretched wide as the largest of the cubs finally left the Queen's lap to sniff curiously at the elder Schnee's hand, the rest of the littler following swiftly.

"This brave little explorer is Grace." Weiss touched a finger between the grey cub's ears, causing both to flick as blue eyes rolled up, trying to find the source of the contact. A little scratch of her nail seemed to placate the cub, enough for Winter to reach forward and run a finger down her niece's face, between the eyes and down to the nose. It seemed to work well enough with dragons, she figured the gesture might be something familiar to weres as well, and if the little flick of Grace's ears were any indication, she was correct. "And this adorable little troublemaker is Licht." The mostly black cub turned at the sound of his name, playfully avoiding his mother's touch but unable to predict the dual assault, though he seemed to lean into the elder Schnee's hand. His heterochromatic eyes focused on the tips of her fingers when she pulled away, swatting a little paw at her in retaliation for thwarting his game. "And this handsome little gentleman is Lumi." The cub's mirrored twin, with the black streak over his eyes- curiously enough, also heterochromatic with one blue and the other amber, though opposite which eye bore which color in comparison to Licht- stayed perfectly still, allowing himself to be pet patiently. The moment the introduction finished, though, he quickly set about 'stalking' the bit of string tying his aunt's boot. "And this energetic little heartbreaker is Noire." The black striped cub tilted her head, rolling onto her back the moment Winter reached forward, paws flailing in the air for a moment before allowing the touch, amber eyes shutting briefly. "And, finally, we have our sweet little angel, Harmony."

The pure white cub, apparently done waiting her turn, sprang forward and immediately clamped her jaws around Winter's finger, tiny fangs pressing into her skin and nearing the verge of discomfort. Winter raised a brow, amused by the cub's gnawing and the slow drooping of her ears and tail, but her attention slid to her sister at the gentle clearing of a throat. "Hmmm?"

"Play along." Weiss' expression pinched slightly, her tone low as she spoke behind her hand. "It helps build their confidence."

"Oh." Nodding, the elder of the duo paused to consider for a moment before putting her unoccupied hand to her forehead and cringing. "Oh, woe is me! The pain is almost too much to bear!"

Although Harmony seemed to appreciate her flair, ears perking up as she renewed her vigorous assault, Weiss immediately shot Blake a flat look. "And I was overselling it?"

"She's not my mate and she's not their mother; she's allowed to exaggerate," the werecat replied with a grin, crossing her paws and resting her chin atop them. "Besides, she's dug her own grave; now she'll have to top that each time their bites get stronger or they won't leave her alone."

Harmony, growing bored with gnawing on the offered digit, released her to go play with her siblings, all of whom seemed to be quite engrossed in a game of trying to catch Grace's tail. The little grey cub, however, had a clever mind, running towards her Mommy's hindquarters so Blake could take over being the bait, the cubs apparently deciding that catching the larger prey would be easier, especially since Grace could help them. Entertained as they were, Winter decided it was time to broach the bit of news she carried, though she hoped to transition to the topic gently.

"They're lovely. I'm sorry I missed their birth, and your wedding. It wasn't our intention, I assure you."

"Actually… about that." Weiss suddenly looked a good deal chagrined, shuffling so she could lean back against her lover, one hand absently finding its way into midnight black fur while the other remained on her lap, easily accessible if any of the little ones desired some attention. "We postponed the wedding. I really wanted you to be there for it… and then this happened, erm, unexpectedly." Winter's brows raised, genuinely surprised. "I suppose my aura's a bit more powerful than I thought."

"That's something the two of you have in common," Blake said, cracking one amber eye open and wiggling her nose. That was one of the things she could appreciate about the werecat's sense of tact: she always managed to find a means to convey her intent without using words. "But, I agreed with Weiss; it wouldn't feel right having the ceremony without you and Yang here with us. Getting pregnant was… a surprising side effect of waiting."

Unable to help it, the elder Schnee laughed, though she opted not to comment that perhaps they should've 'waited' on a few more things. It would be a tad hypocritical. "Too bad we exiled Mother and Father. I'm sure they'd have an absolute fit giving both of us lectures on the legitimacy of childbirth out of wedlock."

Immediately, Weiss rolled her eyes and huffed. "Ugh, don't think it hasn't crossed my mind, and the nobles- wait." Her sister stopped, furrowing her brows. "Both of us?"

"Yes." She turned her head, speaking softly. The whole while the cubs were being introduced, she could feel the nervously energy radiating from her precious cargo, but the lack of a volatile reaction assured her that everything would be fine. At the very least, none of the cubs were quite of the strength or size to pose a significant threat, should things start to go awry. "Zephyr? Come out, Sweetheart, and meet your aunts and cousins."

It took a moment, light scratching against her leather vest immediately preceding a stillness. When it stretched nearly to the point she thought something might be wrong, Zephyr gathered her courage and poked her head up and over Winter's shoulder, cool blue eyes darting between all the new faces. She see the nervous twitch in her whiskers and could feel the way her daughter pressed against her back, as if ready to duck down at any moment.

"I can't believe I owe Yang gold for this." The werecat shook her head with a fond smile. "Baby dragons are rather cute."

"Cute- Blake, she's absolutely precious," Weiss said, leaning forward and offering out her hand. "Are we certain she's related to Yang?"

Aside from clearly being a dragon, she could see where the joke might hold a kernel of legitimate curiosity. Pure white scales and a slim build seemed to place Zephyr at the opposite end of the spectrum from the towering, broad shouldered golden dragon, but the Queen of Atlas had the benefit of never seeing one of the little one's tantrums. In those moments, no one could possibly mistake her lineage, when cool blue eyes turned to a deep violet. Already, there was a font of dread welling up in her chest at what the 'terrible twos' would entail, especially for a child with both the Schnees' legendary stubbornness and Yang's temper, nevermind her draconic form, but something told her that no matter how terrible it got, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else. She raised a hand, allowing Zephyr to take refuge in a familiar touch, the small spikes along the top of her head lightly digging into the woman's palm.

"Is this why Yang ran off? To go lay an egg without telling anyone?" The younger woman stilled her hand, waiting for the little dragon adjust to her presence. Zephyr shifted higher on Winter's back, stretching out her neck to lightly bump her nose against the offered digit. She almost immediately retreated, once again hiding behind her mother's shoulder, but the reaction was an expected one. It had taken a full week for her to acclimate to Winter, partly because the little dragon had yet to encounter a creature other than Yang and partly because the woman spent the better part of that week lecturing her lover in a mostly civil tone. Mostly. "I never would've imagined any offspring of Yang's to be this timid. Or yours, for that matter."

"That overgrown lizard's always been the exception, not the rule," Blake said fondly, tilting her head when Lumi and Licht started climbing her shoulder, apparently keen on chewing on her ear. She couldn't make it too easy for them, though her attempts to avoid their nips required hardly any effort on her part, and she appropriately cringed and growled whenever caught. "Dragons are solitary creatures in their youth, too vulnerable without conscious access to their magic and afraid of the world. Until she accepts us as part of her family, she'll be wary."

"How long will that take?" Weiss carefully scooped a hand under Grace, who seemed to be on the losing end of a battle to stay on her paws while enduring a sneezing fit, and deposited the cub in her lap while rubbing her back soothingly, worry pinching her brow. "I don't want her feeling unwelcome-"

"Once Yang arrives, she'll be more confident." She assured her sister, a small smile on her lips as she turned her head to look at her daughter. Despite being a tad overwhelmed by the new sights, sounds, and smells of the castle- and no doubt the entirely foreign presence of Blake and the cubs- Zephyr seemed to be taking the revelations well. She hadn't tried gliding back to where her cloak lay discarded and burrowing into the fabric, at least. "You're doing wonderful, Sweetheart."

The little dragon raised her head again, her wings fluttering in excitement before she curled in, rubbing against the side of Winter's neck to return the affection. The contact was short lived, however, as Zephyr snapped her head up and turned, slitted eyes focused on the castle's southern wall. Blake seemed to notice something, too, as her gaze fixed on some unseen point. She might've been concerned but any worry quickly evaporated when she felt the little claws scrabbling as Zephyr tried to get higher, tail lashing about excitedly.

A moment later, Yang appeared, soaring over the castle walls with ease, her bright scales shimmering with every motion. She passed over them, sending the cubs scurrying for cover between their mothers, while Winter stood, holding out her arm so her daughter could scurry along, wrapping her tail around her mother's forearm for balance while standing up on her back legs and calling out to her Momma overhead. Yang had likely seen them during her pass but she still turned her head, as if her child's calls alone had been her clue to their location, and banked hard to come back towards the garden. There would be just enough space for Yang to land despite her size- from nose to tail, she measured almost as long as the battlements were tall- but neither Blake nor Weiss seemed at all concerned, both doing their best to keep the cubs calm while Winter put a placating hand on Zephyr, stroking along her spine. With a great flap of her wings to ease her landing, the dragon touched down, shaking the ground slightly and pulling tiny mewls from the cubs as they tried to understand what just happened, all the while Zephyr eagerly waiting for Yang to turn around, bending her long neck so her daughter could scramble onto her nose. She dropped the travel packs she'd carried in one clawed paw, disregarding the personal effects entirely to focus on the little one.

"Hey, long time, no see," the dragon said, a cheery note in her voice despite the deep timbre. "What's up?"

Weiss furrowed her brows almost immediately, putting her hands on her hips. "You did not just ask us 'what's up' like you haven't been gone without reason for a full year."

"I had a reason! I just, uh, didn't mention it when I left…" Yang had the decency to look a tad sheepish, despite having received this lecture a few times since last she walked the castle's grounds. "Mainly because I didn't really, well, know why- but, hey, look on the bright side! Now we all know, and we're all back together! That counts for something, right?"

"Let no one ever accuse you of dwelling on the past." Blake offered with a wry grin on her feline features, her laid back attitude doing wonders to set the cubs at ease. One by one, they peeked out, staring in wonder at the golden dragon even as she turned her attention to her own offspring.

"You've been good for Mother, haven't you?" One eye closed as Zephyr made her way up, perching at the top of her Momma's head before chirping out a reply that pulled a laugh from Yang. "Oh, is that right?"

Winter watched with amusement, noting her sister's expression as the dragons continued to growl at each other, speaking in their own tongue.

"Do you ever understand a word of it?" Weiss spoke softly, though there was no doubt Blake overheard them, one of her ears flicking back briefly.

She shook her head. "Never."

Relief suffused her sibling's expression. "I thought it was just me. I swear, I think I can place specific sounds, but it just… makes no sense."

"It'll come with time." Winter straightened her posture. "We're Schnees, Weiss. There's no challenge we can't overcome."

"Through sheer stubbornness." The werecat added, though she seemed more amused with the assertion than exasperated by it.

"Heads up!" Immediately, she looked towards her lover, seeing Zephyr gliding down towards her and bracing herself against the impact. Although it could be unexpected and a tad disorienting, Winter relished the moment her daughter landed against her chest, claws sinking into the leather of her vest to keep hold; she wouldn't be able to do this much longer, according to Yang, who guessed the little dragon would grow to the size of a small dog in about two more months. By then, she should also be able to shift to a human form, too, but thoughts of the future could be put aside for the moment, especially seeing as the golden dragon finally caught sight of the little cubs now making themselves known. "Aw, they're adorable! Guess we're not the only new parents."

Yang lowered her head to the ground, turning so she could watch the cubs with one eye. The five remained apprehensive, Grace inching forward with Harmony not far behind, Licht doing his best growl while Lumi hunched his shoulders beside his brother, and Noire just looking between the two dragons, as if trying to work out how something so small looked almost exactly like something so large. Eventually, Blake took it upon herself to get up, padding over towards her friend with her tail swinging low to the ground, oozing ease and confidence as she stopped beside the dragon's cheek and sat on her haunches.

"Come here, cubs." The werecat looked back towards the little ones, leaning against Yang's jaw. "She's loud and obnoxious, but she won't hurt you."

"Weiss, don't tell me you've turned my best friend against me! I'm shocked, absolutely shocked." The dragon lamented, though a smile played across her reptilian features. "Or maybe you're just cranky. Let me guess- you're stuck like that until they move to solid food, huh?"

"Oh, shut up, you overgrown lizard." Blake lashed out with her tail, smacking against golden scales lightly. "Just wait until the first time you fall asleep somewhere low to the ground in your human form, and they come looking for milk."

Before a crass reply could come, Winter smoothly cut in, her tone light despite the seriousness of her words. "I will gently remind you that Blake likely had an easier time with birthing the cubs than you did laying an egg, Sundrop."

The dragon's eye twitched, lightly puffing air through her nostrils even as the cubs began climbing on their Mommy's back, putting tiny paws on golden scales as they investigated together. All the while, Zephyr remained calm, cuddled into Winter's chest and watching the other little ones curiously. She even let Weiss run a finger along the top of her head, much like her sister had done with the cubs, and gave nothing aside from a brief fluttering of her wings and a flick of her tail in response.

"She's taken a liking to you already," the elder of the two said, a smile on her lips. "You're rather good with children."

"Purely through sheer force of will. The past month has been quite the crash course, honestly." She quickly straightened out her appearance- an old habit that seemed reluctant to die- and checked the straps of her bracers, tugging at the sleeves of her cream colored top before tightening her ponytail. "Thankfully, Blake's a natural. I don't think…" Her expression dropped into one of deep thought before she continued. "I don't think we would've made it individually. At least, I wouldn't have. Raising one would've been a trial, but five at the same time?" She looked over to her mate, the werecat using her snout to push Licht up onto the ridge of Yang's nose, following Grace as she went to investigate the ivory horns arching above the dragon's head, and smiled softly. "I'm lucky to have her in my life. And the cubs, you, even Yang, and now Zephyr- despite everything, our family's growing, and I'm just-" She cut herself off with an unexpected laugh. "I'm just so happy right now."

Winter's lips twitched into a wider smile, pleased to see how much her younger sibling had grown in such a short amount of time. This wasn't the same young woman groomed to be a cold, calculating ruler since they were young; her intrinsic benevolence and strong heart helped her become something so much more. "I am, too. It's been a long road already, and I think things will get harder in coming years, but I'm quite pleased with how everything's turned out thus far."

"In a castle with two dragons, three ill-trained arcane mages, and six werecats, you honestly only think things will get harder?" Weiss laughed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Blake's insisting they learn to hunt like proper werecats and nobles and I have no doubt Yang will want Zephyr to visit the Dragonlands at some point. Our own magic- well, I'm not sure about you, of course, and you've always been more disciplined, but I just learned how to conjure, and now I'm meant to rule?" Rather than become overwhelmed by the enormity of the tasks ahead of them, the Queen squared her shoulders, determination shining in her eyes. "Things will be more difficult in years to come. All that means is that we must work even harder to overcome them and we're perfectly capable of doing such, especially given our chosen partners."

"You've become quite the optimist." Winter lightly bumped their shoulders together. "I recall a young woman always fretting over the smallest details growing up, trying to be perfect."

Her little sister nodded, chuckling softly. Yet, somehow, when their gazes met, she looked older, more mature, and it suddenly felt less like she was looking at a younger version of herself and more like a glimpse into a future she might've become. "Perfection is overrated. I'll admit being exposed to Ruby certainly helped but I suppose that's only part of it. I'm grown now, I have a family to help raise, and a country to rule. Without a little optimism, I'm quite sure I'd collapse under the weight of it all."

Blake, having had an ear cocked back towards them the whole time and with all the cubs now exploring the expanse of Yang's head to the dragon's delight, padded over and pushed her head beneath the woman's arm, nuzzling into the side of her chest. "Even if you did, I'd pick you up."

"Of course you would, Love," she replied, bending down to press a kiss to the center of the werecat's head, running a hand between her ears soothingly. "However-"

"Uh oh, heads up!"

Curious at the slight anxiousness in Yang's tone, the three of them looked up only for Weiss to be almost immediately assaulted by a flying cub; apparently, Licht thought replicating Zephyr's trick was a good idea, despite having little to no way to control his descent after becoming airborne. By either luck or reflexes honed by her newfound status as a parent, the woman caught her son well enough, but she didn't have much of a chance to chide him for his recklessness before Lumi followed suit, crashing into his mother with significant force and forcing the woman to concern herself with catching rather than lecturing. Then Noire, then Grace, and finally Harmony all jumped as well, and the last seemed to be just too much for Weiss to handle as she lost her balance and landed on the flat of her back, covered in cubs and thoroughly unamused.

"Yang, you've been back five minutes and you're already causing havoc!" A cold glare landed on the sheepish dragon, whose smile did little to temper the ire directed her way.

Winter could only laugh, kneeling to allow a suddenly very interested Zephyr down to the ground while the cubs went about finding their paws again, a little disoriented from their impromptu flight. Harmony almost immediately recovered, bounding towards the little dragon and flicking her tail playfully. Although she seemed less reluctant to retreat than before, Winter noted that her daughter still seemed a bit mystified by the werecats, tucking her wings in to make herself appear less of a threat.

Furrowing her brows, the woman wondered how long it would take for the little ones to acclimate to each other. Although dragons were solitary by nature, Yang was probably the most social of her kind in recorded history, and she'd hoped that Zephyr would take more after the blonde than herself. She didn't want any child of hers growing up accustomed to the sensation of loneliness the way she and Weiss did when they were young.

"Hey, Snowdrift." Her attention switched to the larger dragon, who seemed to read her mind. "Think what you did to introduce yourself to Zeph might work for them?"

"It's… possible?" Truth be told, it was less a conscious decision to 'introduce herself' to the little dragon and more the peak of her frustration with having her own child scurry away in fear, but it seemed to do the trick. Afterwards, Zephyr didn't seem to mind her approaching, and even took to climbing into her lap or onto her back when possible. Their relationship progressed form there but that night by the campfire certainly constituted the beginning. "The least we could do is try. Presuming, of course-"

"Presuming we have some obscure prop readily available?" Weiss raised a brow, actually daring to sound affronted when addressing her elder sister. "Because we're certainly not lacking for motivation. Come, Winter, what do you need us to do?"

"Well… the first thing to do is to get on her level." She laid down on the grass with her arms out to her sides, waiting for her sister to mirror the position before continuing and a little surprised Blake seemed just as interested, pressing herself low to the ground beside her mate.

"Uh, Blakey-"

"I'm full of milk, Yang, not cubs. A little physical exertion is good for me."

For her part, Zephyr perked up, looking between Winter and her extended family as the cubs, unable to understand the instructions themselves, merely copied their Mommy, the five lining up in a neat little row between Blake and Weiss. The little dragon made a few noises, high pitched chirps that sounded excited, and then pressed herself towards the ground, tail behind her and wings spread just the tiniest bit. Yang carefully maneuvered herself behind her lover and child, her shadow blocking out the sun.

"Now, look at her. Make eye contact and maintain it." Winter contemplated how to describe the next step before settling on the most straight forward method available. "Next, you need to push yourself up to your 'hind legs', curl your fingers like they're claws, and roar."

Predictably, her sister shot her a look that managed to convey her confusion as to how, exactly, the woman arrived at this particular series of actions, but she nodded regardless. After taking a moment to gather herself, Weiss pushed herself up to her knees, did her best impression of a snarling dragon, and growled in a way that strayed closer to the sounds the werecats made than anything a dragon would. Then again, the similarity might've seemed so obvious because Blake managed to execute her own motions almost in sync with her mate, using her tail to keep her balance as she reared up on her hind legs, brought out her claws, and roared loud enough to echo off the castle's walls, ears laying back out of habit. Even the cubs attempted their own mimicry, their tiny growls not nearly as loud as their Mommy's but heartfelt all the same, little paws clawing at the air. When the werecats and Weiss returned to the ground, a few of the cubs stumbling slightly, it was time for the next step.

In answer, Winter, Yang, and Zephyr reared back and replied, with the golden dragon's roar being accompanied by a line of flames arching high over the garden and a tiny burst of blue fire coming from their daughter. Yang's tail and the strength in her limbs allowed her to keep her upper body from coming back down too harshly, and remain in position long enough to deliver her roar, but the little dragon had to flap her wings a few times to do the same, though that hardly mattered. The moment she had her claws back on the ground, Zephyr shot forward, investigating the cubs with vigor now that she seemed to accept them as being 'dragon enough' to safely interact with- at least, that was how the blonde explained it when they were confronted with the result of her first time doing the actions. Whatever the reason, the young werecats seemed entirely too thrilled with their new playmate, sniffing at the little dragon and pushing at her with their paws, only to have a tail or wing tap them from an unexpected angle and send them jumping away, just to come back a few moments later.

Already aware of the impending dangers, Winter quickly pushed herself up to her hands and knees. "Weiss, you should get up."

"Hmmm?" Her sister blinked, entirely distracted by watching the little ones play together, crossing her arms in front of her and resting her chin atop them. "Is something the matter?"

"If you stay down there too long, you're gonna regret it." She could hear the amusement in her lover's voice without seeing the smile curling her lips.

"What on Remnant- oh." Too late, the woman found herself rather suddenly declared sacred land that required defending as an impromptu game of 'king of the hill' began, with Zephyr being the first to clamber onto her back. The cubs swiftly followed, Licht and Lumi working in tandem to displace the dragon while Harmony and Noire relied on their speed to bait the other three into battling each other before acting on their distractions. Grace, on the other hand, seemed perfectly content to leave the others to their game, instead padding over to try sinking her tiny fangs into Winter's sleeve, looking for something a little more solid to test her strength against. "Cubs! Children! I am the Queen of Atlas and your Mother, not a playground!"

"You didn't seem to object when they were crawling all over my face." Yang pointed out.

"Comparatively, that's less of a problem, seeing as you're the size of a house and I'm-"

"Tiny?"

"Petite. I am petite, you roaming fireplace."

"Right, so, tiny."

"Yang, stop giving my mate grief." The werecat gently chided, apparently coming to Weiss' rescue by nosing the cubs off the woman's back. Zephyr took a little more effort, the dragon using her wings to try and outwit the larger challenger but eventually conceding defeat. Clear of the little ones pinning her down, Weiss made one attempt to regain her feet, which was effectively thwarted when Blake plopped herself down instead, a sly smile on her lips as she directed her gaze towards the cubs and dragon. "Also, mine."

"Blake!" The Queen wheezed, unable to even begin pushing herself up despite only a fraction of the werecat's body covering her own. "Blake, what are you doing?"

"Marking my territory," she replied, once again crossing her paws with a sense of finality.

Winter picked up Grace, surprised at how easily the cub accepted being held, and sat on the grass while Harmony did her best to clamber onto Zephyr's back, swatting at her wings while Licht tried nipping at her face, never quite able to get within reach. Lumi, meanwhile, tried halfheartedly to shake off Noire, who was gnawing on his right ear. Yang used her tail and neck to circle around all of them, watching the little ones play while her best friend teased her sister-in-law.

Well, legally speaking, that last bit didn't quite ring true yet, but once the excitement of being reunited died down, Winter fully intended to plan out the ceremonies for her sister and herself. Not only did she fully intend for Zephyr to be her heir but she but she wanted no one questioning the legitimacy of her feelings for Yang, despite their… rocky start, in both their relationship and parenthood. She shuffled back until she could lean against her lover's solid frame, content to sit with Grace curiously clawing at her vest, apparently amazed at the texture.

A thought struck her as she watched Licht get chased away by a spurt of blue flame- from personal experience, she'd found it wasn't yet truly hot enough to burn, merely heat tinged by the little dragon's innate magic- and hide by his Mother's head while she quietly argued for her freedom with the larger werecat. "Where's Whitley?"

Weiss stopped her struggling for a moment, a shadow passing over her expression as she mechanically reacted to her son swatting at her arm, twisting it left and right to keep Licht from catching the prize too quickly. "He's… likely in the library. He locked himself in there just after the cubs were born and I've hardly seen him since. I don't think he's… quite as enthused as we are."

"He probably doesn't understand it." Winter offered, saddened that things between her younger siblings hadn't improved since she left. Whitley always qualified as 'the difficult one' growing up, at first rebelling against their parents while his sisters did everything in their power to obey, and then playing the obedient son when the young women revolted, landing somewhere in the middle during the coup that won Weiss the crown. He'd been helpful and even kind in the month immediately before she left, chasing after Yang, but something might've changed in the meantime. Perhaps living with a pregnant werecat had some downsides she missed out on experiencing. "If it's any consolation, it's only a matter of time before Whitley finds someone special himself."

"I worry he's already found someone special: himself," her sister replied, a wry grin to her lips as she shoved aside her melancholy to react with appropriate feigned agony as Licht's bite finally found purchase.

However, it soon became apparent that he lacked the same energy from before, the others tiring as well and beginning to stumble around together, obviously fighting to remain upright while playing.

"Looks like it's time for a nap." Blake observed, pulling a groan from her friend.

"How do you get them to lay down? Zeph fights us every time and I have no clue what to do!" Yang bent her long neck to drag a clawed paw down her face. "She just snaps and runs around until she literally drops where she's standing! I know we're supposed to get her on some sort of schedule but-"

"It's easy." The werecat assured, lifting her head. "All you have to do is cheat. Watch."

Lifting herself up just enough for her mate to crawl out from under her, Blake waited a moment before starting up a low growl, demanding the attention of the cubs and Zephyr. Once their eyes were on her, the werecat opened her jaw wide, tongue lolling out as her ears shifted back. Almost immediately, the six little ones yawned as well, their determination to keep playing dramatically reduced with just that one little action. Then Blake did it again, settling back down and turning on her side, making a grand show of getting comfortable. Winter blinked in surprise when Grace suddenly wiggled out of her arms, padding a few feet away before laying down on the grass and yawning again. One by one, she was joined by her brothers and sisters, the cubs snuggling up together as they continued yawning, ears and tails drooping until they settled down. And, to her further surprise, Zephyr circled them, clearly intending to join the pile but looking between her parents before doing so, waiting for some sign it would be okay.

"Go on." Yang nodded, trying very hard to contain both her shock and excitement. "Get some sleep, kiddo."

Fluttering her wings in gratitude, the little dragon wasted no time in climbing atop the pile of cubs, apparently unwilling to find a spot among her cousins and opting instead to rest on top of them. None seemed to mind, Harmony going so far as to turn on her side, grab Zephyr's tail with her forepaws, and use it as a pillow of sorts.

In a matter of minutes, everything was still.

"Are… you… kidding me?" The golden dragon whispered, puffing out a breath through her nose. "That's it? That's all you do? And it works every time?"

"Obviously," Weiss replied, stifling a yawn of her own behind one closed fist. "Now, if you'd like to join us, I think a nap sounds rather nice."

The Queen of Atlas crawled towards her mate as Blake moved one paw to allow Weiss to curl up, back pressed to the werecat's front, before using her paw to pull them even closer together. If Winter had to guess, it was as much a pragmatic decision as a sentimental one; she couldn't imagine either of them being keen on changing their sleeping arrangement for long, all things considered, and this way meant it would be markedly more difficult for the cubs to wake their Mommy up by getting an early dinner.

Behind her, Yang shifted, just enough to draw her gaze up to the dragon's face. They were both exhausted from the journey back to the capital, true, and sleeping outdoors seemed the least of their concerns. While she would prefer cuddling up with Yang's human form, that would require retrieving suitable clothes for her to wear from their travel packs, and that seemed a bit too far- and too much loud movement- for the moment. Wordlessly agreeing, Winter got up and moved closer to her lover's front leg while the dragon extended one wing, providing shade for everyone and tucking her head up underneath it as well. Before laying down, the woman placed a kiss at the end of Yang's nose, smiling at the bump she received in reply.

With her back against the warm, golden scales of her lover, her sister and her mate already lightly dozing a few feet away, and their combined offspring between them, Winter drifted off into a peaceful, light slumber.

Without opening her eyes, she could tell three things: hours had passed since they'd laid down, she was not ready to be awake yet, and her lover had moved in her sleep. The first she figured out from the cooler air and the orange glow against her eyelid, telltale of the setting sun bouncing off the castle's windows and into the garden and labyrinth below. The second, purely from her abnormal reluctance to actually move, likely a product of the long journey in search of Yang and bringing both dragons back home, most of that time spent either sleeping restlessly when she could or waking at odd hours when it seemed Zephyr needed food or water. The third, although hinted at by both the sunlight bearing down on her and the lack of warm scales at her back, actually had its biggest evidence in the loud snore Yang always developed whenever she slept even partially on her back. The light droning sent little vibrations through the ground and it would no doubt wake the others; until then, though, she could indulge a little while longer. She'd already grown used to the sound and, frankly, preferred it to the silence that haunted her during the months she spent searching for Yang.

"Safe to say any doubt is utterly erased." The dry remark came from her sister, who apparently was wide awake, and caused her to blink her eyes open and turn towards the sound.

Weiss sat, leaning back against Blake, and both of them were watching the little ones with curious little smiles. All six of them had shifted themselves in slumber, with Licht now using his brother as a pillow, Harmony having somehow found her way on top of Grace's head, Noire having turned completely around, and, still on top of them all, laid Zephyr. Except, instead of being laid out like before, she'd turned onto her back, her left legs making little kicks at nothing. She didn't need to look, but she did anyway, rolling over to see Yang behind her, with her left legs kicking at the air as well, in between her snores.

Rather than wake the golden dragon, Winter shuffled back until she could lean against Yang, making herself comfortable and allowing her eyes to fall shut as her lover's snoring sent vibrations through her back. The little ones were still asleep and, despite how much catching up remained for all of them, there would be time for that later.

For now, she was content to let those who could continue resting.

Author's Note: The Snow Cubs (Grace, Licht, Lumi, and Harmony) are Dashingicecream's, used with permission; Zephyr and Noire are mine. Hopefully, the cute family bonding amid the high fantasy setting was enjoyable. Thanks for reading!