OOC: *Shrugs* I don't know, it just seemed to fit since this thread will have both the birth of Remy and Emile as well as Ila's ceremony. By the way, I haven't thought really alot on the character of Edmund's dad so..if you wanted to make up another character linked with one of mine ;) you could do him too, but that's no pressure for you to. I can come up with something as well and maybe you could come up with some annoying friends who tease him over it, or friends of Ila, or just stick with the characters you have :D Whatever you feel like.

Ila sighed, she'd been up for a bit, but was just now looking in a tattered bit of glass she'd scavanged for her little corner of the colony. "Oh gosh" she sighed as she tried once again to smooth her fur and a tuft ontop of her head kept popping up. She rested her chin in her hands.

OOC: Hm, well, I'd have to sit on it a bit, but I guess that starts by asking you what kind of guy Ila would fall for. :)

Caresse was still curled up in the nest she shared with Django, asleep. She was only stirred awake when she felt movement and kicking inside her. No sooner had she felt it that she smiled to herself. Her pups had been a little more active in there the past day or so, as if they were telling her they were ready to come out. They were sure to come along anytime now. The young mother finally got up and stretched with a yawn. Still feeling a bit of the fatigue that came with pregnancy, she made her way over to the leaky water pipe on the nearby wall. Standing up on her hind legs, she stretched her neck up and began lapping up the cold water, drop-by-drop.

OOC: Hmm, probably the shy quiet type :)

Django stretched, finding more space than there should be. He opened his eyes and noticed Caresse was already up. He smiled and stood. "So, how's the beautiful mother today?" he asked as he streatched once more.

OOC: Okay, any idea what he would look like color-wise or such?

Caresse smiled as her mate addressed her. "Oh, a bit heavy, but alright, I guess." She went to him and they exchanged a good-morning nuzzle. "These guys have been waking me up in the middle of the night. They're a little eager, I think." she added with a chuckle. "So how's the new Daddy doing?"

OOC: Oh, right, sorry, I was thinking brown since I think that's the color I said Edmund was

Django chuckled nervously, "I think I'm more nervous about this than I was about becoming leader of an entire colony" he answered truthfully.

~~~~

Ila sighed, "I guess that'll have to do" she finally admitted, heading out away from her sleeping spot.

OOC: Okay, I asked because I had the name "Russell" in mind if you like it, and the name means 'red-haired' so I wanted to make sure he wasn't gray or anything. I probably could've looked at the bios, but I didn't think of it. ^^;;

Caresse smiled. "Oh, don't worry," she teased lovingly. "You'll love them and I'm pretty sure they'll love you."

Just then, she looked over as Ila came out. "Wow, Ila's doing a whole lot better on getting up on time than I was for the courtship."

OOC: Yeah I was just going off of Edmund's color mainly since Ila was gray, but I think it would be ok to say he has a bit of auburn mixed in or something if you wanted to go with Russell.

Django smiled, "Yeah, hopefully". He then noticed Ila come out and heard Caresse's comment. "Yeah, I was expecting to have to go get her" he said.

"Hey Ila" he called, brining his younger sister's attention to him. "Oh good morning" Ila greeted, coming over to where Django and Caresse were.

OOC: You don't have to change a character for the sake of a name, but we'll do that iff'n you want. :)

"Morning, Ila." Caresse smiled as she approached. "So you have anyone in mind for today?"

~*~*~

Over in his little area of the attic, Russell stretched and gave a yawn. He lifted a hind leg and scratched himself behind the ear. He paused. "...Ah, geez, the courtship..." he remembered and ran to his own piece of glass, trying to get himself somewhat pulled together.

OOC: Oh I was just coming up with Russell's looks so it's not much changing :D Oh and are we still doing it where the males propse in this one too? Just asking so I'll know and it'll be clear

Ila glanced aside a bit at her sister-in-law's question. "Well...I don't know" she half lied, as she did have someone in mind if she really asked herself that question. "I guess I'm just hoping, given my family, I'm not overwhelmed by attention all at once" she added.

OOC: Yeah, having the male do it is my intention. :)

Caresse smiled. "Maybe...but I'm inclined to think that they'll be urged to behave since you are Django's sister."

Ila smiled, "Yeah hopefully, but I guess I'm also afraid that...well...alot of guys might try to propose just based on that, based on who I am and not who I am". She chuckled as she heard herself, "if that makes any sense".

"I know what you mean," Caresse smiled, "but don't worry about it too much. You'll find the perfect guy." She then smiled at Django and leaned into him a bit. "I know I did."

Django smiled. "Yeah, hopefully" Ila said. "Oh don't worry so much" Django told her, "Caresse's right, you will".

"Hey Illa!" just then some of the other females whom Ila could atleast say she knew, called out to her and came over. "Come on" they said as they pulled her along, "We're making a girls day of it getting ready!".

"Oh...fun" Ila said, not souding fully sure as she followed them off.

"Don't let 'em see ya sweat." Caresse called after her, smiling. She then felt more movement from her pups, as if they were concurring with her.

Django smiled as well as they watched Ila's 'friends' drag her off. "Wow, she seems more nervous than I was, and that's saying something if you remember" Django said with a smile over to Caresse.

"How could I forget?" Caresse smiled back at her mate. "It made you twice as adorable."

~*~*~

Russell was interrupted from his grooming when he heard a voice from behind calling his name.

"Hey, Russ!!"

"Huh?" Russell turned around just in time to be tackled to the floor by one of his friends, Chase. Four of his other guy friends stood not to far away and laughed.

"C'mon, man, I've seen Mabel react faster than you!" Chase smiled. "How do ya expect to find a girl today when you're all limp like that?"

"I could fight back if I had to," Russell huffed and pushed himself out from under his friend. "I was just...unprepared before you came and almost made me get splinters in my face."

"Oh you're just saying that" Django half joked with a smile.

~~~~

"and...that should do it" one of Ila's friends said, standing back. Ila turned to look in some nearby glass and sighed. "Uh...thanks" she said. A bit over the top she thought. She waited until they left to ruffle her fur into a more normal, nice looking state.

"Ooh, better get going" she said, noticing the time by the slant of the sun through a crack. She turned and rushed off.

"I am not," Caresse smiled. "You with your whole nervous new leader attitude, you had me giggling like a schoolgirl!" She got down on all fours again and went forward. "C'mon, The ceremony'll be starting soon."

~*~*~

Russell and his friends raced to the meeting site where Aldrich and Sylvie were starting with their regular pre-ceremonial pep-talks.

Django smiled, following her, "Yeah, I confess I am curious to see how Ila will do. I just hope my being there won't make her more nervous...not that she wouldn't deserve such..." he said, remembering Ila's actions in their own ceremony.

~~~~

Ila also reached her own spot within the girls. "So" one of her friends whispered in the time they had before the talk began, "what lucky guy is in the leader's sister's sights?!". Ila felt herself blushing, "Oh I don't know, I haven't really thought on it" she said. Her friend looked unconvinced.

Caresse playfully jabbed him in the side with an elbow. "Be nice." she smiled. Then she added jokingly, "I don't want our pups pickin' up any of that sibling rivalry stuff."

~*~*~

Ila was, figuratively speaking, saved by the bell when Sylvie got the girls' attention and began her annual lecture, pointing things out and giving tips. "Some of you may have an eye out for someone in particular," she said at one point, "but don't be too zeroed in to not allow yourself to look around a bit... You might be surprised. And once you do have an eye on someone in particular, it's important not to stare. Plus, it always interesting to keep them guessing."

Django raised an eyebrow a bit, "Pick up...oh come on, do you really think they could?". He wasn't criticizing Caresse, just the method she was proposing.

~~~~

Ila felt a slight blush creep up to her cheeks a bit as she listned to what was turning into a lesson in how to flirt.

"They will be kids, Django." Caresse smiled. "They'll be inclined to do what Daddy does."

~*~*~

Aldrich seemed to have good advice for the boys, but it was nothing Russell hadn't head before. While questioning why in the world Aldrich and Sylvie gave the same advice year after year, the young auburn-furred rat had his "bored now" face on as he listened.

Django shrugged, "Yeah, but still I would think I get a grace period until they're born and can actually see what I do" he replied.

~~~~

As she glanced aside, still feeling weird about being taught to flirt, Ila caught sight of Russell and paused. A small smile came over her face, before she quickly glanced away in case he saw her looking.

"True..." Caresse concurred, then rolled her eyes with a smile. "Oh all right, have your fun."

~*~*~

In his boredom, Russell glanced over at the girls across the way. He thought, for a moment, that he had seen Ila glancing his way. He couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Hellooo?" Chase tapped his friend on the shoulder and broke him out of his daydream. Russell turned to see his friend holding one of the ceremonial white flowers out to him. The young rat's first reaction in his frazzled state was "What??" But it was then he realized that it was the part of Aldrich's lecture when the flowers were distributed out to all the young males - each of which would soon be given to the mate of choice. "Uh..." he blushed, embarrassed, and quickly took the flower. "Thanks..."

Django grinned as if he'd won some big victory, "Well thanks ever so much for the permission" he said, nuzzling Caresse again.

~~~~

Ila nodded as the girl's own lecture also began to draw to a close, or what sounded like one. She couldn't help noticeing that the boys had been given their flowers...and feeling nervous about what was to come next. Maybe she could hide and then no one would notice her...oh wait, that wasn't so good either.

One of Illa's friends grinned, seeing her expression. "You know, I don't think you're as 'all that' as you think you are" she said good humoredly. It would have been an insult any other time, but Ila could tell she was trying to lighten her spirits, and so she smiled at the attempt.

Caresse chuckled and leaned her head into his nuzzle.

~*~*~

Not very long after the flowers were distributed, one of the other elders gave the whistle, signaling for the males to move out and the girls to follow suit. Taking a deep breath, Russell ran along with the rest of the boys, joining in the lineup.

Django grinned, "You know I don't mean to be difficult" he half joked after their back and forth on the subject of the kids.

~~~~

And, along with the signal of the girl's talk being over, Ila turned with the others in the more like jumble of the girls as they watched the boys, hoping to get attention from the one's the wanted of course. Ila silently took stock of what she thought each boy was thinking, to try and figure out if any were possibly thinking of coming over to her and whether or not she wanted this.

Somehow her gaze lingered each time she passed Russell and she struggled to not make this noticable, finally turning her gaze to the side completely.

"Oh, yes you do." Caresse said sarcastically with a smile. She looked up and noticed the groups moving in. "Better catch up," she smiled at Django and went forward to watch from the sidelines.

~*~*~

The boys, in their normal fashion, began to call out the names of the girls they were eyeing. Russell was a bit embarrassed by his silence in the hubbub and bit his lip a bit. He glanced over to the girls momentarily, and hoped Ila would at least look up or something so he could at least smile at her. When she didn't, though, he sighed a bit and frowned, looking back to the side himself.

"Oh yeah, I definately wouldn't want to miss this" Django commented. He didnt' let on on how he meant the comment.

~~~~

Ila's ears went back a bit as she heard a few of the comments thrown to her by individuals she knew she didn't like. She chose to ignore them and instead glanced to the side. "This is already looking hopeless" she muttered to herself in a bit of disapointment.

Russell gulped slightly as the boys began romping into the obstacle setup. He could only hope he had been training hard enough for this. Determined, the young rat ran forward with the others. He made a glorious start by leaping for the bars of the old bedpost...and promptly slipped off of it Oh yeah, he was off to a great start.

Distractedly, Illa watched the proceedings. She wasn't one bit impressed with those whoms he could tell were showing off. She heard admiring mutterings from her friends nearby though and sighed slightly. As she glanced through the group, she noticed Russell and his tripping and almost falling progress every so often. Despite this she couldn't help smiling a bit, something about his unassuming nature only made him...well cuter wasn't quite the right word, but close.

She did look a bit worried as he actually slipped off thogh, but he seemed ok. Really, Ila didn't see the point to this whole spectacle, but she knew the leader's sister most of all should never voice such thoughts.

"Sheesh..." Russell muttered as he pulled himself up. "Grand start, Russ."

"Comin' through!!" shouted another rat as he leapt over him - one of the more stuck-up young males.

"Ack!" Russell yelped and ducked his head down. He then realized what he was doing and frowned. He could not let himself get upstaged if he had any desire to carry on his family name - and doggone it, he did! He frowned and leapt off after the larger male, eager to not let the likes of him take advantage of the younger and most naive girls.

~*~*~

Caresse smilled a bit as she watched. "Poor Russ... He tries his best, though, you gotta give 'im that."

Ila perked up a bit, without it being too noticable, as she noticed Russell actually begin to make his way officially now.

~~~~

"Yeah" Django admitted with a small smile, "he's a pretty good kid". He then sighed a bit, "Shesh, I already sound like a patronizing old leader" he rolled his eyes in amusement at himself and his comment.

The older rat that Russell was racing glanced over and smirked at his sudden bravado. "Valiant effort, pipsqueak," he laughed and ran ahead.

Russell yelped slightly as he misstepped and almost fell into a box of old tools, but held on and proceeded his chase.

~*~*~

"No, you're not," Caresse smiled, "because that would make me Mrs. Patronizing Old Leader."

As they continued watching the preceedings, Caresse felt herself getting very weary. After a moment, she looked at her mate. "Django," she said tiredly, "I'd hate to miss this, but...I may need to go rest for a moment in the nest... I'm very tired all of the sudden..."

OOC: Too soon for the pups? Don't worry, I won't bring them around until after the courtship is over. ;)

Ila gasped a bit, though thankfully quietly to herslef, as she saw Russell misstep, but he was soon alright again and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was hardly aware, as the race went on, how she was paying almost all of her attention to him.

~~~~

"Oh well then far be it from me to insinuate that" Django said with a grin. He looked serious yet again as Caresse said she wanted to go lie down. "Alright, are you sure you're alright?" he asked a bit concerned, even if he knew what Caresse would most likely say.

OOC: Hmm, well after that then, now I don't think it's too soon. Might be a cool thing if they were born around the same time as Ila find her mate, kind of a double special day for the family :)

"I'm fine, I'm just tired is all... I hear that's what happens when you're pregnant," Caresse smiled a bit. Tell Ila I'm sorry." she added, nuzzling him again before turning to head back to the nest.

~*~*~

Russell was making headway, little by little. He was maybe getting a little too excited, because at one point he accidentally ran into one of the other boys, and they both tumbled to the ground with a grunt. "Ow! Hey!" the other rat shouted and glared, pushing Russell off of him. "Step off!!" he growled before taking off again.

Just then, the signal was given for all of the girls to head in.

Django nodded, "Alright". He wanted to ask if she wanted him to come with her, but knew she wouldn't want someone else to bow out of Ila's day. "I'll be there soon to check up, I promise" he said.

~~~~

Ila took a deep breath and then, along with her friends who were chattering happily about the rats who they hoped would ask them, moved forward only because she knew she couldn't hide.

Caresse smiled at her mate's concern as she left. When she did get to the nest, she stepped inside and eased herself down, this time unknowingly lying more on her side than she usually did. The moment she closed her eyes, she was asleep.

~*~*~

Russell looked up as the girls started rushing in. Now he was the one that wanted to hide. "Aw, maaan..." he muttered. After he had made such a glorious mess of himself in the proceedings, he half-expected that hiding was just the thing to do. Still, he reluctantly climbed back up with the rest of the young males and could only hope he wouldn't get too humiliated.

"Come on Ila, don't stall" one of her friends said, pulling Ila along to more in the middle of the group of other girls than she wished to be. Ila just sighed, maybe even now she wouldn't be noticed.

As the girls dispersed, Russell found his attention infallibly gravitated towards Ila. Stop staring, stop staring! he told himself, and managed to pull his gaze back to the ground for a moment. He stared at the flower and rolled it in his fingers nervously.

Just as Russell glanced away from looking at her, Ila's gaze fell on him and she paused. A small smile came to her face, before she also told herself not to stare and glanced down.

"He's cute" she heard one of her friends say, and glanced at her sharply, thinking for a moment she was talking about Russ. She noticed her friend was looking at another rat though, so relaxed, realizing that she was just being paranoid.

Okay... Russell thought. Man up, Russ... Just make eye contact and maybe she'll--

Russell stopped when he noticed another male approached Ila. He gave a bit of a slump, disappointed, and turned away to give them a moment.

~*~*~

The young male that had approached Ila was named Mason. He gave a smile as he approached her. "Hi, Ila. You're very...beautiful today." he tried.

Ila turned, noticing...oh gosh, what was his name?! Mason, mason. She noticed Mason walk up and give his nervous smile. Oh great...and it starts she thought. This was almost harder than if some jerk had walked up, Mason was an ok rat, just...she wasn't interested in him plain and simple.

So...how was she suppose to tell him that? "Uh...thanks Mason" she said, "so...". Change the subject from me she thought, and struggled for an excuse.

Mason was at a loss for words himself. "So..." he tried with a polite smile. "Nice...day today."

"Uh, yeah" Ila replied back. She glanced to the side, how was she going to get out of this one?

~~~~

As he watched, trying to focus on Ila's day, Django noticed his sister seemed a bit out of sorts and could tell just from knowing her so well that she wasn't crazy about poor Mason. Well, let him down easy girl he thought with a bit of a side smile, before wondering once more how Caresse was doing.

"Well, um..." Mason gave a long pause before finally chickening out. "Y-Yeah, gotta go..." he said quickly. "Sorry..." He darted off.

OOC: That okay? Didn't know if he was supposed to ask or not, we can change it if you want. :)

OOC: Oh no, that's fine

Ila sighed, "Whew, finally. Well hope he finds a nice girl, just not me" she said with a smile and walked off a bit, hoping to maybe just hide out

~~~~

Django raised an eyebrow a bit, watching his sister and suddenly afraid she might be attempting an escape. He smirked, come on Ila, it's not that bad

Up above from atop an old birdcage, Russell saw Mason make his sudden departure and his spirits lifted again slightly. He watched Ila, wondering where she was going and not noticing his paws were about to slip from the cage-wire.

~*~*~

Back at the nest, Caresse was still asleep, and in fact was getting the best sleep she'd had in a long time.

Ila continued on to the outskirts of the group.

~~~~

Django sighed as he saw his sister purposely isolating herself from the others. He was half tempted to go down and talk to her but knew that would just make it worse.

All of the sudden, Russell's paws slipped out from under him and he took a tumble down to the floor. Unable to control his roll, he wound up careening straight into Ila like a furry bowling ball and collided with her. He fell back, holding the flower aloft to keep it safe. "Ow..." he muttered, then looked up to see who he had bumped into. "Miss Ila!!" he gasped and leapt to his feet, completely embarrassed as he rushed over to her to help. "Oh geez, are you okay?? I-I'm really, really sorry, I-I wasn't looking where I was going!"

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