⊱ References ⊰

Ref Sheet by: @goshi_twt

Xaphe is a Royal Bengal Tiger and the Princess of the Sundarbans mangrove swamp forest.
Bilu the baby tiger is her trusty companion and best friend.

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The Padparascha Princess

Prologue

A soft breeze blew through twisted roots, shifting the floating lily pads that adorned the swampy waters of the dense mangrove forest. The spirit of the forest, a tangle of white roots formed into a feminine shape, lay at the water’s edge with a fierce Royal Bengal Tiger by her side. Together, they held their newborn princess, Xaphe, who cried softly as her father clutched her in his massive paws, shielding her from the cool wind that rustled the leaves above them.Rising from her mother’s chest, a dim teal light flowed into Xaphe’s heart, blessing her with the soul of the mangrove forest. Her mother’s body slowly unraveled until only a cluster of roots remained, the mangrove forest claiming her once again. With tears streaming down his face, her father removed the magical padparadscha sapphire from the golden collar at his throat and gently placed it on his daughter’s forehead, where it quickly fused into her tan skin. As his strength dwindled, he wrapped his body around his daughter and the roots of his love before drifting into an eternal sleep.·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········A soft touch of fur woke the princess. She opened her eyes—one a light sky blue and the other a shimmering gold as radiant as the sun. Her loyal baby tiger waited patiently above her, tilting his head.“So early…” the princess groaned.The tiger let out a soft purr, tugging at Xaphe’s long, chestnut-brown hair.“Okay, okay, Bilu,” Xaphe replied, throwing the woven blanket covering her aside.Since Xaphe’s parents passed, she had been raised by the mangrove forest and its inhabitants as their sworn protector. The forest had always guided her—well, guided her the best it could. Because of Xaphe’s rapid aging from her parents’ powers, she remained more chaotic, clumsy, and bratty than a human would be. Her one blue eye was a reminder that a part of her would always be a tiger cub at heart.Bilu’s soft, pattering paws led the sleepy princess across the wooden floor of her treehouse and out onto the balcony, which overlooked the eastern side of the forest. Xaphe sank into a cushioned chair, and her trusty baby tiger hopped onto the railing for a better view.“You know you wake me up too early sometimes,” the princess muttered, energy returning to her voice as she felt more awake.Bilu answered with a low growl, as if to argue.“I know. I have to practice how to use my powers,” Xaphe said in an annoyed tone. She stood up and returned to her room, finally ready to start her day.{More to Come!! Undergoing final edits!}

Lore Video

Lore Art: @UrBlovedPie | Lore Video Animation: @Lyodfx

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