Redtail Rise elderberry

Tuesday’s Twilight was a peculiar creature.

She had wrestled her way out of the warmth of her brothers to hover near the entrance to the den. Moonlight spilled through its entrance, a cloying melody she wanted to hear all the time. Slowly, she stepped into its silver beams, poking her head out of the entrance to stare up into the night sky. From the den, she couldn’t see much, but her milky blues reflected the moon’s light.

Twilight settled against the ground, stretching her nose towards the sky. The moon hung fat against the backdrop of night. Her nostrils twitched a few times, inhaling and exhaling and billowing her breaths out into the still chilly night. An eerie calm fell over the girl, entranced by the moon.

sunrise had known of the birth of her siblings.

they look so small, so pudgy, so vulnerable. is this what masquerade once saw in flame stalker? she wonders this curiously as her fresh catch of a quail is sat off to the side, the mess of feathers spit from her mouth and lips as she lays down gently at the edge of the den. she knew mother would be protective, as well would father be!

there is a sense of curiosity and childlike wonder in her eyes as she sees this little girl before her. she hopes to not scare her, her head rests against the ground and she looks upon her little sister with such adoration, a gentleness that often sunrise only reserved for moon runner.

this was her parents' legacy, and soon a path she may follow. she's quiet, pondering, wondering what this little girl can see, can hear, can taste, can smell-- what exactly could they do when they are so small?

A new face joined her.

This one looked like mother and father both, white with piercing eyes. A sister, who laid down before her to watch her with wide eyes. Twilight watched back, keen eyed. She stumbled up from the den mouth, unafraid, until she could wobbily stand before the much older woman. She is so large, it’s almost startling.

But Twilight doesn’t know fear.

So, she moved to grab for her nose, growling a playful puppy growl.

there it was, that fire that sunrise knows in herself, now bestowed into another young heart! perhaps the same fire that connects her to the hunt lead and newest caru that was their mother and especially to her sister, moon runner. sunrise had to remind herself to tread carefully and be careful as her massive paw comes to playfully nudge at her sister's side, a rumbling note of playful encouragement in her jowls as she watches with bright curiosity

sunrise's tail thumps wildly against the ground as she's laying flat and letting her back legs stretch out behind her; she wonders if moon runner has made acquaintances with the other siblings, and who the other little faces are that mother welcomed to the rise. and certainly... sunrise must think of a name for this one too, in her mind.

Just a cameo!

There is great love in her eyes to see her daughters interact with their youngest siblings. It had not been something she and Mountain Boulder had yet experienced—Bobcat had dispersed when he was old enough, and his own littermate…

She still hated to think of it, though it was natures brutal truth and way alike. It could happen to even her youngest—but with extra eyes, and now the pack in fulls support, New Snow worried less—even if her actions and sharp eye made such a thing less than apparent. 

New Snow makes an encouraging noise for both her children, grinning at the exchange.