Dori's confidence grew with each passing day. On the third sunrise, he - and a slightly less enthusiastic Lethe - had explored the peak known to the locals as Gyrfalcon Keep, and mapped every inch of the surrounding woods. Dori had insisted on leaving their scent as a warning to others, even though he had no plans to claim the territory.
Now, on the dawn of the fourth day, it was the more flamboyant twin's turn to procure breakfast. The cloaked male used the waning tide as an excuse to take a dip in the freezing cold ocean, paddling easily out to Wheeling Gull Isle for a spot of exploring without leaving word for his twin. Somber Lethe would only insist on following, and Eldoris wanted to be alone.
He scrambled onto the beach after a record crossing time, scrambling onto the island pale smear of beach. An island. Dori grinned toothily up a the mountain's towering centerpiece. A worthy challenger.
Wherever Dori went, Lethe followed. It was not something he had ever planned on doing, it just happened. And now, after two—nearly three—years of being glued to his brother's side, there was little anybody could have done to undo that glue. And that included Eldoris, who often tried to slip away unnoticed from his twin. It wasn't worth the effort, as Lethe had a bit of a sixth sense for his twin's whereabouts at any given time. When it took a minute longer than it should have for his brother to return, Lethe set out after him, knowing his scent almost better than his own.
It took him to the edge of the lapping waves, where he could make out his brother's paddling figure headed toward an island. With no hesitation, Lethe crashed into the waves and began paddling, determination in his baby-blue eyes. He was not far behind Eldoris, and clambered onto the beach no more than a minute after, shaking his coat free of the salt water and brushing his shoulder against Dori's own. He followed this with a nibble of his brother's ear, a silent, heartfelt greeting.
Eldoris wasn't alone for long. He knew it before Lethe stepped foot on dry land - without sight or scent to tell him so. The feeling was one of overwhelming security and wholeness - the very thing he had sought to distance himself from that morning.
One day, he might regret those stolen moments with every fibre of his being.
"Lethe, what the hell.." Eldoris complained, but nevertheless returned his brother's affection with a more restrained bump to the shoulder. "But as you're here.. what do you think? Home sweet home?"
Even if Eldoris complained verbally, Lethe knew that underneath that, there was so much more. It was clear in the way that Dori looked at him, the way they curled up against each other for warmth each night, that they were inseparable. And together, they were unstoppable. He grinned, glancing at Dori before returning his attention to the strange isle that was away from the rest of the world. Could this be their little paradise? Somewhere that nobody could judge them for what they were? Lethe did not know, but he hoped it was the case.
“Whatever you desire, Dori,” he replied. For Lethe, so long as his brother was near, everything was perfect. “Shall we explore?” he asked, leaning ever-so-slightly into his double's side.
"Yes, I want to explore," Dori declared, taking advantage of Lethe's willingness to follow - and his twin's yearning for somewhere to put down roots. Of the two, Lethe was the homebody. Eldoris wasn't quite ready to play house - nor was he ready to deal with his mixed feelings regarding the boys' newfound freedom. Suddenly, they were alone, and the tension of living as they had done for such a long time had evaporated overnight. Dori wasn't sure if he was glad, or petrified.
"Where do you think Neris is hiding?" he wondered out loud, moving away from his twin's weight and up the beach.
Neris was... a focal point for trouble. Eos hated her - Eldoris was quietly fascinated by her physical beauty and charm. Lethe's had not voiced his opinion, but Dori guessed that it would tends towards dislike if he continued to insinuate that what was missing from this idyllic scene was a female third party.
For every doubt that Eldoris had about their relationship, Lethe had faith in it. Nobody else in his life had ever been so perfect, nor did he expect such a perfect specimen to crop up anytime soon. Neris was a close second, and he would not deny that he liked her as well—perhaps more than Eos—but it was Eldoris who had truly captivated him. He dreaded the day, should it come, that they would become separated.
“She will come,” Lethe assured his brother, “although I do not think Eos will.” Had she always been the outcast of the group? Perhaps it was her willingness to change her mind around every corner, or simply the fact that she had never been, and never would be, as beautiful as her three siblings. She had other qualities that were attractive, of course, and if she came to them, Lethe would allow her back into their circle without hesitation, but he did not think that was her will.
Lethe was not put off by his brother's wily shit-stirring, and Eldoris quickly lost interest when he couldn't get a rise out of him. Lethe was not so easily irked. Dori, by contrast, had a bit of a flare for the dramatic - and lived for glimpses of that same trait in his placid sibling.
"Well, maybe.. she wouldn't have gone with Eos. Can you imagine that shit-storm?" Dori gave a shake of his dark head and expelled a sigh, gazing up at the circling birds. A wry smile split his face. "I want to see the top," he told Lethe over his shoulder, "It'll be beautiful up there. We can.. take a nap." The stress of being displaced was beginning to make Dori's back ache, and he knew few better remedies
She'd been watching the pair from a distance, her lithe figure perched upon a small crag that jutted from the mountainside. There was no other explanation for the identical appearances of the two wolves who loomed below: they had to be Eldoris and Lethe. Grinning to herself, Neris sprang to her paws and loped gracefully down the hillside. She picked her way quietly through the foliage as she neared the twins, ivory audits pinned forward in hopes of catching a tidbit or two of their conversation.
"My ears are burning," she purled, prancing out from beneath her cover and approaching her siblings from behind. Her tail lashed playfully through the air as her gaze swept over the males' close figures. It came as no surprise to her that Eldoris and Lethe were always near each other, touching and talking as they did. Their intimacy was something she was all too familiar with. "And no, you won't find Eos on this island." She and her sister had continued to avoid each other like the plague.
As soon as the plop-plop of footsteps were audible, Lethe turned to see Neris approaching them. It was as if they had summoned her merely by speaking her name into the wind. Not that he minded at all. She was a sight to behold, as she always was, and he laid his chin atop Dori's shoulder as their sister drew near. Neris seemed to think—or know—that Eos would not be found on this island, which caused Lethe to wonder how she knew—or thought she knew—their other sister's whereabouts.
Withdrawing from his twin, he greeted Neris with a lick to her cheek. “You know where Eos is?” he asked, curious as ever. Gossip and secrets spread quickly among the siblings, especially the twins, so even if he pulled her aside to tell her, Eldoris would know soon enough. They shared everything with each one another. It had been that way for as long as Lethe could remember.
"Speak of the devil.." Dori muttered, a little miffed to be interrupted - but only for a moment. Neris brightened any space she sashayed into; her brother could not for the life of him understand what wasn't to like about her.
"Vile sea wench!" he greeted affectionately, following after Lethe to nose at their sister's face. "Yes, tell us - where is that girl?"