Redhawk Caldera i feel god in this chili’s tonight

She wriggled her nose every few minutes to see if it still hurt. It still did, every single time. But Frolic couldn’t help herself as she slunk back toward the caldera, everything grayed out as the sun just barely peeked over the eastern horizon at her back. On the bright side, her nose wasn’t actively bleeding anymore and she’d gotten away with it all… at least until someone asked what the heck had happened to her face overnight.

Paging: @Ceridwen
Timestamp: September 1

Dwin found that she were having potentially murderous thoughts more often than it was necessary or even normal. Because the timings of Frolic's shenanigans co-incided unluckily with the times, when the older sibling really needed to rest. So - every time she now saw or caught scent of her younger sibling in the area, she first worried and then felt the urge to follow her and see, what she was up to. She was not that naive to believe that parents' imposed grounding would have any effect on the kid.

So, when late in the night she was on her way to have a drink at a nearby rivulet and saw someone small dash off, she knew right away, who it was. And also that it had not been permitted. "You little piece of shit," Dwin cursed under her breath, bid farewell to the hours reserved for sleep and stalked after Frolic in a safe distance. She could always see her, but the kid would not have a clue. Truth to be told, she almost blew her cover, when the frustration with her sibling got too much to bear - but she did not want to cause a scene at the neighbour's house, when she could carry out her share of parenting at home.

That's, where she met Frolic at Dawn, having arrived a bit earlier. "Going somewhere?" she asked emerging from thr shadows and blocking her sister's path.

She halted in her tracks when she realized someone was going to ask her why her nose was all smashed up like this. Frolic wriggled it again (ow!) as she  tried to think up a good cover story. Maybe she could insist @Callahan or @Glee had punched her in their sleep. Or she could say she’d done it to herself; it wouldn’t even be the first time Frolic had punched herself in the face.

As if summoned by that particular memory, Ceridwen appeared abruptly in her path. All four of Frolic’s sooty feet left the ground as she jumped into the air. Her fur puffed out over every inch of her body, so that she resembled an angry cat. Of course, she wasn’t angry, just startled. Her older sister, on the other hand…

Placing a paw over her thumping heart, Frolic gasped, I’m going to pee myself! She paused and looked down. Too late.

Dwin had a bit of vengeful satisfaction in watching her younger sister jump in fear and empty her bladder right after. Served her right, but not exactly. She noticed that the girl's nose was also bleeding - did not look very serious, but nothing nice either. As much as she wanted to hold on to her anger, she sighed and let it go. Almost. 

"Come. I will show you something," she invited Frolic to follow her. All was not yet forgiven, but there was a way to settle it.

She hopped away from her own puddle of urine, then dropped her haunches again to drag her bottom through the grass. Meanwhile, she looked over to Ceridwen, wondering if her sister was about to grab her by the ear and yank her home now that she’d caught her on the lam. But she didn’t seem as angry as she had just a moment ago, insisting Frolic come here.

The pup hesitated, not entirely trusting that she wasn’t in deep trouble. But if she didn’t do what Ceridwen said, she certainly would be. She trotted over to her elder sister, eyes big and full of question marks in the light of daybreak.

You gonna tell mama and papa?

"Better," Dwin replied. After all, what would telling mom and dad change? Eljay was a softie, so was Maia, they could not be stern even if they wanted to. If they had not been able to stop Dwin from doing, what she wanted as a kid, she doubted it would stop Frolic either. 

"Come along," she beckoned her younger sibling to follow her towards the lake, where Dwin's favorite resting spot on a ledge overlooking the lake was located. 

“Better,” Ceridwin replied. What did that mean? Frolic was afraid to ask. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and stayed silent, trailing obediently behind her sister as she led the way to the lake shore.

As they headed toward a ledge there, Frolic glanced around and saw nobody else stirring at this hour. If Ceridwen didn’t tell on her, maybe nobody else would ever be the wiser. They would simply think their daughters had risen early and that Frolic had messed up her face the usual way (face-planting on Brecheliant soil).

They came closer to the water. The caldera looked like glass in the tepid dawn light. There was a slight mist hovering over it. Frolic stopped a moment to stare.

Frolic did not protest or argue. Had she - Dwin would have a very convincing tool to blackmail the little rascal into obedience. Would she want to tell parents about a yet another mischief herself? Did not look likely. They got to the ledge, Dwin sat down and cast a glance first at Frolic then to the free place right next to her. 

"Sit down," she said and then peered down at the crystal clear water below. There in the first rays of the rising sun, two large catfish were swimming among the rocks and reeds. They were clearly visible from above. "Do you see them?" she looked at Frolic. 

“Sit down,” a suddenly seated Ceridwen commanded, snapping Frolic out of her preoccupation. She promptly scampered to her superior’s side and took a seat, spine stiff as she sat up straight, only to bend over double when Ceridwen pointed at something beneath the ledge.

Frolic leaned over the lip of the rocky ledge to peer down at a pair of large catfish lazily circling below. The pup wrinkled her nose (ow!) and then looked up at her sister, dearly hoping Ceridwen wasn’t about to make her eat fish for breakfast… or any other meal, for that matter.

She didn’t say that outright, instead drawling, Yeahhhhh?

A bit of powerplay. Hope you do not mind.

"Them down there are the Big Fish of the Caldera," Dwin explained, placing one of her forepaws on Frolic's back. Then she leaned down and whispered in the kid's ear: "Do you know, what their favourite snack is?" Paused, and continued: "Tiny, naughty, rule-breaking puppies."

Still keeping her paw on the kid's back, but now putting a bit of pressure, but not enough to shove, Dwin finished: "Next time you pull a stunt like tonight, I will personally throw you down there for them to feast on. Believe me - you won't be their first caldera puppy and they are hungry beasts."

Ceridwen meant to scare her straight. But Frolic was too busy leaning further and further over the ledge to get a better look at the fish. There was a look of wonder on her face as she registered her sister’s words and the weight of Ceridwen’s paw on her back.

Cocking her head up at her, Frolic said, But they won’ eat me! Watch! and slipped out of Ceridwen’s grasp to plunge into the water right alongside the fish.

Haha, totally fine!

Except Frolic was wrong. Large and old catfish - which these were - had no issues of grabbing prey as large as a duck, if they so wished. The initial plunge did startle the duo, but a moment later they swirled around and one with mouth wide open made a grab for Frolic's hind leg, the other aimed to hit the kid in the ribs.

"You bloody piece of shit!" Dwin yelled both at her sibling, who had exactly one neuron in her brain, and at the fish. She dove after her.

She kicked to the surface with a gasp, gazing up at her sister obliviously as the two catfish recovered from their surprise and began to circle. See? I told you so, her expression said, at least until the fish began to nip at her.

Hey, that tickles! she yelled, slapping a paw at the one prodding her in the ribs and kicking her hind leg at the other. Stop or I’ll sh—

“You bloody piece of shit!” The shout startled her into looking upward, only to watch Ceridwen dive. A great wave of water washed over Frolic’s head right at the same moment one of the fish yanked her down by her tail.

Dwin was so consumed by anger that she barely noticed, how cold the water was or the blunt pain, when she crashed against the surface. Just then Frolic disappeared from her sight under the water and the older sibling dove after her. She managed to grab the kid by her scruff, yank her free from the fish and swim/drag themselves to the shore. The fish followed them and one tried to grab Dwin, but she kicked back and continued to move away from the danger.

Her grip on Frolic was tight - afterwards there would be clearly visible bruises left by Dwin's teeth. Once ashore she did not let her sister go right away, she kept her pressed to the ground and growled menacingly every time should the kid try to break free. At this very moment she hated the kid so very much that for a split of a second the idea of drowning her seemed very tempting. Except - if you are dead in the end, there is no value in the lesson itself.

She knew that scolding was pointless, bribing would not work, that talking to her sibling like an adult would not do any good either. This evening she had learned that the kid was not only reckless, but stupid too. And just like there is no point in trying to rehabilitate a raging alcoholic, unless they have the motivation to do it, it is useless to fight or reason with idiots. Her sister was a reckless fool and would end up dead at some point. Dwin's running around, trying to find her, keeping an eye on her and worrying for her safety was like fighting the windmills. No matter the precautiona, Frolic would find a way in a dangerous situation.

Dwin let Frolic go, gave her a long, hard stare and then simply said: "Get up. I'll take you to the parents." 

Frolic fought against the pressure at her nape until she realized it was Ceridwen and not one of the catfish tugging at her. Then all the fight left her body. She paddled instinctively, which assisted her sister in towing her toward the shore. She flopped on dry land, just trying to catch her breath. Frolic wondered why Ceridwen held onto her, though she supposed she understood the growling.

Finally, her sister let her go. Frolic sat up slowly, aware that she’d messed up her chance with Ceridwen. She was definitely going to tell on her wayward sister now. The pup steeled herself with a deep inhale through her nostrils (ow!), then rolled onto her feet.

She was young enough to honestly wonder aloud, Why’d you save me, ‘stead of let ‘em eat me?

If Frolic expected to hear a movie-like epiphany on, how Dwin in the face of danger had realized, how much she cared for her sister, that was no the case. Dwin's thoughts shifted between going back and tossing Frolic over the ledge again, skinning her alive and leaving that pelt of hers hanging at the randevouz's site as a warning for everyone to see and other creative ways of ridding this world of a nuisance that had spoiled more hours of Dwin's rest than she could keep track of. The only reason she did not act upon it was because Frolic was not her kid. And Dwin may disapprove of ineffectiveness of her parents' child management, but she did not have the authority to intervene.

"Next time," she said and then ushered her sibling to hurry up. She would not rat out Frolic to her parents, but she would not speak or interact with her for a week or so either. In fact, she would stay clear of the kindergarten and, if Frolic were to run off again, Dwin would no longer care. You do not fight with gods and idiots. Let them roam free.

Last one from me.

Wha? Frolic blurted.

But if Ceridwen had an explanation for rescuing her little sister, she didn’t share it. Frolic could tell that Ceridwen was very angry at this point, so why hadn’t she let her be fish bait? The pup could only shrug inwardly.

Her body stiffened as they neared the den, though rather than rouse their parents and tell them of Frolic’s sins, Ceridwen simply left. The youngster stood there, completely baffled by her older sister’s behavior, then seized her good fortune and slunk inside.

Everybody was still asleep, so if Ceridwen wasn’t going to tell on her, maybe she would get away with it after all! Heart beating, she crawled on her belly toward her litter mates. She wriggled into the small space she’d left in between them, then settled down, closed her eyes and let out a breath.

Less than ten seconds later, they flew open when Glee screamed, “WHY ARE YOU ALL WET?!”

Oh sh—

Thank you for the excellent thread, sis!