Hushed Willows Kissing up on fences and up on walls on the way home

The light shivering at the entrance of the den was as a siren song to the pup now that her vision was strong. She'd gone toward it once before, but despite the sense of wonder she'd initially felt, Prialux shied away in the end. She lingered near enough for the light to reach her pale paws, but she never deigned to step outside for fear of what lay beyond. The vastness of it was sublime and well beyond her fathoming. She was still scarcely able to remember a thing, still could commit no word to memory nor speak one nor truly control her actions, but her first impression of the world beyond the den remained imprinted on her brain forever.

Every day, however, the dancing of the light as the willow leaves overhead shifted in the breeze piqued her curiosity. Every day when she was neither nursing nor sleeping nor socializing with her siblings, she lay near the entry, just out of sight, and stared at the light on the floor. Every day, she felt a tugging in her heart to investigate. Every day, she faltered. Like a child learning to walk for the very first time, Prialux would know when Prialux was ready, and not a moment before.

Today, it seemed, she was ready. At least just a little bit. She inched forward on her belly, one paw at a time, with her tail whipping anxiously back and forth behind her. Her chin rubbed across the floor as she pulled herself into the light and squinted against it as it draped over her face and shoulders. From here she could see the shifting red, orange, and yellow canopy above, and her eyes went wide as dinner plates as she twisted her head to stare up at it. Prialux quaked just as she had the first time she saw the world, but this time, she held her ground.

When his siblings had started to discover the world around them, to grow curious, he’d not been far behind. The light that shown into the den intrigued him, as well as ensnared him within an imaginative trance whenever shadows flickered throughout it. He was drawn towards it, much like a moth to a flame, but never had he considered leaving. To fear the unknown was not his style, but, to even consider venturing out into it made him feel uneasy. Tugged and enticed, he wanted to see all that laid beyond the confines of the only home that he’d ever known, but it just hadn’t happened yet. Eros had started to think recently—truly think, that is, rather than be bombarded by nonsensical ramblings—and it was those thoughts that lured him in just as well as they pushed him away. Something told him that there was much to see out there, whilst another thing insisted that his time could be better spent doing something else. Something like gaining the affection of his mother, though such was a task that he’d slowly started to realize might never be completed. And with that realization there came more freedom from himself, his brain, and thus washed over him the urge to do what had previously been left untried.

It was on uncertain legs that he’d crept forward, abandoning his post against the farthest wall of the den. Tentative were his steps, careful and slow, unused to walking and wishing not to wake anyone by falling flat on his face. It was just as he’d rounded his mother’s (hopefully) sleeping body that it was realized he’d have one less being to worry over waking. Near to the exit, another small form was spotted, which he’d recognized as being his sister once the distance between them was lessened. The sight motivated him to move faster, the idea of being bested—because everything was a competition—by his own flesh and blood having been just what he’d needed to throw caution to the wind. Of course, Eros realized immediately that he’d made a mistake by pushing his legs to move quicker, for no sooner had he began than he was falling forward. Should Prialux not notice his flailing figure and move out of the way, he was sure to crash right into her backside.

A bird fluttered past overhead, and Prialux's body went stiff as a board. Her tail whapped the ground lightly and the shivers intensified, but whether she was terrified or mystified, she couldn't have said. The shadow flitting through the leaves disappeared just as quickly as it came, and Prialux started, almost as if she wished to follow, but she was too afraid to. She didn't understand how it disappeared, anyway. She couldn't have followed it.

She focused instead on the leaves themselves, dancing and swaying overhead. She couldn't quite still her trembles, but Prialux felt more at ease with something specific to focus on. One particular leaf caught her attention as it detached from its branch and began to fall, swirling and twirling on the breeze...

...and then she was jostled roughly in the back. Prialux yelped loudly and spun to aim a nip at whoever had just paddled her with their entire body, and even as Eros came into her sights, she moved so quickly and reflexively that she couldn't yet tell who it was.

A move had not been made, and so into her form had the boy then crashed. Everything after that had happened so quickly, and he’d been too surprised by it all to react accordingly. He’d heard the yelp, and then he’d felt teeth clip his muzzle. The feeling had all but encouraged him to strike back, but he hadn’t. By then, Eros had snapped out of it and realized what was happening, as well as who had nipped at him. Seeing his sister there, he couldn’t bring himself to lash out at her, and so he’d settled for flattening his ears and then shooting a glare her way. It wasn’t long before his demeanor had changed once again, though, the boy having relaxed as he pulled himself away from the other body and shook himself out.

By the way Eros had reacted from then and onward, one might never suspect that anything had happened just moments ago. He’d not bared his growing teeth at his sister, nor had he made an effort to get revenge for what she’d done. Instead, he’d recollected himself and then pulled up beside her, where his butt was plopped down. It was out towards the trees that he’d looked before his eyes jumped back to Pria, but nothing could be said. He did not babble or make any gestures that might have suggested what he was plotting before the imp stood and stepped over the threshold of the den, entering the outside world for the very first time.

The feeling of her baby teeth hitting the hard bridge of Eros' muzzle jarred her, and Prialux let go and leaned back almost immediately. She worked her jaw, unsure whether the feeling was more painful or more ticklish, and then wilted under the weight of his glare. Her eyes traced the white mask that wrapped up and around the back of his head, as if looking for something there that might appease him, but he seemed to not hold it against her. He stepped up alongside her, sat down, and glanced at her.

Prialux opened her mouth as if to utter something, though she was presently incapable of words, but before she could, Eros was on his feet again. She clapped her jaws shut, then sunk to the floor when he stepped forward and out of the den. The quaking from before took hold once more. What was he doing? Prialux was almost too overwhelmed and frightened to handle even looking out of the den. Leaving it was both unimaginably terrifying and almost forbidden.

She whined softly at him, timidly imploring him to come back, but Eros was beyond her reach now, and she was too afraid to follow.

Freedom.

A single step had revealed to the wraith a world anew, and he’d found himself disinterested in returning to the den. Overhead swayed the trees with each breath of air that slipped passed them, their branches appearing to dance in tune with an unheard song. Beyond them laid the sky, it’s cool hues being unlike anything he could recall having witnessed before. To look away had been unthinkable, but he’d done so anyways, gaze trailing along the plush edges of a cloud before descending back towards the earth. He was in awe by everything around, above, and below him, and had, if only for a moment, forgotten about his sister entirely. Down towards the grasses underfoot had his eyes fallen, and there they’d lingered whilst he’d stretched out the toes at the ends of both forelimbs. Dull nails gripped at the soft greenery, tickling him slightly, but never had he laughed. Whether he couldn’t or wouldn’t, it was unclear which category he fell under, exactly. It hadn’t matter for much longer, either, as he’d been snapped out of his trance by the sound of Pria’s whining.

Eros turned, his movements slow, so that he could stare at the girl’s trembling body. Her gaze was sought out by his own, though the fear she felt was not mimicked within his baby blue pools. He did not fear the outside world, he adored it, and would chose it over the dullness of the den any day. Marching forward, he intended to latch onto her ear just as soon as he reached her. If he were to be successful, he’d disregard her uncertainty entirely and attempt to then drag her out into the open with him.

Eros seemed lost in contemplation, which Prialux didn't readily understand. She grew more and more rigid the longer she watched him stand in place, slowly turning his head as if taking in everything. Another keening whine loosed from her lips grabbed his attention, and soon he was striding back toward the den. Prialux felt a wash of relief in her breast. Eros was returning to the safest place they had, even if it was a loveless place, and she needn't worry about him being lost to her as well.

Her relief was short-lived. He reached out and grasped her ear, and she had only one second to wonder what he was doing before he yanked painfully on it. Prialux yelped and backpedalled and shook her head, but for the moment was unable to dislodge her brother. Her tail beat back and forth between her legs as she tried to appease him, though it was unlikely to do any good. Unlike her brothers, who were withdrawn and sullen as a result of Amara's neglect, Prialux was desperate for positive attention, and couldn't understand the motives behind theirs turns for the worst when it came to interacting with her.

She simply wasn't ready to delve out into the world, and couldn't comprehend that that was all that Eros wanted her to do. She took it as punishment, and whined sharply as she sought the floor with her belly.

The grip he’d achieved had earned him a yelp, which caused for his ears to fall back. He hadn’t meant to do anything that would hurt her in any way, he’d simply wished for her to bear witness to the outside world. To see how bright everything was, and to feel the sun as it washed over the entirety of her body. The moment had been one that he’d wanted to share with her, but it quickly became apparent that she was not as interested as he. And whilst this should have prompted him to release her—the shake of her head, too—it’d only served as fuel for his need to drag her forward. Upwards had his ears then popped, his hold on her ear tightening. Again had he yanked on it, urging her to join him in the world beyond the den, having convinced himself that he knew what was best for her. The fact that she wasn’t yet ready to behold the unknown was lost on him, deemed unimportant and cast aside because, as the eldest, he clearly knew best.

Rather than moving forward with him, there had come from her another whine, accompanied by the lowering of her form. The action had appeased some part of the boy’s mind that he’d never known himself to have unlocked, but had been unable to affect his views. Still did he intend to drag her out, and so Eros braced himself before yanking backwards. This time, he had used as much of his strength as was physically possible. Previously, he’d been reluctant to do anything that he was sure would harm her, but now nothing seemed to matter. One way or another, the imp would show her all that was outside, and she would be happy after he did so.

Between Kavos and Eros, Prialux was feeling a distinct lack of love—and respect—from her siblings. While neither of these concepts were ones that she could properly understand right now, it built the foundation for who she would become in the future. Eros' second yank wrenched another yelp from her lungs. Her ear burned where it was tugged at the base, and the pinch of his teeth was uncomfortable. She wanted nothing more then to flee deeper into the den and seek comfort in another form, but even Amara was a loveless beast, and there was no escape from torment for the littlest DeMonte.

When Eros clamped down and pulled with all his might, something changed in her usual gentle demeanour. The pain that radiated from her ear shot down her skull and into her spinal cord. His teeth, sharp and new, punctured three holes into the soft membrane of her ear, and blood wept freely to the surface. Prialux's yelp morphed into a near-scream, and her eyes blazed with pained tears and absolute fury. She was a wolf. She was a baby wolf, but nevertheless, a wolf, a dangerous animal who knew how to fight back.

She struck out at Eros' face with all of her might, seeking not only to ward him off and force him to leave her alone, but also looking to inflict the same pain he'd just caused her. Unlike with Kavos, who had let go before driving Prialux to this point, she didn't seek to appease Eros. She sought to punish him for his rough treatment, and for the blood that weeped into the fur of her neck. There was no playfulness in her eyes, only wild fury, as she sought to rake her new needle-sharp teeth across whatever part of him she could reach.

Later, she would feel badly for it, and even later she would forget how he had hurt her and remember only that he was her brother, but for this moment, Eros was the manifestation of all of Prialux's fears and the neglect she'd faced thus far, and she hated him for it.

Truth be told, Eros hadn’t the slightest of clues as to what he was doing, exactly. He knew what he’d wanted to accomplish, and had believed without even a hint of uncertainty that he was doing something good, but he hadn’t been able to comprehend that he was bringing her pain. His teeth were new and his jaws a weapon that he wasn’t the least bit used to handling. Never, to his knowledge, had he caused any pain whilst nursing, so what made pulling on his sister’s ear any different? From what he could tell, there was nothing, and so the whelp had refused to give up. He’d pulled and pulled and pulled until—what is that?

An unusual substance touched his tongue and his eyes widened, intrigued but mildly panicked. What was it? What could it do? Had he the words to ask, perhaps he would have, but it was doubtful that he’d have ever been heard. All of the sounds around him had been drowned out by a scream, the pitch having been enough to force his ears to lay flat against his crown. He didn’t know what was wrong or what had happened, but wanted it all to stop. Whatever had made her scream, as well as the scream itself, were things that he wanted to be eliminated from existence altogether. His silent wish had been answered, too, but there had been a price to pay that he was most infuriated by.

Prialux hadn’t given in to what he wanted. She hadn’t followed him out into the open, nor had she allowed for him to drag her out. Instead, the girl had lashed out at him, the attack having been unforeseeable. The child was shocked, to say the least, and had released her the moment she’d first struck him. He didn’t fear her, he couldn’t, but he also didn’t understand her. Confusion became disappointment, which had then turned into anger. Again, he’d tried to go towards her, but already had she made her next move. There was a stinging sensation that had made its way across the bridge of his muzzle, the feeling of her teeth breaking through his flesh having made Eros yelp this time. Appalled by the fact that one of his younger siblings had drawn forth from his body a peculiar, reddened substance, he’d thrown himself towards her without a single care in the world. He was sure to end up with several more wounds, yet such was an outcome that had never reached his mind. All that was present in his head was the need to knock his sister down and show her that she was wrong, which he would likely apologize for after everything had cooled down.

She hit his muzzle. The taste of blood in her mouth made her recoil, and Eros' reaction made her backpedal even harder. The little tan-and-grey girl couldn't handle pain, as was soon be learned, so when his sharp baby teeth gouged into her cheek and left several pricks and slashes of blood, she cried out and turned and fled for the back of the den. She had no interest in engaging him further, and sought Amara.

Her mother was a most neglectful creature, but she was unlikely to permit her children to kill each other—or maybe she was likely to let it happen, who knew—and Prialux sough a hiding place away from Eros and his brutality within the folds of Amara's stomach.

she woke to the pressure of a child barreling into her stomach. seconds passed before she could really comprehend what had taken place, what had cause Prialux to even want to come near her. it was not by any affection she held for the mother, and as much as she was startled, she felt afraid. it had become and instinct of hers to tremble in the face of commotion, and she looked up, thoughts drifting to the possibility that He had come; chasing the daughter to her side. she could not bring herself t believe that the tiny girl had sought her out of anything but fear, and in which case, she was right. 

coming to her senses, she leaned down, touching the girl with her nose in some sign of safety; gently. but it was then she tasted blood and the scent of Eros filled her nose and pure fear overwhelmed her. it was what she had feared all throughout their existence; they were becoming as of Him. it was He and His genes that would turn them savage upon their own blood, that her sons would adopt the ways of their father and wreck havoc upon them all. she struggled to contain the tears that threatened to flow, knowing she could not do so in the presence of a child who had first sought out to seek grace. curling inwards in attempt to bring the girl closer, she herself, the one that had initially cast them away, sought to the girl for her own comfort. this one, she could save. silently, she simply lay clutching her daughter both of fear of what her sons could do and what they could do to her daughter, the one untouched by kierkegaard's brutality. she could not let it happen, that the girl be exposed to such violence descended by the ghost himself. in a way, she hoped to save the girl like she could not save herself; only this time, she could not fail. not after long, she began to clean the blood from her child's wounds.

As blood dripped onto his tongue, he’d pulled away from her. Several times had he licked over his own muzzle, then watched as his sister ran off. For a moment, he’d only stared after her, confusion painting his features. His intentions had, at first, not been malicious. The more she had resisted him, though, the greater his want to drag her out of the den had become. It was supposed to be a positive thing, but had quickly turned negative, which he’d realized only after she’d hidden herself away against their mother. It dawned on him that he’d been in the wrong, that he’d hurt his own sister. Eros’ ears fell back against his head and he frowned, following after her. His movements were hesitant, but determined, knowing that he needed to fix things between himself and his sibling.

Amara’s body hid Prialux from the child’s line of sight, but he’d not stopped. It was only when he’d reached the larger form of his parent that he’d slowed to an eventual stop, a whine rising from the back of his throat. He wanted his sister back, to see her and apologize, as well as fix whatever he had done wrong.

Pulling Prialux, thanks for the thread guys!

The most unlikely thing happened: Amara opened up to her. Her body unfolded, like the wings of a guiding angel, and Prialux fled into her embrace. The mother enveloped the daughter, whisking her away from Eros' rough treatment. The child was so stunned, she could barely even revel in this moment, which was one she'd always wanted since the day she was born. Instead, she pressed as close to Amara as their physical bodies would allow and hid her face in her dam's coat. She trembled, a spot of blood dripping from her torn ear to land on her shoulder, but eventually the trembles stopped, the memory of what had happened with Eros began to fade, and a distraught Prialux, feeling comforted for the first time, dozed off.