Northstar Vale Away We Rush We Run for the Hills

Haruki slept soundly, as he did most days and nights, untroubled by whatever tumultuous happenings were occurring within the Vale. Reiko had done well in shielding her children from the worst of her low mood, and her son was none the wiser as he lavished in the extra attention he and his siblings were receiving. The days had flowed in a steady pattern of sleeping, playing, and eating, and Haruki was content enough to do this forever. That was until the strange bright light at the entrance of the den became just too tempting to ignore.

Multiple times, Sumi had tried to go explore the Great Beyond on her lonesome, but was corralled back time and time again. Hotaru was the first to realise that in order to go investigate, one needed to bring mother along.

Haruki stirred as his source of warmth (Reiko's hind leg) shifted and then disappeared, and he slowly roused with a series of disgruntled whimpers, stubby ears flicking back as he heard his sister call for her siblings. One eye peeked open lazily, only to watch the pale forms of Hotaru and Reiko slip from the den. "MMMNnneh!!" he suddenly cried, instantly - albeit clumsily - on all fours and racing towards the Bright. Having fun without brother? Not on his watch!

His head popped out of the den just as Takeshi arrived. The tension between their parents would go unnoticed as the rest of Haruki's self emerged from underground and he bravely began striding towards the large figure of his father. He was not quite sure of the difference between he and Reiko, but he knew that while they were Different, they both were still Trusted. So the young prince headed towards the Emperor, tail wiggling in delight as he wordlessly demanded a kiss on the forehead. As he rightly deserved, of course.