Blackfeather Woods You're just like me

@Damien @Kendra

I'm just assuming Kendra and Pietro are together, let me know if you want a change.

Pietro scooted closer to his sister as a chilly wind blew in. His eyes plastered on the entrance of the den. He had been feeling protective of her lately, but he didn't know why, so he stuck by her. He planted a lick on the top of her head before returning his gaze to the opening of the den. His ears stayed perked up, and his body ready to lunge to anyone who the pups didn't know came in. He realized Kendra could take care of herself, but, it was kind of a brother thing. He was just over protective. He turned his head back after a while and licked her head a few more times. The darkness in the den made his sister almost invisible, except her flashing blue eyes. He smiled before licking her cheek and standing up. "I will be right back." he said, as he trotted outside to do a small search around the den area. Once he finished, he got back inside and laid down next to her, giving her another lick on the cheek affectionately.

Back to real life, Damien also returned to his family, with whom he'd realized he had neglected by trying to focus on not being devoured by depression ever since Meldresi's death. It was ironic that it was Damien now the one who abandoned his family, but at least he was making an effort to avoid it. He stepped into the clearing close to midnight, silent and watchful to make sure Burke wasn't around tonight. Damien's keen eye caught a body moving close to the den's entrance, but he soon identified it as Pietro's slender figure walking back inside. Damien was quick to follow, and reached to doorstep just in time to see Pietro licking his sister's head lovingly.

Damien's head was low as he leaned out from the entrance. It was spacious inside, just the thing Burke and the pups deserved, and could even house another small adult if needed. It would have been for Meldresi, but that thought was quickly pushed aside as were all the sad thoughts in Damien's quick mind.

"Get up guys, there's something I wanna show you." whispered the dark male, whose silhouette was hardly visible in the moon-less night. He said no more, and awaited for the twins to come just outside the den, looking back and forth anxiously, and hoping Burke didn't pop out of the shadows.

Kendra was happily snuggled against her brother as she was sleeping. She knew that he liked to play the big protective brother and she was more than happy to let him play that role. She knew that he did that out of love and she really didn't want to lose him. The girl also enjoyed the licks off affection. She was getting a lot today. Kendra let out a protesting whine when Pietro decided to get up. She wanted his body warmth to keep on dozing. Luckily he returned soon enough and she nestled against him. Her head was resting against him.

Kendra looked up when she head a voice other than Pietro. It wasn't there father. Then she remembered thanks to using her nose that it was Damien. She frowned lightly. What did he want to show them? The girl yawned and stretched herself out. What if she didn't want to go with him? "What are you going to show us?," she questioned. The only reason she considered this was because it was night out and she wouldn't have to deal with so much light.

Pietro was fine when he was back with Kendra, he let her sleep a bit while he kept an eye out. His eyes saw a shadow as the shadow spoke, urging them outside. The shadow's scent came into his nose as he realized it was his older brother. He let out a sigh after his sister asked where exactly they would be going. The boy licked over Kendra's ear before slowly standing up, and stretching. He walked forward a little bit, looking back at Kendra, wagging his tail. He wouldn't walk forward until Damien explained himself. He was stubborn, but usually for a good reason. All he wanted to do was stay snuggled up with his sister and let her sleep while he kept his eye out. That's what he usually did, besides the nights when his father was sleeping with them. He looked at Damien for an answer before he urged his sister to get up from her comfortable resting spot.

Kids would be kids, but that didn't mean Damien would suck it up. He liked diligence from those he talked to, and although being curious was something characteristic of himself at that age as well, he didn't quite understand the concept of a kid, ironically enough.

"Just get up, you won't regret it..." barked Damien, and once again shifted his gaze around, as if someone was about to pounce on him from the shadows. He wasted no more time, and whether the twins followed or not he started walking north-east cautiously, stepping carefully and making no sound, and ever watchful.

Kendra looked at Pietro for a moment, to see what he was thinking about this. Kendra then decided to follow her older brother. Even though Damien hadn't explained himself Kendra was too curious to not know what he wanted to show them. She trotted forward but stopped to look over her shoulder and wait for her sibling. The girl then caught up with Damien. "Why didn't you come and see us?," she questioned. "You know where Cicero is? I want to learn more about plants, toxic ones and daddy told me he knows," she added. She wondered why their other brother hadn't been really there either. She didn't even start about her sister because she had never been seen before. She had been gone for something else. Kendra didn't know why.

The brother followed his sister out, a bit grouchy. He moved to a trot to catch up with them. As his sister mentioned it, he did in fact wonder where the patchwork brother had been. He hadn't come to see them in a long time, which made the pup sad of course. Maybe the brother ran away from them? A horrific thought flashed through his mind. "Did he run away cause he hates us?" he whispered. Little did he know the complicated back history to the reason his brother did come to visit the siblings. Of course, the statement he made was very dramatic, but he wanted to know the answer, and that was the first thing that popped into his mind.

Kendra, as always, was making way too many questions at the wrong moment. Damien looked back and shushed at her softly, "Keep quiet, we don't want Burke to catch us red handed..." he said, revealing that this was an undercover mission. But then the questions became more serious, and Damien couldn't simply ignore them. Damien didn't know exactly where Cicero was, but he could sense his brother was out on serious business if he hadn't returned yet. "Don't be ridiculous!" whispered Damien "Cicero doesn't hate you guys... He's a scout, so he's probably out dealing with important matters. He should be back soon enough to teach you anything you need to know, Kendra," he stated, trying to make things seem as interesting as possible. It was important to him that the twins found interest in the brotherhood, and he would be proud if they got their marks one day. It was in their blood, and their fate was irrevocably attached to that of the brotherhood, Mephala surely had her plans for them.

It wasn't long before the trio reached the swamp's edge. The fog made it almost impossible for Damien to even see his own paws, but he had to make his way through somehow. He looked back at the twins, trying to come up with a plan. "Stay close to me," he instructed, and slowly walked on. There were dry paths over the swamps, but they were tricky to follow, a labyrinth. "Make sure you step only where I do, and don't get out of my trail."

Kendra listened to her brother and what he had to say. So Cicero was out there? In the light? How did he do that with his eyes? Kendra was instantly impressed with her other older brother. But he would never replace Pietro. He was the bestest. She licked him to calm his worry. He did not have the feeling that he hated them, he had been absent at most. Kendra was pleased to hear that Cicero would teach her about plants. The girl wanted to know more about them.

The girl wasn't sure about this at all. She was quite stubborn, having that from both parents but mostly Burke. When she saw the swamp appear before them Kendra stopped in her tracks. She could only remember that time that she played her with Pietro and she had been so cold. Plus that Damien was doing something that he didn't want their father to find out made Kendra not willing to move further. She disliked to disappoint her father, she wanted to do well for him and even though mischief could be fun the aftermath wouldn't. "No," she spoke. "First you never go and see us and now you taking us to a place we aren't allowed to? Why would you do that to father?," she questioned her elder brother on a tone sounding like; 'what is wrong with you?' She knew he worried about a lot of things and missed their mother. He talked in his sleep.

Pietro was brutally stuck in between his family members. "Stop!" he said a bit loud. "You." he said as he turned to Damien. "No, both of you, are throwing me in the middle of this." He said, a bit overdramatic. "I seem to be constantly thrown in the middle of things." he said before turning and beginning his journey back to the den. "Over it." he muttered.

Overdramatic Pietro has had enough <3

Things blew up again. Kendra was the perpetrator this time, refusing to follow Damien's lead into the swamps and pouting to make a point, but then the drama queen of the family felt jealous and threw in a few pouts himself, mixed a bit of yelling and, of course, walking away disheartened. A classic.

"Stop there, Pietro," hissed Damien angrily. He had a temper too, but he managed to handle it to talk calmly to his little siblings. Breathe. "I know I have not been around a lot, but I'm trying to fix it, okay?" he told both the twins with his heart in... paw? "I want you guys to see me as I see you. There is nothing out there I care about more than I do my siblings. We're family and we gotta stick together... Besides.. The Wisps are wonderful on colder nights..."

Let's say Pietro walked off for the sake of it.

Kendra looked at Pietro who was being overdramatic and ... strange. Her brother never acted like this and she wasn't liking it. The girl let out a sigh and then looked at her older brother who looked like he was apologizing. She looked at him with a light pout and then nodded. "The last time I was in the swamps I was really cold," she explained to him. "The mud was freezing me after playing. That is why I don't wanna go," she admitted and looked at him. Pietro seemed to have stormed off anyhow, maybe he would return. But Kendra wasn't entirely sure. The girl grunted softly and then stepped closer making Damien know that she was willing to follow her.

Since this is kinda old (my fault) I'm gonna end it here and start another one... We need to figure out a way for them to connect!!

Both Pietro and Kendra's reactions made Damien doubt whether he actually wanted to take them to see the wisps that night. The mood had changed terribly and neither of them were in conditions to actually enjoy the visit.

"Maybe another night, then" said Damien coldly after watching Pietro sprint off and Kendra spoil the remaining enthusiasm with complaints. Damien did not like to be countered even by his siblings. Especially by his siblings. He walked away from the swamps, knowing that Kendra would as well, and once they were back in the Glen he dropped his sister and walked away. Perhaps, if there was a better disposition from the twins, he would try it again some other day.

We most definitely do!

Kendra was surprised how quickly Damien was giving up, at least in her eyes. Still Kendra was more than glad that she did not have to walk into the swamps today. She was not afraid of them but she liked to avoid them if possible. Pietro had left too so that made her less eager to be in a place she didn't even want to be there. The walk back to the den was quiet which did not bother her. She embraced it. Kendra did not need to talk she had nothing much to tell to her older bother. Once he dropped her off she did wish him goodbye. Kendra then joined Pietro, snuggling against him.