Blackfeather Woods Hush hush, the world is quiet

@Potema and/or @Kotake ♥ - first full words!

Koume woke up to the sound of her own snoring. which was a weird feeling at first. She found out that she had wiggled her way farther from mother and her siblings in her sleep, which totally didn't suite the fiery ball of raging emotions. She cried for her mother, perhaps too lazy to stand up and walk to their sleeping place or perhaps just too tired. That was before she lay eyes upon her twin sister. She was entranced for a moment, quiet as a stalking predator before something quite extraordinary happened; she calmed down.

Maaaa... She let out just moments after, her voice calm and less desperate than any of her other noises had ever been.

Potema was used to waking up with her children sprawled about her in strange positions. She's learned to ignore them for now, especially with winter here, cold as ever, though she fears that as they grow in weight and size they would keep up such habits. No, for now she allows them to lay about her, briefly waking up at random times to count them and make sure they are all in the comfort of her embrace.

This was another random wake up, Potema's bleary eyes opening briefly. She counts how many different bodies she feels on her, pausing as she counts only three. Panic sets in, almost making her lurch and pull out of her den, but the woman settles as she hears the soft cry. Potema's eyes settle on the young girl, recognizing the faded red mark. Koume. Potema smiles, nearly squeeing with excitement. Yes Koume, Mama's right here, She coos, trying not to wake up the others.

Kotake awoke twice. Once, when Koume had moved. As the girl had not protested then, Kotake fell back to sleep easily enough. The second time she stirred was due to Koume rousing, and loudly at that. Kotake did not move, only watched. When Koume's gaze found her own, her sister quieted for a moment. Their communication had never required words.

It was not to Kotake that Koume spoke. Still not moving, her eyes shifted toward the pale woman Koume had called to, and watched as Potema regarded her elder twin.

When the little Azura noticed the blue and green twinkle of her sister's eyes, she was calmed by the fact she was not alone. While it was true that there were more near, none of them quite got the girls interest as much as her twin sister. When mother called back, Koume did not react - entranced by her sister and quite frankly calm for a change.

She then started crawling - wiggling her way silently toward mother. Maaaaaaa... She let out once more, not knowing or understanding what else to say. But she wasn't really going for the comfort of her mother - she was aiming straight at Kotake.

She did not notice the look between her daughters, only smiling as she heard her daughter's first word. She was the first born, and she was the first to speak to her mother. Only after their visual look did Potema regard the younger twin, smiling at her. She nuzzled the first, encouraging the behavior. Speak! She wanted to say, but it did not seem right. But she did turn to Kotake and nuzzled her, trying to encourage her to follow her sister's footsteps.

Kotake continued to watch Koume, who had eyes for only her. Her own attentions shifted between her sister and her mother, and soon enough her mother noted that she, too, was awake. At her mothers touch, Kotake looked upward. That her mother expected her to speak was not registered by the typically perceptive Kotake. This was not their norm, after all. Not only this, but Kotake had never followed others footsteps directly; she did what she wished when she was ready, her pace steady and certain. Kotake was no follower. And though she was the younger sister, one would never really know it. That wasn't to say any would assume Koume was the youngest, either; it was difficult to know, particular when seeing the mirror images standing mutely side-by-side.

Her eyes turned back to Koume now, and her head tilted some as she Koume, to her mothers pleasure, repeated the word, though now stepped toward her. Kotake did not yet rise to all fours, content to let her sister come to her as she wished to do. Unless Koume was in need, Kotake would not interfere with her siblings progress.

She reached them - calmly and not panicking anymore. it was the calmest she had been in her short time on this world and it felt... Greater - more important than anything. She could not imagine this happening without her sister and she joined her twin not long after. She almost ignored mother's silent encouragement, trying to get closer to her sister and doing that by crawling under and over anything that stood in her way.

Mama... She let out, having nothing else to call anyone yet.

She was all but ignored as the twins reached each other, becoming content with each others' presence. Koume had only one word to say so far, but applied it to different meanings. Even as Potema was put into the background Koume continued to say the magical word: mama. Potema smiled all the while, content to just enjoy the girls being in their natural state; with each other. Kotake said nothing for the moment, but Potema was far from a pushy mom. Instead, she laid with her head to the ground, eyes darting from daughter to daughter, a pleasant sigh exited her lips.

Koume at long last arrived. Kotake opened herself to her, nosing the floor with a wagging tail. Kotake was content to lean her weight upon Koume, as surely Koume was with her. She never felt so at peace as she did when her twin was nearby, although she was certainly not the more restless of them regardless. But there was a difference in Kotake with, or without, Koume. Those who knew her best would note she was far more cruel, cold, even, without the flame beside her.

Feel free to archive :)

The flame nestled between her sister and mother, snuggling intently before she was comfortable and at rest. She carefully started to groom both herself and Kotake before yawning yet again. It did not take her long to fall back into the rabbit hole that took her to a world all her own - slumbering peacefully now she was reunited with her one-and-only.