Neverwinter Forest will it spin, will it soar

The sterling yearling descended his turf's heights before the sun could set. With a hot pace, and a very eager reach tonight, he made waste to the route edging the Glen, then meeting the stately pines of Neverwinter. Alone, though never far from the otherworldly hauntings of his clan, he proceeded keenly (though almost confidently) past the forest's threshold and onto the routes within. He breathed deep the scent of many unknowns, and slowed up only to sample them better when the scent of pine needles threatened to overwhelm him otherwise.

While he had no end destination, he was definitely out to strengthen his understandings--of him, of out here, of their ranges, of influence, even. Now more than ever, he was becoming keener, more interested, in what lie beyond and what it meant for them there on their spire and its immediate valleys they hunted. Maybe he was a touch inspired by Drogon's deserting his sister as well (it definitely helped), but it was far from all. He had wondered why.. of all things and places, why? And without even a word? Well, he wouldn't say he wasn't suspicious. Jarilo did just want to see what was out here, too. If he found out more--about this, that, prey trails, other predators, other packs' traffics, or even loners lurking, then good--it would be worth even more.

He found a well-worn footpath of a trail, and for now, stuck to it quietly as he threaded deeper into the forest.

fyi i will maybe be slow but i want fresh threads with him ;;!

sry cant pass up a thread with gorillaz lyrics!! it is how u summon me

there must have been some unspoken coven all brothers were somehow bound to, which commanded all brothers be as annoying and underfoot as possible: if this was a clandestine tenet, arcturus practised it with a discipline's keen duty.

it hadn't been easy trailing jarilo, who moved at a pace well past arcturus' abilities and left him in the reeds in short order. yet trailing after his silvery sibling was not so difficult as keeping up with him, and before long arcturus was happily nosing (admittedly belatedly) along the forest floor hot on his brother's heels.

in a few places he had to pause and recircle, but eventually he caught the sterling flash of fur between pylons of birch and ash; deciding then to announce his presence, he yipped loudly and crashed gracelessly through a packet of ferns to overtake his older brother.

He found a speed he liked, and the scenery seemed to agree as the winding road granted him an easy view. The yearling set his pace to a contented cruise. He carried on, even as that oh-so-familiar feeling of being followed started to lurk up the back of his neck, but he wasn't on the mountain anymore; his siblings didn't seem to be the most obvious of choices yet. He swallowed, pivoted an ear carefully. What.. even..

Following quite an announcement that threw any and all suspicion right out, he realized that he should've known. His little brothers were always around to keep him on his toes. "Arc!!!!" he barked out, having flung up his tail to the rush of dark fur coming his way. "What are you even doing out here??!" he yapped, though in the next breath he lunged at the younger Ostrega to lovingly smother him with his front legs.

not even the half-dusk afforded by the thick cover of trees could conceal the radiant grin on arcturus' face as jarilo turned to meet him: it was half warm smile, half devilish smirk of guilt -- and all affection as he propped up on his hind legs to box his older brother and in turn fell back, pinned between jarilo's strong forearms.

he gummed the thin arm of his brother affectionately, his tail beating in drumming percussion against the ground. in answer to jarilo's question the dark cub paused a moment as if thinking of a reply ('following you, dummy' his grin seemed to convey); and then he snapped playfully at his brother's muzzle before wriggling to attempt to get out from under him. if exploring was on his silver-furred kin's docket, arcturus would be happy to provide company.

When he had him properly within his reach, he was generous with the messy licks, nips, and happy growls wherever he could plant them. Once greetings were appropriately doled out upon his dark brother.. Jarilo danced back a pace, and regarded him in full. Of course. He sized him up and tried to decide what to do with this fresh new information and presence. "Well...." he drawled, beginning to turn away, towards the forest at hand now that they were a tagteam, not a solo mission any longer--and one that had probably spooked off everything immediately nearby with their exuberant rustle-about of a hello. He curled his tail up proud and trotted lightly. "Have you ever been out here before?" he asked, now starting forward well under the assumption that Arc was coming too on into Neverwinter.

once arcturus' affectionate greeting had been dutifully received, jarilo swept back. arcturus eyed the gap, and then his brother curiously - where had he been planning on going anyway? the boy pondered to himself a moment, looking up in time to see his brother's snapping heels moving away at a quick trot.

he launched into motion, ears swept back as he bounded up behind his brother. judging by his wide-eyed stare, arcturus had never been here at all -- he mumbled something quietly that sounded like it might have been a no.

Plenty used to being the bulk of the conversation in a family often of few words, the older brother took it in stride, and lengthened his own trot out too. "Well good!" he pointed his nose up, beyond, as if to say then get ready. He could ramble freely as he pressed their trail on further. He followed the obvious route for now; he didn't need to get that cozy in these woods any time soon. "Keep a good nose out for any prey trails. It's useful to know if there's herds here in case we have to hunt out here come wintertime when things change for the seasons..." He let the ominous look over his shoulder punctuate the seriousness here, even if he knew the boy had very little concept of what winter would bring.

"Plus... if we smell anyone weird, we can track them down," he glinted his teeth and curled his tail to go with a suggestion of his Ostrega mischievous violence slipping through the cracks of his words. "Sometimes there's coyotes out here to chase off. But I haven't seen any lately. One time a long time ago Mama said there was a pack here, even--wouldn't that be weird?" They grew up in times that gave Moonspear's claim a wide berth, used to little contest for their hunting. At least in all of Jarilo's lengthy, year long existence because of course compared to Arc, his experience really mattered obviously.

arcturus tried his best to keep up with jarilo -- but the sleek coated yearling had many months on him, and his limbs were long and lean. for each step of jarilo's arcturus scrambled in four; all the same a grin plastered his features, and he doggedly kept on.

he slowed a bit at the mention of 'winter'. he had heard that word a few times, and each time, had noted the ominous way an adult had mentioned it. arcturus was uninitiated to the harshness of winter, and faltered only a minute before catching his stride again.

coyotes he knew. he issued a little growl as if to say heck coyotes! when jarilo mentioned them. he was young but unafraid of them, and his tail flagged above his haunch as he rumbled his discontent at the idea of a pack of them. they would all find his teeth, if it was up to him.

His pace didn't account much for his brother's inexperience, but his willingness to ramble on about the what-ifs and the maybes and the other various things to keep in mind out here in this great wide world did keep him from speeding on any faster. Jarilo was glad to impart his knowledge and help broaden the horizons of his younger siblings--mainly because that meant the sooner they could be up to speed with him and the others, and the less they would have to worry about them one day.

He switched an ear, and wore a bigger smirk when his coyotes mention prompted a little snarl. Hell yeah, his reply of a rumble back agreed. I think most should stay away these days... What with such mighty beasts as them on the prowl, it practically spoke for itself here. But we can go check... He turned suddenly just because. ..this way! and sped off newly towards a new direction on the closest thing to a trail the forest gave him; he wasn't picky! Just eager to go still but dutiful on the trail.

Eventually he'd start to steer them home. But that was for later after a good romp and some sense of satisfaction--maybe even a good hunt, who knew! They'd find out.

iiiii let this get old and i live in perpetual state of needing utd threads with like all fam always. this can be my last probably if you'd like to wrap ? <3

of course <3 slight pp to close, hope that is ok!

jarilo had approved of arcturus' feisty growl: he looked adoringly upon his older brother, as if the approval was all arcturus would ever need to sustain his life. in some ways, perhaps that was true -- it was the duty of all smaller, younger siblings to seek the approval of their older blood -- by that approval and that approval alone, they could shine a light on their siblings lives, and do their small part to brighten it.

arcturus was thrilled just to be spending time with jarilo; he liked all of his siblings with a brother's earnest love, but it was his brothers arcturus most readily wanted validation from. hydra and lyra were distant as planets to him, in the sense that while they were big terrifying sisters, they were not playmates or peers -- they were idols -- but jarilo was closer to arcturus' planet than either of the cerberus, and so, arcturus would do whatever he could do to earn his brother's affirmation.

skipping happily behind jarilo, arcturus made no murmur of dissent as they went -- they hunted, they played, and then eventually, they turned for home.

in arcturus' eyes, it was another good day in the books.