Neverwinter Forest atlas and the cruel world

Ever since their rather tumultuous acceptance into the pack, Haruki had stayed on the outskirts of the territory in an effort to avoid the other Neverwinter wolves. He didn't speak much to the two adults who were in charge of them for the short term, preferring instead to have hushed conversations with his sister. He didn't like the forest and just wanted to go back home to the Vale, but he knew that there was nothing left for them there. Eager as he was to re-establish the Empire in his mother and father's name, there was no possible way the two siblings could do it just on their own.

He just had to bide his time, tolerate living among the lowborn for a few moons. He would work out the finer details of a plan with Hotaru later.

For now, Haruki visited a lonely stream; a place he had visited everyday to bathe and rid himself of the dirt his coat had picked up on their journey in the mountains. It was still matted in places, much to his disgust, so he rested in a small patch of sunlight and set to work picking out a particularly troublesome knot of fur at his shoulder.

being vague!
assuming this happens post-s*icide attempt.

there didn’t exist any deity worth worshipping, liliana decided. they were all deceitful, just like the creatures they’d created, and therefore worth nothing that she had to offer. they’d responded to her past prayers with promises of good fortune, forcing her to wonder when those dreams might come to fruition.

for now, yana had nothing more to do than obsess over her own humiliation. she was talentless and unreachable; moreover, a child unwanted by any. not only did she have to stay here with a sick mother and absent father, but she had to worry about the two orphans they’d brought home, too.

liliana thought that she’d like to keep her distance for the time being.. and thus cursed both god and goddess when one of the pearlite children appeared. oh, well.

which one are you again? yana asked in a particularly snarky tone, i can’t tell.

finín wasn't all too fond of newcomers, he understood by now the need for able bodies to support their home but that did not mean he had to enjoy the presence of strangers one single bit. regardless, adults were one thing- but the knowledge that his papa had taken in more children had made him extra prickly. bitterness unfurling quiet tendrils around his heart as he noted that it was hardly a surprise, mal seemed to enjoy being around as many wolves as possible- as if no one was good enough themselves-
he cuts himself off, before the spiralling dwam can catch ahold and focuses the narrow of that glacial gaze upon the pale boy lingering by the merry babble of a bustling stream. 

there is something so uncannily unorthodox about wolves draped in such pallid ivory, it put finín on edge; heightened his mistrust. they just didn't seem....right, when he'd first seen simmik he'd genuinely thought something was wrong with her to make her so undimmed; apparently it was completely nautural. yet he couldn't help but disagree, the very shadows that coiled protectively around him now from his cover seemed only to probe and bounce off the spectres, as if even those ethereal forces disagreed with their existence.
still, there is part of him that instinctively remarks that there is something....pretty about the figure before him. a flick of an ear as he shakes it off as if it were but a pesky fly, frowning deeply. 

he considers leaving but such deliberations are halted upon the arrival of his sister.

finín had never had much interaction with the silver girl; perhaps they'd played together a few times when younger but since he'd grown old enough to secure proper memories- the shadow had been more than content to remain on mere polite terms with his other...sort of siblings? 

yet when she speaks, his eyebrows raise in amused surpise- certainly not expecting such a waspish temperament to accompany her progression towards their newcomer. he couldn't say he was disappointed either, in fact it spurred dark lips to twitch upwards as he took a step from his cover, solidifying his decision to remain whilst curious eyes lingered on his relative before slipping over to the boy, impish glint flickering across his ice kissed stare.

"who's the newcomer?"

Ugh, great. It was her again. Haruki's eyes narrowed as he heard light footfalls nearing him, punctuated by a snide remark that almost had him lose his temper right then and there. Instead, he channelled the frustration into the knot he was working on, tugging it with a show of teeth as he refused to swivel his head and acknowledge her existence.

Then another appeared that forced the boy to look to them.

He fixed both pups in a deadpan stare, eyes flicking first to Liliana before gazing over to the darker boy. They both seemed to exude some sort of devilish energy, their gleaming pale eyes trained on him unsympathetically. Liliana, he knew, of course, but the other one he hadn't seen before. A brother, perhaps? Though he did not share many similarities like he and Hotaru did.

"Haruki," he said forcefully, looking back to the grey girl with a glare, before he glanced at her fellow pack mate. "And who are you?"

sorry, y'all!

there were many children within neverwinter but liliana had made a point of only mingling when necessary, especially with aibreann's brood. still, she was visibly grateful for her brother's appearance in that moment.

a stranger, yana replied to fin following haruki's introduction, i'm surprised he's still here. she took a step forward, lips curling upward as she studied the ex-prince.

liliana would turn back to fin and allow him to introduce himself before making her own bold statement. do you want to challenge me again? there's no one here to stop you.. or are you afraid?

a blink is spared for the weight of those curious eyes, fascinated by the way he too had a blue hued gaze and yet unlike the crystalline stab of finín's icy look, there was an enthralling depth to the stormy writhe of azure fixed upon him. it was like nothing he'd ever seen before. the briefest of frowns presses dark lips as he casts a quick glance back to liliana, an amused hum rumbling forth at the cryptic response. it would have peeved him had he not noted the jibing intentions piggybacking on that statement, something he could wholly support whilst delighting in the serpentine curl to her lips as she prowled a little closer, an utter predator. finín would never have expected this in the slightest, it was a little thrilling as much as it was disorientating to realise he knew far less about his other siblings than he'd thought. 

he turns at the lilt of their unorthodox company, twisting an ear with a smooth smile. "haruki" an idly curious echo, tail flicking at his haunches. he didn't appreciate the way in which his own name was demanded, childish maybe considering the other had offered up his own first but nevertheless; he wished to feel more assured that he had the higher ground in his home. still, he's not entirely sure why he doesn't offer up his real name, instead dropping a casual "caine" to the air, the nickname gifted by his mama. it felt odd to speak aloud and yet strangely reassuring, as if it protected the finín of neverwinter from this ghostly boy and whatever his arrival might mean. 

eyes glint at liliana's pronouncement, brows arching as his grin grows more prominent. so they had some sort of history, and seemingly a rocky one? damn he was happy he'd decided to stay here, maybe this would be a turning point for him. coax him further back into the annoying childlike habits of thrusting your nose into everyone else's business. finding a dead body in one such intrusion really had put him off it for a while but this was great. he settled back on his haunches, watching quietly despite the clamour of wonders and questions writhing about; who was this pale boy and where on earth had he come from?