Firefly Glen n i k k a l

I might be an overeager beaver. Please let me know if you mind any of my assumptions here. :3

It’s this way! Ani shouted, bounding through the snow along the lake shore, I think!

She reached the far side and paused to make sure @Chickadee wasn’t far behind. Ani then glanced across the stretch of frosty grass ahead. Beyond it, there was a short mountain with a forest tucked in beside it, like two songbirds sharing a bough.

I can’t wait for you and @Stratos to meet! she chirped at her sister, her breath a fount of silvery smoke as her tail cut through the frigid December air.

chickadee had to say, she was pretty impressed by her sister. ani had decided they would both marry stratos. she could find no fault with the idea, and sharing in something that so clearly pleased her darkfurred sibling was of definite appeal to chickadee.
she danced beside her sister, their father's green eyes set in her own face as she looked around for this beautiful kind boy. she nipped playfully at ani's face. "i think it will be fun!" she sang back, breath rising to mingle and dissipate into the cold atmosphere.

Stratos heard their muffled voices before he saw them: the first a voice of one he knew, and the other, a stranger, yet one who spoke with an equal cadence. Lovely and light, like a pair of songbirds in the golds of late summer. A smile stole over his face and he made his way towards them through the snow-laden shrubs.

They had not called for him, but who else would Ani be looking for here?

Ani! he greeted with a generous grin as soon as the girls came into sight. With Callyope away, Ariadne busy, and Kivaluk training more intensely with Rodyn now, Stratos was glad to have more friends around - friends who did not seem to carry the same responsibilities that he carried, as a child of Moonglow and a hunter of the village.

It is good to see you! and while his dancing gaze met her first, he soon turned a warm and curious look to this other girl she had brought along. His first thought was that she not as striking as Ani - in fact, he thought she looked rather plain beside her - but he found this made him more curious to meet her.

Who is this new friend you have brought? he asked, still smiling, and his gaze flicked between the girls. A question for either one to answer.

So much fun, Ani lilted, her cheeks actually aching with the broadness of her smile.

They didn’t even make it as far as the village’s borders before Stratos appeared, perhaps drawn by the sisters’ voices. Ani chose to see it through a more imaginative lens. They were meant to be, after all, so of course he would magically appear to meet them!

Stratos! she cried, nudging Chickadee and bounding closer. It’s so good to see you too! This is Chickadee. She’s my sister and my best friend in the whole wide world. Chicky-D, this is Stratos, Ani introduced formally.

She took half a step backward then to let the two formally greet each other. Her eyes danced between them, hoping to see signs of chemistry between her crush and her sister. It would please her immensely if they took to one another just the same way Ani and Stratos had.

chickadee watched as they greeted one another, her eyes shrewd. he was certainly striking: fox-colored against the snowy background of the mutual ground. when his gaze settled on her, chickadee found herself shrinking a bit, inwardly.
but she would not be shy, for ani's sake.
"hi!" she fluted, tail swaying as she took a confident step forward. "nan — ani — has told me a lot about you."
and here her features took on a mischievious cast. stratos was very cute, but the sparrow wasn't sure she was sold on a crush just yet.

Ani made swift and cheerful introductions, and Stratos felt that brightness in his heart again. Such a change, after the dark and somber notes of Moonglow after Mojag’s disappearance.

Stratos gave a playful bow in the space Ani afforded both he and Chickadee to meet, dipping his head while mischief glinted in his eyes - quite similar to the display he’d given Ani, and mimicking Chickadee’s own roguish glint.

Has she now! Stratos laughed in the smile he flashed Chickadee, and in a teasing glance thrown Ani’s way. Girls, talking about him? Friends, of course, but still! If his head had been big as a puppy, this sure didn’t make it any smaller.

And what things has she said? and with this he slid out of his bow to lounge on the ground, crossing his forepaws, and flicking his playful and expectant gaze between the sisters.

Stratos immediately launched into some teasing banter, which made Ani’s heart smile. That was promising! She cackled and glanced at Chickadee, wondering what her sister might say in reply to his coltish question. Would she tell him how much Ani had positively gushed about him?

She wouldn’t mind that, really, though she quickly chimed, I told her how beautiful, charming and kind you are!

Ani’s eyes danced, wondering if that would make him blush. She hadn’t been secretive about her attraction at their meet-cute though, so maybe the flattery wouldn’t surprise or faze him at all. She grinned and nodded her head at Chickadee, welcoming her sister to lay it on thicker if she liked.

"well," chickadee began, encouraged by the expressions of both ani and stratos. "she said you were very cute and had very blue beautiful soft kind cold warm eyes." she peered closer as if inspecting the boy, then smirked. "i see she wasn't wrong. what else did she say, hmm."
chickadee circled and then added. "she said you taught her new words. and that you call your home a village."
her green eyes shone with a deep mischief. "also that she wants to have six of your babies."

They both came at him with beautiful words! Beautiful, cheeky, mischievous words. Ani’s declaration brought a broad smile to his face - one he gave fully to her. Of course, he knew these things, Anaa had often called him such! Or maybe he had just thought them himself… either way, hearing them from a girl… his chest tingled. Charged in a different way. New. Exciting.

The energy only brimmed when Chickadee began her own assessment, and Stratos began to notice the differences between them. Ani, bright and forthcoming. The glint in her eye held a sort of innocence alongside it, one he found easy to trust.

Chickadee, on the other hand, met him like the raven: the spirit of a trickster in her charming eyes. Warm and green. He smiled a half crooked grin at her when she pushed her face near to call his eyes such lovely things.

These words are glowing, he interjected, smile still planted on his face.

She, too, reminded him of summer.

Chickadee continued with less abstract thoughts. New words, his village. And he thought her finished - so much so that he opened his mouth to nickname her tulugaak - but what she said next left his mouth silent and slightly agape.

Stratos had never known fire. Only the heat of the sun. But what burned through him now was hotter than anything he’d ever felt before.

Outwardly his breath puffed out in a tight laugh and he blinked in quick succession, his head tilted ever so slightly.

Babies?

Ani nodded along as Chickadee revealed the details of their sisterly gossiping. She laughed in surprise when her sister even mentioned the puppies, the sound pitching a few octaves higher when she saw the expression on Stratos’s face.

And Chicky-D wants eight! she exclaimed. Not now, of course! Just someday, with a casual flick of her wrist.

Realizing the inference of what she’d just said, Ani explained, Chicky-D and I share everything. We wanna be… She glanced over at her sister, expression fond as she searched for the right term. Sister-wives, she decided, shifting her gaze back to Stratos and wondering if he would understand what she was telling him.

chickadee liked him. she wasn't sure if it was quite to ani's level, but each expression and smile and word from the fox-colored boy was winning her over. when he let his breath out she snickered good-naturedly and looked toward her sister. "i told ani i'd marry you if you liked me back."
she caught her tongue between the tip of her teeth and glinted with a giggle, then a swish of her tail told stratos that he was under no pressure to say anything on that for now. they'd only just met!
"ani thinks a lot of you." her smile was less teasing now, more warm, acceptance of the boy who had captured her sibling's heart. "i like when she's happy."

Eight? he squeaked.

Oh boy.

Marry? his voice pitched a little higher, and he felt his cheeks burn even hotter.

Oh boy.

Oh boy.

Just wait until he told his sisters. Just wait until he told anaa. Did they marry more than one in the village? He tried to think back but he could only think of his own happy parents. What would anaa say to this?

The funniest part was how casual they sounded, as if this sort of talk was very normal to them. Stratos had never even thought of marriage before. He only ever really thought about hunting and fighting and how he could work his name into ballads so wolves could still talk about him once he had died or something. But it seemed that while he’d had his heart set on hunting prey, they’d had their hearts set on hunting him.

Gracious Chickadee lent him a more grounding look and he took the moment to collect himself.

Well, his voice cracked, and he cleared his throat, well, you are both very sweet, very fun, and very pretty, he felt that warmth again, and thought his sisters would be happy about how he had ordered that list of lovely things, and my heart feels like sunshine when I see you, even though I have only seen you once, and you twice, he said to each in turn.

Was that enough to warrant marriage? Stratos didn’t know, but he did know he’d be a fool to turn these sisters down. Some wolves probably went their whole lives without even finding one girl who liked them, and look at him! Not even seeing a full turn of ever season, and already he’s accidentally found two!

A smile finally broke the young hunter’s face, as blooming manhood caught up with his youthful blush.

I will speak with anaa he said, and added for their sake, she is my mother. I will share this proposal and come to find you when she has given yes or no. But he thought of something better as he shared this idea with them and waggled his brows in mischief, though he meant himself true. Unless I bring you to meet her now! She is very kind, and welcomes guests with great joy. I know she will smile when she meets you!

He, of course, assumed all these things, but how else would she greet a pair of lovely ladies interested in her son?

She is not far! Just here, he gestured to the mountain, in Moonglow.

The girls had said their piece, now they could only wait for Stratos to react. Ani stared at him, simultaneously grinning and biting at her lip. She swallowed a giggle that threatened to burst out of her mouth when his voice raised a few octaves. She and Chickadee had really caught him by surprise, she could tell!

But it was hopefully a happy one. Ani grinned when Stratos said he would speak with his anaa. That word made her think of her babadi, though she didn’t say anything. Suddenly he was offering to take Ani and Chickadee to meet her right now.

Ani giggled and exchanged a glance with her sister. It was quite tempting to throw themselves even further down this adventurous road, though Ani captured Chickadee’s gaze and subtly shook her head. She had no particular reason to decline the invitation except that it suddenly seemed much more intriguing if Stratos spoke to his mother privately first and then came to tell them the news.

You speak with your anaa first, then come find us, Ani spoke for both of them. We’ll be waiting, she added, flitting forward to kiss airily in the direction of his snout before backpedaling and trying to link arms with her sister. Come on, Chicky-D, she urged, smiling impishly and winking at Stratos over her shoulder.

it occurred to chickadee that maybe they should talk to their mom too. stratos seemed pretty set on it, if he was involving this anaa. 
she watched him as he spoke animatedly, and something about the way his eyes brightened caused her heart to flip a little. chickadee wanted to go now; she wanted to throw herself into this little adventure that her sister had set in motion.
but ani signalled and she heeded. 
her cheeks were warm; she watched her sister offer a kiss and before she joined ani she too offered the same sort of air-kiss to stratos, maybe a bump of her hip before she scampered away with her sibling, a giggle in her mouth.
"oh, wow," chickadee said when she felt she was out of earshot. "he really is cute!" her heart galloped. "you sure you won't mind sharing him, ani?" she teased, and then she sighed and returned to a more level state. "we should tell mom and dad, don't you think? like if he is, right?"