Cerulean Cape if we shouldn't eat at night, why is there a light in the fridge?

@Ying

it seemed no matter where the wind might take him, his feet always lead him back to the coast. the touch of the sand was warmer now than what it'd been when he'd first arrived in the wilds, the sun finally beaming down enough to bring a little heat to the shoreline.

he'd been making his way down the coast, feet just barley out of reach from the crashing waves, when he thought of ying. she'd mentioned living on the coast, but where specifically he could not recall. had she ever told him? curious if she was near, he sent up a call for her before plopping down on his haunches to begin the start of a very poorly made sandcastle.

Astaroth— She trotted away from the inland border and sounded her response, assuring him that she would be arriving shortly. Things had changed since their last meeting; Ying thought about how little time had passed, and wondered how things could change so quickly. His frame soon came into view. Ying barked her greeting and jogged to his side, brushing her face excitedly against his shoulder. What you doing? the huntress asked, looking curiously at his little creation.

his castle, or at least that's what it was supposed to be, was looking more and more like a sad little mountain as the minutes went by. thankfully ying didn't take terribly long to arrive, or else he might have made an entire collection of the tiny mounds of sand. he leans in to reciprocate her greeting before he reveals, "i didn't find the volcano yet, so i am making my own."

carefully, he lifted a paw and proceeded to poke a hole along the top of his creation, a satisfied smile creeping along the edges of his lips. "ta-da!" he exclaimed with childish glee, as if he'd just won first place at a school science fair.

Good, she said, because you can't find the volcano without me. The huntress widened her eyes, looking at him with her characteristic intensity. His proud statement elicited a smile, and again, her guard was dropped.

Ying settled onto her belly but rolled to the side, finding this position more comfortable. What is the hole for? she asked. Intrigued, she subtly pushed closer to the volcano.

he gave a nod to her comment, confirming he had no intention of finding the volcano without her. he just wanted a bit of a head start so that they wouldn't spend their entire lives going in circles in search of one specific fuming mountain. "i promise not to go find it without you", he let out with a smile as he leaned down to give a poke at her side.

inky ears gave a twitch at her question, surprised she did not already know what it was for. "that is where the smoke and magma come from when it erupts", he revealed with a motion to the top of his creation. "the one i grew up on was empty though, like a giant cave."

Astaroth's explanation created more confusion, which sprouted frustration. She huffed and squinted her eyes, searching her mind for any guesses as to what he might have meant. What is magma? she finally asked, And, what do you mean, when it erupts?

Ying tilted her head and continued, How does all the smoke and magma go away? It didn't make sense; how much could one volcano release? Surely, it would have been impossible to spew all of its contents.

"hmm" he thought aloud, unsure how to go about explaining his knowledge of volcanoes without confusing her any further. "my mother told me magma is like water and fire mixed together. flows like water, burns like fire." he knew it wise to keep your distance from a volcano that was on the verge of erupting, for one could not usually outrun it's fury.

"when it erupts, magma and smoke pour out", he explains as he takes a claw to make a few squiggly lines going down the side of his makeshift model. "until one day, the volcano just dies and never erupts again." or at least that's how he assumed the fuming mountain went about the end of it's time.

Oh, she sighed, 龙的气息 — dragon's breath.

My home is called Yuèlóng, Ying turned back toward the island and smiled, admiring its objective beauty, Moon Dragon. She still didn't know which of the twins had named their island, but assumed it had been Mei. Later, she might search for the woman and ask...

Astaroth continued speaking. She corrected herself; the volcano couldn't have been the dragon, because dragons didn't die. He must have been living in an ancient lair, for which she had to acknowledge his courage. Ying didn't know if the dragons were real, but knew that she wouldn't want to test the idea.

Getting comfortable felt impossible. Sighing, Ying sat upright and rolled her neck. What is your home called? The volcano.

"yuèlóng", he repeated after her, struggling a bit to get the syllables right. "i will have to visit sometime", he let out with a curious glance in her direction, as if asking permission if that would be alright. the idea of living on an island was an interesting one, and he found himself interested in what life might look like for those living there.

he watched her rise, eyelids fluttering shut a few times as she went on to ask him the name of his homeland. "avigilion, named after the first leader of my people", he revealed with a glance southward. "it is not terribly far from here, but the journey to get there is rather tough."

Astaroth's company was always welcome. She nodded her head, silently assuring him that their borders were open. Av...avi-gil-ion. Ying whispered the name to herself and tested its sound, but found it to be more difficult than anticipated. 

What it's like there? Ying lifted a paw and waved it in the air as she spoke, You think I can't handle it?

a smile etched it's way to his features when she confirmed he was allowed to visit, a few pleased taps of his tail only expressing his joy further when she began to test the name of his homeland for herself. "the people are strict there, but welcoming of strangers and those in need. the land itself is lush with greenery, and is still one of the prettiest places i've ever seen." he might be biased since that was where he'd grown up, but in all his adventures and places he'd seen - home had yet to fall inferior.

at her question of whether or not she could handle the journey to his homeland, he instantly lifted both forelegs into the air as a sign of surrender. "oh no, the mighty ying could most certainly conquer any challenge that she faced on the journey" he let out with a wink, believing her more than capable enough to make it to his birthplace.

Similar to my family. Over time, their roles had switched; Hua had become more accepting of the foreigners, while Ying's skepticism continued to grow. The sisters balanced one another, which she assumed was for the best. I want to see how pretty it is. One day.

She lifted a paw to her head and adjusted an invisible crown. Astaroth's joke was taken lightly, despite Ying's qualms with her new role as leader. I think, maybe I can't overcome hotness. Is it hot there?

so they came from similar backgrounds then, huh. "sure, we can visit whenever you'd like." whether it be tomorrow or years from now, he'd always be up for a trip back to his family. "i think my sisters would be particularly fond of you", he mused aloud. they'd always held an admiration for strength and beauty, of which both categories ying fell in to.

as for the topic of heat..."it is only warm during the midday", he revealed with a glance to the sky. "there are mountains near that keep the volcano covered in shade most of the time." he imagined living on an island, especially in summer, was not exactly ideal if she did not prefer the heat. "isn't it hot on the island?"

Astaroth's invitation was happily accepted. She planned to take both of these trips, but didn't know when they might get the chance. Where was Fengmian? Let's go after summer. Surely, things would be more orderly by then.

He continued speaking, and she realized how little knowledge she had about volcanoes. Thinking about it increased her frustration, so she decided to let the thought go.

Probably, Ying replied, I hate the island. Maybe, I will ask my sisters to move soon. She knew that this was unlikely, but liked to imagine that they might one day find another more ideal territory.

She thought about the forest where she had reunited with Kun, and wondered if that might be a more suitable choice. I want to make something, one day. Somewhere not hot, but pretty. Maybe with a volcano near.

he gave a nod at her suggestion to visit his homeland after summer before he continued to listen with interest as she spoke. he could tell through words alone that he and ying were different in this situation, or at least that's what he assumed. she had chosen her family's happiness over her own, while he had chosen his own happiness over his family's, and not a day went by where he regretted his decision.

"why wait?", he asked with genuine interest. "if you have a dream, why not chase it?" he wanted to understand where she came from, and wanted to see her happy. he'd support her, no matter what, even if her family did not.

Somewhat unsure, she breathed: I'm pregnant. There weren't any other logical conclusions which could explain her changing. The volatility of her emotions couldn't be blamed on anxiety, nor could her aches be blamed on stress. No one knows yet. Although Ying didn't know what it felt like to be pregnant, she knew that these things weren't normal

Anyway, I have to wait. She'd agreed to help run their family's settlement, something which she didn't plan to take back. Maybe, I want to do this with you, so I will wait until you are done exploring. Astaroth had become a close confidante; she couldn't imagine doing something big without him present.

her reasoning, while a shock in the moment, wasn't really much of a surprise the more he thought about it. she'd told him of her wishes and he was, in all honesty, happy for her. "you will be a good mother" he offered as words of encouragement, certain her children would grow up to be as fierce as she. "and i will be the greatest babysitter if you ever feel like kicking them out for a bit when they are older", he let out with a wink.

"then i will make sure to get all my adventures done by the time you are ready, so that i can be apart of your dream too", he let out with a nod and a gentle bump to her shoulder. she would be with him when he accomplished his goal of seeing an active volcano, and in return, he wanted to be there for her when she accomplished her own ambitions.

Astaroth's support was appreciated. She leaned into his touch and whined, extending her own snout to communicate her gratefulness. 抽烟 — smoke — will be your name. 

Ying thought about his response and frowned, feeling somewhat guilty for her perceived selfishness. Astaroth was always so willing to abide by her plans, but had she ever asked to hear of his own?

She asked, What you want to do, in this life? They'd had conversations like this before, but never in a practical fashion. Did he ever plan to settle, to start a family? Was he meant to remain alone? Ying settled her paws and awaited his answer.

his brow raised at her new name for him, and he instantly found himself wondering what it meant. however, rather than outright asking the meaning behind the foreign word, he instead thought he might challenge himself a bit more. "your language is interesting, you should teach it to me someday." it had been an unspoken goal of his to learn another's tongue since his mother had taught him pieces of her own dialect.

he took a moment to think over her question, to seriously consider what he wanted for himself past his own freedom. "i haven't really thought about what i want after i'm done exploring, but i know i'd like a family one day. children, grandchildren, a place to watch the ones i love grow." he supposed in a way, this was everyone's dream. "and i want to specialize in something. nature, hunting, scouting - i want to be able to teach others about the things i enjoy."

What will you give me in return? She smiled, but her tone was serious. There weren't many situations wherein Ying was willing to give without being repaid. Something I don't have yet. Astaroth seemed to know the answer to every question she'd never thought to ask; what knowledge was he hiding?

He'd stated several times the importance of family. Ying admired this, and nodded her agreement. Assuming Astaroth eventually settled down, she thought that he would be an incredible father. What things do you like? she asked, wondering what else he might reveal.

her reply brought forth a smile of his own as he tipped his chin upwards in thought. "hmm, i don't know, what's something you don't have that you want?" furs, gemstones, knowledge, inside information, gossip. if it was something he could obtain, he was willing to share it in order to receive her lessons.

"learning about nature has become an interest of mine recently", he revealed with a sway of his tail against the sand, recalling those who had taken time out of their day to share their knowledge with him. "and of course exploring is on my list of hobbies as well." was there anything else? "what about you? what do you like?"

Surprisingly, her mind was blank. She couldn't think of anything she would want that wasn't already there, and had hoped that Astaroth would have been able to choose in her place. She shrugged and laughed, admittedly unsure of how to respond.

Hunting and fighting, Ying replied, but I am also a secret spy. This was true; since the founding of their pack, she'd devoted herself to some unsavory tasks. She kept her tone light, however, hoping that he might not read into its meaning.

she could not think of something either, leaving them pair of them standing in silence. "when i find something worthy, i'll bring it to you" he decided, still silently thinking over what he could bring as payment that would be equal to her lessons.

"ah, i should have guessed that since you are both a good hunter and fighter." he'd witnessed both up close, though admittedly the latter was more for play than anything serious. "but a spy huh? that's badass." he certainly wouldn't have guessed that in a million years, but supposed she did have the charm to pull off such a role. it made him wonder if she was a spy for her pack, or simply for herself.

Becoming an undercover agent wasn't something she had planned. Her responsibilities weren't enjoyable, and the reward wasn't great, but she quieted these thoughts with reminders of her work's worth. Ying sighed and dropped back onto her side, the sand splitting into ripples around her head.

Being 'bad-ass' makes me tired, she laughed. Ying opened her mouth and released an exaggerated yawn, motioning with a paw for Astaroth to join her for a nap.

he gave a half-laugh at her comment, full believing it to be true. he certainly didn't think himself capable of pulling off such a taxing role, and so commended her for being able to do what he could never accomplish.

he took a moment to stretch out his limps before he settled down beside her on the sand. he adjusted himself once or twice before he found a position that was comfortable, and let the warmth of the sun and background music of the crashing waves lull him off to sleep.