Moonspear wobblin' around in your high-heeled shoes

Dated for tomorrow.

In the den, as her siblings slept, Mira stirred. This awakening came with a new sense which she was eager to gain, as her eyelids cracked open like a splitting sea. Within swam murky blue glass. She blinked over and over, awkwardly adjusting, vision still a blurry work of abstract art. It was something new, though, and so she cherished it, beginning to wiggle excitedly against her resting siblings as the realization of what new power she now held hit her.

The wiggles were not new - being born alongside three other siblings, Mintaka was already used to their squirming forms; took comfort in them. But this time, the wiggles were more pronounced, and the silver girl stirred, eyes scrunching before opening for the first time. 

Huh. That was weird. Everything looked like a kaleidoscope right now, light and shapes and confusing. But it was new, and fun, and Minty huffed out an awed sound, blinking in what would be owlishly if her eyes could open that far.

There was something different about this day. Hydra sensed it as her children stirred; the way they moved was, in some way imperceptible to others, different. Lifting her head to peer down upon them, Hydra was pleased to blue against black and silver. The eyes of her daughters had opened first this year it seemed. She moved to sniff at them, before her tongue set to their faces to remove any residual filminess that might linger so they could better see. Daily cleaning would ensure this much, but best to get them used to it immediately so it did not cause them a fright later on. 

Finishing with this, Hydra plucked up her two daughters and put them between her forelegs; @Alya entered the den, then, creating a blockade as she brought Hydra a snack and lay down to rest. When you see Dirge and the children, let them know they may visit, she decided. By now Hydra knew Dirge would not eat their young... he was coolheaded and doting. Hydra would need to give her older cubs the rundown on how to be around the fragile creatures by her side before permitting them in, but at the very least they could see them and linger near. 

Looking down to her daughters, Hydra grinned. My strong little daughters, she admired, blowing a warm breath over their backs as she drawled, which of you will come to be my apprentice, hm? Or will it be both? a dream of her own, that. Daughters to harass and harry those that came too near and threatened their own, just as she and her sisters had and always would.

Against her, Mintaka awoke. There was little time for Mira to deal with this, as she was soon being touched by something strange, wetting her face but removing the nastiness that had gathered in the corners of her eyes. It was a strange feeling- one she did not entirely like, and so she expressed herself with tiny growls, the corners of her lips just barely turned downward. Soon enough it was over though, and she was lifted, placed between the forelegs of her mother. A warm breath came over her then, and she sighed contentedly, stretching her neck back to gaze up at the queen.

Her mother's tongue lapped over her eyes - a strange sensation, but not a bad one. Mintaka chirruped a few times, premature attempts at connecting with her parent a little, happy noises of a contented baby. The girl was quiet as she was placed between her mother's paws alongside her sister, but when hazy blue eyes spotted the soot sprite form of Mira, it sparked a curiosity within the girl. Slowly falling forward with her mouth open rather than reaching, Mintaka placed a big, wet kiss against her sibling's cheek.

Hydra watched, as a God would watch Their people from above.

Mira looked back, and Mintaka saw an opportunity; Hydra did, too. A first lesson, unwittingly. Always watch your surroundings, she informed, to ears she know could not hear. Still, it was amusing to her. She wondered what Mira might think of it. Would she be bothered, or nonplussed this early on? Hydra then wondered if she ought to think differently herself, too. Was Mintaka searching for food...? 

That she did not persist when none was found caused Hydra to think she was simply exploring in general. They could not hear yet; their senses were limited to touch, taste, smell, and now sight... however blurry their vision might be. Her gaze shifted to her silver cub to be sure it was not food she needed, having little interest of depriving her cubs of what they needed to survive.

He was quiet for once, deep in a fitful rest that only children could reach. A full belly had certainly helped to lull him there, though what exactly he could have been dreaming about was good as any guess could be. His world was by far a pleasant place, unmarked from any long term memory of being jostled or unkind.

It was, however, not meant to last.

Someone’s foot had hit his face somewhere in the commotion of movement, of waking hours arriving with their pompous fanfare, and Altair found immediate displeasure cresting any other emotion as he stirred.

Blearily—how new, how strange—his own eyes had cracked open to nothing more than light and darkness, to moving shapes that he could not quite pinpoint through a heavy veil of sleep that clung to him. His mouth opened, first to protest, but was cut off by a yawn that only accentuated a hearty, squeaky groan.

How dare.

He protested this further when his sisters were moved, tiny feet pushing against his mother in an effort to suggest that he too was awake, as if there were any room for doubt. He pressed into @Caelum with discontent, and sought to wake him too.

Something disgusting found its way to her face, and she whipped her head towards the silver, growling, distracted from her mother for now. She was still a blurry thing, but pale and easy to spot in the darkness of the den- a bright red target to throw herself at like a bull. Mira raised a small black paw, batting her sister straight across the face with as much force as a cub her age could muster. It wasn't much, but for now, this was revenge enough to satisfy her.

Well, Mintaka had certainly not expected to be slapped like that. It didn't hurt - not really, anyway - but it was the least pleasant thing Mintaka had ever experienced, so the little girl was stunned. Silence would follow as bleary blue eyes watched the little black blob, not complaining or anything. Just a little confused, perhaps, but that was not something that Mintaka would be unfamiliar with through her life.

No retaliation from Mintaka today; Hydra had not much time to dwell on this before one of her sons began to put up a fuss. She peered to her side, observing the tawny one shift and roll. Her daughters effectively rooted to their playpen through she and Alya, Hydra took the time to lick at his face too, looking to his eyes to see if they had parted and opened as well. Indeed, it seemed they had; so she plucked him from where he lay and placed him into her own personal puppy royale tournament. 

Hydra nosed his rear end, come on, Altair the loud. Are you all bark? She drawled with a bemused little grin. Not that he could understand her, anyway. Mira the fierce is not. Mintaka either, perhaps, she considered, all gums for now. Soon you will have a set of these, she spoke to each, nibbling at Mintaka's toe with her teeth with a gentleness no other but for her young (at this age, namely) could ever experience. Her fangs moved then to preen at Mira briefly before drawling to ears that could not hear, I will teach you how to use them.

A tongue came washing over him, full of warmth there and gone as fast as he could blink; he batted uselessly at her for it, missing the mark and complaining only to be silenced—plucked from the safety at her side and deposited somewhere else entirely. Not the first, nor the last, but disorienting all the same.

He blinked furiously, trying to master new sight and gain focus.

It did not come easily nor as swift as he would have liked, but the adjustment of his surroundings left him hushed for a spell as he focused in on the looming darkness of Alya, and the blinding white light of the denmouth afar. Altair squinted at her, unable to find those fine details, and was soon distracted by his equally dark-haired sister.

She was an easier, smaller target to go for, even in spite of being hinged between his mother’s outstretched limbs. He found his feet beneath him and rose unsteadily; the earth seemed to lurch violently at this change too, but Altair would not be deterred in worming his way towards Mira. She would have plenty of time to react, at least.

The return was satisfying- peace. Mira had just learned something; physical altercation would give her the response she wanted from her sister. It did not matter whether it was only a one-time kiss anyway- Mira could not comprehend these things. She only knew that before she took action, she was uncomfortable, and now she was not. 

Another thing was set down beside her, as if the silver annoyance was not enough. Mira was distracted by the momentary preening of her mother, to which she responded with warm coos of comfort. But soon that joy came to an end, and a new pest was making its way toward her. She refused to let things go the way they had gone the first time- and so, already preparing for some disgusting invasion of her space, she pressed forward, batting a paw towards the new creature's face in hopes of deterring it before it could lick her.

throwing a fader on this <3 <3

 

Hydra was amused by her newly seeing cubs; it warmed her heart to watch them explore and navigate their newest sense. Her young cubs quibbled amongst themselves, and when @Alya slipped into the den Hydra drawled, their eyes have opened... which she could very well see for herself. They formed a circle, and with her cubs effectively encircled between them Hydra rest her head upon her forelegs to sleep more herself.

Mintaka was oblivious to the blight on her sister. It wasn't that she didn't care - she would have if she'd known, probably, but... well... there were better things to focus on right now. Her mother was laid next to them, and she smiled, settling down beside her and nuzzling into her stomach. Warm and safe and nice - all good things, in this perfect little world of theirs. Blue eyes slid shut, and Minty was soon asleep.

Wrapping. Mild PP for Altair, who has fallen inactive.

Her attempt was successful as her black paw met the approaching face, shaking Altair to some degree and causing him to blink in the aftermath of the attack, stunned. A devil's grin found her maw, confident that there would be no more licks for now- and as her sister and mother put themselves to sleep, Mira followed suit, curling into a black hole of a little ball and letting herself drift away.