Moonspear peace comes at dawn, but yours comes at night

limit one participant, please.

Vega found herself becoming more and more restless as the days grew longer. She roused most often in the evenings, and found that putting her legs to work seemed to unwind some of the pent-up energy that threatened to burst through her skin if she chose not to do anything about it.

This night was not unlike the others. With effortless strides she came part way down from her mountain to stand in its mighty shadow. There she found a broad, flat stone. Upon investigation it was cool to the touch; she climbed upon it and sprawled out comfortably, comforted by the sprawling darkness above.

Lately, Osiris had had a lot on his mind. The anticipation of meeting his siblings and cousins, coupled with the excitement of meeting Leta, was almost too much to bear; he had become uncharacteristically restless. Tonight, Osiris thought of Leta. Starlight shone overhead, unobstructed by any clouds; it was a perfect night for stargazing. Choosing to seek a better vantage point to watch the sky, he climbed. 

Vega's scent distracted Osiris mid-trek, and he temporarily ceased his efforts; he hadn't seen her since their siblings' birth. Osiris found Vega lounging on a stretch of flat stone, and he joined her without a second thought. Osiris laid at Vega's side, his tail sweeping across the cold rock.

If it had been anyone else that had bothered her now she might have told them off — poor Mom and Dad were getting the short end of the stick, since she hadn’t been allowed to see the dirty attention-stealing gremlins yet. Osiris was one of the few faces she was excited to see. Hey, you. she rubbed, bumping her hip into her brother’s and hogging up more space than she realistically needed.

I haven’t seen you in a hot minute.

"Hey," Osiris returned with a smile. "I know, right? It had been too long since they had had some time to themselves. I've been keeping busy since Mom gave birth—mostly patrolling. Things have been mostly quiet, thankfully." Save for the occasional scavenger, the borders remained untouched by intruders. 

"What about you?" Osiris prompted, bumping his hip to Vega's.

It was ironic that they were having this discussion now — in less than a week, they’d be assaulted by a cougar. But for now, things were quiet. The same, really, she says. I left the mountain, finally. There’s... a lot of world out there.

She didn’t know how to feel about it. This mountain had been her whole world up until recently. To learn there was so much more was almost unsettling. How many dangers could be put there?

How do you feel about the new kids?

It was amusing to Osiris that Vega has also left the mountain. "Yeah?" he instigated in reply, wondering what else that she had to say about the world beyond Moonspear. "Where did you go?" 

When asked about their younger siblings, Osiris tilted his head. He supposed that they hadn't talked in length about them, but he had assumed that she had been as excited as he had been—was that not the case? "I'm excited for all of us," he drawled, licking his chops. "Puppies are good for the pack." At least, that was what he had deducted; the ability to rear new lives meant that they were thriving. 

"How do you feel?" he asked, lifting his brows.

That way, she said, pointing towards the territory in which we OOCly know to be Firefly Glen. Have you been? He probably had. And if not there, somewhere else. Sometimes she could smell the otherness on him, and she never knew how to feel about it.

She also wasn’t surprised he liked their new siblings. That’s a good way to look at it, she said, before pausing to lean against him.

I’m just worried about it. I think. Like, that they’ll be... that I’ll never be anywhere as close to them like I am with you, and mom, and dad. She sighs, shrugs. I think it will pass when I meet them.

"Yeah, that's Firefly Glen," Osiris replied; he was very familiar with the territory. "I was there recently, too—about a few days ago if I remember correctly," Osiris shyly grinned as he recalled his time with Leta, although he did not elaborate. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell anybody about the girl he had met, and the feelings that she had made him feel. "Has Mom told you about Grandpa's claim over it?" Osiris asked then, seeking a diversion from his lovestruck thoughts. 

As Vega leaned against Osiris, he began to brush her forehead—it was something that Hydra often did for both of them. "You know, I just assumed that I would love them because they were family," Osiris replied, pausing his grooming. "But, I can see how you feel that way," he drawled. "Has anybody told you when you could meet them?"

Oh? she says, raising an eyebrow at the certain tone that Osiris’ voice seemed to take. Find anything interesting? The territory kept getting more and more interesting. Grandpa had a claim there? No wonder she felt so comfortable. Maybe I heard it when we were younger, but I can’t really remember... and if I had, I don’t think I really knew what that place over there was called.

At his final comment, she lowered her head a little. His words were comforting, so she didn’t feel judged... but she did feel a little ashamed. I do love them, she admits. Just not as much as I love you. Maybe one of them can be my new favorite, she teases. And finally, No. Maybe I’ll go ask her soon, though. I haven’t seen her since they were born.

Osiris hesitated his reply to Vega. "I might have," he said, his voice quieter as he glanced away; she was always spot-on when it came to reading him. Osiris knew that the reveal of his crush was imminent, but he held on to the secrecy for a moment more. 

When Vega recalled her knowledge of the glen, Osiris nodded. "Yeah, he was the first to claim it as Moonspear's hunting grounds, and Mom has continued that," he explained. "It's really pretty there—especially at night. I can see why Grandpa wanted to claim it for us." Then, after a beat, he wondered, "Did you see any fireflies?" 

"Now that's just crazy-talk," Osiris objected, feigning offense; he knew that he could never replace her with anybody, not even Leta. "You know that you're stuck with me, sis," he added. To further emphasize his point, Osiris attempted to pull Vega closer with one intention in mind: to give her a noogie.

Just maybe? For sure sounds like you did, she says, doubling down and writhing beneath her brother’s paw. There was a time when perhaps she would have been able to escape but at nearly nine months old, Osiris was larger than his sister, much to her dismay. She didn’t understand why everyone else was settling into their big adult bodies while she was stuck with her relatively small, stocky figure. This perception, of course, was entirely wrong. She was growing too, she just looked at herself less.

I did see them, she said, shaking that train of thought. They’re always a sight, but It’s different when there are so many of them.

"Yeah!" Osiris agreed, relishing in his small victory. "Just maybe!" He had the benefit of size and weight—both of which Vega lacked in comparison. Once her fur was sufficiently tousled, he let her go with a sly grin, satisfied with how he had distracted her. 

Vega then spoke of the fireflies, and Osiris thought of his night with Leta. "Yeah, Leta said they're like... stars—" he paused abruptly, realizing that he had spilled the beans. His expression twisted in disbelief; had it not been for his over-the-top reaction, he may have somehow been able to recover from the fumble. Somehow, despite receiving a noogie, Vega had bested him. 

"I mean, I...!" Osiris' voice hitched, and he buried his face in his forearms. "Dang it!" he cursed, his face growing hot; he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep the secret to himself for long.

There’s a part of her that softens at his frustration. She enjoys it when it’s good-natured, but she is surprised that she has struck such a nerve. It’s okay, she says, prying one of her paws between his forearms so that she might see his face. Talk to me. Who’s Leta? There was a gentle curiosity in her voice as her tail gave a soft wag. Who you met in the Glen?

"I'm sorry," Osiris softly replied as he met Vega's gaze. He had allowed himself to get his nerves to get the better of him, and he knew that he had addressed his sister too harshly. "I shouldn't have talked to you like that." 

Osiris lifted his head and inhaled deeply then, as he attempted to manage his juvenile impulsiveness. "She's a girl from Easthollow—knows Aunt Alya from when she lived there..." Osiris carefully picked his words; there was no room for him to mess up again. "And... she made me feel like nobody else has—kind of sick to my stomach and excited at the same time." He didn't have the words to explain his infatuation. "I don't know what's going on, Vega, but I can't stop thinking about her." Even though they had only met briefly, she had made a lasting impression on him.

Time passed, and Osiris felt better when their conversation concluded. The feeling of infatuation was new, and he still had a lot to work out, but he did feel much better now that Vega knew.