Northstar Vale You were in the parking lot earlier; that's how I know you!

daddy @Akavir?? <333

Her eyes were open, but her world was still quite limited. Like the good mother she was, Ibis presumably didn't let the girls out of her sight, and thus, they were confined to the den. She hadn't made many escape efforts, content (for now) with exploring the various nuances of her earthen home.

But the sun was out, its bright and inviting rays shimmering through the den entrance, and a cool breeze tickled her downy pelt every so often. It wasn't fair to expect her to be a good girl forever.

Sniffing all the way, Lilitu made her way out, slowly, stopping at the threshold between here and the rest of the world.

And wow—what a world!

There was a lot to be engrossed in, and she focused first on a patch of clover, fixated on the lovely perfect shapes of the leaves, the tiny white flowers. Her still slightly-pugged nostrils flared; she could find a pleasant aroma, too, and started to wander closer. If she just pressed her face in the stuff. . .

At long last, Hime had found the hidden place among the trees where Ibis lurked, alongside her misbegotten spawn.

She had taken note of the woman's absence at the meeting and paid it little regard, as Ibis had been rotund and ready to burst; but she had also noticed the two brothers had been absent, and a part of her wondered if the little slut had taken them both as lovers - perhaps in a bid to strengthen her own ties and one day push Reiko from her position. If anyone were to try that, they would be met with Hime's own impervious sense of entitlement. None would usurp her bloodline in this place.

Whatever Reiko felt about the absent queen, Hime did not share in the goodness of it. She only saw the truth - her truth - which was, Ibis and her tiny but growing faction was a threat. She could not bring her suspicions to Collision in good faith, and decided to take matters in to her own hands. In tracking down the den Hime had hoped to do some reconnaissance - but was surprised to find a little girl at the den mouth rather than her mother or father.

A devious little twist characterized the corners of her lips. As she made her ungainly approach through the network of trees, she slowed as she passed the den mouth and erupted in emphatic, pretend surprise upon finding the little one there. Oh! Well look at you, little nymph. Wherever did you come from..?

Little Hotaru had been growing ever more curious as the days passed. Some days she even slipped out when Reiko wasn't looking! It's ok though, or at least in the little Princess' head since she never wandered too far. Generally, she was just entertained by a flower or the clouds, but today she had been a bit more daring.

Twiggy legs carried the girl awkwardly as she waddled near the den. She had been unaware of other homes nearby, so far life contained her and her family just as it should. Speaking of...wasn't that her mom? Hotaru looked to Hime before glancing back towards her own den, surely she had just left her. How did she get over here? And worse! There was a stranger here! Had she been replaced? The other pup didn't even look like her family who were they?

Hotaru rushed to her mother's side with the idea of gluing herself to the side of her leg as she often did. Only after did she poke her head out again to look at this other kid. She was definitely confused, wolves were supposed to be white. This one was grey. Maybe she just had something on her though like when Sumi fell in the mud. A disgruntled grunt slipped out of her followed by a short garble that only she would understand. Words. Still had to work on those. Either way, her message was clear. She wanted to know what her mom was doing with this non family member.

Before she could make it to the clover, a pale figure arrived. It kind of looked like her mother, but obviously wasn't—Ibis was still back in the den where Lilitu had left her. No, but there was something strangely familiar about the woman. A name (how?!) in the back of her mind, K. . . Ko. . .

Either way, the girl gave her a squeak of greeting, tottering forward to greet her. Before long, though, a little one had joined the woman, just as bright-pelted. The sudden appearance brought her to a halt in the grass, and she cocked her head, utterly confused.

They were twin figures, except one in miniature, and the smaller one giving her no sense of familiarity whatsoever. She briefly glanced over her shoulder, wondering if Mama or her sister would emerge, drawn by the woman's words.

Mmmm? she questioned, looking back at the pair with her guileless baby blues.

The small thing did not react very quickly. Thankfully for Lilitu another shape came along to briefly distract Hime, the second child barrelling in to her legs as they rushed and tumbled.

Imagine, if you will: minding your own business, perhaps at a family gathering? And then a toddler with food plastered across their face rather than in their mouth, with sticky fingers spidering in the air, comes bursting upon the scene and directly in to you. The look of repulsion on first contact. The stiffening of one's spine. An attempt to avoid the inevitable collision, then careful extraction around said child — all of this happened for Hime, except in the cramped arena of this old and interlocking forest. She quickly perched her nearest limb atop a knuckle of roots, sucking in a sharp breath through a clenched jaw.

The last thing Hime wanted was to draw attention to herself. She did not have time to inspect the den properly for signs of the mother, who was most likely slumbering inside and oblivious.

The girl who drew Hime's interest initially, gave a little hum of acquiescence, tilting her head towards her. The gangly cloud who so rudely intervened did the same. Both children fixated upon her with stupefied expressions. Hime took a breath and carefully returned to her proper posture, even going so far as to sit poised between them as if nothing was amiss.

She looked to Lilitu and commented sharply, Do you even know where you are right now? Low-born pretender.

And then to Hotaru, she turns and opens her mouth to say something snappy that would no doubt go right over her little head, but, Hime recognizes her sister's bone structure immediately. It is corrupted by the influence of paternal genetics, but there is enough raw material there to make even her icy heart clench with sudden fondness. Ah, but you must be the Princess.

The irritation melts from Hime's face. In its stead there is calm, a practiced nobility she often reserved for visitors to the clan-home. She dips herself lower so she is on Hotaru's level, and absolutely makes a point to ignore the other bumbling girl. What is your name?

For a moment, her mother pulled away, an unfamiliar look on her face as she gazed down at the two pups. Her own ears turning back to press against her skull in confusion as a drawn-out whine escaped her. Why was Reiko avoiding her touch? Had she done something bad?

Soon though Hime would relax once more, or at least returned a neutral glance. The young Princess wasn't sure of her words, but they seemed to be aimed elsewhere as blue eyes centered on the other girl nearby. Was she the one who did something wrong? Maybe she shouldn't be here. She didn't look like family after all.

The snowy girl's ear twitched as her mother's tone changed once more. She turned to find her eyes now on herself as Hime lowered her body to a more level field. Name? Did she want her to repeat it? Sometimes she would try to mimic her mother's words which were often met with a level of praise. The girl still wasn't great with her words, but she would still do her best if a reward was at stake. Ho— Hoota...wuu.

Her finished attempt was followed by the small wagging of her tail as Hotaru waited for her praise.

She was shocked as the tone of the other's voice changed abruptly—like a warm day broken by icy rain. The words may not mean much at all, but Lilitu could certainly pick up intent. Her ears folded back, her previously-confident mien fading into uncertainty. She watched as the woman switched back as she spoke to the other pup, and her confusion only grew.

Lilitu padded forward, heading not for the bigger wolf but for the child. On her way, she plucked a fallen piece of debris from a tree, a shard of bark. Pleased with her toy, she sauntered over, offering it to the other girl with a hesitant but friendly squeak.

Maybe tug o' war would break the ice. She sure wanted to make another friend. Mama and Arielle were good enough company, but she knew them all too well.

The antics of the little halfbreed were, for the most part, ignored. Hime was aware of her little scuffling paws and the sound of something being moved around in the grass, but her entire focus was on the little pale girl. The one that looked so much like her sister. As they announced themselves with a cute little drawl, Hime smiled. It was a genuine expression for all of two seconds; but then the little runt came back, and they had some sort of object with them. A stick? No, it was bigger than that. A shard of bark that was a touch bigger than their face.

The little girl offered Hotaru the object as if to entice them to play, and Hime reacted swiftly. A small scowl creased her face as she stepped towards Lilitu, scooping her backwards with her toy, and effectively shoving her (carefully, lightly, as if Hime might be zapped or something) away from Hotaru as if she hadn't been standing there at all. She inserted herself between the girls with her focus still solely upon Hotaru.

Hotaru! My name is Hime. I am your auntie. It was weird to say it aloud. Hime had never wanted to be anyone's aunt, she did not hold family in such high esteem to desire great connections. She had Reiko and that was enough; Reiko was her's, and even if these children took some part of her away, Hime knew it was temporary. Reiko, your mother, is my sister. Do you have sisters?

Should Lilitu try to rebound back in to contact with the princess, Hime would be there with a careful paw to kick her back. Best she learn her place early in life.

The princess' gaze shifted to the other girl who had something in her mouth as she tottered over. It was held out for her, drawing a wag of her tail as Hotaru stepped forward with wide eyes at the potential new friend until Hime quickly stepped between them. Frantic confusion spread through her as the girl disappeared from her sight. Why? What had she done? Was her offering dangerous? Though it was not the stranger who was lectured, instead Hime's attention remained focused on herself.

Ears perked at the sound of her name, and for once the words that followed seemed familiar. Name. Reiko. Mother. Sister. It took a moment of processing as she thought this information was already known. She knew her mama, but it wasn't Hime. Why did they look the same if this wasn't Reiko? For a moment, panic rose in the girl's chest as she stepped back, there were some different words that seemed to confuse her. Auntie? Sister...her sister? S—Swumi?

No one had ever said 'No' to Lilitu. Well, her mother, probably, but Ibis was so gentle and kind that even a denial was cloaked in softness. There was nothing gentle, kind, or soft about this. She was shoved away, bark still in mouth, and the extra weight caused her to lose her balance and tumble over.

Weeble wobbles might not fall down, but she sure did.

Instinctually, she scrunched up her face and let out a massive shriek. She was not hurt physically, but her ego was bruised, and the cruelty of the white wolf was a new sensation that she did. not. like. Ibis would surely come running soon enough to investigate.

Maybe one day, she would subscribe to the notion of 'snitches get stitches.' For now, she was crying for her mommy, because this sucked and all she wanted to do was make a friend and roll in the clover and strangers were MEAN TO HER. HMMMPH.

The sound of her daughter's shriek woke her from whatever brief slumber she had found, and when Ibis looked blearily around the usually cramped den floor, she could count only one bundle. Even dazed by sleep she felt suddenly sick to her stomach, her heart jumping in to her throat. Where was Lilitu?

Unfurling herself, she turned towards the blinding light at the den mouth and plunged in to it. At first she couldn't tell what she was looking at; her eyes burned, and slowly Reiko's figure came in to view—a pale child at her feet, and beyond them both was her wailing grey daughter. She stumbled around a moment as she gathered her balance and swept to where Lilitu lay against the dirt, nosing at her, probing her for possible injuries while her heart raced faster faster faster.

She planted a few kisses to her daughter's face, some nuzzles to her cheeks, and tried to help her to her paws again; the toy she'd been handling lay discarded beside her and Ibis did not know the significance, she was too focused on her darling girl.