Blinding Light (Taliatha)

[Dianthe]

Leaving Mothers side was strange, the lilac eyed girl wasn't sure of she was really ok with this new development. But this had to happen at some point right? The sun glinted in the silvery pelt and made her vibrant purple eyes glow once she was able to open them in the super bright light of the outdoor world. She liked it inside, it was cozy and mother was always there to snuggle with.

She felt different from the others in her litter, but then again she knew they were different as a whole. They looked different from the others. Apollo and Artemis were mirrors of each other with their green and blue eyes along with a black muzzle just like Mothers, one over the left and one over the right eye. Casi was just so pretty. She had a striking cream and rust combo matched with vivid blue eyes. Raum.....well he probably looked the most normal but he acted very different from the rest of Tala's brood. Then there was her, Dianthe. She felt the oddest out of all, but she was so mild tempered she didn't really get riled up about it. 

Two out of scale ears pricked at very sound she heard in nature, so different from the rumbling of the falls that echoed in the dens. It was the lullaby she grew to love, out here was so loud! Tentatively stepping out further, she looked around with her head on a swivel, looking for danger. If Artemis and Castalia came out, she wanted to be sure they were safe. Even though she was not the oldest, she felt very protective of her sisters.

A bright yellow feathered bird flew over head and swooped down at her playfully. Ducking to the ground and covering her head, Dia closed her eyes in preparation for the attack from the bird. But it never came. Opening one eye to look around from under her paws to be sure it was safe before she uncovered her head. Oh what a day...


Apollo Raum Castalia Artemis

[Castalia]

It was the first time they had all been out together. The nearby falls was gurgling with the sounds of spraying water, the sun was out above their heads, a burning ball of angry yellow light too bright to even attempt to look at, and a slow and lazy breeze was alive to rustle against Casi’s soft puppy fur. Her paws were still too large for her tiny frame. As the runt of the litter, Castalia was destined to always be the smallest, but at barely two months old, her paws were still an awkward size, just big enough to trip her up as she walked.

She was lying outstretched, just feet from the entrance to the toothy stone cavern. The sun was warm on her auburn pelt, making the already fiery pup a true flame. Her stomach was flat against the ground, her tail sweeping out behind her. Their home was just past the looming opening behind her, and down a stony path. For once, Castalia was comfortable out in the open. It usually made her nervous to be away from her mother, but with her sisters close, she wasn’t as frightened. Dianthe was just beside her, the silvery coat practically sparkling in the sun. Casi watched with wide, light blue eyes as her sister spooked from a low-flying bird. She let out a sharp yip, ducking to the ground in fear. Castalia did not laugh at her. Instead, she wiggled on her belly until her nose pressed lightly against her sister’s side.

The tiny pup was much smaller than her sister already, but there was something about Dianthe and Artemis’s calm, caring natures that made Casi feel comfortable around them. They were there for each other, and although Casi rarely spoke out loud, she sometimes felt comfortable enough beside her sisters to speak up.

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Count | 311
Tagged | Raum Artemis Dianthe Apollo
Muse | Decent
Notes | Sorry that this is so short!

[Artemis]

Never would she have thought to so much as glimpse outside the safety of the den without Tala at her side, that was, not until her sister could be heard yipping in what was only describable as fear. Artemis immediately came to attention, the tiny puppy finding the nerve to stand on wobbly paws, afraid of what waited for her outside, but equally afraid to stay inside and leave her sister's alone to face the threat. She reached the opening and was rewarded with a flash of yellow, the bird swooping down low enough to touch, barely grazing Dianthe before it arched back towards the sky. A shy whimper escaped her black muzzle, taking a tentative step towards her sisters.

She didn't like to put herself in dangerous situations, but there was nothing she wouldn't do for her family. A part of her longed for Apollo to be at her side; he would have kind words to whisper into her ear, the kind of encouragement that made it easier for someone as timid as her to face the world. But alas he was not at her side in this moment, it was a rare sight indeed, and she wasn't going to waste time looking for him when her sisters could potentially be in danger. "We can't be outside without mom saying so..." Her voice trailed, hesitantly pushing the fur on her muzzle into Dianthe's shoulder before rounding towards Castalia, greeting the near silent girl with a polite and gentle nudge. She looked to both of her older sisters, lowering her head in a form of unspoken submission; as the youngest she was always prepared to listen, to obey, and she hardly wanted to disappoint her family by being stubborn and trying to make decisions for herself. She was unsure about telling Dianthe and Castalia what to do, she didn't want them to be upset with her, and her discomfort was plainly visible as a pair of different coloured eyes continued to travel towards the mouth of the den.

"That bird could be bad. I don't want to see one of you taken away." A cloud of sadness passed over her face, pressing herself even further into the ground, quietly finding a place for her chin on top of Castalia's leg - she was always seeking shelter. Artemis didn't trust the bird. She didn't trust anyone that wasn't a part of her family. She just wanted to know that her sisters were safe, and that they weren't getting themselves into trouble. She'd want to help, but she wasn't sure that she'd be able to in the end. There was only so much that a puppy her size could genuinely stand up to.

Castalia , Raum , Dianthe & Apollo

[Dianthe]

Feeling the comforting touch of one of her siblings nuzzling next to her. Glancing to see Castalia perched next to her, the silver pup smiled. "T-thank you, C-Casi." Followed by a nuzzle to her sister Artemis after a spoken warning about being outside without Momma's permission. "B-but it looked f-fun. D-do you really t-think that the b-bird would have carried m-me off?" Light purple eyes widened in shock as the new thought dawned on the impressionable young mind of the middle daughter. Looking up at the perched feathered bird to judge if it really could do such a thing. It didn't seem that big or strong to pick her up, but what if it some special powers?

Looking back to her duo-colored eyed sister pillow her head on pretty Casi and a touch of sadness came upon the silver girl. "I would n-never want to be t-taken away from you. Don't worry, M-Missy." She reached over to lick the white head fur of her youngest sibling. "I can h-help keep you safe." She smiled as she tried to comfort her sisters. Dia wasn't very large and certainly not as strong as their brothers, but she felt protective of her family. She loved them dearly.

"T-think of it l-like this: If w-we stick together, w-we look bigger." To make her point, she let her eyes look over the mass of puppy fur swirled together as they were snuggled closely. Much larger of an area than if just one of them were here. She giggled to try to break up the tension of fear, "I know w-we aren't as scary as R-Raum can be, b-but we can be k-kinda tough, r-right?"

A twig snapping caught her attention and her eyes quickly looked in the direction of the sound. Another monster? After her speech of being tough and formidable and now another test of her bravery. This was a whirlwind of a day. "W-what do you t-think that is?"

Artemis Apollo Castalia Raum

[Apollo]

Amusing. Oh, how amusing all of this would be. Little paws moved, crept through the darkness of the den. He had been up early. Earlier than his siblings and so he had set out to do some exploring of the den. Venturing further and further away from his siblings and mother. The thrill of finding something new was all that the little white pup could think about. The darkness had won this time, however, and Apollo had found his way back towards the others. He would not speak word of his findings and definitely not about suddenly being scared of the darker parts of the cave that made up their den, but he certainly wanted to boast about how brave he was to go venturing deeper into the depths of the cave.

Upon his return bi-colored eyes took note that only his brother, Raum, was left in the pile that had once contained four slumbering pups. His small tail flipped about behind him, curiosity brimming forth as he cast his gaze around. Nostril's flared as the pup took in the scents, eager to see just where his sisters had gone. Audits twitched and moved, listening for anything they could find that would give away his sisters' positions. Slowly he prowled forward. Following the scents of all three of his sisters as it seemed they all had headed the same way. Towards the Den's Entrance.

Silently he crept forward intent on finding them before they found him skulking about. The closer to the entrance he drew, the slower his step became as he now stalked closer and closer. The moment he reached it, he popped his head out slowly and instantly caught site of his siblings. They were talking about something. A bird that was going to gobble up his middle sibling? Not on his watch. Though as they continued to talk and he saw his twin snuggle up to the youngest of them all a smirk quickly caught the edges of his features. He pressed low to the ground and slowly eased his way closer. Audits twitching again when Dianthe had heard something and question what it had been.

Now was his chance! He was close enough to them and with a sudden wiggle of his rump, Apollo sprung forward. "RRRUUAAAAHHHHH!!" He roared at them. Very much attempting to scare the pee out of them as he lunged right into the middle of their girly pile.



"Speech"

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Words: 406
Tags: Dianthe Castalia Artemis Raum
OoC: Hope it's alright to jump in.

[Castalia]

With both of her sisters pig-piled around her, Casi felt extremely safe. Artemis rested her unique face against her leg, and the cream and rust colored pup met the bicolored gaze of her sister. Her striking green and blue stare always was a wonder to Casi, who only shared one of those colors with her sibling. Danthe huddled close too, and Casi stayed quiet as her larger sister chattered away. Usually, so much talking would make the tiny pup uneasy, but coming from her sister’s muzzle, idle talk was almost comforting. She let Danthe continue to talk as she closed her eyes and rested her head against her own paws. She had no need for them to look “scary” like Raum, or bigger to scare off some bird. She always felt safe with her sisters, even when they were scared by something. It was only when she was alone that she felt truly afraid.

Unless, of course, your ridiculous brother launches himself out of the shadows without any warning and lands squarely in the middle of your huddle.

Apollo came out of nowhere, making himself known with a wild battle-cry. Even with the sudden grand entrance, it took Casi a moment to realize what was happening. It was a tangle of limbs and shrieks, with her in the middle of the confusion. She scrambled away from her siblings as best she could without tripping over her own paws. Her audits were flat against her skull as adrenaline coursed through her tiny body and she forced herself to take deep, even breaths. Her fear-scent must have been strong, but she reminded herself again and again in her mind: It’s only Apollo. It’s only Apollo. There’s nothing to be frightened of.

Silently, she watched everyone react with wide, sky-blue eyes, silent as ever.

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Count | 312
Tagged | Raum Artemis Dianthe Apollo
Muse | Decent
Notes | n/a

[Artemis]

She had every reason to be overtaken completely by fear, and she was, if not only for a second, because the moment her eyes, an exact mirror of her brother's, focused in on the familiar black pattern on his face she was at ease. Her sisters were important to her, that was not up for debate, but the bond she had with her brother was undeniably special. As twins, she liked to think that she saw a lot of herself in him in ways that surpassed an identical appearance. They were connected at the hip, and whenever she was apart from him, a piece of her felt... lost.

"Apollo!" She melted into his side, greeting him with a voice uncharacteristically confident. With him, she could be a version of herself that nobody else ever got to see. There was nothing to be afraid of, not when Apollo was involved, because he already knew everything about her that there was to know. "You scared them, don't do that!" Them - because surely he could never scare her. She didn't like to see either of her sisters afraid, and yet the way she spoke to her brother was hardly scolding; she wouldn't hold him responsible for his behaviour, she wouldn't expect him to apologize for anything, because the way she saw it he could never do any wrong. Her bi-coloured eyes were unquestionably bright, and although the moment to greet him had passed she still did not draw away from the comfort of his side.

Artemis turned to look at her sisters, and even though her instinct was to approach them, to make them feel better if the aftermath of their fright lingered, that instinct was muted by the relentless need to be beside Apollo. She felt almost nothing outside of her adoration for him; the trust she held for him and him alone was borderline abnormal, but she saw no issue. She lived her life in quiet uncertainty, followed everywhere she went by a lasting fear... but Apollo took that away, and for that she could never think to go without him.

Apollo, Castalia, Dianthe & Raum

[Dianthe]

Comfy and cozy as could be Dia and her sisters laid out together all wrapped up and secure. She liked times such as these, it was comforting  and calming. She had a desire to both be safe and to protect. A mixture that seemed hard to achieve sometimes. Eyes like slits as silver lids started to fall over lilac eyes, that sound was different and she needed to know what it was. 

It all happened so quickly. A masculine sound and a thud of white fur nearby caused Dia to spring to her feet and try to cover Casi with her silvery body! Even as the eldest girl seemed to only want to wriggle away from the group. Scared out of her wits but still felt a need to care for the creamy and rusty sister who was merely minutes older than her. A squeal of surprise as she realized it was only Apollo, she started to giggle nervously as she tried to regain her composure but not really succeeding. 

Missy reprimanded their brother but Dia knew the twins never really got angry with each other. Staying close to Castalia as she watched the twins unite, Dia once again wondered what it was like to have such a bond like Apollo and Artemis had. The silver pup dearly loved her siblings but the oldest and the youngest of the litter had an almost magical link. 

"Y-you ok, C-castalia?” She asked quietly. Her stutter thickened by her frightened state. She hated her speech impediment since it seemed to open a flood of teasing from other pups in the pack. "A-Apollo, you're a s-sneaky d-devil." She smirked at her brother not meaning any insult towards him even though she tried to sound scolding.

Apollo Artemis Castalia Raum

[Apollo]

Laughter resonated from the boy as his sisters seemed to scatter from his battle-cry. Though he would never admit it out loud, he felt a little bad by the reaction his siste Casi had. His gleaming multi-hewed eyes watched her for a moment, but they were soon pulled away when an ever familiar form pressed herself close to his side. Apollo's tail began to wag as he nuzzled into his twin's fur in greeting. Laughing as she berated him for scaring them all. He soon pulled his face from her fur and once again turned her gaze towards his other two sisters and gave a wily smirk. "You two didn't pee yourselves did you?" He teased playfully after Dianthe had called him a devil. He may be a devil, but at least he was a handsome one. He laughed a bit more before finally settling down and eased himself to sit down on his haunches.

"So what are you three doing out here. Did mother say you could venture out of the dens?" Again a devilish smirk graced over his obsidian marked features. Of course he wasn't asking just so he could go running back to mother and tattle on them. No, it was rather interesting that these three would sneak out before himself or Raum. He turned his gaze to Artemis, tail thumping against the ground as he studied her mirrored appearance. He always felt at ease around her, content to just sit and do nothing unless she had the idea for something. Other times he wished to whisk her away on adventures they could experience together. Of course he adored his other sisters and there was Raum to bite and chew on the most, but there was just something differently felt between himself and his twin.

Audit's flicked to attention before slowly moved and swiveling about as if listening for something. After a moment of growing still and searching for the sound that had drew his attention, Apollo soon shrugged it off and looked towards Dianthe and Castalia once again. "Were you guys just planning on sitting in front of the dens, or were you going to be fun and explore?" Eagerness shown in his eyes as he searched both of his sisters' eyes. He even looked back to Artemis as his tail thumped against the ground he sat upon.








"Speech"

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Words: 399
Tags: Dianthe Castalia Artemis Raum
OoC: Sorry for the delay! and smalllamepost

[Castalia]

Casi watched everyone around her with quiet attention. With the arrival of their brother, Apollo, Artemis immediately bounded to him and pressed against his side. Seeing the two standing next to each other was always startling to the young rust-colored pup. The black markings around their muzzles and over their eyes stood out against their pure white coats, and bi-colored eyes blinked identically from behind two toothy smiles. As twins, they not only looked alike—they were basically identical. If Casi didn’t know better, she would surly get them mixed up from a distance. A stab of resentment shot through her, and then was gone almost as soon at it surfaced. Apollo and Artemis shared a special bond, one that Casi would probably never understand. She had already learned to share her sister. There was plenty of her to go around, after all.

Next to her brother, Artemis seemed to glow with a newfound confidence. Then, Apollo spoke up. "So what are you three doing out here. Did mother say you could venture out of the dens?"

Come to think of it, their mother didn’t give them permission. They simply had come outside to get some sunshine. Casi stood up from resting against Dianthe and sat her rump against the ground, shaking her head shyly by way of answering her brother’s question.

"Were you guys just planning on sitting in front of the dens, or were you going to be fun and explore?"

Casi’s ears perked up at the suggestion, and she met Dianthe’s gaze for a moment before looking back at Apollo and Artemis to see what her other sister would say on the subject.

Should they go off and explore? Would that be safe? she thought nervously. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea..." her voice trailed off quietly. She didn't want to be the only one to rain on their parade.

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Count | 325
Tagged | Raum Artemis Dianthe Apollo
Muse | Low
Notes | n/a