Pale pink paws padded softly and slowly as Báine cautiously stepped inside the cave she had spotted as she was making her way down the beach. Since her mother hadn't seemed too upset from the last time she had been gone for a couple of days she had decided to take another adventure out away from the plains. She had decided to make her way down around the coast this time, starting from the estuary they had lived in for a while and then making her way further south. She had seen a lot of interesting things so far, but she knew she'd have to be heading back soon. She had already been gone for three days as it was and she didn't want momma to send Regulus out looking for her. She wished her brother was around to take adventures with her. She frowned a little as she thought of her litter mate while her pink gaze took in the interior of the cave around her. She had to squint through the darkness till her eyes adjusted to the change. She was sure Reg would have come with her if she really wanted him to, but he was just getting over his cold so she didn't want to push him too much. Besides, she needed to learn how to be on her own more! Even if it was lonely and boring. "Talk" "You" Think

With a coat of formless gray and black it wasn't difficult to be hidden in the darkness when the shine of his eyes didn't give him away, so with Tornach curled up in the back of the cave in slumber it wasn't hard to see how he might escape notice. Dozing, that was, until the faint clink of a rock shifting beneath a paw jerked him into wakefulness and his blue eyes opened into the darkness of the cave to see a small shape silhouetted against the entrance. He remained completely still, cautious but not fearful, as he sought to breath in the scent that breezed into the cave. A familiar scent, and not unwelcome though he'd made no attempt to seek out his family since his cousin's death. "Baine?" he murmured gently, the cave echoing his youthful baritone. "

Báine froze in place as a voice came out of the darkness further ahead and her pale ears perked. Whoever it was knew her name.... Wait, she knew that voice. "Tor?" she asked in reply and with a squint she was able to spot his blue gaze gleaming in the darkness. Her tail immediately began wagging happily behind her and she grinned as she trotted toward him. "Tor! There you are!" Her tone was as cheerful as ever, nothing ever seeming to dull her bright nature. "Tá mé chaill tú, deartháir! Cá raibh tú?" She plopped down onto her stomach next to him, adding with a giggle, "You're a lot harder to see in the dark than I am." Her pale coat and pink hues practically glowed in the dark. The white caught any scrap of sunlight that might happen to be near her. It did make hunting a little hard sometimes, but right now it wasn't so bad cause everything was snowy! "Talk" "You" Think

He uncurled, laying sphinx-like as his smaller sister pranced into the cave, her pale form visible as she moved out of silhouette and into the darkness. Nothing seemed to get Baine down for long, even when they'd had to move into the estuary before the siege. She had somehow remained entirely unaffected by the siege itself too, the pain and blood and anguish that he had forced himself to see having passed unseen by the smaller sibling. She hadn't witnessed the aftermath of the battle that had regained their home. She hadn't witnessed their cousin's suicide. She didn't know the ugly parts of the world. He was glad. He didn't want the sunny little girl to change like he had, to see the things he saw and to know what he knew. Her naivety was a balm to the hurt boy's soul. "Bhí mé thart, anseo agus ansiúd," he told her vaguely. "Bhí mé ag coinneáil féin gnóthach. Bhí mé ag foghlaim go leor nach raibh mé in ann a fhoghlaim sa bhaile." Seeking to smile at his pale sister, he added in the common tongue, "What have you been up to lately, honeybee? Met anyone new?" "

Báine didn't like it when her brother was all vague like that. She eyed him curiously, wanting to ask him more about what he had been doing and going and learning, but she wouldn't. She assumed that if he wanted to tell her about it all he would... but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to pry it out of him later. Her expression brightened again when he asked about what she had been doing and if she had met anyone new. She nodded enthusiastically and then happily went on to explain all of her going ons. "Yes! Well, I've been exploring a little bit. I went all the way to the very edge of the East and back the other day. I met a guy there- he was all blue! Like how Regulus is all red, but blue. I don't think he liked me too much though. He didn't seem to like my talking too much." Her brow creased at the thought for only a brief moment before she was beaming at him again. "But I did see some pretty cool places so that's alright. I went home after that for a little bit so mom wouldn't worry too much. Then I went down through the estuary and I've been walking along the coast and now I'm here!" "Talk" "You" Think

Tor kept the small, encouraging smile as though blithely unaware of her scrutiny of him. Baine didn't need to know the doubts and anger and hurt that had tumbled the teenager about lately. He wanted her to stay safe and sweet and bright forever. The smile did not slip even when her brow drew together and she spoke about the blue-coated male who hadn't appreciated her talkativeness, though his sapphire eyes went dark and hard for a moment before he grasped control of himself and with seeming casualness glanced away, toward the entrance of the cave. "All the way to the East and back, and along the coast, huh?" That male better not have hurt his sister. If he had said cruel things to her, or harmed her... The yearling male's jaw bunched. "That's a long way to walk by yourself. You're quite the explorer." And without missing a beat, casually part of the conversation.. "Have you seen Mother lately?"