Hearthstone was almost totally quiet the night following the Bonfire Festival. It was still early on in the evening, not long past sundown, but after the late night festivities the day before, many wolves were heading to bed early to catch up on their rest. It also provided Ember with ample opportunity to do some extrajudicial pilfering of the castle's stores—specifically the wine cellar. With all of the Carpathian family and their partners staying a few nights in the Hallows, the midnight-furred fae had decided to have a little fun with Erik by sneaking a bottle of Hallows wine up to her room to share with her viking boy. Ember had taken advantage of her freedom up in Hemlock the past couple of weeks to experience as many things as she could, including drinking. She'd snuck a sip of wine with Rebel before, and Erik had given her the first real experience drinking when he'd shown up at the border with his plum sake. It was thrilling having fun while breaking the rules, and Em was loving it! Hey, chalk it up to her rebellious teenage phase.

Tiptoeing quietly through the kitchen and down into the cellars, Ember deftly made sure to jump past the last creaky stair on her way to where the wine was stored. None of it was locked up; a testament to her parents' trust and openness to the pack. But tonight, it would be her golden ticket to a fun night chilling in her room with Erik. She'd promised him some of the Hallows' finest wine, and she was gonna get him some wine, dammit! Wandering down the rows and rows of bottles and casks, Em eventually reached the back section where the finest vintages were kept, picking out one of her mother's signature summer berry wines and carrying the bottle back upstairs.

Back through the kitchens and the Great Hall she went, paws padding almost silently across the stone floor while she passed the ever-burning hearth. She was the only one in the quiet and dimly lit hall. Ember headed for the stairs, already fantasizing about how the rest of the night was going to go. All she had to do was not attract any attention or run into anyone on her way back up to her room and she'd be home free. Mission accomplished!

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

The night following the Bonfire Festival, Clove was feeling a bit restless. She couldn’t place her paw on it, as she was still naive to the depths of her feelings; but knowing that Akito was just beyond her reach, sleeping beneath the same roof of her family’s castle made her belly explode with butterflies, keeping her up into the late hours of the night. Handsome, perfect Akito. So instead of sleeping, she was at her vanity, working on another portrait of him, detailing the texture of his horns. It was no masterpiece, but it was far more accurate than her first attempt. Maybe she could show it to him later. Oh, maybe that would be too embarrassing.

Feeling a rumble in her belly, Clove sets her pen down and decides to take a snack break. Rummaging through her stores, she’s disappointed with her findings. A piece of dried fruit, some berries, a candy. No, she needed something better! Like some dried meat! And with the Bonfire Festival, a surplus was left over from the event. Yes, she was going to go downstairs and raid the pantry. Fluffing up her fur, glancing in the mirror to make sure she looks presentable - what if she ran into Akito!? - Clove slips out of her room, leaving her door cracked and her raven standing guard of her precious portrait.

Winding through the corridors, her footsteps echo faintly against the stone floors. As she passes windows, she glances out into the moonlit courtyard, wondering if Akito was asleep or if she would have some fated encounter with him. Oh, the thought makes her blush! Coming around a bend, she’s descending the stairs that lead to the Great Hall. She reaches the last flight, but movement at the bottom catches her attention, stopping her. She freezes, eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, her heart hammering in her chest. Akito?

No, not Akito. But instead- “Ember!” She exclaims, trying to keep her voice down. She was surprised to see her sister wandering at such a late hour, and she was holding… was that wine? "Ooooooooooo, Ember," She teases, her head cocking slightly to the side, curiosity and confusion shimmering in her gaze. “What are you doing with that?” She’s not accusatory, or even concerned. She’s just curious. Was Ember sneaking wine?

"Sisters"

Ember was practically bouncing with her stealth mission a rousing success, bubbling with triumph when a familiar voice calling her name caused her to freeze in place like a record scratch. Paw still held aloft midair, oceanic eyes wide with surprise lifted with a snap of her head. Oh shit! Ember suddenly found herself face to face with her sister, staring at Clove with a combination of shock and panic. As her brain caught up to her and she realized it was just her littermate and not one of her parents, Ember’s racing heart began to calm down, some of the adrenaline slipping away. Phew! But that relief was short lived when Em realized she was still clutching the stolen bottle of wine in her jaws. Of course Clove immediately caught her and called her out on her misbehavior in the only way sisters truly could—by teasing her. Ember’s ears fell against her head and her long flowing tail drooped, a sheepish smile curling around the neck of the bottle in her teeth. Yup, she’d been busted.

With a dramatic roll of her head and a huffing sigh, Ember carefully set the bottle of wine down on the floor so she could speak. "C'mon Clove. Please don't tell Tati and Mami, okay?" She didn’t think her sister would tattle on her, but she’d also never been caught stealing alcohol before either. Clove asked what she was doing with the wine and Em shot her sister a look that just said "Really?". "Well, I was gonna drink it… upstairs… in my room… with Erik," she admitted, feeling the heat of a blush cross her face as she quickly followed it up with, "But if you promise to keep this between us, I’ll share a little bit with you first."

Em gave Clove a devilish grin at the implication of involving her sister in her misbehaving. Motioning silently for Clove to follow her, Ember led the way down the corridor to the quiet east wing of the castle, peeking back and forth to make sure they were alone before leading Clove into the lounge. A fire lit the cozy space in bright orange firelight, but besides the crackle of the fire in the hearth, the room was empty and quiet. Excitedly prancing over to the coffee table between some couches in front of the fire, Em opened the bottle of wine, removing the cork with a deft claw and a pop. A sniff of the bottle revealed the sweet scent of the summer berry wine inside. "Ready to break some rules, Clovie?" Em teased with a giggle, a grin peeling across the princess’ lips as she offered the bottle to Clove first, letting her sweet sister get the inaugural first sip of alcohol.

"Sisters" | "Carpathian"

Awe shimmers in Clove’s eyes, a hint of mischief dancing in her contrasting gaze as she looks at her sister. There was no denying that Ember was trying to sneak the wine- but why? Her teenage brain was conjuring up all sorts of answers, ranging from a wild night with some of the other teenagers, to a solo date with Erik in the castle. And judging by the shock and panic on her sister’s face, maybe the wine had something to do with Erik. Internal gasp! Now Clove was fantasizing about drinking wine with Akito, trying not to blush at the thought.

Her gaze followed Ember as she set the bottle down, asking her not to tell their mother and father. With a quick nod, Clove reassures her sister that she will keep her lips sealed. “Oh, of course! I’ll never tell.” She swears, raising her paw to her chest for dramatic effect. She loved her sister dearly, she’d stand by her side no matter what. Whether it be sneaking some wine, or committing some war crime. Dramatic sure! But Clove would back her littermate up until her very last breath.

OH. At the mention of drinking the wine with Erik, Clove gasped. Even she started blushing- the thought of drinking some wine alone with a boy - in her instance it would be Akito - was exhilarating and foreign.

But Ember quickly made a different decision, offering some of the wine to Clove if she kept this a secret. Clove’s jaw dropped for dramatic effect, but the corners of her lips were curled into a tight, sly smile. “I’ve never thought about drinking the wine before.” She sheepishly admits. Sure, she’d seen packmates drink it and was curious about it. But the impulse to actually drink it never occurred. But maybe it was time she started doing more grown-up stuff. She wanted a boyfriend after all! How could she want a boyfriend if she’s never tried wine before? A drink her family meticulously crafted and traded?

Taking a breath, Clove nods her head in agreement, stepping down from the stairs to stand before her sister. “Alright, let’s do it!” She exclaims, trying to keep a whispering tone but she is a little too loud. Ember motions for her to follow, and Clove does without hesitation, steeling her resolve and shaking some of the jitters out of her legs. Breaking the rules felt so wrong, but was also exciting?

Entering the lounge, the sisters look around to make sure the coast is clear. A fire is lit in the center of the room, illuminating it in soft firelight. Following her sister, she takes a seat on one of the couches next to the coffee table, watching as Ember opens the wine with her claw. The sweet smell of berry wine wafted into the air, and Clove found herself sniffing in the bottle's direction. It smelled nice.

Ember offered her the first drink, and Clove hesitated at first. She eyed the bottle, glanced back at her sister, and eyed it again. “Hopefully Erik won’t be too upset about me drinking his share of the wine?” She says with a giggle, pulling the bottle towards her. Taking a breath, she glances at Ember one last time before taking a drink. Oh… Oh! It was a little tangy, a bit mouth-puckering but it was sweet and fruity. Her mouth felt a little dry once she got it down, and the aftertaste was even sweeter than the swig itself. “That’s… pretty good!” She says, her eyes widening as she licked the last bit off her lips. “Okay, your turn!” She pushed the bottle towards Ember, wanting her to take the next drink.

"Sisters"