-set right before going outside thread-

Dawn would wake within the hour but as it was night ruled Abaven. Crickets chirped along with the frogs as an owl’s call could be heard miles away. Rhyme’s ravens roosted in the trees above the den, their own second brood growing quickly. They could be introduced to their puppy partners any day now. Imperia was already stirring lightly, she’d been warned about escaping puppies any day now.

Haiku might have been a laid back child but he was beyond eager to take his first glimpses of the outside world. At the moment he was blinking back sleep from bright blue and lavender eyes, his scrappy puppy form pretzeled perfectly with his twin. He took in a deep breath as he committed himself to wakefulness. Carefully, so he didn’t disturb the siblings beside him and especially their parents, Haiku nudged Senryü’s cheek.

”Sen,” he whispered softly into a blue marked ear. ”Sen, les sneak ou’side.” Now he was fully awake as the words slipped from young lips, mischief making him fully aware.

“Ughuhmfhu-wut?” Ru blinked slowly into wakefulness, and looked up into the face of his brother. He hadn’t seen his own reflection yet, but Da had called him Haiku, and Haiku Senryū a few times. So, who was he really? Sen as his brother so clearly labelled him. He was Sen. He grinned wide at his brother, the last of sleep clearing as he darted his head forward and stuck a cold wet nose in his brother's ear.

“Outside? Outside!” he was still whispering, his voice so close to his brother's ear that the words could only be for him. His tail began to wiggle behind him, until it almost smacked into a small form of a sibling. Oops if they were going to break out, he needed to contain himself. He brought the naughty limb to heel, and climbed to his feet. Sticking as close to Ku’s side as glue, their same-coloured fur mangled together, and it was hard to tell when one body ended and another began. They were a little two-headed demon filled to the brim with mischief. “Da’s reeven. Impha. We should get her something shiny, so she’s doesn't tell on us.” he whispered as they made a beeline for the den’s exit.

"Speech"

The young Cavaliere-Klein beamed as his brother was helped into wakefulness. The boys didn’t mirror each other, but they both knew how similar they were from being called the others name enough times. They might as well have been the same puppy, Haiku was most comfortable when some part of him was touching his brother. With what felt like revenge for waking him Sen pushed his cold nose in his chocolate ears and Haiku barely kept from crying out in surprise and discomfort.

”Shh..” The puppy said quietly as he looked around the dark den, his ears perked for any disturbance in the sleeping pile of their family. His own tail was barely contained as he felt the excitement well up in his chest. He leaned against Senryü as the two of them found their feet and looked toward the entrance of the den. They had to get around or over their father first, then in the outside there were ravens just waiting to sound the alarm.

”Da’s knife?” He asked quietly as his bright eyes shifted towards the alcove Rhyme kept his armor and throwing knife. They had to make it outside without alerting Imperia or the other ravens. Perhaps an object that didn’t belong.

Together. that was how it was supposed to be done. He liked little Ruin, and even littler Suspense, but he and Haiku were the same. They were the same wolf, split at birth. Two heads, two bodies, same heart. At least, that was how Ru felt. Maybe that would change as they grew and found themselves. But right now, all he wanted was to reveal in the companionship of his brother. They were the biggest of the litter by a lot and they would explore, and make sure it was safe for their little sisters to explore, too. That felt right to tinsy young pup.

“Da’s knife.”[/color[ he agreed. Peering at the alcove with an intense blue gaze. He approached the shelf, carefully stepping over wolves, and glanced across at his brother, at himself. He grinned wide at Haiku, [color=#72cde4] “I’ll climb on you to get up there, and pass it down to you, okay?” he whispered. This was their first big mission in operation ‘get of den’ and Ru was excited to do it right. He crouched by the alcove, looking over at Haiku. Waiting to see if he agreed with the plan.

"Speech"

He loved his sisters to the moon and back, the connection between them didn’t compare to that of his twin though. If he wasn’t doing whatever he was doing with Sen then there was something wrong. Eating, playing, fighting, and generally causing puppy mischief was best with Senryü. They were two different beings despite how they felt now, and maybe age would bring independence, but now they would be together.

Sen agreed with Haiku’s suggestion with a bright grin. The boy grinned at his blue eared brother before carefully making their way around mom and dad as they made it up to the cubby. They were big compared to Suspense and Ruin but not to the shelf. The boy looked up at Sen whispered an idea towards him. Haiku nodded and position himself next to the wall and crouched to allow Senryü to climb up. ”Alright,” he nodded softly and braced himself.

A near identical-grin was returned to Haiku, excited by the prospect of mischief and adventure. The two of them were being quiet, so very, very quiet. Their soft whispers were barely breathed, yet heard and understood between them. Sometimes, Ru felt as though he could merely think it, and his brother understood. Such was the bond that had begun between them from birth.

He climbed gently onto his brother's back. Paws slipping down the sides of his brother's tuffy, growing coat. He scrambled further up, biting back a soft laugh as he wobbled and balanced on two paws aboard his brother. His forepaws landed gently on the shelf, and he scrambled upwards. For a moment, he fancied what he might do if their parents woke and turned towards them. Haiku could pretend to be sleeping at the base of the alcove. Would Ru freeze, and pretend to be just another piece of armoury equipment?

Chewing on his bottom lip to keep from laughing, he grabbed the knife in his maw. It was heavier than he expected, and he almost dropped it. He managed to keep hold, and pushed it gently towards the edge, “ ‘s heavy. You ‘eady?” he muttered down from around his mouthful.

"Speech"

They worked in unison, barely having to collaborate as they naturally fell into place with a plan they shared between them. Haiku had no fear, whatever they put their minds to they could accomplish. Getting out of the den alone would be no different. This was the biggest undertaking between them yet, but as they worked it seemed like they would accomplish their goal. How were they to know that staying inside was for their own good? It was boring, and it was time they took on the world.

Senryü was careful but she still pulled at Haiku’s fur and scratched his side. The boy’s whiskers flared out as he suppressed a cry and held himself as his twin worked the knife into his possession. They were lucky that Rhyme had been out patrolling late into the night, otherwise they might not have been able to get away with their actions so easily. They worked perfectly together though, and the only danger was their father’s snores.

Haiku tilted his head to catch his brother’s eye as he was warned about the knife’s weight, but he was ready. He could hold Sen and keep the knife from hitting the ground. He nodded, knowing his motion would be much quieter than his voice. The boy braced himself, and felt the excitement at the looming second stage of their plan. Operation: Escape was full force and Haiku barely contained his excitement.

He felt the slight movement of the nod, and he eased the knife carefully over the edge. He winced a moment, wondering if his brother would be able to catch it. The following silence assured him that his brother had. Tongue slipping past his maw in a grin, the young boy climbed back down his brothers back. Once his paws were on solid ground again, he nudged his brother, and licked the top of Haikus ear in puppy-play. He suppressed the urge to chew, pull, and growl. Falling into play would only ruin the plan. Later. He would pull his brother's ear later.

Pressed against his brother's side, he walked with him towards the dens entrance. This was it, the defining moment. Their first taste of freedom. "Your in charge of the knife, ill look out for trouble" he whispered softly, nose brushing against the fur below his brothers ear. They had their shiny object, they were past their parents. Now they just had to deal with the ravens, and then they were home free. He could already taste fresh air. The smells of fresh grass and stream water were new strange things he couldn't name. They were crisp, and lovely. He wanted to stick his nose into everything.

"Speech"

Haiku’s eyes grew wide as Sen nearly took him in a bought of play fighting, but both boys had bigger plans than wrestling at the moment. Fearful of being found out the boy spared one more glance towards their parents and with a sigh of relief nudged Sen’s shoulder and walked on.

The sun was only barely beginning to bring lightness to the sky, as Haiku walked with his brother towards the very opening of the den he looked up. His first encounter with outside had him awestruck and for a long moment the Cavaliere-Klein puppy couldn’t move. He couldn’t see much, but it was almost sensory overload. The sounds and smells of the world coming alive in the morning had him entranced.

Before he could do anything though they had to distract Imperia. Blue and lavender eyes with a silver streak in his left found the outline of the ravens nest in the foliage below. Very carefully, and not as well as he intended, Haiku tossed the knife into the open. The sound of it didn’t garner any attention and it didn’t seem to the boy like they’d moved. ”Should we try and sneak that way?” He asked quietly as he motioned the opposite direction he’d thrown the knife.

When Haiku paused, he did also. He could feel it in the alight quivering of his brother's body. The shock of sensations, the delight of it all. Haiku opened his eyes, but Ru closed them. Letting our a soft sigh of enjoyment as he breathed in everything there was to take. He knew it would be a while before he would understand and place what he was smelling. For now, It was simply enough to understand that it existed, it was new, and there would be so much to discover.

He heard the this of the knife and would open his eyes to see where his brother had thrown it. It didn't seem to have caught the attention of the birds. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe they weren't keeping careful attention, and wouldn't notice the boys sneaking out.

With a grin, he nudged Haiku and nodded, and together they would sneak softly the opposite direction, and then open ground and no watchers to keep them. Ru wanted to whoop with joy, but he managed to contain it to a soft 'chuff' he fell into a headlong dash, tripping over his paws, and dirt and grass as his awkward gait carried him forward. Freedom!!

"Speech"

This was it, this was the moment they worked so hard for since waking. The ravens paid them no mind, their parents were fast asleep, and there was nothing stopping them. Haiku felt excitement, but kept himself subdued. They weren’t out of the den yet. The puppies didn’t move for a long moment, just in case. Sen offered his approval with a wink and nudge and Haiku felt the moment come as well.

With all the grace of a few week old puppy the boy stumbled out of the den and down the opposing path. Haiku tried to get them to duck under some foliage. Summer was around the corner and the plant life was closing in on full greenery. If they could get far enough no one would find them. He just had to try and remember the way home.

Still, the boy lifted his head into the fresh air and bounced along under the trees with his twin. They were out! The morning was continuing without them. Daylight could be seen peeking over the horizon and sooner or later they would be found missing. Until then, Haiku wanted to take full advantage of their freedom. ”What should we do?” He asked quietly, still wary of being caught.

Even in the heat of the moment, he followed Haiku’s guidance without thought. Moving into the foliage at his brothers behest. Rustling through the greenery and feeling the mixture of sharp and soft scrape against his coat. The sensation of freedom and new things only excited him. Man, he wanted to howl his delight. The silly puppy ‘awooool’ that they had been learning in the den. (To the exasperation of his poor mumma and her ears) he managed to bite it down, a soft gurgling in his throat stating his desire to cry his joy.

The foliage thinned, and then it was just trees and sky above them. He walked in tandem with his brother. In the small confines of the den, they were always tripping over each other, and had learned to walk with the weight of his twin pressed lightly against his side. He matched his stride with Haiku, the sound of their footfalls joined together. His tail flicking lightly against his brothers side. Oh, he wanted to howl and cry and roll in the grass. He wiggled his butt, the only warning that he was planning mischief, before he leapt forward. Cat-like whiskers scratching against Haiku’s chin ruff. “Tag, your it!” he tried, leaping away from his brother.

"Speech"

The boys walked in step like they had their whole lives, shoulder to shoulder. Being apart was foreign, being alone wasn’t an option. Especially out here right now, experiencing the sights and smells around them for the first time together. Haiku wasnt sure he could get on without his brother. The excitement ate at him as much as it did Sen as they ducked through the foliage. He wasn’t expecting the sudden reveal of pink sky and open spaces.

The grin couldn’t be wiped from his face and while he was distracted Ru made up his mind. The boy hadn’t thought about how much better a game of tag would be out here than in the den. His bright eyes grew wide as his brother tagged him. Shaking himself lightly the puppy dove after his brother in retaliation. Before he realized it the need for silence was forgotten and with enthusiastic laughter Haiku raced to tag his twin back.

Ru raced along the grassy territory, his brother in hot pursuit behind him. They were of the same size and build, which would make a game in open space that much stranger. Ru felt that with his minor head start, he would be impossible to catch. He whooped with joy and let out his little ‘awooool!’ of delight that he had been holding back all this time.

He put his head back down, aiming to race as hard as he could… and then skittered to a stop. “Ku, what’s dat?” he asked, taking a few slow steps to the main stream that meandered throughout the Abaven territory. It was like water, but it was endless and shimmery and so… so strange. Nothing like the drinking water they had seen in their den. He reached the surface, looked down and “Ku, Ku, you're trapped in the water!” he raised a paw to gently smack the image of himself below him.

Haiku stretched his gangly limbs full stride for the first time as he chased his twin eagerly. He loved the way his body felt as he ripped through the grass hot on Senryü’s tail. He wasn’t sure if he could catch up, but on pure determination the boy got close. Ru’s brake lights were out because when he suddenly stopped Haiku was not so in tune that he stopped as well. The big puppy slammed into his brother’s rear end with a thud as his attention was drawn from the collision to the horizon.

The boys cautiously made their way closer to the stream and their eyes sparkled with wonder. They looked down into the slow stream only to be countered by their brother’s appearance. Haiku’s eyes grew wide as she tried to comprehend what was going on. ”Tha’s not me, Ru.” Light brows knit with concern, what was going on here?

Haiku crashed into him and he tethered on the edge for a moment. Almost falling in. He regained his balance, and looked across at Haiku. His twin had settled in beside him, looking down at the very similar reflection across from themselves. “That’s weird. You have blue in your ears here, but not there, Kuku.” he said, indicating the reflection in front of his brother. ”And your shoulder isn’t as white. That’s weird. Maybe the water is changing you. Maybe the water is stealing you!” He gasped.

He turned, and leaped at his brother. ‘They can’t take you!” but the momentum pushed them both towards the water's edge. He felt a little brush of cold, and then.. Gone! He and his brother were being lifted high into the air. He squealed, and kicked, and then looked back. And found the face of his father staring down at them. Ooops. “The funny shiny thing tried to steal Ku….”

Had Imperia not warned Rhyme of the twin’s escape they might have both drowned that day. Rhyme wasn’t sure he’d ever woken up so fast, but his huge form quietly and swiftly raced from the den and after the pup’s trail. Haiku and Senryu, always together, always creating trouble. If he wasn’t going gray before he was now.

He might have suffered a mini heart attack when he saw his sons dangling over the water’s edge. It wasn’t a huge creek but they’d gotten quite a bit of rain the last week. They didn’t know how to swim and if they fell in he would have a hard time retrieving them. Rhyme didn’t even want to think about it, and he didn’t. He only moved as fast as he could and in her very nick of time he grabbed hold of his youngest sons.

Relief spread over him as he placed them on dry ground and offered a stern eye. They both knew very well that they were not allowed to leave the den, especially alone. ”You’re lucky your mother didn’t catch you out here.” His voice was low as he tried to hold the gravity of the situation. It was hard when they were just so cute. ”Being out here alone is very dangerous. I don’t know what I’d do if…” He couldn’t lose any more of his children. ”It’s my job to keep you boys safe, and I can’t unless you follow the rules.”

He sighed. ”Come on, get back to the den. We’ve got a big day ahead.” He nuzzled both of them before swatting half playfully at their little tushies and herded them home. Hopefully before everyone woke up.