Kea had gotten permission from his dad to take one of the kids out for an adventure. He was excited at the prospect of bonding with his little siblings. He didn't know them as well as he would like yet, so picking one at random had nothing to do with favouritism of any kind and everything to do with pot luck. Like picking a name out of a hat, at least until he started to get to know them a little more. To know which pups would best appreciate which adventures.

He wore his sword with him everywhere, even if he was just getting up in the night to go to the bathroom. So strapping on his sword was second nature. As was the fond pat he gave to Windrunner. Best present he had ever received in his life.

Grabbing a few provisions just in case they were out late, he made his way to the courtyard and raised his head. Calling out to Ember to join him.


"Carpathius Family"

Little Ember’s mind was like a sponge at her young age. Everything she saw, everything she observed around her, every sight and smell and sound was a mystery to be investigated and a discovery to be made! Any chance she got to shadow one of the adults of the Hallows or her family members, the tiny midnight pup was like a shadow clinging to their side, following diligently after her target for the day. Most days, it was her mother or father, but today it seemed it would be one of her older siblings.

Ciaran’s call for her was unexpected, but delightfully surprising! Ember had been out past the castle walls enjoying some of the spring sunshine now that winter was ebbing away when she heard her brother’s howl, tiny dark ears perking atop her crown and butt beginning an excited wiggle as she sprinted towards the gardens to rendezvous with him. She found her much taller brother waiting for her, strapped with his sword and a small pack of mystery goodies. Her father and siblings that all had their special weapons had always fascinated the young girl, and her eyes were immediately pulled from her giant brother to the sword on his back.

"Hiya Kea!" she greeted him, rushing up to bump her head into his legs in an affectionate nuzzle, tail whipping about off her back end in a display of enthusiastic energy. "Are you going somewhere today? Can I come too?" Her voice was hopeful, bright blue eyes turned upwards to meet Ciaran's gaze with expectations mounting.

"Ember Carpathius"

Kea grinned as his little sister appeared at a sprint. As she came to a stop, he noticed the way her eyes flicked to his sword. He couldn’t help the little puff of pride he felt at the admiration. He wasn’t sure his sword would ever lose that spark of amazement for him.

As she bumped him with her head, the Knight raised a paw and ruffled her forehead. “Hey Imp” He said affectionately. “I am, we are!” He agreed, “That’s why I called you” He said, voice light and teasing. “How do you feel about a little adventure outside of pack lands? Have mum and dad taken you outside of the territory yet?” He wanted to know. He had a plan on where to take her, but didn’t want to take her somewhere she had already been. Today was about new things to learn, after all.


"Ciaran Carpathius"

Ember couldn't suppress the giggles that pulled from her as her big brother began to ruffle her downy puppy fur with his giant paw, squirming away and trying to swat at his paw with one of her own. The little Carpathian princess adored her older siblings, looking to them like role models she could aspire to be like. They were all so incredible, especially the three that had those fancy weapons like her parents did! Kea confirmed that he was going off somewhere, then quickly amended it to they were going somewhere, and Ember nearly burst out of her fur she was so excited! Tiny tail wagging a mile a minute, the pup yipped with glee and bounced in place. Her first trip outside the Hallows!

"Oooooh, yes yes yes please!" Ember exclaimed with unrestrained mirth, already chomping at the bit to start running for the castle gates. To Ciaran's question, she simply shook her head. "Nuh-uh. Mom and Dad have been showing us around our lands, but we haven't been outside outside yet. But we can go now! Can we please go now, Kea? Pleeeeeeeeease!"

"Ember Carpathius"

Her enthusiasm filled him with amusement, and… something else. He realised he liked being an older sibling. The admiring gaze of his little sister filled him with some sort of pride. He was a role model somehow, to her. There was so much he wanted to show her, for as long as she was willing to see it.

“Perfect” He said, pleased to hear she hadn’t left the territory yet. This would definitely be an experience for her then, and no need to worry about covering ground she’d already explored. “Better keep up, little imp!” He teased, setting out on a pace a little slower than his walking speed. He didn’t actually want to lose her after all. Especially once they were out of pack lands. He would need to keep his guard up!

Spud met them at the borders and he gave his companion a knowing look. Without needing to speak the words, Spud dropped down to Ember’s side, sticking close to the pup without it looking like she had a bodyguard. The round and almost grown creature padded at her side with exaggerated big steps.


"Ciaran Carpathius"

Ember yipped and bounced about with excitement, barely able to contain herself as Ciaran began their adventure out of Hearthstone towards the southern border. The young girl was practically vibrating she was so excited! Her first time outside of pack lands, and as far as she knew the first of her litter to leave the Hallows as well! She was a pioneer, an adventurer stepping where none of her littermates had! How could that ever not be exciting to a young child? "Don't worry about me! I can run fast!" she reassured her big brother as she pranced after him, having to move her legs swiftly to keep up with his giant strides, but fortunately never falling behind to where she was losing him. Ember was a ball of energy and had plenty of puppy stamina to keep up with her brother.

As they neared the border, she saw the large form of Kea's polar bear waiting for them to join them on their excursion. She grinned up at the bear and giggled as the plush white ursine fell into step beside her. "Hiya, ya big marshmallow," she greeted Spud with affectionate humor. Coming up to the southern border, Ember paused to glance back behind them, seeing their massive castle home getting farther and father away, a thrilling and nerve-racking sensation filling her heart. "Where are we going today, Kea?" asked Ember, turning a curious glance and head tilt to her older brother.

"Ember Carpathius"

Ember promised him she was quick, and then proved it by keeping up with him. He did ensure he wasn’t wearing her out too much, and that she didn’t drop behind. It would be a long journey for the pup who hadn’t yet left the Hallows territory, so he knew he would need to take it easy on her little legs.

Spud grinned at Ember and nudged lightly against her. His podgy legs also had to work to keep up with the young knight. He knew his responsibility, and kept close to the young pup. “We are going to a strange and mysterious place…” He started, looking over at the dark pup “Where the bones of creatures long dead now lie” He said, voice a stage whisper.


"Ciaran Carpathius"

Ember's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when Ciaran spoke in cryptic riddles and hushed dramatic whispers of a mysterious place they were traveling to. The sheer prospect of seeing such a place had the pup all aquiver with excitement! She bet it would probably be dangerous too, a place only the strongest and bravest of wolves went to! With her tail lashing back and forth behind her in an eager display of zeal, the tiny wolf nugget of dark fur bounced after her big brother, eager to keep pace with him. Ember had an innate drive to push herself and prove her worth to her siblings and her family. The middle born of a second litter, she knew no one's eyes were fixed on her. Her older siblings would have all that glory; she just wanted to stand out amongst a bundle of a half dozen she'd been born into.

"What kind of creatures are they?" Ember asked in an equally exaggerated whisper, her mind buzzing with fantastical imaginings of what sort of skeletons they would soon be seeing. The possibilities were limitless, and even her overly creative childlike imagination didn't know where to even begin! "How far away is this place, Kea? The dead creatures aren't gonna follow us home, are they?"

"Ember"

He could tell he had caught her interest, and he looked to where he was going for a moment. Ensuring he was still on track, and wasn’t about to lead the pair of wolves astray. They weren’t too far off noaw, actually. Despite Ember's size, they were covering the ground well enough.

“There are all sorts of creatures there. Most of them have been there a long, long time. I think some of the creatures don’t exist anymore” he added, wiggling his brows at her. “Perhaps you’ll have to put some bones together, and see what it creates?” he suggested. And then… “Oh, no. I don;t think any of them will follow us home. You won't accidentally bring them to life when you assemble them, will you?” He asked, his voice was so faintly teasing that she might miss it. “We’re here, are you ready? Race you to the first skeleton!” he called, and picked up his pace.


"Ciaran Carpathius"

The way Ciaran described this neighboring land filled with an assortment of strange skeletons sounded like a macabre wonderland to the little pup following on his heels! Ember couldn't wait to get there and see all these things he was filling her imagination with! Fortunately, she wouldn't have to wait long to make those discoveries for herself. As the pair of siblings crested the tallest hill at the south end of the Hallows, the terrain suddenly shifted into a craggy hillscape dotted with pockets of dirt and exposed rock, almost like craters in the landscape. Within these arid craters, Ember could already see massive bones poking up out of the earth, the whitewashed forms practically gleaming in the sunlight. She gasped in awe, blue eyes going wide as they swept across the landscape. There were even more than she had imagined!

Amidst her gawking at the scattered skeletons, Kea reassured her that the skeletons wouldn't come back to life—unless she reassembled them a certain way. Ember gazed up at her big brother with a mix of shock and nervousness. Did she really have that power to bring the dead back to life?! Well, she guessed there was only one way to find out! Ciaran challenged her to a race to the nearest skeleton and Ember's eyes narrowed into challenging points. "You're on!" she remarked, then surged forward as fast as her little puppy legs would allow her to. On and on Ember pushed her muscles, sprinting as fast as she could down to the closest pocket of rocky earth to go and find some ancient remains. When her paws made the leap from soft grass to hard rock, she could barely keep the enthusiastic grin off her face. "Made it!" cheered the Carpathian girl triumphantly, proudly strutting her way over to a massive skull that looked like it was some sort of giant lizard with hundreds of sharp teeth the size of her whole body. "Whoa...! Kea! What kind of creature is this?!"

"Ember"