Daemon knew he was not supposed to be outside of the den after dark. It was one of his parents' strictest rules was their imposed curfew of sundown, and ordinarily he had done as he was told without question. But the night before this one, as the boy was returning back to his family's den with his siblings, he caught sight of the auroras twirling and dancing in the darkening evening sky, the sight captivating him and taking his breath away. How did the sky get to be so colorful and bright after the sun set? He had to know more! So on this night, once his parents had put him and his siblings down to sleep and then headed off to bed themselves, Daemon silently slipped out of bed and crept down the corridors of the dark and quiet den, headed for the entrance and out into the night beyond. Just as he had seen the night before, the nighttime sky was alight with swirling ribbons of neon lights swimming about in the sky like fish in a black pool.

Mouth hanging open in shock and awe, Daemon slowly meandered his way out and through the pine forests, eyes transfixed on the light show overhead. There were so many auroras of all different sizes and colors! How did they get up there? Tiny paws moving on their own accord as if following the rhythm of the sky, Daemon eventually found his way wandering down to Alias lake, stopping on the pebbly shore and listening to the gentle lapping of the placid lake water on the banks. He sat down on the shore, gazing up at the sky and taking it all in, occasionally glancing down to watch the way the lights reflected off the gently rippling water of the lake's surface. The night was peaceful and still, with only the occasional nocturnal insect or owl to break the quiet. It seemed he was the only one still awake to experience this mystical display.

WC: 334
Total: 334 / 1500

"Daemon Mendacium"

All of the fantastical dancing colors and lights that kept showing up in the sky had very quickly become her favorite thing in the whole world. Her father usually gave in to her or her siblings requests to stay up with them and go out to see the lights for a while until he finally forced them to get to bed, but tonight he refused, saying he was too tired from a long day of doing things around the pack. Even her best pouts and pleading hadn't swayed him. With a disappointed sigh she had finally allowed her parents to tuck her in with the rest of her siblings, their mother and father laying down a short distance away in their own bed. She pretended to fall asleep as well, listening as one by one the sounds of heavier breathing and quiet snores began to fill the air around her. That's when she opened one eye to peek around her just to make sure they were actually all asleep before she began to carefully slip out of the bed, moving super super slowly so that her soft paws made absolutely no sound until she was well out of the den. Perfect!

With a triumphant grin she picked up the pace and started working her way down the winding path toward the lake at the middle of the island. They had a pretty good view of the lights from the clearing outside of their den and she had watched them from there plenty of times, but if either of her parents woke up and realized she was gone she didn't want them to be able to bring her back inside right away! She wouldn't go far, of course, but she wanted to buy herself a little time at least! As she drew closer to the lake, the sound of the water lightly lapping at the shore getting louder and louder, she spotted a figure already on the rocky shore and she paused, peeking out from around a tree to make sure it wasn't someone that would tattle on her if they saw her. Luckily it was just Daemon who she was certain wasn't supposed to be out here this late either so now she had a partner in crime!

She trotted out to where Deamon was staring at the sky with rapt fascination-which she completely understood–and sat herself down beside him, staring up at the sky as well. "If you tattle on me I'll tattle on you," she said matter of factly, glancing his way before she went back to taking in the auroras that were dancing above them. She did love looking at them out here since the colors were reflected on the water and it made the auroras even more magical so it was even more worth coming down here to look at them even if it would get her in even more trouble later.

WC: 486
Total: 820 / 1500

"Kintsugi Mendacium"

So focused had Daemon been on the dancing lights overhead that he had not been paying close attention to his surroundings. With his fascinated eyes glued to the light show overhead, the sudden sound of paws crunching on the pebbly beach took the boy by surprise, and he turned with a start to spot one of uncle Deimos and aunt Ikigai's kids coming out to join him—Kintsugi. The panic that had sped up his heart at the worry of being caught began to subside with a relieved and irritated sigh. What the heck was she doing out here as well? Daemon had just been about to ask her as such when Kintsugi plopped herself down beside him and made a passive remark about not tattling on him if he didn't rat her out. That remark earned her a raised brow of incredulity at her brazen threat. Did she think she could blackmail him so easily?

"Oh really now?" remarked Daemon, still taken aback by her attempt to bully him into cooperation. Well, unfortunately for Kintsugi, Daemon had a touch of oppositional defiance in his blood, and she had just made herself a prime opportunity to show why no one menaced him. Waiting a minute for Kintsugi to get really immersed in the auroras, Daemon kept his gaze turned sideways at her, and when her guard was at his lowest, the boy struck! Dae let loose a puppy growl as he lunged sideways at her, paws outstretched and aiming to wrap around Kintsugi's sides so he could grab her and barrel into her with all his strength, seeking to take her down to the ground before she could even realize what was going on. This would teach her not to try and threaten him into submission again!

WC: 296
Total: 1116 / 1500

"Daemon Mendacium"

"Mhmm," she confirmed dismissively when he questioned her mild threat to keep his secret if he kept hers. She figured that was an easy enough agreement to come to, but she would be proven wrong as her viewing of the auroras was rudely interrupted. She was fully engrossed in the beautiful colors she had become so fond of when she suddenly heard Daemon growl beside her, only giving her enough time to look his way with a raised brow before he went barreling into her. She gasped with surprise as he grappled around her and threw her to the ground, pushing her down into the rocky shore with his forelegs around her. She hadn't had time to react or try to avoid his surprise attack and unfortunately even though she was a little older than he was he was basically the same size as her already so it wasn't exactly hard for him to knock her over.

She landed on the rocks with a huff and a scowl, wincing a bit at how the rocks poked into her shoulder and side. Well, if that's how he wanted to be then fine! With a puppy growl of her own she wriggled and twisted in his grasp till she was more on her back than on her side under him and promptly started kicking at his belly with her hind legs and batting at his ears with her large front paws. "Get off of me, you jerk!" she demanded grumpily. She kept her claws sheathed since her mom would definitely be mad at her if she clawed up her cousin, but if he didn't get off of her soon she might just have to make an exception! Besides, she knew her dad would be proud of her if she did. He was always telling them to protect themselves so wasn't this doing just that?

WC: 312
Total: 1428 / 1500

"Kintsugi Mendacium"

Daemon didn't really care to watch the light show anymore now that he was in the middle of a fight with Kintsugi. The girl had tried to threaten him into cooperation and well, that just wouldn't do! He was a Mendacium prince, and like his dad said, nobody pushes him around, especially not his hoity-toity uppity cousin or whatever the heck Kintsugi was to him. Some sort of relation, but it was all so convoluted to him. All he knew was she had provoked him and now she was getting what she asked for. Oh no, consequences to your actions! Who could've predicted this?

Kintsugi went down easily enough with Daemon landing on top of her. Despite her being his elder by a season, the two pups were practically the same size, give or take a couple of inches, and Kintsugi was certainly a lot slimmer than he was. Daemon used his size and weight advantage to the maximum, leonine paws immediately pressing down onto her to keep her pinned to the ground while he stood over her, triumphant grin on his muzzle and marking glowing bright on his face in time with his pounding heartbeat, head high and tail curled over his back in a dominant display. But Sugi didn't go down easily, and after some squirming and thrashing she ended up on her back under him with those big paws kicking at his belly and ears. "Ha, as if! This is what you get for trying to boss me around, Miss High and Mighty," he remarked, ducking his head around like a boxer avoiding her forepaws, but her hind paws were impossible to avoid. She got a few good kicks to his belly and after a few blows he was forced to relent.

Daemon grunted a little oof as she kicked him off of her, but the boy was relentless. Knowing he had to react fast before she got back up, Daemon growled and lunged for Kintsugi again with large paws instantly aiming to pin her by her chest, but this time instead of just pinning her, he attempted to get his jaws around her neck as she was in her belly up position, his teeth and jaws far too young to be dangerous, but still effective at getting a secure hold on his opponent and forcing her to submit to him if he could land it.

WC: 386
Total: 1814 / 1500

"Daemon Mendacium"