No friend as close as your sister

Continuing their trek through the boneyard, Clove is captivated by the sheer magnitude of it all. These creatures, they looked so foreign and they were massive; like they came from an entirely different time. A different world. If they were alive, they’d tower over her, maybe even make her their lunch if they could catch her! The thought was a little scary, so she was glad they were looking at a pile of bones. She couldn’t imagine what these creatures would have been like alive. 

Ember had a knack for making Clove laugh- she giggled at her comment about getting all the brains and beauty. To be comical, Clove used her paws to puff up the fur around her neck, like she was preparing herself to catwalk down a runway. “Got the brains and the beauty!” She teases, giggling and following after her sister, stopping to inspect new piles of bones along the way. “Everyone is trying to find their way, I think.” She says, musing aloud. “Mom and Dad give us lots of freedom to discover what we love. It just… gets lonely sometimes.” Her voice trails off, and she knows Ember can relate. That’s why they made sure to always have each other's backs, through thick and thin. Clove would always support her littermate sister. 

A sly smile curls her lips at the mention of playing a trick on their brother. “Let’s come up with a plan on our way home!” Teaching Thorn a harmless lesson sounded like fun. Maybe they could put a stinky plant in his room. Or ding-dong ditch him in the middle of the night. Both sounded like a good plan for the mischievous sisters, but maybe Ember would suggest something better.

They arrived at the beginning of an odd skeleton, both stopping to inspect it when Clove popped the question about boys. Ember was quick to reply, perhaps taken off guard at first. Clove didn’t seem the type to be fantasizing about boys- she appeared innocent and naive on the outside. But she was deeper than she let on. “Oh! So his name is Eeeeerrrrriiiikkkkk,” Another giggle, as she exaggerates his name, being playful in her teasing. She thought she was going to shock her sister with news of meeting three boys. But what Ember said, made her little jaw drop.

“EMBER!” She shrieks, whipping around to face her sister. She sits in her rump, raising her paws and trying to grab her larger sister’s shoulders. “You took a boy to your room!?” She’s shocked. Flabbergasted. Completely taken by surprise. And she wants all the details. “What did he say? Did he sit on your bed? Did he go through your stuff? OHHHH,” Suddenly, her opened mouth curls into a sly smirk.“He didn’t try to pull a move on you, did he?” Yeah, she said they didn’t do anything. But that didn’t mean he didn’t try to kiss her or something, and she rejected him! Details, she needed details!

But Ember was quick to spin the question on her. And given Ember had been so open and honest with her, she wouldn't hold back either. “Welllll,” She begins, trying to pique her sister's curiosity. “I met a boy on the bifrost. He was so handsome, like a midnight sky. Tall and muscular, with an amazing smile. Super charming too- a prince even!” She remembered her day on the beach with Rogue, looking for pearls. “And then, I met a boy from Enthe when I went with Dad to visit their alpha.” Dorian had been such a sweet guy. “He showed me around the pack, and was very gentlemanly. His green eyes were to die for! And he was so sweet... he tends to a garden in memory of his Father. I invited him to come see our greenhouse!” But her favorite by far was- “But the boy I really like,” Another pause for anticipation. “When I met him, he was exploring the grapevine cathedral, just like me. He lives in Tojo-Kai. Tall, dark, and handsome. He looks like the Milky Way shared some of its stars with him. And he's got these cute little horns!” Another pause. “He came to Bramble's ball, but I never saw him. So I went to visit him in Tojo. Did you know they don’t let outsiders in their lands?” Sure, it was a pack and all. But their kingdom was receptive to friendly loners, so it was odd to Clove that Tojo was so solitary. “But he snuck me in! And he danced with me beneath the bamboo, spun me around, and then walked me home.” Her cheeks lit up with warmth, a soft sigh escaping her as she relived the moment in her head. It was such a sweet memory, one she would remember forever. Her first real teenage crush. "I...." Her voice trails off, thinking about what Ember said about Erik. "I want him to come visit me next time. I told him about the castle, and all the amazing things we have. But he hasn't done it yet." How was she supposed to convince Akito to come see her? Maybe Ember had an idea. 

"Sisters"