Mortis was beginning to feel an isolation from his family, a sense of difference, and the pain it caused him. How could he run and play with his siblings now? How could he look at Asla and explain the hurt inside of him. 'Oh, hey sis. Azure tried to kill me, but it's okay, because I see you can still make him laugh, and he wants to be with you and play with you. Oh, hi Indy, I'm scared of our brother, but you have only seen the side of him gentle enough to help you pick flowers for our mumma'
They loved each other, because there was something about them that was the same. Mort was different, there was something broken inside of him. He was certain that Azure had seen it first, before his other siblings. that was why he had tried to kill him, before he could ruin their family with that wrongness.

It started with the bird, the one he had killed, and hated himself for killing. Jt was the wings, that marked him as so very different from his siblings. It was the way he was frightened by everything so easily. Frightened of water because it had tried to eat Asla. Frightened of heights because he had almost died falling from them. Frightened of new things, big things, different things.

Mortis was broken, and his existance was going to break the very family he loved so much. What if Azure was right? What if he should have died, on that cliff.

She had seen a lot of Azure. She had seen a fair amount of Indigo. She had not, however, had enough of Mortis lately. The girl missed her brother. With so much inner turmoil going on, she barely had time to think, let alone socialize. Things were different now, but she still felt a lingering sense of unease. It made her stomach hurt.

Asla had decided to seek out Mort. She was really feeling his absence. The little hunters nose led her to Sea's Plain and, she enough, there he was. Her brother looked as sad as she had been feeling lately and that simply wouldn't do.

The small girl padded up to her brother and slid her tiny body against his side and under one wing. She didn't see the appendages as making him different. They were just a part of him. To her, they were no different than Az's big feet or her fluffy ears. The wings just made Mort Mort. Curling up against his side, Asla kissed her brothers cheek, an affection that she would always bestow upon all three of them. "What's the matter, big brother? I don't like seeing you sad." She nosed beneath his chin. "Tel me what I can do to help."

Asla came up to him silently, curling about him easily, fitting under his wings like she was born to be there, pressing against his side. It was a really weird pose, and experimentally, Mortis tried stretching out that wing, and folding it around her like a blanket. He looked at little Asla with her sweet purple eyes, and immediately felt guilty for his dark thoughts. Despite the way she proclaimed she wanted to kill everything, there was still something innocent and pure about his sister.

“What if I’m not a Fatalis, Asla. What if I ended up here by accident. What if being here, I ruin everything?” he whispered, the doubts that plagued him spilling out. He had promised not to tell what his brother had done, and he would not break that, but the memory would always be there, this big great chasm that would always separate him from his siblings. He only wanted Azure to look at him with pride, instead he got contempt, and Asla got his love. He didn’t want to be jealous, not when he loved Asla too, but it was there.

As Mort stretched out his wing, his feather's tickled the girl, bringing a soft giggle from her maw. It wasn't long before her brother shared his worries and doubts with her. Asla's brow furrowed. Why would he think this way? She didn't know what had happened between Mortis and Azure. Neither of them seemed to want to talk about it and Asla would respect their privacy. When they were ready to talk about it, she would be there to listen with open ears.

The question that Mort posed broke the girls heart. She wanted so badly to fix whatever had hurt her winged sibling and wash the trouble from his mind. "If you're not a Fatalis, then neither am I." She leaned into him, one foreleg wrapping around his. "You're meant to be here, big brother. Just like the rest of us." The girl nuzzled her siblings cheek. "You don't bring ruin. To me, you bring comfort, safety, peace. I'd be lost without you." Couldn't he see how much he meant to her? "Mortis, I would burn down the world for you." She grinned, giving her brother a soft nudge. "I'd only do that for someone I love. I'd only do that for a Fatalis."

Mortis fell silent after explaining some part of what he was feeling to his sister. She leaned into him, pulling him closer, and promising him that she loved him, and would always protect him. He might be a larger wolf than her, but there was something so much more fierce in her heart. She was a lion in the body of a little wolf.

He tucked his head under her paw, so his chin scrapped the earth, and he could feel her plush coat around his ears. From this position, he looked up to her, eyes imploring, and sad. “Even if I get scared real easy?” he whispered to her. How could he be a Fatalis if everything frightened him? He knew his siblings, his parents, this pack. They were also so fierce and brave, like they never even knew how to fear. Mortis didn’t like heights, or water, or loud noises. He was a coward.

As her supersized brother buried his head beneath her for comfort, Asla pulled him close protectively. He worried that getting scared would make him less of a Fatalis? Oh boy, was he in fur a surprise!

"Mort..." The girl began, still holding her brother tightly to her. "I get scared too. I'm still very frightened of water. Sometimes it feels like my heart is going to stop when I cross the bridge." She pulled him even closer, remember her recent bout of fear. "I...was afraid of our father recently. Deathly afraid. I broke a rule and he scared me so much. I thought he hated me." Just remembering sent a shudder through the girl. She never wanted to feel that again. The part that would surprise Mort though. ..

"When dad found Az and I hiding, he admitted that he was afraid too. He was afraid that something would happen to us." Pulling back a bit, she smiled down at him. "So you see, Fatalis doesn't mean that you're fearless. Everyone fears. We just need to overcome." She had faith that he would be able to overcome anything with the right mindset and support system.

He frowned unhappy, watching Asla, as she spoke of how easy it was for people to be afraid, and how it didn’t change who you were, or make you not a part of this family. She made it sound like it was so easy, words of how their father had been afraid - because he was worried about Asla and Azure. He didn’t find any comfort in them, he remembered the disgust in his father's eyes when he had discovered how Mortis hadn’t wanted to kill a bird. He thought of Azure and Asla, hiding together, and Asla not having to worry, because his brother hadn’t lured her there to hurt her.

He huddled further down, more miserable than he had been before. “Azure and dad would be happy if I wasn’t a Fatalis.” he whispered. “Azure…” the words caught in his throat. He had promised. He wouldn’t tell Asla.

Asla was a little shocked that Mort didn't find it at least a little amusing that their father had been genuinely afraid and had admitted such. Now it was her turn to frown. She placed her head on top of his, her muzzle between his ears. How could she help him? He thought that their father and brother would be glad if he wasn't a Fatalis. Even at such a young age, she knew that she couldn't speak for other wolves. She gave her brother a squeeze. "Who cares? Prove them wrong. Be the best Fatalis out of us all." Of course she noted his hesitant mention of their brother, but he didn't go farther. Maybe she would ask Azure about it.

Rising from her place, the little girl moved to sit directly in front of her solemn brother. She placed a paw on either side of his cheek and made him look at her. "No matter what, I will always love you. Any time you need me, I'll be there for you." She swore it. Within her mind it was a vow and she wouldn't break it. "Now what can I do to put a smile on your face, dear brother?" Aslatiel offered up a sad smile of her own. She wanted nothing but the best for him. Seeing him like this shot her through the heart.

Asla tried so hard to comfort him, reminding him that she cared. Even if everyone else in his family hated him, he would still have his sister. His little brave sister, who was the best of all of them. She told him not to care, to prove them wrong, to be the best. Gods, he would, if he just knew how.

She wiggled out from under his ing, moving to be in front of him, placing a paw each side of his cheek, forcing him to meet the light lilac of her loving gaze. She promised she loved him, that he would always be there for him. He couldn’t help it, he burst into tears, crying suddenly and unexpectedly, as he grabbed Asla. and held her close. He would die for his sister. He would do anything to protect her. Maybe thats what he needed - to be brave - to do it for Asla.

He laughed a wobbly laugh when she asked how to make him smile. “I dunno” he said, wiping his tears. “but if anyone can, its you”

She knew that Mort had been sad, but she hadn't realized the depths of his sadness. When her big, winged sibling broke out into tears, Aslatiel pulled him close, hugging his big head against her small body. She made soothing sounds and gentle nothings just like their mother did when they were hurt or scared. One paw absently stroked his cheek, trying to comfort him.

When Mort pulled back with a sudden, tear filled laugh, Aslatiel smiled. With gentle paw pads, she wiped the tears from his cheeks. "There's my smiling Mort," she spoke with a grin. She hoped that their talk had helped. It was horrible to see him this way. The pup was sensitive and deeply thoughtful. His mind no doubt created a lot of his issues. Or at least made them worse. "Would you spend the day with me or do you have other things to do?" Fluffy grey ears perked a bit hopefully. She'd love nothing more than to be with Mort all day long. Maybe they could find something to hunt or take a nap or she could show him the stars or how to sneak. There were endless possibilities. Or... they could just sit here. That was fine too. She just wanted to be with him.

He managed another watery smile, just for her, at her words. Asla was free with her affection, easily wrapping about him, holding him close, and offering soothing words and gestures. It was like being wrapped in a smaller Zee. He smiled up at her, head down so the taller wolf really did have to look up to see her. It was becoming a little easier to smile, the more time he spent with her.

“I would love to spend the day with you.” he agreed softly, wondering if she would have any good ideas. He wasn’t in his best, creative state of mind in that moment.

Mort agreed to spend the day with her and the creamy girl beamed. Her little body gave a wiggle, the teal striped on her shoulders undulating with the action. The bigger she grew, the brighter and wider they would become. Already she was noticing a change. Not just in herself, but in her brothers too. Mort's wings were growing. Az had strange bumps on his knees and elbows that were growing, and Indy's hair on top of his neck seemed to be getting longer. All three boys fangs were larger as well. It was fascinating to watch herself and her brothers progress.

"I have an idea." Rising, she kissed her brother right between the eyes. "Follow me, Mort." Both of the children had a stronger than average fear of water. It was time that they worked on that fear, Asla felt. Mort was worried about being scared and, unbeknownst to her winged sibling, she was worried about her own fear of water as well. The girl didn't want to be held back by anything, let alone some silly, sloshing liquid.

Picking her way over the beach, Aslatiel led her brother to a little inlet. The water was shallow, but deep enough that fish were caught it in each time the tide went out. Luckily enough, the tide was out. Peering over into the little sea water pond, Asla grinned at the different fish swimming within. Shooting a grin to Mort, she spoke. "Let's catch some fish."