being so beautiful...it's exhausting. truly, a rather taxing affair. no wonder El feels the urge to curl up in a pool of sunlight, tucking her nose beneath her tail. birdsong chitters above, providing a gentle melody to which she can slowly drift, dipping in and out of sleep with all the carelessness of youth. the sun on her pelt is simply delicious, like being embraced from the inside out, and a calm breeze ruffles the hair along her spine just enough to stir her for brief, incremental moments. yes, it really is hard being this gorgeous. "Speech"

Barghest hadn’t ventured this far quite yet. Opting to explore every nook and cranny of the lake and the rocky terrain outside of the den- so she was rightfully full of excitement. Each step she took each step with a bouncy effect added to it, nose sniffing at just about everything possible. And then the scent of a sibling hit her nose and she was already grinning. Someone to explore with!

Estie took a look around, double taking when she saw a pale lump on the ground sleeping in the rays of light there. It might have been picturesque, but Barghest’s only focus was running up on the smaller girl and promptly plopping down next to Elara- trying to use her uncoordinated fores to grab the other girl and bring her close for a very sudden snuggle. “Larrie, what are you doing sleeping out here! You can sleep when you’re with mama! Here we must explore!” She shouted in exasperation, a teasing tone thickly applied to her words.

speaking

she’s pulled abruptly from sleep when a rather enthusiastic voice shouts in her ear, paws tugging her against a familiar body in a sudden embrace. Elara grumbles at the rough handling, rather unimpressed at the interruption. she’d been having the most wonderful dream, in which she’s a princess looking down on a kingdom of rain-speckled florals whole a crown of daisies are nestled behind her ears. “gerroff…Bargh…” she complains, trying to wiggle out of her sister’s grip. “you’re too…hrmph…heavy…” she bats ineffectually at Barghest’s ear, the gesture more grumpy than inflammatory: “what is there to explore here anyway, hm? it’s just a boring old forest.” there’s real adventure out there, beyond the packlands! already, El itches to explore it. "Speech"

Barghest’s grip is true, and the bigger girl takes advantage of their physical differences by locking Elara in place as best she can. A loud, exaggerated sigh is released into the air as she pretends to sleep with a very comfortable pillow. But alas, she could not pick on the most girly of her sisters for too long. As much as she actually did want to snuggle, there were more exciting things to do! Estie released Elara with a giggle, quickly rolling away and back onto her feet. “Larrie! You’re kidding! This forest could have prey, or gifts for mama! Daddy would be so happy with us if we brought ma a gift, don’t you think?” Barghest dropped a line of persuasion, knowing El was quite the daddy’s girl out of all the sisters. She waited for an answer, a pleading smile on her face.

speaking

Bargh finally rolls off of her, and El shoots her an unimpressed look as she sits up. ugh, her fur is all ruffled up! scowling, she begins to vigorously groom herself, only half listening as her sister talks. blah blah blah prey, blah blah blah gifts, blah blah blah - El perks up suddenly, eyeing her sister with newfound interest at the mention of their father. make Daddy happy? would it really? “hmm…” El considers, tail thumping along the ground in thought. as much as she doesn’t want to give Bargh the satisfaction, her sister certainly has her there. El can’t pass up an opportunity to cement her position as Daddy’s number one girl! “fiiiine,” she concedes, getting to her feet slowly, as though it’s all a great imposition. “but i get to give our gift to Daddy. and stop calling me Larrie!” it’s such an undignified nickname! gosh, why are her siblings so annoying? "Speech"

Barghest watches with her own unimpressed expression while Elara is preoccupied with her preening, only swapping her expression for an excited pleading one once her sister’s attention flicks back to her. She’s got her now! She watches the gears turn in her sister’s head, eyes coming alive with determination at the thought of being praised by their father. Great! Now she could get Elara to loosen up and explore with her!

Barghest was practically bouncing in place, a grin spread across her face. “Yes! Okay!” She yipped, already spinning on her heels to frolic deeper into the forest. “But Larrie!” She whined playfully, checking to see if her sister was indeed following after her. This was going to be fun!!! But what should they get as a gift?


speaking

Bargh seems pretty excited that El’s coming along, and that, aside from Chi’s gratitude, is enough to placate her. its only natural that her sister craves her company; she probably admires El, the poor thing. as Bargh leads them further into the forest, El casts her an appraising look, eyeing her pelt and the way she carries herself. although her sister has inherited their mother’s pretty fur, it sits different on her, lending her an almost boyish, masculine appearance. no, that’s not quite right; she doesn’t look like a boy, per se. but she lacks…elegance and femininity, two vital things in a woman’s toolkit. hmmm, perhaps El can give her some pointers once they’ve found Aliana a suitable gift. Bargh will appreciate that, surely. and speaking of gifts… “we should get her something pretty,” El declares, tossing her head. always one to take charge. “but something unique, too. maybe something she can wear?” it’d have to be special, and rare. something no one else would have. otherwise, what’s the point of a gift? "Speech"

Bargh felt a surge of excitement, knowing her sister was equally thrilled at the idea of making their father happy. Though perhaps Barghest was far more happy about making mother proud, as she wasn’t exactly a daddy’s girl like El was. She just spent a lot more time cuddling up in the den, in between her childish antics of course. They walked deeper into the forest, Estie taking a moment to peer around their surroundings, an attentive look engulfing her features as Elara suggested gift ideas. Barghest nodded eagerly to her sister, humming as she thought of her own input. "Yes, let's get her something special, something she'll treasure," she agreed. "What if we made her a flower crown, or- oh! we find a pretty rock daddy can turn into a jewel!?" Bargest didn’t know how that was done though, so the best they were gonna be able to manage was coming up with the raw materials for it.
speaking

El’s eyes lit up, tail waving behind her as she pictures the aforementioned jewel. oooh, Daddy will be so happy with them when he sees how they dote on Mama! and to unearth such a beautiful thing…the girl’s eyes whip from left to right, narrowing in search of a nearby glimmer or sparkle. “i’m…not sure to get those,” she admits finally, a tad disgruntled. it urkes her to have to ask for help - even if, of all her siblings, Bargh is probably the least likely to gloat. still, El’s cheeks heat with shame as she directs the question at her sister. “maybe…we could try to find a queen?” queen’s always have jewels on them, don’t they? "Speech"

Barghest listened intently to her sister's suggestion, her mind already racing with the possibilities. Despite Elara's momentary doubt, Barghest grinned at the idea that surged out of the other girl’s maw. “A queen, huh?” Barghest mused, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the thought. “That's a brilliant idea, El!” She just had to admire her sister's ability to think outside the box, she never could have thought of that! “Queens do always have the most jewels on them.” With renewed energy, Barghest scanned the forest around them, her senses on alert as she searched for any sign of regal presence. “Let's go find one, Larrie!” The mottled girl declared, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she bounded off in search.


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