He rose before the sun, and was out of his room by the time light just began to peek over the horizon. Groggily, he grabbed a snack from the kitchen on the way out the door. Eating without looking what he'd grabbed as he made his way into the courtyard. 

He tended to avoid the early morning patrols, but he knew it was good practice. Checking the weight of his sword which was strapped over his shoulder, he finished his last mouthful, and trotted out into the Starlit Plains, starting his patrol as he trotted towards the far end of the pack land. His polar bear companion huffing and puffing as he rushed to catch up

The first light of dawn kissed the horizon, casting a soft glow over Hearthstone Castle. Talyssa, usually a creature of the night, found herself waking up earlier than usual. The allure of the Starlit Plains, bathed in the early morning magic, called to her. Yawning and stretching, Talyssa blinked away the remnants of sleep as she sat up in her cozy room. The plush furs and rustic decor surrounded her, her maps lay scattered pretty well on every surface including several that hung from her walls.

A groggy glance out of her window revealed the breathtaking sunrise just outside– the expansive plains illuminated by the pre-dawn light as the stars were fading from the sky above. But that wasn't all that caught her eye. In the distance, she saw the movement of Ciaran trailing out toward the heart of the plains ... with his husky little polar bear in tow. Talyssa sat there watching them for several moments as the gears began to turn in her head. When was the last time she had spent time with just Kea? It didn't immediately come to her, and that was answer enough.

Swiftly, Talyssa moved through the halls of Hearthstone Castle, her pawsteps light as she descended the stairs. The grandeur of the castle's interior gave way to the cool freshness of the morning outside. Talyssa, now fully awake, felt the thrill of spontaneity coursing through her. Bounding through the courtyard, she felt the cool grass under her paws as she headed towards the plains. The thought of catching up with Ciaran, her primary focus. "Kea!" she called out as the distance between them closed. Her voice carried the energy of the early morning. Once she got to a more conversational distance, she slowed to a stop. "Care to have some company?" Talyssa asked lightly, wanting to spend time with her brother ... but also not wanting to interrupt him if he was doing something important alone. But then she remembered her brother's companion, casting a sheepish glance between the bear and Ciaran, she cleared her throat to ammend herself. "Or, more company, I should say."

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Solaire loved getting up early in the mornings. It was the best time to catch the sunflowers moving as they followed the rising sun and he liked to think that he was giving the plants a nice breakfast as he watered them and put out some of the fertilizer that Aunt Gwyn taught him about. Plus, it meant that he got these chores out of the way before everyone else got up and then he was freed up to do stuff with everyone else! Sometimes his work in the gardens felt a little bit like lonely work whenever Aunt Gwyn was busy doing something else since there were so few wolves in the pack that really enjoyed this kind of thing like he did, but most days it was a nice to have a little bit of quiet time. Of course Dovleac always kept him company, the stoic capybara lingering near by and usually munching on some form of greenery–hopefully not the plants he was cultivating and working on.

By the time he finished his early morning rounds through the Hallows' cultivated gardens and made his way out to the near by plains to do a bit of foraging–with Dovleac at his heels of course–other wolves began to stir and make their way out of the castle. While he was sifting through the grasses near the stream, looking for some of the more wild plants that didn't like to be grown in the green house, he heard some paw steps behind him and a couple voices, pulling his attention away from the plants and up toward Kea with Talyssa hurrying to catch up with him. He hardly ever got any chances to really spend time with his older siblings so of course he was going to jump at the chance to join in on a patrol with them! At least he assumed that's what they were doing since that was the only reason he really saw anyone out here at this hour. Tucking the few plants he had gathered so far into his pack, he turned and trotted over to where Ciaran and Talyssa were chatting, giving them a wide grin. "Hi! Can I come with you too?"

"Solaire Carpathius"

Kea was still shaking the fog of sleep from his sensors, and didn't immediately realise he was being called. As Spud reacted first, turning to face the newcomer with a happy wave, Kea realised they weren't alone. He turned and found Talyssa approaching. His expression immediately morphed into a grin, more of the sleepiness falling away. “Tally! I'm going on patrol. Your welcome to come” he invited her easily. He tilted his head down to watch as Spud trotted towards his sister and leaned his fuzzy white head into the wolf. “Spud agrees!” He said, a little unnecessarily. It was true, he felt he and Tally had been going different directions lately. Growing up, taking on responsibilities. When was the last time they had spent a day together?


It seemed however that it wouldn't just be Tally joining him. To his surprise, one of their younger siblings trotted up. Did everyone get up with the sun except him? He gave Solaire a playful frown. “We are doing Very Important Adult Things” he said, shooting Tally an amused expression. “You can come, but you have to promise to do what we tell you, okay?”

Ciaran's invitation made Talyssa's expression light up with a sleepy grin as she glanced back and forth between her brother Spud. The Starlit Plains lay ahead, bathed in the enchanting aura of dawn. It had been some time since they had embarked on a journey together- even just a morning patrol. And she was eager for the time to share. "Patrol sounds perfect." Talyssa responded, her tail wagging lightly with enthusiasm that still felt a little early to try and muster.

Though, as it would seem, she wouldn't be the only tagalong on Kea's patrol. "Good morning, Soly." She greeted affectionately. But as Ciaran went on to tease their younger brother, she couldn't help the light bout of laughter at the idea of what he suggested. "Hmm, adult things huh?" She echoed in amusement.

Looking at Solaire, Talyssa offered a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, Solaire. They can't be too adulty, or Ciaran couldn't go." she finished with a wink. The prospect of spending this time with her brothers filled her with a sense of contentment and the anticipation that brightened her whole day. And it was only the beginning.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Solaire grinned happily at his older sister as Talyssa greeted him, but Ciaran was more teasing in his greeting, insisting that they were doing "very important adult" things and that he'd have to do whatever they said if he came along. He rolled his eyes at Kea, but his grin never left his face, his tail wagging gently behind him. "Okaaaay, okay, I'll do what you say," he promised with a chuckle. He was almost a year old after all! Soon he'd be able to go on patrols and go out of the pack lands all on his own! But for now he'd enjoy some time with his older siblings while they did a patrol. When Talyssa joined in to reassure him that what they were doing couldn't be too adult or else Ciaran couldn't go, he couldn't help but giggle, giving his sister another wide grin.

All the same, he let Kea take the lead for the patrol and fell into step beside him and Talyssa. He did feel more grown up being out here at the edge of the territory on a patrol just like their parents and the other fighters in the pack did all the time. He was pretty sure he wanted to focus on learning healing from their Aunt Gwyn, but he still wanted to be able to fight and stuff too! It was the best of both worlds! "What kinds of stuff do we need to look for on a patrol?" he asked curiously as he glanced over at his older siblings, figuring he might as well learn something too while they were out here.

"Solaire Carpathius"

Kea laughed at that, but reached over to nip at Tally’s side as teasing payback. “My sword says otherwise” He told her with pretend haughtiness, but tail swaying side to side behind him betrayed his happy state all too easily.

“Excellent!” He said to Solaire, winking at the younger wolf. With that, he returned his attention forward, and continued on through the plains. Spud at his paws, and Tally and Solaire around him. It was good to be surrounded by family.

“Alright… so patrols are to keep an eye on the borders, and to ensure the pack's scent along it is strong. So we need to look out for any signs of predators or other wolves. Any kind of evidence, like scent or markings.” He explained as they reached the border.


"Ciaran Carpathius"

Talyssa nodded along as Ciaran spoke, her eyes bright and attentive. A sense of familiarity and comfort settled over her as she listened, content to let Ciaran take the lead in teaching Solaire. She felt grateful to be part of this close-knit group, surrounded by the warmth and knowledge shared between siblings. "That's right," she chimed in eagerly, her voice filled with pride and confidence. Offering a supportive smile to Solaire, Talyssa continued, "As guardians of our home, it's our duty to ensure its safety and security. We must always remain vigilant for any signs of trouble and be ready to protect our pack at all times." Her words carried a weight of responsibility, but also a deep sense of pride in their role within the pack.

As they continued their patrol, Talyssa's steps were light but purposeful, her senses on high alert. She kept close to her brothers, their presence offering a sense of safety in the vast expanse of the unknown. Her keen gaze scanned the horizon, searching for any signs of disturbance or danger. The wind whispered through the tall grasses, swirling around them and carrying with it the promise of adventure and the thrill of the unknown. Each rustle and murmur seemed to beckon them forward, igniting a spark of excitement within Talyssa's chest. It was as if nature itself was urging them onward, towards whatever awaited them in the distance. The beckon of the wild world called to her- and she couldn’t help but wonder if either of her brothers heard the call as well.

"Talyssa Carpathius"