It was late at night when Wylan snuck away from his dad and siblings and made his way through the woods. He liked the night, the sounds and scents were different. There was always a sense of calm about it that he enjoyed, and he needed that calm now especially. Sleeping without having his mother nearby was an experience he wasn’t growing accustomed to fast. He wished he didn’t have to adjust at all, but knew there was nothing he could do to change it.

As he wandered through the woods, he started to realise there was a little more light than usual. It danced across the foliage around him, and brought it to life. Vibrant in a way that moonlight couldn’t match. He looked up, but the gnarly, bendy trees of the Mile highwoods blocked most of his view. He trotted forward, heading towards the Col. It was more open there.

Unlike his siblings, he didn’t avoid the Col. for the most part, it didn’t bother him to go there. But he didn’t go this late often, and he couldn’t help a tiny sense of unease as he trotted through the opening between two mountains. Instead of continuing forward, he took a sharp left turn and trotted up First Light Point.

He could see the sky now, vast and open above him. It was the same lights he had seen that night with Ignita, they were back, and wasn’t that odd? He almost tripped over a rock, his head was craned back so far to see the sky. He spread out his wings reflectively to catch his balance. He shook his head and pulled a face at the stone. But he didn’t look up again as he trotted the rest of the way up the path, and came to a stop near Andy’s star observatory. He didn’t go inside, but instead took a seat nearby. Sitting at first, before flopping down on his back. His wings spread out across the dirt as he looked up at the sky. Watching the lights shimmering and dancing across the world above him.

WC: 352


"Speech"

Nestled into a deep corner of the den among his siblings and pressed into his father's feathers like a young bird himself Oleander sighed in restless unease. He pushed his plush white legs against the wall of the den to give himself a little more room and yawned, tucking his forepaws back into his chest. He watched the entrance with eyes half-lidded.

He was just about to close them again when he noticed the shifting form of Wylan against the eerie light outside. Blinking he watched his brother sneak out again, this time he wanted to know where he was going. He was too restless tonight to let Wyl have an adventure on his own.

He carefully placed his snow white paws between his sibling's sleeping forms and creeps his way to the doorway. If Wyl can sneak out, he can too.  He had seen enough of his siblings leave the den during naps and bedtimes when he was too weak to leave himself. It was finally his turn!

The strange darkness outside wasn't as dark as he expected and it made him hesitate at the opening, suddenly unsure. Then quickly he made up his mind to try it. He didn't remember it actually being a rule, and besides mom was gone. He shook his pale fur and bounded away from the entrance into the night.

What was making that weird light? As he followed his brother's trail leading to the Col his gaze was skyward as he finally made it out of the trees.
OH, now that was incredible! The twisting ribbons of light above him were startling, to say the least! It gave him an energy in his paws that he couldn't shake. Itching for him to run after his brother.

He loped easily into the Col, watching the sky as he trotted around in a circle. Suddenly it made him dizzy and he turned away to shake his head and huff. He knew a flood happened, but it was during one of his near-death experiences during his sickness and he barely remembered anything about it. So he wasn't afraid of the Col either.

Ollie saw his brother's shadowy figure up the path onto First Light Point, his wings fluttering as if he was steading himself. The pale boy sank low to the ground, hoping his brother hadn't seen him yet, and started to sneak his way up the path.

He was unaware of how the light made his pale coat nearly illuminated with the vibrant colors above him, reflecting off his plush coat as he tiptoed and slithered up the path. He wondered if the lights would be distracting enough for his brother to miss his sneak attack.

Passing the observatory his brother was already prone on the ground, his wings outstretched looking up at the vibrant sky.

He gathered his hinds to spring then threw himself on top of his brother with a playful "RAAAHH!" and made to chomp his shoulder.

"Speech"
WC: 495
Total: 847

He could see so much of the sky from here. He remembered a wolf that had once liked to hang out here, before the floods had come, and she and the blacksmith had drowned. He wondered… he thought he had heard somewhere that wolves went up into the sky when they died. Was that true? Was Keahi and Ruga up there even now? He thought he could picture the island woman quite easily, dancing among the colors. Or maybe they were something else, the ribbons of color stretched out, as if leading somewhere he wondered what he would find if he followed them? Even as he let his imagination wonder this way and that, a sudden shape blotted out the sky above him.

Wylan squealed like a little girl as a white form suddenly threw itself at him. He reacted in a clumsy act of violence as his wings suddenly folded forward, wrapping about the white wolf in a flurry even as Wylan scrambled backwards, struggling and trying to get his bearings and understand what had happened. He saw the wolf wrapped in his wings, and realised he recognised them. “Ollie!!” he cried, anger and laughter both in his voice. “You’ll pay for that!” he warned, trying to keep holding Ollie there, before he launched all of his weight forward. Trying to push himself up, and fall on the wolf above him. In the same instance, he tried to sweep his wings back and away so he didn’t hurt them in the sudden flurry of movement. He had broken a wing before, and it was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life.

Ollie was clearly doing better these days, he seemed to be improving more and more each day. The idea of play wrestling with him had been almost foreign growing up, but now he couldn’t think of anything he would rather do than wrestle with his brother. “To the death!” he gave a valiant cry, as if this was a serious match with high stakes.


WC: 1192


"Speech"

Oleander laughed as he play bit his brother's dark shoulder, trying to avoid any feathers, while the larger boy scrambled backward with his wings around them. With a mischievous grin when Wyland recognized him he pushed his pale paws against the dark chest to slip out of the body slam before they could hit the ground.

Ollie squared off and laughed maniacally as he launched himself back at Wylan after he called out the playful battle cry. The lights above them illuminated the scene, but the darkness hid most of Wylan's larger form until Ollie would catch the brightness of his underwing in a flutter. Ollie himself was an illuminated ghost in the night. His pale fur caught every flicker of light.

He swiped at Wylans chest with claws sheathed then bounded just out of reach, calling out, "Can't catch me now!" while he attempted to dodge any retaliation.

Then he decided to clash against his brother's side with his smaller frame as a body check to topple Wylan back down to the ground.

It had been ages, and certainly, his first official wrestling match since he had finally recovered from his childhood illness. Mother would be so proud of him now, to see how strong he was growing!


"Speech"

Now that he was paying attention, Oleander was rather a hard wolf to miss. He shone like a beacon, reflecting the odd dancing lights above them. They fell into the rhythm of the fight with amusement and laughter both. When Ollie swiped at him, Wylan jumped forward, and brought his wings together in front of him as swiftly as possible. Hoping to catch the other wolf between the feathery appendages.

It might have worked if Ollie hadn’t decided to do a double take, and come back at him. Wylan was still moving forward, so they clashed together pretty hard when Ollie hit him just below a wing. Wylan fanned out his wings, and wobbled a little as he tried not to crash from the impact. “I yield, I yield” He giggled.

WC: over 1500


"Speech"

Oleander laughed as he leaned against his brother, and struggled to regain his own balance after Wylan exclaimed his defeat.

"Ladies and gentlewolfs!" He started, his pale head in the air, his nose skyward, and his slender legs high stepping in a circle, "The victor!" And he mocked an appealing crowd as he perched his forepaws on a large rock, puffing out his chest.

He wasn't a particularly striking figure with his rail thin face and body against the weaving purple and green lights overhead. He giggled as he started to feel his adrenaline wear off and flopped down next to where Wylan was with a sigh.

"What's got your feathers flustered this time of night anyway?" He asked, belly up, his ears pressed into the grass and looking at Wyl upside down.

"Speech"

“Yeah, yeah, soak it in. I'm kicking your butt next time.” He warned his brother, but his tail waved behind him, giving away his pleasure. This was a different Ollie. A bold, and healthier one. He liked seeing him well enough to wrestle and play, and revel in his win. 


He scooped up some fallen leaves and threw them up, so they glided slowly down around his brother like confetti. When Ollie was finished showing off, he joined Wylan, and the winged wolf leaned lightly against him. “I… I hate that mum left. I hate how much I miss her.” He said, drawing his wings in tightly as he hung his head in misery.

Ollie let Wylan lean against him, and when he heard what was so heavy on his brother's heart he reached out and touched Wyl with his nose.
Ollie had been struggling in his own way, he didn't want to admit it but he missed them too, especially their mother.

"Yeah, it's... really hard. But she'll be back! She has to be. She's not the type to leave us hanging for long. And she brought me back from the brink, she'll bring Whisper and Warden back. They'll be healed just like me! Just gotta give em time." If mom thought that leaving would help them, he'll support her decision in the face of everyone else. He'll find every reason under the sun to keep a positive outlook to support those around him.


"Speech"

Wylan blinked, looking at Ollie in shock and surprise when the - usually rather touch opposed - wolf reached over and booped his nose gently against Wylans. But that surprise morphed shortly into a smile of gratitude. Knowing that touch had been wholly for Wylan.

“I get that, I do. I just worry how long it’ll take, and where their adventure will take them” He said with a sigh, worry and longing mixing in his tone. A part of him wished that he could have gone with them. But his heart was split, he would hate to leave his dad and the rest of his siblings too. The pack, the treehouse they recently started to call their own. This was home. He just wished all of his home was here.


"Speech"

Oleander rolled onto his side and pressed his paws against Wylan, bracing himself and offering the barest of contact he could muster to comfort his kin.

"We'll be okay Wyl, and so will they. Mama's got friends all over Auster. And when we're older maybe we can go on our own adventure." He offered his bigger brother.

Maybe they could go out in search of the rarer herbs that don't grow in the Armada! Maybe they could travel all the way to the southernmost tip of Boreas and Auster then back, or go somewhere to test their skills together, come back with a trophy pelt and a story to share around the fire.
"Speech"

Wylan glanced at the paw, and then gave Ollie the warmest smile of gratitude. He twitched a little, as if to move his wing or paw. But he bit back the urge to take this inch and give a mile. He wouldn't draw Ollie into a hug, he knew what just the paws cost the smaller wolf. He loved his brother, and if he couldn't show it in affection, he woukd show it in the shine of his eyes.


He let his eyes wonder up to the stars, scooching until he was lying in his back too. His wings tucked in, his paws too. Instead of leaking all over the place with appendages as he usually did. 


“She does, doesn't she?” he said thoughtfully, but Ollie's words struck another thought. “Well stick together… right Ollie?” He asked, a hint of anxiety creeping into his words.

He crinkled his eyes at Wylan for his gleam of gratitude. Ollie knew what he was doing, and the exertion from their tussle earlier had gotten literally under the pale boy's skin as he could feel the sweat in the cool night air on him. So his tiny points of contact were all he could muster, as long as he was in charge of the contact. He really appreciated how Wylan tried his best to keep himself from wrapping up Ollie in his wings.

They had a moment looking up at the sky together then Wylans question startled him for a second, he very nearly blurt out a sarcastic joke but the anxiety in Wylan voice and the topic of discussion were not indicative of having sarcasm land well.

"You kidding, right? You're stuck with me. Death couldn't hold me down as a baby, you think it can take me now?" He assumed he would be with Wylan and the Armada forever, it didn't even occur to him that he might be separated from them for one reason or another. He'd have to die first. His tail thumped the ground and he even tried to thump it over Wylan to play with him.

"Speech"

Wylan smiled at his brother, enjoying the closeness of family. Even if the permanence of it fell a little more shaky than it once had. Ollie declared that death couldn't take him, but that wasn't all that wylan was afraid of. “Let's agree to fight death and fate! The Fatalis boys against the world!” he declared. He tore up some grass with a paw and threw it into the air, before turning onto his side to look at his brother.


 “I love you, Ollie. I'm glad you pulled through.” Of course, he'd always been rooting for his brother. The mushy stuff came easily to Wylan, sometimes it felt like his heart was so big in his chest it was fit to burst.

"Death and Fate are no match for us!" Ollie agreed and threw his own fistful of grass up into the air a second after Wylans.

Ollie swiveled his white ears toward his brother and let his head follow as Wylan offered his familial love and gratitude.
Like the annoying little avoidant brother he was, he planted a paw over Wylan's face and stuck out his pink tongue with a giggle.

"Love you too Willy!" He teased, mushy stuff was overwhelming for Ollie, and he preferred to keep it literally at arm's length and bury his emotions in a jar of tincture. Wylan had enough feelings for them both.

"Speech"

Wylan pulled back the lips around his muzzle and playfully made a chomp at Ollie’s paws as he stuffed them in his face. If the other wolf moved them, he’d chase them a little. He just wanted a little nibble!

His expression went from playful to mortified at the nickname the other wolf tossed out on the spot. Willy “Uck, never call me that again!” Wylan protested, freeing a wing from under him so he could bop his brother over the head with it. That was a new one he hadn’t heard before, and he’d take Wyl a hundred times over Willy.


"Speech"