since the insomnia festival all those months ago, El’s life has kind of imploded in on itself. on the one hand, that kiss with Red had been positively swoon-worthy! on the other, their status as Ashen princess has been stripped away, and their family has scattered to the breeze. El knows, distantly, that most of them have joined up with another pack - but she can’t fathom kow-towing to a new leader, letting someone else govern the once-proud empire of Kleins. maybe she’s a snob, but whatever. if no one else will acknowledge the royalty that runs through their veins, she will. she’ll uphold the pride and elegance of her family line, even if it means she spends most of her nights in unclaimed territory, shivering through the cold winter nights. it’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make.

The night was a quiet symphony of whispers and shadows, the moon hanging high in the sky, casting its silver light over the thicket. Barghest moved silently through the underbrush, her senses alert to the night’s subtle sounds. She had been wandering for a while, seeking a discovery of the sibling kind. As she rounded a bend in the path, a soft sound reached her ears. Her heart quickened, the sound tugging at a deep place within her. She followed the sound, her paws moving quickly yet cautiously over the forest floor.

There, in a small clearing bathed in moonlight, she saw a figure huddled against the base of an ancient oak. The sight of her sister, Elara, alone in the cold, struck her like a bolt of lightning. Barghest’s breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of Elara’s smaller form. “Elara!” Barghest whispered, her voice barely louder than the rustling leaves. She stepped into the clearing, her movements gentle and non-threatening.

Without another word, Barghest closed the distance between them, her heart aching at the sight of her sister. She nuzzled Elara gently, hoping her warmth and presence would be a comfort in the cold night air. “Hi, Larrie.” She murmured, her tones filled with a comforting warmth, even if her voice was a little more irritated from the fact that her sister had been out here alone.
""

Princess’ reaction is what initially alerts Elara, who lifts her head in the direction of her companion’s fixed stare. and there, materialising like a figment of her imagination, is Barghest. El blinks, momentarily uncomprehending, at the woman before her. it’s like looking at a clone of her mother - except stronger, muscles bunching under that grey and white pelt, armour strapped across her back. there’s a self-possession in the way she moves, betraying skill and technique. it’s the largest real thought El has before her sister is closing the gap, snuggling into her embrace. Elara gives a wet, hiccuping laugh and smushes their faces together, breathing in Bargh’s comforting scent.

“hiya, Estie,” she whispers, and there’s such relief and joy in her tone that her voice trembles with it. “been a while, huh?” despite the attempt at levity, she sniffles again and scrubs at her face. after long nights spent alone and cold, her sister’s warmth is a divine fucking blessing. El isn’t particularly spiritual, but she sends up a silent thanks to whoever might be watching up there. her sister, returned to her.

Barghest’s heart softened at the sight of Elara’s relieved and tear-streaked face. She nuzzled her sister gently, her presence firm yet tender, offering the comfort and protection Elara so clearly needed. It had been too long. She held Elara close, allowing the smaller girl to breathe in her familiar scent of Vetiver and the comforting musk that spoke of home and safety.

She felt the tremble in Elara's voice, the emotion that made her own heart ache with a mix of joy and sorrow. “I've missed you.” She admitted softly, her aqua eyes reflecting softly as she looked at El. “You had me worried, you know.” As Elara sniffled and scrubbed at her face, Barghest gently nudged her cheek with her nose, offering silent support. The striped girl would not be stingy with her hugs tonight. She felt a surge of protectiveness, a fierce determination to keep her sister safe and to make up for the time they had spent apart. So, Barghest’s embrace tightened, her body a shield against the world’s harshness. As best as she could be. "What have you been up to, Larrie?" It's a weak attempt to make up for lost time, but an attempt nonetheless.

""

El chuckles wetly, nestling in closer as her sister tightens their embrace. Estie makes her feel safe, shielded, like the harshness of the world can’t touch her in this bubble of space. “i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to.” even her sister’s scolding is welcome, yet another piece of evidence that this isn’t simply an exhaustion-induced hallucination. Estie is really here. “i’ve missed you too. sorry for disappearing.” for a moment she wants to talk about it, the fear and anger and resentment, the impact their fallen empire had left on her pride. it all crawls up her throat, but when El opens her mouth, she finds every word lodged firmly behind her teeth. snapping her mouth shut, she swallows. “um…i’ve been travelling.” that’s certainly one way to put it, isn’t it? “i went back to Wolfpaw lake,” she continues, wincing. hoping her sister doesn’t think her pathetic.

went back, at least, implies a level of dignity. in reality she’d wondered the land like a ghost, drifting, dazed and furious. “and…i met a boy.” well, technically she’d already known him, but semantics. El’s face flushes, and she ducks her head. hopefully Estie won’t ask too many questions. “what of you?”

"Elara Klein"

Barghest held Elara closer, the warmth of the embrace warding off the chill. She nuzzled her sister again, her touch gentle yet steadfast, a grounding reality of the moment. “You don’t have to apologize, Larrie,” She murmured, her voice a soft rumble. “What matters is that you're here now. I thought you might’ve… died.” Some of her siblings had, others lost in the wind. As Elara mentioned her travels and the visit to Wolfpaw Lake, Barghest’s ears twitched in interest. She felt a pang of understanding, knowing well the allure and pain of revisiting places tied to the past. “The lake... it must have been hard to go back.” She said, her voice filled with empathy. “I haven’t been able to. I’ve been angry.” Angry, stripped of everything she had ever known, take your pick.

When Elara mentioned meeting a boy, Barghest couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a teasing glint momentarily breaking through her warmth. “Oh, a boy, huh?” She nudged Elara gently. “You’ll have to tell me more about him sometime.” But for now, she sensed her sister’s reluctance to delve too deeply into the past. There would be time for those stories later. “As for me,” Barghest began, her tone contemplative, “I joined our elder sister’s pack. Obscura, not far from here, at the falls. Scylla has been rebuilding the Klein empire there.” Aqua eyes sought the bluebell ones of her sister, hoping that she wouldn’t think she had just forgotten about her.
""

El stiffens, stricken by her sister's words. Estie had really worried she'd...died? El's face crumples for a moment, and she blinks furiously as she wprks to get back under control. "i should've tried harder to find you," she whispers, filling with shame. "i'm sorry you thought that." thankfully, the conversation moves on to more playful territory, and El is grateful for the change. plus, in all honesty, she doesn't want to pass up a chance to brag about Red. "do you remember the Insomnia boy who would sometimes visit me?" she inquires. it's possible Bargh had been aware of him; some of their other littermates had met him, after all. "well, we...um, at the Insomnia festival..." - before everything had gone to shit - "we...k-kissed." she blushes, giggling a tad deliriously as she ducks to hide her face behind her paw. it's nice to just gossip with her sister for a moment, almost like the pair of them are normal teenagers. "i really like him, Estie." her sister goes on to detail her own life, and El listens intently, eyeing Bargh's muscled form and armoured back once again. "you look well," she praises. "when did my sister get so grown-up? i'm pretty sure you could pick me up and throw me." there's a teasing glint to her eyes, the kind that speaks to sisterly ribbing. but El falls solemn again as she asks, "how are Daddy and Mother, by the way?"

"Elara Klein"