It was pretty late at night, certainly well after Fia should have been asleep, but while she was drifting in and out of sleep she noticed her little fireball start to wake up as well and she blinked open her aqua gaze with a loving smile. Reaching out a large paw, she gently scooped up the little pup and pulled her close to her chest, nuzzling the top of her head. Alastor was snoring softly beside them but she was having a hard time sleeping and so it seemed Fia was as well. After a quick glance toward her husband just to make sure the movement wouldn't wake up, she gently untangled herself and got up and nodded for Fia to follow her with a toe over her lips to show for her to be quiet.

Leading her youngest out of caves, they stepped out into the cool night air and luckily it was a clear night. With all the storms that had cropped up at the beginning of spring it had been hard to find clear days to spend outside, but tonight the weather was on their side. She led Fia out a short distance away to an outcropping that had a wide open view of the stars from the cliff side and settled down on her stomach, curling her body to make a bed of sorts for her little daughter to nestle into. "Can't sleep? Too many thoughts in that little head of yours?" she questioned with a little chuckle as she nuzzled Fia again once she was settled protectively against her side.

"Manea Mendacium"

Fia spent more of her day sleeping than night, but really she just slept a lot in general. She was rather lazy this early in her youth, she wasn't bound with energy like most pups. She did use her energy wisely though. She helped Irilyth around the den, she took to her early teachings well. She didn't cause too much trouble which may have taken a load off of her parents and maybe even her siblings as well. No one really had to babysit her. There would be a day she'd get a little more adventurous, a little more alive. But she'd be bigger and more capable of herself by then. Or so she thought. She certainly wouldn't think herself ever weak or helpless. It wasn't in her blood. She'd just take advantage of the little duties she had now as a small pup knowing that one day she'd have more responsibility just by watching her parents and siblings working so hard for the pack. She was a rather observant one at least.

She did stir a little as she was curled up beside her mother, the short nap that led her further into the night and then awake later on. She could just lay here for a while until she went back to sleep again, she didn't really bother either of her parents when she woke up in the middle of the night. But tonight her mother had caught on. As Manea's head turned towards her, she was met back with the soft abyssal eyes of her daughter. Fia would follow just as her mother suggested, carefully and quietly towards the exit of the den. The way she walked had shown she had been up for long enough that she wasn't stumbling over her paws and soon they would be outside on the mountain trails.

It was near instinct as Manea led them to the ledge and laid down that Fia laid down just in her spot against her mother where her paws would overlap over one of hers. Her eyes looking back up at her mother as she spoke she gave a gentle smile and the slightest wag of her tail before her gaze went back down at their paws. "Sometimes it's just easier being up at night." She spoke in a quiet tone which wasn't untrue. Honestly she wasn't sure which she liked more. She was still a little wary of the rest of the pack or at least of putting herself out there. Usually the only wolves out at night were the patrollers, but she didn't leave their den at night on her own. It just seemed quieter and more peaceful like it was right now with her mother, she could tell.

"Fiametta"

Manea smiled as her daughter admitted that it was sometimes simply easier to be awake at night. She tipped her head down to nuzzle between Fiametta's ears lovingly as she replied, "I know what you mean." If she didn't have the responsibilities of the pack and their family to tend to then she would be much the same. When left to her own devices she had often slept well into the late morning and stayed up deep into the night. When things were quiet and still at night It was easier to think and live without the scrutiny of others—not that she thought that anyone in their pack would criticize her that harshly, but the pressure she put on herself made her sometimes think they would. She left a gentle kiss on the top of Fia's head and turned her aqua gaze up toward the bright field of stars above them.

She lifted one of her paws, being careful not to disrupt her daughter's paws that were draped over one of her forelegs, and she pointed up toward a sieries of starts that were spread into a spoon-like shape across a portion of the sky. "See that? That really bright star and the ones around it that connect into a line right there?" She glanced down at Fia to make sure her dark-eyed little girl could see the constellation before she added, "That's called the Big Dipper. There's a bunch of constellations that make all different kinds of shapes. Pretty cool, huh?" She chuckled softly and looked back up at the stars, asking, "Do you see any shapes or anything interesting up there?"

"Manea Mendacium"

Fia's nose pointed straight up as her mother mentioned with her paw to the skies above them. Her cheek leaned into the side of her mother's neck as she peered up at the constellation that Manea had pointed out. While Manea may have felt like she had more time with Fia's other siblings given the fact that the responsibilities of the pack were all on her time, Fia would never know or never see it. She saw her parents working hard, but she never once thought that maybe they didn't have enough time together or like she wasn't loved or anything of the sort. She didn't feel any sense of competition with her siblings, she never thought that maybe they had a better life or maybe she did. She was really, truly just happy with the life she had been given without knowing any of the consequences of her family's traditions or the differences she would have with her older siblings.

As Manea pointed out the big dipper and told Fia about it, she soaked it in. She was quite intelligent for her young age or at least willing to learn. She made it easy. She only took a few moments as her eyes scanned the sky, having a hard time really making up any shapes among all the dots in the black pane. But as she went back over the big dipper that was so easy to spot with her mother pointing it out she noticed a smaller one hanging off the other end. Her paw pointed up just where Manea had shown, "There's a smaller one." She suggested quietly, just a slight wag in her tail and a small smile as if she had done a good job.

"Fiametta"

Manea was more than happy to wait patiently while Fia studied the sky and looked for constellations. Occasionally she would glance down at her daughter just to see the inquisitive, focused look in her bright, obsidian eyes. Her children always astounded her and took her breath away, especially when she happened to find moments when they were in their element and showing the natural talents that they were developing. Fia had already begun to show the intelligence beyond her young age just as Avacyn had and Manea was happy to foster that in her and give her little moments of learning throughout their time together. She had to look back up at the stars and break her thoughts away from the pride she had in her children when Fia pointed out the Little Dipper just beyond the larger version that she had pointed out before. She grinned and nodded in approval, looking back to Fia and giving her cheek an affectionate nuzzle. "There is! Good spotting, my little flame."

She chuckled softly as she left a soft kiss on Fia's cheek where the flame-like marking surrounded one of her dark eyes. "They're just like you and your father. A big flame and a little flame. Both just as dazzling." She shifted a bit to be able to wrap her forelegs around Fia, pulling her into her chest with a warm hug, nuzzling the top of her head as she took full advantage of this mother daughter time they got to have. Becoming an alpha had really taught her to savor these little moments when she had them and in a way had made her time with her children feel all the more precious. "Do you want to go back to bed? Or do you want to stay out here a while longer?" She would never want to rush these moments, but she did also know that Fia was still a growing girl who very much needed her sleep.

"Manea Mendacium"

With Manea's proud nuzzle into her cheek, Fia hummed gleefully with a big smile, feeling just that same kind of pride as her mother saw in her. She couldn't know her differences to other pups given the fact that no other ones were around. And maybe that's why she had been so secluded so early in her life. She came off as awfully shy just wanting to be around the wolves she already knew, but she wanted to change that. She didn't think it would be easy, but seeing her mother so proud of her made her want to keep that up in anyway she could. She wanted to really help pull the weight of the pack when she was able. All she could do was prepare for when that day came.

Her gaze moved back up to the starry sky as Manea had said that they were fiery just like her and her father. She wouldn't completely understand what she meant but she still smiled to the thought of the familiarity she could share with her father and of course her mother too. The bond she felt with them, and even her older siblings that may have been a little more scarce, it was some kind of nature to her. It just felt right to be so attached to them.

She took every affection her mother gave her, still just that small innocent pup that could be wrapped up in her mother's arms. Her dark eyes turned to Manea when she asked if she was ready to head back and she paused for a moment before responding. She was almost asking permission if they could, but she already knew her mother would stay out here with her longer, "I want to stay out here." She spoke rolling around until she was comfortable up against her mother. She'd stay quiet unless spoken to, her eyes just wandering up at the stars above them looking for the shapes she could find the longer she stared up there. Her head falling back further and further into Manea's comfort until she'd be back to sleep herself and her mother could carry her back to the den.

"Fiametta"

Manea smiled as Fia replied how she wanted to stay out here for a while longer. She kissed the top of Fia's head and replied, Then we'll stay out here as long as you want, my little fiery girl." She was in absolutely no rush to end this moment regardless of how late it had gotten and for a while she just laid there with Fia, soaking this time in and letting herself savor this quiet and peace with her. She knew all too well how quickly this sweet innocence would be whisked away by maturity and responsibility so for now she wanted to just take this in so she could always remember snuggling with Fia under the stars and watching as she drifted to sleep while trying to pick out shapes and constellations. She would occasionally look up at the sky as well, but for the most part her attention as fully on the ruby and crimson girl that was pressed into her violet pelt.

It wasn't until she felt Fia fully relax and noticed how her onyx eyes had drifted closed that Manea began considering going back inside. She was starting to get tired herself and she knew she would probably get a scolding from Irilyth tomorrow if she didn't get Fia back into the warmth of the den for the night. She certainly didn't want the little pup getting sick so she would have to risk disturbing her to get her back to bed. She very carefully and slowly scooped up her little girl and carried her back to bed, settling in next to Alastor and placing Fia between them. When she leaned her head into Alastor's shoulder as she curled up around Fia, she felt him shift a bit, but quickly settled back into deep sleep again, leaving just her half awake with her sleeping family around her. Soon enough she let her eyes drift closed as well with a small smile on her lips, finally settling into sleep while still thinking about Fia's face as she was looking up inquisitively at the stars.

"Manea Mendacium"