Vendrick has decided that he preferred winter to spring, and whatever came next. Already, it was too warm. The days were too long. It was too bright outside. He much preferred exploring when it was a bit chilly. Getting to know the castle grounds when they were covered in snow, or even muddy slush. He finds the days are too toasty as they make their way towards summer, and he is not pleased in the slightest. Too warm. Too warm, too much. Already, it was too warm and too much. Spring also meant snakes, as he'd unfortunately learned a few days ago. The bite wounds from the creature weren't too deep, and were already scabbed over and healing, but still. Not a fan. The boy wanted to be outside, but he wanted to be comfortable too. That led him outdoors in the golden hour, watching his shadow as it stretched long. As it chased him through the spring grasses. As it followed him out to the castle gardens, taking a look at all the plants that were starting to come up. That was an okay thing about spring. Vendrick finally got to see what the sad winterized plants really looked like when they were green and, you know, healthy. He perused the garden carefully, with a keen gaze and bright eyes. Maybe if there was something pretty or nice smelling that had already come up, he could bring it inside for momma. She'd like that, right? He's intent, searching the garden for something lovely in the early spring blooms.

Vendrick wasn't the only one that didn't care for the heat of spring and summer. Dusk overheated quickly with as dark and thick as her coat was. She tried to sleep during the warmest parts of the day, but morning and evening were okay for the most part. This morning seemed like the warmest of the season so far and so Dusk had found a way to keep cool.

Out in the back corner of the gardens was a little pond. Cute little fish, orange and gold and white, swam about. They seemed pretty cool, so Dusk decided to be a fish for the morning. Setting Whisper aside, the coal and smoke girl slid into the cool water of the shallow pond with a sigh of relief. The little fish fled at first, but Dusk was quiet and still, her chin rested on the stone at the edge of the water.

Fire opal eyes watched as one of her younger siblings tiptoed through the gardens. One lynx-tipped ear flicked and she gave a soft, amused huff. Who knew that someone else would be up and about this early?

"Dusk Carpathius"

He wasn't alone out here, no. Dusk had come out to sit beside the pond, looking at... something? Was it something interesting? Vendrick frowned at the flowers in the garden, finding that none of them were quite bloomed enough to pick just yet. That was okay, he could wait. He could be patient. Well, he supposed he could be patient. Grumbling to himself at the thought of having to wait a few more days or weeks. How long did plants take to be grown enough to be pretty? Maybe that was a question for someone else. He'd probably forget it by later. But that didn't matter, not when Dusk was out here. Carefully, he practiced the skills that Kea had taught him. Walking carefully, quietly. Rolling the weight along the outside of his paw, and making sure that he doesn't make too much noise. It wasn't like she hadn't already seen him, but it looked like she was doing something quiet, so he'd be quiet too. As intent as he'd been on that approach though, the boy is momentarily distracted. A little tricolor viola growing up in the grass catches his attention, and he delicately picks it. Outside of the confines of the flower beds, it probably would have been trampled anyway Less quietly, less sneakily, Vendrick moves to sit beside the pond, at the edge closest to Dusk. "I picked this for you," he shows her the flower, eyes wide as he looks to his sister.

Eyes of fire and blood followed the boy as he moved through the gardens. It seemed as though he was practicing his steps, which was interesting to the older girl. Vendrick seemed to be doing fairly well with it as his pawsteps were quiet and smooth. She watched him move from one side of the garden to the other and he ducked out of sight for a moment, lost behind one plant or another. Dusk wasn't well versed in greenery. It all looked like weeds. Some of them were just colorful weeds.

Vendrick soon appeared again, standing before the pool. He spoke, offering her a flower. There were many things that Dusk could say. Some were nasty, some were rude, some were weird. In the end, she reached up and took the flower from his smaller paw. "Thank you." She sat the flower on top of Whisper then placed her paw back in the water again. "Want to come in? It's hot."

"Dusk Carpathius"