set for immediately after finding Haunt! Cryptis is welcome to join in too ofc :)

Something had made her leave the den that morning, giving her children a careful warning to stay in the den until she got back with the promise of taking them out later. It felt as though something was calling to her, something she couldn't ignore, and she couldn't be more right. With a wayward pup in tow, Widow led the young one along towards the Gorge where her den and her children were waiting. She would explain things to Medusa later, but she was certain the woman wouldn't mind. She seemed to like kids enough anyway.

"We're almost there; are you excited to meet your new brothers and sisters?" she asked softly as she smiled down at the pale blue and white pup at her side with a gentle smile as she navigated the gorge to her den. She paused a few paces away from the entrance, giving Haunt a moment to shake off any nerves or anything that they may be feeling before calling for her children, hoping that they would accept him as one of their own.

"Speech!"

Art by SkeletonDragoness Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Illu was the first to peek out from the den, her silver eyes bright with interest. Scrabbling out, she adjusted herself quickly to appear as dignified as she could — a smile taking over her features from lips to the gleam in her eyes. She toddled up to her mother, peering over at the newcomer as she cocked a brow. “Mama. Who’s that?” She asked, her haunches coming to seat herself at one of Widow’s paws — tiny fores latching around her mother’s limb in uncertainty.

She didn’t actually care for what was happening, didn’t care of the seemingly stranger pup; nor the fact that they seemed… neglected. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. But demanding things was not in her nature, so she chose a soft approach, and an emotional one at that. Who was this child? Why did they cling so closely to her mother? Illusion gazed at the boy, a quizzical mask hiding her jealousy.

illu

They were supposed to stay in the den until their mother got back, and so Shriek had settled down to take a nap until she came back. She curled into a little ball, the tip of her tail flicking back and forth as she drifted off into slumber. She was dreaming of pouncing on a bug when her mother’s call woke her. In an instant Shriek was up and she scrambled out of the den after Illusion, her eyes widening with wonder at another puppy. “Hiya!” The girl boomed, immediately moving to the other kid with her tail wagging. “Want to play?” Again her voice was perhaps a bit too loud as she pawed at the grass before the other kid, a grin on her face. She didn’t care who he was, or why he was here, so long as he wanted to play!

When their mother had left the growing pups alone with a careful warning to stay in their den, Gru had simply nodded. There seemed to be no need for words so he does not waste the time or effort. As she disappears into the early morning light, the boy swiftly moves to his twin’s side and curls around them. Terror is different from all of his other siblings and Gruesome cannot help but feel as if their souls are connected. It is hard to explain so he doesn’t even try and, as he curls around his smaller counterpart, he gently wraps his longer legs around the smaller form.

That is how Widow’s call finds them, tangled up in one another’s embrace and Gruesome huffs a tiny sigh of disappoint. Extracting himself from Terror’s side, he watches as Illusion and Shriek both charge outside, their voices reaching his ears before too long. Curiously, they seem to be talking to someone who isn’t their mother but Gru does not leave Terror. Waiting for his twin to get comfortable, he gently asks, “Ready to see what that is all about?” To everyone else he may appear big and dumb and, for the most part, they are correct. However, for Terror, there is also sensitive and gentle side that the others don’t get to see and will not leave the den until Terror is ready to leave with him.


"Gruesome Nightwing"