This exploration was a late venture, the sun was nearly setting by the time he made his way out to the lake. The grasses here were quite a bit taller than in the other pack lands, and he struggled to see over them as he got closer to the gentle sounds of water lapping at the shores. Not that he was particularly focused on the foliage. No, the boy's attention was strictly tied to the lazily floating motes of warm light that had begun to blink into existence as the sun went down. Their glow was inconsistent, flickering in and out of sight at somewhat consistent intervals. There was a gentle hum in the air all around, adding to the ambiance of the lakeside. Rearing up onto spindly hind legs, the young wolfdog couldn't help raising his head to try and snap at the strange floating lights. They were like stars, but not quite. Were they baby stars perhaps? The ones way up in the sky also came out as the sun went to sleep, but they were so much smaller. And the light from the stars in the sky was less yellow, more white. Usually, at least. He hadn't paid much attention to them yet. Each time he nipped at one of the incandescent shapes overhead, it seemed to float just out of reach, leaving him awkwardly balancing on his hind legs. Searching for a new one to harass. Nav: Explore New Land 1/3 "speaking" pixels courtesy of king-lulu-deer & lvx-1

Inferna followed her brother Nox with a bouncy, unsteady gait, her little legs carrying her through the tall grasses. Her white fur glimmered in the fading light, and her pink eyes sparkled with curiosity. She saw Nox trying to catch the fireflies and couldn't resist the urge to join in the fun.

Sneaking up behind him, she gathered all her puppy energy and pounced, squealing, "Gotcha!" Her small body collided with his, and they both tumbled into the grass, giggling and rolling around.

Lying on her back, she looked up at the fireflies, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Look, Nox! Star bugs!" she exclaimed, her words coming out in a babyish lisp. "They... they like stars, but close!"

She reached out a paw towards the glowing insects, her eyes wide with wonder. As she was captivated by the dancing lights, something else caught her eye. A small, white creature was lurking nearby, watching them with bright, curious eyes.

Inferna tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Nox, look!" she said, pointing with her tiny paw. "What's that?" She tried to get up but stumbled a little, still not quite steady on her feet. The albino wolverine, as white as she was, sniffed the air and took a tentative step closer, its pink nose twitching.

The little wolf pup, undeterred by the unfamiliar creature, took a few wobbly steps towards it, her tail wagging slightly. "Hi," she said softly, her baby voice full of innocence. "You... you wanna see the star bugs too?"

The wolverine cub seemed to consider her for a moment, then inched a bit closer, its bright eyes reflecting the fireflies' light. Inferna giggled, delighted by the encounter. She turned back to look at Nox, her excitement evident. "New friend!" she declared, her words simple and pure.

As she and the wolverine continued to watch each other, the fireflies danced around them.

Balanced as precariously as he was on the delicate stilts of his hind limbs, being tackled by his sister was unavoidable. Not to mention, his back was turned and his attention locked on his latest source of entertainment. So he hit the ground quite hard, much of the air forced from his lungs in a soft oof! as Fern landed atop him. When he regained his breath, he couldn't help joining her in gentle laughter. Much as his chest hurt now, and his little legs felt a bit worse for wear, that was fun! He tried to roll, to dislodge her, his downy fur picking up grass and dirt all the while. It seemed to be of Fern's own volition entirely that he was freed, and her attention was drawn upwards as quickly as his had been. She had momentarily settled on her back, rose hued gaze locked on the heavens as the little motes of light drifted overhead. There was a certain degree of relief that came with hearing that Inferna had thought the same thing about the strange lights, but he was a bit disappointed that he hadn't put two and two together to realize that they were merely insects. Her pale paw shone like a beacon against the darkening sky as she pointed to the little insects, their lights blinking in and out as far as their eyes could see. As the sun continued to set, it seemed like they emerged in even greater number- they looked even brighter than before. The gentle din of their constant buzzing wings must have been audible well beyond the boundaries of the lakeside. It took a moment for him to realize what Inferna was talking about, that she was drawing his attention elsewhere. Her paw was no longer pointed to the skies, and he rolled onto his flank to follow the new direction of her gaze. There was something in the tall reeds near the lake, something pale as a ghost, just as his sister was. He remained still, resting on his belly with all four legs tucked neatly beneath himself. "Fern- Fern, it could hurt you!" the boy hissed, anxiety evident in his pitchy lyrics. He worried that the creature would not be friendly, that they might have to get away from it as fast as possible. Fern stepped closer, offering a gentle greeting to the stocky alabaster beast. Nox dared not breathe, waiting for the inevitable conflict that would arise. Instead, the little animal scuttled closer to his sister and she was quick to declare to him that she'd made a new friend. The little wolfdog let out a long breath, relieved that they wouldn't be murdered by the strange creature. "Good grief," he finally said, quiet as a whisper. "let's see if his family is here, Fern. Maybe they miss him?" his voice was gentle, brows knitting together in mild concern. Electric blue eyes were already on the move, roving over the grassy clearing in search of similarly pale bodies lingering somewhere within the lengthening shadows of dusk. Mindlessly, his legs were moving beneath him, drawing his spindly figure further from where his sister stood alongside the strange beast. His dark head poked through the long reeds that lined the shore in dense patches, nose working busily as he investigated as many hiding spots around the lake as he could find. "speaking" pixels courtesy of king-lulu-deer & lvx-1

When Nox suggested finding the wolverine's family, Inferna nodded eagerly, her gaze still locked on the new friend. "Yeah! Maybe... maybe it has a family too!" she exclaimed, her baby voice filled with enthusiasm. She turned her head slightly, her rose-hued eyes scanning the surroundings.

With a soft giggle, she looked back at the wolverine. "We help you find your family, okay?" she said, her voice gentle and comforting. She took a step back, inviting the creature to follow her.

As she and Nox began their search, Inferna's eyes sparkled with determination. "Nox, we find his family," she declared with the conviction only a pup could muster. She moved through the tall reeds, her nose twitching as she tried to catch a scent, her little paws leaving tiny prints in the soft earth.

Despite her youth, Inferna felt a strange connection to the wolverine. Perhaps it was their shared albinism, or maybe it was simply her kind heart reaching out to another creature in need. Whatever the reason, she was determined to help her new friend find its way home, the fireflies dancing around them like fallen stars lighting their path.