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He was a young adult now, and he didn't know what to think of that. He didn't feel like a young adult, he still felt like someone who wanted to be taken care of. Maybe that feeling would never go away - he didn't know - but he hoped it would. It wasn't nice to want that and not be able to have it anymore because other people said you were too old for it. Apparently the only thing that mattered was his age. The boy stared out at the not particularly picturesque view from the top of a hill. He'd been here twice before, so it wasn't as exciting anymore. It wasn't really really beautiful either, like some of the other places. The city was boring, and the vineyards were too, but the harbor had been cool, with planks and stuff. They creaked when you stepped on them, as if they told you not to do so. It had been a little bit scary at first, but then it was just fun. His tail moved slowly behind him where he sat, gently wagging while he thought about what to do. It wasn't so warm, and here the water was sometimes cooler than elsewhere, so maybe taking a swim wasn't a good idea. He didn't want to be cold! Oh, if only that Moo thing had been here, it would have been so entertaining. And Emwe had grown so much since last time, the Moo would have been amazed.


........Bored out of his wits, the young male stared at a sizable beetle scurrying across the grass at his feet. His paw reached out to poke it, and soon he had a long story made up for the little guy, telling it all about its own life, an adventure! Making sure to poke it strategically, he forced the beetle to walk around on the grass where he sat, and with a smile the male eagerly chatted with the thing. What an exciting life this beetle had had! He had left his wife to get food, because the wife and the child were starving. And on its way there he had to climb across abysses and ascend grand mountains! As the story developed, Emwe collected stones and built a castle for the beetle, thinking it had to have a place to stay, because now - in the story - it was night. He was too old for this in the physical world, but perhaps he was not in his head. There was no telling.

She was in a funny mood today. It was hard to describe - she was used to the nothingness of an empty life, or the new flickering tendrils of hope, stemming from special encounters that brightened her day. Today nothing had happened yet. And she was not lonely or sad, nor was she hoping to see anyone in particular. It was just a funny feeling. If she had put the thought into choosing a word, it would probably be "peacefulness". She felt at peace, content with where she was. And yet, there was a restlessness as well, the turbulent energy of her youth urging her to hunt and sing and seek out her purpose. It was hard to explain what she felt, because she had never really been optimistic before.


Bemused with this curious state of mind, the slender werewolf slipped from her porch, gliding gracefully to the springy cushion of grass. Her wildflower gardens had been untended, and were rife with weeds, but it did not concern her right now. She would mend the neglect she had doled out later. For now, she wanted to find something new. And in a sudden quirk of inspiration, Colibri knelt to scoop up the sharpened stone tool she used to prune her shubberies, and took it to her mane.


She did not want anything drastic, but change was change. The stone blade made a soft sighing cry as it sheared through the wispy ends of her silken brown mane. The loose ends fluttered to the grass below as she delicately cropped her long hair, shortening the feathery length to just below her narrow shoulders, sawing through the fringe that obscured her eyes. When she had it where she wanted it, the unweighted strands of hair curling upwards at the tips, the Optime let her tool fall carelessly at her feet and began to walk again.


She needed to see Henratha. And Cercelee. And her brothers. She missed them all. Thoughts of Anu's face had kept her preoccupied, but there were other wolves that her heart sang for - just never so loudly or clearly. Shaking her head abruptly (and privately enjoying the new bounciness that her hair sported), Coli let her pace speed up, her slender legs flashing like the strides of a fleeing gazelle. She had always thought that her fondness of running - as well as her earthen pelt and skittishness - were somewhat deer-like. It was both condescending, for a predator to picture herself as prey, and a harmless kinship, for she had never killed a deer herself. She preferred the smaller seed-eaters. Her mind wandered thusly, following whim after whim, as her aimless jog carried her deep into the territory of her home. She only slowed her rustling dash when her sensitive ears swiveled to catch the murmuring of a youth's voice. Not wanting to startle the boy - for it did have the eager undercurrent of a deepening voice - Coli thought to slip by unnoticed, leaving the Folium to his own devices. But the cheerful chatter struck a chord in her memory - she had met him. Peeking her pointed muzzle from the trees where she had approached, her blue eyes squinted to make out the attentive shape as the wind carried the familiar scent to her. "Emwe...!" She exhaled, a happy smile spreading onto her countenance. Had her restless legs carried her here into this seclusion so that she could meet him again? What a pleasant happenstance!

That's ok!
Word Count: 386

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His beetle was having an extraordinary life, but in reality the boy was just making its life very difficult. Perhaps it had been heading somewhere for food, but for some time now this young wolf had just been pushing it around. It walked and walked but it wasn't allowed to move, still. It was strange. Emwe's empathy did not extend to insects, and hardly to his natural prey either, unless he accidentally hurt one when not hunting maybe. But his attention on the beetle was broken when a familiar voice reached him on the air, but not very loudly. Turning his head in its direction (because, for all of Emwe's clumsiness, his senses were still as keen as anyone's), he spotted his friend Colibri not that far away, looking at him. He'd been so preoccupied with his playing that he hadn't hear her approach! It was still an unknown fact to him, that the two were indeed sister and brother, at least halfway, and perhaps part of this was because no one had taken it upon themselves to explain properly. Explaining something like that would include shattering his idea of a whole family forever, because if his parents were his family but also the family of other people, it meant that his family was not special. It wasn't whole and perfect. In his head, his parents could still get back together, even if he hadn't even seen his mother in ages. Conor had a different view on things, probably, but Emwe knew that his own belief was correct.


........The beetle regained its freedom as the boy turned around trotted over to his friend "the Coli", and bumped his head onto her leg as a greeting. He was very pleased! The beetle had only been his playmate because no one else had been there, but now there was someone here he could talk to properly! Oh, the best! Coli! A smile on his face, he hadn't yet picked up on formalities such as "how are you?" or anything that could even start a conversation. His tail stated what he could have said in words, though, as it wagged happily from one side to another. Her hair was different, and the male saw fit to state that - as if she didn't already know. Your hair is short!

"You're not old enough to shift yet, are you...?" she asked suddenly, realization dawning that he probably was. She had been about his size, she figured. It was too soon! Couldn't he stay a polite little pup forever? Soon he would be thinking about girls, and going on pack hunts, and choosing a co-rank... He had never known any other pack, so he probably wouldn't leave. Not like her... Guilt wrenched in her gut, and she averted her gaze, torn between loyalties. Emwe was a good boy, he'd said it himself. His eldest sister had a much weaker moral compass. She could probably learn from him, his innocent honesty. Maybe he could do the impossible, and stay innocent forever.

That's ok!
Word Count: 394

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He gabbled on as his friend Coli responded to his demands for attention, and when she asked him if he liked the hair, he nodded vigorously. Yes very pretty Coli! He nudged her again, smiling, quite happy to have a new source of entertainment. No one had explained to him thei link besides friendship, but a bond of friendship was as good as any. He'd learned to differ between the little lady and their father. Now, with the different hair, it was even easier!


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Coli said he looked bigger, too, and now he sat down and raised his chin, as proud as he could be. He was very big! Alexey said so all the time before, too, that he was a big boy, but now that he looked at Conor, he saw that Conor was much smaller and Emwe wasn't, but Emwe was a little fat but it didn't bother him much. Despite his age, this pride at meeting the wishes of the adult population of the pack (although it wasn't a wish per se, though it worked to set his good mood in motion) was never ceasing. His tongue rolled out of his mouth as he was very content indeed, before responding to her statement. Alexey says I'm fat, but I'm just big. I'm much bigger than Conor, too!


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As last time, Coli said many smart things. Maybe he could shift! He had never thought about that, really, not properly. He assumed he could do it because his dad did it, but he'd never tried. And he didn't know when it was the right age to do it either. His silvery eyes stared at his friend for a moment, dimly. Then, having thought about it, spirit returned to his face and he smiled; I don't know. Can I shift? Pausing, he looked at her form, eyes widening, so accustomed to looking at luperci that he didn't even realize she was in that particular form that day. The idea that formed itself in his head was one of his brighter this week. Maybe you can teach me! His tail worked furiously behind him, so excited by his lovely idea. Oh, he hoped she could. It would be the best thing ever, and maybe Conor hadn't done it yet and he would be the first one! He would show Conor who was the smart one!

Her spine straightened, her mane flattening and melting back into her thick brown coat. Her blue eyes remained firmly shut to maintain her focus as her werewolf heritage rippled through her frame, from Optime to Secui to Lupus. When her fingers had shrank into toes, when her elbows eased into forelegs and her haunches were flat on the earth, Colibri let her eyes flutter back open, tilting her head coyly to watch Emwe. She couldn't recall ever being watched before, but she had never found it painful or frightening, and it was a fluid transition for her. That was one thing her genes were good for, she supposed. Slightly out of breath, she smiled, wagging her tail playfully behind her. "That's what it's like!"

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Coli asked if he could hunt by himself already, and now his eyes were cast downwards for a moment. He wasn't so good at that. Maybe because he was so clumsy, but every time he tried everything noticed him and ran away. Emwe Soul was good at getting attention, although not so good at avoiding it. So far, he'd never caught anything, unless you could count hurting a bird by accident. His silvery eyes were lifted to meet the clear blue of his half-sister, but his voice and his face was not sad when he spoke. Actually, his expressions were closer to being normal than ever, now that he was sincere and open, instead of hyper-actively seeking praise. As the words began to tumble out of him though, he remembered why he liked Coli, and his spirits were lifted - as was his pitch. I've not caught anything yet - maybe I'm clumsy. Alexey is trying to teach me but I want to hunt moles like you do! By the time the sentence was finished, his tail was wagging at full speed again, the low of his mood completely forgotten. Not that it had been a proper low anyway, just a minor setback.


His tail stilled and he sat down, giving her his full attention, as she spoke about shifting. He'd completely not remembered to ask anyone about it, but if they said he could do it already, he would be keenly interested in knowing how. Maybe he was less clumsy in that form? Maybe he could hunt in it! He'd seen his daddy, and he was fierce. Then again, his dad was the strongest and fiercest male ever, so that would explain a lot. Coli stopped speaking as she started shifting, and with eyes the size of saucers he watched her change. In fact, it looked really painful, but he could see on her face that she wasn't in pain. And if it had been painful, he knew everyone wouldn't be doing it, so it couldn't be. It still looked really weird and scary, and when she finished and spoke to him, he remained still - so fascinated by this ability that he found no words. His voice was dark as he finally gave in to his amazement. Wooooooow! I can do that too? Really?

Her half-brother met her gaze steadily with the fearless confidence of childhood. It seemed silly to be envious of it, but Coli missed the days when she too felt indestructible. She had loved to explore and invent and challenge the world. It was something only children could do, before they learned what failure was... "Oh, Emwe, that's so sweet of you. It's fun to hunt the little ones - it's less about agility, and more about tracking. For moles, you have to stay in one place so that you don't startle them, and then listen very carefully... Then you get one shot, to land on them!" Her feathered tail thumped against the ground, mirroring his own. She had never learned how to successfully hunt big game like most wolves - after all, she had been too young during the short months she had been with Clouded Tears, and after that, lived on her own. It had been more energy-efficient to learn tricks for catching small prey, and it was still her habit.


Her muzzle crinkled into a friendly smile, blue eyes shining happily. Emwe seemed so easily amused, but it was completely endearing. He must be fun to live with. "Of course you can! We inherited the ability, from our-" Coli paused abruptly, remembering his confusion from the last time they had played together. He hadn't believed that they were related then, and dismissed it. His family life had changed since then, but it didn't mean his values had. "-From our ancestors. We're called Luperci if we can shift. It's the biggest step to becoming a grown-up." Her ears titled back slightly, conflicted. Should she bring it up again anyway? She wanted to be seen as a sibling, not just a friend. She wanted him to know that he was one of the only family members that she liked to spend time with... and especially now, that she might not be in Dahlia de Mai forever to see him mature and grow older.

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The silvery eyes in the middle of his face watched his friend Coli intently. After all, she was very good at catching moles, and he had to learn all the tricks. It was no laughing matter; he simply had to become as good as she was, or at least try. He didn't know why he felt like that, but lately the pressure of learning things was starting to grow. Especially since he hadn't really caught anything yet - that is, unless already injured prey counted. It wasn't as much about catching as it was simply eating, in those cases. They couldn't run away, after all. Still his vocabulary kept gaining new entries, and he noticed that the amount of incomprehensible words diminished almost on a daily basis. Mostly, it was the complicated words that were still difficult, and he more often than not understood the superficial meaning, but not the more than that. His tail danced as he replied, the two half-siblings matching almost, in that sense. Maybe I should try it next time! Moles are tastier than sick rabbits. But can't they smell you? Because rabbits can and they run away when I get near. He'd tried many times, but all he could catch were injured ones. Once he had found one that had died by itself and it wasn't so old but it had tasted really badly. Fresh moles were way better.


She was so natural about it! Emwe's eyes were saucers as he admired her new body. He knew very well that some could do that, but he had no idea that he could do it! But, of course, it made sense - his father could do it, after all. Only a month or so after his first meeting with Coli had he realized the link between parents and children, both in looks and other qualities. He'd subsequently denied that his father's demeanor could have gone to him, and pushed it out of his head. The thought had not returned since. He had a stunning ability to do that. A great smile was on his maw as Coli spoke of why they could do it, and when she paused he cocked his head, confused. What did she mean? He was smart enough to recognize that kind of behavior now. What was it she had meant to say? Curiosity took over his mind and everything else was ignored for a moment. From who?

Her blue eyes were bright with simple happiness, buoyed up by Emwe's attentive enthusiasm. Perhaps she could find him prey today, and they could have a little hunt together! The thought made her bridle with pleasure, and she replied lightly, "Yes, rabbits are timid things, aren't they? Actually, moles are more likely to hear you, or feel you walking towards them." Coli smiled helplessly, realizing that wouldn't be much help if it was the stalking he had trouble with. He would have to learn to spot the little furrows that underground prey left behind, and then wait patiently in that spot...


"When there's snow on the ground, you can hunt all kinds of little things the same way, because mice and voles and such make tunnels in the snow," she added, the thought occurring to her. It was still too warm for snow, but the seasons cooled off quickly in these northern regions. Emwe's boyish clumsiness would probably be gone by the time winter arrived. He could only be a gawky youngster for so long. How did parents put up with it, when their pups grew up so quickly?


Emwe tilted his head, eying her curiously. Coli swallowed guiltily, her ears tipping back further. He wasn't as young and clueless as he used to be, and it wasn't fair to lie to him -- not when she wanted to be recognized by him so badly. Conor had figured it out, after all, and she cared about both of her brothers, despite the scanty time she had been granted to spend with them. She smiled halfheartedly, ducking her head in a shy mannerism. "Inherited from our... dad." It felt bitter to call him that, but as long as she wasn't saying it to his face, he could go on pretending she was dead. She stole a glance at Emwe's innocent face, wondering if he would deny her again. Eventually it would all add up. She just hoped he would still like her.

Haha, yeah, true Word Count: 363

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Coli used a word he hadn't heard before, and his ears rejoiced. Timid. Timid! What a strange word. His mind payed with it a moment before he listened more closely to what his friend was saying, and now his ears drooped. Moles were harder to catch than rabbits? "Oh." He didn't want them to be; he wanted them to be easy! He was about to say something, but then Coli continued to talk. So they hid in the snow, did they? So hunting rabbits would be easier in winter? He didn't really recall what snow was or how ti behaved, having been far too young when surrounded by it. Now, his tail wagged, and he realized that even if it was growing colder and he wasn't sure he liked that, he liked that it might be easier to hunt rabbits. The thought was accompanied with a generous smile, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth as he showed his teeth in a friendly gesture. He was kind of tired of eating things he hadn't killed himself.


........His face was open for her solution, but she looked very weird. He wasn't so good at spotting things like that, but she seemed nervous or something. Her ears did, anyway, the way they moved. In fact, he was quite glad he was able to recognize things like that so well, but he didn't have time to think about that because Coli said something very shocking. Their dad. They had the same dad? Why hadn't anyone told him?! The young male felt pretty stupid now, and since he happily ignored the fact that his father was a full-bred, violent psychopath, he simply felt cheated of a sister for a long time of his young life. His face changed now, and he looked disappointed as he spoke with a low voice. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" He liked Coli and he was glad that she was his sister but he didn't like it when people didn't tell him stuff that everyone else knew. "Does Conor know?" A thought struck him and he looked at Colibri suspiciously. "Wait. Does mother know?" What kind of family did he have?!