but i don't hear,

Feeling embarrassed from her.. Outburst, Vermillion avoided her siblings. She was always a crybaby, but felt even moreso upon the issues that plagued their litter. Issues, arising the more they grow and resentment, to the lesser-born of them all — which included herself. Striken, with whites and grays, not only was was she looked upon like an extra within her own life, even her own siblings, at times, held a gaze of judgement. Like they were above her.

She sought most of her time within the outskirts of their land, almost as she was inching further, and further away. A longing of home that seemed to be absent — she hadn't realized how.. Of a desire that was, after meeting those who expressed a care, a comfort to her that didn't seem but just false attitude, of a need, then an actual want. 

Sometimes she wished 'Dues' truly did come, and yet never saw that deer again.

She wondered if Remus, would one day leave — and if so, could she come with?

Longing, Vermillion stared out of the fields.

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*throws the babies*

---

The cubs were wandering farther and farther from their mother's side. Siilgit pushed the boundaries each day, wondering when was too far. Their mother seemed content to let them go — so long as they were together, and so long as they remained near Elkshire. Both were reasonable, Ts'iwaangit reasoned.

Ts'iwaangit was Siilgit's leash, always pulling her larger sister back when she pushed too too far. The plains south of their wintering mountains still smelt of the Elkshire woods, so Ts'iwaangit trundled behind her sister, her eyes searching for...well anything remotely dangerous.

Siilgit stopped, huffing excitedly. Sister, look! Siilgit called before gesturing towards the huddled form of a pup — one of Celnes'. She looks sad, Ts'iwaangit observed. Siilgit only nodded before she shot off towards the pup, grinning and calling all the while. Hi! Pup! Hi pup! Hi Queen-pup! Ts'iwaangit barely got a cry of alarm out before she ran after her, hoping they didn't spook the miserable creature.
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They were aware of the bears, and even met them long ago.. Mother told them not to be scared and they were friendly — but still a barrier would be created. A wariness from instinct, especially as a child, anything stronger was a desire to simply move and leave.. But Vermillion knew that was rude of her as well, and despite some fear and wariness, locked herself into place as she looked at the cubs.

"Hello.." she said, rather meekly.

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Ts'iwaangit finally caught up to her sister, who had sat a muzzle's length away from the pup, with her hind legs spread out in front of her. The red-hued cub only grumbled a hello, sitting farther away from Vermillion, more cautious. Siilgit tilted her head. Where łmkdii? — sibling(s) Siilgit looked around, then raised her nose in the air to sniff. Siblings, Ts'iwaangit translated. She was much better at the common tongue despite speaking less. I think she wants to be alone, She explained to her sister in their own language, nudging the larger cub. But she's sad! Siilgit protested. You can't want to be alone and still be sad!
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Though her other abilities were lacking, Vermillion had great hearing. Especially since they continued talking within English, she didn't know if they were purposely trying to have her hear, or but an accident. When she remembered the mother bear, they often spoke an unfamiliar language.. A knowledge there was more out there, but for those of Elkshire, and especially Deorwine origin, she only knew English. It did bring a slight wanting, if she could learn them — but there was no one to ask, and even if it did, the young Princess would never do.

"Uhm," she started, "my siblings are off playing together.. At least Warwick, Edith and Calhoun.. I think." She couldn't say where the others were, often doing their own thing. Melrose was stuck within the medicine den often, but lately she has come out to play more.

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The sisters looked at each other. To them, the idea of being apart from one another — especially so young — as so alien as to be incomprehensible. “Why not wit' you?” Siilgit frowned. She was deeply disturbed by this. Ts'iwaangit felt, for the first time in her life perhaps, like fighting the other pups. How dare they do that to their sister! Weren't wolves supposed to live in a pack — support each other, as a family? That was how Ma'a described it. “That's not fair!” the red-brown cub growled. “Dey should play wit' you!” Siilgit was surprised by her sister's outburst, but agreed wholeheartedly with a grunt and a nod.
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She knew it was her fault. Maybe if she grew more of a spine, and had more energy like Edith, or the kindness of Warwick, maybe they'd play more often.. But some of it was against the colorism that they were born into ; for her milky whites and grays unlike the more holy if siblings gave them something to judge upon. To stray away, if anything.

She wasn't sure how to answer the cub bears, besides her now sobbing.

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Neither of them knew how to respond at first.

It wasn't as if either of them hadn't cried before, but never in this circumstance — of being hopelessly lost and alone, of being comfortless and without their siblings.

Siilgit acted first after the shock had worn away. She shuffled forward and extended her arms, then wrapped them around the sobbing pup, humming softly as her mother would do. Ts'iwaangit held back from a full embrace, but she placed a paw on Vermillion's shoulder instead, letting her presence be felt.
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She realized ; she never heard her mother sing. A rhythmic lullabies that would drown to some asleep, and rather she was more of a story-teller then anything. Often ways that involved some part of the Deorwine religion, or just general random tidbits — but the sounds of song was voided within Elkshire, and she found herself slightly humming along to it through her sobbing hiccups. 

It was a comforting feeling.

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The two remained with Vermillion in comfortable silence, broken only by Siilgit's continued humming. She hadn't run out of songs yet, and continued to hum their melodies as she shifted her embrace.

“I'm gonna bite them,” Ts'iwaangit suddenly muttered, her paw still remaining on Vermillion's side. Siilgit gaped at her in surprise. She had never heard anything so violent come from her sister before. “I will bite dem.” She repeated for Vermillion's sake. “Dey mean. Not good.” she growled. “Dey your family. Dey should like you. Should l—” she cut off as she searched for the word. “Llllovve you. You same blood. So dem pups stupid!” Ts'iwaangit huffed, puffing up to twice her size. “She right.” Siilgit eventually agreed.
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"We are all just.. Different." Never have they actually harmed her except for when they were true babes. Yet those memories long were gone, and toyed as playful parts within a past that wasn't the same for herself. She by no means was a paladin, a warrior or a warden, and barely could fight with her structure. She liked running though, she liked hunting — something all Deorwine young seemed to enjoy. But, not something she had the courage to go to them about.

Even with Maral and Aldritch, the three were settled into their own pity. .. Maybe she should've tried more. Maybe then Vermillion wouldn't be so lonely. She looked downcasted again, and gazed at her paws.

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