In the dimmest hour of day,

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Faust knew she had other siblings, in-fact there was about eight older ones in total. She had seen @Melrose and @Rohesia, although one seemed uncaring and the other looked at her in mild disgust. She knew of an older sister, @Vermillion, who carried both white and gray kinda like @Seaver, she was away to another pack, something named of Greenwood. Obviously so, though she knew of three the most, @Maral and @Warwick, the protectors, and @Edith the divine evil, who though blessed in colors was more sinful then any white she held. There was also vague whispers of another.. A lost child, smoked within none of the browns that any of them have, @Aldritch that was dropped once and never again. Almost like everyone attempted to erase him..

And then there was @Calhoun. She was around, and on occasion Faust would spot him but knowing well he may be acquainted and close to Edith she avoided him so, and often ducked out of cover. Yet some curiosity brought over to this brown-orange brother, who smelled a mixture of both Elkshire altogether and that of the pungent scent @Ceria held. Nerves have gotten the best of her — especially as by their standards she was of sin and not as elegant nor' divine as the rest of them.

But upon her strolling around did she come across his trial, a scent of that same brother and grew but a bit of confidence, as well as curiosity that came to. A deep breath ; maybe he would take pity just as brother Warwick has done. Yet at the same time that pity was something of a scorn, a tear within her heart — for if they didn't hate her, they pitied the young Faust.

She followed his scent, prowling through ; but imperfectly.

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Faust followed the trail of someone (or something), a tiny huntress, but was she aware that she herself was being stalked?

The shadow pursued her little sister in silence, both amused and vexed by her bold curiosity. Maral was becoming increasingly frustrated by how her kin did not learn from their mistakes: Célnes regularly left her too-young cubs to fend for themselves and Faust failed to appreciate the danger outwith the comfort of home despite the assault by Edith.

Silent as was oft expected of her, Maral Déorwine kept the girl within her sights. Sleek, and with her body to the forest floor as low as her limbs would allow, she slunk forward until the child was mere yards before her. She sent forth a bark, both to surprise and gain her attention.

“Some day,” she gathered herself, and flicked her tongue thoughtfully over her fang that'd been chipped in the fight with her littermate, “when you wander too far, danger will find you. And I will not always be around to protect you from it.”


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Although she attempted to hunt toward the brother not formally met, Faust had jumped — looking back alarmed to see the stalking Maral within presence. How long had she been following her? It toyed her heart unamusingly, not enjoying the thoughts of how easy it seemed to be to be preyed on! At the very least it wasn't the other, old sibling, but instead the more favorited that the frosten-deorwine enjoyed ; the only sister who she respected, and liked. Out of all her siblings, there was half that was undesired. By her.

She turned around and opened her mouth, before closing. It was hard to respond, some strange pride didn't want to ask to be taught, and the chore of doing so felt an annoyance at heart. Dreaded lessons as it was, for the most was upon the concious that she was sinned. Knowing Maral wasn't like so, but at the same time was hesitant to ask.

She didn't.

"I know," she said, looking behind her.

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Maral did not dote on the cubs as one might expect of a normal young she-wolf, but she would never wish any harm to befall them. Thus, she regularly observed their coming and going at a distance, eager to protect but avoid needing to interact as a parent figure she did not think herself capable of. @Warwick had adopted the role of pseudo-mommy with ease alongside @Teodora, but there were many a time that the shadow had found the youngsters entirely alone.

Times such as this.

The young huntress exhaled a heavy sigh, and blinked down at Faust with quiet disappointment even as she acknowledged her own wrongdoing. Maral was growing tired of shepherding her little sister, the boldest of the newest four, and simply wished she'd learn without repeatedly having to be told. “What are you doing out here, anyway?” Maral asked pointedly, her dark tail lashing between slim hocks.


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Away from everyone felt more comforting then being shackled to a den, a home of not really, where her siblings lay and on occasion other visits but it didn't feel.. Right, to say the least. She didn't enjoy feeling her presence was so open when it was a paranoia like at the moment another of a disliked-sibling would come forth in a vengeance, or but a nightmare to emerge and overall the openness, was unsettling. But at the same time, it was in truth Faust was awfully curious of all that was around, no matter of the trouble. She sometimes tried to push these same boundaries, but always caught.

Always.

"I wanted to see Calhoun." An honest answer, though bitterness to her tongue washed as she said this — for someone who hasn't seen all her siblings, and vaguely knows of them.. Well, she wanted to subject them to either being in the category of Maral & Warwick, or of Edith to stay away from.

She just wanted to know if he hated her too.

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Calhoun, she said, and Maral's velvet ears sprung forward atop her crown in surprise. The motion was fleeting, for they tipped backward almost immediately as she considered her sister's response. Her littermate, one of the favoured three, had spent time among the Nightwalkers as Edith had - and because of this, she didn't trust him. Maral had tended to avoid him while he resided in the Elk's Crown and oftentimes felt he'd evaded her as well, which suited her just fine.

“Why? Has he visited you before?” Maral questioned, curious to know if the youngest siblings had yet to gauge their big brother's opinion of them. She did not imagine Calhoun would welcome them with the same warmth Warwick had, and couldn't decide if he was capable of the same aggression with which Edith had shown to Faust. The shadow frowned deeply, and strode forward. With a nudge of her nose to the girl's dark hindquarters, she encouraged her to keep moving ahead. She was content to roam the forest with her for a time, where she could see her.


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"No." She had never seen him, but her mother shared what they looked like enough to recognize. Calhoun in particular was that brown-orange, sun-tanned and lighter, far more then any of the other and much similar to Selwyn — and yet, dazzled with a red view that took from a mysterious father, a father they did not share. Her own remained a mystery, an unknown man that Celnes never once mentioned, and neither did Faust, asked, or assumed any of her littermates as well. It was a foreign concept.

Maral pushed her forward, and she frowned lightly at this sister but instead of engaging, turned her head and continued on this trail. Although she tried to smell him, it was unfamiliar and a second-guessing. As it wasn't any that she knew, and a more pungent musky one ; that was what the young girl could assume. However as she continued, a stray squirrel ran across her path ; pausing for a moment, and watching it go.

An orange-red like the assumed Calhoun.

"I lost the trail," Faust said, realizing that in her moment of distraction.

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Faust made a little frowny face (yeah, she noticed), but knew better than to complain to Maral. Larger and wiserr, she had no problem in asserting herself appropriately over the pups, reminding them with a growl or even a nip if they dared to test her. The shadow liked to think they respected her a little better for that and if they were frustrated by it, then that was too bad. Born to such a vast litter, Maral had been an observant child - she'd seen how her siblings each assumed their own place in the pecking order and challenged one another for "rights", whereas she had resigned herself to the bottom of the food chain.

A watcher, one who'd long accepted that she'd never compare to her more beloved brothers and sisters purely because of the markings she'd been cursed with. She wanted better than that for Faust and the boys, though. She wanted them to be disciplined, yes, and knew that when they were big enough to assert themselves over her then she'd welcome the shift. 

In the meantime, however, they had to settle with her being the adult.

“Hm,” the shadow pondered, not at all liking that Faust so actively sought Calhoun - alone - out of pure curiosity. She was a foolish child, one who was far too brave and who took too long to learn. Her own sister had been awful to her, so why couldn't she understand that not everyone wanted would like her? The youngster shared that she'd lost the elder sibling's trail, and Maral flicked her tail, “probably for the best. I want you to be careful around Calhoun.” He was in no way as hot-headed as Edith, but she was concerned over the length of time he'd spent with the Nightwalkers.


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She somewhat had a feeling that the rest did not like her, for why else they would never meet her? Deorwines were to be family, close-knit in the royalties they held, and yet those who were not in the shine or perfection, were outcasted in just that. However, admittingly what would be annoyance at her brother Selwyn.. He too had seemed to be the end of the scorning, and treated just a bit better, by the marks of granting as the 'guardian' of the newest brood. However the rest were voided, unseen and unheard, even the cousins of her mother were absent, and barely-seen.

"Why?" Faust asked, turning to look at Maral with a neutrality. She wanted to know, she wanted to hear it directly from another who was supposedly 'marked' by sin. Was there a reason, that was similar to Edith of why she should not? It stung, admittingly, how no matter what was — only a few would shine some warmth.

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"Why?" Faust asked, and Maral groaned an agitated sound. She was such a disobedient child, and it irritated the shadow to no end. Her gaze lingered pointedly on young Faust while she considered how best to respond to the most annoying question in the world, though she could feel her patience wearing thin. The shadow wondered if her little sister would pick up on that and conjure up another enquiry, so she hurried in providing a rather clipped answer: “because I said so.”

She wanted Faust to trust her, because she was older - she knew better. Maral, though only barely a yearling herself, had a lifetime of living beneath her littermates. Destined to remain at the bottom of the pecking order, she did not dare challenge her brothers or sisters even when she knew the things they said were wrong, for such encounters were sure to end badly for her.

“Not everyone accepts what we are,” she thought to elaborate, knowing her sharpness would not satisfy Faust. “With white on your furs, even our own siblings might want to hurt you - like Edith tried to.” She twitched a whisker. “Do you understand?”


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The displeasure was apparent on her face when the other simply said 'because I said so.' She disliked being in the dark, the ignorance that was always left by the unteachings of these young besides the bare minimal, and the grace of Royal lessons, but so little in return. Although the narrowed look stayed as the other expressed, and Faust even knew, she knew, this was likely the chance. If her own blood, Edith, and her Mother, Celnes, had treated like so, what about her other siblings? There was even a wariness at Warwick at some point, but the young frosted-child was oh-so curious.

She was downhearted with this fact, tucked her head to her chest.

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