[ AW ] BUTTERFLY WINGS

anthe,

Waves were not all too loud for the charcoal ears that twitched occasionally, as everything remained a muted din to the young she-wolf. Forever encased in a gauzy attempt at experiencing the world through sounds, leaving sight and smell to guide on a more complex journey. The call of gulls above were not heard at all, though they existed above the gray-washed ocean.

Foam rocked against the top of the tumultuous waters, sights that told of a rather breeze-filled day to the new yearling. Each paw step against the fine grains of onyx sand left a feeling of skin sloughing between the toes. They would be raw by end of day, in need of a soothing salve mixed on her own - for she had studied at the clinic astutely with a keen interest in medical aid.

No agenda lay on the youthful mind, nor any particular whimsy. Brine-filled air pressed the finer charcoal hairs against her neck, whipping strands against the smooth eclipse of the dark face, and teasing the white muzzle. A deep breath inflated the chest somewhat as she pondered what her life would be like come adulthood. Now was the time to explore outside the safe confines of her mothers' clinic and warm den. (To find trouble in the form of a merry companion, perhaps?)

A

year had hurried by, with days that seemed somehow both endless and rushed. A year had passed since the birth of the trio of pups, to a pair of parents that were now completely unknown. Willow would never think to imagine what they may have been like, for the thought of anyone other than her devoted mothers being her parents was beyond her comprehension, even at one year old. Her life, save for those first two fateful months, had been mostly sheltered, shielding the girl's innocence. Except, of course, the wild night at the king's ball... But Willow tried not to think too much about that harrowing event, even if she was presently in the Mainlands again.


In spite of the smells of the ocean, with seaweed washed upon the black shore and the sting of salt in the air, a known scent drew Willow closer. This was not her home, but the scent that caught her attention was undeniably one of familiarity, and an unconscious smile spread across delicate black lips as grass green eyes sought out her sister. In the damp sea air, Willow's tri-color coat was unruly... moreso than usual, a mess of black and tan and ivory. It was exciting to be somewhere near, but even more exciting to have someone to share it with.


If indeed a merry companion is what Anthe sought, she need look no further than her own sibling, who charged up the beach toward her darker sister with tongue lolling from her mouth. Each bounding step in the strange sand seemed to take a bit more effort than just plain old regular walking, and it was fun to struggle against the slippery sliding beneath her paws. "An-ee!" She called out in a song-like voice, using an old nickname once used out of necessity, when Willow's tongue was too inexperienced to pronounce her sister's name in full.


@Anthe

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

anthe,

Toes squirmed in the onyx granules, abrupt and angry in their search to be free as each paw step held a little shake to it, dispersing said granules against already traveled ground. Such a way of travel made progress slow, yet that was of no concern to the youth who's carmine eyes voraciously drank up the angry sea. Only - a familiar voice broke over the waves - loud enough that Anthe's slender face turned on the axis of an equally slender neck to catch sight of Willow racing forward.

Lips ticked upward in a display of joy to see a sister. Familiar faces always brought a sense of grounding to the yearling, especially those of family. "Willow!" The singular word hits the air with a precise two syllables, as she is always careful to enunciate her words due to the off-sounding pitch from the inability to hear correctly; fortunately, those within her family were accustomed to the odd lilt and tone that made up her voice.

Although Anthe was happy to see Willow, there was a tinge of disappointment that she hadn't met someone new on the obsidian shore. Siblings were some of the best things to endure in life, but they were also the ones you commonly butted heads with in youth. Yet the teeth that bared in a joyous grin only met an equal shine within the depths of carmine, inviting her sister in for a sort of hug as the charcoal body shifted. It was with a spray of onyx sand that Anthe's own paws began a rhythm to meet Willow's pace and create a small, frolicking semi-circle about the lighter hued form. "Whut're ya doin' here?"

W

illow was exuberant in her approach. It had not occurred to her, not even a little bit, that perhaps Anthe had come here for some semblance of separation from the family, and that her sister had in fact hoped to encounter a new face out here in these wide open spaces. She did not stop to consider that maybe Anthe had not wanted to be followed all the way out here. The other yearling danced about her in a half circle, inquiring, "Whut're ya doin' here?" Willow jumped forward in a playful pounce. ”Oh, I come out here all the time,” she fibbed with a grin, hoping Anthe would be impressed by her explorative prowess. ”What are you doing out here, hm?” She feigned a suspicious expression. "And how come I haven't seen you around the College, young lady?"


Her sibling was painted in the same three colors as Willow, with tan and ebony and ivory, though nature had dictated that they should look entirely different in that palette. Where Willow was dressed in the lighter hues, Anthe was darker, much like Nephele. The girl looked between her sister and the dark sand of the beach with a curious look before she announced, speaking louder so that the waves did not drown out her voice (which was unlikely, because Willow was many things, but quiet was not one of them). ”This beach looks just like you!”



@Anthe

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

anthe,

Caught by her sister, siblings were always great at finding you in a vulnerable position. Anthe had always had trouble hearing anyone, and relied mostly on reading lips, which at times was not the best practice, as she had found out with her mother at an apothecary when she was younger. To explain these insecurities surrounding her hearing to Willow felt as though it would bare a weakness that she didn't want her sister to exploit. "I came ta see what was out here," she had replied in a quiet manner to Willow's questions about her presence among the sandy shoreline. Part of her was grateful that her sister had found her out here and not a stranger, for it would have been harder to connect on the level that she and willow already found themselves. Aside from the fact that Anthe wasn't pleased over her sister questioning her absence from the college. "I'm just taking a break from my studies." A lie, to say the least, for Anthe hadn't really planned on studying under the professors of the college. She had hoped instead that her mothers would allow her to take over the clinic and teach her all that she would need to know.

Then, a sudden chime of her sister's voice over the waves announced that she looked just like the sands they stood upon. A toothy grin split her charcoal face near in two as a giggle found itself rising from her mouth. "I don' shine like tha sun though." She knew willow had meant to compliment her, but she had always admired the wheat pelt of her sister in comparison to her darker fur. There was something beautiful about the way Willow's colors fell together in comparison. When beside each other they were yin and yang.