What is true?
What is real?
What secrets are out there to reveal?

Life has been a warm, peaceful thing. Mother provided. Eyes opened, ears opened, and the world became revealed one step at a time. Siblings became the world, along with the walls that confined them. It was a thing of comfort at first, these walls. Unable to move much, unable to explore, it was protection they didn’t even know they needed.

But time crept forward
And he crept upwards

The desire to push against the world, to rebel against gravity, was strong in this one, and soon enough he was no longer on his belly, but upon four paws. There was a wobble to his step, but eyes flashed with determination.

He could walk
And the earth rejoined
For soon, he would run

But that would not be this day. No, this day he must learn. He must struggle. For only the strong of body and mind survive…and he was going to do more than survive. The mouth of the den held many wonders, with wind tempting him forward. The smells. He was lured, and he would not be stopped!

Wind, wind
Bring me to where I belong
Show me what secrets you hold

Leaving the pile of siblings, he marched forward. Each step brought him closer and closer to the entrance, and he ignored everything else around him. The wind brushed against his fur ever so slightly, beckoning him forward…until he is met with a sight most stunning, he wobbled and fell back onto his haunches.

The sunrise is my name
The sunrise is my soul
Show me your light

Eyes were open wide, taking in the new morning as he had never done before. The beauty had taken his breath away…was this what the wind was trying to show him?

C’eghaan is content to lay with mother, to rest with siblings, warm at her belly and know nothing else. He tries to be first to all! First to nursing, first to open sky eyes, first to cry and waddle around.

Oh, but brother has beat him this time!

His little head turns to watch dark brother make haste on four unsteady legs. Indignation swells! With urgency, he cries, huffs, and his footprints follow after. Where does he go? Why did he leave? He falters at times before he gains a rhythm, walks on stout limbs after brother.

Cold breeze hits as he meets up with dark brother, huffing as he runs into sibling. Infant eyes take in the light and C’eghaan wants more. The wind chills him but the brightness dancing off snow warms his cheeks. He yips, as if to say: follow me, follow me.

the girl until today was content to grow at her own pace. they were born to eat and sleep, and that was easy enough. the girl barely knew her name, nor the names of her brothers, but that wasn't something she knew she was supposed to know. she knows only that they were there, that they were warm (and annoying) and they would always be there — and so would mama.

she was headfirst in mama's belly, sky blue eyes shut tight with each greedy gulp. until the little scrape of nails, the huffing and whining of her brothers, and the loss of their warmth; a change!? by now, one of her brothers would've been climbing on top of her to steal her teat as if there wasn't one next to her that he could take. searching for answers for this madness, her head feverishly whips around: hey, where's everybody going!?
her eyes land squarely on mama, as if she understood why yesc'ebaa's brothers — who up until now were more than happy to wage war over milk — were running away. she watched curiously, her little otter-tail wagging in excitement and the urge to follow causing her heart to race. but a lick of her lips and a taste of milk reminded her. yesbaa was still hungry, and now there was more food for her. all for her!

she too battled against her brothers for food, after all. it was blood that tied them, though the girl wouldn't know that yet. yesbaa dove headfirst again like an eager mole, suckling feverishly on a teat before anyone else would rip it away from her as so often happened.

“Where you two going, hm?”
It had been weeks since Iglux̂ had gone out, except to relieve herself. It was not that she was particularly depressed or worried, but she scarcely had time to focus on anything except her basic routine. Cen delivered meat and furs; she was always starving. A woman she had not yet met left herbs and medicines. Otherwise, it was the five of them and the silver, often in a sleep-deprived haze. With those eyes now she regards her sons’ wriggling tails at the den’s edge.
Near her breast are the other three, suckling with eyes squeezed shut, breathing in fast, little inhales. Iglux̂ sighs. She’s not a particularly knowledgeable or experienced mother, and she felt she was barely muddling through most of the time. But at least she was good at feeding. It had been easy, intuitive, perhaps the only part of the experience which had come naturally for her. She loved being needed in this most fundamental of ways.
Little Yesbaa is still sucking steadily, making the smallest noises that have become somehow comforting to her over these last three weeks.
“Don’t forget your sister, boys.” She nuzzles down to kiss the tiny, warm crown, then stands up, straightening her legs.
It is time for them to meet their world.

Never alone
At least, not yet

His brother comes quickly. Ears pick up the sound of scuffling behind him. He is not angered by this, nor irritated.

Life is the family.
At least, so far.

There is a comfort that his brother comes to this opening, a thing that has been around and yet none of them had the capacity to approach it yet.

But they had grown so brave!
At least, they think.

Fur clashes with fur, and the two are physically met again. Yanggadi Saghani finds a growl in his throat - a simply warning to respect his space.

Brother wants more, and so does he.
At least, they align.

Mother’s voice is heard though, and hesitation is felt. He was starting to understand the words, though not knowing exactly how to form them himself. He leans into his brother before turning to see mother standing, their light colored sister having to battle for milk. He yips at his sister, tail wagging as he strikes the ground with a single paw. Let’s go! Let’s go! Yet he knows not how to say it. He pushes forth then, bursting out of the den and into the snow, backing himself a bit as the feeling of this stuff was…different. He looked to mother then, for her opinion on such matters.

Milk-drunk and sprawled upon his side, Nen'tah dreamt of running. With steady breaths and powerful legs far longer than he yet possessed, the wind rushed through his fur as he surged forward; a formless shadow sprinted ahead of him, instinct already providing a visual of what experience lacked.

To hunt. Chase.

Faster! Faster!

His leg twitched and he suddenly woke with a start, the sound of C'eghaan's eager yips rousing him from his sleep. The pup yawned and licked his milk-stained lips, surveying his siblings and their swiftly-retreating forms with Mother's quiet obsidian eyes. He didn't rush to his paws and follow them out, but studied them carefully, watching their movements in silence. Nen'tah liked to observe.

Yesbaa wasted no time, however. His gaze flickered toward her eager feasting, and for a moment he felt torn; should he follow his brothers out beyond the den, or stay behind and take advantage of Mother's free-flowing milk?

Mother made the decision for him.

The dark child stood up and walked with quiet resignation toward the exit. Light streamed in, and he blinked against it; but yes, what of sister? Nen'tah turned to look back at Yesbaa, a silent question in his eyes as if to say, 'aren't you coming too?'