Magnolia was growing swiftly into a menace, and it was becoming even more swiftly clear that the little shit enjoyed sewing chaos. When she shoved a misplaced paw at a siblings ribs, when she stole something that wasn't hers, when in general ire was pointed the pale girls way... she conveniently fell back to flop next to Saga, and did something cute like chew on a foot or pretend she was asleep. So far, she'd been allowed to be a mischievous little shit; what was the harm in a baby being a baby, after all? She wasn't hurting anyone, not really! But there was a den full of wriggling bodies, and Magnolia was already tired of being corralled. She just wanted to have fun and play, it wasn't her fault the others (mostly Frigi) weren't up to snuff.

It even seemed she'd inherited her Mother's late-night preference. Many nights Saga laid awake in the den, she had the company of her eldest bundle of joy.

Tonight, Mum was actually asleep. She was never asleep first! Curled around her three dozing babies, she must've decided an early night was in order.... Boy, was she going to regret that. Magnolia fidgeted around the cuddle puddle for several moments, trying to settle in because she didn't really have much else to do -- thoughts were still frayed, and babyish, and one day her poor mother would look back and wish for these simple days -- before deciding.... well, she didn't want to.
She didn't want to be put to bed. She didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to cuddle with her littermates against the warm, silver pelt of their dam. Even pretending to be asleep and poking someone didn't appeal to her.

Magnolia's unstable ears flopped as she slid over Saga's flank and hit the soft edge of their mossy nest. Nobody immediately moved, and the silvery child toddled off towards Light. It was only a few steps to the wall that separated their nest from the rest of the den, but Magnolia had been here before! It was just another part of the stony den, and while it'd been great good fun to look at in awe.... it'd introduced her to the great outdoors, except she wasn't allowed out there! It was all a terrible slight, but she'd try again, now, while things were quiet. Surely, if nobody was up and doing things and busy, that meant she was free to explore! Normally, people were talking, or someone else was getting a bath, or eating, or whatever.
Not now.

The pups still baby-blue eyes were fixated on the den's entrance, but something wasn't right.... She'd seen it light, and she'd seen it dark, but this was something different. Outside was a color it'd never been, the color splashed across her family, the color of the meat Mum ate when Jaxxon brought it (which turned out pretty fuckin' good, she had a bite yesterday).

For the very first time, Magnolia stepped from the den and was bathed in the light of the blood moon, blinking widely up at the red disk hanging in the crimson sky.

Ghost

What a rude awakening.

Laurel woke with a paw pressed to her throat, however briefly, but before she could snap at whichever sibling it was it was gone. Up and over. The large pup laid there for a moment, putting the pieces together slowly.

Mom was asleep.

She was awake.

Immediately the silvery pup rose, slowly, ever so slowly, picking her way away from the sickly runt and her mother, moving at a snails pace while watching the breathing piles of fur until she was sure her pawsteps wouldn't wake anyone.

And then she walked right into Magnolia's ass with a quiet oof. Quietly snapping her teeth in the offending pup's direction, as if she wasn't the one that did it in the first place, before taking the opportunity.

To bolt.

Right into the outside, away from the safety of the den.

The moon was a bright red, but as far as she was aware that was normal!

Skill - Warrior

There weren't a lot of good reasons to be up when everyone else was sleeping, Zacharie felt. But in a stroke of luck, the unconscious jostling of his siblings against Dulcie woke the ornery tyke. He gave his best growl, a bubbly little sound that mostly didn't intimidate anyone yet. Then he kicked at them with stubby hindpaws, trying to make room for himself even if it sent a littermate rolling away from the warmth of their pile.

Then he noticed some of the others were awake, too. He squinted at the dim red hue coming from the edge of all the world he'd ever known. It was kind of scary! He growled again. But he was always growling, about everything, so that wasn't really anything new or worth waking up about.

He thought about hiding in the plush safety of Dulcie's tail... Until the idea of Mabby and Lauw (the closest he could come to saying their names, so far) getting something he didn't made him more unhappy than he was afraid. Bumbling after them with the fur along his back bristling, he stopped where the light cut a line across the threshold of the den, sniffing and huffing as if fearful crossing it might send him tumbling into the sky.

Finally a careful paw stretched out, over it...

...and found there was no difference at all but his perception.

He still stepped carefully the rest of the way. Only when all four paws were loose upon the outside world did he rush to catch up to the others, aiming an uncoordinated tackle at Laurel with joyous adrenaline.

Saga had been asleep, yes, but she was too paranoid to remain that way. Tiny little Magnolia was becoming more of a handful with each passing day, and even worn to her most tired, Saga knew she had to keep a close eye on that one. Between her, Laurel who always seemed to be trying to keep up, and sickly little Frigi.... the silver Fox woman knew she had to keep on her toes. Still, there didn't seem to be much harm in the little shits exploring, though her anxiety skyrocketed when one of Dulcie's brood toddled to follow.
They hadn't really... talked about what would happen. Saga didn't want to parent children that weren't hers if it would stir trouble, but surely the curly-tailed parent would appreciate an extra eye on his child? These children... they were siblings, even if the word couldn't be brought into the light. Saga didn't know if that was important or not, but she'd always had a few siblings she liked, the few littermates that tried to help her be less herself. A support group of any kind was good, especially in a place like this.
Dulcie and Saga might not be buddy-buddy, but the Fox knew she'd appreciate an extra set of paws. She wanted to worry for her babies.... but she also worried those babies could give poor soft pampered Dulcie a run for his money, too. As much as the 'village' would be nice, some part of Saga wondered if she even could trust anyone else to watch after her hellions. Not because of who she trusted, but because of who could handle them.

Was it too soon to ask Jaxxon to watch them so she could get out and stretch her legs?

Saga unwrapped herself carefully from Frigi and followed the three curious babies, also apparently unbothered at the crimson sky. She slunk behind them and hovered just in the mouth of the den, eyes sweeping the area and ears perked as she kept silent watch.

A single, soft yawn split her jaws.

Her lone journey didn't end up so. Very quickly, in fact, a number of things happened. Maggie was just standing there soaking in the blood moon, the yawning shadows of the open mountainside, stars glittering far above the misty ground, the crisp and wet night air as she breathed it in.... A bump against her rear that sent her stumbling forward, and a BITE to her ASS. Magnolia flopped forward onto her chest, growling low at her much larger sister and righting herself just to send a bite back Laurels way. Rude! Uncalled for! She was the leader to bigger things, the first witness to the big red orb in the night sky, the firstBORN, and here she was being harassed. The audacity.

But Laurel wasn't even there anymore. Laurel went hauling further!

That was unacceptable.

'ey,' she chirped indignantly, ears pinning.

Then another nestmate popped from the den and came running as she righted herself. Magnolia woofed a quiet sound, some cross between happy and angry, and even though Saga came to take up the rear.... she did not call them back in, which was a surprise. Perhaps there was something special about the outside being this color instead, or maybe it was what she'd been waiting for! Whatever the reason (Saga being too tired to stop her most willful child and now-cohorts), Magnolia was happy to race alongside Zacharie as he lunged for Laurel. The frosted child just squealed with laughter.

Heavy pawsteps behind them told her Saga was lazily following, too paranoid to leave them out of her sight but unwilling to end the fun.

Ranger

She had been tackled, letting out an indignant squawk before turning to bite at the other pup, oh so roughly shaking (she's a baby, it's not much) at the offending boy before spotting Mother.

The child froze for a moment, waiting for reprimanding, before absolutely bolting as fast as her little legs could carry her into the undergrowth. Can't catch her, she's speed! The adventure wasn't going to be done yet, theres so much WORLD out here! So many smells to sniff!

Skill — Warrior

Magnolia joining the fray gave him many different toes and ears and tails to nip at, and he was almost overwhelmed by the available options — but then, Laurel escaped! He was not nearly so fast! It wasn't fair!!

Growling again, he tried to push Magnolia down to give himself a head start in the race to catch up. If he noticed Saga, or was worried about her scolding him, he didn't seem to care.