Dragonveil Fold Longing for Comfort

Open to family! @Pan @spartan @Isomne
RE: Sonnet, a sudden cool breeze picks up, despite the warmth, sending a shiver down your spine.
Backdated to the 17th.

Sonnet had been hiding out in the den since her misadventure. She hadn't been feeling the greatest, frequently coughing and often overwhelmingly sleepy. She only left the safety of her home if coaxed out by her parents, and was quick to return upon dismissal. The dark air that hung in the sky scared her. It made her cough and cough and cough. Her chest would ache from it. The child was adamant about staying inside. She felt weaker than normal and her small gash still stung, reminding her of the frightening animals that threatened to trample her.

The pup rested towards the den entrance, peering out wearily. A cool breeze blew in, ruffling her fur, and forcing a shiver down her spine. She whined at the chilly touch. When would the smoke leave? She missed the sun, the animals, her happy adventures, and playing outside! Most of all she missed not feeling icky. A cough wracked her small body and was followed by a hoarse sob.

Tonight we make our dreams come true
**Sonnet hasn't spoken since losing her family.

The time that she and her sister had been able to spend outside had been dwindling as of lately. Just when Pan had finally started to earn some new freedoms, such as the ability to explore, or to observe her parents and learn from them, it was being snatched away. Suffice it to say, the child did not like that one bit. She wanted to be out, doing or learning things. Not stuck inside.

But, she'd also begin to pick up on something else. Something was wrong. With her parents, her sister, even her. Sometimes she felt sick, tired. Sometimes it was hard to breathe without coughing. Pan had been able to glean that something was wrong with the air, but she wasn't quite sure what that meant.

A very painful sounding cough from her sister drew the girl's thoughts away from her thoughts. While sometimes Pan had sought independence from her sibling, she didn't anymore. The pup rose from where she'd been trying to nap towards the back of the den and plodded forth to sit beside Sonnet.

"You 'kay?" She questioned softly, head lolling to one side in worry.

Sonnet was plum miserable, with tears lining her eyes. Not because she wanted to cry, but instead of the ferocity of her fits. The deep hearty coughs that sounded of mucus left her tiny chest sore. Normally she'd be outside watching a pretty sunset or following behind her sister in an adventure. She enjoyed trodding behind Pan's lead when not seeking out peaceful solitude. Song loved the serenity of simply watching the world. Still, she also found pleasure in tagging along behind her twin.

Now though, since she'd gotten lost and sick, she didn't want to deal with the outside world. Not until the smoke cleared up. Not until it wasn't so scary anymore. Not until she stopped hurting all the time. Her attention was drawn to her sister as she drew close. The white pup looked over sorrowfully and whimpered. This didn't feel like being okay...and she was just so tired anymore. She forced herself to sit up and shook her head quietly.

Tonight we make our dreams come true
**Sonnet hasn't spoken since losing her family.

She definitely did not look okay. It appeared as if Sonnet had been crying, for the corners of her eyes and face were slick with tears. Her coughs sounded wretched and painful. It was an experience Pan was all too familiar with herself, though she found herself thankfully less bothered by it at the moment.

Still though, she did not like seeing her sister hurting. She’d have much rather had Sonnet tagging along behind her on some kind of adventure than see her like this, now, without the energy to move or the motivation to try to get outside.

But Pan wasn’t really sure what she could do aside from lean into her sibling and begin trying to gently lick her tears away.

Quietness surrounded them, the two pressed up against one another. Sonnet allowed her sister's grooming and returned a few licks herself. Her eyes wandered out to the smokey air as her mind tried to fathom when it'd go away. If it would go away! How she longed for sunshine and butterflies. She looked back at her twin with a sigh of boredom. There had to be something they could do within the confines of their home.

The pale pup rose up to her paws and the jostled movement brought forth another cough. She winced, standing still for a moment and catching her breath. Then slowly but surely she stepped outside to nestle down in front of the den. Song scanned the scenery, squinting through the smoke that stung her eyes. "I spy....gween." She stated blatantly looking to a far-off tree top. She blinked back the tears that formed from the burning sensation. A loud snotty sneeze forced its way out.

Tonight we make our dreams come true
**Sonnet hasn't spoken since losing her family.

It seemed like it was helping a little bit? Her sibling returned the gesture of grooming, and it certainly looked like she felt better. At the very least, her coughing had sort of stopped. Sonnet's sudden movement came as a bit of a surprise, leaving Pan to blink, but smile a little, as her twin rose and exited the den.

Pan followed her out, sneezing a couple of times herself. Whatever that stuff was in the air was unpleasant to breathe, and hurt her eyes. But the warmth of the sunlight that still managed to make it through the nasty haze felt good. Still, how she wished she could go run and explore!

"Gween?" Her ears perked up at that, eyes squinting and scanning for something of interest. "Tree?" Pan questioned, following her sister's gaze. "Any birds?" They usually liked to make the trees their homes. Was this bad air hurting them too, the child wondered?

Sonnet lay there, listening to her sister's approaching pawsteps. The child merely nodded her head in response to the first question. There wasn't much else to see out here in this haze...but she wanted to do something besides lie around sick. Enthusiastically she bobbed her head up and down when Pan gave the correct answer. Unfortunately said excitement left her coughing and wheezing. She hadn't even used her voice! No fair! The child whimpered, then turned to check around for any birds. She shook her head in dismay. Nothing. No singing birds. No scary deer. No pretty butterflies. Nothing but the smoke and distant tree tops...that she could she. Maybe Pan would have better luck, "You spy?" She asked with a weak smile across her muzzle.

Tonight we make our dreams come true
**Sonnet hasn't spoken since losing her family.

Her sister nodded, and it seemed Pan was correct. A tree. The child smiled, tail wagging excitedly, though her elation at having been right was short lived. Sonnet erupted into another coughing fit, and just as quickly as the grin had appeared, it vanished. Replaced once more by concern.

Her sister really was feeling bad. The girl whined in concern, stifling a couple of coughs herself, but they were not as bad.

Sonnet tried again though, asking Pan a question this time. Furrowing her brow a little, the child glanced about, trying to spot something interesting. There wasn’t a whole lot to see right here by the den. But, there, perhaps two dozen paces ahead, was a cluster of yellow flowers growing out of the gap between a couple of large boulders.

”Yellow,” Pan replied, glancing from the flowers, to her sibling, and then back again.

The snow white pup enjoyed her sister's excitement, it was almost as contagious as Sonnet's coughing. Her little tail swooshed back and forth in response. The moment was short-lived and left little Song feeling guilty. Her cold was not only taking joy from herself but worrying her sister. She whined and leaned forward to lick Pan's nose. She wished neither of them were coughing. She yearned for crisp air and clean water.

Silence engulfed them for a moment while Pan scanned the horizon. Song watched her curiously, studying the movement of her eyes as they flickered about. She was content to wait and see what her sister might spy. After a moment she called out a color and two white years pressed forward. Yellow? In the thick of the smoke, Song hadn't spotted any yellow. Her head swiveled about enthusiastically. Green eyes narrowed into slits as she peered out. Her face was serious, brows knitted in concentration. For a moment she couldn't see anything but as she drew her eyes lower she noticed the boulders. They weren't yellow. Song looked back to Pan, who appeared to be peering out to the same bolders. She took another look.

After a moment of studying them she spotted a faint hint of the sunshine color, "Flowers?"

Tonight we make our dreams come true
**Sonnet hasn't spoken since losing her family.

It helped, at least for now, to focus on something else. Even though Pan supposed they both would’ve preferred to be out exploring - this game was better than nothing. It provided a much-needed distraction from the uncertainty that swirled about the tiny family in a manner akin to the smoke.

She far preferred to see her sister at least sort of having fun than just sitting and sulking.

The child grinned as her sibling sought what she’d seen, and after a few moments of observation and consideration, provided the correct answer. ”Yes!” Pan exclaimed, nearly jumping for joy, tail waving back and forth excitedly.

She’d gesture with her nose back to the flowers then. ”You want?” She questioned, fully prepared to go and pick one for her sibling, and half tempted to do so regardless of the answer given.