Temperance, despite their name, struggled to hold themselves back. They'd yet to learn that throwing themselves into things and letting their emotions run rampant wasn't the best way to handle life, but that was a lesson to learn in due time.
For example, right now. They'd snuck away from Mercy and Ember (or at least they thought they had), off to wander and explore, aching to test out their long legs, perfect for running and jumping and only a little wobbly. Not wobbly enough to stop them.
The cub approached the cliffs, tilting his head up to peer at them, silver eyes alight with adventure.
Up he went, clambering up rocks and boulders, an odd scent in his nose. He was halfway up when he noticed it. The bird. He froze, staring, the two having locked eyes.
It flew away as he lunged, making its way to the next ledge, even having the audacity to preen its wing and let out a few dainty notes.
No, that bird wouldn't get away with taunting him! It would live to regret the day it crossed Temperance's path!
Ember had no reason to follow, to wander off from their parent's care.
He wasn't far from where he'd been left; he was, in fact, studying the rocks strewn across the ground not too far from their hatching spot by the Throne.
Had Temperance invited him, perhaps--had he asked Ember to accompany, or invited with body language, at least--he'd have come with. But he was not the most observant creature, and thus had not yet noticed his sibling's having slipped away.
That being said, the rocks were not exactly the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen: they were interesting, yes, in their multitude of dull shades and shapes, but they didn't really do anything. And so Ember half lost interest, sprawled with oversized paws and head, and draping little wings, on the silent stone.
It was possible that Temperance's adventures would kick loose a stray rock to draw him in, or that there'd be some cry, that might alert his family that he was gone--or in danger; but as it was, Ember remained oblivious.
@Temperance
He'll probably turn up if somehow alerted, didn't realize Temperance would be sneaking away!
Temperance jumped upwards, claws scrabbling on the cliff face as they tried to reach the bird, only to watch it fly away again. Great! Just great.
They clambered up and followed it, going higher without really realizing. They found the bird once again and crouched low, trying to sneak up on it. With a mighty leap, they jumped up, claws outstretched, ready to catch it...
Feathers caught in his claws, but the bird was gone and it hit them that the thing hadn't been perching on a totally stable ledge. It was too late to catch himself as his paws slipped on loose rock, a shrill scream leaving their mouth as they tumbled, falling down a few feet and hitting a section of the cliff, rolling and slipping again.
Ember was awake, right? He had to be! They were going to be in so much trouble when Mercy found them...
sorry was scrambling for ideas, they could tumble into a cave or smth? idk
Ember's head shot up at the cry, flaming eyes blinking once in surprise. Then adrenaline spiked through him--something's wrong--and he was on his feet, scrambling on puppy paws and too-big claws (and with the heavy tail half-dragging behind him, bouncing off the rock).
He didn't know how to fly, yet, those oversized wings little more than Halloween costume decoration for what was essentially a big young dog; instead he bounded and scrabbled and slid his way to where he'd heard the cry.
"Temper-?" he called up, (because words were hard, and 'Temperance' was long) as he came to a halt near the cliffs, flanks heaving with the effort. He was panting after the long run, but a scan of the rocks found Temperance struggling for purchase, and Ember's heart jumped with worry.
"DON'T FALL!" he yelped up, not sure what else he could say--common sense, really, but he was only a few days old. Fat paws scrabbled at the rocks as he started his way up, hoping to reach his sibling before a terrible accident.
@Temperance
Temperance gasped, hanging on for dear life. An ear flicked back at the cry and they gritted their teeth, finding just a hint of amusement in the situation.
The cub's claws caught, their eyes flying open. Yes! A foothold, finally!
They clambered up onto the small ledge, barely big enough to hold their entire body. They ended up pressed against the cliff face, tail flicking anxiously. It was too far down to jump but the angle wasn't quite right to jump up. They were terribly stuck, afraid to move lest they send the small platform crumbling down.
If their brother could manage to pull them up, they'd be saved!
The pup-hatchling eyed the cliff face.
This wasn't going to be easy, and he had precisely zero experience in rock-climbing. Granted, it wasn't super high up--but it wasn't great, either, and to his puppy eyes it looked like a mountain range. Urgency--fear for his brother, a sense of horrid responsibility--descended on him, and for a beat he pranced from one paw to the next. In the next heartbeat he was rushing forward, scrambling for the rocks.
"Don't fall-!" he choked out, fear driving him. There was no humor in this for him; he feared for Temperance's life, as unlikely as death was in this scenario. He didn't know any better.
His phrasing also was neither original (just having blurted the same thing prior, dry mouth and all) nor particularly helpful, and the lumbering brute of a cub did not notice Temperance's minor amusement.
Magicka flickered as he rushed, and a sudden spike of pain briefly stumbled him: white-hot light slowly began to gleam from his flanks, his ribs, lighting up the path. This made it easier, at least, and after hesitating for a beat in silence he pushed on: painful as it was, it was magic and it was helping him, at least. "Almost there," he reassured, and then glanced down and froze, one foot kicking a few pebbles the short fall to the bottom.
@Temperance
Temperance slowly tried to stand on his hind feet to reach up with his front ones in an attempt to give Ember something to grab. If he was lucky, the other might be able to grab his scruff.
Thankfully his long limbs helped, enabling him to put his paws on the top of the ledge, in view of Ember. He didn't dare jump, the ledge unstable even now, so hopefully Ember could pull him up like this.
For a moment, he looked back, vertigo setting in as he realized that he was higher than he ever wanted to be, and pressed himself against the cliff face, quivering. He was so stupid to have gone after that damn bird!
Ember leaned against the greater cliff wall, peering down at the struggling Temperance. The black cub was struggling, but was able to place his front paws up higher--so he could grab onto something, if it were offered. Ember had the uneasy feeling that if he leaned down head-first, he might just go over the hill with Temperance in his jaws! "We both... maybe fall," he tried to explain, his language still half-developed.
As an alternative, he turned away, and lowered his longer tail down. It was thick and muscled even at a young age, and could probably be something to grab onto--even if it hurt. He wasn't all that experience with the idea of injury, but surely it was better than Temperance falling down? "Can you... hold my tail?!" he called back, worriedly dipping the tail down where Temperance could hopefully grab onto it.
@Temperance
Temperance looked up and saw the white tail, relieved that his brother had such a long appendage. He closed his jaws around it, wincing at his sharp kitten teeth, trying to grab the tail with the gap between his canines and molars.
He stretched up further to try and get a good enough hold, standing on the edges of his foot, the rock crumbling beneath his foot.
He didn't dare move, the stone beneath him just barely hanging on, frozen in terror as tears welled up.
Temperance failed to make the grab, and Ember tried to think.
He leaned out a little, and quickly pulled back again; no, that still wasn't a good idea. He struggled to articulate his concern. "Yes," was what he began with, but without condemnation in his tone--only worry: "was dumb. Can't grab; will fall. Both fall." He could just feel that his center of balance would tip.
He wasn't sure what else to do, bar keeping his tail close in reach.
It lashed, a little--stiff but strong, prodding at Temperance as if offering the way up. "...Can grab now?" he asked, hopefully.
@Temperance