Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was dinner time at the Wolf household; the scorching sizzle of a casket iron skillet made the noses of everyone twitch faster than their legs could carry them over to the table. 

“I call dibs on the top loin!” Clawdeen howled as she dashed into the kitchen first.

“But the bones from Mom’s broth are mine!” Clawd retorted once he caught up to his little sister.

Nothing could top Mom’s scary good cooking. A good bone marrow broth and a drizzle of fat helped to tenderize her rare steaks. It was juicy, delectable, claw-licking goodness! Everyone at the table was digging in like the ravenous pack of wolves they were. The Wolf family always ate well, and they always ate together.

Clawdeen almost didn’t bother with a fork and knife as she sat down to eat. She’d let her steak’s juiciness out faster that way. Just popping a torn piece into her mouth would do.

Meanwhile, across the table, her younger siblings sure hadn’t bothered with any cutlery; the bigger they got, the more they wrestled with a portion of meat so big that it caused their tableside manners to be forgotten time and time again. “At least they’re not tearing apart our pillows again,” she heard her father sigh as he gazed at the scrappy troublemakers. “Just slow down! Don’t choke on the bones! Watch how Clawdeen eats.”

She chuckled. So much for pulling the meat apart with her claws. Her own meal sure didn’t need any cutting before it reached her teeth. The ghoul behind all the cooking knew exactly how each of her pups liked their steaks. “Oh Mom,” she managed around the first morsel she took, “this makes me wanna drool!” 

She heard a bark of approval from the kitchen. “That’s what I like to hear,” her mother rumbled, her voice becoming clearer as she returned to the dining hall. Between her hands was a steaming plate of bones. “Who wanted what was left of the marrow again?” 

Clawdeen flicked her fork towards a grinning Clawd as he licked his lips. “The one who’s actually drooling.”

Their mother passed through a gaggle of chewing pups that snapped up at the hot plate. One even reached a brave paw out to the succulent marrow. But she turned to them sharply, her warning growl even sharper as she pulled the plate away. “I ain’t gonna deal with another shattered plate and burn mark!” The rowdy pups shimmed back into their chairs, waited for Mom and her glare to pass, then resumed their tussling. Such was the usual!

“Marrow goes great with your steak,” Clawd told their mother, patting his stomach with a paw. “I also need some extra energy for casketball practice with the guys later. Dump it all in, Mom!” And so Clawd’s extra helping of food cascaded over his steak, sizzling still. He clapped, then started plopping the bits onto his tongue as Mom gave his hairy shoulder a squeeze. “That’s my good boy. Don’t leave any scraps. We don’t want the little ones digging into the trash later—“

Her younger pups just blinked, awash with innocent puppy eyes that betrayed the truth. “Save those eyes for the mailman!” she scolded, exhaling quietly. “But he won’t be forgiving y’all for taking a bite out of his shoes.”

“I’ll help with avoiding another trash can incident,” Clawdeen offered, lifting her head. “Pass me one piece of bone with marrow, would ya Clawd? It smells too good to resist.” Clawd turned to give her a knowing look, then stared at his food again. 

Temptation was the victor here. The marrow looked just as good as the steak. She repeated his name again, clearly pointing at what she desired when she got no response. Then her brother, slowly and deliberately, inhaled the aroma of his plate. A claw ran around the edge of the plate before he tapped at the porcelain surface, humming with a toothy smirk.

Clawdeen scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Half a piece?” she haggled, narrowing her eyes with a smirk of her own design as she then whispered, “Give me half a piece before I encourage the young’uns to chew your shoes next.” She thought she saw a few of his neck hairs bristle at that quip. 

Would she or wouldn’t she? Who was Clawd to tell? Mom’s cooking brought out everything and anything from a monster.

“Alright alright,” Clawd assured breezily, throwing his feet behind the chair so the pups wouldn’t realize he was sporting the newest, freshest kicks the maul had to offer. He shifted in his seat, meeting her gaze. “I know you’re joking, I think—uh, just pass me the salt first and you’ll get two pieces.”

“Music to my ears,” she replied as she flicked them, her golden hoops jingling. She took another bite of her steak as she reached for the little shaker, golden eyes dancing around the long table while it was housing its hungry guests. Now their Mom had whisked to the opposite side of the table, picking up the pups from the floor and returning the wildest of the bunch to their seats. Dad read the evening edition of the Daily Monster as he got through his steak, mumbling as he absorbed the words on the black and white page.

But something was missing from the table.. something that was just as key to the ambience as every other occurrence. Something.. maybe someone. Clawdeen snatched the salt shaker, waving it at Clawd. “Grab it,” she said after some seconds had passed, finding that the shaker remained in her grasp. Clawd just stared at the space beside her. 

“Do you want the pepper grinder too?”

“Wait a second—“

“What is it?”

“Ohhhh—“

The space beside her was really the space between her and her brother, occupied by a chair that wasn’t being filled by anyone. It was the only vacant chair in the dining hall.  

“Sis, you always pass the salt to Howleen, then she passes it along to me.”

“I knew it!” Clawdeen snapped her fingers. “That’s who we’re missing.”

“What?” Their father lowered his newspaper article, flinty gaze landing on where his youngest teen should’ve been. He pinched his nose, grumbling, “I always forget to do a head-count nowadays!” under his breath. 

The older siblings couldn’t really blame him for overlooking that, nor could they really blame themselves or the rest of the family. It was always crazy up in their den. The only issue was that this wasn’t the first time this past month where Howleen was a no-show for dinner. That little ghoul’s gonna get it one of these days!

The head of the pack huffed, baring his fangs with his frown. “I’ve told her to return home before the moon shines on school nights too many times for me to count. Where could she be at this hour?”

“Beats me, Dad,” Clawd droned, finally exchanging those two pieces of marrow for some seasoning with Clawdeen. “Though if you ask me, she’s probably doing her own thing.”

“Doing her own thing?” Mom echoed, confusion in her rumble.

“He means she’s probably at Twyla’s,” Clawdeen filled in, putting hand on her chin in thought, while her other hand was used to toss bites of marrow into her mouth. Howleen really seemed to like spending her time studying and doing skullwork inside the labyrinth of doors Twyla called home. Every monster liked the dark and odd, but that mansion was at another level with its too many levels. Had Howleen done something that was keeping her away? She knew her sneaky little sister too well.

“I could call her up and ask when I’m done eating,” Clawdeen casually added, twirling her fork over her plate. Better to be safe than sorry. After all, what if some Boogie powder or some box full of nightmares had been knocked over? She was just thinking ahead, even if the best outcome was if nothing was broken or disturbed. “Then I could go and get her and bring her home.” 

But their mother shook her head. “I’ll call her,” she insisted, brows furrowed as she went into the kitchen to retrieve her device. “I’ll also pick her up if I need to, but this’ll be the last time she’s away when I serve my food. I don’t want her to keep missing dinner!”

Clawdeen cleared her throat as their mother departed, glancing at Clawd, who glanced back at her. Was he thinking what she was thinking?

I know those two ghouls love to fang out, but Howleen’s making ‘em both more antsy than a bout of fleas.. Twyla doesn’t wanna meet the fiercest side of Mom ‘n’ Dad yet!

Just as Mom left the dining hall, the vibration of an engine and wheels rolled in. 

Every other werewolf shot a look at the moonlit window in the living room. The youngest pups kept saying “Car!” over and over again. Someone was in their driveway! From where they were all seated, the family saw a dark purple vehicle with one of its doors hanging ajar. A blur of movement leapt out of the backseat, making a run for the front door. Clawdeen stood up from her chair, walking to the window. “Is that who I think it is?”

Another vibration hit her attentive ears, this time sounding more distinct and closer. Mom was back now, waiting for Howleen to pick up the call while her phone was wedged between her shoulder and ear. “What’s everyone staring at?” Her gaze swiveled until it landed on the window. “Did those mangy raccoons get back into the garden?”

Before Clawdeen left the window and moved to the door, it burst open, letting in more of the moonlight’s resplendent glow. Bathed in silver beams and panting, dropping her bag and taking off her boots, was none other than the ghoul who’d been missing in action. 

“Howleen?!” Clawdeen barked. It couldn’t have really been anyone else, but who’d have thought her younger sister would be looking like she just ran a marathon! 

“Relax, sis,” Howleen wheezed with a sheepish half-smile. “I’m.. I’m not too late.”

“You’re the one that’s gotta relax.” She picked up her sister’s items and moved them out of the doorway. As she stood upright again, Clawdeen noticed her sister stumbling into the dining hall, her face brighter than Cleo’s shade of blood-red lipstick. 

Clawdeen hurried back over to the rest of the family, eyes glued onto Howleen as her parents received the young teen with frustration. Clawd was also looking on with the same intrigue.

“Young ghoul, where were you?” Dad demanded, a bushy, dark brown brow arched over his stern eye of hard gold.

Howleen wasn’t really facing him or Mom, she was instead smoothing her ruffled, pink hair down with her claws and ignoring the screeching hellos of her toddler siblings. “Lower your hackles Dad, you don’t gotta lose your skull with me again. I was just.. at Twyla’s! I forgot to call y’all, but it’s cool, ‘cause her dad dropped me off.”

“That’s his car?” Clawd scratched his head, whispering his shock to Clawdeen. “You’d think he could just bring you over with some magic!”

“Howleen,” their mother began, helping her daughter control her long locks, “I don’t want you coming home so late is all, especially on a school night. Dinner time is just as important as getting all of your assignments done with Twyla. Besides, you can get your older siblings to help you out with work too.”

“Mom, for one, I won’t be missing out on meals now whenever I stay at Twyla’s.” She shifted away, stepping towards Clawd and Clawdeen. The latter thought she saw her sister almost smiling. “I ate some real good cooking there. Twy makes some wicked hotdogs, so that’s what I ate when she offered me a meal. She said I should’ve just asked her for a snack or something if I wanted to eat.”

The older siblings both winced at that. Clawd bit his lip and Clawdeen tucked back a strand of hair. Mom looked like she’d just been hexed when she heard that! “But dear, what about the cooking I make just for y’all to enjoy?”

“I’m not saying anything bad about your food!” 

“But you have to admit it, Howleen, you are spending plenty of time at Mr. Boogieman’s mansion as of late.” 

“Dad, I’m just.. trying to be productive over there! It's way more quiet and chill there!” Howleen protested, crossing her arms and staring at her sister and brother for aid. “Don’t you two get it? Come on guys. They’re not so bossy whenever you guys fang out with your beasties and buddies!”

“Are we talking about the same parents here?” Clawdeen checked. 

Clawd snorted at that before addressing his even younger sister. “Mom and Dad just want us all to be together for dinner and spend that time as a full family. You know that’s how we roll, but they can be pretty lax about these things too. Besides, they wouldn’t mind all too much if you told them you were headed to Twyla’s after school.”

“I guess.. but I’m just missing dinner a few times!” Howleen pointed out, swaying in place. “And you know what I meant when I said they’re not so bossy with you guys. You know it’s true.”

“Well uh.. we’re kinda older than you, though,” Clawd tried to reason. “And it’s not like I never had any rules put in place for me when I was your age. Just quit barking about it.”

Uh oh.

That first comment made Howleen’s facial features harden. The slightest glint of gritting teeth shone against the color of her lipstick. “But you get to go practice with your bros after moonrise, don’t you?” she reminded him, anger seizing up her voice. “And I can’t stay over at my friend’s house just because I’m a few years younger than you?”

Clawd blinked, yet waved a dismissive paw at her. “That’s not what I—” He paused, then rolled his eyes. “Look, we have a big game in a few weeks, so practice makes perfect. Mom and Dad know that, and I’ll be back to get some shut-eye before moonhigh.”

“We’re both doing things related to school outside of home, though!" she snarled, lips curled back even further. "Oh, but is your practice at the casketball court really more important to them than me getting my homework done somewhere that’s not home? I’m—“

“Hold on a second lil’ sis!” Now Clawd stood up, glaring down at her and her crossed expression with one of his own. “Y’all know I love casketball and that I’m always ballin’! And they know where I’m headed. I just map my skulledule out before—“

“And y’all should know I love spending time at Twyla’s and getting my work done there!” Howleen’s chest heaved a nasty, acidic growl. “That’s my typical skulledule! So I don’t even gotta let anyone know where I’m going! Is it really hurting anyone when I spend more time there?!"

“I told you to quit while you were at it!” 

“Nah! How about I don’t?! You don’t understand what I’m getting at!” 

“Sure do! It’s a bunch of nonsense. That’s what it is!”

”NO IT’S NOT—”

“That’s enough howling!” 

Clawdeen interjected before their parents did, placing one hand on Clawd and one on Howleen as she lunged between them. “This got too accusatory way too quickly. All of this yappin' over some fuss is dumb!”

Sharp exhales emerged from both of the feuding werewolves. Her brother was coming off as annoyed at most by Howleen’s yapping, but now their little sister was twice as flushed as she was before. 

Clawdeen fixed shards of fiery, smoldering gold on the pair. “We ain’t going nowhere like this! Y’all gotta realize that, or I’m gonna drag the both of ya to the doghouse. Let it go.”

“..Fine.”

Surprisingly, Howleen gave the lowest whimper ever, averting her eyes from her older siblings with.. more anger? 

Shame?

The whole vibe Clawdeen got from her sister was..

Somehow familiar. 

Their Mom had to shoo away the crowding pups with the help of Dad before either of them spoke up again. Dad glowered, pulling Howleen aside once his pants weren’t being clawed and swiped at. “Don’t let your arguments escalate so much! How many times have I told you this? That goes for both of you. All we want is—“

“Honest to claw, Mom and Dad!” Howleen once again stirred up the same heat that was all over her face. “I know what everyone wants!” She twisted away from her father’s touch, fur standing on total end. When Clawd gathered himself and moved a paw towards her, she swatted it off with a snarl. “I just wanna figure out some important stuff at Twyla’s before I get home! We’re just doing work and fanging out together! What’s it to y’all?!”

Clawdeen could feel her brain racing to connect the trail of strewn words, but she felt like something was missing once more. ..Important stuff? 

“But since I’m already here—“ That brashness broke Clawdeen off from her thoughts. Howleen tore off towards the living room, unzipped her bag, pulled out her bitetop and its charger, and made a run for the stairs. If she had an actual tail, she’d have been running with it between her legs by now. 

“If I may– I’m gonna figure that important stuff out in my room!”

“Howleen!” 

Everyone in the family cried out to her, even the hyper, confused pups, but it was to no avail. 

The last they saw of the youngest teen was her bolting upstairs, and the last they heard was the booming slam of the door to hers and Clawdeen’s shared room. 

Mom clacked her teeth and rubbed at one of her temples. “I don’t know what’s worse about Howleen; her bark or her bite!”

“..This sure ain’t great, and it doesn’t look like it’s gonna get to be great.“ Clawdeen drawled, feeling like she was close to losing her appetite! Next thing she’d lose was her train of thought, for why exactly was Howleen like this? Those spats and insults were anything but uncommon, just never this confusing. Never.

Think ghoul, think. What’s got her so frazzled? She hasn’t been like this since the whole genie incident! 

“This is bad is what it is,” Clawd whined as he sank back into his chair, smacking his head with a groan. “I’ve only added fuel to a fire I never meant to fan. She almost pulled a Heath on me with those flames.”

Clawdeen wanted to pull at his ear, but sooner or later, the pups would do that for her. “I know you didn’t mean no trouble,” she acknowledged, patting his lowered head. “But you kinda went all big and bad the same way she did.” 

“Clawd?” Mom began while Dad returned gruffly to his newspaper, not sounding so sure of herself as she trod upon the thinning ice. Clawd met his mother’s gaze with apprehension, no doubt with Clawdeen’s words in mind. Though the sound of his voice never formed, his lips read, “Yeah?”

“I believe you should go speak to your sister and get this sorted out.. once you—“

Standing up from her seat once more, Clawdeen squared her chin and looked her mother right in the eye. “No no, let me handle it—not just ‘cause I don’t think Clawd should stick his nose in this one, but I also think I might know how to get to the bottom of this,” she declared with poise, her guarded yet worried gaze darting to the steps that led to the house’s second floor.

She was gonna be on a mission, yes indeed. 

And that was final.

Dinner was finished with an edge crawling about the dining hall. Dad was off to wash the pawful of pups before bedtime, Mom was scrubbing the dinnerware clean with Clawdeen’s help, and Clawd slunk into his room to eventually get ready for practice. 

Clawdeen wrung her hands dry as her mother tucked away the final dishes into place. Walking away from the sink, her boots passed the threshold of the kitchen, left slight grooves in the dining hall’s carpet, and clunked against the wood of the stairs. Before she ascended the fourth step, a throaty voice beckoned Clawdeen to look behind her. 

“I trust that my pup can get to the bottom of this.”

Clawdeen nodded at her mother, a determined lilt to her response.

“That’s what big sisters do.”

Her gait had been slow this whole time, but now it was ever so faster. Hers and Howleen’s bedroom was near the end of the hall. As she strode over, ignoring the waves of splashing and howling that came from their far-too small family bathroom, the familiar door was looked upon.

As Clawdeen approached the bedroom door, her eyes caught sight of the presence of a neon-yellow note hanging from it. With a swift motion, she peeled off the tape that held the paper in its place. Her gaze scanned its scribbled writing, expression turning serious as she absorbed the message. 

Leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone.

When she was done reading, she exhaled profoundly to prepare herself, stuffing the note into her pocket. 

“Howleen, that note isn’t some magic spell that’s gonna keep me away,” Clawdeen remarked wryly, accenting her words with knocks on the cool wood. “Come on sis, can’t I just come in for a quick sec?”

Rarely were the handles of any door in the Wolf house locked, unless the little ones weren’t keeping their noses out of someone’s study time, sleepover, and the like. Still, the older werewolf knew better than to swing the door ajar and stoke tensions. Persistence made her hold in another sigh. “Can I come in?” she inquired a second time, bridging the gap of quiet that separated them.

She flicked an ear against the door, trying to perceive any sound beyond those of her household’s daily ambience. A shuffling sound emanated from the other side, followed by a barely audible reply.

“You’re just going to chew me up.”

The words dripped off Howleen’s tongue like a viper’s venom, making Clawdeen lift her head back up and remove her drooped ear from the structure of the door. 

“Don’t be lying. I’m not gonna chew up anyone,” her older sister pledged, her hand perched atop her chest in earnestness. “I’m here to listen. My fangs aren’t bared.” 

A scoff escaped from the other side, a mixture of skepticism and fear. Clawdeen's gaze softened, even though Howleen couldn't see it.

“I’m here ‘cause I care. You have a lot of big sisters and big brothers that care for you, ‘cause Clawd never meant any harm with his words. Plus, like I mentioned, I’m not gonna linger for long!”

This is just too fishy—fishier than Toralei’s stinking breath!

“..How quick is a sec then, sis?”

Clawdeen perked up. A faint smile played at the corners of her lips, relieved that a sliver of trust had been extended. "You know what I mean," she insisted, catching Howleen's attempt to downplay her vulnerability. "But I don't know what you mean with all this 'important stuff' you say you gotta tackle.”

No matter how many times she said she was tired of Howleen and her angry yaps.. that was never really true. She could never leave anything unresolved; could never leave a personal matter unsolved. She sure knew the ropes when it came to that, because her and her friends had gone through countless worries, putting their heads together to put some kind of end to them. This was her sister who she sought to help, because there was always more than what the eye could see at a glance. 

Her surge of thoughts made her shift her gaze off the door, so she almost missed what happened next. 

The sound of the door creaking open filled the hallway, and Clawdeen straightened herself. She turned her attention towards the now-opened door, eyes meeting Howleen's muted gaze.

“You win,” Howleen tried to make some sort of joke with that tone, though its flatness killed her delivery. Back to her bed she trailed, her bitetop stationed over a rumpled blanket. Hopping onto its softness again, she just sank in, putting her computer back over her belly so she could keep typing. 

Clawdeen watched, and as she watched and stifled a grimace, she turned to sit down in her own bed.

“Didn’t you want to comfort me?” Howleen abruptly grumbled.

Huh?

“Of course I did,” Clawdeen said slowly. “Do you.. want comfort?”

“Just sit on my bed.”

“Gladly,” the older she-wolf rumbled, surprise creasing her gold eyes. “Thanks, sis.”

With measured steps, Clawdeen rose from her own bed and made her way over to Howleen's. She felt better about this. A lot better over all. She sat down beside her sister, the mattress slightly dipping under her weight. As she settled in, she positioned herself to face Howleen directly, their gazes meeting once again.

“Busy with typing?” Clawdeen commenced. It was hard to ignore the bright screen and the black font that took up most of it. Howleen, however, just snatched the part of the blanket that was below Clawdeen, so she could bury herself within a sea of hot-pink fabric. Her older sister planted a hand on her shoulder. 

“Well?” 

“You’re not wrong,” Howleen conceded. 

“Can I take a gander at what you’ve typed?”

Howleen bit her lip, shoulders hunching forward.

“I don’t think it’s biteology that’s got your tail in a twist, yeah? You said you were starting to like the class again,” she noted, so her sister kept confirming things with a sole breath.

“Yeah.”

“You’re doing good with those mad science equations you couldn’t memorize?”

“More like I’m doing decent enough.”

“Do you understand Spookspeare?”

“As much as I can understand him and his ancient monster lingo.”

“Twyla’s been helping you, I take it?”

Ah, there was that red face of hers again. Howleen, despite her chagrin, nodded her head so hard that her pillow and blanket rustled like old, creaking branches. Clawdeen tilted her head down at her. 

“But?”

“..How the heck did you know there was gonna be a ‘but’ involved?”

“Mainly ‘cause the suspense is killing me, and whatever’s making me so suspenseful is also killing you.”

Shifting around whilst tightening the grip her beanie had on her head full of hair, Howleen finally sat back up. Clawdeen leaned forward, body angled closer, so her younger sister seized the opportunity and couldn’t help but smush her pouty face against a free, sturdy shoulder. 

“..There’s just something I need to figure out at Twyla’s place that I can’t figure out here.”

They were finally getting somewhere. Her eyes flashing with focus, Clawdeen gave her little sister a tiny poke. A growl wormed inside of the younger teen, but it wasn’t because of that touch. “Why can’t anyone else get that through their thick skulls?” came her next bout of contempt. 

“Listen, you can take it easier. I do believe you. You can barely decide what new hair color you want every time you dye your hair again.” She eyed the colorful bottles lining the top of Howleen’s miniature vanity, snickering to herself. “The indecisiveness checks out.”

Howleen just growled again, to which Clawdeen clicked her tongue and stuck her gaze to the darkening bitetop as it went into idle mode. She pointed to it swiftly. 

“But what are you even trying to figure out? You don’t think I could lend a helping claw?”

Howleen spun a finger around the mousepad to reawaken the computer. “I don’t know. They’re my notes,” she sniffed, the growling becoming defensive. “Notes I’ve taken at Twyla’s and only at Twyla’s.”

This was getting too suspicious. Everything from the beginning until now was suspicious. The way Howleen had mentioned wanting comfort, the lingering glances and hesitant words—Clawdeen could sense there was something more, something deeply personal that her younger sister was grappling with.

Every expression change, every exaggerated gesture, every yip and yap, was heeded to. 

The golden eyes that Howleen tried to look directly at blinked and blinked. “Ghoul, if those are notes,” Clawdeen challenged, a claw fitting under Howleen’s fuzzy chin so it could be brought closer to her clever, almost amused eyes, “then I’m a werecat. I know you don’t write that many notes,” she informed her matter-of-factly. “That’s why you’ve been reusing the same notebooks for every class this year.”

“They’re just.. a new kind of notes!” Howleen snapped, yanking her head back. With a whine she pitched back into the warmth of her bed, covering her abashed face with an arm. The red coloring of her cheeks started anew. Well then! That was quite the pattern. If she heard any more damn note talk, Clawdeen thought she'd drive herself up a wall.

“May I ask why they’re a new kind of notes?”

Mumbles, mutters, murmurs—and all kinds of gibberish sounded against the cuff of Howleen’s sleeves as she bit into them like a werewolf half her age. Even for all their insanely good hearing, it just sounded like frustrated nonsense! Clawdeen really wasn’t about to start settling for less and less, especially now that she felt like she was grasping at a scarecrow’s straws.

“Another question, the same one as before, actually—because I still don’t get why you really wanna be taking these notes—“

She would’ve continued if not for a speck of sound that literally made her ears toss themselves upright.

“It’s ‘cause I just lo—“

“What?”

“—I just love Twy’s place!”

Clawdeen had pounced in a snap, banishing the mumble from its true, completed form. Nails dug into the sheets, kneading at them thanks to the thought that she had lost her only wildly good chance right then and there.

“Come on now,” Clawdeen just straight up implored, her concern finally breaking through again. “We’re about to head back to square one.”

“Seriously Clawdeen! That’s what those notes are! And if you can’t see—“

She hauled a protesting Howleen back up, propping her back on her shoulder where the pouting continued. “..Mmmmmmm,” sounded like a quieter, incoherent growl. But at this point, Howleen was also smushing her whole face into Clawdeen’s shoulder. Not just her cheek. 

“How can I just.. tell you?”

“You said you wanted me here, sis, so if you’ve changed your mind and—“

”Tough luck for us both! My mind’s too full of crap for it to decide what it wants now!” 

The back and forth made Howleen pin her ears against her head. Truly, now that she was so hooked and so deep into the problem, one thing was the most clear. So Clawdeen let her own head rest atop the embroidery of Howleen’s beanie. After that, she just let her knowing words float into the air. 

“I can tell you’ve been keeping something inside of you. Who knows, maybe if you just try to explain it all, piece by piece, we can solve your problem for good. Otherwise, you’ll just dig yourself into a hole that’s bigger than Clawd’s stash of sticks and bones. You also don’t want me here all night.. right?”

”..I sure don’t!”

”Then are ya gonna.. talk, sis?”

Patience was a virtue that came with that feeling of knowing one was hitting the right notes; or at least most of them anyway. Was she closing in? Was this a shot in the dark? Where was she standing right now?

“D-Do you wanna know why I spend so much time a-at Twy’s?” 

A stutter—no, two stutters. Her ears were attuned and her hand clasped Howleen’s. 

“Please and thank you, before you get even more grumpy,” she both jested and tried to comfort, but Howleen allowed her older sister to squeeze her hand, reciprocating the motion when she went all quiet again. 

Went all nervous again.

And in all honesty, Clawdeen felt herself getting tense from within, something not sitting quite right with her stomach. Was it some sort of nerve she was feeling for her sister? Talk about suspense that could actually kill..

Those were nerves that were talking for Howleen; it was not Howleen herself that was talking. For all her little sister’s insecurities, Twyla had never been one of them! Had never had anything to do with any insecurities. Twyla always brought out the good in Howleen. Presently, that all changed. 

“I’m going to screw this up,” Howleen fretted, fretted hard, and something lurked in those typically spunky sparks that were her golden hues. 

Clawdeen glanced at Howleen, her eyes tracing the contours of her sister's face, searching for confirmation in the subtlest of cues; in the calm before the storm. 

“I-I need to know if she’s thinking what I’m thinking before.. before I ask her something! I can’t just like, pop the question I wanna pop if I’m not being observant. So I gotta write those things down and see when.. when I can—!”

Her heart literally sounded like it was in her throat.

Wait.

All the flushing, all the knots in her words, all the worry and nerves that were never there when Twyla was there, be it in person or in conversation, brought out a side of Howleen that was a rarity in and of itself. Clawdeen almost stunned herself with a hastily-composed answer of her own! The truth, she thought she had the truth in her head, but could neither confirm nor deny.

Wait!

She had been here before.

She had been here before, all by herself. 

She froze, her gaze wavering for the first time.

The unintended silence was unfortunately so long that Howleen spun away and pulled down on her beanie.

She wouldn’t have the chance to fumble and get stuck.

Clawdeen jumped into even more action, her hands landing on either side of Howleen’s face before they grabbed the younger she-wolf’s shoulders.

The young teen’s face was alight with disbelief, either at herself, her sister, or perhaps the both of them. “Don’t stop yourself!” Clawdeen bayed fiercely, even as her sister faced the floor and swung her legs out in anger. 

Even as she felt something pulling at her own heart and feelings. 

“Say it!”

Please.

“D-Do you know?!”

Of course I know.

“Howleen, you should let it out.”

You should. 

“I-I don’t know what’s gonna be up or down! Or all around! Or anywhere if I tell Twyla what you want me to tell you!”

That’s why I’m here.

“You should take the first step.”

You’re so much braver than I was.

“B-But!”

No buts.

“Little sis, you gotta take it.”

You need to let your heart speak for you.

And then, in a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, Howleen's gaze almost ventured elsewhere, anywhere that wasn’t her kin’s complexion.

It was a fleeting moment, but it held a depth of meaning that needed no words. Clawdeen saw it—the breaking of all hesitance, the hint of confession that strayed into her sister’s blushing, Howleen's widening, glistening eyes.

Still, the eldest of the pair cooed with a small, wistful (and bittersweet) smile, “You love your best friend, and you wonder if she’d love you back, don’t you? Is that why—“

“JUST DROP IT!”

Howleen’s body shook with wailing sobs, her shoulders and chest finally trembling under the weight of it all. 

“H-Howleen!” 

Clawdeen's heart shattered at the sight of her sister in such anguish. Every bristle of hers stood on edge, gaping mouth shifting into a dire frown.

“Sis.. oh sis..”

Without a moment's hesitation, she took Howleen into her arms.

She held her sister tightly, her own silent tears welling up as she absorbed the sheerness of Howleen's pain; miserable, constant and heavy, piling on someone who would never fold into her troubles while around others.

Today the dam broke apart. The sound of Howleen’s muffled cries flooded the room, a symphony of emotions intertwined. Clawdeen gently rocked Howleen back and forth, offering a soothing rhythm amidst the crash of their feelings.

"Pour it all out," she whispered. "I'm here for you.”

Clawdeen's own emotions charged forth; she could feel pangs of empathy, regret, and an overwhelming sense of love for her sister. All this confusion, all this misunderstanding and guessing.. and now they were here. 

With each passing moment, Clawdeen's grip tightened, as if she could physically shield Howleen from the pain she was experiencing, and her little sister clung on harder. 

She’d been down this path before. She had walked through it so much that she’d left a rut with the repeating of her tracks, but she never finished the path. She never went beyond the constant orbit of questioning.. of denial.. of tangled feelings.

Of hurting Draculaura and her brother when they first started dating. 

Confident and dazzling Clawdeen Wolf was the opposite back then. She’d done everything wrong. What could she have done differently? Should she have told anyone? She was even more stubborn than her sister had been. Her heart was silenced, ignored, her temper lost too many times to count.

That was so long ago! Back in Frankie’s first year at Monster High. Everything moved along so fast since then. Every adventure, every misadventure, every laugh and every cry. 

She still had her friends who she could have spoken to.

If only she had the gall to not shut herself off again.

What would Draculaura and her brother have said then?

Oh, what would they say now? 

The feelings were almost as palpable as they were back then. 

My sister’s braver than me.

She was not envious. She was sad but she was proud. She was in this new moment now. Everything had felt familiar somehow for a reason. When it finally began to drain her, to claw at her memories, she would reckon with it.

And maybe she could finally be there for her own heart the way she was there for her sister. 

As the sobs began to subside, Clawdeen continued to hold Howleen, their breaths slowly coming together as they found a beat of solace. She pressed gentle kisses on the top of Howleen's head, gestures of love and reassurance that knew no end. 

"You're more fearless than you think," Clawdeen murmured, her warm voice coupled with admiration. "To face your fears and be true to yourself, that takes a monstrous amount of courage. You’re really growing up, ‘Leen.”

Howleen's cries turned into quiet sniffles, her grip on Clawdeen loosening slightly. “You’re only saying that ‘cause I’m your wimpy little sis..”

She gazed up at her sister with tear-streaked cheeks, her eyes searching for even greater solace. Clawdeen wiped away the remnants of Howleen’s tears with the pad of her thumb, offering a small, reassuring smile.

"You're not alone in this, Howleen. Remember, our family is here for you, every step of the way, no matter who you love.” She had never felt so wholesomely sure of her words. "I'll be here to support you, to listen, and to help you navigate through whatever comes next."

“For g-ghoulness sake,” Howleen sniveled, trying to smile back, “I feel so.. sappy and.. oh my goth..”

“A bit more whole?” 

“And maybe s-silly.. but—“

Howleen returned the hug that had begun to soothe her. “Confident, too?”

“Oh, Howleen,” Clawdeen chuckled, an unspoken heaviness being lifted. 

As she held her sister close, resting in the placid quiet, the weight of her unspoken feelings for Draculaura grew and grew. 

Clawd and Draculaura were cute, funny and smart; they were part of the proof that werewolves and vampires could put down ancient feuds that had dictated their social norms for so long! Monster High could only go forwards, not backwards, her and her friends knew it, and they’d proven such! 

That group of friends included her brother and her best friend, of course, of which she also couldn’t be prouder of. 

Throughout the entire ride, past every noteworthy event and even the smallest of things, Clawdeen had watched from the sidelines as their lovely bond grew stronger, feeling happiness for them and a pang of longing in her own heart.

For what felt like years, Clawdeen had kept her love for Draculaura buried deep within, afraid of the repercussions it might have on her relationship with the couple. 

But now, in the wake of embracing her sister, Clawdeen recognized the power of honesty and the toll that keeping her emotions hidden had taken on her. She realized that living in fear and silence had only served to stifle her own happiness and prevent her from.. moving on? From closure? From being honest with someone as sweet and understanding as Draculaura? 

Could she do it?

Oh, her little sister didn’t know it, but they’d be doing something so important together.. whenever they were both fully ready. 

She’d been so silly, too. 

“Sis?”

“Y-Yeah?”

Howleen anchored her back into the present, who was suppressing a bubbling, shaky laugh from taking over. 

“I’ve just thought for a while now that.. ghouls are nice. Really nice. A lot of them are nice,” she explained between sniffles, her new expression lighting up her cheeks and dispelling her dreary, pained look. “Boys are nice too, but so are ghouls.. and then there’s Twyla!”

“She’s your favorite ghoul, yeah?”

“Totally my favorite.”

I got a favorite too, sis. Just look at those steps you’re taking and the ones I ain’t taking!

”I’m going to be honest.. I didn’t think you’d understand! But the amount of relief I’m feeling right now.. ‘cause you do understand.. is crazy!” 

“Crazy good, yeah? Of course I understand ya! And even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t leave you to be all sad and anxious.” 

I never will, ‘Leen.

“So.. what comes next?” Howleen whimpered, her newfound smile faltering. 

Her older sister blinked, and though it looked like she’d been taken by surprise, she just smiled before answering. 

“We can figure out what you should say to Twyla, sis,” she suggested tenderly. 

Howleen let out a strained sigh, a mix of relief and apprehension evident on her wet face. "But I'm scared, Clawdeen, you already know I am. Scared of what they’ll think! Scared of how Twyla will react if I tell her.."

Clawdeen squeezed Howleen's hand again, her voice filled with sisterly compassion, and her face making room for a larger, characteristic, toothy smile. "I understand. It's natural to be scared when it comes to matters of the heart. You could say I’ve picked up on that.”

Howleen’s ears flickered, the floppy tufts almost bouncing up. “Do you really know everything there is about this kind of stuff?” she jabbed, stretching her taut frame. She decided to lean into the warmth and fluff of Clawdeen as she released her remaining tension, observing the older werewolf closely. 

“I’m not a monsterpedia!” Clawdeen snickered. “But remember, being true to yourself is more important than worrying about others' opinions. We’ve been down this path before.”

It felt like only yesterday when Wisp and Gigi were at the forefront of Howleen’s school worries. Here Clawdeen was now, speaking what she needed to have heard way back then.

“You deserve happiness and love, and if Twyla is a true friend, she'll accept and respect your feelings, regardless of if she loves you as just a friend.. or something more.”

“So.. I can do this?” 

Clawdeen’s eyes stared down at a now beaming-face, one that Howleen wore best.

“We’ll do this,” Clawdeen vowed, winking. “If you’ll have your big sis tag along, of course.”

“I’m sorry,” her little sister apologized, wiping at leftover tears and makeup stains as she bore the confidence that she tended to envy her older sister for; but there was nothing but appreciation to be found now for Clawdeen.

“Let’s do this,” Howleen announced, clapping her hands and reaching for her bitetop. “You bet that you get to tag along! I’m gonna need you, since you’re the best ghoul for the job.”

Let’s do this!

Passing the device to her sister, and as they both remained cuddled together, Clawdeen chimed, “Let’s see how much of this confession you’ve written so far~~“

The following look on Howleen’s cheered up face was priceless.

“Dang, you’re good sis—y-you know what these uh.. notes really are?”

“More or less. Now it all makes sense! But don’t worry, start easing up. I promise your secret’s safe with me. I’ll be the only monster aware of it, unless you feel comfortable telling someone else about it.”

“Maybe.. maybe I’ll tell Clawd?” Howleen shrugged, scrolling through what she’d written thus far. Some lines she smiled at, others she looked.. more hesitant about keeping on the page. She gave a tiny huff, deciding to finish her thought after she cleared her strained chest with a sigh. “Big maybe though. I’ve.. had a lot for one night. We gotta revise and edit my attempt at a confession like if it’s an essay!”

No doubt her little sister wanted those words to be perfect, or as close to perfect as they could be. Clawdeen hadn’t forgotten that Twyla was one for simpler, humbler things, yet the younger werewolf really wanted to pour her everything into this. Already she was eliminating certain phrases, rolling her eyes at what she’d previously noted.

“Like I said, we’ll think of what to say,” Clawdeen soothed, “but won’t you also think of what to say to Clawd real quick?”

“I just told you that—“

“No no, what I meant was—don’t you wanna say sorry to him before he heads out to practice?”

“She’s actually gonna say sorry to me?”

That third voice made the ghouls almost jump out of bed. Too focused on themselves, it was no surprise how Clawd was able to quietly stick his head into their shared dormitory, cheekiness and surprise playing within the look he threw at his sisters. He was dressed in his sweatshirt and sweatpants, casketball wedged between his left arm and torso, and Clawdeen was nudging Howleen over to him. 

“You—“

She started growling.

“—ain’t wrong.”

It was a light growl, though, which stopped Clawdeen from stiffening. Howleen got off the bed, albeit at her own pace, and dragged her feet up towards her towering older brother.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, trying to look up into his eyes. “Really, I am! And it’s rare to get that outta me! I wasn’t meaning to go for your throat back at the dinner table..”

“I’m sorry too,” Clawd admitted, glancing at the floor, “for.. you know, ruffling your fur more.”

“I was just all—angry, but Clawdeen’s helping me out with those n-notes I didn’t finish. That’s honestly why I was so..”

“Unhinged?”

“You could kinda say that, Clawd. But ‘Leen’s doing better.”

The youngest of the trio just snorted. 

“Yeah, I’m not wildin’ anymore,” she chuckled slightly, smiling back at her sister.

“I promise.”

Clawdeen returned the smile. 

“I’ll let Mom and Dad know on my way out,” a relieved Clawd decided, ears perking as he wore his own smile. “Oh, and Draculaura told me to say hi to y’all on her behalf! Heh, she gave me a call and said she wanted to come watch me and the boys practice. You ghouls could come to the court after all that work gets done, yeah?”

Now Clawdeen paused, with a fraction of Howleen’s blush tickling her own cheeks.

A fraction.

But blush was blush, so now she was hiding it behind Howleen’s bitetop as she pulled it up to her face, pretending to tweak a line. 

“Sorry again, bro.” Howleen laughed a little, patting his back. “Next time, maybe, but I really have to get all this work done and focus all my time on that. And Clawdeen ain’t about to go back on her promise. Still, say hi to Draculaura for me.”

From behind the screen, Clawdeen lifted her hand, making a thumbs-up and quietly laughing out her own nervousness. 

“Well Clawd,” she managed, “you heard her! But make sure to say hi to Lala for me also. We’ll go with you next time.”

I got a little sis to help! And ain’t no way I could meet with Lala right now! Gotta face those facts—

“Heard,” he rumbled back nonchalantly, beginning to dribble his ball as he turned away and dashed off. “Heard you loud and clear! See y’all later.”

After he left, Howleen shut the door with a kick of her foot, then leaped back onto the covers with a breakout of laughter much more nervous and shaky than Clawdeen’s. “I-I thought he heard what we were saying! I was so ready to bite his ears off,” she growled lowly. 

Her older sister lowered the computer from her face, returning it to its owner with a delicate arch of her eyebrows. “Don’t show your fangs, sis. Just show me the lines you’re most proud of, so we can start somewhere.”

“Oh, right! Let’s see, I think I have something decent here. I hope I do! Twy deserves my best effort.. no matter what she says.”

Love filled those eyes as they trailed up to the screen.. with nothing but dreamy, hopeful thoughts that weren’t there before. 

“Your best confession,” Clawdeen cooed as she shimmied over and leaned in, “your best work yet.”

And after this confession.. I gotta work on another one.. sooner or later I gotta. 

She had to muster her own courage.

For now, though, as gentler thoughts graced her head and its backtracking of memories, the older she-wolf relished in the constancy of her little sister’s smiles.

In feeling proud of Howleen. 

Proud smiles were what she offered throughout the night, along with tips and advice. 

Both sisters felt closer. 

Their hearts felt fuller.

It just all felt right.

Now.. I know what I have to do.