Knowing full well that he wouldn't be returning to sleep anytime soon, the boy pushed the covers aside and drew himself reluctantly from the plush bed, hesitating before his feet touched the icy floor. With an incoherent bark of surprise, he scrambled for the soft-leather lined boots sitting near the bedside table and stuffed his feet quickly into their protective depths.
As the general feeling of impending doom had yet to ease, the young drow sighed and glanced towards the curtained window of his room. Betwixt the parts within the fabric, the sprawling city of Menzoberranzan was visible, its many twisting towers and chaotic winding streets lit by the gentle glow eminating from the crystal-dotted ceiling of the gargantuan underground grotto. The light was always low, but during the twilight hours it was darker still, although such inhibitions never limited the Drow's impecable vision. Im'avin's oddly hued amber eyes flared slightly crimson momentarily as his pupils widened to catch the ambient light.
Very few were out at this hour, save for perhaps the few strange slaves he could see shuffling about in the streets outside the Manor and the occasional lizard-mounted guard patrolling. It was just as well, he sighed.
The startling shattering of glass down the hall snapped the boy to attention, his form tensed in the manner of a coiled spring. His sensitive ears caught no scream nor shout following the piercing noise, but the whufflingly tentative sobs of the young female drow not far down the way. Quickly reacting with protective intent, Im'avin raced out into the hall and bolted as fast as his agile legs would carry him, skidding to a halt in the palpable darkness only once he reached the appropriate door.
"..Hal'nae?" The young drow asked softly, his tone tender and concerned as he reached to open the door.
A beautiful little girl sat upon rich violet bedding garbed in a silken night-gown that fit her svelt frame loosely, though it danced well past her dark toes. Tears wove trails down her cheeks, the golden stare that returned his gleaming and moist; ebony locks upon her head were disheveled from her sleep. "...Brother?" Her quiet voice was heart-wrenchingly distressed.
Im'avin's eyes travelled from his sister to the shattered glass upon the floor, thick chunks far wider than those for a simple glass littering the area at her feet. Some held smoothed and rounded edges, and the boy had no difficulty guessing what it had once been.
"You were scrying, weren't you?" He sighed, stepping lightly to avoid the shards as he made his way to the girl's side. Hal'nae whimpered defensively, but melted against her brother in heavy sobs once he had wrapped his arms about her.
"Oh, Im'avin.." She cried, squeezing her eyes tightly shut and burying her face against his chest. "Promise you won't leave me?"
Im'avin paused, surprised by her plea. "..I.. I promise. What did you see, Hal?"
Hal'nae's crying only increased to a near hysterical volume, and she tightened her grasp upon the young male. Im'avin hugged her tightly to him. "Please tell me, Hal'nae."
"There-there was.. blood, and.. and so much light. It burned my eyes, Im'avin," Hal'nae whimpered piteously between sobs. "The raven was.. was caged. But it.. broke free.. and there was so much blood.. You musn't go near the viper! Promise me you won't!" Her voice took on a shrieking edge in fright.
"Hal'nae, it's okay! I'm here. I promise I won't. No snakes," he forced a reassuring smile to his refined features, though his stomach roiled. This did not sound like any simple scrying. Had Lloth granted his sister a cyptic vision of the future? A warning? Hal'nae had always been close to the Goddess, close enough that he was not tempted to disbelief.
Im'avin muttered soothing, unintelligible noises and rocked his sister gently until she calmed, her fearful, wracking sobs dissolved into occasional whimpers that shook her tiny frame. Whatever she had actually seen had disturbed her in a way he had not yet seen. He would take this with specific caution.
"Shh, everything is fine," he mumbled in response to her quiet protests as he laid her back upon the bed. "Just go back to sleep. Everything will be better in the morning. You'll see."
Hal'nae murmured something incoherent and relaxed as his arms left her sides. He afforded himself one brief moment to gaze lovingly at his sister before turning to the task at hand. Waking the servants was possible, but it would alert the rest of the house to the event and disturb their sleep if Hal'nae hadn't already - he'd certainly hear about that later, so Im'avin chose to clean the splintered glass himself. The less intereference, and the less he bothered the Mother, the better.