it was a relief to know that Chaos was not naturally the cranky, whiny, sickly brat he'd given the impression of for the past month. For a while there it had seemed like he was going to be as bad as Vana; though for the most part he was on his best behavior when his dad was around he'd still been sickly and had a tendency to be oversensitive. The addition of solid foods into his diet had been practically a miracle maker, especially since as his milk teeth had grown in so oddly that nursing was even more difficult now. But he handled solid foods like a champ, and the pup who's growth had always been so worrying slow compared to his siblings was starting to accelerate to a more normal rate of growth. He was still behind where his siblings had all been at his age, but it was much better. He'd hit all his other milestones on time, so it would all work out in the end. In fact, he was just about ready for his next milestone. His first real forays outdoors. Such was on Cascade's mind that morning as she watched Chaos sleeping, curled up in her den with him tucked safely between her forepaws. He had certainly grown strong enough lately to justify allowing him to begin to explore the world outside the den as Rhythm's litter was no doubt already doing. He'd started to fill out now and was a sturdy little boy now, though if experience told her anything it was that he would be shortly putting on a growth spurt and would go back to being scrawny and lanky for a while as his body caught up. There was no reason to keep him in longer, and every reason to let him start to get some real exercise and fresh air. It'd be healthy for him. She had made no move to wake him, but Chaos was already stirring on his own, mismatched eyes blinking and his jaw stretching open into a yawn that revealed all of his unnaturally oversized teeth. "Good morning, Chaos," she murmured into his ear, gently sly. "Are you ready to go outside today?" "Talk" "You" Think

Chaos had never known the whys or hows of it, but he knew that he'd been plagued by belly aches and discomfort for as long as he could remember and that they were, suddenly, gone. It was like being freed of a burden you hadn't even known you were carrying. He slept better, he felt better, he had more energy to play. It was like a whole new world had opened up for him that the pup had never imagined. Sure, his jaws and gums hurt a lot now that his teeth were growing in, but Mama brought him sticks and bones and hides to chew on and it helped that a lot. He liked to chew, and it was so much fun to play tug of war with his mama or daddy. It was his favorite game. In fact, that's what he was dreaming about as wakefulness slowly crept over him to dissolve the dream into wispy remnents to cloud his sleepy brain as his eyes blinked open and he yawned. Midyawn he heard the words - are you ready to go outside? What what what?! His jaws snapped shut on the yawn with a squeak, and he started up at Mama with wide eyes. He was suddenly very, very much awake. "Yeth!" he crowed, leaping to his little paws and bouncing. "You mean i', you mean i'? May I reary?" ""

Cascade laughed, and flattened the bouncing pup with one paw. Such a change from the mopey child of just a couple weeks ago. "Oh I don't know, maybe it's a bad idea..." she teased, but his crestfallen expression made her capitulate. "Of course I mean it." She playfully ran her tongue firmly down the back of his head and neck, smoothing the ruffled fur there, though it immediately sprang back up even spikier than before. She laughed again as he wriggled in protest, and swiped at him a few more times just for good measure before letting him go. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go outside!" Knowing what pups this age could be like, she made sure to get to the entrance of the den before him and slide out into the sunlight. Once he got used to it there was a good chance he'd be off like a rocket so she wanted to already be out there and ready. "Talk" "You" Think

Chaos squeaked in outrage as he was flattened by his mama's paw, and he reached out to bat at her as he struggled, giggling. But his face fell as she suddenly expressed doubts about the idea. Was... was she changing her mind? He didn't get to go outside? "Of course I mean it," she added, and Chaos growled a mock growl at her. Well... well he hadn't been fooled by her playing! He knew she'd just been joking! She licked at his head and he squealed in protest, trying to wriggle out from under her paw to no avail. Noooooo not the dreaded baaaaaath. He went tumbling away in escape when she finally lifted her paw. Yes! Freedom! "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go outside!" If Cascade hadn't been ready for it and beaten him to the exit, Chos would have been outside before she had finished her sentence. "Yayyyyyyyy!" he shrieked, bolting immediately for that bright circle that, until now, he'd been forbidden from, only to smack into Mama's hind legs and go rolling backwards. "Mama hurry uuuuuuup." He danced impatiently in place waiting for her to hurry up and stop being slow so he could go outside, and FINALLY her butt disappeared out of the exit and Chaos was out of there like an arrow from a bow. Only to stop dead as the bright light suddenly blinded him and sent him tumbling tail over ears into a heap in the grass. Whaaaaat was this?! It was way brighter out here than in the den. Chaos screwed up his face and squinted around until finally the dazzle left his eyes and he could actually see, and wow everything was so much more bright and colorful than in the den! "Mama!" he gasped, awestruck, but the moment passed quickly before he was on his feet and racing around looking at everything. "What'th thith?!" he asked, pouncing on a tuft of grass. "And and, thith?" he began chasing after a grasshopper, only to be distracted as a butterfly fluttered by his face so he turned on his heels and raced after the colorful fluttery. "Mama looki thith!" ""

SERAPHIM IMPERIALIS Seraphim heard a cacophony coming from the direction of his mother's den from quite a ways a way. He'd been trying harder to stay closer to the pack, to be more involved, but he kept getting distracted by his whims. Recently, knowing that Cascade had just given birth to another sibling had kept him close. Excitement had wiggled its way into his limbs, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he could properly meet the little guy. He knew that at first pups couldn't see or hear anyways, but he was so impatient So, when the sounds of a young voice rang at in the clear air the mottled titan bolted to his feet. He gasped in his excitement and began bounding towards Cascade's den. Was it really time?! He would crash through the tall grasses, powering through the tangles and clumps until finally careening down the final knoll. "Mom! Mom, I heard-" His words jammed up in his throat when he saw the tiny dark pelt zipping around the den site. Gods above, it was perfect! Phim minced from side to side, wide-eyed and eager to meet his new brother. He made to flop down on the ground so he was nearer to his brother's height, but he was so excited that his rump stayed up in the air. "Hi!" he crowed. "I'm Phim! Er, Seraphim I mean. I'm your brother!" The young boy was so full of energy and zeal, and Phim smiled. They were definitely related. "Talk" "You" Think

Chaos was, not unexpectedly, off like a shot as soon as his eyes adjusted to the brightest light he'd seen in his life. He careened around like a rubber ball, bouncing from one thing to the next and shouting out questions in his barely intelligible voice. She barely had time to give an answer before he was off to the next thing, and she wasn't quite sure if he was even listening anyway. "That's grass. Grasshopper. Butterfly." She chuckled as he chased after the pretty thing, trying to catch it.

Cascade glanced up from Chaos as the raucous voice of her second son burst out calling for her. Oh good - she was hoping one of the other kids would come by. Even with just one pup she knew how easy it would be for him to give her the slip, but two sets of eyes should help. Of course, Chaos and Seraphim were as alike as two peas in a pod so maybe she should be more concerned than anything... "Chaos' first day out of the den, Phim, so don't do anything too crazy - no poking at venomous snakes!" Her tone and expression were joking, relaxed and comfortable as she settled in to watch how Chaos would react to his much bigger brother.

Chaos squealed as he chased after the colorful fluttery (no, he had in fact not been listening as Mama answered his questions) and attempted to bat at it, but he skidded to an abrupt stop as a huge, loud thing pounced in front of him. He frizzed up in alarm and arched his back, skittering sideways with a tiny, squeaky snarl. But the big loud thing said he was his brother, and Mama didn't seem too worried about it. Chaos stopped to consider a very, very brief moment, and then all at once a big-toothed grin beamed over his features and he bounced back over to the big thing. "Pim!" he squealed. "P'ay wid me!" Without hesitation he swatted his Pim on the nose and raced away. This Outside thing was getting better and better. Not only was it awesome but the Outside had brothers for him to play with! ""