and they rose with voices ringing (Tinaro)
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The young man had been doing an orderly patrol of the borders in a relaxed manner when he came across the drifting scent of a pup. Usually, the child's scent would mingle with an adult's, thus assuring him that the pup was under a watchful eye. However, this was a lone scent, which spiked some concern for the male. Abaven's territories were protected and considered safe, yes, though the child was easily able to injure themselves with the conspicuous natural surroundings. Perhaps they were more responsible than he imagined, although his own pup-hood assured him otherwise. It was worth a look anyway; what harm would it do?
Following the trail upon ebony paws, a grey and alabaster pup came into his view, and as he expected - alone. At least he had arrived, bringing some relief to his thoughts. The markings upon the child's features were surprisingly familiar - was he one of the Azat's newest litter? At this rate, all his friends were going to be Destructions. "Hiya big guy!" he cheerily greeted with his friendliest voice and grin, approaching at a smooth trot. He wasn't a pup himself (unfortunately), but that didn't mean he couldn't hang out with one.
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Already, he seemed to take a liking to the child, who greeted him back and exchanged a name. Tordo, the pup went by, quite similar to the adult's own name with the same starting and finishing sound. He couldn't help but to comment on it cheerily. "Well, my name's Tinaro. Nice to meet ya Tordo!" Somewhere inside of him, he felt a pang of jealousy. This boy was must likely one of Bass' newest litter, which meant he would grow up surrounded by many family members. If only Tinaro could have lived that life; the thought made him feel empty and hollow inside, like as if he hadn't had a normal childhood.
However, he pushed those plaguing thoughts aside. Why waste time sulking and thinking 'If this' and 'If that'? In fact, he was determined to ensure every pup in Abaven grew up with family and loved ones, even if that meant befriending a few. No child wanted to lose their entire family - the meaning of their life. "Hey, our names both start with T! You know what? I think wolves whose names start with T are awesome wolves," he exclaimed with an encouraging smile, gently nudging the boy's shoulder.
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Oh, so he wasn't an only child? He joined in with the boy's giggles, making a mental note to meet his sister as well. It was so relaxing to be around kids, as he had only just discovered. It was like he could shed his adult shell and emerge as a pup, free of any worries or responsibilities. Children seemed to carry this playful aura.
The boy at first brought up the idea of play before having second-thoughts and inquiring what it is that adults do. This made the man feel incredibly old, though he pushed those thoughts aside as he spoke in a lively manner. "Well, adults aren't always boring and grumpy. We can play too." It had been a while since he had played any sort of game, although he vividly remembered the enjoyment and laughter easily created by such activities. His tail gave a small wag as he continued, lowering his voice like he was giving away a secret. "But you know what I like to do when I'm not playing?"
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The man briefly raised his brow in intrigue. Oh? So the child knew adults played? How did he know that? Had he been spying on his fellow pack-mates, or simply making assumptions after spending time with his parents? Either way, none of those games were silly. Just because they are pup games, it doesn't mean they are silly. In fact, all games, but most importantly those learnt and played at an early age, help develop life skills for the future. What was so silly about that? "Silly?" he echoed, almost taken aback. "No no no. No games are silly. In fact, they're pretty important, if you think about it."
He couldn't help but to melt on the inside as he watched the boy widen his eyes in fascination, wanting the "secret" to be revealed. Holding back his amused laughter, he kept a grin upon his complexion as he spoke the answer the child had been waiting for. "Fighting!" he whispered that one word with so much emphasis, his features coming alive with expression. "But not like the little arguments you'd have with your sister," Siblings argued, didn't they? At least that was what he could remember from his own childhood. "No, real fighting. Tooth and claw fighting!"
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Ecstatic pride welled in his chest as he watched the child widen his eyes and madly wag his tail. Even he never found fighting so exciting, but then again, an adult never introduced him to it. He looked up to his brother, who at the time seemed like a skilled fighter after getting into a dispute with their other brother. It was his own decision really. Healing or hunting didn't call to him like sparring did, and fortunately it stuck to him. The fact that he could influence a younger soul and even teach him, overwhelmed his thoughts. "It's very cool," he added with a grin.
Question time! That was another thing he loved about children - their natural curiosity and fascination. As he aged, his own intrigue had faded until he found most things rather boring. And he didn't just have to answer; he could demonstrate. Oh boy! He couldn't wait! "Like this," he replied, clearing his throat and puffing his chest out. With a head held high, he hoped to appear wise in this subject, not that he wasn't. "Observe." He took a few steps back, putting some space between him and the pup to ensure he didn't whack him. Running up, he pretended to slam his shoulder into his imaginary opponent's windpipe, jaws unhinging as he swiftly gripped the air - their scruff. Whilst he demonstrated, he dictated his actions. "I run up, slam into them, knock the wind out of 'em and then bite down on their scruff! Gotta be quick though, 'cause they can hit you back."
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Awesome. His heart fluttered as the child summed his whole demonstration with that one word. In fact, he even tried to mimic the older male's actions, though wasn't as graceful, and stumbled over his paws as a result of it. A few chuckles slipped from his lips as he watched the child stand, noticeably embarrassed. He admired that determination, the confidence to try something out in front of a grown-up. If only he had been that brave as a pup, even now as an adult when the nerves really hit him.
"You will be," he promised, offering an encouraging smile and nudge. "You're really confident, and that's a good thing. A lot of warriors aren't." Now that he thought about it, the boy would make an excellent fighter. His perseverance and bravery would take him far, especially when it came down to training. Most of the canines wanting to become fighters would eventually drop off, overwhelmed by the load. This kid wouldn't. Of course, that didn't mean he didn't have to learn about defences, attacks and well...not tripping over. Say...that gave the man an idea. "Hey, how about I teach you some stuff? So then when you start your proper training in a few seasons time you'll have a head start."