He blinked blearily awake, ears flicking back against his head as he cast a sidelong glance across the den. The boy was in a bad mood - not only was it early, but he had gone to sleep late... all because of his rule-breaking brother! Why couldn't Dragon just realize that rules were meant to be followed, whether or not he liked them? It didn't matter one way or another. They were in place for a reason, and damnit, it was annoying if they weren't followed! There were three territories in Imperium. There was plenty room to play.

Not that Lykos even wanted to play. Not anymore. He was too annoyed and frustrated to; all he wanted to do was smack his brother until he got the message. But, whatever. The boy awned and stretched, forelegs reaching far out in front of him before he rose completely, slipping out of the den. He'd sit near one of the trees outside, tail curled around his hindpaws as he tipped his head to stare at the sky. Hmm, what to do? He supposed he ought to go meet some of the other pups - it'd be good to do, since he didn't really know them that well at all.

"Speech"

She was pretty upset with her son, Dragon had disobeyed and run off farther then she thought he could. It was thanks to two of her packmates that he had returned safe and unharmed, but the moment he got back he had been given punishment. He was to remain within the orchard for the remainder of the season. Perhaps less if he actually listened and behaved. She was very displeased with him, and she was sure that others were looking at like she was a bad parent. It made her angry, that she was doing this as a single mother...their father nowhere to be found. Sighing, she calmed herself as she approached the den. She had left a little early to do a morning patrol, and with sprin coming into bloom she wanted to do something with her children now that there was less snow. Winter had been the season she had been away most of the time, trying to vent her frustration out with fighting since Newol had left. Now though, she realized she had been a little neglectful...some way to start motherhood... Nearing the den, she scented Lykos sitting outside. With a wagging tail, she made her way over to the boy and licked his head as she passed. Her heart was pounding with happiness that her other children had made it past that season...and it hurt that her smallest child, Gnar...hadn't. At least, she wouldn't have to grow up and face the ugliness of the world. But she wondered what kind of woman she would have grown up to be. "Good morning Lykos, how are you today?" She sat with her child, gazing warmly at him as the sun shone down. She was glad winter was over, she was sure they were just as tired of the snow as much as she was. "Talk" "You" Think

Movement would be heard, and the boy would twist his head slightly to see who it was. He had not yet gotten completely used to using just his nose; he was working on it - he ought to be able to identify his packmates by smell, after all, and it would be good in a situation if he couldn't see. Not that he could think of a situation like that, but hey! There may be a time when he gets stuck in something and he can't see and he has to use his nose and he has to remember to use his nose.

Either way, it was his mother, and the boy would remain looking up as she settled near him. His ears would flatten momentarily - mothers and their need to lick their children, ugh - but then they would flicker back up even as she asked how he was doing. He'd glance sidelong at her. "Annoyed," he stated, matter-of-fact-ly. It was entirely the truth - he was rather annoyed and peeved at Dragon, but thankful that his mother was not imposing the same sort of restrictions on him and his other two siblings. Perhaps he needed to take advantage of that...

"Speech"

Annoyed? She sighed for a moment, looking up at the sky for a moment. She was annoyed too, with one of her kids. But not the others. Lykos and Simurgh and Kharnage had been behaving, but Dragon? He was getting into a lot of trouble lately. Maybe he was going through some stuff? Hell if she knew...maybe he decided he was the rebellious type...gods only knew. If there were any. She looked at her tallest son, already bigger then the others. Most likely, he would surpass her in height someday. "Annoyed huh? Well, what can we do to make you feel better?" She smiled at him, her tail wagging a little as she thought about something they could. There were a lot of things she wanted to do with them. Hunting, maybe a fight lesson. Or anything else they wanted to learn. "Talk" "You" Think

Heh, his mother. She was so caring, so sweet; he loved her wholeheartedly for it. Sadly, Dragon walked all over her, and if he was the rebellious type, then Lykos was the exact opposite. Unfortunately, he had no idea what they could do, and words flowed out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Smack Dragon until he realizes that rules exist for a reason?" he asked, before grimacing. Oops. He didn't mean to say that. He shook his head. "Sorry," he apologized to his mother. He really shouldn't say that. Oh, well, too late now. Now to attempt to fix it. "I'd love to learn how to hunt with you, Mother," he said quietly. He hadn't hunted much, and he really did want to learn - hunt and fight, that is. It seemed like it would be fun.

"Speech"

She was surprised to hear that. Well...okay, not entirely. Lykos had always been a stickler for the rules, which in a sense, she didn't mind. It made her job as a single mom easier, but with Dragon's rebelliousness, she supposed it evened out the playing field. She offered a stern look to her child before playfully shaking her head. Gods did she want to smack their dad even more...actually, probably more then that but until then..."He's already been punished for that. The rest of you are free to wander the territories, and he needs to stay within sight of the den." He might not still be happy with that answer, but that was how things would be. When he mentioned he wanted to learn how to hunt, she grew a thoughtful look. She could teach him, her father had taught her around his age too, so why not? While she still felt bruised from the several fights she had recently, she was still up for teaching him. But the question was, what? Buffalo might be too big to do without someone else's help. There were also rabbits, birds, and fish among other small game. Maybe she should let him choose? Her father had taught her how to hunt for rabbits, so maybe start there. "Alright, hunting it is. Do you want to learn how to hunt rabbits? Birds? Or fish? There's plenty of small game, but we're not quite ready for buffalo just yet." "Talk" "You" Think

An ear would flick at the stern gaze, and Lykos would avert his eyes from his mother, that is, until she shook he head. Avalon would answer with Dragon's punishment, and the boy would nod thoughtfully. So, not allowed to leave the den area. That would promptly drive Dragon insane within the first hour... Lykos approved wholeheartedly. Especially since he and his other siblings could still move uninhibited, with the exception of the usual rules. Yep, that pleased him. Very much so.

The conversation would move to hunting, and he'd give her his full attention, ears straining forward to listen carefully. When Avalon finally spoke, he was almost twitching with impatience - how hard was it to say yes or no? And yet, then she brought up points he hadn't thought of, and he frowned. "All of them." Why did he have to pick just one? And what were buffalo? Animals in the Buffalo Knolls, probably. He hadn't been there yet, but he was planning on going alone.

"Speech"

Lykos Ancora
   Adravendi