It seemed that the pups grew more each day. Asla, though a chunky newborn, was getting a bit slimmer as her legs grew longer. Stealth had become a way of life for the cream and grey child. Every step that she took was assessed for maximum sound control. She prided herself on her ability to move around unheard. Soft little kitten paws held claws retracted, and so there was never the sound if claws on stone.

The sun was obscured by cloud cover today though it didn't look as though it was going to rain. Aslatiel had the idea to try waking silently upon sand. Each step brought little crunching sounds as the grains ground together. She tried many different techniques, but in the end, she gave up. Creeping in the sand want as fun as hunting things. She had killed the chicken, a few mice and a quail, but she wanted to hunt bigger things. Her dad had promised to teach her, but he hasn't gotten around to it yet.

With a huff, Aslatiel chucked herself onto the sand. Head on her paws, she watched a little crab go scuttling by. The girl was tempted to catch it, but seafood always smelled funny. Instead, she simply swiped at it, sending the orange crab sailing through the air and into a warm puddle. There had to be something to do.

He had held his tiny Asla beneath the stars, and when he had awoken, she was gone. He had not intended to sleep, but peace had found him regardless. The knowledge that his stealthy little daughter had sneaked away without waking him only made him chuckle beneath his breath. She was going to be a terror, he just knew it.

He started his rounds of patrols, going about his duties, and at the point where he would normally hunt for Zee’s breakfast, he would instead go to fetch Asla. He had promised her hunting lessons after all.

He found her in the sand, teasing crabs and looking rather put out. “Little Star-flower” he called out to her, standing on the grasses just beyond the beach as he sought out her attention.

She heard him coming, little dark ears swiveling to catch the sound of her father's paws crunching on sand. Already she was learning the sound of her family's footsteps. Everyone walked differently and it was good to know who was coming up behind you. When her father drew close and gave her yet another nickname. Aslatiel lifted her head and beamed at him. She really liked all of these different names and titles. They made her feel special and loved.

"Hi, papa." Her fluffy tail swished back and forth as she looked at him over her shoulder. "I'm not in trouble for being here, am I?" Boundaries were an issue with her. They always would be. She wanted to see new places though. She wanted to learn. You couldn't do that sitting still in the den. Had her father come to collect her and take her back?

His grin widened as she called him ‘papa’ his expression softened to the point people would be disableiving at the reputation he held outside of the pack. There was such soft joy in his face, it would be hard to believe him a tyrant.

“Of course not love, exploring the Armada is good for you” he promised, not one to tell them off without very good reason. He moved closer, crouching down beside her. “You should not wonder outside of the Armada without watch yet, there are big wolves out there, wolves big enough to grab you, and use you to hurt your family. You have a responsibility to not be used by others, so stick with the Armada, okay?” he told her. He was always frank with Asla, when he gave rules, he gave the why, with no hesitation of ‘should he be scaring her’ in his thoughts. Asla could take it, he trusted her to take what he said, and in return for that trust, she would always get the truth. He didn’t care if she explored, but he would not have another wolf use her to get to him.

“But, since I am here, I think we could allow a little trip. Want to help me catch some breakfast for you Ma?”

Aslatiel smiled sweetly when her father told her that she wasn't in trouble. She could already tell that, with him, she could get away with a lot. He was less strict than her mother in ways and more so in others. The little wolf could handle it. As long as he continued to love her and call her sweet things, she would be fine.

Sirius spoke of traveling together, then mentioned other wolves using her against her family. Asla blinked back surprise. Everyone that she'd met so far had been really nice. This definitely needed further explanation. "What do you mean, papa? Why would anyone want to hurt us?" This was all news to her. During her short existence, she'd never even begun to thought that there were bad wolves in the world, let alone wolves that might try to steal her away. It didn't make any sense and she really needed her father to elaborate.

When asked if she wanted to catch breakfast for her mother, Asla giggled softly and whispered, "Mom can't catch her own breakfast!?" Standing up, the tiny fae shook sand from her pelt and awaited further instruction, a keen eagerness in her gaze.

He considered her question for a moment, pulling her close as was becoming his way. He absently began to clean his tiny child, letting his thoughts roll around in his mind before he spoke. “In part, politics, in part, it is simply wolf-nature. There are people out there who would see something as small as you and your siblings as a weak point to exploit to gain benefits. There are also wolves out there who would do it because they want to, and would find enjoyment in it. As you enjoy hunting and killing critters, they would enjoy hunting you.” he explained. He had never killed others for sport, he had done so when he had been commanded, or when they had endangered his charge or the Empire.

Kidnapping the little healers had been to boost his ranks, and for the good of the Armada, those that killed for enjoyment were sick in the brain, and wolves he would be happy to end. He continued his grooming, falling silent for another moment, and then laughing at her next question. “Of course she can, but your mumma used a lot of time and energy growing you in her womb, she carried you to term, and made your father a very happy man. She deserves nice things, like meals from her husband and children. You want to make your mumma happy, don’t you?” It almost wasn’t a question, he couldn’t see why it would be any other way. Zee was a miracle to him, every bit as precious as his little Asla and her siblings. He let her pull away as she came to her feet, and he stood us as well, looking down expectantly at his daughter.

There had never been more stone cold conviction in a child's face as Sirius explained the nature of some wolves. "I won't let anyone hurt my brothers. Or mom. Or you." The expression on her face was years beyond her age. "I won't. I'm a killer." She believed it with every fiber of her being that she would do whatever was necessary to protect her family.

The seriousness drifted away as they began to speak of the girl's mother. She gave a little shrug. "I want mom to be happy." She wrinkled her nose a bit. "I just don't want her to be mad at me again." Zee had been rather upset with her and Indy when they'd escaped for the very first time. Asla had a feeling that her mother would be much more strict than her father and would be much more difficult to please.

Looking around at the somewhat desolate landscape, she brought her purple gaze back to her father. "What are we going to hunt?"

He nodded his head slowly as Asla spoke, he knew she would do what she could, but right now she was tiny, and would be easy to use. Now that he had explained the situation to her, he trusted her. She would not leave the Armada without a guide, not until she was old enough and strong enough to defend herself. He left it at that, feeling the trust between them was strong enough to not need assurances.

“I want your mum to be happy, too” he agreed, patting a spot beside him as he started to walk, indicating she should follow. “You know that big feeling of fear and helplessness you felt when you were drowning, and couldn’t get free? Your momma felt that too, when she realised you were in danger, and she might lose you. That fear showed itself as anger, because she didn’t want to lose you. She doesn't love you any less, she just wants you to be safe.” he explained, reaching over and tickling the top of her head with his breath and nose as he spoke. He had so much to explain to the growing girl, so much of the world to show her.

“Hmm, let’s see what scents we find, and go from there?” he suggested as he moved them back to the Tall Grass plains. “Start sniffing around you, and the grass where creatures have been. You're looking for anything that smells like meat”

As her father explained the fear that her mother felt, Asla supposed she could understand. The water trying to swallow her hadn't been nice and her mom was afraid that it might have swallowed her forever. Dead like birds. She didn't want to be dead like birds so she would work at being better.

Following her dad, she put her nose to the ground much like he did and sniffed lightly, learning the world around her. Find something that smelled like meat. Okay. A weird scent pulled her attention to the left and she followed it. Unfortunately, it was just some rotten fruit. She tried again, sniffing and sniffing. Following her nose. Lifting her head, she looked to her father and whispered. "Papa, I think there's a meat over there." A gentle breeze was pulling the scent of wild pig right towards them.

Sirius followed along after his daughter, silent and patient as he gave her the space and time she needed to figure out what was around her. She picked a scent and followed it, and didn’t give up when it wasn’t what she wanted it to be. The father had a foolish grin on his face as he watched the young girl. He wasn’t quiet about his pride when it came to these kids, to his Asla. She was incredible, and a father had never been more proud.

She looked again, and found another, pulling his attention towards it. He raised his head to his full height, towering well above the girl, and squinted, looking and scenting, and finding the pig with ease, he hunkered back down into the grass. “I think you're onto something” he agreed quietly. “Remember what I taught you about stalking? Let's go see what you’ve found” he suggested

Aslatiel did as her father asked and lowered herself into a stalking position. She had been practicing her silent walking constantly and so her little paws made nary a sound as she moved towards the smell of meat. The low, grunting of the pig could be heard before she ever saw it. The closer she came, the more pungent the smell was. She didn't like the smell one bit.

Coming to the edge of the longer grass, the tiny wolf poked her head through just enough to see the beast that she'd tracked. It was substantially bigger than she was and the girl frowned as she watched it root among the mangroves. "Papa, its too big for me," she admitted in a whisper. She'd found it though. Maybe he would kill it for them? "Can you show me?" The child looked at him with big, innocent eyes. She was ready to learn.

Sirius also took care to move cautiously through the grass, being careful to ensure his large body did not make noise, or ruin the hunt of his daughter. He wanted her to get the full experience and joy of this hunt. He was there only to be a help, and not a hindrance.

They reached the pig, and Asla was sensible enough to see that it was too big for her. Still, Sirius wanted her to reach for her bravery, so long as she did it sensibly. “Your right” he murmured softly. “Here's the plan, I will distract it, and you strike it, okay? Go for its neck after I move.” he instructed.

With that, the Titan launched himself from the earth, lunging with teeth bared, and claws unsheathed as he threw himself at what was, to Sirius, a small pig. He landed hard on the creature, knocking the breath from its body, and shoving it over onto its side. He came to a stop with a paw against its side, and waited with patience for Asla.

Before she could even nod, her father leaped from his place and landed on the pig. The squeal hurt her ears and her step faltered for a moment, but the girl regained her footing. Rushing forward, she latched her claws into the pig, holding it firmly to her as she squeezed her jaws around its throat.

Not entirely sure if she was doing the right thing, Asla bit harder and harder until her jaws started to hurt. The pig flailed and a hoof caught her on the forehead above her left eye, bringing blood to the surface. The girl winced and made a sound of pain, but she didn't release her kill. Gradually, the thrashing of the pig lessened, then ceased entirely.

She listened for a heartbeat. Tried to see if the pigs ribcage was still rising and falling. It was not, so she unlatched her jaws from its throat and pulled back. One eye was shut as blood trickled downwards, marring the grey and white marking on her face. With one purple eye, she looked down at the pig; her kill. "Did I do good, Papa?" She asked, wondering if there was anything that she could do differently.

Sirius held down the pig, giving his pup ample time to figure out what she needed to do. The pig squealed and bucked, and a hoof escaped him just in time to get a good kick into the small girl. Sirius growled in anger, yanking the pig closer to him, and pulling down on its feet so hard he likely broke something, not that it would be caring for much longer.

Despite the pain, Asla kept at it, digging in hard, likely cutting off the blood flow more effectively then actually ripping out its throat. She let go of the dead pig, and stood back. It also gave Sirius a better chance to see her face. He hissed in sympathy at her pain, and licked free the blood from her coat, and pressing a soft kiss to the bruise. “You did amazing baby girl, you did amazing.”

Her father licked the wound on her head. Adrenaline was still coursing through her and the cut didn't even hurt. It likely wasn't even that big, but head wounds had a way of appearing more serious than they actually were. Approval was given and Asla beamed, her bloody little maw splitting in a grin.

Rising, she took the opportunity to look the pig over. "It smells bad." That acrid stench was still there and she wrinkled her nose. "They taste better than they smell." The blood was still on her tongue and she knew this to be fact. Looking to her father, she tilted her head. "What do we do with it now?" Did they just eat it like that? Did they cut it up? Did they remove the stuff inside? She had no idea.