The Warlord waited a few weeks after the pups had been given their freedom. Letting them get the hang of their world and their bodies before he made his way to the little clearing that had been clearly set up by the healer. He was within throwing distance of the healer's den, and caught the scent of puppies everywhere. Of no surprise to him, it seemed that the kids had been into everything. His lips twitching in amusement, he raised his head and he called out for the miscreants. Inviting them to come and see their Grandfather. Today, he intended to teach them their stances. It was vital they knew their defenses and balance, and got the hang of practicing it before the real fight training began - both for those that wished to pursue the path, and those that would only be learning self defense. "Speech"

A miscreant, a rascal, a rogue of a boy-- yeah, that was pretty accurate so far. Warden was out here committing small crimes, like eating the very last of the sun-ripe blackberries in the garden and pretending he had no idea who'd done it when his siblings asked. That, and like, blaming his mother's raccoon for pretty much any transgression he could. What, it's like, why even have a little trash bandit if you're not going to let him be your fall guy? Mr. Raccoon was all tiny hands and no shame, and... well, so was Warden, actually.

Anyway!

On the call from Sirius, the boy made his way away from the garden patch and back through the woods. His gaze was bright-- it was always a good day when grandpa came to visit. His pace was a light, thoughtful jog. Warden's gaze was bright as it settled on the Warlord, head cocking to one side, then the other. Did he bring something for them to eat? Did he bring something for them to do? Someone for them to play with? Warden peered curiously up at Sirius, plunking down in front of him. It had been a sorta long walk for such little legs. "What're we doin'?" What indeed.

"Speech"

Wynter was never one to turn down an opportunity to learn something so when she heard their grandfather calling for them for a lesson she of course immediately abandoned the interesting bug she had been chasing and investigating. While the grasshopper had been very fun to bop around and make hop from place to place, she just knew that learning something from their grandpa would be way more fun. She hurried across the wide area that they were allowed to roam in within the woods and soon enough she spotted the towering form of the Warlord waiting for them. Warden had some how beaten her here–probably because he was closer to the den and getting into something he wasn't supposed to, no doubt–but she was still just the second one here so that was good enough! She trotted over to join them and went to lean on their grandfather's much larger leg, looking up at him with a smile as her tail wagged behind her. "Hi, grandpa. What're we doing today?"

"Wynter Carpathius"

“Grandpa!” Wylan cried out in excitement as the old man’s voice carried across the woods. Sirius was like the oldest wolf he had ever seen in his life. He had dropped by a few times while they were still confined to the family den. So he knew his voice, and the scent of him. He trotted to where the older wolf was waiting, and found Warden and Wynter already there. His tail wiggled behind him in excitement as he raced up. He pretended to pounce on one of Seer’s paws - the one Wynter wasn’t leaning on - and he had to get past Warden to do it. But he found a toe, and claimed it with both his paws. “I’m here!” He said, completely unnecessarily, but he didn’t want to miss out on whatever the plan was. "Speech"

Since Zion had found the courage to go outside that first day, it has been difficult to make her go inside anymore. The vastness of the world and the strange, amazing, and, sometimes, terrifying inhabitants have completely enthralled the young girl. So, when her grandfather’s voice calls out from them, the curious girl may have wandered just a little further away than she had originally thought. Even running as fast as her short legs can carry her, the girl arrives behind three of her siblings. Now, the tall Warlord would have been scary except she knows that this is grandpa and he has visited the youngsters several times already. Bouncing up to the group of pups that are in various states of claiming Sirius’s toes, Zion chooses to skid to a stop a little distance behind them all. Neck cranes backward as her lavender eyes seek to meet her grandfather’s blue gaze and the girl cheerfully demands, “Grandpa!! Ups! I want to go to up!” Butt slams to the ground as she stretches her short legs up toward him, conveying her desire to be on Sirius’s back with those simple words. And why not? Her daddy does it for her all the time! The world is much cooler from the backs of those you love… or something. "Zion Fatalis"

Having the shortest legs made for hard work whenever anyone called for her, let alone when she was half way across the garden with her nose in the dirt trying to see what Mr Racoon had been digging for earlier in the day. Was it a bug stash? Was it something super special for healing? or was he just digging for the sake of it?

Already the miniscule girl was rounder than her siblings, (maybe it was her parents attempts at feeding her more in the hopes that she would grow?) and her breath came in puffs by the time she hiked across the mountainous rows of the garden to join her siblings to see what Grandpa wanted. “D'ja bing peasants?” the girl asked hopefully, trying to shoulder her way through her much larger siblings to get closer to grandpa.

“Speech”

Sirius wasn’t left waiting long before he was surrounded by puppies. Ahh. If there was any good way to die, it was beneath a puppy hoard. First was the little white wolf with blue accents, Warden. He plonked himself in front of the Warlord, and earned a kiss to his brow. Next came Wynter, dark, and tinged in grey-blue. With lines like tears falling down one eye. As she leaned against him, he gave her brow the same treatment as the first, and looked at Wylan as the winged boy came next. He launched straight for his toes, and the Warlord pretended to wiggle them with pain. “Are your parents sharpening your teeth at night?” Little Zion came next, demanding up. Who was he to deny her her dreams? Leaning carefully over puppies, he used a paw to scoop her up, and dropped her gently on his scruff. “Hold on tight” He warned her. Then came little Whisper, the palest and smallest of the lot. “Did I? I guess you’ll have to wait and find out!” He told her, before turning his head and made frantic motions to his companion in the shadows. Presents, stat! Alright, that seemed to be his class for the day. “Today we are going to learn some fighting stances. This is about knowing your body, and how to use it” He told his students. “Line up in front of me” He instructed them, and then “Stand up on my scruff, Zion, but if you fall down you're staying down” He warned her. “Alright, first I want you to place your paws like this. It’s called centering yourself, and its finding your best balance” He explained as he moved his own paws, bending his knees ever so slightly, and finding his centre of balance. "Speech"

Most of her other siblings filed in after her with Wylan attacking their grandfather's toes, Zion demanding to be up, and Whisper questioning the existence of presents. The presents at least got her attention and she peered up expectantly at their grandpa. Of course they were held back behind a comment of 'wait and see' so she knew they had to do extra well in their lesson today in order to get their presents! As soon as her grandpa told them what they would be working on and instructed them to line up in front of him, she hopped to her paws and bounced away from where she had been leaning against his leg till she was standing dutifully right in front of him. Grandpa was the smartest wolf right after their parents so she was always excited to learn something from him! As he started showing them how they were supposed to be standing and talking about centering themselves for balance, she nodded eagerly and then looked down at her own paws as she carefully placed each one, glancing back and forth between her paws and his a couple of times. She bent her knees like he did–too much at first and then too little, but in the end she thought that she might have gotten it right. She grinned and looked up at him for confirmation, waiting to see if she did a good job.

"Wynter Carpathius"

What might have passed for a scowl came across the girl's pale white face. She certainly wasn't used to waiting and seeing at this age, and with childish perception of time she assumed she would be old like grandpa by the the time the waiting was over. Her distress was quickly diverted when the companions approached and in her enthusiasm to follow grandpas directions, her front legs splayed wide, chest almost touching the ground with her back end wiggling on high. She sure felt balanced, but a quick glance at Wynter showed her she had probably gone down too low.

Slapping her paws into the dirt as she pushed herself back up, she tried again, lifting each foot high before placing it in what she thought was the right position, her tongue poking out in concentration and her head swinging and canting to get a good look at each foot before she was happy with where it would be place. A final check and the girl nodded to herself. Good? Good... Maybe...

“Speech”

What Grandpa had in my mind sounded less fun than chewing on toes. With some reluctance he let go of Seer’s, and looked up at him sheepishly. He was a little jealous that Zion thought of ‘up’ first. Next time. Next time he’d get the prime seat. For now, he moved away from their grandpa, giving himself some space to work with. He needed more space than others, with his pesky wings getting all in the way. He would put some effort into this, and then if he was lucky, maybe they would get presents. Right? He placed his paws like their grandpa demonstrated. Trying to get the right feel of it, to see how it ‘balanced’ him like Seer said. He looked over at his siblings for inspiration. "Speech"

A little kiss on his forehead from grandpa. While Warden would like to pretend he was embarrassed by it, he really wasn't. No, like really wasn't, the affection and approval from the Warlord leading him to beam up at the man. His little tail thumping on the ground behind him. A little smile on his face. Yes, this was exactly what he wanted, thank you. His siblings gathered around, too. It looked like it was going to be a big lesson, with all of the siblings clustered together around Sirius. The more the merrier... maybe.

Zion went up, and everyone else was... well, listen there was a lot going on. Warden was having a hard time focusing, but he'd still try. Puppy attention spans being akin to those of goldfish and all... right. Centering himself. He joined the line up with his siblings, carefully trying to arrange his paws beneath himself. Warden teetered, feeling his muscles flex and work in a way that he wasn't entirely sure he liked. Wobbly at best, but he'd keep trying. "What'dya mean, center? What am I looking for the middle of?" The boy's brow creased as he concentrated, trying to keep himself... sorted out. Sorted out as best he could over his paws. This was hard. Still, he wouldn't give in, he could do hard things.

"Speech"

As the girl demands up, her grandfather obliges and scoops her up with ease. A stream of gleeful giggles follow her path upward to where she is deposited into his scruff. At grandpa’s warning about holding on tight Zion giggles and buries her face into the fur of his scruff, legs spreading wide to keep her from falling off as she presses into him. Whisper appears after and asks about presents which has the girl’s head lifting for a moment before another giggle escapes and she reburies her face into his fur. Lavender eyes close as she inhales his scent, filing it with the memories of safety and love. Then, a fighting lesson begins and she is instructed to stand in his scruff. Lifting her head, the girl nods absently while she climbs to her paws, listening while feeling the movement of his body underneath her own. Balance is the topic today and Zion gets some ‘paws on’ training while attempting to balance in his scruff. Paws spread out slightly as she lowers her body, attempting to find that center that Warden can’t seem to discover. Finally, she feels stable and, if her grandpa moves, the pup is pretty sure that she won’t tumble off. But there is really only one way to find out! "Zion Fatalis"

As each wolf moved to comply, he scrutinised their movements. He saw Wynter overcompensate, then under. Before he could move to show her, she got it right. He nodded his head at her, approval in his eyes. His eyes moved to Whisper, who’s look of concentration was so adorable he had to struggle not to brush a kiss against her crown. He gave her an approving nod as well, before moving on to Wylan. The other boy was trying to copy his siblings, instead of the Warlord. “Eyes on me Wylan, like this” he said, bouncing his old knees a little to show him again.

He chuckled at Warden. “The centre of yourself. Think of it like this…” he grabbed a twig and placed it across his pad. “If the twig is leaning too far to the left, or too far to the right, it’ll fall” he said, letting the twig fall, he grabbed it again. “But if you find its centre, you can balance it indefinitely.” He said, letting the little twig balance perfectly across his pad. “Your body is like this twig, it needs to find its balance, so if a wolf pushes you, you won't fall.” he explained. “Are you balanced up there, Zion?” he asked, giving his body a very gentle shake to see how well she rode it out.


"Speech"

Whisper watched as Grandpa demonstrated with a twig what he meant about balance and she tried it out herself, leaning too far one way and stumbling, and then leaning back the other and stumbling again. She focused on feeling where that point was that she felt the most balanced, even adjusting her feet closer together and further apart to test that Grandpa's stance worked for her too. She pretty quickly figured out it was quite close, if not perfect, even moving her tail around seemed to affect where that center moved to. Oof It was a lot for her tiny mind to take in, and she was getting sleepy all the while, tiny babies weren't made for big lessons.

“Speech”

Wide dark lavender eyes watch her grandfather from her perch atop his back as he explains about their centers and she nods to herself while adjusting her stance. Tiny paws spread as she lowers her body, feeling secure in her balance and, just as she finds her center, her grandpa questions if she is balanced up there. The girl’s tail shoots up to wag happily behind but, before she can proclaim that she has found it, her grandpa suddenly gives a mighty (well to her it is) shake and she squeals in surprise. Tail shoots out straight to align with her spine as she quickly rolls with the motion of his body, successfully riding out the waves that the muscles produce and managing to stay upright in her stance the entire time. Proudly she beams at Sirius as she quips, “I did it, Grampa! I found my center!” Happiness rolls off the girl in waves before she suddenly abandons her stance in favor of burying her body in older male’s scruff while hugging him and giggling manically as she goes. The girl realizes that learning about fighting is actually really fun and she hopes that he will teach her more in the future. "Zion Fatalis"