Now that she was feeling better, it was high time to start teaching the pups of the pack. It seemed as though the gods had kept her down simply to wait for Avacyn's children just so they could all be taught together. Hey, it worked out for Ikigai. One less would tire her out less than two.

Ikigai had gathered all of the children at the lake, utilizing the resting space that her cousin Scylla had left behind. The stone platform was big enough for herself and all of the puppies. All of them.

Giving her head a gentle nod of greeting, the delicate woman clearly spoke the names of each child that was seated in the circle before her. "Kintsugi, Dominus, Damira, Daemon, Thyrus, Fever..." Before each child sat a small dish of fragrant tea. It was chilled tea which was lightly sweetened with crushed stevia leaves. Iki thought it would be more palatable and enjoyable than hot tea.

"Today we're going to discuss manners. Manners reflect in the way that we treats others and the way that we hold ourselves." The pale woman's maw split in a grin, a mischievous little glint in her snake-slit eyes. "Who can give me an example of bad manners?" Give them a chance to be a little silly first before they got serious.

"Ikigai"

Aunt Ikigai had called the pups for a lesson. Was she really her aunt? Who knew? That hardly mattered. Lessons were important and Fever wanted to learn everything that she could. Her mind was ravenous and it needed to be fed. Otherwise... uh... Maybe she'd uh...start eating the other pups instead!

First to arrive, Fever chose her place at the center so that she could be eye to eye with the pale lady. Curiously, she sniffed at the tea, pointed ears perking as Iki asked them what they thought bad manners would be. "Not arriving to a meeting in a timely manner," the girl spoke first, eyes narrowing at the rest of the group before opening once more to look back at Iki. "Right?"

"Fever Mendacium"

The witch boy moves from the reeds around the lake, heeding his mother's call. Okay, it takes him some time to really get over there, but he'd been a ways away. Already happy to wander and range, exploring the world around him. There's so much to see, and Dominus is doing what he can to get to know all of it. All the pack lands, so he can keep them safe, just like dad did. So okay, it had taken him a bit longer than it should have to join them, but at least he wasn't last. Gathering in the little group around his mother, the boy sits proud and tall. Sniffing carefully at the chilled tea, but waiting to take a sip. Right, mother had questions for them! "Interrupting!" He crowed-- how many times had he been reprimanded for interrupting at mealtimes lately? Too many, but Dom is full of questions, okay? dominus mendacium

table coding by bunni ♥

Daemon wasn't particularly fond of being summoned for lessons like he was just some object to be shuffled back and forth between the adults all trying to impart some sorts of wisdom onto them. But puppies weren't exactly known for their autonomy. Besides, he supposed some of the lessons weren't all that bad. Some turned out to be quite useful! Today, however, the lesson aunt Ikigai had summoned them for was to be a lesson on manners. Daemon arrived to the stone platform just as Ikigai was explaining the syllabus for the day. Fever and one of the other pups—was that one Dominus?—were the only ones there, so at least he wasn't the last one to show up.

As he clambered up onto the rock and took a seat somewhat near his sister, he caught the snide remark Fever made before meeting her stare with a sideways leer of his own. Oh, she wanted to go, did she? Well two could play at that game! "Talking down to others, or acting high and mighty," he retorted with a saccharine sweet smile shot directly at his sister, the look in his eyes a daring gleam that read clear as day "Try me, sis."

"Daemon Mendacium"

Kintsugi settled neatly behind one of the cups of tea that had been set out for them, trying her best to mimic her mother's grace with neatly crossed paws and her tail curled in around her hip. It was kinda hard though and she just hoped that she didn't look as awkward as she felt. Luckily she didn't have to wait too long for the lesson to start, her mother jumping right into things as she asked them what made for bad manners–apparently giving them the what not to do before she got to the what they should do. Her cousin Fever spoke up first, pointing out lateness as rude, and of course Kintsugi knew that was a pointed remark toward the rest of them since she had been the first to arrive. She pretended not to notice and instead waited while her brother mentioned interrupting and Daemon made an equally pointed remark about talking down to others. She couldn't really resist a little smirk at her cousin's subtle return jab toward Fever, glad that at least one of them shot back at her. "Not greeting someone when they arrive or saying goodbye when they leave," she suggested, curiously glancing down at the tea in front of her again.

"Kintsugi Mendacium"

Damira had always been fascinated by the culture of her Mother, how it seemed so elegant and quiet. So naturally she was eager to learn and partake, listening quietly as the other students offered their thoughts. Always a watcher this one, made a point of being the last to speak. And they all made valid points, suggestions she would have nodded along with it she wasn't quite so still, mimicking her Mother's posture, paws all dainty either side of the little teacup.

"Not saying please or thank you." Damira supplied, picking an example off the top of her head. She did not think she needed to be taught manners, she was a good and respectful girl, but she intended to listen all the same.

Thyrus had been practicing with his tail before he came here, trying to get better with his aim.  That meant he’d been a bit late as he hadn’t wanted to arrive with the pinecone still attached to one of his spikes or the dirt and leaves that had been in the tail furs.  He was clean now, though wet on the bottom half of his tail as he’d dipped it in the lake to help get rid of the last of the dirt.

 Thyrus sat next to his cup, peering into its depths and wondering what it would taste like.  The smell was tempting to taste it. Resisting he looked back up at Ikigai as she asked for examples of being rude. “Ignoring others who are talking to you?”  

"Thyrus"

Each child gave their answer and Ikigai nodded in turn. "Very well done, the lot of you," she complimented in clear, soft tones. "There are many ways to show that you're uncivilized and, frankly, those ways are easier, so many wolves go the heathen route instead. We are Mendaciums, however, and we carry ourselves differently than others."

Iki motioned to the cups of tea in front of the children. "Please, enjoy your tea. Be mindful of your manners as you do so." Lifting her dish, Ikigai took a silent sip, then placed the dish quietly onto the ground between her paws once more. She wanted to see if they could deduce what was considered good manners on their own.

"Ikigai"

Mismatched eyes narrowed at her brother as he pointedly tried to bait her. She then turned up her little nose at him and went back to giving aunt Ikigai her full attention. Little ears perked as Iki spoke of manners and how Mendaciums had to hold themselves to a higher regard than the common wolf. The girl nodded along as though she knew this already, which she didn't, but it made sense.

They were given leave to drink their tea and Fe watched the woman with rapt attention. She lifted her dish in the same manner, then took a slightly less silent lap of tea before placing it back between her paws. A drop of tea clung to her lips, so she licked it away and then lifted her brows, silently asking if she did it right.

"Speech"

Fever may have been trying her best to act aloof and ignore him, but Daemon saw the squinting of her eyes, saw the irritation furrowing her brow. He knew he had won this battle against his sister whether she admitted it or not. With a smug smirk of victory that met his cousin Kintsugi's smirk, the boy settled in to pay attention to their Aunt Ikigai. Kintsugi, Damira, and Thyrus all gave their inputs as well, and Iki praised them all for their contributions. Daemon's chest swelled with pride—only to swiftly deflate once their next task was given to them. Drink tea with good manners.

The crimson pup peered down at his cup of tea, staring into the steaming liquid in bewilderment. He had watched how Ikigai drank hers, using her dexterous toes to handle her cup, then saw how Fever had done the same. Well what the heck?! How was he supposed to do that?! His toes didn't move like theirs did! Feeling a bit like this game was rigged from the start, Dae lowered his muzzle to the dish, attempting to scoop it up in his paws to bring it to his mouth, but almost fumbled the cup twice. After a third failure to hold the cup, Daemon gave a little puppy growl of frustration and dropped the dish back onto its saucer with a clatter, then dunked his muzzle straight into the tea, lapping it up with gusto so much that it splashed all over his face. Was it the most polite way to drink tea? Absolutely not, but who cares? He still drank his tea!

"Daemon Mendacium"

Kintsugi smiled as her mother praised their suggestions of what counted as rude behavior, lifting her head with pride at the mention of them being Mendaciums and as such needed to carry themselves differently. She had always tried to mimic her mother's behavior and tried her best to be as graceful and beautiful as she was so that was no surprise to her. When they were given the task of drinking their tea with good manners she did watch her mother take a drink first even though she had seen her do it many times before and then reached for her own cup–only to be distracted by Daemon's messy attempt. She glanced over toward him with a raised brow, rolling her eyes when he eventually dropped the cup and just dove face first into his tea. Sometimes she wondered how they could even be related... Returning her attention to her own cup, she wrapped her large paws around the cup and carefully lifted it to her lips. It was a bit more awkward than her mother or Fever since she didn't have the delicate, dexterous toes that they did, but her large lynx-like paws were big enough that she could cup them around the vessel one way or another and managed to take a sip without making a mess and then sat it back on its saucer gently with a little smile. That had to be good, right?

"Kintsugi Mendacium"

Wolves outside of the pack were often heathens and Mendaciums were better than the lot of em’. Thyrus figured that made sense. Not that he really knew wolves in other packs but they couldn’t be as great as his family. Especially if they really were rude and heathens and such.

Thyrus looked at the tea near him as Ikigai mentioned it. His gaze then went back to Ikigai and how she lifted the cup. His eyes shifted to the others as each attempted to drink the tea with different levels of success. Lifting his cup, mimicking Ikigai on how she held it, then taking a quiet lap of the tea. He stopped for a second planning to set the cup back down but it tasted good. He lapped up a few small but quick sips of tea before slowly setting the cup back down to make sure the bit that remained didn’t slosh out.

"Thyrus"