Ignita slowly made her way to the black obsidian sands of the cove. The water lapped at the shoreline and crashed over the rocks further out. She eyed the strange palm trees, wondering how they grew here in the colder north.

She set her sights on a good spot to encompass all her quickly growing babies. She had mentioned to them this morning to keep an ear out for her call today. She loved teaching and she was eager to help them learn about the world better than she had even at such a young age. Especially in finding new ways to defend one's self.

She lifted her nose to summon the young of the pack. Her high notes beckoned them to learn something new about winning a fight.


"Ignita"

Next round 9/9

Growing fast was the calling card of a young pup, just like her and her cousins. Who had become just as good as siblings really. Though the boys had already long surpassed her own height, especially Citadel. Selene was the only one that Odette had beaten out, and that was only because of her long ear tips.

Odette loved the beach, so when Ignita called for all of the pups to come to the beach Ode was quick to find her paws. Both dads let her go easily and she raced, wings tucked against her sides for better aerodynamics.

Silver eyes found her foster mother as the girl’s leopard paws kicked up black sand. A grin on her features as she slid into place before her teacher for the day, her little mostly feathered wings flapping for stability so she didn’t topple over in front of her.

"Odette"

With a dash and a crash through the tunnels, and her cousin Ollie shouting at her to stop bouncing off the walls, Selene tumbled out of the northern warrens. A wave of dust, roots, and rock debris followed her in her wake.

She shook her alabaster pelt of the dust and scrambled toward the beach where she heard Mama's call. Her pads slipping on the surface until she grabbed the terrain under her properly and took off toward them. Skidding over the sand she found the terrain was very different than the Col and much harder to move around on! She flumped next to Odette, nearly crashing into her. How come Odette was ALSO getting taller than her?? No fair! Why was everyone bigger than her?

She sat up straight next to Odette and waited for Mama to start one of her stories. Oh right, it was a lesson, not a story. Fighting! What did Mama know about fighting? Didn't she always say she wasn't a fighter?

"Selene"

Mama's call drags Jamie from the thick tomb she'd been (attempting) to read, unwilling to admit the language was a little outside her age range. whatever, one day she'll be reading words so long it'll take several beats just to pronounce them! the prospect of a lesson is much more exciting anyway, so the girl sets the text aside and heads to the beach, stepping a little tentatively across the black sand. she's still not entirely used to the strange sensation of tiny particles slipping beneath her feet, and rather dislikes the way they catch under her nails. arriving at what she imagines to be a rather dignified trot, Jamie nods to both Sel and Odette, settling beside them with a dainty little plop. her vigorously waving tail betrays her excitement, however, kicking up sprays of sand as she gazes up at Ignita.
"Jamie"

Citadel wanted to learn everything. Knowledge was power, right? He was sure one of his parents had said something like that in passing. So when his mum called for a lesson, he went racing to hear it. So far it was an all-girls team at the beach, but he was more than ready to crash that.

He came charging into the space, kicking up sand as he struggled to come to a stop without pitching over. Tumbling head over paws was a speciality of his, but today he managed not grace, but at least stability as he came to a stop beside his short sister and cousin. “Hey small stuff” he hissed in greeting to them, before smiling at Jamie and turning his attention to mum


"Citadel Fatalis"

Iskandor, with his small but strong legs, sprinted eagerly toward the sound of his mother's call. The black obsidian sands beneath his paws felt cold and rough, but they didn't bother him. His vibrant blue streaks seemed to shimmer against the dark landscape as he made his way to the cove. He was filled with a bubbling excitement, knowing Ignita had something important to teach them today.

Panting slightly as he slowed, he noticed the strange palm trees and found himself wondering what made them grow here. His sharp blue eyes scanned the scene, absorbing every detail, a habit he had picked up from her. He always wanted to understand everything around him, especially when it came to lessons like this.

"Mother!" Iska barked as he approached, ears perked and tail wagging. "What are you going to show us today?" His little voice carried an eager tone, his curiosity alive, as always, with the thrill of learning something new. He was too focused on his mother to offer greetings to his siblings, aside from the spray of sand from his sudden running-stop.



"Speech"

Ignita was all delighted with smiles and cheer in her eyes as she watched each little one appear. Skidding through the sand, plopping down next to each other the teasing amongst them. Selene with her rampaging approach, Iska with his questions, Jamie's quiet approach... Ach, she loved them so much her heart might literally burst from her chest with how much she cared for each of them.

"Fighting!" She replied to Iska with a gleam.

"Fighting is more than just being the hardest hitter, or the fastest runner, or the one that can take the most blows. Sometimes it is about using more than just yourself in a fight." She started as she looked at each one.

"You are standing on the black sands of the Souls Sand Cove. Hmmm.... What can we use here to help us win? Ahh... This sand..." She pulled up a handful of black sand in her paw and let it stream back down to the ground, some of the finer particles fell to the wayside as they drifted into the wind. "This would really hurt if it got in someone's eyes! Now this kind of tactic only goes if you're desperate. It's very frowned upon in a friendly spar, and in training, but useful to know." She glanced at Citadel pointedly to make sure he knew he was not to use this against his siblings or in training.


"Look around you." She urged, "What else can you use here to help you in a fight? To get an advantage over your enemy?" She asked them. There were shells, the ocean behind her, and the trees around them. How might the little ones think on their feet in the heat of a moment?

"Jamie"||"Iskandor"||"Selene"||"Citadel"||"Selene"||"Balrog"||"Ignita"||"Basilisk"