Aresenn stood on the crest of the valley, hearing the echoes of his voice spill throughout the sound. The heat was oppressive, even here in the northern taiga, and he could see the harsh rays glinting off the slate faces of the cliffs. But it didn't deter him; in fact, he welcomed it - the sweltering sun was the perfect weather to test the mettle of those willing to show up. He watched as they gathered one by one, emerging from the cooling shadow of the cliffs or surfacing from dives in the inlet.

After enough had gathered around him, Aresenn rose to his full height, his red fur bristling like an inferno under the blazing sun. His voice resounding the space between them, "We stand here, not as individuals but as a unit, each relying on the other, for survival, for strength, for victory.” He paused, turning sharply to face them again, his black-marked eyes scanning each of his packmates with a critical gaze- specifically lingering on those of his kids who had answered his summons. "But if we rely on our capability to attack as individuals … well, the odds may be stacked against you. You must learn to strike with unified purpose, to flow as one entity on the battleground. Today, we are going to test that unity." And perhaps learn a thing or two along the way.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Okay, she had to admit, her dad's lessons were pretty cool. She'd at least only admit that to herself. There was no fucking way in hell she would ever let anyone know she liked anything. As far as anyone else was concerned, Xina hated everything, and everyone.

She meandered in more or less a straight line to her father's call and sat with the gathering crowd. Her little tail subtly wiggled back and forth unconsciously as she listened to him talk. A unit? She didn't need nobody! But If her dad was saying it was important then maybe she could give it a try.

Walking along the shore of the ocean inlet, Abyss was trying to escape the sweltering heat of the summer sun. Being in the North meant the heat wasn’t as intense as in the South- but it was still quite bothersome for the pup. Perhaps they could take a dip in the frigid ocean waters- or they could attend their Father’s summons, which just rung out within the domain. The latter seemed like more fun.

Arriving shortly after their sister, Abyss took a seat before their Father, and focused their attention on him. Today, he would be teaching them about unity- the ability to work together as a unit. Nodding, Abyss waits for more of his teachings.

"Speech"

Zagan had just finished a midday meal of deer leg, and was sharpening his claws on a pine tree stump, when Aresenn’s summons rang out across The Polar Sound. The young Saxe recognized the purpose of the call- he was summoning the younger members of the group together, to provide another lesson- as he often did, with Mother Absinth. After leaving a few more indents in the bark, Zagan felt satisfied with his claw sharpening, and followed the Aresenn’s scent to a clearing, where two of his siblings had already gathered. Glancing at them both, and allowing his gaze to linger on Xina a bit longer than Abyss, he acknowledges them before taking a seat in front of Aresenn.

Settling on his haunches, and wrapping his tail over his front paws. Zagan ponders the meaning behind the word unity. The ability to strike with unified purpose, as Aresenn described. Nodding, Zagan waits for the pack's Emir to continue his teachings.

"Zagan Saxe"

Celestia had been taking to her mother’s absence as a chance to slack off on her trainings. She knew eventually her mother would put her foot down and make her and her siblings kick their asses into gear so when a call summoned for a lesson she found herself rousing from her bed. Better to get ahead of the storm that was her mother’s bad mood than to wait for it to land at her feet.

Lazily she made her way to the call. And there she Found a man of fire. Whom she vaguely remembered was the father of her Aunt Sin’s children. But there were three other’s sitting in front of him and all three looked to be around her age.

She knew two of them at least were her Aunt’s children but the one of cool colors was new to her brain. Having made no real effort to socialize outside of her siblings till now, she didn’t know anyone’s names.

Quietly she took a seat and focused on the adult male who would be leading this lesson; Aresenn. She finally recalled his name. As she waited for him to continue his teachings.

Sericea had been standing at the edge of the dense forest, her russet cloak blending in with the surrounding foliage. She strained to hear her father's voice over the rustling leaves and chirping birds- but as always, the sound seemed to reverberate with an authority that commanded their attention, compelling them towards him to listen. She caught her father’s gaze, and she couldn’t help but instinctively stiffen. She never hesitated to follow his orders, even when they were harsh or critical. As she made her way towards him, she couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Her father's presence always commanded respect and attention from all those around him. With a calm expression, she confidently strode into the clearing and took a spot next to Zagan, ready to listen and progress.

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"

Xairo hadn’t really been one to seek out the company of others. Content on his own, it seemed that he was beginning to be content observing from a distance. But when Aresenn’s call echoed through the Polar Sound, he could not ignore it. He rose from his resting place, untamed azure coat glistening as the sun hit it, and left for the call.

As he neared, his eyes took in the sight before him. His father, an imposing figure of power and authority, was surrounded by his siblings for the most part. His eyes drifted over those who had assembled, landing on each one in turn. Each held a certain curiosity for their father's teachings, each with their own unique expressions. Xairo was no different. As much as he had always preferred solitude, there was an undeniable allure to the Emir’s lessons.

As Aresenn began to speak, every individual in the vicinity fell silent, fixating their undivided attention toward the towering figure. His voice echoed off the surrounding rock faces, adding a resonance that perfectly matched the gravity of his words.

"Xairo Saxe"