The thought almost made her cry. Her daughter, ever so beautifully, was growing up. Not even four seasons had passed, and before she could realise, her little girl would be a year old. It was such an important age; time had flown ever so gracefully, and yet, she hadn't given enough attention to her closest friend. Azula was an independent child, she was proud of that; perhaps a little loud and clingy at times but certainly nothing to get annoyed over. How could she ever rage over her daughter? She couldn't even bring herself to think about it. Nevertheless, the girl had frequently gone exploring, occasionally sick at times but those were no excuses to avoid quality company. Whilst the thought remained in her mind, she outstretched her neck outside of the den to gaze upon the willows that blew rhythmically with the breezes. It was a rather early morning, but that never discouraged her daughter from adventures. With a soft howl, she called for the girl, hoping she wasn't pulling the child away from anything overly important. She would understand that they needed time together, after all, that was what friends did. Walk "Talk" Think

The young girl had been faring quite well, though she had been feeling lonely at times. The princess walked slowly in and out of the trees, nothing in particular was planned, but she was growing bored. She had nobody really to play with, no other pups were around nor other little creatures. Spring promised new beginnings didn't it? Not that she'd know that, but still. She would be almost a year old now come this Summer, and she was excited. She didn't know exactly what she would do, whether or not she'd remain with her mother here or venture out to see what was beyond these woods. The thought both excited and scared her, for she knew nothing of the life beyond the willows. It was then that she heard the ever familiar call of her mother, beckoning the young girl to her. Without hesitation, Azula jumped into gear and sped across the forest floor to meet her. Her tongue hung lopsided from her jaws, tail wagging madly and her necklace dangled and bounced between her paws. She was always excited to see her mother, it always promised adventure and quality time spent with her. Once her mother was in sight, she hurled herself into her mothers waiting arms and began to cover her face in a flurry of licks. "Hi momma!" She giggled as she continued her slobbery onslaught. "Speech"

From afar, her daughter bounded towards her with ebony paws scoring across the rich green grass. Before her quick and prompt arrival, she watched the girl as if time had slowed down considerably. Her energy, enthusiasm and bubbly attitude - there was only one place where those traits could have come from, inevitably bringing a small yet proud smile to her complexion. The growing pup was so much like her, and she observed the child as if she was gazing upon her tall form for the first time. Examining every distinct feature, the alabaster upon her wind-ruffled coat reminded the woman of only one vivid memory. She couldn't stare at those bold markings without falling into the same remorseful flashbacks. Guilt consumed her mind temporarily before she summoned the mental strength to fight through the emotion. That day, which burned prominently in her mind as if carved in stone, was nothing but a mistake. How could she have been so stupid, so blind? Why had she allowed her blissful ecstasy to take control of her reckless actions? "Hey Azula," she softly greeted whilst returning the affectionate kisses and nuzzles, finding the slobbery welcome perfectly normal. Well, not exactly normal as her daughter was definitely unique and special to her heart. When the younger lass was comfortable, and the mother wouldn't mind how long their embrace carried on for, she would pull away at a suitable moment, meeting her daughter's similar inquisitive stare. Up close, accompanied with her matching silver necklace, she seemed so stunningly flawless, as any mother in their right mind would believe. Forget what she had thought before; Azula was no consequence, and certainly not a mistake. How could such a thought have crossed her mind? "What have you been doing lately? Anything interesting?" Walk "Talk" Think

She rolled away from her mother and sat up, ears perking as she gazed curiously at her mother. Had she found anything interesting? Not really. She couldn't really find much to do, she had no other kids to play with and she hadn't really come across anyone but the old grumpy neighboring raccoon family and old man badger that lived near the creek. "Mmm...Not really..." She glanced down and shuffled her paws, a question burning in her mind that begged for an answer. It was a long shot, but there was the fifty-fifty chance of a yes or a no. Taking a deep breath, she gazed up at her mother's beautiful face. "Momma...I want to go exploring further, I know everything about this forest already...and I don't have anyone to play with." Her words were slightly mumbled, a sheepish look on her face though her eyes burned with want and desire. The desire to go out and see the world, to see what else was out there. "Speech"

At the sight of her daughter's fallen gaze and drooped head, she tilted her skull with curious concern. Already, it seemed the girl was finding her explorations a tad plain and unexciting, which worried the mother a bit. Indeed, the willows were a large region though having inhabiting them for her daughter's entire life meant that eventually every inch of the area would have been trod on and seen. Despite being around her beautiful child every day, sometimes she felt an ache from somewhere deep inside. Was it loneliness? The urge to socialise with other adults and women? Perhaps her own wellbeing wasn't as significant as her daughter's, who yearned to play with children her own age as opposed to the creatures that probably grew restless with their presence day by day. The plea in her babe's eyes was all that was needed to convince her. "Whatever makes you happy, dear," she softly promised as she nuzzled reassuringly into her daughter's cheek, matching silver necklaces briefly entwining. "Wherever you want to go, we'll go." All she wanted was for them both, but mainly Azula, to lead peaceful and satisfying lives. Besides, it was time they had a change of scenery, an escape from the usual. It would be the perfect opportunity for her girl to venture into the unknown, experience new thrills and see what else the world has to offer. After all, when they adventure, they do it together. Walk "Talk" Think