Mine Flesh and Blood

Past making certain that the pups were old enough to navigate the precarious slope of the gorge, Katja had made little effort to keep the growing pups in the den. She had little patience for coddling children - they grew up eventually, everyone did, and it would do them no favors to keep them swaddled until they were adults. If you told them they were too young, too incapable, they would always believe that they were incapable. They would always fear their limits, instead of testing them and stretching them, the way the gods wished for them. So she'd allowed them out, and merely watched, rather than hovered, as they had played and explored and learned. It was important, and very healthy, this play, but now it was time for a little order to be instilled into the chaos. Watching the pups playing, daydreaming, exploring - as each did - from a ledge up above them, she woofed softly to gain their attention. "Come. It is time for a story," she told them all calmly, clearly, without raising her voice at all, and then just remained on her perch, waiting for them.