All Outta Bubblegum (pup training)

The pups bounced in with the excitement that came part and parcel with the litter. Even Cairo appeared, determined to participate. "You are supposed to be resting, Cairo," she said gently. But, they weren't going to be doing anything too strenuous, and it was just as important for him to learn as the other pups. It would be good for him to get out of the stuffy confines of a den into some fresh air, and stretch his body and mind a little. "But I am glad you feel up to participating."

She frowned a little, glancing off into the distance towards the den. Where was Caelia? She was concerned that her older daughter hadn't appeared when called, but she didn't want to punish the other children by postponing their first training to go looking for her either. Well, she'd have to keep it fairly short for their puppy attention spans anyway, so if she didn't show up by the time they were finished Gwen would send the pups back to the den and go look for her herself.

"Yes, we will be starting your official training today," she said in response to both Artur and Vi. "We're going to start with a lesson on the basics of self-defense, since you are all getting to the age that you are wandering on your own and that can be dangerous. Even in pack lands. I know that not all of you are interested in fighting, but it is important that you're able to protect yourself if you find yourself in danger."

She settled herself with a shake. Time to get started, then.

"Protecting yourself," she began, "isn't just about how to attack someone. It's not about aggression, or where to bite or scratch or throw. It is just as much about how to dodge attacks, or how to hold yourself, and even knowing when to run away. That's why we aren't going to start with sparring or learning how to attack. We're going to start with learning how to hold yourself so you are more capable of avoiding serious injury. So..."

She swept her gaze over the four of them. "Who can guess some of your more vulnerable parts in a fight? You've all wrestled and played at fighting at least a little," even if for some of them it was mostly getting pounced on by their siblings, "so I think you may be able to think of a few spots that your siblings were always chewing on."