Giant Paw-Prints to Fill

"Yeah, being sick sucks, doesn't it?" she said sympathetically. She couldn't help but think back to hours upon hours upon days stuck in a cave at her mother's side through the long wasting depression that had ultimately killed her, and shuddered. She'd been too young and too inexperienced, and her mother too determined to let herself die, to do anything to save her. But this kid was young and strong and despite the frequent bouts of illness seemed relatively healthy, so he'd probably grow out of it.

"I'm sure she is a great teacher," she assured him. "She taught all of us fighting stuff before she became an alpha and had you guys, so I'm sure she's given you a great start. Usually you get a mentor so you start learning from someone other than your parents, so you learn different things she can't teach you and so you know how to learn from someone you don't know as well. Plus, they'll be able to teach you one on one instead of all five of you at once, so they can concentrate just on your learning."

She popped back to her feet from her haunches, then dropped into a fighting stance. "Well show me what you've got then, Squirt," she added with a grin.