Scales and Arpeggios

It was all too amusing to her, watching her son kick and flail while he burst into giggles and laughter while she tickled him. Aliana gazed at her sweet little boy with the most pure love a mother could possess. She hoped he never lost this childlike wonder and innocence to him. Her own life had been filled with so much pain and sorrow and heartbreak that she wished for nothing but sunny days and happiness for all of her sons. Of all her children, Morendo had seemed to form the strongest bond with her. The others fell somewhere in the middle or more towards their father's affections, but there was no denying Morendo was a mama's boy at heart. She loved him for it though and she wouldn't change him for the world. Amidst her tickling, Morendo swiped a tiny paw at hers as her toes danced over his soft squishy belly, loudly complaining as he squirmed and giggled, drawing laughter of her own at their little game.

Eventually, Morendo managed to wiggle out of her grasp, and Aliana put on a mock pout as her son escaped her, but quickly returned to beaming at her lovely boy. She knew from the moment he started giving her those big puppy dog eyes that he was about to start begging her for something. Aliana hadn't been expecting what his request was though, and when Morendo asked her to teach him to sing like her, her bright eyes widened as she smiled. When she'd given birth to all boys, she hadn't expected any of them to want to follow in her footsteps, least of all her love of music. Yet here was Morendo, defying all of her expectations in all the best ways. "Of course I'll show you how to sing, my little dove!" she replied, her fluffy tail wagging happily behind her. "We can practice as often as you'd like, and someday, you'll be one of the most talented singers in all of Boreas and Auster!"

Reaching a paw forward, Aliana helped to straighten her enthusiastic son's posture so he was sitting up properly. From his perch, Bolero came flittering down to land on the floor beside the two wolves, chirping happily and ready to be a part of the lesson. "The most important thing to remember about singing is that all of your music comes from your chest. Breathe in and hold it, feel your lungs and diaphragm inflate." Aliana demonstrated by drawing in a deep breath until her chest puffed out, then slowly let it out. "Try breathing as deeply as you can. That feeling you get right above your tummy? That's your diaphragm, and that's where your music comes from. When you sing, you breathe from deep inside and let that do all the work. Then your voice just makes the notes." Aliana took another deep breath, then let out one long, smooth note, which Bolero mimicked alongside her. When she finished, she smiled to Morendo and gestured with a paw for him to give it a try.

"Aliana & Morendo"