boys will be boys

The speed of which his sons obeyed his call only further solidified his impressions of them. While vastly different individuals and fighters, they'd both shown an exceptional desire to learn, improve, and grow. He nodded to each as they arrived, sat, and waited, a swell of pride forming deep in his chest as he observed the next generation of Fatalis heirs. "Thank you both for your swift arrival." He said simply, characteristically addressing them as he would any other member of his pack.

Azure paused, considering his words and eventually settling his eyes upon Basilisk. "Your work toward our move has not gone unrecognized. You do your pack - and myself - proud, thank you." Of all his children, Bas seemed to be the one most willing to work his paws to the bone. It was fitting as well, seeing as the boy was capable of single-handedly demolishing their food stores in his unprecedented growth. "I know your interests are varied and I would not force you to condense them. Today will be your opportunity to choose what you'd like to work toward and what you'd like to see yourself one day attain, but do not see it as a limitation. I respect and appreciate your ability to be versatile. It's a rare skill to be able to spread yourself so thin, yet not allow your work to suffer. The ability to juggle a multitude of tasks to perfection is an important one in an alpha and in an heir."

Turning his head from the behemoth of a yearling and then abruptly down toward his brother, Azure's attention fell upon the runt of the litter. "You have an exceptional innate ability and it's been clear to me since you were very young. I do not wish to discount you. Your showing in the Hallows' tournament was impressive, you should be very proud of yourself. However, I do not see the same level of effort from you as I do your brother. With the extent of your natural abilities, you could probably float through life as you are now - you've matched if not exceeded the skill of many of your elders as it is - though you would be squandering your talent. I would be disappointed to learn that you've become complacent before you've reached the ceiling of your potential." He eyed the boy carefully, recognizing his mate's influence on the boy's attitude and hating that out of everything, he'd inherited her ability to coast.

With a sigh Azure's gaze shifted, flicking back between both sons to address them together once more. "Both of you have come very far... but have further yet still to go. Each of you is missing something the other has perfected. You would do well to learn from each other." If he could only somehow combine both boys together, the resulting wolf would be capable of leading the Armada into anything.

Back to his smallest child, Azure's tone grew firm. Perhaps it was a mistake for little Leviathan to show so much potential, for had he been capable of flying beneath his father's radar, his expectations for the prince would be as low as they were for his daughters. "Levi, I hope to see you challenge yourself as your brother does. You've earned my attention, but where you go from here will determine whether or not you will keep it. While for many it is enough to simply reach their goals, to master their skill, and then to coast off of it for the remainder of their lives... it is not enough for a Fatalis. Aim higher than attainable, and then exceed it." Whether the small prince would accept the advice and strive to impress his father further was something Azure would need to watch for as the yearlings neared closer to adulthood.

"Basilisk, your brother has a quality I'm not sure you have. Intent to kill." He paused, gritting his teeth and struggling through the concept in a way that would be deemed acceptable and not psychopathic - it would do Basilisk no favors to saddle him with Azure's faults. "Your brother when he was small, forced me to concede a fight to him. It's a very rare thing for me to surrender to another, but he surprised me - he meant to cripple me." Lifting his paw, he displayed the underside of his wrist where the delicate tendon Levi had targeted lay. He eyed the small boy with a hint of amusement briefly, before returning to his lecture. "It's a lesson I won't soon forget, and it's a quality I've not yet seen you display. It is not enough to simply be well trained and capable of victory. You must find a way to compartmentalize that softness, as your grandfather has. He does not maim or murder indiscriminately, but he has the skill - and more importantly, the resolve - to brutalize his opponents if he ever needed to. If the day ever comes where you must be cruel in defense of your family, yourself, or your pack, your hesitation can cost precious lives. Don't ever forget that." Where Azure saw much of himself in the runt of the litter (and likely would have never admitted it even silently before today,) he could not help but see a shred of Mortis in Basilisk. It was not necessarily a bad thing, Mortis' exceptional skill at building lasting relationships was arguably Azure's greatest flaw. Only time would tell how that softness might impact his son, and while he would not seek to destroy it entirely, it was important that Azure could trust Basilisk to know when it was time to put his feelings aside.

Azure let his words hang in the air, absorbing the expressions on both sons' faces to ensure they understood fully the message he was attempting to impart to each. "Today you both will be given the opportunity to earn ranks of your own. Typically this is done with a challenge directed toward myself or your grandfather, but I have something different in mind." His head turned to mildly observe the valley around them, noting the space as clear to proceed. If Hana had been nearby, Azure had a feeling he'd be drug home by his tail before he even got to see the victor.

"Today you will fight each other for the privilege of rank and independence. This will not be a typical bout of dominance, I expect to see blood. I'm speaking to you now, Bas. This is a lesson as much as an opportunity. I want you to show me that you are capable of pushing past your love and loyalties to give yourself the best chance at victory." Azure knew as well as anyone that blood relations did not guarantee security and safety, and while Levi and Bas were not as close-knit as he and his siblings once may have been, the concept was the same. "Levi, your brother has been training longer and harder than you have. You are at a disadvantage, even with whatever natural talent you may have been born with. I hope Basilisk will provide a fierce enough opponent to show you the importance of effort. No matter how good you are, there may always be someone better. When a loss can mean death, it is your responsibility to work hard enough to ensure the odds are always in your favor."

Clearing his throat, he stepped back from the boys to give them ample space to prepare and initiate. When he spoke again, his words had taken on the chill of a command that would be unwise to ignore. "Under no circumstances will either of you permanently disable nor disfigure the other." Your mother would kill me. "You may begin whenever you are both ready."

OOC: This is to be a minor maim fight, judged officially, but with limitations. Azure does not want to see ears noses or toes torn off, nor does he particularly want either of his sons walking around with gruesome scars that might hint towards them being an insufficient battler. No time limit, no enforced default. Be nice, children!

"Speech"