Explore a bit?

Aia was over six months if Kotori recalled correctly and yet she was still so tiny.  Asla herself was no giant but Kotori couldn’t imagine this small child even reaching his older sister's height.  He hated to discount anyone as a potential fighter, wanting to give everyone a chance to prove themselves but watching the young one dance about it was hard to imagine.  As long as she could learn ways to defend herself and have ways to survive alone should she ever need then that was enough.  There were other skills wolves could learn to be of use.

Despite himself, the frolicking joy of the kid brought a faint smile to the wolf.  He headed towards the falls, glancing back at her, “alright then, like you said, let's go.”  Her tiny steps had no way to match up to Kotori's if they both aimed for the same pace.  Carrying her was an option but a pointless one.  There was exercise to be gained in her keeping up and Kotori would keep to a casual walk at first, though if she kept up easily he’d pick up the pace to a brisk walk.  She had lots of energy obviously anyway, she was bound to want to burn it.  “Have you been exploring the pack land a lot?  Learned where everything is?” The questions were conversational, trying to learn what his niece was like.  Clearly, she was happy at the chance to explore.

Pups had felt an annoyance to care for in armada.  Kids needing attention was a thing for their parents to deal with, right?  When the pups got old enough to care for themselves and help the pack, that was when they became useful.  Now it felt a bit different.  This time it was his pack.  These children were his blood the same as prior ones he'd known had been.  It was also the first small pup in his pack, and as his younger sister in his pack, he wanted to do right by her.  Could he run a pack that would help teach the children what it was to be worthy of a noble station?  She was cute too.

"Kotori Fatalis"