Past making certain that the pups were old enough to navigate the precarious slope of the gorge, Katja had made little effort to keep the growing pups in the den. She had little patience for coddling children - they grew up eventually, everyone did, and it would do them no favors to keep them swaddled until they were adults. If you told them they were too young, too incapable, they would always believe that they were incapable. They would always fear their limits, instead of testing them and stretching them, the way the gods wished for them. So she'd allowed them out, and merely watched, rather than hovered, as they had played and explored and learned. It was important, and very healthy, this play, but now it was time for a little order to be instilled into the chaos. Watching the pups playing, daydreaming, exploring - as each did - from a ledge up above them, she woofed softly to gain their attention. "Come. It is time for a story," she told them all calmly, clearly, without raising her voice at all, and then just remained on her perch, waiting for them.

The woman had done little else if not patrolled the borders of Yfir frequently. Her meeting with Neith, while enjoyable, had only been a small taste of what Yfir had to offer. Bernadette was seeking something greater since the meeting that had been held. She knew that Katja had born her little ones, yet had not spent any time attempting to coddle her or them. Bernie was not particularly fond of pups, yet, she thought she may as well pay a visit now that they were older. As she would approach she would hear Katja call to her younglings, and Bernie would arch a brow. Hmm? A story huh? The femme would approach with interest, taking a seat. She was young yet, and there was much she still had to learn in the ways of this pack. Perhaps by joining the children in this lesson she could become closer to that goal. A respectful dip of her head was given to Katja, but no words uttered. She was hear to listen, not speak.

Naudir was in the midst of chewing on a twig when she heard her mothers call.  Oh! Oh!  What was happening!  Seizing the twig in her jaws she bounded toward the call, dragging the twig behind and enjoying the noise it made as she careful manuevered to where her mother was.  She paused once to eye the strange black and red woman before scooting up next to her mother, seeking to gain reassurance from Katja's warmth.  She dropped the twig and gazed up at her mother.  "Hi mom!  What's going on?"

"Speech"

The newer members of Yfir were playing. Children of Odin, the god. Stori couldn't wait till they were old enough to start training and sparring. How much longer until they could fight evenly and competitively as equals? Stori eagerly waited, never doubting that these pups would be strong. The next generation of Yfir wolves; Him, Eis, and these guys. When Stori heard the call for a story, he didn't hesitate to come near. He always wanted to know more of the gods and how they affected Yfir's life. He thought they were so amazing and wished to be able to experience them like in the stories. Softly, he called out, "Katja, can I listen too?" He asked, mostly out of politeness. He was used to listening to Katja's stories. He loved them. He couldn't imagine she would suddenly stop teaching him because she had pups. Sitting, Stori prepared his mind for a little adventure.

Feeling spent Taufr, in defeat, slowly put his leg back down. He stared ahead and carefully scrutinizing the distance remaining. The place he'd started was within sight, but even if he stretched he couldn't reach it. The boy squinted in determination then lifted his leg again and tried really, really hard to pee. Ultimately he failed and was unable to wring out a drop more. His mouth twisted up in a scowl. The other day he'd learned about the pack border and how pee marked out property. In his mind the idea was a wonderful one, so he'd set out to stake out his own claim. Taufr didn't want to live by himself because he'd get lonely so it only made sense to circle around the den. That way everybody important still lived with him. But he'd failed. Suddenly he perked. Or had he? If he drank a bunch more water really fast he'd have to pee again in no time! "Come. It is time for a story." Instantly all thoughts of peeing rivers vanished. A story? He loved stories! Taufr scampered around the den and made a beeline for his mother. He ran right up to her perch and threw his forepaws up onto the side. Taufr gazed up at her, fishing for Katja's gaze with wide blue eyes. "Can I sit up there with you?" He dropped his head forward so that his chin rested between his forepaws.

A story? Runa paused in the middle of following the brightly glowing fairies that flitted in and out of her vision with silent giggles, to turn with dreamy curiosity towards her mother. Naudir and Taufr had already scrambled over to Katja's side, and Stori with his odd brown coat who was eldest of the children of Laufey had joined them. She didn't wait for Raesa and Asvor to appear, though undoubtedly they'd beat her there by the time she made her slow, meandering way over to sit beside her much larger brother Tau. Mimicking him, she stretched up to hook her paws and chin over Katja's perch. "Good morning, mother," she said vaguely. "Are you going to tell us a story about the gods?" Stories of the Aesir and Vanir were her favorite stories, though she liked hero stories too but not as much. Her ears relaxed down to the sides, she peered up at her mother with a soft, dream-fluff smile.

One thing that Ásvor knew, with utmost certainty, was that she and her siblings were free. Their mother was stern at times, as she should be, but she was generally free to roam and wander and explore as she pleased. The first thing she thought of, when she heard her mother's call, was that maybe they were in trouble. Had they done something bad recently? Curious at what the meeting might bring, she was quick to scramble down the gorge - though apparently not as quick as most of her siblings. When she arrived, she realized why they were there. It wasn't to be scolded, but for a story! How exciting. The child felt her rear end wiggling as her tail waved behind her. Stori was there too, and the only sibling missing was Raesa. Grinning playfully at her sister and brothers, she moved to see at Runa's side, joining them in gazing up at their mother eagerly. "Are we going to hear another story about Loki and his tricks?" she'd join in on the questioning with a giggle. "I like those stories."