The pups always seemed anxious in the morning, always edging to get out of the den as soon as they could. Aranea really didn't mind it, it filled her with more happiness than anyone could know. She wouldn't even appear annoyed by their business as they woke her, or pounced on her, or bothered Allegro. In the short time they would all have together, she would be known and seen as a very loving mother regardless of what would be in their future. She'd lay inside the den for a while, letting her pups hop around on her and their father, nipping at them playfully occasionally. But she wouldn't let them wait too long before rising and leaving the den just to the outside territory that Allegro had claimed his den in. She'd expect the children to come barreling out recklessly with no surprise. She'd only wait for Allegro to join before going out any further. Walk "Talk" Think

The big wide world was a great place compared to this teeny den. Even though Allegro had made the great effort to expand it in the wake of his new family. Still, spending his first weeks in here the walls felt like they were closing in and he was ready to bail out. Though he had to admit, the warmth of his family in the dropping weather of the season change was beyond comforting. Though he also seemed to never get tired of his parents or his siblings. It was only discovering that there was so much more to the world then this den when he started to feel suffocated and demand to be let outside. When he noticed his mother wake, he'd instantly crawl up around her face, sitting with a wagging tail as if he was a good boy and just so adorable that she would get up to let them outside. Being bumped by his other siblings would distract him but not so much to take his focus off his overall cuteness. He'd soon turn to pounce on his father, he didn't really care if he woke him up or not and it wasn't a thought on his mind at all. But as soon as Aranea stood to leave the den, he wouldn't waste any time leaping up on his wobbling legs to bolt out the mouth of the den, "Com'on Solo!" He shouted towards his brother particularly because it was his brother opposed to his sisters. He didn't really have a favorite of his siblings per say, but he definitely stuck more to his brother for no other reason other than they were both boys. He'd run out into an open part of the plains just by then den before turning and readying himself to tackle whoever came closest. Walk "Talk" Think

Walk | "Talk" | think

He never seemed to grow tired of his children hopping and climbing all over them, no matter how early it was in the morning when they started their mad scramble to be let out of the den. Perhaps things would be different if he was younger or perhaps if they had more than more litter under his belt, but as it was he was just trying to soak in every little moment of being a family with Aranea and their children. Maybe it was because he knew that these moments would be limited and numbered before their time together as a family would be limited to visits and trips so every day felt that much more precious to him. He chuckled as they crawled all over them until Aranea finally got to her paws and made her way out of the den they shared. He would rise as well, letting her take the lead, but still waiting until all of the pups had made their way out of the den before slipping out into the sunlight as well.

He watched each of them with such pride, hanging back toward the den so that they could all enjoy their supervised freedom how ever they wished. He loved them all equally, but he'd be lying if Balthier didn't take up a small soft spot in his heart since the boy took after him so much. Forte did that for him as well, looking like a perfect split between him and Aranea. But, if he was being honest, they were all more beautiful and perfect than he could have ever imagined. He grinned as he watched them play and turned to Aranea for a moment, his tail wagging gently behind him. These pups had breathed such a life into him and she was entirely the reason for this shift in his perspective and for that he was grateful. Finally it felt like he had a reason and a purpose that he had been missing for all of these years. He was a little afraid of what the future would hold, but he did his best to not linger on that too much so that he wouldn't get distracted from his time with them now.

Psalm would be jostled awake by the excited movements of her brother, being thrown off of him as he freed himself from his sleeping siblings. The girl groaned, placing a foreleg over her eyes, she didn't want to get up. But as Balthier called out to Solo the girl knew there was no going back to sleep. "C'mon Forte can't let the boys think they can forget us." She said, extracting herself from her siblings and rising to her paws, prodding at her sister as she spoke. Her parents would move to indicate they were to leave the den and for a moment a thrill of both excitement and fear went through the girl. She instantly darted to her father's side, pressing into his legs and looking up at him, searching for reassurance. She wasn't about to leave the den until he did, his little shadow even now. "Speech"

Art by SardonicCitrus

He had been growing restless as time dragged on. The longer they stayed in the den, the more he felt he was going crazy! He had way too much energy, and there was no way he could let it all out in the den. While it was roomy enough for all of them, it just wasn't room enough for him to be able to zoom around without a care in the world let alone to stretch his legs enough. He often had trouble getting to sleep because he always felt like he had to move, but today would be different. As he clambered all over his parents and not particularly being careful on who he might be kicking as he climbed around, his parents would get up and for once in his life, he was a little too slow in being the first one out. His brother called to him, and within seconds Solo's excitement grew so much that he didn't know how to contain it. He zoomed out of the den, zipping past his sisters and he didn't stop running until he was forced to skid to a halt when all the new scents and sights overwhelmed his little puppy brain. His tail set to wagging a mile a minute, emerald green eyes darting from one thing to another before settling on Balthier. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged at his brother like a little locomotive as he aimed to bowl him over as he zoomed past, aiming to start a game of tag. "Come on Balthier, let's play tag! You're it!" "Speech"