Sirius did his best to dedicate time to each puppy in whatever pursuits interested them. Moulding and encouraging their interests. When little ‘Ko expressed interest in shadowing him for a day and seeing what it took to be Alpha, he was all for it. Of course, that meant the day started at the crack of dawn. He made sure Kotori was snuggled up against him when they went to sleep - ensured, by wrapping a paw around him and dragging him off to slumber - so he could wake the boy without disturbing his siblings. There was yet no light in the den, but his internal clock awakened him. He yawned quietly, and nudged at the boy in his arms. He had learnt to sleep with utter stillness, so he did not hurt Zee, or more recently, squish any beans. So he was stiff by the time morning came, and he rose, gentle not to knock Ko over, and stretched. Yawning again, bearing his fangs wide in the dark room. "Speech"

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori was perfectly happy snuggling into his dad’s paw and then shifting himself around till his head lay on one of dad’s giant legs and body shoved up alongside it.  Kotori was thrilled he was going to follow his dad around the next day and his excitement had made it take that extra bit of time to fall asleep. Kotori had no inner clock yet and looked up half-awake at his dad then felt the paw he’d been leaning up against moving away as dad stood.

It was still dark.  Why were they up?  The muzzy memory remembered he was going out with his dad and the sense of being tired faded fast, pushing himself up to a sit before standing to do his own deep stretch and yawn.  He didn’t have any giant fangs or claws but it certainly didn’t stop his own large yawn.  That yawn over he was quick to bound to the den entrance, stopping partway through looking at Sirius with the excitement that denied he had been in a deep sleep only a moment ago.

He was going to go learn how to be a mighty fighter and leader just like his dad!  Kotori recalled his new pet had also stayed outside last night and hoped his mongoose was loyally waiting for him out there.  It didn’t matter too much right now though.  Dad was much much much much better than a pet. Kotori was good about staying quiet, not so much not wanting to wake his sisters from sleep for their benefit, he didn't want to wake them so that they wanted to also come and interrupt it from being just him and dad.

He hid his grin as excitement washed away exhaustion. Oh to be a puppy again, when any new thing was more exciting then sleep. The Warlord bit off a third yawn, knowing he had much to do as the day began. Sirius mimed quiet as he followed the excited pup to the den entrance. Stepping quietly out of the sleeping area, and into the corridor to the main door. Kotori let the way as the sleepier parent followed him out the door and into the wide world. “Alright, this is the best time to hunt, so first, we get your mum and sisters some breakfast, and then we start with a patrol. How's your tracking going Ko?” he asked, leading them past the communal space and towards the woods. Knowing they would have the most luck there. Sleepy creatures would still be in their den, and any that had started to rise would likely be slow and easy to catch. He liked to grab an easy meal for his love, so he could move on to the next part of his day. "Speech"

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori took the knowledge that morning was the best time to hunt as important information to lock away.  He’d sound smart later sharing this knowledge with his sisters later maybe.  Was dad going to let him help find the breakfast?!  This was going to be the best day ever! “I can find rabbits really well,”  said with plenty of pride with this accomplishment before adding in more half-heartedly, “but they’re always too close to one of their holes to get to one in time.”

Kotori glanced around as they walked not spying his pet.  Stupid thing!  He’d go hunt it down and kill it la-and as the dirty thought formed the mongoose showed up at a distance.  Perhaps it was understandable it wasn’t so keen on getting close when Kotori was near the giant form of his dad.  Fine.  As long as it hadn’t tried to run away.

“Are we hunting for rabbit or something bigger though?”  Kotori had the awesome vision of helping dad to kill something big like a giant stag.  The notion of anything being able to hurt him with dad there was of course completely unthought of.  Nothing could harm Kotori with dad there.  Even if there was anything bigger than dead, huger than dad, nothing could stop the warlord.

“Your right, rabbits are pesky things to catch, but that's good you remember their scent.” He praised the young wolf, leading them across Armada border and into the woods. Marshal had found them before they got too far, and was already scouting ahead, ensuring no danger could find them well he was out with his small child. “We can grab a couple rabbits if we find them, but something bigger would be better. There are often wild pigs in the grass’s around here, but they can be pretty aggressive. If you see a pig, keep your distance okay?” at least until he was a little bigger. No doubt he’d be murdering all sorts of fluffy animals in no time. “Here, put your nose here, do you smell that? That’s a red panda. Its like…. Thing of Natha, but smaller, and red fluff, kind of like that.” He described it to his son. "Speech"

Walk | "Talk" | think

Praise from dad was a great way to get that tail wagging quickly.  Just wait till the day he caught one!  It was also nice hearing that it wasn’t just Kotori but that rabbits were tricky things.  He’d be sure to show it off to dad later.  He had to catch one before any of his sisters did.  That should be easy enough as sisters were bound to not be as naturally talented, right?

“Ok dad,” one thing Kotori was quite sure of was if he wanted dad to let him do this often then he’d need to prove he’d listen to him.  He was going to do whatever dad said and excel at any challenge shown to prove how he wouldn’t be any hindrance in normal tasks.  “I bet they’d run just seeing you though.” Surely the stupid no good pigs would no to fear his father.

Kotori admittedly hadn’t been bothering to pay attention to every new scent.  Normally when he explored at his own pace he noticed a variety of things that smelled funny.  The problem with being on his own was not always knowing what it was he smelled.  Leaning over the spot he sniffed at the spot several times.  It was something he definitely hadn’t smelled before.  Trying to imagine a small red and fuzzy Natha, and it had him grinning as he imagined her coat all bright red. “So is a red panda a cat also then?” He took another sniff at the spot trying to make sure he really knew it, “Natha can climb tree’s right? Do red panda’s also climb trees then?”

Kotori’s grin only fueled his own, and the easily-excited father lowered his head and brushed his nose against the back of Ko’s head. Letting Kotori take his time to figure out the scents and find the one Sirius meant.

“It’s almost like… a cross between a cat and a bear, and smaller then either.” he said. Knowing Kotori had been around his bear companion all the boys life, and had something to compare to. With the ‘cats’ all of them familiar with being the size of Bast and Natha, it was easy to consider a red panda small in comparison. “They do climb trees, lets move along quietly and see if we can spot him?”

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori’s imagination played with the scent and images he was picking up from Sirius words.  He imagined the bear and cats, dousing them in red and climbing tree’s.  It would be interesting to see how close the image he got was to the real thing.  After a bit the pup decided he could remember the scent, tail wagging faster with the build of confidence.  

“Ok,” Kotori spoke at the same casual volume as before then repeated himself softer to show he’d be quiet with a hushed, “ok.” He’d follow after dad, now putting more interest in the scent, trying to keep up with the red panda scent over al the other ones.  Some things he knew, but there were still scents without images to go with them yet. There would come a day he’d know all of them though!

Watching Kotori as he leaned into the lesson, taking on the scent, and took joy from it… it lifted the Warlord's heart. Gone was the bloodthirsty defender of the Empress. It seemed every time he looked, that man was a more distant shadow. Here, he was a man that created and taught. Building this pack, giving life to children. Sometimes it caught him like a blow, and he found himself questioning how life had led him here. Led him to this place, where he was surrounded by those he loved.

Shaking away the melancholy, he led the boy further through the trees, searching himself, and following the scent, until - there! He nudged Ko, and pointed upwards with his snout, seeing if his son would catch the flash of red in the trees

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori was watching dad’s every action, determined to learn all he could from their day out.  The boy would never imagine the warlord as anything but the fatherly figure he knew.  The pup continued working to follow the scent, sometimes losing it but he only needed to see where his father was moving and where his nose was pointing to have an easier time picking up the trail.

They stopped and the boy looked around at the world from his angle before dad’s shoulder and upwards look had Kotori realize his error.  They had already gone over that the animal could climb so maybe he should have looked in the trees the entire time.  Kotori may have needed help following the scent but he seemed better at finding things with his eyes once he knew where to look.  He liked finding fun things or dealt with finding the herbs so the moving splash of red caught his eye fast enough. His tail slashed through the air in joy quicker as he looked at the creature curiously.  

“Look at that tail,” the words were said excitedly but the voice kept hushed so their morning food didn’t try to flee.  Of course even if it tried to flee early they’d catch it.  “So, how do we get it out of the tree?”  Kotori imagined those cat-like claws would come in real handy about now.  Dad was huge, maybe he could just hop up and grab it?  

The Warlord grinned, and looked back at his son, and then raised his head even higher, where Marshal circled the sky above them. “Stand under the tree here” he directed softly, indicating a spot with his paw. The Warlord took up a space on the other side of the branch.

“Be ready to pounce” he warned the younger wolf, falling into a crouch. Marshal circled once more, and then with a great ‘screee!’ flew forward. Wings outspread and talons extended as his dive turned into an attack, and he hit the red fluffy creature at velocity. The red panda was shoved from the tree, and hit the ground in front of Warlord and son.

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori was fast to move where Sirius pointed.  He was going to get to help take down breakfast!  It would be great! Unless he messed up of course but dad wouldn’t let him do this unless it was obvious Kotori could grab it, right?  The boy’s eyes stared closely at the breakfast with the fuzzy tail.  The pup already had plans to claim that tail as a fun toy for a bit.  No reason breakfast couldn’t come with a toy for afterward.

Marshal was going to help!  As the bird dove, the boy’s feet shifted excitedly waiting for the chance to grab at the panda. “Got it!” The boy called out as he lunged in aiming to kill it quickly with a bite to its neck.  Kotori hadn’t imagined it could get up so fast after falling from a tree but aiming for the creature's neck just got some skin and fur on his back as it already was trying to run off!  

The red panda recovered fast, and tried to run for the hills. Kotori’s attack grazed it, before Sirius’s paw smacked it back to the ground. He would give Kotori the kill. Teaching him how to hunt, and how to land a killing blow with the practice of it. Each creature was a little different, and this one's thick fur would be a challenge.

He knew that, given time, Kotori would figure it out, so the Warlord circled the two of them. Panda and wolf, knocking the poor creature down any time it tried to escape, giving Kotori the time he needed. Letting him get a taste for the kill.