The moment that his mother suggested that they go hunting he was all for it. He got to get out of the same old Armada lands, he got to have his mother all to himself, and they got to go hunting? It was like the best day ever! He followed his mom eagerly all the way out to a big open prairie, refusing to ever admit that his feet or legs got tired. He walked proudly beside his momma the whole way. He loved being around his mother anyway, but especially when they got to hunt things. His dad did plenty of training and stuff with him for fighting and he could wrestle and play with Tira, but hunting was the thing that he did almost exclusively with his mom so that became his special thing to do with her. Today was an extra special day though cause they got to go to a different place that he had never been to before!

"Oooooh look at them!" he whispered as he pointed out a little herd of pronghorns in the distance, bouncing up and down in place beside his mom. Any tiredness or aches in his paws were immediately forgotten, way too excited about hunting and killing stuff with his mom to care. "What are we gonna do this time, mom?" he asked, turning his big blue eyes up toward her with a wide, toothy grin, his tail wagging excitedly. She almost always had some kind of plan so he couldn't wait to see what she had in store for him this time!

"Arcturus Fatalis"

Today, Asla had promised to take her darling son out hunting. He was so eager and willing to learn that he reminded her of herself when she was his age. She had made her first kill at a very early age, thanks to the aid and direction of her father. It would be the same for Arcturus and herself. Today, the boy would make his first kill.

As the pair made their way to the prairie, Arc took in the sights, exploding with the wonder of it all. Arc bounced along beside her and asked what she had in store. "Well, today, my love... you're going to make your first kill." The cream and grey woman grinned, waiting to see the expression on her boys face as she told him the good news.

The little toothy youngling had shown an interest in the pronghorns, so she decided to get him one, albeit one closer to his size. Coming upon an old, dried up tree in the middle of the prairie, Asla sat Arc down. "You stay here. If any danger comes while I'm away, you get inside that tree and call for me, okay?" The woman's galactic gaze was stern. She meant it.

Leaving the boy by the tree, Asla skirted around the herd, plucked a fresh fawn from the batch with minimal effort, and returned close to half an hour later. The wait would test Arc's patience, and he would be rewarded for it. Aslatiel was careful not to kill the little pronghorn. In fact, she was surprisingly gentle with it. Something that Aslatiel wasn't exactly known for. Back with Arc, she released the wobbly fawn and motioned with a wide sweep of her paw. "Show me how you hunt." They'd been practicing daily, but practice was much different than the real thing.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

Her answer made his blue yes go wide with surprise and an even bigger grin pull across his lips - if that was even possible. He had watched her on hunts and had tracked a few little creatures on his own during his adventures, but he'd never actually killed something himself! His tail wagged like crazy and it was hard to sit still when she brought him over to an old tree, but he managed under his mom's stern gaze. He nodded eagerly in agreement to her order, watching her walk off while he fidgeted with excitement, even a short wait feeling like a life time. While he was waiting he watched a hare that was maybe a dozen feet form him hopping across the prairie, occasionally pausing to nibble at some grass or something on the ground. He wiggled in place, resisting the urge to go chase after it. He wouldn't though - he had promised his mother he'd stay right here!

A few minutes ticked by and he just kept watching the hare for lack of anything else to do and then seemingly out of no where a big hawk swooped down from the sky and grabbed the hare, swooping back up into the sky with it with the hare squeaking and flailing to try and get away. His mouth dropped open with shock and he watched the hawk carry off the hare before his grin returned and he hopped up, his tail wagging excitedly again. "That was so cool!" he said to no one as he watched it disappear into the distance. If only he had a big bird like his dad did, then it could catch all kinds of animals for him! Well, little ones anyway. Maybe he'd ask his dad how he got Owl so he could try getting his own bird too. He didn't want Owl though, he complained too much.

He settled back down beside the tree now that the little bit of excitement was over so that he could continue waiting on his mom to come back. Eventually she did, even though it felt like it took forever, but she returned with a surprise - a young one of the pronghorns he had spotted before. His eyes lit up and he hopped up with excitement when she let it go, letting him to show her how he hunts. "Okay!" he said eagerly, setting his sights on the fawn as it started trying to get away now that it realized it was free. It's legs were wobbly though and it wasn't moving all that fast, though it was picking up speed now that it was gaining its bearings.

He tried to put everything they had been practicing into practice, remembering to keep out of the way of the fawn's legs as he ran up to it and making his movements all very deliberate, knowing how second guessing and stuff like that could be bad and he could get hurt if he was hunting something really big. Of course even this fawn was bigger than him, but still, he wanted to show his mom that he was listening in their lessons! He ran up behind the fawn as fast as his little legs could carry him, catching up to the fawn and getting up beside it. He reached out and bit down on its front leg, realizing has his teeth sank into its leg that his longer fangs were actually really helpful for getting a good grip on it. They had seemed kind of annoying and in the way until now so he was excited that they had a good use!

He dug his feet in to the dirt and stopped, making the fawn trip and stumble, falling over onto its side. Arc quickly let go of its leg then, jumping up to its neck to stop it before it could get up as it tried to flail its way back to its feet. As he was jumping over its legs to hurry and get to its neck, one of its spindly, flailing legs caught his back legs and made him stumble, sending him rolling through the dirt for a second. Unfazed by the small set back and too focused on proving he could do it, he scrambled back to his paws and pounced on the side of the pronghorn's neck, hooking his claws into it and pulling it back to the ground. He bit really hard into its throat, feeling his fangs sink into it and tasting hot blood on his tongue for the first time. It wasn't exactly the most effective kill in the world since he had to bite a couple times to get a good hold on it and ended up having to rip and shake his head some to finally kill it, but he did it! He hopped back from the pronghorn, looking up at his mother with bloody lips and paws, grinning and wiggling with excitement. "How was that?! That was fun!"

"Arcturus Fatalis"

The young mother watched as her sweet boy's face lit up when given the gift that she'd procured for him. Aslatiel seated herself, ready to intervene if necessary. If he was anything like she had been, there would be no need. Asla was a natural killer and she hoped that Arc would be the same. Sirius had walked her through her first kill and the gates were flung open after that. She began killing things at every opportunity. Would Arcturus enjoy taking life as much as she had at his age?

Swirling purple eyes watched intently as her son began. She could see his mind working as he put his practice to use. As the newborn pronghorn began to run away, he gave chase. She rose again, following the boy and keeping close in case some other predator saw the opportunity to snatch the pronghorn for itself. There was also the risk of the herd discovering its bleating, lost child, but Asla was less worried about that.

Arc caught a leg between his jaws and the antelope fell. Arc fell next and Asla released an amused huff. She wouldn't help him though. This was his kill. His hunt. In time, Arc maneuvered his way up to the fawns throat and his teeth sank home. The little antelope kicked a few times and fell still. There. It was done. Just like that, Aslatiel made her child into a killer.

As the boy bounded excitedly towards her, Asla scooped him into her embrace, pressing him against her chest and bestowing a kiss upon his crown. "Very well done, my love. I'm so very proud." Asla gave him a little push back towards the antelope. "The mighty hunter must enjoy his first kill. Give it a taste while it's still warm." Coming forward, Asla lay on her stomach, pride radiating off of her as she watched her boy dig into the fruits of his first hunt. "We'll have to tell your father when we get back. He'll be very proud as well." Others might not have agreed with teaching a child so young how to kill, but she believed Naiche would appreciate it.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

Arcturus grinned and giggled when his mother scooped him up and kissed his head, praising his kill and telling her how proud she was. Nothing really felt as good as knowing he made his mom proud. The hunting and fighting were really fun and he'd probably still do them anyway even if she didn't encourage him the way she did, but knowing that it made her happy to see him hunting and how proud she was when he did was a huge encouragement. With his paws back on the ground and a nudge from his mother back toward his kill to enjoy enjoy it he gave her another bright grin and nodded, running back toward the dead pronghorn fawn enthusiastically. He had seen his mother cut open prey for them to eat so many times already so he knew the right motions, it just took him some trial and error to get it right.

As he worked on cutting open the skin with his teeth and claws, he heard his mother mention telling his father about his kill as well and he nodded in agreement. His dad was never as fun to brag to though since he was so serious all the time, but he figured Naiche would like to hear about it all the same. "He told me you're a way better hunter than he is," he admitted, glancing over at her with a grin. "I mean obviously you're the best hunter but it was funny hearing dad say it! He doesn't hunt with me, just fighting. But that's okay! I'd rather hunt with you anyway!" He loved his father of course, but not like he loved his mom. It was different.

He finally got the skin pulled away from the meat of the tender fawn, his tail wagging at his little victory. It wasn't as clean or as well done as when his mom did it, but it was a hunt all by himself! He pulled off a bite, humming happily at the still warm meat as he ate it. It was way, way better than the little bites of meat his mom would give them and now he just wanted to hunt fresh prey all the time! After taking a couple of bites for himself, he started pulling off a bigger piece, having to use his sharp claws to help cut it away from the bones, but once he had a pice like half the size of himself he picked it up and waddled over to his mother with it, holding it up to her with a proud wag of his tail. "Fa ooo!" he said around the mouthful of pronghorn meat, beaming up at his mother.

"Arcturus Fatalis"

Arc's words about Naiche and his own observations about both parents brought a laugh from the cream and grey woman. "Oh yes," she agreed. "Your mom is the best hunter in the land." Asla nuzzled the top of his golden crown. "Stick with me, learn what I teach you, and you might even be better than me some day." That was her hope for both of her children; to surpass their mother in skill. There was no greater accomplishment.

At her prompting, Arc bounded back towards his kill. She watched as he seemed to think a moment before tearing into the young pronghorn. He had chosen the best way to do it and did so without any qualms. Again, Aslatiel was proud. The boy began to eat, taking a few bites before a thought appeared to strike. He carefully extracted a chunk of meat, bringing it to his mother and gifting it to her. His garbled words were met with a soft chuckle before Asla took the meat and placed it upon her paws. "Thank you for providing, mighty hunter," Asla spoke dramatically, her purple eyes glittering with mirth. He was such a good boy.

Together they ate, Asla consuming the small piece of pronghorn. The young were so very tender, but there wasn't much on them. It was more than enough for Arcturus and enough to keep her belly from complaining, though it hadn't growled once today. There was one more thing that she wanted to do for her son, but only after he was done eating.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

His little tail was an excited blur when she took the gift he offered her and thanked him, calling him a mighty hunter. His chest puffed up proudly at that, feeling like a fantastic hunter that had just served a meal to a queen. He bowed his head dramatically to go along with the grander of her thanks, but even as he tried to do a graceful bow he couldn't keep himself from giggling. After that he went back to the carcass of the fawn he had killed and started pulling off more pieces for himself and for his mother until they had both picked it clean. It wasn't like the big animals that his mother hunted so it didn't take them to finish it, but he was plenty full once it was gone.

He rolled over onto his mother's paws till he was on his back across her forelegs, grinning up at her and reaching up to give her chin a lick. "Thanks for taking me out hunting, Momma. This is a lot of fun," he told her sincerely, his tail wagging like crazy again. He knew his mom was really important and had a lot of work to do so they didn't have all the time in the word to just go hunting and hang out like this, but whenever he did get a day for just the two of them he always had the best time. "What else are we gonna do? Or is it time to go back home?"

"Arcturus Fatalis"

Together, she and her boy shared the pronghorn until it was picked clean. As the cream and grey fae licked the blood from her lips and paws, Arcturus came and rolled into his back between her forelegs. He licked her chin lovingly and she proceeded to clean the blood from his own little gold and grey face. Aslatiel adjusted her front legs, encircling the boy with them and pulling him against her chest in an embrace. She was still surprised every day at how much she loved her children. It hadn't been expected. Not at all. Had her younger siblings been more like Arc and Tira and less like little assholes, maybe she would have liked them better. Tira and Arc... they were perfect.

The boy thanked her, using the manners that she'd instilled in both of them. She nuzzled into the top of his exceptionally fuzzy head. "As often as I can, love." Both of her children understood that their mom was a busy lady, though she took as much time away from the pack that she could to spend one-on-one time with them. Arc asked what else they were going to do today and Asla's tall, dark ears stood erect. "What would you like to do?" There was a little time left. If he had something in mind, they could discuss it. If not, they would head back home before darkness claimed the sky.

"Aslatiel"

Arcturus wiggled and fussed as his mother cleaned his face and scooped him into an embrace, acting like he didn't like it even though he was grinning and secretly loved it. Nothing made him happier than getting all of his mother's attention - especially if it was while getting to do something as fun as hunting. He tucked happily into her chest while she nuzzled the top of his head. He never felt any kind of way about her having to be busy with the pack or doing things. If anything he just admired all the things she did and was proud of how important she was. He was the son of the Reaper! How cool was that! When she responded to his question with a question of her own he started to ponder it with a thoughtful hum, wiggling himself more into the fluff of her chest while he tried to decide what else he might want to do. After all, he had already gotten to hunt and make his first kill by himself so what more could he possibly want to do?

While he was thinking a yawn snuck up on him, making his jaws stretch wide and expose those still growing fangs. He blinked his blue eyes and looked back up at his mom again with a bashful grin. Laying in her legs with this, full from their meal and tired from the trip here and hunting, it was easy for him to feel extra sleepy all of the sudden. "A nap maybe?" he suggested, his words getting a little distorted as another yawn pulled at him. He didn't want his best day ever to end yet but his eye lids were suddenly so, so heavy.

"Arcturus Fatalis"

Arcturus grumbled a little as she mothered him, but she knew that he didn't mean it. He was such a sweet, loving boy. She absolutely adored him. Aslatiel couldn't have created better children if she had been able to craft them herself. Her darling boy was sheer perfection and he would grow up knowing it.

As Arc thought about what he wanted to do next, a deep yawn pulled from him. Whatever plans he may have had went out the window as the boy realized that he was tired. He suggested a nap and Asla chuckled. "Of course. The mighty hunter has earned a nap." Asla repositioned, pulling the golden child against her chest. She nuzzled one grey ear and licked the top of his head once more. The cream and grey fae would stay curled around her child, allowing him the sleep that he needed. Only when he woke and felt rested would they make their trek back to the Armada.

"Aslatiel"