Cerberus just needed some time to recuperate since the loss of Viper. He was sad because she was his mother and he was the closest thing to her heart, though he couldn't really say the same about her. He did miss their nightly cuddles just from the fact that she was his blood mother, and he missed the few times she helped with Moccasin to learn a little bit about fighting and defending. But Siren had always been more like a true mother to him. So he sulked for some time, had a little time with his new siblings and a talk with Chimera. And now he was starting to get better.

Inside Siren and Dalila's den, he placed out different handles of wood, some that he had already carved himself over time but just needed a little more work to make them pretty. Moccasin entered the room with a mouth full of dagger blades that Cerberus had asked him to help collect by finding in various places of the island. They would just need to be sharpened.

He had put the different things in piles, the wooden or ironed handles, the blades, or the knives that were completely in tact together. And stones off to the side to sharpen the blades. Looking to Moccasin, he asked him to mix up some paints while he went to go find Albion. He left the room and went out into the island to go find his brother. They were the oldest brothers of their bunch so he wouldn't have wanted help from any other.

Fighting Seasonal Prompt
Total Word Count: 262 words
Word Count Goal: 1500 words

"Cerberus Klein"

Albion really hadn’t known Viper, and maybe Cerberus only did because he was her son. Technically. The pale boy had practically been raised with Cerb at his side as much as Scylla. After the woman died though the observant pup knew immediately his brother wasn’t quite where he should be. He was deeply affected, but Albi couldn’t do much for his brother. When he needed him Albion would be there.

The boy was wandering the hallways, oddly without Scylla, as he went. He was kind of meandering back to his mom's room, massive paws carrying him through the atrium and back to Siren’s suites. He walked into Cerberus there, colliding with his brother as he stood up to go find himself. Leaving behind a collection of items littered around him. Albion’s white blue eyes glanced around the various items of varying shades and sizes after he’d recovered from the stun.

He scanned the blades, even more curious as the moments went on. Albion tilted his curious features and he returned his attention to his brother’s minty eyes. Pale brows raised, "Cerberus,” He greeted softly a hint of curiosity in his voice as he slipped past the chimeric pup and hovered over the supplies he gathered. He shook his pale coat and lowered his haunches as if he knew that this was where he needed to be for Cerberus. Some of the colors and shapes made him think of their other siblings, and the number seemed to match that of their siblings.

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"Albion Klein"

Albion had already been here really, and it was quick to get him in and observe the supplies that were gathered. He wouldn't know it, but Albion had already pieced together the number of gifts per their siblings.

Cerberus went to join him by laying in front, his paw gesturing to the pile of blades he had laid out. "I have a sharpening stone there if you want to start sharpening the blades." He knew Albion was more of a quiet boy so he didn't expect much conversation or words from his brother. He knew him well enough not to care. Cerberus was usually pretty quiet himself, but not as his younger brother was. "I'll start painting the handles here." He looked up to Moccasin and gestured, "I'll have Moccasin sharpen the blades that already have handles."

Cerberus started placing out handles in front of him, counting and looking at the paints that were mixed to decide which ones he wanted to pair with each of his siblings. He grabbed a paint brush through his teeth and started swirling and spotting the handles as he saw fit. He was quite good at it he supposed, maybe had some kind of creative eye. He was definitely more of a sensitive type at least, not that that had anything to do with painting. He mostly painted the handles in colors resembling his sibling's eye colors, but also added some greys and blacks and some colors he knew that they would like. Each blade handle was completely unique and none looked the same. He was also open to Albion helping paint some of the blades too, there were more brushes and plenty of paints to choose from.

Fighting Seasonal Prompt
Total Word Count: 801 words
Word Count Goal: 1500 words

"Cerberus Klein"

Albion’s pale blue eyes flicked from his brother’s features to the blades and handles before them. His guess was correct, not that he would know quite yet. It made sense though. The number of weapons matched the number of siblings. He wondered if it would be a good idea to give their little brothers knives to play with, if only for his own safety. Cerb didn't hesitate to join him there, he was obviously wanted here for his help. It was really interesting what his older brother brought together here and he had all of Albion’s attention.

However much the boy thought of himself he did look up to Cerberus, the older boy had always been there for Albi to emulate. His calm demeanor, quiet nature, and most of all their father’s pride. The young prince could think of no prize as sweet as that. Cerb began to speak and Albion’s eye stilted to his features as he explained. He asked him to sharpen the blades while he began to paint the handles. Albion nodded at the instruction. He wasn’t near as deft as Scylla was, but he could manage well enough without cutting himself. Unlike his siblings it didn’t feel natural to use tools like this, and when his siblings began to use them while they fought Albion declined. Still, they were very pretty and he wanted one for a memento.

He wanted to watch Cerberus work on the paints, he watched as the thoughts crossed his features as he made decisions about the paints in front of him. He seemed to reminisce about each sibling’s eye color, but Albion couldn’t focus too heavily. He took the whetstone to the unhandled blades and very carefully began to run it along the blade. He was kind of clumsy and had to move very slow or he was going to cut himself wide open.


"Albion Klein"

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Cerberus continued to paint the handles of the blades, only briefly looking up to see Albion not struggling but maybe a little uncomfortable with sharpening the blades by himself. He didn't say anything. Instead looking towards Moccasin in silence as if the dog could read his mind. Moc joined beside Albion, putting his paw over the sharpening stone to get his attention and pull the whetstone from him. Moc tilted the bit of the blade where the handle would go and suggested with his paws and eyes to have Albion hold it upright how he needed it to sharpen.

Once the blade was sharp enough, Moc demonstrated by dipping the nub end of the blade in a glue like substance before handing it off to Albion and pointing to one of the handles that Cerberus had already painted. While Albion put the two pieces together, Moc started sharpening the next blade. He would seek Albion's help if he wasn't paying attention to hold the next blade up at an angle and he was fine with his place here among the boys.

Cerberus had set out all of the handles that didn't have blades that he had painted and looked back to see what all Albion and Moc had done. He was happy to see the progress, looking at each of the blades colored specially for his siblings and marked with a letter of their own. He finally moved over to the final blades that were already connected to the handles. With Albion and Moc working together, Cerberus started sharpening these blades before going to paint and mess with the handles. There were fewer of these and as he inspected them he decided which he would give to Chimera.

Once all the blades were sharpened he moved back over to the painting station. Albion was still free to paint or add anything he wanted to the knives, Cerberus didn't mind at all. He went to finish painting the final daggers and set them out to dry with the rest. Once they were all finished, he felt this overwhelming sense of pride and he couldn't wait to present them to their father. Cerberus nudged Albion with a large thankful smile before gathering the dry knives into a basket so they could transport them to a special room near the stores. He had been working on cleaning up the closet but keeping the knives in there for now would be alright.

Fighting Seasonal Prompt
Total Word Count: 1522 words
Word Count Goal: 1500 words

"Cerberus Klein"