The Carpathian princess was getting close to full grown. She had seen her first birthday come and go in the blink of an eye. Being one year old really felt like… not much. As if she still had the rest of her life ahead of her. Which, in reality, she did, but that also frustrated her. Bramble wanted to prove herself! She wanted to show her father that she was brave, capable, fierce, and someone to be reckoned with. One day, she hoped she could live up to the Carpathian name. Until then, the young girl stood at the edge of God’s Garden. Crumbling stone at her paws that flexed and dug into the dirt. Whispers of winter tickled her cheeks as the oncoming threat of snow pressed against the sky. The sun hadn’t shown itself in days and she found herself daydreaming about it. To be upon the Shimmering Shore, swimming, sunbathing, and overall enjoying herself. Not here, during this dismally grey day, sparring with a dead tree stump that she had dragged over from the grove nearby. Even though it was chilly enough to send a shiver down her spine, she was also sweating already. Her tongue lolls from the side of her mouth as her teal eyes stared determinedly at her bark covered foe. As her head lowers and ears fall back, she lets her braised and cuffed tail rise over her haunches. She spreads her legs slightly and tilts her chin before diving in for the next attack. A paw raises, claws extended, and swipes at the bark before taking a step to close the space and clamp her jaws around the short branch sticking out from the side. In her imagination, she is victorious. Bramble knocks the stump over and stands atop it, lifting her head and straightening her body to its full length and height. A smile is bright upon her chapped lips as she breathes heavily. Releasing a howl that is full of pride and happiness, she lets her tail wag a few times. Anyone watching her might think she was crazy for fighting a log, but to her, it was just another afternoon of practice. Bramble Carpathius

Dunstan's exploration of his surroundings had led him to meeting several wolves, as well as strange things he has not seen yet, such as the stone ground he now feels underneath his paws. Once again, he finds himself wishing his mother is with him, explaining things and confirming any ideas Dunstan has about the world around him. Alas, if Dunstan were to ask a question, he is certain only the wind would respond.

He stares up into the clouds, thinking that for just a second one resembles his mother before it is blown away by the wind that ruffles Dunstan's fur. His stomach growls, reminding him that it has been a while since he's eaten. The sound of something nearby makes him pay more attention, his ears pricking up as he finds himself hoping against hope that it is a bird, a deer even. A more careful part of him says that it could be something dangerous, a bear perhaps, or even more dangerous, another wolf.

Still, Dunstan's curiosity gets the better of him as he approaches and finds not prey but a wolf who appears to be about his age battling a log. He wonders if there's any grubs in it, which to him would be a good reason for such behavior. He can't really think of another. It seems to waste energy, something he does not have a lot of. The howl, though, is impressive, and he finds himself wanting to talk to the stranger despite the potential for danger.

Dunstan clears his throat. "Ahem." Then he cringes. He sounds like his mother when she's upset with him, and he certainly doesn't mean to sound upset, even with the disappointment of finding no food. He tries a friendly wag of the tail to show both that he means no harm and that he isn't old and boring. "Er. Sorry. What are you doing?"

As her chin fell and her echoing howl died down, she heard the rustle of someone nearby. Freezing in place with her paws still atop the log, the hair along her spine bristles for a second. She has yet to see who it is but by the clearing of the throat that requests her attention, the youngster slowly turns to see who it is. Embarrassment has flushed over her cheeks as she spies the stranger who is roughly her age but much smaller. A cheeky smile flickers across her lips as her own tail wags and she hopped off the log. Turning to fully face him, Bramble can’t help but chuckle softly. “Uh, yeah, don’t be sorry!” Her voice is a friendly chirp as she looks him over. He appears a tad scraggly and thin. Did he not eat often? By the scent wafting to her nose, he didn’t have any pack on him either. That didn’t matter much to her! Loner or pack member or whoever, they could possibly be a new friend! “I was practicing! I might become a Knight one day so I have to get good at fighting,” she lifts her lips in a playful growl as her chest rumbles. She then drops down into a play bow with her tail wagging excitedly and her body wavering back and forth with seemingly endless energy. “Do you know how to fight?” The pup asks as she continues to stare at him, waiting for an answer. Bramble Carpathius

Now that they were speaking to each other, Dunstan sees that the other is quite a bit larger than he is, and he has not been tricked by perspective. It makes him just a little nervous, but her cheerful demeanor assuages most of his fears before they become too much for him to conquer.

"A night?" Dunstan says, thinking of the time rather than the title. Then he feels embarrassed as he realizes what she had actually meant. "Ah, a Knight." He can't seem to think of the friendly wolf in front of him fighting anybody in a vicious way, and he hopes that she mostly means to defend herself and the people she cares about.

"Um, I've fought a bear once or twice, but I'm not really good at it. It's only if they come at me? And then I try to run away if I can." Dunstan's fur stands up on end for a second just thinking about it, before he notices her play bow. He grins for a second, forgetting his previous worries about wasting energy, and then drops into a similar stance "Are you asking me if I want to help you practice?"

Bramble’s tail wags excitedly behind her as she grins at the boy. “Yes, a Knight! But I kind of want to be a part of the High Council because I want to be important and a key piece in the decisions of my dad’s pack!” Her voice is a happy pitch as she grows more excited that he reciprocates her play bow. Letting out an eager bark, she lets her butt wiggle in the air as her energy builds up. “Oh I’ve fought two bears! Not by myself though! I had help though,” Bramble can’t help but smile bigger. This boy seemed fun! “You really would practice with me? You don’t have to!” She thought and considered for a moment as her teal gaze looked him over again. From his previous statement and how he appeared, she wondered if he actually knew how to spar. There was another moment of consideration before she stood up and out of her playbow and then sat down upon the cold stone. Her thoughts presented a more pressing topic, her practice could come later. “Would you rather go hunting? There’s a rabbit den over on the other side of the clearing with at least four or five rabbits,” Bramble’s tail still continued to wag as she smiled at him and hoped the proposition would be fitting. Bramble Carpathius

Knight, he understands, and he can sort of guess what High Council means. Some sort of ruling body, he assumes. Now that she mentions her dad, he worries just a little bit. Is she some type of princess? He's too afraid to ask, just as he is too afraid to ask if she means the same pack as the other wolf he has encountered spoke of. He nods a little at the excitement of fighting bears, and he can imagine some wolves joining this one to fight off the beasts.

"I would." Dunstan nods, though he thinks it would be an easy victory for her. He can't remember the last time he has fought another canine, and winning against someone who appears to train regularly? It isn't likely, he knows this much. He feels her eyes running over him, wonders what she thinks of him. He feels small, scrawny under her eyes, but he tries to remain confident.

He can't keep his mouth from watering at the mention of rabbits, and he can't help a note of hungry desperation from coming to his voice as he states. "That sounds good as well."

It is her choice, though he tilts his head down towards where she has mentioned seeing the rabbit den, just imagining what that would be like.

Bramble is similar to her father, her mother, and all that called themselves a Hallows wolf. Those in need would always come first and she would do whatever she could to help them. She felt that feeling now as he looks back at her. Was she being too forward? Too obvious? She wasn’t trying to be. There is a flicker of shame in her belly as she looks away to the rolling hills that surrounded the stone garden. Gosh, she really needed to work on her tact didn’t she? Worried that he would take her suggestion the wrong way, Bramble’s mind ran a million miles a minute. Caught up in her head, she almost doesn’t hear him say that hunting rabbits sounds good as well. It takes a second before her brain clicks and her tail wags in response. “Really? Perfect!” She smiles as she looks back at the boy. The boy… Wait, she hadn’t even introduced herself! “Oh, I’m Bramble Carpathius, by the way! Bramble is just fine or Bram, Brammy, whatever you want!” She is excited as she stands up on her paws and turns toward where the rabbit den lies. Looking over her shoulder, she looks at the boy. “C’mon, I’ll lead the way! It’s not far at all,” there is eagerness in her tone as she waits patiently for him. Bramble Carpathius