A crisp fog rolled through the forest that morning. Lingering close to the floor that was covered in pine needles and frost. Hardly a whisper could be heard as the first few rays of dawn peaked over the surrounding mountain. Winter was making a quick appearance, bitter and freezing. Snow had already begun to blanket the plains and col, fighting to make its way down to the floor of the forest through the treetops. For now, there was only a dusting that she could see. Just enough that one could easily see small tracks making their way to and fro, darting across and down the various game trails. That is what she was after. From her previous lessons with her mother, Ursa knew she had to be awake before the stars disappeared if she wanted to capture what she wanted.

There was a special occasion for this. She had overheard her parents chatting about her grandfather's birthday. He was turning ten! Ursa honestly couldn't fathom being ten years old. That sounded ancient to her young puppy mind. But it sounded important too! Something that needed to be celebrated and she wanted to help! He should be celebrated! He was a cool grandpa after all! So Ursa was determined to catch her own snow hare. They had come down from the northern regions of Boreas. Twice the size of the normal rabbits that lived nearby, she had been watching the hares make themselves known. Large hind paw prints and itty bitty front prints that leaped and hopped across the fine blanket of snow. Their nearby burrows were easy enough to sniff out, especially this early in the morning.

Slipping from the front doorway, she had already informed her father of her plan. He had agreed as long as she stayed near the den and then headed straight for the Col. No wandering, no lollygagging, straight there. Ursa was a good girl. She didn't break rules, she followed them; so she was determined to keep her father happy.

At first, her paws made a loud crunch as she exited the den. Both ears turned forward as her eyes widened and looked down at the frosted ground. Her muzzle scrunches as she understands it will be more difficult now that it will be harder to be quiet. Inhaling deeply, she keeps her eyes closed for a moment before starting forward. Picking her paws up delicately, she steps down with caution. The first few steps are still a bit noisy but soon even out until she is barely heard. She kept herself rather low to the ground, tail lifted for balance, eyes forward, searching for a recent scent trail. There, not far from the covered garden, she can see fresh scat and tracks. Turning to follow the trail, Ursa picks up her pace, already panting slightly from the exertion. Unlike most of her siblings, she had put on some weight and was having difficulty keeping it off.

Still, she would persist, no matter how warm her body felt or how sticky her tongue felt in her mouth. The snow hare was close. Its pungent but sweet scent was strong as she lowered her nose to the ground. Her belly grumbled quietly as she moved into a loping pace. Eating up the ground with her growing legs, Ursa burst through the brush. Getting the jump on the hare as it nibbled on a few leaves, she ignored the scream it released. If she focuses on it, she will feel terrible, but there's no turning back now. Her paws grab around its shoulders as her jaw latches on to its neck. Digging her rear paws in to stop her momentum, she begins to shake her head until the hare's red beady eyes go dark and its body goes limp. Only a few speckles of blood tinge her ivory and navy lips.

Proud of herself, Ursa wastes no more time. Turning back, she heads to the den and stops in the doorway to show her parents. Her tail wags happily as they congratulate her and see her on her way. Making her way from the woods to the col's warrens at a slower pace than she had during her hunt, she allowed her lungs to suck in the icy air and her heart rate to lower. Hunting was hard work! She holds her catch high up, her chin turned to the sky, as she practically prances through the warrens. Eager to give her grandfather his birthday gift, Ursa makes her way to his den. Hoping that it is early enough in the morning to still catch him asleep, the small pup approaches the doorway. Glancing in, her lavender eyes look about the dark room.

"Grampa?" Ursa calls out around the hare that is still hanging from her jaws.

* This is set before the flood <3

The Warlord was a very early riser, and often spent the predawn time patrolling. Today, one of his son’s companions had come to him and told him to wait in his den. No explanation given, but no urgency either. He was willing to wait and see what Mortis had up his sleeve. He settled back down on his bedding, putting his head on his paws as he waited to see what was going on. It was unusual for Mortis to ask anything of him, but when he did - if often related to his children. Were they planning to ambush him? No matter how busy he was, he would always find time to play with his grandchildren. So he waited, and was eventually rewarded with the sound of his name being called from young lips.

He got to his paws, shaking out his coat as he trotted towards his den door. Here, no doubt, was the reason he had been asked to stay. “Ursa! Hello, oh my, that’s a mighty big hare. Did you catch it yourself?” he asked her.

"Speech"

Ursa would not be disappointed as her grandfather's large form rose from his bed and approached her. The young pup couldn't help but wiggle happily. Her paws pranced, practically tippy-tapping, as she finished the distance between them. Lifting her chin high so that the snow hare wouldn't drag along in the dirt, she tried to nod her head in a yes to him. "Mesh," Ursa said still around the hare before realizing that she really couldn't talk with the animal still in her mouth. Gently, she leans down and places it at his paws.

"Happy birthday!" Her tones are chipper, high-pitched in their sing-songy tune as she continues to wiggle back and forth with excitement. "I hope you like it! I did catch it all by myself!" She exclaims and that much was obvious from the speckling of blood that lines her lips. Ursa had not thought to clean herself up before heading down to see him.

The old Warlord laughed as his grandaughter tried to say something around her mouthful of rabbit. She seemed to realise the folly in this, and put the kill down at his paws a moment later. He tilted his head, happy to hold her kill for her. However, her words caught him by surprise! He blinked, startled that Ursa knew, and that her parents had clearly told her. “...Ursa, I love it. Thank you!” He said, sniffing. Must be hayfever season, his eyes were starting to water a little.

He leaned over and grabbed Ursa, tugging her towards him. Careful not to squish the rabbit, he pulled her into his arms and wrapped them around her, before blowing a raspberry against her forehead. “Present givers get tickles, it's the rules!” He warned her.


"Speech"

Ursa beamed up at the Warlord. He loved her present! Her tail begins to wag furiously and ends up causing her whole body to shake. Tapping her paws against the ground, her own eyes water with pure happiness. Not that she could notice his own watering because he was a big, strong grandpa! "You're so welcome!" She squeaks out as she scoots closer to him.

Before she could say anything else, she was feeling herself get scooped up into Sirius's chest. His lips upon her forehead blow a loud and wet raspberry. Ursa can't help but break out into a fit of giggles. "Oh, not tickles!!" She squeals as she wiggles and squirms in his embrace.

The Warlord couldn’t remember ever receiving a birthday present. It was possible that Ursa was the first in his life to give him one. He was incredibly touched by the young girl's thoughtfulness. She wiggled in his arms as he grabbed her. She cried out against his onslaught, but the Warlord was merciless. He blew another rasberry on her forehead to distract her, and then gently dug in his toes into her belly and armpit, looking for vulnerable points.

“Yes, tickles!” he told her. He tickled her for a few moments before, laughing, he released her. “I love the rabbit, Ursa” He said again. “Did you want to hang out with your Grandpa for a bit today?”


"Speech"

Once Sirius releases her from the grasp of tickles, Ursa flops over onto her side. Finishing her bout of laughter, she rolls over to look up at her massive grandfather. Her tail slaps the den floor as she smiles up at him. "I'm glad you like your present!" She says, her voice chipper and excited as he asks if they want to hang out.

"Oh, yes!" Suddenly, Ursa is hopping up onto her paws. Dancing on her paws, she spins in a circle before stopping and wavering dizzily on her paws. "What we gonna go do?!" She asks excitedly as she picks up her front paws and places them on his foreleg. "Can we go explore?! Or hunt?! Or can you take me somewhere new?!" It wasn't often that Ursa left the boundaries of the Armada. Boreas was scary and for someone timid like Ursa, she wasn't keen on going alone unlike her other siblings.