She was disappointed that her daddy’s Akita had not allowed her to climb the palm trees on the beach. She forced Ode’s paw and she would just have to ask her Poppa to chaperone her. Surely he would let her climb them! "Poppaaaaaa!!” She called as she raced through the hallways towards their den. Surely he was home by now.

Leopard paws pitter pattered over the stone halls as she slid to halt outside her home den, again calling out for Mortis. "Poppa!” She said again, eager to ‘tell on’ the dog for not allowing her such a dangerous activity. "Daddy’s dog wouldn’t let me climb the palm trees!” She complained as she ducked into the den. "Will you take me, please?”

"Odette"

Mortis heard her calling long before she arrived. He got to his paws and started towards the den entrance, arriving as she slid to a halt. He felt an amused smile tug at the corner of his lips before he got it under control. “Akita has a good reason to, she can’t climb the tree and get you down if you get stuck.” he explained, wrapping a wing lightly around the tiny girl.

With the size of her tiny paws, he didn’t think she would become one of the giants of the Fatalis family. A part of him was grateful, his tiny little winged miracle. “But do you want to know a secret?” He asked in a stage whisper. “I can climb them and help you. Come on, let's have a look at these palm trees” He said, using his wing to scoop her up and deposit her lightly on his back.

"Speech"

Her Poppa was waiting for her at the entrance of the den when she made her appearance. Her wings flailing and her paws scrambling as she came to a stop. Her bright silver eyes looked up to find Mortis standing there waiting for her arrival. Ode was loud enough about it after all. Nothing like the animals for whom she shared attributes with. Not yet anyway, one day she would master silence.

Mort did tell her the dog was correct in keeping her from scaling the palms, she was not as agile as the pup and couldn’t easily rescue her. Ode’s features fell, but her Poppa went on. He had a secret for her. The little girl’s wings fluttered and her short little tail waggled in anticipation as he told her that he could in fact climb the trees, and he was eager to take her back.

"Ah! Really? Yes!” Before she could run off back towards the beaches her father had scooped her up and deposited her upon his back. "Let's go!”

"Odette"

With his little miracle child on his back, Mortis trotted through the Col, and made a beeline for the cove. The sand was warm beneath his paws, it was a good day for a beach day. Perhaps he, Odette, and Hika could take lunch down here later. He and Hika could spend some time together, while Odette played in the waves. When had his wife become something to look forward to? It was all Hika’s fault. He had trampled back through Mort’s life, and changed everything.

The tall wolf reached one of the palm trees. It had, admittedly, been a while since he had climbed last. “Hold on!” He warned Odette before stretching his upper body up, and leaning it against the palm. “Alright, everyone off the Mort bus!” He called out to her, turning his head over his shoulder to grin at her.

"Speech"

She held on gently to her father’s back, nestled securely between his wings there was no real need to use her claws as they went along. Her little wings bounced up and down with each step Mortis took. Her smile was wide as they went on their journey, but it grew bigger as they arrived at the beach together. She loved spending time with her dads, and even better Poppa was taking her to climb the palms!

He strode easily over to the palms, stretching himself as a ladder to help Ode get further up into the trunk. She giggled happily as he told ehr the ride was over, and she was eager to scramble up. Using her huge claws and leopard like arms she shuffled up the slightly slanting trunk. She was focused as she pushed up and up and finagled herself up at the very top, on top of the fronds, where she could see everything!

"Poppa! There’s so much to see!” Surely the ocean went on forever, and the mountains reached the sky!


"Odette"

Mortis watched with more than a little worry, though he had hidden that from her. He didn’t want to hover. He wanted her to experience her life, and find these joys. But seeing how quickly she climbed, and how high she went sent his anxiety skyrocketing. He watched her, prepared to dive under her if it looked like for even a moment she would fall.

Glued as he was to her, he couldn’t see what she was looking at, but he could guess. “The ocean looks endless, doesn't it?” He said, smiling at her winged form. “Can you pick out Saph in the sky?” he asked, knowing his Kea companion was soaring up there.

"Speech"

Odette had an innate ability when it came to trees, climbing, and heights. She loved looking out over the horizon, way out here above any wolf’s natural height. She was even taller than uncle Bas up here! With her cat like eyes and leopard paws, combined with her owl wings, made her the perfect wolf to live in the trees like she so wanted to. Even this crazy strange growth palm tree that she struggled to get up into the fronds of. Ode was fearless though, a stark contrast to her father’s nervousness.

"Isn’t it endless though, Poppa?” She asked as her features turned dreamily looking out over the water. Mortis asked about seeing Saph the Kea and the girl looked up. Her silver eyes focusing, able to just make out the bird flying high. She was built for their mountain home. "Look! There she is!” Odettes tightened her claws into the tree and she pointed with her other paw.

"Odette"