He had a dreamless sleep, one that was also quite nice.Snuggled up next to his beloved and their children did warmth fill their den. Thane took in a a good sniff before groggily opening his aqua blue eyes. Snow, he smelt snow... The brute knew winter had been coming for a while but he wasn't expecting to be this surprised when it actually snowed again. The comfort the weather brought was pure bliss and brought a smile to the male's maw. With a yawn he gently stood up and made his way to the entrance of the den, trying not to disturb the puppies or Ookami. Then of course he remembered he was born in this wonderful season, oh by the stars he was getting old; Thane would be four now.

As Thane had made his way to the entrance of the den he poked his head out of the entrance and looked around. Quietly and cautiously he set a paw out of the den and let the rest follow. White lined ears perked up at the soft crunch of the snow underneath. The male took a deep breath as he then watched the puff of air as he exhaled. His aqua blue gaze averted to the branch nearby and saw his sleeping companion Cyril. The eagle had his neck bunched up with hie feathers fluffed up a little bit. Surely Cyril wasn't cold; he'd spent more than enough time with Thane in the Russian tundra. Heck, Cyril was even born there as well as Thane! Who were they kidding, perhaps this warm weather here had made them soft, or Cyril perhaps. Thane's dark winter coat had came in and the cold was not felt by him; when it was he relished it and didn't want to forget how it felt.

"Rossiya svyashchennaya nasha derzhava. Rossiya- Iyubimaya nasha strana. Moguchaya volya, velikaya slava. tvoyo dostoyanye na vse vremena! Slav'sya, Otechestvo nashe svobodnoye. Bratskikn naradov soyuz vekovoy. Predkami dannaya mudrost narodnaya. slav'sya, stran! My gordimsya toboy. Ot yuzhnky morey do polyarnogo kraya. Raskinulis' nashi lesa i polya. Odna ty na svete! Odna ty takaya. Khranimaya Bogom rodnaya zemlya!" he quietly sang to himself to not disturb anyone; only doing the first verse of many.

sitting on his haunches, the wolf looked around and watched the snowflakes fall. This weather wasn't all that great for the puppies, it was cold. But surely they would make it, they were part Russian. A smile appeared on Thane's maw. Funny how he even thought about it now. White lined ears faced backwards as he heard a small footfall behind him. Which brave should had decided to leave the safety and warmth of the den to follow hm outside? Of course the brute wasn't far, he was just a foot or two in front of the entrance.

The smile never ceased as he continued to sit on his haunches and wait.

A tiny yawn escaped the pups mouth as he turned over and went to nuzzle further into the warm fur of his mother and father. He had slept between the two but when he turned over there was something missing. Opening his aqua blue eyes with an emerald green fleck in each, he adjusted to the light before looking around the den. His eyes lay on his brother and sister snoozing soft and sound, and his mother. but where was their father? Standing up on all four little legs he put his nose to the floor of the den and sniffed for his father's scent, soon after, he caught his father's scent! Of course where else could he have gone besides outside? With his nose to the ground and his tiny gray tipped tail in the air with his small butt up, he followed it. As soon as he exited the den his nose hit cold white stuff. Stunned, Ryker jumped backwards before curiously pawing at it. White lined ears then perked up as a white thingy landed on his nose.

What was this odd cold white stuff, he had never seen it before! Then did the pup look up and his aqua blue and green gaze settle on a big black and dark gray wolf!

"Papa!" he said before running over to his father and butting his head into his dad's side.

His gray tipped tail wagged a mile a minute as he looked up at his father. Before he had ran into his he seemed to quietly be singing something he couldn't understand.

"Papa, what is this white stuff?" he asked before rolling in it with an excited yelp.

The cold from it became quite cold so he ran back to his father and snuggled up beside him. With Ryker's sudden interest in the snow he bent down and licked the white stuff. It was cold but melted in his mouth, and tasted like nothing. The pup looked up as he saw more white stuff falling from the sky.

"This is so cool!" he exclaimed before frolicking around in it.

Ryker wished his mother and siblings would wake up soon, he had to show this stuff to his brother and sister!

Surely Resnera an Ravine would love this stuff as he did! With another small squeak of delight he ran back to his father and sat in-between his dark gray forelegs before looking up at his dad with a smile.

Ravine awoke with the missing warmth of two of his family members. Glancing around the darkness of the warm den he could only make out the small shape of his sister and the larger form of his mother...but were was Papa and Ryker. Still laying on the ground his nose went to work trying to find them in the dark. Finally the boy gave up trying to guess and got up.

White stuff that matched his paws lay at the entrance of the den. In trying to determine what it was the little fur ball stuck his nose in and quickly pulled back. He looked at the small mound on top of his small muzzle...what ever this stuff was it was cold on his nose.

He tried to look around the white stuff on his nose to find his dad and brother. In failing he shook his head and the stuff splattered every where, he could see again. In doing so he spotted his dad and brother sitting together in the cold white that blanketed everything. The boy bounded into the soft, wet blanket only to trip over his own paws and role into his fathers back.

When he stood his black and white pelt was covered in the white flakes and it floated up around him as his white tipped tail wagged flicking it into the air. The only parts of him that felt the cold werent covered in fur. "Papa, Papa, what is dis white stuff everywhere." when his voice stopped all that remained on his maw was a boyish grin.

Her ears twitched as a soft cold breeze entered the den.She felt Thane wake up followed by Ryker, then Ravine. Ookami opened her eyes and looked at her sons walk into the snow. This would be their first experience with snow and it would be interesting.Ookami's gaze went to Resnera who was still sleeping peacefully next to her, Ookami almost did nto want to wake her, but the day has begun and so shall she. Ookami lowered her muzzle and gently nuzzled her daughter, She licked her head a few times before she stood up and let out a yawn. Ookami walked to the entrance of the den, but she did not step outside."Such hansom boys i have here." She said as she nuzzled Ryker, and Ravine, her gaze went over to Thane who was just sitting in the snow. Winter was surly a beautiful season, and Ookami knew that this was Thane's birth season.They were turning four this coming year, and frankly Ookami was glad about it. She had three beautiful children,and a wonderful mate. She was happy and she could not have wanted it any other way. Ookami turned her head to look at Resnera who was waking up, slowly though. She smiled at her then turned to her young pups who stood in the snow. "Once your sister wakes up it is time to eat,I have caught a small rabbit for you to try, and you must try it. But you are still not fully ready to go to meat permently."Ookami spoke as she took a seat upon her haunches. Speech,

Resnera was having such a nice sleep, laying on her back with back legs spread out, tail laid straight out with her body, head all the way back so the top was touching the ground, and forelegs folded against her body. Every now and then her lips would pull back in a smile, a back leg kicking at the air, tail wagging, throwing up some dirt. But when her mother had begun to nudge and lick her the movements happened more, both forelegs stretched out high above her body, back legs doing the same while her jaws opened wide in a yawn. The little girl rolled onto her side, ears perking up at the voices of her family outside. Blinking her eyes a few times she saw mother standing in the den entrance and father outside with her brothers, telling them that once she woke up the they could eat, a rabbit! Her ears quickly perked up at that, paws scrambling to get beneath her body and after a few moments of struggling she was able to pick herself up and bound over to the rest of her family, stopping right beside her mother and looking up with a toothy grin. Mama, what's a rabbit? Se asked curiously, head tilting to the side, an ear flopping over and tail slowly wagging behind her. The girl was curious, wanting to know what a rabbit was. What did it look like, how did it smell, was it nice, was it mean, could she play with it? So many questions flooded her mind but, being so young, it didn't stay long. The girl had bounded away, running at her brothers who were distracted by the white stuff, nipping at Ryker and jumped at Ravine, trying to tackle him into the white stuffs. "normal, talk, think, you"

White lined ears perked up as his "new name" was called out "Papa". The smile on Thane's maw widened as he felt something bump into him. Turning around, he spotted one of his sons, Ryker. The pup seemed to amuse himself with the snow and seemed quite perplexed by it. Then the pup asked what the white stuff was.

"Snow, the white stuff is called snow." he said while reaching down to touch his nos to the top of his son's head.

"It melts if you put it in your mouth or have it on your fur for a while. Just don't put the yellow snow into your mouth and you'll be good to go!" Thane said with a wag of his tail.

The male's aqua blue gaze then turned back behind him once more to see his other son, Ravine. This puppy had the same question as the first, what was the white stuff?

With another smile Thane went to repeat himself.

"This white stuff is snow; it melts if you put it in your mouth or have it on your fur. But make sure to not put the yellow snow in your mouth."

His aqua blue gaze then averted again, but this time to his beloved mate who had awaken as well. With his smile never ceasing Thane rose onto all fours and walked over to Ookami, after she had announced to their children about a rabbit they would try. The brute licked her maw before giving her a quick nuzzle before hearing his daughter's voice. She asked Ookami what a rabbit was. A small chuckle passed the male's lips. All three of their children had a lot to learn, but they would.

Turning his aqua blue gaze back to the boys; Thane's eyes caught a movement in the trees. Instinctively the wolf let out a soft growl before making his way to stand in front of his children and mate. But before he could react a giant bird came out of the trees.

It was a golden eagle, and Cyril his companion at that.

"Cyril, you devil!" he said before giving a friendly swipe in the air.

"Ah ah Master Thane, I just came to prey on your adorable sons and daughter." he exclaimed in a sarcastic playful tone before swooping down above his nephews and niece.

"Come on Cy, for a first impression you're not seeming like the greatest of Uncles so far." Thane said with a chuckle.

"Look who's talking." the eagle said with a gleam in his golden eyes

With another swoop over the puppies and Ookami; Cyril perched himself on Thane's shoulder.

"Hello little ones, I'm your Uncle Cyril." he said with a smile

Thane then looked at his children to see their reaction.

Tiny white lined ears perked up as he listened to his father call the white stuff snow. Snow huh, so that's what this white stuff was called. With a flick of his dark gray tipped tail the pup was off! He dove into the white stuff that was now up to his ankles. with a giggle he romped around in the snow while taking his father's word to avoid the yellow snow.

Then did he spot his brother who had also asked their father what the white stuff was. After their dad replied again Ryker ran towards his brother with his tiny tongue lolling out at the side of his mouth.

"Raaaaaaa" he squealed before he barreled into Ravine.

Ryker lay in the snow laughing until his tiny white lined ears perked up once more at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Mudder! Mudder!(mother he squealed before running towards her and nuzzling her leg with head.

Ryker's gray tipped tail wagged a mile a minute as he listened to her news of a rabbit that they would try. Did that mean they wouldn't have to drink milk now? Ryker didn't like change; he wished he could stick to milk, his young age, and his family forever!

Of course change would come and he would have to take part in it whether he liked it or not.

The green flecks in his aqua blue eyes lit up as he looked at his sister who had piped up as well.

"But I don't wanna eat a wabbit momma. I want thwings to stay the way they are." he said as his white lined ears lay flat against his head as he let out a small whine.

Then next did his papa let out a small growl. Ryker's eyes widened with fear for he had never heard his daddy make that noise before, it sounded serious! The pup pressed into his mothers side as he let out another small whimper.

Then next! A huuuuggeee flying thing appeared and it looked cool! But then the thing which he thought was called an eagle said he was going to prey on him and his brother and sister! Showing fear at first with a soft distressed whimper the pup pressed harder into his mother's side. Then he ventured out further with curiosity as the eagle landed on his daddy's shoulder and said he was their Uncle Cyril.

With his tail straight out and his ears pinned back Ryker tried to imitate the growl his father had made before. His growls were not deep and scary but rather cute, even though he wasn't trying to be.

"you can't prey me Uncle Cyril! I prey you!" he said before runnign at his father and jumping up on his back and then tried to get a good swipe at the eagle. When the pup had finally finished he let go of his father's back and had a feather in his mouth.

"Fadder(Father), Mudder! (mother)look at dis! I preyed on Uncle Cyril!" he said while displaying the feather front and center with his head and tail held high.

The small black and white fur ball listened as his father told him what the white stuff was. Snow, he would have never guessed! A smile grew across his cute little face as he turned to run around. Giggles burst out of the brothers as they tumbled to the ground. The two lay there and laughed together until their mother spoke from the entrance of their warm den.

"Mama!" he yelled before following Ryker to her and nuzzling her other leg. In turn his mom nuzzled him back before he told her about the snow. "Mama, the white stuff...its snow...its fun an cold and...and...um" he was forgetting something and he knew it, then it hit him. "an don eat the yellow snow."

His ears perked up at the new food called rabbit, but before he could ask her about it, his sister, Resnera, beat him to it. Aqua blue eyes looked at his mother expecting her to answer but before she could his dad growled and it startled him. Jumping and spinning at the same time, the fur on his back stood on end more than usual and he was half hidden under his mom.

Ravine eased back into his laid back and playful attitude when Thane relaxed and he playfully swiped at Cyril, the flying thing. Following his fathers lead he lept playfully into the air as Cyril flew over. With the second swoop he playfully batted at him with his over sized puppy paws. Oh how he hoped they wouldn't be too big for the rest of him his hole life.

The boy watched as his brother, Ryker pounced on Cyril and returned to their mom with things in his mouth...he wasn't sure what they were but he knew it wasn't very nice, but he didn't say anything to him. He walked up to his dad and looked up at the flying thing who was perched on his fathers shoulder. "Uncle Cywil, you don't look like a woof...are you some kinda flyin woof?" he asked full of curiosity at the new flying thing.

Ookami sat there and looked at her children, the first to respond to her was Resnera, then Ryker, then Ravine. All of them so full of questions, and desired answers. Ookami nuzzled all three of her children gave them a slight lick before telling them about the rabbit."Well my little ones a rabbit is one of the many different type of food that us adult wolves eat." She stood up and walked in the den to retrieve the rabbit.Ookami soon returned with the rabbit in her mouth. She placed it upon the snow covered ground in front of her three children."That right there deers is a rabbit, i already took the fur and skin off of it so it would be easier for you guys to eat. Now my darlings go try some." She sat down and watched her kids. Then Ryker came up to her saying he did not want the rabbit, he wanted things to be the same as they are. A smile arose from the dame's maw and she lowered her head to lick Ryker. "My Ryker, we all wish for things to stay the same, but part of life is growing up my dear, please try some Ryker." She spoke as her attention soon drew to Thane who begun to growl at something in the air. Ookami rushed to her feet and stepped over her children. She felt their little bodies press to her as her ears laid back and she growled a bit. Soon it all stopped when Cyril came into view. "Cyril! What the heck were you doing approaching like that." She barked with a slight growl in her voice. Ookami soon settled down and sat down watching the scene unfold before them. Ookami chuckled at Ryker who attacked Cyril and managed to get a feather. "Well aren't you going to be the little hunter Ryker" She said as she nuzzled him. Then Ravine came with the cutest question there is. Ookami sat there and watched her children fascinated with the Bird and life in general. Speech,

ooc: Sorry for the crappiness! Wanted to get this done with and not let it sit any longer.

Having failed in trying to tackle Ravine, Resnera hopped off to the side a little bit before turning and watching her family. Ears perked up as father explained how the white stuff around them was called snow. With head tilted to the side the pup lowered it to the ground, sniffing at the snow but suddenly yipped when some went up her nose and shot a freezing feeling. Head shook, the little girl hopping around a few moments before coming to a stop with a laugh. Father continued on, talking about how it melts on your tongue and fur, and not to eat the yellow snow. Curiousity once again stirred, wondering what he meat by yellow snow, but the sudden rush of wind and a large thing flying in sent the pup running into the closest thing. Mom. From behind her she watched the animal threaten to eat Resnera and her siblings, which caused her fur to bristle but quickly flattened when it laughed, and father was calm about it. The thing was their uncle! Mama! Mama! I wanna try da rabbit! She yipped, jumping out from behind her with tail wagging like mad. She looked to Ryker who held a feather in his mouth and a grin instantly formed as she got close to him and whispered in his ear. Ryker, help me prey uncle Cyril. Brother and sister. "normal, talk, think, you"

A chuckle escaped Thane's lips as he looked down upon his children. Despite Cyril's dangerous entrance the pups and Ookami seemed to have calmed down a bit now. Even Ryker had found some courage to pluck a feather from Cyril.



"You little rascal!" Cyril said as he looked down at the pup holding the feather.



With a flutter of the eagles wings he extended them to their full wingspan. Wide was it as Cyril let out a screech before giving the pup a smile and a laugh.



"I should have known you young masters would take after your father and pluck out my feathers such as he once did long long ago.



"Oh come on Cy, I'm not that old are I?" Thane said with his aqua blue gaze focused on his companion.



And then the brute turned towards his son Ryker as he exclaimed he preyed on Cyril.



"Next time you should aim for two." Thane whispered into the pup's ear.



With a gasp the eagle replied



"Master Thane I never!Lest you say such a thing!"



Thane and Cyril chuckled as his white lined ears then perked up. Ookami didn't sound too happy at the new Uncle's sudden approach.



"Apologies Mistress Ookami." he said with a small respectful bow.



Then the golden eagle looked down at Ravine and blinked at the pup as he listened to the question.



With a smile and a chuckle Cyril replied.



"Well young master, I am not a wolf nor am I a flying wolf. There are no flying...actually there are flying wolves in the clouds. And sometimes they dip down to the land to only a special few wolves. I'm sure you'll spot yourself a flying wolf one day, wouldn't that be grand?" he said in his usual british accent.



[I]"But no, I am not a wolf, I'm a golden eagle."[/b] he said with a smile.



Thane then averted his aqua blue gaze back to his mate. The same warm feeling overcame him as his heart beat a mile a minute. The brute knew she was the one from the start on that one starry night. There was something about the femme that had lured him in and had made him make himself know to her. Thane knew he had undying love and devotion towards Ookami and their three children. This all seemed so perfect, and the male liked it that way.



With a swish of his black tail the brute made his way over to Ookami again and covered her face with small kisses.Oh how he wished he could press into her side and stay like that forever. Thane wondered if the dame knew how much he loved her, even more than she could imagine. His gaze then wandered over his pups which brought an even brighter smile to his face.



Thane sat beside Ookami as he pressed his side into hers as he watched their pups examine the rabbit. Who would be the first brave soul to try the rabbit?



With a content smile on his face the brute let his eyes wander over his pups as they played and found new things, there was nothing else in the world that he would rather do or rather be than here doing this and being with his beloved mate and children.

with a squeal of delight Ryker wiggled his bottom as he listened to his father jokingly tell him to aim for two next time. White lined ears then laid back against his skull as his aqua blue and emerald green eyes widened as Uncle Cyril screeched at him with his wings fully extended. The pup didn't drop the feather but he fell back into the snow out of surprise. As soon as his Uncle started to laugh, Ryker did as well. Then the pup trotted off back to the den and put the feather in a crevice in the den. The boy then came out and looked around as he was then asked by his sister to prey on Uncle Cyril with her.

"Yeah! but this time lets just knock him down." he replied as he bat a white toed paw at his sister playfully.

He then stuck his butt up in the air as he lowered his front half. Crawling towards his father the boy crept up behind him. As soon as Ryker made his way to behind his papa he pounced on his fathers tail and bit into it with his little baby teeth.

Aqua blue eyes each with a green fleck then looked up at his parents as his own gray tipped tail wagged.

The boy teethed on his fathers tail not really thinking about if it hurt his daddy or not.

the pup then looked over at his brother and sister as he felt slobber starting to seep out of his mouth onto his daddy's tail.

"I gotcha daddy!" the boy said as his voice was muffled by the fur of his fathers tail.

Ravine's excitement over his Uncle Cyril's ability to fly only seemed to grow as the golden eagle told him what he was and of the flying wolves only few get to see. By the time the boy's mother brought out the rabbit, he couldn't keep his little body still. His white tipped tail wagging a mile a minute. "You think ill get to meet a flying woof some day? That would be the coolest."

He bounced around in the snow while he waited for some one to answer his question. Clumsily, in all of his running around, the black and white fur ball tripped over the rabbit their mother had brought them. A small squeak escaped him when he saw the red from the rabbit had stained the white fur on his front paws. At first he didn't know what it was...all he knew was it had a strange smell.

He sat staring at his paws for a moment before sniffing at the rabbit. The red stuff smelled like the red stuff on the rabbit. When he finished investigating it he pawed at it playfully like it would get up and play with him, when it didn't he nipped at it hoping that would get it to play. The first two times his teeth hadn't come in contact with it but the third time he filled his tiny mouth with its side.

Who would have guest it would have tasted like that. The small boy wasn't sure how to describe the flavor, but it was good. He put his paws on both sides of his tiny maw and pulled. Being small with only his milk teeth yet the rabbit was a bit tough to pull apart. When the meet finally gave way ravine ended up sitting on his but as he gnawed at the piece of flesh in his mouth. It took him a while to chew it, but it was worth it. "That tasted good. Ryker, Resnera...you gada try dis! he exclaimed to his siblings

She watched her children play, a twinkle of curiosity in her eyes. She wondered if they would like the rabbit, and when they would fully wean themselves onto meat. Resnera and Ryker seemed to be plotting something, so she waited, watching them to see what they were up to. Suddenly Ryker pounced on his father tail, nipping at it like it was some sort of prey. She couldn't help but giggle. They were good little hunters weren't they? She looked over, watching Ravine nibble on the rabbit she had brought them. He seemed to like it, but it was hard for him to chew due to his baby teeth. "When you get your bog boy teeth it will be much easier to chew. Meat is a delicious thing, and once you can easily eat it, you will be hooked." She looked over toward her other children who were too busy ambushing their father. "Kids, come try this please." Her voice was more stern that it had been a moment ago, but only because she wanted them to stop messing around and just try the rabbit. Speech,