Avantika was out on patrol, breathing in the warm spring air like the sanctuary it was. Having so many puppies running around was exciting and definitely welcomed and loved and all that, but it could also be overwhelming at times. There were only so many lessons the Hallows' first Commander could teach before she began to run out of things to say! She hadn't been so social in probably her own life and while she wouldn't give this feeling of family up for anything in the world, she also needed her quiet time sometimes.

While she wandered over the familiar path of the Hallows' borders, she wondered how everyone else was dealing with the influx of little lives underfoot. Her brothers Rudy and Art were both parents now, as much as she still sometimes thought of them as the boys she'd first learned to love. She was growing up too, and someday she would probably have her own litter of kids -- if she could convince anyone to have them with her -- and she wondered what it would be like for her. These new nieces and nephews were good practice. She wanted to get to know them too, to help them grow into the adult wolves they would someday be. She had a responsibility to teach them, but she had a determination to know them as well.

"Speech"

Kipling loved his family and everyone in it.  That thought in mind there were times he just had to get away.  The boy was stubborn with an independent mindset and wanted to figure some things out on his own, without Cal watching him so carefully or the sidelong glances of his parents that pretended they weren’t watching.

The pup ran out of the castle, partially because it was fun to run, mostly to make sure he got some distance before one of his siblings wanted to join him.  Eventually, he got tired and had to cool off, walking for a time, loping, walking, and then charging into the berry grove.  It wasn’t about escaping followers this far out, Kip simply enjoyed the feel of the wind through his fur.  

The boy was missing a hind leg but it didn’t seem to slow him down any, especially not on mostly flat terrain.  The grey kid wasn’t trying to be at all stealthy, it was easy to hear him charge through the less-dense brush, slip on leaves, and at one point accidentally thump into a tree.  It was after the tree that Kip had finally slowed down again, looking about the berry grove and spotting Tika who had very likely already spotted him.

She was family, but not a parent or sibling that he spent lots of time with.  Really, he hadn’t hardly spent much time with her to know too much about her.  She was the hallows Commander though so she was probably almost as good as mom and dad at fighting.  That was neat!

“Hi!” Kip offered his aunt cheerily, “whatcha doing?”

"Kipling Carpathius"

Rustling, rustling, THUMP! Avantika stopped short and glanced around in alarm, before her fur laid flat once more at the sight of the pup, who eventually turned to look at her. She smiled at him. It was Kipling, Rudy's three-legged boy. She hadn't spoken to him much yet. "Hello," she said in greeting. "I'm just on patrol. How about you?" They weren't so close to the border that she'd be worried about him being out here alone, and it was hardly fair to tell him that he had to stay near the castle all day every day. She wondered if he'd like a fighting lesson. Or maybe just a spar or something. Those were more fun with less work and forethought on Avantika's part. Or maybe they could just talk, though Avantika wasn't great at conversations that didn't have some reason behind them. She wasn't exactly what you would call an extrovert.

"Speech"

“Exploring,” Kip returned easily and after a second added, “I can patrol also if you want some company.  If you find any predator I can help you to kill it too.  I really am fast and I’m a great fighter too!”  Well, for a small pup whose experience so far was mostly fighting with his puppy siblings it seemed like he was great.  

“Do you find a lot of animals to fight when you go on patrol?”  Kipling didn’t have a concern in the world for losing, determined to succeed in whatever he threw himself into.  Besides, his aunt was here to help fight whatever they ran into.  She was almost as good as mom and dad at fighting, right?  He imagined going home with the tale of vanquishing some dangerous predator and impressing his siblings and parents.

"Kipling Carpathius"

The kid was exploring. Cool. It was a good idea, Avantika thought, for him to know more about the surroundings of the castle and the farther out territory of the Hallows which surrounded that. He also offered to join her on her patrol, arguing that he was fast, a good fighter, and would be able to help her kill any predator they should meet. His confidence reminded her a bit of Rudy. So long as it didn't become recklessness, the self-assurance that Rudy and apparently his son shared was a healthy thing to have. "Of course you can come along. Although it's pretty boring most of the time, I have to warn you."

"It depends on the season. Don't see bears in the winter, for instance." She shrugged. "Even when they're out, most predators are smart enough to know they can't take on a full wolf pack that's as active as we are in defending our territory." She gradually picked up the pace up to a trot, glancing back every so often to make sure that Kipling was still close behind her. Not that she underestimated him; there were many reasons a pup could lag behind, especially in a place they may not have been in too many times before with all its new sights to see.

"Speech"