There HAD to be a way in there!! Mama already let Citadel in TWICE why can't she go in there? Something about being too slipper-ly like an eel and some teasing remarks about putting weights on the girl's tiny feet, or having her on a leash to let her in the market.

Selene was digging around the one spot she thought she could hear the market business goings on from the other side. The storage den. Her mother's old haunt seemed to be the perfect place to try digging a discreet hole into the market. Just for a peek!

She pressed one tiny ear against the wall and kept walking around until she swears she could hear it louder from here. But while she was listening she didn't realize she had climbed a couple of the shelves! Oooh! No one would know she would have a neat hole if she was the smallest all the way up there! She thought to herself as she glanced at a couple more shelves above her. Jumping up was fun! She got higher and higher and... high...er.. Ohh! Suddenly the ground was even further away than when she was climbing on Daddy.

"Daddy!!" She called out with unabashed glee, "Daddy look! Look at me!" She called out, he was nearby, wasn't he? He usually was! She wanted to show him how high she got! She was taller than him for once!


"Selene"

He was keeping an eye on Selene, and watched as she slipped into the storage den. He let out a soft snort in amusement, wondering if organising was going to be an interest of hers. How many of them would show traits Ignita held close, and how many would show his? He stopped near the entrance of the den, tilting his head to the side. Listening.

When she called out his name, loud and sudden, he shot into the den. For a split second he thought something was wrong, until he realised her voice had been in glee. He was not relieved, nor impressed, however when he saw her. “Selene!” He barked out, remembering Ignita falling from these very shelves. “Get down before you hurt yourself!” He hurried over to where she was climbing.


"Basilisk"

Oh! Daddy came really quickly! Good good! She bounced on her toes on the shelf for a few jumps. That was until she realized he was not happy with her achievement for some reason. His sharp voice calling her name startled her to the wall. She didn't know Daddy could say her name like that. She'd heard Mama say her name sharply before but not Daddy, not that loudly.

Suddenly she was far too scared to move. Her claws dug into the old boards as she pressed her body down into them and back into the wall. Effectively hiding herself from him except for her tiny pale claws clinging to the board over the edge. Her ears were plastered to her head. She didn't understand why he was so mad! She wasn't hurting herself up here!

"Daddy, are you mad?" She asked, her sweet voice whisper quiet in the large room. Her fear suddenly turned into silent wet tears. She had her mother's sensitivity.

"Selene"

His fear for her safety left him sharper than he would have been, and her tears only added to the issue. Now she was half blinded up high enough to hurt herself if she tumbled. He found himself growing frustrated with her, though she was still so young. “Selene, enough silliness, come to the edge of the shelf right now.” he ordered her.

His voice, as it always did when he issued commands, took on an authority that warned against defiance. He couldn’t reach her where she had sunk into the back of the board, or at least he wouldn’t be able to get a secure grip on the back of her neck.


"Basilisk"

"I don't get to do anything!" She exclaimed tearfully, her own defiance snapping back as he doubled down on his authoritative tone. She angrily reached up to the next shelf over her head and used her agile dextrous wrists and paws to pull herself underneath the higher shelf upside down then scrambled higher on top.

"Citadel gets to go to the market! Jamie gets to snuggle all day with Mama, Bal, and Iska can spar better than I can! And Odette has wings and her dads let her climb anywhere! It's NOT FAIR." She was the littlest, she didn't get to do anything she wanted. It was always, careful this, careful that don't fall, slow down, stop jumping!

"I'm not a baby! This is the worst day ever!" She was still a baby. She pressed herself into the highest furthest corner away from him and buried her face into her arms sniffing. And now Daddy was yelling at her! Maybe next time she goes exploring she won't tell anybody so she doesn't get in trouble!

"Selene"

Basilisk snarled as Selene climbed higher up the shelves, further from his reach. He reached up, resting his weight on the wall and swallowing much of the distance between them with his impressive height. Still not enough. He felt around with his back leg until it rested on a shelf, and he used it to leverage himself up. He could feel the shelf bow immediately beneath his weight, and it let out a whining groan. It wouldn’t hold for long.

“And you know what all of them have in common? They asked!” he snarled, reaching a paw up and trying to pinch the back of her neck with his claws. “If you want to play somewhere you aren’t normally allowed, you ask first. Asking gets you far!” his voice was still raised. That shelf beneath his paw was going to break at any second.


"Basilisk"

She heard the groan of the shelf far below her as he reached up for her.

"But Daddy! I asked! I did! I asked Mama if I could go to the market like she took Cit! She said it wasn't safe! She said I run too fast! She always telling me I run too fast or jump too high, or be careful or-" his paw moved to hover over her trying to feel for her neck. NO! She gently swiped at his paw, with a one-two soft paw punch, and pressed herself as close to the wall as possible. She knew using her claws on him was a huge no-no.

"I get down when I want to!" She snapped. She was perfectly fine up here! To emphasize her ability to get down on her own, since he was already so close- She quickly peeked over the edge to judge where he was and then leaped to land on his forehead, run down his neck, and back, and then leap for the floor! Never mind she probably wouldn't have been able to get down on her own if he hadn't been positioned so, but she wasn't even 3 months old yet.
"Selene"

Did she? A soft growl escaped his guard. Dammit Ignita, they would not smother these children! The Warlord thought, as he sought to pull Selene down from the dangerous height. Perhaps a touch of hypocrisy to his words. But that was nothing new for the Mountain Warlord.

When he saw Selene approach the edge, he gave one last lunge upwards with all his might, trying to grab at her. But she slipped past his guard, down his head. By the time she hit the floor, the shelf collapsed beneath him with a crash that sent his forehead hard into the next one. This one broke as well, snapping against his cheek in a crash of noise. Leaving an impressive welt in its wake. He kept falling until he hit the ground, and he hit the ground hard. He lay there for a moment, stunned and bleeding.


"Basilisk"

Her paws hit the floor with a great crash! No wait, that was wrong... She looked over her shoulder and stumbled to a stop as she saw her father descend from the shelves like an avalanche! Her heart leaped to her throat and her breath dropped to her toes. The sounds of the crash shook her to her bones.

Her breathing fast and shallow she inched back to her father, she had a feeling he wasn't paying dead as he did. Her shuddering breath precluded her question, "D-d-dddaddy? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." It felt like her heart was about to rend in two. Did she kill her own father? She didn't mean to! "It was assident!" Selene choked on a half-sob as she crawled closer to his face, unsure of how to help.
I get Mumma? or Ollie? Please you okay?" What should she do first?

"Selene"

Basilisk took a moment to catch his breath, winded and a little stunned. When he was able to drag in a breath, he lay there, breathing quietly for a few breaths. Slowly shaking it off. He pulled his head up slowly, and found Selene looking at him from where she had crawled to his muzzle. He bumped his nose lightly into her. Finding himself weirdly torn between three very distinct emotions. Relief that she was alright, anger with her, and love for his child. The emotions didn’t mix well together.

The relief clouded, fading away to anger. “Selene Hanako Fatalis! You will do as I tell you.” He growled at her, propping himself up on an elbow. It was all he needed to do to tower over her, and it helped to balance him as well. “No dinner tonight, and you’ll accompany me on patrols where I can keep an eye on you for the next two days. One word, one movement out of line missy and you’re going to be in a world of trouble, have I made myself clear?” his words were punctuated by a line of blood that dropped from his cheek onto the floor beneath him.


"Basilisk"

He was still breathing. She just now realized that was probably good a sign he wasn't dead. But he wasn't talking to her! Why? Her body trembled next to his muzzle, waiting expectantly until he slowly brought his head up. He was bleeding! Oh no, oh no, it was all her fault! She whined in concern as he gently bumped her tiny body with his nose. She tucked her tail up between her legs and shrank back from him. She couldn't read his expression. Mumma was the easiest to read.

Then his expression hardened and she pressed herself as close to the floor as she could with her ears flattening out before him. Just like Mumma did when he was softly sharp with her. This was no soft sharpness, this was all sharpness. This was sharper than he was earlier! Her whole name? It made the near rending of her tiny baby heart sink into her stomach as she glued her vibrant pink eyes to one of his paws. Not daring to look him in the eye.

No dinner? She glanced up at his eye in abject shock! He wasn't serious!? She glanced away again as he added to her punishment to accompany him on patrols for two whole days. Well... That sounded fun actually! She had a feeling that probably shouldn't be fun.

One word or movement out of line and she would be in a world of trouble??? What if... What if it was an accident? What if she didn't know it was wrong? She didn't know this was gonna happen!

A drop of blood startled her as it fell in front of her nose, it splashed and a tiny drop landed on her pale pink nose. She slowly looked up, a mix of concern, grief, and confusion all over her face. She didn't know what was the right move or the right thing to say. He was being as clear as he could but she didn't know how to tell him. She licked her lips, terrified, was that a wrong move? She wanted to ask him again if he was okay. But would that be the wrong words? She tried to tell him with her eyes, deep pink pupils danced back and forth between his own eyes.

"Selene"

He stared down at the tiny girl. Discipline would be a part of their upbringing. They would learn to hold themselves to a standard befitting their rank as Royalty within this pack. That meant they would know when to listen, and when to command. Right now, this was a time to listen.

Selene looked as if she was, but nothing came out of her little pale mouth. He let out a soft breath, steadying himself. He was still furious with her. she could have crashed to the floor, and she had a lot further to fall than he had. She needed to listen to him, especially when he was worried about her safety. “Answer when spoken to, Selene. Do you understand?” He barked out.


"Basilisk"

He didn't understand what her eyes were trying to tell him. A hot tear welled up and she looked down.
"Y-yes Daddy." It was what he wanted from her, would he stop being sharp now? She had felt his bark through the floor as well as every tiny bone in her tiny body.

She looked at the big drop of blood on the floor.

"Can... can I ask... If you okay?" She dared with a pout, looking up through pale blue eyelashes. Momma was always pressing to get an answer from them when she was asking if they were okay. And she would hold them if they weren't okay. Was that a word out of line? Was that a lot of words out of line? She really didn't want to be in the World of Trouble. It didn't sound like a nice place.


"Selene"

Basilisk softened once it was clear Selene was sorry, and promised to obey. He brushed a paw across his cheek, smearing blood through his fur. He grimaced, he would need to wash that off and press something to it to stop the bleeding. Probably wasn’t worth stitches. Hopefully. He still had the scar from the last time Ignita stitched him.

“I’m alright little one.” he said, learning forward to put a paw gently around her and nudge her tiny frame closer. “You gave me a fright. I was worried you would be the one to tumble.” He explained. He spied a small scrap of cloth and snagged it with a claw, bringing it closer and pressing it to his cheek. “How about we go wash up in the hot springs, and then I’ll show you what the market is all about?” he suggested. He had a feeling Selene wouldn’t give him too much trouble in the crowd.


"Basilisk"

The tension around Selene's shoulders and stomach started to relax as he seemed to soften. Her face was still full of concern as she watched him brush over his wound and smear the blood. Her concern deepened as he grimaced. She was smaller than the entirety of his head so she couldn't mush fuss as he gently nudged her closer. She didn't mind though as he finally told her he was going to be alright. She pressed into his thick neck fur. She was really sorry for hurting him. She didn't know she could hurt people without touching them! Maybe when she jumped on him it caused him to fall...

Selene scrunched her face into his fur where he couldn't her at his thought she was going to tumble. She wasn't gonna tumble! It didn't hurt when she fell!

Hot springs? A swim? THE MARKET? Her little tail started vibrating the rest of her body.
"Yes Daddy Please! Yes yes yesyesyes!!!" Her little body couldn't handle all the excitement and she broke away from him to bounce on her toes and spin in tight circles chasing her tail. Without waiting for him she dashed her way down the corridor and splashed into the warm shallow water, thinking he was right behind her.

"Speech"

He got to his paws, amused at Selene’s excitement. Silly child. When she broke away and started spinning, he knew exactly what she was going to do. He reached out a paw to snag her scruff before she could leap away and to the hot springs. “Uh!” He said, chidding her. He held her above the ground slightly, bringing her closer to eye level.

“You will remain with me, you will go no more than four lengths of your body from me, or there will be no market, no swim, no adventure, Selene.” There were times she could use her energy, in fact times she should. But she would learn control. So help him, or he’d have something to say about it. He placed her back down on the ground again, watching her for a moment to see what she would do before heading to the springs himself.


"Basilisk"

She was caught before she could get three bounces away from him! Her little paws swam in the air as she was lifted up. Her bright pink gaze was doleful and apologetic. Was that too many moves out of line? Her little tail was folded and clinging under her belly, her ears flat.

"Yes, Daddy." She replied quietly as he set her back down on the floor. Okay, feets! No moving outta the line! She looked around at the broken shelves, along the floor and up the wall. Hm... She didn't see it.

She watched her father make his way to the springs and she quickly kept her stride next to him. Thankfully their mismatched strides gave her ample opportunity to bound and bounce alongside him with her quick paws. Still, her gaze meandered around the floor of the cavern. Was it a crack?

"Daddy?" She started to ask, wading into the water next to him.
"Where's the line? I don't see one anywhere." She asked innocently, then pounced on a bubble at the surface. She was in the shallow waters, with the coolest temperature.

"Selene"

Did he finally have Selene under control? He thought so, but kept a close eye on her as he led the albino girl to the water. He directed them to the kids one, which was shallow and warm. Knowing any of the others would immediately swallow Selene after two steps into the water.

His paws were able to get wet, and he used them to start scrubbing at his face, cleaning the wound from the now broken shelves. When Selene spoke, he paused, water dripping down his face. Confused. Line, what line was she looking for…?

It took a moment, but he finally collected the dots. He had told her not to put a foot out of line. Ah. he looked over at her with a fond smile. “The line is a hypothetical sweetheart. It's a saying that means: if you behave inappropriately or disobediently there will be consequences.” He explained, very lightly splashing water towards her.


"Basilisk"

Selene splish splashed in the shallows, barely an inch deep while he thought about her question. The water was warm against her pink pads and the temperature was delightful on her sensitive skin. When he answered her she shook her fur and huffed at the water he lightly splashed at her.

"Ohhhh! A pretend line! Not a pretend line, a line imagigary! Like an imagigary cliff." With Ignita as their mother, there was no doubt the children would learn the big words early enough. They were told a couple of hypothetical bedtime stories that talked all about consequences! Like the wolf who cried War(boy who cried wolf), and the Ugly Duckling!

She stomped in the shallows and watched the light play through the water then launched herself deeper suddenly for a hearty swim! Pumping her little legs she ducked under the water for a moment then came up for air, shaking the water out of her ears and swimming expertly. Ignita had brought her to the pools before she could truly walk. It had almost become a nightly ritual to wear the girl out before bed so she could actually sleep instead of bothering her siblings with her restlessness long into the night. She liked to attempt diving down deep enough to grab a stone she had flung in when she was littler. Each time she dove she'd get just a little closer. Citadel would probably just sit down and the water would come up to his chest.

"I almost got it Daddy! I almost got it this time!" she exclaimed excitedly paddling easily in a circle and then heading back to the shallows. She took to the water like a fish from day one. Will they go to the market now?

"Speech"

“Exactly, a pretend line - but with very real consequences” he informed her, his voice light and cheerful. His father had been a great deal harder on them when he was a pup. But he was determined to balance discipline with fun and freedom. He did not want to smother her, though he would demand obedience.


He watched as she enjoyed herself, Swimming and diving and attempting to touch a rock he could have grabbed without getting his knees wet. When she surfaced he waited for her to swim back to him. “You did! I think you're going to be the best swimmer in the Armada!” He told her proudly, nudging her gently back to shore with a paw. “Let's shake off and head to the Col.” His wound was cleaned, and the blood had begun To clot.