I looked over Alcide, my stunning forest green and opalescent green highlighted eyes calculating him while my mind did the same in a different manner, weighing the chances of him taking me seriously to allow me the chance to be what I was wanting to be. The best, the strongest. I could tell he was fairly surprised by my more business attitude about all of this, I had thought long and hard about coming here to ask him before I had. My currently fully mahogany form shifted though, I was happy that I had a father, perhaps I did not have my mother, but I did have Alcide and I guess that was enough. I let a smile tease at my maw for a moment, letting my canines show for a moment before again vanishing beneath my fangs.

I knew I wanted to be a warrior, I wanted to know how to fight for my pack my family, though none really remained of it. I thought of this course all summer and now it was fall, I was nearly two years old, capable of finding my imprint and a young adult capable of doing my own thing, being completely independent of anyone. I had been doing this since I turned one though, I did not need anyone doubting me now. I needed support and a teacher and I wanted to be sure my father knew this.

I expected him to say no, to tell me that I was too young, so when he replied offering to start teaching me later in the day I couldn’t help but look a little stunned. I knew he was usually busy, too busy to teach me, yet here he was saying he would personally teach me then later Sleekwing could too. I smiled, my mahogany form wriggling happily, I was still a puppy after all, I still had some of the less mature tendancies. I jumped to my paws to follow him, ”Thank you father, I will not waste this chance to learn all I can!” It was then I knew that he was my father, not Fenrir, the wolf who abandoned my sister who was lost to me forever and my mother who couldn’t resist but follow him. Fenrir had done nothing for me, but it appeared my lesson hadn’t yet begun.

I had worried that perhaps he thought I was too young to make up my mind. I did not disregard his words though, I let him speak, telling me to explore all the fields of training. Well singing was a talent of mine, but I wasn’t exactly going to just el him that. Leo had caught me once, but thankfully he hadn’t said anything about it later. ”I will keep that in mind. Though I am not sure what else I can be destined for.” I tell Alcide, moving beside him. The sunlight touched me, allowing the golden highlights to show, giving me a strange appearance. Turing the brightest of days I could look like fire, I guessed that was where Leonidas had gotten the nickname ‘Flame’ for me.

I walked with him to the clearing, pausing as the grey male turned to face me. It seemed my lesson was beginning quickly as he told me I must learn to defend before attacking. I did not speak, yet I soaked in his words, mirroring his movements with my small gangly form. I never really noticed how big adults were before now, or how big I was, given I was standing just above 20 inches now. These movements felt natural, like instinct to me given I always had to prepare for sneak attacks from Leo as a younger pup than I was now. We had more mature sparring matches now, though I admit we haven’t had one in some time. I never had to worry about Leo hurting me though, we were never out to kill another.

Shifting my weight and sprawling out my legs, I lowered my head and focused my eyes solely on my foster father and the king. I was excited to learn, and was ready to keep learning to see what all there was to teach me.

~ Sings To No Soul ~ Serenades None ~