“Stultitia est frater, non me caedis.”
“Silly brother, you cannot beat me.”

My golden ears are tightened flat against my crown as I raise my rump up in the air ready to pounce on him. A sneak attack, a perfect way to prove that I am better. Yet as I am about to pounce I hear the low growl of my Mother. Instantly I lift my golden crown up, big sapphire eyes narrowed as my Mother corrects me and my brother. When she tells my brother not to use bad words I cannot help but nod my head in agreement sticking my pink tongue out. Yet when Mother corrects me, I lower my head and grumble, my words nonsense as I mix the common tongue and Angel tongue together. I should not be in trouble. I was following what was right. It was first light and it was time to get up. Why in the world should I be in trouble? Brother should learn to follow the rules: Mother said we were to get up at first light…and that is what I did. AND, MOTHER should eat her own words…she didn’t get up, I had to wake everyone up by myself. Clearly Mother and Brother cannot function without me, reminding them of such things. My Mother is very good at scolding me, but when I do not understand why she tells me I should do things quietly. How can I do things quietly? I am loud…and I am big…I do not know how to walk around without being quiet. So, I give Mother my most innocent face, my tone honest, although it could sound like a comeback, but really it is innocent. One golden ear stands on end while the other is laid back in a submissive stance as my head tilts curiously.

“Sed nesciunt quietis Mater?”
“…But I don’t know how to be quiet, Mother.”

As Mother walks over to take care of my weakling of a baby brother, I scoff and shake my head in disgust. Why must he sleep all day? We are not meant to be like rocks. We must move around for we have legs. As Mother starts giving him a bath I mutter in my odd tongue, growling to myself. I noticed how Mother bares her teeth at me and at first I freeze, frightened that she would show me aggression, yet I am shocked when she snags the back of my ruff. I yelp, not from pain, for Mother is gentle when she picks me up between her teeth, but for I am now trapped. Mother is going to give me a bath. A horrible, no good bath. As I try to scamper away, her hold on me is firm and my small limbs can no longer move as Mother puts me between her paws, keeping me still. I bark and speak loudly in protest, each time her cold pink tongue strokes my snowy fur.

“Mother…stop….licking me…I is clean.”

As soon as the wretched no good bath is done I scamper out from underneath her paw. My golden crown raises high as I enjoy my new found freedom. As Mother walks towards the entrance of the den, I walk wildly underneath her, dodging her legs as I halt at the boundary between freedom and the comfort of the den. I turn my head around, seeing my brother still at the back of the den and I roll my eyes and stomp one paw in the ground.

“Let Brother sleep the day away.”

As I turn around I stand on my four paws and poke my head out. The sun is very bright and I have to close my eyes and open them slowly as I get used to the sunlight. This is my first time ever leaving the den. I take careful cautious steps out of the den, expecting to hear Mother’s voice and growl to tell me to wait and command me to go back inside. But she does no such thing. Truly she does not lie, today we leave the den for the first time! I turn my head around, my confidence hidden from nerves as I look to her, wanting to be reassured that it is okay, that I will not be harmed. My Mothers face is very comforting, and I am a puppy and although I act like I am a badass…for truly I am…I am still a puppy and I must have reassurance. Stepping around the outside of the den, much more boldly, I lift my royal crown taking in my first deep breaths. My tail wags back and forth as I look over part of the land my Mother owns. I find it quite pretty, the luscious green hills, the numerous variety of colors. Yet what catches my eyes is the bright sparkling blue creek…yet I do not know what it is, I just find fascination. My short, stocky limbs move forward and soon my small snowy form, that carries the same mark as my Mother, moves forward. As I run down the rocky hill that leads to our den, my paws slip and I roll down, causing me to lose balance. Yet I do not care. My snowy pelt gets dirty from the loose dirt, but again I do not care. As I tumble down and land along the smooth green grass, I bark with excitement. I run faster and faster, heading for the big blue winding thing. I reach the creek and stop in awe. I have never seen water before. My head tilits as I look at the pretty blue stuff. I stick one paw in the water and I giggle with joy at the funny feel. I look down and notice that the ground I stand on is moist and the dark brown gook stains and clings to my snowy paws. A grin appears as I lift my paws up and down slashing the mud around, I so love the feeling between my paws and the sound of the smacking mud. Yet what catches my eyes in the snow white thing in the river looking up at me. Another wolf to play! Yet how did the wolf get in there, I do not know, but I must play. I slam my head into the water, my milky white teeth biting, thinking I will touch fur and skin, but all I feel is blue liquid leaving my jaws. I stumble in the shallow area of the smooth creek, running around and tripping over myself trying to attack the wolf trapped in the water, but I cannot win this fight. My now wet snow white and muddy form falls roughly into the mud as I let out a growl of frustration. I sense my Mother getting closer to me and I look up at her, my voice mournful.

“Mother….I can’t touch the other wolf. Why is this?”

I do not understand why I am an Angel. I do not understand why I am a Princess. I am not understanding why I must not act like a fool, that I should have dignity. I am a dirty thing lying in the shallow end of the creek soaked, wet to the bone, and covered with mud. I am unaware that I am not supposed to make myself this dirty…I am a puppy…and all I want to do is play. Yet how can I play with the wolf trapped in the water? It mocks me…and I do not like it.