it was clear from the first time the pups showed signs of personality that vladimir was some savage balancing act between his mother and father. the awareness of emotions around him, the flavor of a room, the little nuances many lacked attention for, the understanding of the world at large - it came from his mother. his father, well, what he gained from his father was a willingness to fight, a lack of squeamishness, and it drained what emotions vladimir might have inherited from his mother like a vampire drained blood. he was left a high functioning sociopath, more dangerous than even his father, first murderer of moladion, because he was less hampered by pride and a compulsion to put himself at risk.

at least, that is, when it was reasonable to him that the risk was real and not formed by some nonsensical mother who could not even walk to go outside herself.

it is for this reason that he rises that day, that he decides that if his father might travel beyond the den-mouth, he will do so with equal chances of returning back to the den once more.

it is without consideration for his moon-sized footed brother that he makes his way towards the mouth of the den in silence, looking to none of his siblings, because he does not think of them before designing that clearly since his mother did not wish them to do this, he ought not drag his siblings into this adventure. his sister might cry, the other might glare at him, and his brother might be the very reason he was caught--

so with these things in mind, and his feet picking him past his family and the doorway to his uncle neirin and the woman named greer who came at the behest of his uncle seamus, he escapes the den and looks out into the broad, wide, world.

his red, white, and gold colors become suddenly more vibrant, the sunlight of just-before-noon making him more brilliant than even the flowers that dot the landscape his eyes stare out upon without so much as a fleck of surprise. he takes it in, the vision at least stunning him to stillness -- and that was just before there is a collision into his rear from behind and he turns with a small puppy lift of his lips, at least until he sees the silly state of his sister. “Vaddy, you ok? I thought the light ate you, I was coming to save you.” she says, voice thick with concern and while he cannot empathize, he understands the concern is meant in his favor, so he fashions a smile.

“yes,” he says in answer of her question, soft and even, “i do not need saving.” he answers the need to be saved, earning a lick on his cheek before she is off to talk to panzer and he is relieved to notice that they are not the only ones freed from the dirty earth and given to go out into what he only could reason was what was called grass, recently grazed upon by buffalo and trimmed low to the earth.

“Will mommy be mad at us?..” but he cannot answer his sister, for they had wandered in front of uncle fenrir and natu’s den somehow in their awe for their surroundings and a little voice chimes in. “Hey, watch it!” the underbitten pup squalls, making his ears flatten at the preposterous volume and expression on her face. “keep on your feet your own self. it is not our fault.” he says in retort, not paying a cent more attention to the girl than was absolutely necessary. she was small, her jaw underdeveloped or malformed. she did not warrant the raised hackles of his sister, camilla.

“mommy cannot get to us. it is daddy you ought to think about, Mel.” he corrects, “though daddy is gone on his hunt-day. mommy said so last night.” he reassures her.