Adventure is my middle name. Or at least it would be, if I could ever get out from under the many noses of my overly attentive family. No matter where I turn there's someone looking after me, making sure I don't get into any trouble, assuring that I'm safe in all things. Well, what fun is that? This isn't the first time I've made a break for it. Most days if it's not Mom or Dad keeping a watchful eye on my interactions with the world, you'd better believe there's an older brother dogging my steps and preventing anything truly interesting from happening. Not today. Somehow I've managed to give them the slip - all of them! When I realized that I'd gone beyond the perimeter of where my siblings and I were not meant to wander beyond without an escort, I glanced over my shoulder expecting the silent, brutish form of Drogon to seemingly materialize from thin air. I blinked, actually waiting for a sibling to appear at my side to accompany me on my wanderings. But...nothing. No one! With appropriate puppy-ish glee, I jumped clear off the ground and dashed forward, further away from the confines set by my parents. Probably for good reason, but hey, well behaved children rarely made history, right?

Just because Mom and Dad gave us boundaries to not go beyond on our own didn't mean I hadn't ventured out into the rest of my mountainous home before. My surroundings were still familiar to me. I had just always been accompanied by one family member or another on each outing. Until now. Now my juvenile, brindled legs scurried across the steep terrain with all due haste - and no particular destination in mind. Where does one find adventure? Who knows, but I'm bound to find a bit of it today. And on my own, for once.It didn't take long before I was panting from the exertion of moving my overlarge paws and somewhat stubby legs at an accelerated pace. Give a girl a break; I'm only a season old. As I slowed to a prancing walk I looked up and around myself, taking in the sights and smells. It was then that I realized I'd gotten off the familiar trails, but that didn't bother me much. This was my home. My Mom is the Protector of the mountain, and I felt safe no matter where I was. The pack was my family as much as the siblings and parents that watched over me. I'd find my way back to the den eventually, but why worry about that now? My adventure was only just beginning.

Darkened ears swiveled atop my head, threatening to flop over but straining to remain standing, catching an unfamiliar noise that caused me to stop and look around. It took me a couple seconds, but I finally spotted the small family of rabbits that were the source of the noise. They rustled through a patch of clover, noisily nibbling away at the foliage. My tail swished back and forth happily as I watched them, a litter of kits and their mother feasting to their heart's delight. They didn't seem bothered by my presence - someday they would be though. Someday I would be a fierce predator and a mighty warrioress. But today I was just a puppy, and I was happy enough to just watch the family of rabbits enjoy their lunch.

A darting motion off to the side of the rabbit family caught my attention, eyes flashing towards the nearby bushes. A blur of bright brown fur whizzed out from under the bush, making a beeline straight for the unsuspecting rabbits. Without even thinking about what might happen to me, I leapt forward, puppy barks erupting from my mouth as I bounded towards the young rabbits that the weasel surely meant to snatch a meal from. My warning bark had come just in time, and I saw the family of prey animals scatter. But the frustrated weasel didn't flee as I'd assumed he would. Instead he turned his anger at the loss of a meal on me. Snaking his little brown and white body towards me, I was almost certain he meant to get a bite in as revenge. But I stood my ground, lips pulling back to reveal pearly white puppy teeth as I barked at him again. Lunging forward like I had done so many times in play with my littermates and elder siblings, I bit out at him. Of course he was a full grown weasel and I was only a puppy, so his reaction time was a bit faster than mine. He avoided me without really even trying and I barked again in frustration before he disappeared into the bushes, more intent on finding his next meal than messing about with a wolf pup.

Now that's what I call the start to an adventure! Even though I was shaking a little bit from the rush of adrenaline I stood tall with a look of pride painted across my face. Of course I was the victor in my first little battle in life. After all, they say like begets like. And I was born from greatness.