He listened as attentively as he could, following her words as much as a young pup could. Willed was to create and make something happen. His brows furrowed. It had been his great grandmother’s will that those following her exist and now he seemed to be falling under her will as well. He pondered if he could make things happen or if the world could bend to his power. The sides of his lips fell sadly, not believing he would have the power the woman before him had if only because he did not know the truths of the world around him. He was not given the answers to the questions he asked, the secrets he knew remained in the shadows of dreams, protected by skull masks of spirits dead. Ava, however, destroyed his fear with a swiftly followed sentance. He did have force, and power. It was within him just as her blood was. She had given him power with her blood and her words. She ignited a new hope, a spark of fire, a touch of confidence. Thirsty for it, he obeyed and shuffled closer to her, sitting between her paws and looking up at her.

His head tilted to the side, considering and thinking. How will I know who is best? Who has more will? His gaze dropped while he tried to think about what all his mother had taught him. There was the common and ancient tongue. Et fortis superesse. (The strong survive.) Ehiyah had not been a neglectful mother, but nor has she been overly present and nurturing. She let them make their own mistakes, preventing only true harm to themselves. Through silence she taught him secrecy and deception, but also a curiosity and desire to learn. How to phrase that into an answer, he did not know. Something is not right, somethings cannot be talked about, and this is home. The other basics he had come to learn on his own. Trial and error. Formal teaching did not seem to be a thing he had experience with.