Hello thar! =)

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Sometimes life at home was quiet and pleasant, and Hati Catori was content to stay beside his mother and sister and help them with their daily routines, or lose himself in a good book. Other days, though, he chafed under his charismatic brother's boundless enthusiasm, and his father's stern presence made him too self-conscious to read. Today was closer to the latter, and the young wolfdog had slipped away like a silent shadow, padding away from the elegant house near the Chien Hotel and closer to the borders. He would spend the day in solitude, lost in his own thoughts. He debated about crossing into neutral territory and exploring there, but a twist of insecurity quickly changed his mind. He was not courageous enough to leave his homeland entirely, not yet.

So finding himself unwilling to go back home but unwilling to stray too far, Hati slowed his pace, wandering aimlessly towards the gentle grassy slopes he knew concealed a system of caverns. They were dark and tranquil, hidden away from the late spring sunshine, and a place he liked to frequent. Other members of the Court obviously knew of their existence, but he still liked to pretend it was his secret place. His plumed tail stilled as he caught wind of a scent nearby -- a female packmate, his brother's friend. Quietly the dark-furred male settled onto his hindquarters near the cavern entrance, waiting politely to see if she would emerge.

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Through the cavern's gloom, he saw a shadow flicker -- she was close. In a flash, her pointed coyote face was visible, as she immediately launched herself directly at him! Hati caught his breath with a hiss, feeling a flutter of panic for a split-second -- was she attacking him? But it was obvious she was just playing, as her tackle sent him tumbling onto his back in the grass, emitting a small grunt of surprise. "Terra," he wheezed in greeting, her lean weight pinning him down successfully. He could have struggled free -- he wasn't a little puppy anymore, and he probably weighed more than his skinny packmate -- but he didn't want to encourage her mischievous roughhousing. He was finding more that his reserved nature meant he didn't enjoy physical play as much as when he was younger. He wasn't as strong as his brother, anyway, and that was the only packmate he wanted to win against.

"How was your trip with Skoll?" he asked as politely as he could muster while catching his breath, already knowing Skoll had the time of his life. His brother was bursting at the seams with enthusiasm, trying to tell him and Lottie all about his (rather exaggerated) escapades outside the Court. It was one of the reasons Hati had slipped out of the house today. He didn't have the same adventurous spirit that Skoll and Terra seemed to share. It wasn't any surprise she spent a lot more time with his golden brother.

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Terra was playfully licking his face, something that embarrassed him, though he would never tell her so directly. As she drew away, he offered her a small lick on the cheek, a quick and guilty apology for letting her down. He picked himself up from the grass, neatly arranging his light and dark paws into a seated position in front of her, listening intently to her speak.

"Interesting" was the only information he was offered about the journey, which was both a disappointment and a bit of a relief. Hati had still never crossed the borders of his birthplace -- the thought of the unknown made him uncomfortable and anxious, preferring to stay close to home. In part, this was because he grew up during the Aniwaya conflict. He had been warned many times as a puppy that it was dangerous out there, that bad wolves might try to hurt him if he strayed away. His uncle Zafier had been killed during that time, though he did not remember much about his mother's brother. And yet, it could not be the only thing holding him back, because Skoll and Lottie did not have the same inhibitions he did. Skoll in particular relished the adventurous side of life, and Hati had not been oblivious to the cajoling and begging he had done to convince their mother to embark on this trip with Terra. Hati could have easily asked to go along, or tried to arrange another chaperoned trip, but the desire did not exist within him. It always took him a little longer than most to get there. He was curious about the customs and cultures of other packs, but not enough to seek them out by himself.

"I'm doing well, story-teller," he replied with a gentle smile, referring to her co-rank as well as her reputation for being a bit of a trickster. Despite her young age, Terra was a much higher ranking pack member than Hati. Manners and appearances were very important to him, so his naturally submissive nature made him want to defer to her authority. He found it difficult to see her as a buddy the way Skoll did, even knowing she was a good friend of his family. "I trust you aren't too hungry from your travel? Mother is always happy to feed you, she enjoys cooking for others." His pale unblinking gaze held her sharp green stare, always searching for cues to make sure he was responding correctly.

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"I'll let Mother know to save a seat for you," Hati replied amiably, making a mental note to do so. Their household was always well stocked with food, and Ayita enjoyed sharing her culinary talents. She would be happy to have a guest -- and was probably planning a big feast anyway, to welcome Skoll home safe and sound. While it had been a pleasant reprieve to have the house so quiet for the last several days, Hati had missed his brother's company from time to time. Dinner would be a noisy and happy affair tonight, and Terra would surely enjoy spinning tales about their great adventure.

Terra settled onto the grass, and Hati took his cue and followed suit, lowering his belly onto the grass and crossing his forelegs before him. She mentioned rabbits, and he tilted his head with curiosity, trying to puzzle out whether she meant what she said or if she was teasing him. Hati wasn't always adept at telling the difference between fact and fiction, and relied on what he learned from books more than experience. Finally he frowned at her mocking grin, figuring it must be a joke he didn't get. "Rabbits don't get that big... Do they?" He wasn't entirely sure what had made the caverns, after all, and he knew rabbits lived in burrows underground...

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Terra launched into her story, and Hati felt himself relaxing, listening to her natural talent at weaving tales. Now he knew it was fiction, and could enjoy it as such. She spoke of each animal as an individual entity, representatives of their species that could somehow influence their size and shape and therefore protect their race more efficiently. It would be interesting if that were true, and they could trade favors with other species to change what they looked like. Hati liked being a wolfdog, though, so he probably wouldn't change anything about his looks -- if he could be smarter, stronger, or cooler, those would be far more tempting options for the self-conscious youth. "So Coyote made Rabbit smaller? But... it didn't really help, we still eat rabbits all the time," he added seriously. "If they were big enough to dig these tunnels, we wouldn't have to eat very many at all to be full... Did Coyote realize that?" He offered her a sheepish smile, not meaning to interrupt her story with his logic. He liked her playful energy, even if he could not match it; her presence was uplifting. Hati was often lost in his thoughts, a true introvert, and friendly encounters like this were rare for him, something he appreciated. He hoped Terra felt the same about his company, though he could not tell if she was simply humoring him because he was Skoll's brother.

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Hati watched Terra intently, pale eyes unblinking as he listened to her. She seemed perplexed by his question, tilting her head at a quizzical angle. It made him feel a little guilty for ruining the story -- he should not have voiced his logic after all, it had no place in fiction. He shuffled his paws against the grass, hoping the flippant coyote female would not be bothered. She offered him an answer, one he accepted with a quick nod. "That makes sense," he agreed, hoping it would put the tale back on track. "And why were Bear and Cougar partners? You said Coyote was in trouble, right?"

His plumed tail thumped lightly against the ground, awaiting the next snippet of Terra's legend. Was there a Wolf or a Dog in her story? He wasn't a coyote, nor did he know much about them, other than their yipping voices. The kingdom had been founded by dogs and wolves, and that was still the bulk of their population. Even Alder the stablemaster was supposed to have coyote heritage, but he was so huge and tall he just looked like a golden wolf to Hati. "Was... there a Wolf back then, or just Coyote?" he asked meekly, wondering if she knew the answer to that as well. His inquisitive mind always wanted to know more, even if he did not always voice the questions. Terra seemed to know so much about everything from all her traveling, though, she was a good one to ask.

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"So... Coyote causes trouble for everyone..." Hati murmured, disquieted. Why did Terra speak so lovingly of the deity, when it seemed like her stories inevitably ended in grief for others? In his naive mind, rules were never to be broken, the law was set in stone and must always be upheld. He felt pity for the Bear, a victim of cruel jest -- perhaps because he could empathize with one who did not understand what the joke was. At least Coyote helped Rabbit, although that seemed rather self-serving since she only needed a place to hide. It was becoming harder to see her as the dashing hero of the tale, because she was sounding more like a villain.

"Doesn't Coyote want to be friends with Wolf and the others? Why can't she be nicer, instead of playing pranks on everyone? Does she have any friends...?" He asked with a frown, feeling saddened by this fictional world of animals changing shapes to inflict damage on each other. He had to remind himself again that it was all made up, these were not real creatures that deserved his pity. Folk tales were often allegorical, a definition he had learned from reading some of the dry nonfiction literature left towards the back of his family's library. What was the lesson of these stories, "don't get caught"? He huffed, sticking his nose between his white paws as he tried to fathom it out. "I mean, does Coyote do anything nice for the other animals?"

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Hati tilted his head, considering her words. That was true, Terra and Skoll were good friends regardless if they made fools out of each other. Terra seemed to take such delight in playing her tricks, being the catalyst of chaos in their otherwise routine lives. Entropy was not such a bad thing, though it went against Hati's nature, as he liked everything proper and orderly and according to the rules. He felt so dry and boring in comparison to Terra, so it was good that she was here to mix things up for him. "You're right," he admitted, nose tip peeking up from his paws. "Games are supposed to be fun, after all..." Maybe the mythological Coyote was not so cruel after all, but her pranks did seem rather drastic; Hati would not be amused if Terra ever bit off his tail like the Bear had endured. He was proud of his plumed tail, his handsomest feature.

He listened intently as the next story was launched, pale eyes studying every movement and expression of Terra's face. She spoke of how all the animals clashed from time to time, as was nature; predator hunting prey, or territory disputes between hunters, these happened every day in real life. But then, in hushed awe, Hati absorbed her account of the Sun -- a higher power meting out gruesome punishment, wiping out an entire species thanks to the actions of their one representative. It was reprehensible; hunters only claimed what they needed, and war was only fought until the dispute was settled. To Hati's naive young mind, genocide was unfathomably evil.

He found himself holding his breath, riveted to the folk tale and all its twists and turns. Coyote enlisted the aid of Wolf and Raven, all to save the imperiled Fox. Their grand deception was ultimately successful, chaining the Sun in his palace so that he could never threaten them in such a way again. Once Terra finished, the wolfdog exhaled the breath he was holding, eyes bright with a fascinated admiration. She was a wonderful storyteller. "So Coyote saved all the foxes, that's wonderful! She can be good if others are more cruel than she is..." His innate curiosity led him to the inevitable, and he wagged his tail pleasantly as he studied her. "If the Sun had to be chained up, does that mean the Moon was too? And... Skoll is supposed to chase the sun and I chase the moon, right? Our namesakes... are they in these stories too?" He was unsure if they were the same fantasy realm, since he had not been able to find mention of Skoll and Hati in the books his parents owned. Terra knew so much about stories, though... did she know?

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If intentions were not cruel but the actions were perceived as such by others, what did that make them? Pups were inherently egocentric, only seeing what pertained to them and no one else around them. Their world was small. But as they grew into adulthood, they become aware of the feelings of others and morality widens into shades of grey where it was once just black and white. Hati Catori was on the cusp of manhood, his intelligent mind trying to weigh in on such issues and finding there was no easy answer anymore. If someone played a cruel prank on him and hurt him, he would say without hesitation that they were mean for having done so. But if they hadn't meant it to be mean, only funny...? He frowned. That did complicate things. Terra seemed to believe steadfastly that Coyote was an innocent and playful entity, with no ill intentions other than some fun. Maybe that meant Coyote was young, because she did not see how she could hurt others, just like children. "...Does Coyote ever say she's sorry?" he asked quietly, wondering if she felt remorse.

Terra did her best to answer his endless queries, noting that the Moon character still traveled freely and changed shape. Hati smiled at this; he liked the moon, of course, night was his realm. In these stories, Moon must be nicer than Sun, and he appreciated that. "So who was chasing them? And why did they want to catch them?" His tail thumped pleasantly against the grass, awaiting the next chapter in her saga. She never seemed to tire of sharing the tall tales, and Hati's studious mind never tired of absorbing new information. Maybe someday he could repeat these tales to someone else, and they could decide if Coyote was a heroine or a villainess.