Simon was grateful that snow had stopped fluttering from the sky as he looked up at a light blue sky and felt the sun warm his face. Snow was all he had ever known in his short lifetime. He had been born during a chilly autumn and had never thought that the sky could be a bright, brilliant blue. It had rained or snowed every week of his life, which made the clear weather a rarity for him. He had never seen the sky so blue, although in reality it was very pale and not entirely glorious.

He cast a doleful glance at his big paws in the snow. It was turning to slush and melting, which made it harder to walk with his dumb big paws. He tripped over them enough anyway. The sandy colored puppy sighed and kicked some of the icy slush and mud around, before looking at his paws in dismay. He couldn't be around the princess or the queen with dirt all over him! Although the ladies he met seemed very down-to-earth and practical, it was common knowledge that girls didn't like to stay dirty.

Looking around frantically, he finally found a puddle that didn't have dirt in it. Instead there were frozen, dead spears of grass. He bound into it and started splashing his big paws in it, sloshing icy water around in his quest to be clean. His big brown eyes swept around as his head swiveled about. The last thing he wanted was to be caught by the queen after she had so graciously accepted him into her kingdom.

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"Got ya!" Jazper chuckled as he held his now dead prey. He had decided it was long since time he tried hunting in his two legged form. Waking up early that moring he had made Garnet breakfest in bed and then started to get pumped up for the hunt. Sharpening his hunting knife, putting on his knife belt for easy carrying and putting on his hooded cloak he had made from a dead bears deep brown fur. The cloak helped him blend into the trees around the forest and hide his scent. Now, he tossed the white bloody hare over a shoulder and started off to get back to the mansion. As he drew closer he lowered his hood and placed his red stained into his belt. Suddenly, a sandy colored pup appeared befor him washing his paws franticly in a puddle. Shruging off the strange sight he walked up to the boy and crouched down pulling out his knife and cleaning the blood off in the water. "You lost son?"

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[html]Simon lifted his face to take in the looming form of a giant. His eyes widened and he forgot about washing his paws. He had to take a step back to fit the giant into the frame of his vision. He shook off his shock and the excitement underneath it, his eyes tracing over the big wolf to capture all the details. Aside from being huge, he was outfitted with a belt, and cloak and dagger. The sandy colored puppy didn't know what to make of this giant.


"I's not lost. I belong here," the sandy-colored puppy said, finding his voice. He was embarrassed to find that it squeaked a little at the end. Now that wouldn't do! If the villains knew that Princess Mati's knight was a scaredy cat, they'd come flying out of the woodwork. He needed to make a better impression. "I'm the Simon Knight, Petty Officer," he said, this time his voice was steady and he tried to inject a little authority in it. Simon thought he had done a good job of it, when in reality it just made him sound cute.


His eyes strayed back to the bloody knife. He looked at it hard as he thought. He had promised Naniko not only to protect her daughter, but to see to his duties for Crimson Dreams too. That meant that his knightly duties extended to every aspect of security for the kingdom. But looking at the giant, he couldn't tell whether or not he was a good guy or a bad guy. And being a literalist puppy, Simon figured that it was best to ask if you wanted answer. "Mister, I needsta know, are you a good guy or a bad guy? If you are a good guy, you can sticks around, but if you is a bad guy..." He took his eyes from the knife and looked back into the giant's face. "You's gonna have to go through me." No way in Hades would he let a bad guy giant run around when the princess was so near.

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The boy seemed to be quite taken back by Jazper's size though he didn't really mind that reaction. Just meant he had the power. He wasn't sure what to do with this pup in the territory. If he was lost sure he could take him home someway or another but what if he insisted on staying? There was no way Jazper could stand for a pup running away from home. As he continued to think of his line of actions the boys words interupted his thoughts. By the end of the introductioin all he Jazz could do is smile. "Knight eh? I think Haven is a knight too, dont tell him I told you that though." He chuckled with a wink. Finaly, his golden eyes watched Simon in the cornor of his view as the pup eyed the now clean knife. His ears perked up as the new addition to the pack questioned him, his smile only grew. "Well boy, I supose I should introduce myself, it'd be rude not too."putting a lareg hand out in greeting he spoke, "I'm Jazper Rhiannon-Knight, the Captain of Crimson Dreams and I assure you little knight that if there where any bad guys around they wouldn't get within 100 feet of the mansion without having some bigger obsticles then you."

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Simon's eyes widened, although this time not out of shock. He felt as though his entire body was electrically charged up. His tail waving after him like a fan on the highest setting, he ran around in a circle before plopping down hard on the ground. He looked Jazper over again, this time much more slowly. Now everything seemed to make sense. The cloak, the dagger, the belt, it all fit! This couldn't be anyone other than the Jazper Knight that the Commander Queen had mentioned before! He didn't think he'd meet him so quickly.

He puffed out his little chest and stood up straight. He didn't know about anybody named Haven yet, but any knight was a friend to him. That just meant that the princess would have added protection and that didn't bother him in the slightest. "Captain Jazper, I am Mati's knight!" he exclaimed proudly, glad to have some common ground with his current idol. Jazper was larger than life, twice as powerful as Simon had imagined him. He was so excited he found it hard to breathe.

He stood proudly, poised and trying to be serious. "Jazper Knight, will you teach me how to protect Mati better?" he asked. He wanted to be strong in all aspects, but the princess was his first priority. He had sworn his first oaths to her and she would always have the first place in his concerns and thoughts of security. "I can learn. I will grow and be better at it."

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Confusion hit Jazper hard as the boy started to shake and then continued to run around like a...well like a pup. All to suddenly the boy stopped and sat down waging tail. Raising the fur above his eyes questioningly he began to think this boy wasn't all there. the little one puffed out his chest and his exclimation almost caused the larger male to laugh, though it was obvious Simon was very serious. Jazper began to relax, still crounching down to be level with the small pup. Aparently, the boy and Mati were on good terms in thier games. Why was it every pup in Crimson Dreams was obsessive over the stories of knights and princesses? He was reminded of the time his father told him he was a knight by blood. Not just in last name but his family of fathers had decided long long ago to protect those that could not be protected. A true knight.


Simon stood and the Captian followed the boys lead, getting up form his crouching position to stand at his full height. It wasn't until after standing that he thought purhaps standing wasn't such a good idea, Simon looked so frigile and tiny at the 'Knight's' feet. Ears perked he listened to the Petty Officers proposal with interest. Thinking it over for a few seconds he decided it would be best for him to go along with Simon's idea to teach him properly. After all who better to train a knight then a knight in flesh? Nodding slowly, "I supose that would make you my Squire, Simon." Nodding he smiled as he sat down on the snow fully, tiered from the day already.

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Simon's eyes were as wide as saucers as he watched the Jazper loom over him. He wasn't sure if the black wolf was conscious of how tall he really was. He was huge, probably the biggest wolf he had ever seen. Simon wondered idly if Jazper hit his head on tree branches or if birds flew into his face. It wouldn't surprise the sandy colored puppy if any of those things happened. Being that tall probably helped the Jazper Knight to fight dragons. Those pesky reptiles did have wings, after all. And Jazper seemed tall enough that he could just pluck them out of the sky like butterflies. He imagined what it would be like to do that with ease, and his tail wagged behind him as if there was a motor attached to it.

He hoped that he would grow up to be even half as big as the Jazper Knight. Although he didn't think that he needed to be big to be strong - look at how well he was doing with Mati! - something needed to happen about his huge paws. He looked down at them. They looked so weird. He was glad that Mati didn't look down at his face very often. No, the princess preferred to look him in the face. He felt as though his tail would fall off from all that wagging.

"I would likes that Jazper Knight. I would like that's a lot," he said enthusiastically. He cocked his head to the side. "I has to let you know, though, that Princess Mati's safety is always going to be my first priority." The Jazper Knight would understand the duty he had to his lady. The promise he had made to Naniko and Mati was life defining. Perhaps it hadn't been worded like a promise, but it was just that.