Nothing's going to touch you in these Golden Years
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If you want me to change anything, just let me know love! 300+

Haven had been wanting to go back to see his little brother again for a while, but as always it was difficult for him to take substantial time away from Cour des Miracles. Finally he had set a day aside and Drogon and he had made the short trip between the two packs. Once he arrived he searched out his mother. The Knight had had an idea brewing in his head for a while now, but before he went through with it he wanted to make sure that Anu had no issues with it. Once he had her clearance though he had eagerly searched Alder out and asked the boy if he wanted to go on an adventure. He knew his little brother wasn't precisely the adventuring type, but he had a feeling that the destination he had in mind would pique even Alder's interest. Still, he didn't tell him right away where they were headed, but Haven had his bargaining chip in place: they would be riding there on Drogon.


Alder had grown a good deal since his last visit, but he could still pick up the boy with ease and he mounted up onto the mustang stallion with his brother in his arms. Once they were settled in place he set Alder down to sit right in front of him and Drogon started off at a careful pace. Riding a horse was an experience one had to get used to, and it would be even harder since Alder couldn't change forms yet. Haven was confident they could manage though. He kept his arms poised on either side of his little sibling, ready to steady him if his balance faltered. The longer they rode, the faster Drogon moved, but never more than a trot.


Time and distance slipped away and before long they had reached the place Haven had in mind. A wide grin spread across his face as he looked up to the old ancient structure. "Look at that Alder! It's a castle!" The Knight hadn't returned to the large stone structure since he had found his sword, but he was eager to re-explore it with his little brother.

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#2
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its perfect Big Grin

It was like the young male had fallen asleep and was now dreaming.

To see Haven in the pack lands was certainly a treat, his blue eyes casting an affectionate gaze on the orange Knight from the moment he caught a glance of him in the distance. But then when his deep voice told of a new place for them to explore, Alder had just about reached that state of dreaming. He had nodded his head, too excited to even speak and yet it was still not the most exciting of all. Of course he had been frightened, and a few minutes of fear and unknowing had been cast to is features and his ears had laid flat against his head and he had wondered why Haven would want him to leave the security of Crimson Dreams. But there was something that Alder wanted more then anything, and to step outside of the pack lands was to get that wish. And thus with the riding of his brother's horse, Alder's dream had begun.

The Knight's strong arms held him securely, but the pup wasn't afraid. He tried not to wiggle, though such a thing was most definitely impossible, as Haven sat him on the saddle so that cobalt eyes could look at the stallion's ears and the back of his head just like a true rider. He could feel the chills, shaking slightly and it felt like everything Alder had ever wanted was being met right then and there. The timid pup had always had a deep need for his mother, a connection with his brothers and his mind was never far from wondering what they were feelings or doing at any given moment. But now his mind was completely separated, his thoughts now his own and his maturity and independence a single step above what it had been.

Once they began the nerves and the excitement no long made him uneasy on the back of the horse and the pup settled nicely into the rhythm of the trot. He found peace there, and something that might even be known of courage as his eyes looked out into the distance with a height he had never imagined he might look from. Then, in the distance his older brother pointed out the castle that was their destination and his tail began to wag once more. There it 'es! The masked boy spoke with a squeak. He couldn't believe it!!

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#3
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<3! 300+

Alder's excitement at getting to ride on a horse was probably one of the most endearing things that the Knight had ever seen. The way the shy boy lit up around the large hoofed animals was something he marveled at, even now that he knew who had been his little brother's first equine acquaintance. He briefly wondered if he had been exposed to the animals at a young age if he would have been so smitten with them as the raccoon-faced pup was. Not that he hadn't been mesmerized by Drogon and the herd he had come from when he had stumbled upon them, but it wasn't in that same childlike way that Alder reacted. Haven felt privileged that it was his horse that his little brother first experienced a ride on. It was a special occasion that the two would now always share.


That was far from the only excitement that the brother pair would have that day though. Haven could feel his own excited butterflies as the large castle came into view. He had first visited this place with his other mother, the one that had fallen out of his life. They had found a small crown that he had claimed as his own as the prince of Crimson Dreams. The next time he came here he left with his sword, Vowkeeper. Would they be taking home any special treasures today?


Once the castle appeared it didn't take long at all for them to reach the bottom of it and the steps that lead up to the entrance. Carefully Haven picked Alder back up in his arms and slid down off of Drogon's back. "Go ahead and graze at your leisure, but don't wander too far off," he advised the stallion. The mustang tossed his head and swished his tail, putting his head down to begin munching at the grass. Green eyes looked back down to his little brother. "You ready to go inside?" he asked with a grin. He had wanted to take the boy here ever since he had shown such interest in Haven being a knight. Surely he would enjoy visiting a castle that was full of wonders his blue eyes had never seen.

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#4
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<333

The Dreaming puppy looked out into the distance, the castle loomed on the horizon and Alder that the next phase of his walking dream was about to begin. The two brothers rode up to the ancient building and his little blue eyes looked up at the large walls. He had thought that nothing could tower over him while he was on the back of the horse. (Though he had ignored the world of trees that loomed above their heads) But this place was far too large for its massive size to go unnoticed, and Alder looked up with awe on his expressive face.

His brother scooped him up, and together they dismounted and soon his paws were back on solid ground. He looked back at Drogon, silently thanking him with a small smile and watched as he moved away to graze at the Knights permission. Alder had thought that the horse would join them, but his excitement to go into the castle made the horse’s departure from the pair an easy adjustment.

Alder nodded at Haven’s question, his smile wide and bright. He didn’t know what to expect, though there was little fear in the pup’s mind since he was with his brother. The Dreamer would never come to a place like this alone, at least not at this age. Alder walked behind his brother, following his lead completely. He couldn’t help but wonder what his mother would think about this place, or if his brothers would ever come here too. It was special, or so Alder thought, that Haven had chosen to take him and him alone.

The pup looked away from the deep orange foot-paws to the high walls of the fortress, his breath taken all over again.

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#5
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The awe written on his little brother's face was plain to see. The Knight could easily relate, thinking back on the first time he himself had beheld the behemoth building in all its strength and mystery. The largest thing he had seen before this place had been the manor but the mansion in Crimson Dreams simply could not compare to the castle. The only buildings he had seen since to rival its height and size were inside the city, but even those didn't hold the same kind of power that this place did. These stones were old, ancient, and Haven always had felt that they would have stories tell if one could only understand the way the wind whistled through the cracks.


At his question, Alder nodded, his smile more broad and bright than Haven had ever seen the boy smile before. There had been some concern that the masked pup might find the castle more intimidating than fascinating, but now they were here the elder male was glad to see that those worries had been for naught. There wasn't anything to fear about the castle. If there were, Haven would not have brought the young Dreamer here. This was meant to be a special excursion for the both of them and the Knight had ever confidence that that was exactly what it would be.


He climbed the large stone staircase slowly not wanting to get too ahead of Alder as they ascended towards the doorway. The boy didn't seem to have too much of an issue keeping up though, having grown since the last time they had seen each other. When they finally reached the top Haven paused to let his little brother catch his breath. It was quite the climb for an adult, must less a pup. Once that moment passed though Haven strode forward through the already opened door and stood in the entryway, letting his green eyes adjust to the lower light inside.


Once his gaze was accustomed, he saw the familiar suit of armor that stood sentinel in the open space. Grinning, he walked over to it, knowing that Alder would follow him. "This is a suit of armor Alder, what knights wore into battle to protect themselves." Haven had always wished to be able to fit into one of these old pieces, but his luperci body was too different.

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#6
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Alder had never truly known that such magic was real. So real that the pup could actually touch it. This was a thing of stories, a setting for all the knights and princess that his mother had told him about. The same tales that she had told Haven, stories and places that had made him into the brave and courageous grown up he was. The blue eyes of his mother looked on, watching as his brother led him closer and closer. The stairs that led to the entrance were large and held his attention until they came to the door. The large pup took the slowly and carefully just as he did all things that needed to be climbed.

Once at the top Alder was afraid to look back, and instead let his attention be guided to the insides that lay beyond the legs of his big brother. Tail wagged behind him, brown ears perked and forward on his head and taking in the sounds just as his nose sniffed the smells that the ancient place owned. With the sound of Haven's deep voice he looked up at the thing that had down his attention, and he was unsure at first. Ears fell, as did his tail. But it was only an initial reaction, for he knew that the thing wasn't alive and Haven wasn't scared so he shouldn't either. Body eased, and he then looked on with awe and grew more confident.

Wowwww. He spoke with a stolen breath. He couldn't believe it, his imagination rolling quickly and without much restraint. Then, just as quickly as his mind wandered his paws stopped forward ahead of his brother. Eager to see the next thing Alder took a few brave new running steps and then halted before looking at Haven. Es there more? He asked in all honesty.

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#7
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This place held an ancient power, Haven could just feel it. Perhaps it was only in his mind, power drawn from all the stories he had been told and tales that he had read about the majestic kingdoms and all their noble and brave inhabitants. The Knight felt it was more than just that though. The fact that this structure had been standing here, barely changed, for hundreds of years was a kind of magic that was hard to truly imagine. How many souls, lupine and human alike, had been captivated by the sight of this place and all the old treasures and secrets that it held? It was likely even older than many of the trees that their mother so loved, and that was a breathtaking thought.


Haven remembered well the first time he had seen this suit of armor, he had been even younger than Alder was. For a moment he had a flashback to looking up at the armor at a much different angle than he was today. Jades looked back to his little brother and for a moment he felt his spirits falter as he saw the boy's tail and ears fall at the sight of the inanimate suit. Thankfully though, the blue eyed boy soon recovered and the wonderment returned to his face. His awe-filled exclamation made Haven beam and his tail wag, a bit of puppish excitement coming back to him as well.


The man grinned as his brother took some brave, rushing steps forward before halting to look back at him. "Oh yes, so much more! Why don't you head whichever way you wish? I'll be right here beside you." He wanted to give Alder the chance to decide where they would explore in the castle. He hoped that with his presence right with him, the boy would gain some confidence.

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#8
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Alder wished he was as tall as Haven. Though there would be a day when he was taller then his mother, Haven and even both his littermates, Alder couldn’t imagine it yet. For all he knew he would be the smallest of them all, though he was now larger then Oak and Cyp, he felt that they would always be bigger then he. It was his immature mind that could not comprehend that there would be a day where he would tower over them all, even if his personality was the smallest and meekest. Blue eyes looked up, full of wonder and with a bright twinkle in the cerulean. He watched the face of the orange male and listened closely as he always did. His attention was easily honed, a trait his mother had given him. But he could hardly believe that Haven wished for him to lead the way. Him, be the leader? The notion was almost beyond anything he could understand.

But Alder have a smile and a nod and then turned back to see the path the humans had created. Ears fell against his head with a momentary insecurity; the place was big and dark. Though he remembered the words his brother spoke and gathered courage from it. Alder took a few slow steps, then walked with a normal gait. There were things on the ground, hanging from the walls and Alder could hardly take it all in. A doorway, the light of the high sun illuminated it and made it welcoming for the Dreaming puppy. Alder walked towards it, big brother following just as he promised.

The little male pressed his nose against the beaten and worn door, sniffing heavily, but it was too heavy for him.

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#9
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short :x

Haven wondered if his little brother would refuse to offer of taking up the role of leading their expedition, but much to his content Alder nodded and began to look around to choose which way they would go. Some hesitance seemed to come back to the boy again, but slowly he took steps forward that quickly turned into normal self-confident walking. The Knight couldn't help but grin broadly as he followed right behind the strong built pup, feeling accomplished that he had successfully handed the reins over to Alder. Even though the Aatte hadn't spent as much time with his two other young brothers as he had with Alder, it was clear to him that the large boy was the one who needed the most encouragement and nudges to move forward and grow.


The sunlight seeped in through cracks and holes in the castle's facade and one door was completely washed in light. It didn't surprise him that it was this door that the blue eyed boy gravitated towards. Haven watched silently from the background as Alder sniffed the door and inspected it, but of course he was too small to open the heavy wooden barrier for himself. After a moment, the ochre man stepped forward and put his shoulder against the door, slowly pushing it open as its rusted hinges screamed in protest. Haven only pushed until there was a large enough space for him to pass through, but first he stepped aside to allow his brother through, smiling encouragingly down at him.

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#10
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(its a helmet) ;D

No, the masked tree named pup was not leader and it was not his nature to become one. Destiny was not something that Alder thought of often if at all, and so he did not look to the future and wonder what was meant for him. He lived in this moment and focused on the now just as every youngster would. Wouldn’t he just live in Crimson Dreams forever? He was sure (if one was to ask him to think of it) that he would sleep in his mother’s room, stay beside her, and be with his family until his days were done. He didn’t understand that things changed, drastically and to the point where they would never feel the same because inside they had been altered.

Alder watched as the door was pushed open, his curiosity too great for him to even look back to see the face of his big brother. The light came into view, and his blue eyes looked up to see the things that had been left in the room. He thought it large, massive compared to the smaller rooms of the Manor. But it was not the largest in the castle, almost a large hallway that was longer then wide. He sniffed the air, fear making him hesitate but curiosity making his paws step forward.

There were small windows on one side, placed high on the wall; their glass broken and the shards blow away long ago by winters of old. His tail was low, cautious as he moved forward to see the old broken bench that was likely set on one wall, and the pegs that jutted from the wall above. There was not much left, and the things that still hung were covered in dust. Leather straps, an empty quiver, a single glove that only a human could fit in was left on the floor. His black nose sniffed at it, but the scent of the wearer was long gone.

Blue eyes looked up slightly, his gaze caught by a shining light. Beneath the bench, who only had two legs attached while two other broken and making the seat slanted, was something round and the pup backed up and looked at the Knight-brother. Theres something under there. He whispered, like the ghosts of the man who had prepared for battle and gathered their gear in the very room they stood in would notice their presence.

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#11
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Big Grin 300+

Haven knew that his little brother was not future "leader" material, but that was no downfall. The Knight would not consider himself leader material either. Maybe if the occasion ever was needed he could lead, but it was not something Haven aspired to. The Aatte was happy with his current lot in life, serving Cour des Miracles as its Knight and living in his little cottage by the sea with his mate. The only thing missing was adding little paws to the house, but it would come when they were ready. The man was not trying to shove his brother into a box he didn't fit in, simply trying to bring the boy a bit more out of his shell and show him that he didn't always have to be the follower. This was an exploration and he wanted Alder to have the chance to lead their way.


Once he had the door shoved open, Alder bounded forward, not even looking back to him for reassurance. This made Haven grin; he was letting his heart do the thinking. He followed the boy into the room, observing it with interest. There wasn't as much left in this room as there was in some others, but there were surely still treasures to be found. What this room had been used for he couldn't guess. Likely it had served more than one purpose. He bent down to look over the old quiver, marveling at the craftsmanship. Say what one wants to about the humans, they could make beautiful things.


He hadn't paid much attention to what Alder was doing until the pup backed up and spoke softly. Jades trained forward and noticed the glinting immediately. Haven stood back up and walked over to the collapsed bench, pulling the thing out from under it with a scraping sound. "It's a helmet, sort of like the one we saw out in the hall," he said, displaying the metal object to his brother. "Can you imagine wearing this thing around on your head?" It certainly did not look comfortable, despite its vital purpose.

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#12
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Alder felt safe with his brother, just as he did with his mother. He couldn't pin point it yet, but there was that same sense of security that his mother provided while in the presence of his Knightly older sibling. It was odd for such a large built boy, to be so insecure one moment and then feeling comfortable in the next. But Alder couldn't spend his lifetime unraveling and debunking his emotions, and his mind was still so simple. He could only try to be brave, and be who ever he felt he should be. Live in the moment, it was all he could do.

He waited for Haven, his nose working hard to figure out what it was that hide beneath the bench. It was of human make, no organic smells coming from it. His tail wagged and waved behind him, and black dipped paws moved to shuffle him backwards as Haven pulled it out from it's hiding place. Blue eyes followed the piece of metal as the tall male lifted it, a smile on his face as the Knight explained what it was.

Wow. alder spoke with a hushed tone. He couldn't believe that they had found this, right here beneath an old bench! He shook his head at the question, he couldn't imagine wearing anything but his own fur. Why did they need those? Did the humans have a soft head? Or was it just that they liked how it felt, of course it didn't look comfortable at all.


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#13
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SoSuWriMo 385

It made Haven feel good that Alder felt comfortable enough around him to be able to step out of his comfort zone a little. One of the Knight's main goals with his little brothers was to make sure that even though he did not live in the same pack as them, that he was there for them and they would always be able to come to him and depend on him, no matter what their need might be. Even though Cours des Miracles was his physical home now, Crimson Dreams was always the home of his heart and family. He loved going back to his birthplace as often as he could and his loyalty was equally split between the two neighboring packs. That was, of course, a secret he kept to himself, but Haven knew the truth of it down to the core of his heart. He would take up arms just as readily for Crimson Dreams as he would for the Court.


The large boned pup was quite eager to see the object that he had found wedged underneath the wood. To see Alder's tail wagging as it was made Haven smile. He had thought that visiting the castle would be something that his brother would enjoy, but it was wonderful to have that thought confirmed by the actions of the boy himself. The helmet was simple, but well crafted, a simple engraved design marking the edges of the metal. The Knight also couldn't imagine wearing one of the protective helmets. Of course, one meant for humans would never fit his canine face. He had toyed with the idea of trying to find someone to craft him armor of his own, but he really did not have any idea where to start asking. It certainly could not be an easy task, if possible at all. "Well, the fighting could be pretty harsh back then. Whole armies would clash, large sums of people than we can't even imagine." A war between packs did not even come close to compare. "Most used very sharp weapons and the helmets, along with the rest of the armor, was used to help protect them from their opponents." Haven did his best to explain without getting into too gory of details; he remembered how Alder had reacted to his sword.

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#14
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War was not something his mother had told him about. There were stories of ancient times, wolves that could not shift like they could, and then the older dragons and knights that she had even told Haven and his siblings. There were stories that were uplifting. They were about heroes and villains that never prevailed. But war, and battles that would need such armor was not part of the tree named pup’s upbringing. Unknown to him, his mother had always hoped to keep such things from her sons. Fantasy was okay but the plagues of real history were not.

Haven explained it to his little brother, and Alder took in this truth with mixed feelings. He hadn’t really expected the reason to be so harsh, so bloody. His ears fell slightly, thoughts weighing it down and making him sad. What about the puppies? The youths that were too small to fight. Did they wear helmets and bare arms and rise against the enemies? The puppies too? He asked, voice meek and as small as he felt inside.


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#15
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SoSuWriMo 300

Haven had not heard the tales of human wars from his mother, either of them. He had found that information out on his own, when he was older. Whenever he had stumbled across a book about knights, be it fictional or true, he had taken it and read it cover to cover. The Aatte did not revel in the idea of war, and certainly wished that he would never have to witness or participate in such a ghastly thing during his lifetime. He may have been a knight, but he did not thirst for battle and bloodshed. He only wished to protect those he cared about and were charged to keep safe. He did all he could to make sure that it never came to actual violence, but at times it could not be helped. It was Haven's job to be prepared for any situation, be ready for any outcome.


Alder's ears fell back as his elder brother spoke the words about war and it was a reaction that Haven had expected, despite his attempt to censor and soften the blow of it. The question made his jade eyes widen a bit, but he immediately shook his head to signal a negative response. "No, no. It was only grown men. Children did not fight, they stayed with their mothers." The Knight offered his little brother a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry Alder, that was the humans. The same thing won't happen here, especially not to Crimson Dreams." There had been wars in Nova Scotia between some packs it was true, but it was nothing like the ones he had just briefly described. Plus, Crimson Dreams was a place of peace. He knew that their mother and Savina always did all in their power to maintain that status quo.

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#16
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Maybe later in life Alder would find the same sense of valor, the same need to protect. He would not always be a coward, when the time came he would see that braver was not something that he lacked but something that had been hiding within him. But for now, it was dormant inside the puppy. Perhaps in the months and years to come such a thing would blossom in the chest and heart of the masked male.

Blue eyes looked up at his brother, wonder in them as well as a bit of fear. He was searching for the answer, the truth about the humans and their wars. Alder would rather sit and watch flowers grow, or listen to birds sing instead of fighting with anyone. Even an enemy. But there was a great sense of relief felt when Haven spoke, and he even felt his ear lift and his tail wag again. He didn’t want things like that to happen, not in Crimson Dreams and not in Haven’s home either.

The pup gave a nod, quiet in nature had many thoughts and few good enough to say aloud. After rolling the idea around in his head many times Alder finally replied, I’m glad. Alder looked at the helmet, maybe he would need that later. Can we take it? He asked, he knew that it wasn’t right just to take things that didn’t belong to him.


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#17
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SoSuWriMo 260

He did not want the thought of war to be something that would worry his brother and haunt his thoughts. It really was nothing that needed to be worried over. Nova Scotia was safe, for the most part, and Haven truly believed that there was no safer place than Crimson Dreams. It was as if the pack were protected by some invisible barrier that kept it safe. The strife in Cour des Miracles was few, but even his new home had faced more problems than his old. Thankfully his words seemed to diminish the fear he had seen in his brother's bright blue eyes, his tail giving a wag. Haven grinned, ruffling the fur on the top of Alder's head, just further proof that there was nothing for him to worry about or fear.


"Yeah, me too. I may be a knight, but that doesn't mean that I like fighting." It wasn't some macho thing with him. There was no need in the Aatte to try and prove himself stronger and tougher than all the rest. It was important for Alder to see that he didn't condone violence. It was just something that he had to use if given no other choice. When asked whether or not they could take the helmet with them, the Knight did not hesitate. "Of course! It doesn't belong to anyone anymore, so it can belong to you." On his first trip to this castle, Haven had left with a small crown. It was only fitting that Alder get to take home a similar souvenir.

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#18
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Haven patted his head, and spoke of his experience as his Knight. It was enlightening, since he had thought that all those that did fight either wanted to or didn’t mind it. Alder was beginning to understand that there was more to being a Knight and a protector then being willing and looking for a fight. But he needed to be willing at the very least, and able as well. Alder didn’t see himself as ever being either. I don’t like to either. He commented, thinking about the mock wrestling that he and his brother engaged in at times.

He was glad that they could take the helmet. Alder didn’t think he would wear it, but maybe he could have it so that he could look at it from time to time and remember this journey away from his home and the time he got to spend with Haven. Alder’s tail waved behind him, paws tapping on the ground slightly in an excitement he tried to control. He wanted to exclaim in joy, but held it in and wished that they were home already so that he could show Oak and Cypress! Will you carry it for me? He asked, becoming slightly worried that he could not become the two legged form that was needed to carry the helmet. He didn’t think he could carry it in his mouth.


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#19
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SoSuWriMo 254

Sparring was one thing. Sure there was some level of violence inherently involved in the activity, but it was not as if it held the attitude and anxiety of a real fight. Haven had come to anticipate and enjoy his sparring matches with Anann. Real fights though were not something that the Aatte could say he enjoyed. Sometimes there was no avoiding them, like when that male had come and tried to force himself on Princess and would not back down. Haven still remembered watching the light go out of the wolf's eyes as his spirit left his body. What would Alder think of him if he knew his brother had taken a life? Honestly, Haven didn't want to find out, and planned to keep that truth from his brother for as long as he could. "Good, cause fighting isn't good unless you have no other choice."


To see the boy's excitement about being able to take his little treasure home with him (well, it wasn't that little) was a gift in and of itself to Haven. He was glad that Alder had found something that he wished to keep with him. If nothing else it meant that their trip today had been a success. "Of course!" Haven piped at his brother's request. It would be hard, if not impossible, for him to carry the helmet. The Cours Knight had expected that he would be toting the thing around, but that was perfectly fine with him. In fact, he was happy to do it.

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#20
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wrap this up?

Alder didn’t fully understand that the games that his brothers played were intended on teaching him the ways of a wolf’s life. He did not stalk, nor did he wish to pounce and roughhouse with his siblings. It would hurt his hunting abilities later in life, and he would be shamed because of it. But the meek boy could not get himself to do such things. His brother’s words were reassuring, and he hoped that the next time one of his brothers wished to wrestle with him he could remember these words from a knight.

The helmet did not glean in the sun’s light as the larger brother lifted it, and confirmed that he would indeed hold it for him. Thank you. He replied, a smile on his masked face. The puppy pranced down the hall, his tail waving behind him. It was not as high as it could go, but it was higher then normal. Alder was happy that they had come here, happy that his brother had been able to assure him that to fight was only the resort and that he had found something that had served to protect rather then hurt.



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