Larksong Grotto These boots are made for walking

@Hiram maybe? :D or @Astik! :D Or someone else who is close to the den? xD

Tapat had experienced the most wonderful thing the last few days. Apparently the words was not all dark but it had shapes and vague things. What he really liked was the white fur of his mother it contrasted so much with the dark ground and the dark den. He had been mesmerized by it at first but the two week old pup was quickly enthused by something new. He realized that his paws he used to crawl forward could also hold himself up in the air!

It was the most wonderful thing. He started to make his first steps the day before until he was so tired he passed out somewhere randomly. Today it was a new day and the pup really tried to move faster and faster, though that often lead in stumbling. Luckily he had his mother with him, he knew her scent better than his own and always knew he could go to her for comfort. He let out little whines and growls as he wobbled around the blurry world around him. He knew there was also another thing that was like him, but he was dark and Tapat could not really spot him well with the dark underground of the den.

Hiram always stayed near enough to his boys so he could watch them grow. It had been a priveledge denied to him in the previous litters he had fathered, so he treated every day he had with his sons like a gift from Raas. To be a father from the beginning was nothing short of a blessing. He would not squander this gift in any way.

The boys were quickly becoming mobile, posing a challenge to both parents as the skittered about clumsily around the den. Hiram watched as the smaller of the two boys wobbled forward on unsure legs. "Come on buddy," his father prompted with a prideful smile. "Walk to Daddy." The more Tapat tried to move, more sure his motions would become. The boy would learn soon, but Hiram savored the wobbles, because his son would only be this young for a short time.

Tapat stumbled again, falling forward on his face and almost toppling over. He managed to turn to his side and then get back up to his feet again. His tail wiggled excitedly. Once the other main wolf in his life spoke he turned his ears to the noise. He didn't know what it meant but he decided that he would greet him. Though seeing that this other was also dark colored he was hard to spot in his blurry world. Tapat decided to just 'run' to where the sound came from. He hopped forward on his feet, yet he didn't see his brother and ran straight into him.

He let out a yip but was soon back on his feet. He sniffed the air and then climbed over his bigger brother. As he made it over him he made another stumble but so far so good. He let out excited yips when the got closer. He could see the male better now, though he almost made another wobbly fall he recovered by regaining his balance. His tail went even faster when he reached the familiar smell which he would later call dad. He whined and yipped excitedly.

What wonder the Lord had wrought, thought Hiram as he watched his son stumble his way. He could not help but smile. His heart welled with both joy and pride, even as Tapat stumbled over his brother, disturbing his silent and peaceful slumber. The boy continued forward, unphased by anything in his path. Though clumsy, his path remained straight -- and soon, Tapat was right there before Hiram's feet.

 Overjoyed that his son had come to him, Hiram place an affectionate lick on his son's forehead as he repeatedly yipped in triumph. "You're a noisy little thing, aren't you Son?" Hiram observed with a warm chuckle.

one time post only! after this intermezzo, please continue to be adorable! 8)

Laurel spent a lot of time just watching. When she wasn't off hating herself for being ugly and less interesting than her baby siblings, she was either watching or garnering attention from her father or stepmother to try and get them to love her more than the stupid baby potatoes. Laurel was loud-mouthed and rude most of the time, and only when she was alone she admitted to feeling worthless and lonely. She was losing Reek, and Indra was the only thing that mattered in her life — and to whom she mattered. That was what it felt like to Laurel, and today was no different.

The cooing happy noises coming from the densite were too painful to bear, because the loving tone was evident even if she couldn't hear the words. They made her want to cry and scream and tear herself apart and at the same time it made her want to barge in and rip the tiny pups to pieces now that she still could; now that they were still tiny. The urge to violently tear them asunder and hide their bodies grew with each day, she could not deny, but such murderous thoughts were kept only to herself.

Starting tears broke the bitter purse of her lips and she turned around with a violent swoosh, breaking through the foliage noisily — it could be heard from the densite, but for all anyone knew it could also be a deer or another animal — while sobs broke through her façade and she started to race away, to be alone somewhere.

Tapat had no idea what the dark male was saying but he liked the licks and the way the voice sounded. He made a little hop forward. He had a lot of energy before it would run out and he would pass out for a few hours. It usually went like this. The pup wanted to lick him right back. He stepped forward and then placed his front paws against Hiram's chest. He was so tiny though that he still couldn't reach Hiram's head. He was not even close. He tried to stick out his tongue and lick him but while doing that he fell over and landed on his back with a little squeak.

The pup was quick to push himself to his feet again. He was a bit dirty from the soil of the den, but other than that he was very healthy. The young boy let out more yips and hops. Trying to reach his father to copy his behavior. It was not really working so far.

Had Hiram known of ha daughters feelings, his heart would have broken on the spot. However, the sound of her sobs did not make it into the cave and Hiram went on in ignorant bliss as he played with newborn son. Tapat was a lively little thing -- like a potatoe with an endearing personality. Hiram couldn't help but beam with joy as the child desperately tried (and failed) to mimic his father's actions.

The boy flopped around, ending up sprawled on his back between Hiram's-fore limbs. It wasn't long before at Tapat was back on his feet to make another clumsy attempts. "And resilient too," Hiram added in admiration of the boy's tenacity.

Tapat realized that he was perhaps not big enough to lick his father back, and to mimic his behavior. The joyful thing wagged his tail and settled against his father's chest with a cute yawn. As much as he liked to copy the other's movement and behavior the pup only had a limited amount of energy before he would pass out. The pale baby boy was quick to fall asleep against his father.

He didn't know better than to have his parents in the den with him and he thought this life was pretty cool so far. He couldn't wait till he could do even more things. The happy pup was so far very comfy, settled against his father.

End here? :D