Ravensblood Forest Hot-blooded

Tags for reference, all welcome.

Violante wasn't doing so good at playing nice with her siblings; she had too much pent up energy, and her mother was tired of her squabbling with @Asara. Vale was probably out on patrol with their father. Sighing, Violante found herself wandering about the tunnels. She called out "@Lennox? Lenora?" in the hopes she'd find her cousins to play with. If not, she'd... well, she had no clue. Violante grumbled, wishing her father had offered to take her on patrol, too.

Vagabond returned early from his patrol, he was planning on spending the rest of the day with his daughters. It wasn't long before he heard the voice of his smallest calling out for her cousins. He quickly found her and spoke softly to her, "Would you care to join me instead?"

Violante lit up at the sight of her father, and she grinned, bouncing up and down, her tail wagging quickly. "Sure papa, where're we going?" He smelled of the forest, no doubt having just returned from a patrol. Thankfully, Vale was nowhere to be seen; it was going to be just her and her dad. What could be better?

"I'm taking you hunting, sweet one." Vagabond smiled down at his smallest. He knew just like her namesake she would be more than capable, that her size would mean absolutely nothing when it came to her abilities. Of course this was one of her first hunting trips. He wasn't sure if Violante had gotten the chance to take her yet or not. He secretly hoped she hadn't, but assumed she had beaten him to it already.

Her mother had already promised to take her and Asara hunting, but Violante wasn't going to give up the chance to get ahead of her sister. She nodded eagerly, tail wagging as she barked, "Okay! Mama said she was going to teach us to hunt birds. Can you teach me to hunt rabbits?"

"Of course my love, you have the advantage of the easier ability to remain unseen my little shadow." His smallest, was slowly proving to be more and more the epitome of her mother. She knew when to remain quiet and small, she knew when to speak. Although, his small one had definitely not even begun to reign in the temper. 

He led the way from the den as he spoke to her, smiling down at her. "Lift your nose to the air little one. Let's see if we can find you a rabbit. We must remain upwind so that it does not scent us, and we must remain unseen until you are ready to make your move." He didn't doubt that her abilities would be on par with her siblings. She held the same strength and if anything even more tenacity than them.

The ebon girl grinned slyly at her father — her dark pelt was something she loved about herself. She was much more different-looking than her siblings. She trailed after him as he led the way out of the tunnels, listening intently to his instructions.

She lifted her nose to the air, scenting it curiously. She could smell mostly her family, and water... there were some sort of birds nearby, but no rabbit. Huffing, Violante took the lead, scenting both the air and ground as she went, drifting northeast.

Still, she could not smell any rabbits. Growling, she whirled about, and it was then that she spotted a squirrel. The girl crept closer.

Vagabond watched as his smallest grew more and more frustrated. He knew she was leading them farther and farther from a rabbit but he felt it best that his children learn through firsthand experience. He couldn't stop the amused smile at her growl of frustration. As her eyes set upon a squirrel he waited patiently.

It hadn't seen her. Violante crept closer, sticking to the bushes so as to camouflage herself more effectively. The squirrel was eagerly eating some kind of nut, oblivious to the predator fast approaching. When she was in range, she leapt out at the squirrel. It took off, and she gave chase, little paws pounding the ground as she raced after her meal.

Vagabond kept a watchful eye on his youngest. He loved seeing her natural instincts at play. He wanted to praise her as she crept through the bushes until she was upon her prey. He settled with a proud smile. He easily kept pace with the chase that followed. "I've seen you run Vi, I know you've got this." He encouraged his daughter.

Violante was fast, and she buckled down, pushing herself harder and faster. The squirrel was fast and nimble, much more so than her, but as it tried to scatter up a giant sequoia, she grabbed it by the tail and brought it crashing back down. The thing squirmed and wriggled, scratching and biting at her until she dumped it on the ground and quickly broke its neck. Her chest and sides were heaving from the effort, but she looked up to her father, victory burning in her dark gaze that was so like her mother's.

Just like her mother, everything tucked down, she managed to make herself faster somehow. How he'd never now. He'd always had more stamina, but his mate Violante had the speed and agility that he'd never have, just like her miniature it seemed. He beamed brightly at his daughter. "You did it! How do you feel?"

How did she feel? Violante dropped her kill, panting heavily, and she said, "I... I like hunting. I like running, and chasing," she heaved a sigh, then grinned up at her father. "Can we go back, now? I want to show mom!"

It seemed all his pups were natural hunters. He smiled at his smallest. " Come on Mini Vi, let's go show your mom." His tail in a confident wave in the air, he led the way towards home. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're going to be faster than your mom one day."

Little Violante trotted happily after her father, kill secured in her jaws. She glowed beneath his praise, tail waving, and when they made it back to the dens, she made sure to show everyone.