Sawtooth Spire This city's gonna break my heart.

"Mom!" Ciri bellowed for support, rugged fur spiking along the length of her raven dorsal as she stood her ground. Her stare bore sharply into the face of an offender who dared venture too close to the family's rendezvous, who dared even look in her direction, "Moooooooooom!"

An unhappy little rumble then, and she braved a step forward to better size up the beast before her.

The bellowing of her tiny Tasmaniam devil just beyond the den was enough to draw Nyx from the lull of a much-needed nap, and her raven-tipped lobes sprung forward. The tawny Ostrega scrambled to her paws, fuelled by desperation to attend to her baby's needs, and charged from her hollow with fur bristled and tail arched.

She blinked against a fierce light of the morning sun, lips curled to reveal fangs that were ready to sink into flesh of whatever dared get too close to her brood. The assumed danger, however, was not what the lioness expected. Nearby, a squirrel sat on its hind legs and observed the wolf pup, unphased by her display.

"Ciri," the mother exhaled, frustrated, "seriously!?"

Her mother appeared at her rear, rushed and prepared to attack just as she anticipated, but the anger withered in her maw just as soon as it began to rumble behind bared fangs. Ciri blinked at her, confused. How could she not be as outraged at the audacity of this tiny silver beast who dared to creep around their rendezvous? 

The lioness' frustration shifted from the very demon it ought to be directed toward, and turned on Ciri. The girl huffed a breath, riled by her dam's lack of support. "It's lookin at me," she complained, tail lashing at her rump as narrowed eyes sought to pierce her enemy again with a pointed stare. "I tol' it to buzz off and it's still here!"

Oh, Cirilla. Bold, fierce, beautiful Ciri. Nyx' yellow eyes softened on her bristling baby, unable to maintain frustration at her shenanigans, all she could really think of in that moment was how something so perfect could ever have come from her.

Her frown melted into the amused curve of her thin smirk as her daughter shifted a pointed stare back to the bushy-tailed trespasser, and hummed in contemplation. "Well," the lioness started, pricking a raven-tipped ear in curiosity as she took charge of this teaching opportunity, "what do you suppose we do about this?"

Nyx did not move to intercept, and the lack of her mother's support in this life-or-death situation only riled her further. Baring teeth, the earthy cub emitted a comical little rumble that absolutely did not sound like the deep and guttural growl she intended.

The squirrel, having taken a moment to preen the peppered hairs throughout its brush-like tail, paused to blink up at the angry wolf pup with disinterest. Having observed these children from a distance for the entirety of the Summer months, it felt comfortable enough at such a proximity. 

"I dunno," the firecracker scoffed, turning her head to look upon the lioness' amused expression with a furrowed brow. "You make it go away!"

Ciri continued to bristle, clearly unhappy beneath the rodent's gaze and even more so that her mother refused to partake in removing it from their rendezvous. The lioness watched with quiet amusement, shifting to lower herself onto the ground. "You're the one he's bothering," Nyx told her daughter as she gave a roll of her peppered shoulder in a disinterested shrug, "so you make him go away."

As much as she wanted to baby her children, she knew it could not always be so. It was important for them to grow into strong and independent young wolves, and Nyx knew that she would be the one to teach them how.

Still the lioness did not sweep forward, instead opting to lay down on the ground behind her. Ciri, affronted at this blatant lack of support, swung her head to glare at her mother over her dark shoulder. In the absence of words, her piercing stare spoke volumes.

With a dramatic sight, the little Ostrega turned once more to the tiny trespasser. Anger simmered in her chest and her lips twitched, threatening to reveal pearly fangs, but she lacked in confidence to give chase. 

"Go on," came her gentle encouragement as Nyx observed her little blackbird's reluctance to close the distance between her and the squirrel that so offended her. "Do what I do."

Ciri and Elke had seen her run off scavengers and predators before, several times - some easier than others.

Her mother's words were regarded with a mere twitch of a sable lobe, though there was delay in heeding them. The girl hesitated, worried that this fluffy little rodent may turn on her with an unexpected ferocity. She thought back to a more recent predator - a hawk - that lingered too close to their lion den, and remembered with envy how easily her dam had forced it away.

She breathed in deep, parted her jaws, and peeled lips back to display her fangs. From her throat spilled a growl, unpracticed, but it drew the squirrel's attention toward her. Hoisting her tail upward to curl over her haunches, Ciri lunged forward in a mock attack with a mighty bellow of "fuck off!"

She settled to watch, yellow eyes lingering primarily on her little daughter's risen hackles. Ciri's reluctance was clear as day not only to her but to the squirrel, who seemed to tire of the pup's glowering and set about rummaging in the dirt with tiny claws.

It was made alert to the youngster again, however, as she rumbled her frustration toward it. Black, beady eyes quickly sought Ciri as she displayed her discontent with him being on her turf, and he was off in an instant as she swept forward with a cry of obscenity.

There was not much Nyx could do but tilt her head back with a bark of surprised laughter.

The squirrel bolted, sent sprinting off in the opposite direction. Cirilla, confidence bolstered by this obvious success, bounded forward and after it with a series of excitable sounds. It was quicker than her, naturally, and disappeared up into the willing branches of a nearby evergreen.

It perched, watchful of the little wolf who circled the tree below. Ciri's tail wagged triumphantly and she disregarded the offender with a snort as she turned to look for her mother's approval. She loped through the sodden grasses toward her, a beaming smile on her face.

The girl continued forward, hot on the trail of her tiny enemy but never close enough to reach for him. It was a good start, Nyx supposed: soon her daughters would need to learn how to hunt for themselves, so she thought this to have been a good experience for Ciri.

"Good job," the tawny Ostrega announced, full of praise for her little girl as she veered her way. She welcomed her closer with warmth, reached out to mouth affectionately at the cub's cheek; her little swear word, having been highly amusing, went unpunished. "I don't think he'll be back to bother you again soon."

Giggling all the way, the young Ostrega flagged her dark tail in triumph. She hit the breaks and skidded through the wet grass, claws ripping it from roots, and she went crashing into her reclining dam. "Oof!" Ciri exclaimed, though was swift to erupt into laughter again.

She sagged against her mother, scooted closer until she was able to press herself snug beneath her chin. Soon, the girls would outgrow this easy affection, but Ciri was blissfully unaware and pushed her nose between the dense fur of Nyx' throat; "love you, Mama."

Ciri frolicked to her, a newfound confidence in her stride, and Nyx' tail flopped happily across the ground at her rear. On her face her expression beamed with pride, and she growled affectionately as her daughter collided with her.

A forelimb draped over Ciri's raven shoulders, the agouti Ostrega set about nipping playfully at her downy ears. "I love you more," she crooned in return, and encouraged the youngster to settle into a much-needed grooming session.