Redtail Rise Chop your breakfast on a mirror

If @Ancelin still wanted it, he was welcome to the patch of dirt just inside the den’s door. Atreus was ready for bigger, better things now. Without any preamble whatsoever, he walked right out of the den this afternoon.

He made it perhaps five feet before pausing to assess his surroundings. He thrust his snout into the air and sniffed, then squinted at the wilderness sprawling away in every direction.

it was clear by now that atreus was the bolder of the two. ancelin rolled covetously upon his piss-patch of earth, though his puppy blues widened to see his brother simply exiting their home.
with a sound that was half-whimper, half-bark, he scrambled after atreus.
"yewcuhm BACK!" he whisper shouted, trying to put his father's authority into his own voice.

He turned at the sound of his brother’s belligerent cry, head tilting. He blinked owlishly but did not deign to reply. After a few beats, he faced for- and outward again, deliberating which way to go first.

Atreus resumed his tiny march in a straight line from the den’s mouth. He went another five feet before glancing over his shoulder, the look on his face asking, Well? Are you coming or not?

no. yes. shut up. many things crossed ancelin's face, but the last of these was resolution. if his shittybritched brother could walk out with no fear, surely he could. and he didn't even need to have poop on him.
a goodly part of the boy admired his brother for his filthiness. that's just how it was.
he crept out, tiny tail tucked, and raced to atreus' side.

After a momentary deliberation, Ancelin scrambled to join him. Atreus raised his tail approvingly, attempting to nip at the bridge of Ancelin’s muzzle when he came within reach. He bumped shoulders with his brother, a rare smile stretching his little lips.

Putting himself just in front of Ancelin so the brothers could move forward in lockstep, Atreus trundled another five, then ten, then fifteen feet. He scanned the wilds with all his senses as they proceeded, pausing abruptly when he heard a rustling off to their right.

He stepped between Ancelin and this potential threat, eyes narrowed and lips slowly peeling back to reveal rows of tiny, sharp teeth.

ancelin received an encouraging bit of affection from his brother. he had just stuck out his tongue to do the same back when an odd noise sounded near them. whirling, tongue still extended in a foolish mlem, ancelin stared wide-eyed at atreus.
his sibling was quite fearsome. the boy arranged his mouth properly. he bristled toward the shadows and barked lowly, a ragged hissing noise that wanted to be a growl at the same time.

Atreus sensed it when Ancelin puffed up beside him, though he didn’t look at his brother. He glared in the direction of the rustling, which not only continued but appeared to spread. Suddenly, the noise came from almost all directions, causing the boy to squint, every muscle frozen.

A raindrop hit him square between the eyes, though he still didn’t understand what was happening. He blinked rapidly as the rain went from a few noisy drops to an abrupt and loud deluge in the space between one breath and the next.

Another puppy might have turned and scrambled back toward the shelter of the den. But Atreus just stood there, soaked to the bone, letting the popup rainstorm quite literally wash over him.

the sound grew and grew and then the sky began to piss on them. ancelin snarled and retreated at once, but before he got back to the sanctity of the den he looked back for his brother.
atreus was only standing there. ancelin whined lowly and cocked his head. why wasn't he coming over? caught between unsurety and his growing bond with his sibling, ancelin crouched midway between him and the den, covering his head with broad paws.

With his penchant for soiling himself, Atreus likely needed the shower. He didn’t think about this consciously, of course. The young boy just savored all the new sensations, at least until he heard Ancelin whine from the direction of their humble abode.

He trundled over to where his brother hunkered, raising a foreleg and slinging it over Ancelin’s shoulder. With a playful growl, he yanked at his sibling’s ear. He then let go of him, jabbing his snout at his brother’s butt, giving him a little push toward the den as the rain continued to drench them.

for a second it felt like atreus was about to drag him into the rain. despite the pinch in his ear, ancelin resisted, whining. and then his sibling relented. the boy allowed himself to be chivvied toward the den and gratefully settled at the entrance.
as soon as atreus was close, however, he threw his arms around his brother and snapped playfully for any ear or part of muzzle he could reach. nothing meant they couldn't wrestle a bit.

Soon the roof shielded them from the onslaught. Atreus stood just on the lip of the den and shook, careless that he sprayed down the whole interior. He spun, a little wobbly, and was about to take a seat when Ancelin’s foreleg suddenly slung around his shoulders. His brother’s teeth were at his cheek, yanking free a few furs.

Atreus’s muzzle wrinkled as he struck out a paw to shove his litter mate away. But this was not the pique of yore. Despite the ferocious look on his face and the somewhat heavy-handed blow, Atreus only meant to put the “fight” in “play fight.”

ancelin skidded to his side with an oof. but there was no harm in it. atreus was just a hard-hitter, he had come to accept. it meant their wrestling matches were twice as challenging. 
ancelin barked loudly as he scrambled to his feet. he rushed atreus again, lowering his head like a bull calf at the last moment, trying to knock their skulls directly together.
he closed his eyes and grit his teeth, expecting impact.

Atreus’s smiles were rare, his laughter rarer still. But he favored Ancelin with both as his brother went skidding toward the opposite wall, looking rather ridiculous.

The expressions quickly faded when his litter mate let out a shrill bark, then launched a counterattack. Atreus braced himself for impact, though he swung his head out of the way so that Ancelin’s head drove straight into his chest.

It knocked him back on his haunches. Atreus’s mouth opened and closed as he struggled for breath. It was such a horrible sensation, he knew he would never make that mistake again.

Worse than the physical ache of it, he hated how vulnerable he felt. Atreus snarled, lest Ancelin try to take advantage of his momentary weakness.

ancelin gasped a bit, halfway in amusement, halfway in surprise. and a good deal in pain. his brother snarled and he flinched away, though he hadn't had a single intention of attacking again.
ancelin rubbed his head and blinked rapidly.
"ow," he growled lowly, small paw touching the lump that had begun to form. "hurted."

The snarl came out sounding weak, on account of his inability to breathe properly. He gave Ancelin a surly leer instead, though it seemed his brother was in a bad way too.

Good, the brown Bearn grunted, finally recovering and giving Ancelin a brief twitch of his lips.

No longer keen on fighting, playing or any combination thereof, he bumped his litter mate and then withdrew further into the den. Atreus slumped to the floor, savoring every deep breath of petrichor he took until he lulled himself to sleep.

ass, he would have sputtered had he known the word. as it was, ancelin only glowered a little longer at his reclining brother.
and then he too yawned, and came inside, slumping against atreus and fighting sleep as long as he was able, which was not long at all.