Of Waiting and Visits (Mortil)

[Akree]

As was common in Arnlan, snow covered the land, the branches of the trees, the tops of the rocks. Basically everything was covered in a thin cover of the soft white snow. The sun hung high in the sky, indicating midday, so the cold snow was bearable and not to bothersome like it would be in early morning or late day.

Khenti shuffled outside of the den, sniffing at the air and quite pleased with the weather. He was waiting for a visit from uncle Mortil, he had been waiting since morning, heck he had been waiting since he said he would come. Eager to see his uncle he bounded into the snow, taking a glance back to the den and then looking at the trees.

He had been so excited for this day to come the pup hadn't been able to sleep well and ended up bounding away his energy in the morning. He skited to a halt in front of a rock, which was his favorite thinking place and scrambled rather lazily to the top, sitting on his rump and looking up at the branches of the trees.

As he looked up he thought of his mother and his uncle and his sibling and their training. He was eager to get to training it helped him release his energies, even though his legs felt like they were going to fall off when he finished a course, but he liked it. Better yet he liked it when he was challenged and the praise his mother would give him afterward.

He liked that.

-"Oh come on" grumbled the pup impatiently.

Mortil had warned him he would come late during the midday, but Khenti was just to excited. His fur was sticking up on end like he had been shocked by thunder, all frizzy and annoying like. Annoyed with his fur he tried to groom it, digging his paws to his stomach and licking the fur on his back. When he believed it looked less pooffy he decided to stare at the horizon, utterly filled with boredom. His ears pricked and he took deep breaths just in case someone might try to sneak up on him.

He gazed at the distance getting more and more impatient by the second.

[Electus]

Take my love, take my land...

Mortil padded quietly towards Nightblood's den, yawning slightly. He shook the sleep from his step, calming his twitchy muscles and stilling the shake in his walk. He smiled. No doubt Khenti was already waiting, as he usually was.

Take me where I cannot stand.

The ash-grey wolf was quite impressed with the young wolf's performance. He had exceeded expectations in all areas that Mortil trained him in, from fighting to battle tactics. The pup had a quick mind and a quick wit...perfect to lead.

I don't care, I'm still free, you can't take the sky from me.

The warrior made no effort to hide as he came into view of his foster sister's den.

"Khenti." he said quietly, smiling. "Eager again, I see. How many do I have to tell you not to waste your energy?" he admonished, but the bite in his usual reprimands was not present.

"I've something different to teach you today."

Those who lead best do not wish to lead at all...

[Akree]

Khenti's gaze bore into the horizon, the pup was so concentrated to catch anything that might move that all he could actually see was nothing but blurry shapes. He blinked trying to make a better sense of what he was seeing, without much success. With a frown he shifted his gaze towards the snow, concentrating on its soft edges and liquid scene.

Just than he caught a flash of ash gray fur at the corner of his eyes and the young pup quickly turned his head towards whoever it was (probably Mortil) who was walking towards his mother's den.

-"Khenti." he said quietly, smiling. "Eager again, I see. How many do I have to tell you not to waste your energy?"

Khenti beamed instantly. He wagged his ail and heaved himself to his paws, already all but bouncing up and down in excitement.

-"Uncle Mortil!" the young pup exclaimed as the older male approached "I know, I know." he said slightly annoyed "But I can't help it!"

-"I've something different to teach you today."

-"Really?" asked Khenti a little absentmindedly as he climbed off the rock and scrambled in front of Mortil, pausing barely a foot away from the male. "and what would that be about?"

[Electus]

((Sorry, my muse was dead for about a month x.x))

"Really?" asked Khenti a little absentmindedly as he climbed off the rock and scrambled in front of Mortil, pausing barely a foot away from the male. "and what would that be about?"

Mortil shrugged. "I'm not telling...yet."
The ash-gray wolf looked impishly at Khenti. "Let's see if you can get it out of me."

He skirted backwards, landing nimbly on the tips of his paws. "Come on, then! Show me what you've got!"

Brain wave, main wave

Mortil powered his legs into a lunge, snapping his jaws at the pup. He didn't put enough power behind to really be dangerous, and he was sure Khenti would dodge it anyways. The little devil was always quick on his feet.

Show me your best set

[Akree]

"I'm not telling...yet."

Khenti shifted his footing to get a better look at his uncle, his eyes narrowed playfully and his tail flicked behind him. What would he do now? Out of impulse the pup took a catious step back and tensed his muscles testilly, by the way Mortil was saying Khenti knew better than to stand idle while Mortil probably prepeared to strike. He flashed his ivory fangs at his uncle in a grin.

"Mhm?" he mumbbled, raising an eybrow in inquiry. What did his uncle had in mind?

"Let's see if you can get it out of me."

The tensing of his muscles was all Khenti needed. Without another word the pup tensed, his fur bristling, his eyes kept at Mortil, but never directly fixing on a certain spot. It was crucial that you never fixed your eyes on the enemy, you had to have clear view of your surroundings as well, if not that simple mistake might be your undoing. He smiled in aticipation, waiting for Mortil's next move.

"Come on, then! Show me what you've got!"

With that the ash pelted wolf skirted backwards, paws landing lightly on the snow. Khenti wouldn't attempt this for many reasons, over all, his paws were to short for the move to have significance of any kind. He wouldn't be able to land "lightly" like Mortilas had done, so he simply stayed where he was, muscles tense, fur bristling.

Mortil's mucles tensed and he lounged. Khenti, like always, was quick to react, he took a leap, planning to land on the male's back. Of course staying there would be a mistake, the male was far more heavier that Khenti and the pup knew enough than to cling on when that would do more harm that good. So when the male was within Khenti's reach the pup took a wide leap, paws barely missing the hairs on his tail. He landed with a light thump on the male's back, and quickly jumped away in the same move, landing on the snow. He quickly turned around, awaiting his opponents next move.

[Akree]

bump for AS

[Electus]

Mortil spun as he felt Khenti leap lightly off his back. The older wolf grinned. "Aha! Clever. Much better than most of your siblings. They seem to want to claw on and never let go."

He circled slowly, eying Khenti owlishly. "You've got a talent for most things you attempt, Khenti. But you should be careful that it doesn't make you arrogant. Such is the way of wolves who find that they have been gifted with a bit more than others. They grow aloof, overconfident. Rather we should be humble, and we should not lord our abilities over others. It makes others jealous, angry, and perhaps a bit put off."

He blinked twice. "A war leader of Arnlan must be quick, silent, daring, deadly."[/b]

He continued to circle, a half-smile on his face. "It is very important to be silent. A warrior of Arnlan must strike hard, fast, and fade away into shadow. Never forget this."

Mortil shrugged. "What are your ambitions, Khenti?"

[Akree]

His balance failed him as the young pup swiveled his head to take a better look of his uncle, his large paws making it so Khenti stumbled. He quickly shook his pelt and straightened his pose in something like chagrin. Not the wisest move and he mentally scolded himself, but otherwise the pup just waited patiently. Tail wagging lightly, blue eyes flashing with joy and expectancy and a small eager smile stretching his thin black lips.

"Aha! Clever. Much better than most of your siblings. They seem to want to claw on and never let go."

Khenti grinned back, almost stumbling again for not watching were he put his paws. Impatiently, he glared at the ground than turned back to his uncle, shaking some of the powdery snow from his paws in a useless attempt not to stumble for the thousandth time. "Thank you, Uncle Mortil." he said, trying to be modest, but failing so as he flashed his canines in a grin. Something that seemed uncommon for the young pup was to get praise away from anyone -the only ones that took the care and time was his daddy (Army), mommy (NightBlood) and his uncle. The later one seemed to be more reserved on this fact, of course, Khenti tried to be perceived as unaffected by any of this.

"You've got a talent for most things you attempt, Khenti. But you should be careful that it doesn't make you arrogant. Such is the way of wolves who find that they have been gifted with a bit more than others. They grow aloof, overconfident. Rather we should be humble, and we should not lord our abilities over others. It makes others jealous, angry, and perhaps a bit put off." said Mortil. Khenti eyed the older wolf with something between wonder and confusion, eyes wide and innocent. To Khenti, this was one of those zen life lessons the older wolves seemed to be giving, not paying much attention other than keeping it in mind for when he might understand it better or put it to some kind of use. Aware that his uncle possessed a bird's view of him, he shifted his paws. Never sure if to speak or if to keep silent. "A war leader of Arnlan must be quick, silent, daring, deadly." The young pup just stared in wonder.

"It is very important to be silent. A warrior of Arnlan must strike hard, fast, and fade away into shadow. Never forget this." He blinked twice and grinned mischievously. "Hard, fast and fade." he hissed, fur bristling in excitement. Like mommy and uncle.

"What are your ambitions, Khenti?"

"Ambitions..." he repeated slowly, thoughtfully. His brows noted together in thought, his gaze shifted to the snow under his paws. But that was a question to what Khenti had no answer. The only thing the pup was interested at the moment was his training and whatever NightBlood or Mortil might ask for him. As for the distant future, only time would tell. "Only time can tell..." he said thoughtfully, wondering where he had heard such a phrase before.

Yet, it is what you make of that time that counts...