To know when to run is to know when to fight,

There was guardians, deer and wolves watching but they held their own responsibility. Her dame returning on occasion for food and the warmth they so cried and desired for and yet — could never seem to get enough. A distance growing with but a neutral smile upon, like her mother was a distant relative on a visitation, then acting as a parent so. Any children at this point would know and she.. Faust wasn't sure what to make of it, as there was comfort within the bodies of her siblings and the warmth that came from the other guardians.

But.. Freedom as the door. Faust tugged herself out of the pile of @Weirs, @Seaver and @Selwyn and made her way to the front of the den. The forest was blazed in beauty, grass in the midst and the smell filling her weak nose as inch by inch was she making her way out of the entrance and into the forest itself. Everything was a skyscraper — and with a weak and wobbly head, did the young frosted Deorwine gaze in an awe. 

Everything was big.

the staff team luvs u

 Seaver was a puppy of appetites, never to be filled. Dancing on the edge of deprivation, he was acutely keen to shriveling warmth of the den as his sister moved to leave it. 

 Cold now, he followed her, nudging as he came and stood to take in his first view of the world. 

 “e'splore!” He cried, bounding as well as he could on stub legs, tumbling out of the den.

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

The prince's mind had evolved at the same tempo his torso did, now not solely relying on the counselling of the adults here in Elkshire; he had his own thoughts and opinions now. And one that lingered, heartbreakingly at present, was an unfair choice his mother had made.

The new children had not the bargaining tools he did to ensure they were blessed with her conditional love. He recalled her presence much more than her absence, and he couldn't help but acknowledge his infant brothers and sister faced the reverse.

He was more than happy to be heavily involved in their lives, doting on them with shared custody with Teo and Hawking. And come evenings or boredom, would the queen reinstate her role again. 

Warwick was within ear and eyeshot of the monarchs' suite, and one by one did the inquisitive pups file out of it. He smiled, knowing that familiarity, the prickle of curiosity. He was close enough to limit their boundaries, but for now, he watched and allowed them to take it all in, and not don the hat of a party pooper.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

Quick to notice that his siblings were drawn to something, and absolutely unwilling to be left out of anything of the sort, Weirs followed suit. He trailed after Seaver at first, just a few steps behind while he had needed a beat to get his feet beneath him. Once at the threshold of the den, he paused briefly next to Faust, sniffing viciously and squinting. Nothing tangible blocked their way, so the next inevitable step was... out. The momentum was already in place so with the next breath, just like that, Weirs was outside.

With great trees and open skies above, the realization of how big out here was hit him fast. His first steps into the light were awkward, him trying to shrink away from it all at first with a ridge of prickly baby furs suggesting his initial nervousness, but as his lungs filled with fresh air and his brother led the charge into this beyond, Weirs' confidence settled in slowly. He could soon pick up his pace into a proper puppy-trot. “S'plorrrr,” he echoed cheerily up to the winds, then snipped at a few blades of grass that passed by his untested paws--the sensation of the plant tips on his tongue new, weird, and exciting.

the staff team luvs u

"spore?" Her little adventure was not without notice of her two other siblings. They both voiced out on such an adventure and she couldn't help but echo within her own tongue-twisters as well. She looked back to their following, a nervousness following once and an energy to the other that soon found itself to the group. She too smiled brightly, the slightest chirping of a newborn of their newfound efforts of moving out of the den, "s'plore!"

Bumbling as she went, her paws treading across the newfound terrain that was not the familiar heat of the den inside. The sunlight, shone upon them and she looked up in an awe' to the sunlight beaming through the trees. There was the sound of birds within the distance, and though they slowly could hear it ; it felt different hearing it on the outside. She found herself ontop of a leaf, and was patting it curiously.

the staff team luvs u

 Seaver strode right up to his near-yearling brother, bored of the siblings he'd been stuck with since birth. This one was new and exciting. And big. 

 But the pollen-dusted spring air was too much for his tiny nostrils and he sneezed atop Warwick's foot. He reached and tried to bap anything of his brother's he could reach instead of apologizing or excusing himself. “Pwaaaaaaayyy.”

 How could you activate your brother for fun?

the staff team luvs u

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]

He snorted, clearly entertained by their bravados, all chiming and parroting one another with encouragement to continue their exploring, even though it was, at this stage, not even a meter past the threshold of their nursery.

It was funny to think that still less than a year ago, he was in their shoes, so innocent and naive about what truly was out there beyond the comfort of their current boundaries. He still needed to scout further than he actually had, but so many paramount things impeded this. Them being the cherry on top of said list. 

A young brother soon clocked the duke, pattering over and exuberating confidence that was a shadow of his own at their tender age. He smiled at the blissful innocence that stared up at him and the moment was broken when a sharp sneeze spattered over his foot. Lovely.

He wasn't so precious, and he used that very same snot-infested paw to wipe it back onto its owner, but gently pushed them over in the process trying to test how playful they actually were or would they cry at the first experience of loss.

[narrow width=300]

---

[/narrow]
the staff team luvs u

Though only early tastes of freedoms, it felt like a grand step for them and out here--beyond--where there was much to see, hear, and engage with from all angles. Gentle breezes shifted his furs, shade dappled through the treetops, his nose was constantly sniffing in overtime no matter if he had it up or down. Even more so, past that was all measure of things he had never had the cognizance to ponder before. The world was big, and he was small.

Weirs seemed content to observe, for now, opting for a more peaceable route snuffling around in the grasses still. But over the blades his eyes were sharp on his siblings, sure to keep them in range--just to be sure no one got into anything too interesting that he could risk missing out on. Faust was possibly prodding along much like himself, which he needed to stay aware of said some baseline sibling instinct.

He felt his interest pull officially towards his brothers, following after his littermate who engaged the older for a play attempt. Most of all, that was what perked Weirs' ears up but he remained watching from several lengths away. For now.

the staff team luvs u

As her brothers felt drawn toward the oldest of all the young Deorwines, she, had other plans. Mostly as the leaf drew her close, the gust of wind decided to bring it elsewhere, and she barked lightly as if to say 'return to me.' She looked back to see Warwick paw her brother, what may seem as a form of affection as she didn't notice the sneeze. A jealousy ensued, a desperate need of attention that they were lacking by family and especially parental need.. But Faust was stubborn.

And she marched onwards to follow the flying leaf, away from them.

Her baby blues bobbled around to find where it was.. The wind blew it somewhere near a long patch of grass.

the staff team luvs u