Rowan fixed Mace with a quizzical, half-lidded stare through his speech. "What is a bandicoon?" he insisted, as though everything else his elder brother had said was lost on him - though of course, it wasn't. He was simply refusing to get his feathers ruffled over any teasing, as such a reaction came so easy to him at such a young age, so he chose to ignore his jibe - even though it was pretty funny to imagine that was what the old hare had been shrieking as Rowan's jaws began to close in. On a real prompt he dropped the game long enough to give an earnest look to his brother. "I 'unno," he said plainly, shrugging his shoulders for extra effect. "I was chasing him and I kept running faster and faster and then I jumped on him with my teeth an' then he was dead!"

At that moment the rustle of foliage stole his attention away from his feat, whipping his head to the sound to see Quil approaching from the sidelines. In an instant a wild grin had set in his black mask, dusty tail sweeping the air behind him. Their sister had an ambiance that always put him to shame, something wise and resilient that was etched into her very presence. Regardless of this, Rowan was apt to include her in their shenanigans despite what she might prefer. "You're welcome," he responded heartily to her tease, mostly just for the good manners of it, before jumping back in to it. "I betcha Quil has some pointers, huh?" He didn't know at all if she'd made a kill or even had any interest in the hunting habits of the rest of the pack, but Rowan figured the specifics didn't matter if he could rope her into their jest.

They were everywhere. Their trails criss-crossed the territory in no order or fashion and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep tabs on any one of them. Quil, he knew, had been one to wander along the furthest edge of the territory, and lately he'd been noticing that the boys were also frequenting the borders more often. Kade was constantly reminded that, despite the fact that his brood were only months old, each passing day was one closer to the princes' and princess' impending adolescence. As much as ever he wanted to set boundaries for them, to keep them safe and close, and although they were hardly independent, the task was quite challenging. Today, he resigned to complete his border patrol and head slowly back to the den where he would meet the sunset. Soon enough, the four heirs would find their way there, too, with hungry bellies and sleepy eyes. Of all the things he liked best, being with his family at the end of the day was most rewarding.

The leader's wide paws sunk into the damp soil as he cut his way through the undergrowth, and every now and again faraway sounds of creatures he'd never seen before echoed through the woods. By now, the strange sounds were merely a part of the home he and his sable coated mate had made for themselves, background noise to accent the mossy crevices and slopes and tree trunks that seemed unchanging. With winter well on the way, the Attaya had his concerns (as any amount of preparation never seemed to be enough once the snow fell), but Secret Falls had kept them all safe and fed through the summer months. As he approached the steep trail that led to the densite, he cast a quick and thoughtful glance over his shoulder.