Another sharp piece of leaf stuck in the dark prince's foot as he passed over it. Draven growled but didn't stop trotting happily along towards the den, his mouse still clamped securely in his teeth. He didn't have time to worry about his bites now! He had to get home and show everybody what a great hunter he was - a mouse on his first try! A mouse that had fought back! He was sure @Ari and @Kino hadn't done anything nearly as cool! They were gonna be so jealous!

He glanced back to make sure @Raela was still following him. He wanted her to be there, too, so she could tell everybody how awesome he had looked while he was hunting the mouse! He hadn't been able to watch himself, and anyway he couldn't really remember a whole lot about it now except getting bit and pouncing and biting the mouse. She was going to have to fill in all the other stuff he couldn't remember, so she had better be keeping up!

Finally he found himself prancing happily into the den, limping a little bit on his bitten foot - at least it wasn't bleeding anymore, although that was sort of too bad, because what was a war wound if it didn't bleed a little? Now it just looked like a regular old scabby spot... oh, well. They might still be able to tell that it was a new cut, so it was probably okay. Plus it hurt still, so he didn't want to mess with it just to make it look cooler. That was just dumb.

He didn't really wanna put his mouse down, but he couldn't really call for anybody until he did, either. He finally set it carefully on the ground in front of him, then pranced excitedly about and called out as loud as he could: “Momma! @Gent! Ari, Kino, @Kova! Everybody come see what I got!”

She was still a bit concerned over his injured foot. The prince had tried to convince her that it was nothing to worry about, but it at least needed cleaning now that they were home. She'd tell Minka once the matriarch arrived; it wasn't quite her place to grab his foot and start licking it. Each time he limped she winced a little inside. It was no fun to see puppies in pain, but he had gotten his first kill, and it seemed a fitting first battle-scar. The agouti woman met his excited glance with a smile and an encouraging nod. They were just about there. It had been a decent little hike to get back too. She was thoroughly impressed with his energy, but there was ample reason for it. No pup forgot their first kill, and he was quite young to have accomplished something of such note.

She trailed him faithfully right up to the Crest's magnificent rocky den; ceasing her advance just outside. Draven was still prancing with happiness, and she wasn't about to dampen it. She was proud too! She'd taught him how to hunt, and that was sure to garner the leader's appreciation. Being trained as a pup-sitter did have its perks sometimes. With glowing eyes the subordinate observed the juvenile excitement as it burst from the boy in leaps and bounds. His voice rose into the air a moment later, calling anyone who would listen. With a soft chuckle, Raela thought she would help him out a bit. The woman tossed her head back, exposing her ivory throat to the hills. Her song was excited, but spoke nothing of urgency. It was simply a cool thing that had happened that the pack ought to see. She hoped she wouldn't be disturbing anyone. The notes rushed down the mountain and over the trees in waves, ending low as her head sank back down. 

She passed a knowing, anxious grin down to Draven. That'd get them. 

Draven danced around in a circle next to his mouse as first Calanthe, then Gent, then Kino came out to see his first kill. First kill! That made it sound so much cooler than it already was! The little black pup stopped circling and wiggled happily instead, grinning up at Calanthe as he answered, “Yup! My first ever mouse! Raela showed me how to catch it,” he added, casting a glance over his shoulder at the agouti woman. “It tried to get away, too, but I pounced it and bit it before it could--”

Kino's grumbling broke in at that exact moment, stopping Draven's enthusiasm cold in its tracks. What's so special? He knew Kino was sick, but was he going blind or something? It was a mouse! A mouse Draven had killed all by himself! How could that not be special?

“Whaddaya mean what's so special about my mouse?” Draven demanded, turning on Kino as his dark fur started to spike up in anger. His tail swept up over his back as he raised himself up as big and tall as he could and growled menacingly... or at least made his very best attempt at it. “It's my first mouse, and I killed it all by myself, and I killed it before you or Ari got any of your own mice and you're just jealous because I got one first and I did it all on my own!”

The pup growled again, sore foot completely forgotten as he wiggled in place to get himself balanced, just in case Kino didn't apologize and Draven ended up having to fight him for it. This was a huge thing and he wasn't about to let Kino be a grump and ruin his day just because he was too busy being sick to get his own mouse!

One by one the others trickled in. Calanthe was the first to receive Rae's warm smile and a soft tail wag as she approached. She grinned at the prince; perfectly comfortable with him answering for himself. A small chuckle passed her lips as she saw him bubble with excitement. Then the boy's adoptive father appeared, garnering another grin and more wags. She was going to be smiling and wagging for a little while now; that much was clear. And it was so hard not to be happy as Gent praised the child. She felt her own pride in the young boy's accomplishment growing; nurtured by the presence of the others. She even puffed out her chest jokingly as he mentioned his teacher by name. What a good memory this would be for the pup. No criticism, no quiet, distant approval, just pride and verbal applause. His prancing had her bubbling with gentle laughter as Draven began recounting the epic tale. 

But it was not to last. Kino's voice caught her a bit off guard, quiet as it was. She knew the poor child had been sick, and he had every right to be a bit grumpy, but dumping on his brother's accomplishments wasn't something any of them would allow, or at least she hoped so. The awkward silence that followed lasted only a half-second. Sensing the dark child's impending reaction, she had already begun figuring out what to do as the oh-so-predictable defense came spitting from his mouth. While it was usually comical to see a child trying to act threatening; right now it was just a problem. She had to act before any of the others did. She swept to her paws and turned to face the boys in one smooth movement. Draven was posturing already so she lowered her head a bit and spoke to him first. 

“Easy Draven,” she started, her voice even and firm but far from angry. She wasn't angry yet; perhaps just a bit irritated with Kino's actions. Still, she could understand what was happening here; all too well in fact. “I'm sure Kino didn't mean it.” Her eyes shifted suddenly to the turquoise pools of the silver lad with a seriousness that called for his honest answer and attention. She thought that Draven would likely settle more easily than Kino, so she focused her attention on him before any more shouting could take place. “I'd be happy to take you out hunting too Kino when you're feeling better,” she allowed, lifting her head from its position near the youngest boy but keeping her gaze steady. “And we will all congratulate you like we are Draven. You would want him to be happy for you wouldn't you?” The agouti woman lifted her brows, a tinge of genuine curiosity in her voice. Kino was a good boy; that much she knew. Raela was almost sure he would understand.