Mortal Life

The little green pup stared at himself in the water, the little nubs for horns clear on his head as he looked down at himself, turning his head one way, and then the next, inspecting himself, and them, frowning a little at them. He wasn't quite sure what to think about them if he was honest. Neither of his parents were alphas, and as far as his parents had told him, he was the first the family to get any. 

The both of them were so proud, and was told of how great, how big, how strong he would be. But as far he was concerned all they were a source of his headache. As they grew they made his head he dully now and again. And if they were going to grow big, like he had seen on other alphas, he wasn't sure what he would do, or the best way to sleep. Would he still be able to lay down in the grass and look to the heavens. Stare at the moon and the stars that so protected it? What if they turned out small? Or ugly? So ugly that no one would want him? What if he ended up a disappointment after all the hopes his parents put on him? He knew they loved him, and would say they were proud of him anyways. But what if? 

He would have been satisfied to be nothing but a common, normal toskal like his parents. They would teach him all he needed to survive as he got older and prepared for his Rite. That had not been a worry to him… not as much as his horns….

“Dear One. Come inside would you? It's time to to wash and eat, and Da wants you watch how he prepares the fish.” his mother called, making him start a little and look back at the green female that was his smother, smiling towards him with those living, sparkling eyes. 

He sat up a little and puffed himself up some before running over to her and climbing up her legs to her chest, snuggling his face into her soft, warm fur. Finding the familiar comfort in the snuggles as young pups often did, giving a small squeak towards her before raising his wide eyes to her. “I love you Ma.” he told her, his voice still squeaky and young, his mother smiling down at him with all the love and affection in the world, hugging him to her tight and rocking him just slightly. “And I love you my light.” she told him quietly, pressing her forehead to his. In those arms he felt more safe than anyone could ever feel. As though no one in the world could touch him, and he was no danger within them. 

After a few silent moments of mother and pup sharing a moment, the young pup finally bound out of her arms to go see his father and how to tend the fish that would be their meal for the day.