Epilogue : Are You Not Tired? - Part I
"Open wide, Kal," Deimos pleads whilst attempting to feed the resolute pup who refuses to eat with uncompromising stubbornness.
He merely turns his head away as soon as the spoon nears his mouth as though he perceives what is offered to him as distasteful. "He does this only with you for he knows I am not as patient." I chuckle whilst tearing up some tender elk meat to plant it in my mouth stuffing my starved belly. Now that Kal can walk and race at an immense speed, he has begun to engulf my energy often leaving me drained and sleep-deprived. It has become more challenging to handle him.
"He needs to eat or he would procure no strength for his training," Deimos murmurs taking a fleet mouthful of his food only to shift and try to feed his male. He plays a significant role in Kal's maturity, he feeds him, bathes him and trains him. He does things most males in our world do not, he shatters traditions. In return, he possesses a sincere bond with his male, one quite electrifying and intense than mine.
"I am afraid of this training you speak about. Would he bleed?" I doubt, worry overwhelming me to the potentiality of it whilst Deimos ultimately surrenders the spoon to Kal who constantly demands it.
"He may. But I shall make sure he wouldn't."
"Will he learn to spar?" I probe once more inquiring about the training; despite the numerous questions I keep on charging him with Deimos not once advised me to stop for he understands. He said his mother was the same way with his father and this is a general concern for females with blooming pups.
Kal turned three a few months ago and despite Deimos being quite comfortable about it, I felt terrified for this meant he shall be thrust into extreme coaching. I understand the purpose of it, he is the succeeding heir and must be superior in all ways as opposed to wolves his age. But my male is merely three and his age and innocence manifest into a barrier for me.
"Yes, he will commence learning to spar. But most of all he shall comprehend what it primarily means to be an Alpha. However, he shall find it to be a mere game. I will see to it he enjoys sparring and not sees it as something dull and tedious." Deimos mutters his globes narrowing as he scrutinizes Kal's antics for he finally begins to consume his now cold and stiff meal. Understanding slips in between us, he merely wished to eat on his own instead of being assisted. He is developing quite well already as a need to be independent unfolds within him.
"And how shall you teach him this? Would he fight other pups his age? Or would he-"
"Do not worry so much, my female. I shall make sure to shield him and not coerce him into doing anything he cannot handle. He is a strong male, he will persevere." Deimos voices his truth striving to pacify my stress but it does not work. I do not wish to cause Kal any sort of pain even a scrape upon his knee. I know I am being unreasonable for our male shall have greater battles to overcome but I do not want him to grow up too soon.
Deimos leisurely chews his meal preparing to rise and get ready for the day, often glimpsing at the little one monitoring to see if he had finished his food.
"I shall come to watch." I nod with a firmness of mind peering up at my male who offers me a faint teasing smile.
"Did you not say you were hesitant to even see him stumble and fall?" He asks his eyes glimmering with amusement. He is delighted that I have decided to go for he had assured me that me being present shall encourage and empower our pup.
The chair screeches against the wooden floor as he propels it back to stand, collecting our plates he transfers them to the open kitchen whilst I pick up Kal from the high pup chair and relocate him to his play area by the sofa. There is a naturalness to our movements for this has arisen to become our everyday ritual.
"Yes, I did. But I must be there for this way I can scold you if you are being too harsh with him." I tease whilst grinning at the little one tickling his full bloated belly as he titters with laughter, his legs and hands flailing. He adores being tickled.
"Mama." He beckons me with cheerfulness shifting to spring from the floor so he can anchor his miniature palm upon my right cheek.
"Yes, Kal?" I hum to him as I seize his palm giving his flesh a nip accompanied with an affectionate kiss.
"Go out." He states steering his tiny finger to aim at the door. He is aware it is the only obstacle that lies between him and the outside. Kal favours being one with nature than being indoors, he fancies doing his daily activities there like dining or taking a bath. Cleansing himself in the river he finds it to be more comforting and entertaining than the bathtub.
I remember the first time he sought to climb a high chair covertly to wrench open the front door knowing it shall aid him with his plan to escape these four walls, truly a smart pup. I nearly collapsed with the heart attack he awarded to me with his antics, a high chair is very risky for him. It could have ended up being fatal if he slipped and fell.
But Deimos was speedy in seizing his male and securing him to the ground. Kal was punished, of course. The chair was flung out and he was not permitted to play with his peers for a whole week which positively broke his heart and ours as well regarding his dejection. But he learnt his lesson and never tried to do anything secretly again.
Leaning forth I cup his left ear within my palms to whisper as though I was spilling a secret. "Why don't you go ask papa, he might let you."
Kal is swift to offer me an exciting nod and race towards his father who is calmly scrubbing the vessels, his back turned towards us. He stands on his tiptoes to tug on the hem of Deimos's shirt striving to gather his attention.
"Wait, give me a moment little one." He discourses arranging the dripping plates upon the dish tray to dry off.
"Papa! Papa!" He barks vivid greens gawking up at his father with surging enthusiasm. He wants to be let out to play with the other pups.
"What is it?" Deimos queries gazing down at him whilst wiping his drenched hands with a piece of sterile fabric.
"I go play." He leaps on the pads of his feet pointing once more towards the door, doe orbs shimmering up at his father with hope that he will be allowed. He recognises his male's eyes are lethal, one cannot do anything but succumb to it and give in to his desires.
"No play, Kal. Today we train." Deimos deliberately avoids the beckoning eyes of his male endeavouring to be tough and deliver his truth.
"T-Tain?" He asks with a small tilt of his head confusion jabbing at him, Kal struggles to articulate his r's well. He is still studying; we practice with him new words every day which he tends to grasp promptly. Our pup is a quick learner, there is nothing he cannot do despite our eagerness to discover his weakness so we could work on it together but it seems as though he possesses none.
"Yes. Go put your shoes on." He instructs and our male is keen to pay heed to his words sprinting towards the shoe shelf taking a pair and putting them on. "We shall return soon; it will not take long." He utters towards me whilst offering his hand for me to take.
"Will it be just us?"
"Yes, it will be just the three of us. Kal will not train with the rest until he proves his skills to me. It will be a little troublesome for him but I know he can do it." Deimos declares as he tugs open the door to free the wild little beast eager to breathe in nature's scent.
He leaps forward as fast as his two minute limbs take him skipping over stones playing a game on his own. Kal doesn't go far staying in close range to us, Deimos has trained him in a way that he does not cross boundaries and head towards the unsafe zones. Pups are quite curious creatures and the sight of birds or the scent of other animals with teeth invite them pulling them unknowingly from the pack lands where they are either eaten or killed.
Many packs suffer the loss of their pups this way, we did not wish to reap this risk so when he turned two Deimos revealed to him why he mustn't leave the borders. It was a hard lesson where Kal had to witness the death of a baby bird devoured by a snake. He had nightmares for a few nights laying amid his father and me weeping softly for a few hours. But it was worth it for it was another lesson learnt.
Deimos guides us into one of our empty warehouses, we never used it for storage due to its open roof and during summers the food we tried to preserve here spoiled to the heavy rays. My eyes find several pieces of equipment installed in order. Mats, boxing gloves, arrows and targets. Everything one would need to train and exercise. Deimos has planned this place very well; he has been doing so for over a year. Kal shall have everything he needs.
Moreover, he refurbished the place making it more protected. There is a roof over our heads and manifold windows above that enables plenty of light to flow through. Along with the equipment lies a table of packeted snacks for the little one and a tub of filtered water. There are even chairs for those who wish to sit and view the training. I smile tenderly as I find a wooden chair with 'Mama' carved on it, it is the closest one to the centre of the room where the two males shall spar. I had my seat; Deimos is the most beloved with his thoughtfulness. No wonder he requested for me to come to watch.
"Kal."
"Yes, papa?" The little one who is fumbling with all the distinct items halts to turn around and engage in his father's call.
"Come stand on this mat in front of me." He says the playfulness departing replaced by calmness as he regards his male. He is not a father now; he is a mentor.
The little one toddles to his father and stands in front of him peeping up at him from beneath his lashes. "What awe we doing, papa?"
"We are going to play a game. It is a game called 'copycat'." Deimos utters whilst stretching his limbs and hopping on the pads of his feet warming up his flesh.
"How I play?"
"All you need to do is follow my movements, Kal. Just imitate me. If you do so adequately I shall reward you with a treat, if you do not do it thoroughly no gelato tonight." Deimos mutters initiating the training with a hint of a delicious promise whilst bending low and getting into a war stance.
"I can do it, papa." Kal's eyes gleam with determination, the promise of a treat fueling his vigour.
"Good. Now, feet apart the right placed ahead of the left. Bring your hands in front of your face, like this." Deimos shows him and waits patiently for the little one to heed. It does take time for Kal to imprint his father's position and mimic him but eventually, he ends up copying it well.
"Mama. See. See." He grins wildly exaggeratedly puffing his chest showing me his pride in his accomplishment.
"I am watching, my male." I chuckle with a shake of my head. He requires me to watch him do everything, like dancing, catching a butterfly or brushing his teeth on his own.
"Now try to hit me."
"Hit papa?" He asks worriedly as Deimos clutches his petite fists and settles them against his belly.
"Yes hit me here as strong as you can."
"I-I don't want to. Is wong. Papa pain." He murmurs feebly taking a firm step backwards with a shake of his head. He finds it to be sinful, his idea of ethics amuses me but it is also undeniably cute to witness.
"No, I won't get injured, little one. We are merely playing a game." Deimos urges Kal to follow along whilst placing his large palms upon his knees bending low meeting eye to eye with the pup yet he does not budge an inch staying strong to his words.
"No." He is stubborn as always. Like father, like son. Deimos sighs whilst he rises to reach my eyes offering me a sharp wink bestowing to me his cunning plan to stimulate the pup to abide.
"Lumina, we still possess Kal's favourite chocolate ice cream in the freezer yes? Since he is being defiant we shall give his treat to Ragon instead."
Our male's orbs widen to his father's statement as he sways his head in denial of the truth that settles in. "No, Uncle Agon always eat my ice ceam. It is mine!" He whines pulling on the rim of Deimos's shirt vigorously depicting his rage. It is true, Ragon does purposely steal his treats from our fridge while Kal is watching just to tease him and then he would dart around the field with an irritated three-year-old hot on his heels.
"Then you do as I say, do you understand?" Kal nods staying in position eyes peering down at his feet. "I need words."
"Yes, papa." He grumbles lowering his head covering how upset he is to assault his father whom he adores a lot.
"Now hit me, right here. Or I shall permit Ragon to steal your cone." Deimos threatens playfully positioning himself into another posture adapting to take his hit.
Kal raises his fist punching his father in the spot directed to him, and Deimos shakes his head in dissatisfaction. "Harder." He yells as the little one recoils to the loudness of his father's voice and attempts another hit.
"Come on Kal, use your strength." I urge him from the side softly easing his fur that is ruffled to his father's coaching.
Our pup takes a few steps backwards and flings another strike towards his father's belly. This time Deimos dodges his advance to skid to the other side and startle Kal by pushing him mildly from the back.
He loses his balance and stumbles to the ground, his knees breaking his descent. I gaze away, I cannot support him. I mustn't.