[PRP] Are you my mother? (Cherie and Meeki)

[Meeki]

Rötschreck was proud. He wasn't sure if he had ever felt this proud before. Nothing was like having a son follow him around and idolize him. It was a new experience to him and one he found he looked forward to every day. Perhaps it was because this breeding was a little more genuine. It wasn't necessarily to increase the herd and raise true Kalona. Though he loved all his foals (though he wasn't sure if he had ever made that fact public), little Bane struck a stronger cord in his heart.

This would be the son he would raise to be like him. This was the son that would protect the herd in the future when it was time for him to retire. He had the passion in his heart and the motivation and want to do great things. Such big things for a little Kalona. Rot truly couldn't be more proud.

"Protecting the herd is perhaps one of the most important things you can do, Bane," he said as he walked in front of the foal. "Everyone relies on the protector to keep them safe. There's a lot of dangers lurking around at all moments so one always has to keep alert. That will be your duty one day, if you want it."  

[Meeki]

"The biggest threat are the Skinwalkers, Bane. They are not like us. They can take the form of an animal at night and a soquili by day, so you have to be on your guard. When they are similar to us, they have a wolf pelt on their body and head. Though I suppose it could be any type of animal. I don't know which form is more deadly. They have a viciousness to them that is unmatched, even by our own kind." Rot hoped he didn't scare his son but he had to be honest.

"The other races are a threat as well," he continued. "They don't like the power we have and the way we took claim to some land around here. Also.. we tend to annoy them at any chance, so I guess it's deserved." This brought a short, quick chuckle out of the ruby stallion. "The two leggers usually fear us, which works in our favor but you can never be too sure when they may decide to strike us anyway. Sometimes fear drives both the two-leggers and other soquilis into irrational acts." Rot took a moment to catch his breath. He liked how natural conversation felt with his son.

"They key is to expect anything, Bane, because in this world, anything can and does happen. You need to follow your instinct in all situations. We have the ability to know when danger is near, we can just feel it, and though sometimes the first instinct is to fight or run, you have to play it smart. Do what is best for the herd because their safety is the responsibility of the protector. It's the one thing we cannot fail at."

Rot grinned sheepishly as he felt like he talked his sons ear off but he had asked. And now Rot would answer his second question, "There are dangers because we have different beliefs and a way of dealing with things than most of the other races. They don't agree with our actions. Of course, that doesn't bother us because we don't agree with theirs either."

He turned back to smile at his son before continuing his patrol around their land. He liked that Bane was so curious. A good protector had to be a thinker. Instinct is a big part of it but having a brain to rely on was equally important.  

[Meeki]

Rötschreck considered the question for a moment before responding, "Well, Bane, most of them are more vicious than we are, even Anevay, but there's an occasional weak link even in their race. Some aren't quite vicious at all. It's much like our own race, I suppose. There's some among us that.. are pretty damn embarassing. As for overcoming them, we'd have to find out just how many there are. They hide in the shadows and when they usually come out, it's to strike. We haven't been able to estimate their number yet and we would need a damn good plan. As for talking to them, I don't think many have talked to a Skinwalker and lived or if they did, it was because the Skinwalker chose not to kill them. I guess that's not so far off from the Kalona way." Rot paused for a moment and lowered his head to nuzzle his son. "I will tell you one thing, Bane. If ever a race could fight a Skinwalker and win, it would be a Kalona. It's rare to see a Skinwalker without the fur thing, I think that ties into their ability to turn into animals but yes, it is possible. When that happens, you have to trust your instinct. You can sense danger. The more you concentrate and train that skill, the easier it will be for you."

The large stallion sighed softly to himself. The thought of the Skinwalkers had never bothered him much until now. Now he was starting to feel that that the safety of his son could be at risk one day. "When you run into a Skinwalker, you will feel threatened. It's very rare for our race to feel that way at all, so if you feel that Bane, if you sense anything scary at all, I want you to run. At least while you're a foal, okay? Promise your daddy this. There's time enough to charge ahead when you're fully grown. It's only at that time that you -- or anyone else -- would be able to stand a chance. There's nothing wrong with being smart. That's what a protector has to do. Brains over brawn but more than enough brawn to keep the peace by force if necessary." Rot hoped he wouldn't lose admiration by telling his son to run but the thought of his son trying to bravely fight a Skinwalker to prove himself brought a fear deep within him.

After a few more paces, Rot started up again, "Scent is very important. Eventually, you will not only be able to tell what race is in the area, but who it specifically is as well. It's very useful." He smiled at the amount of questions that kept coming forth from his son. "A herd relies heavily on the Alpha, son. So you'll know what's best for the herd based on the wants of the alpha. In our herd, that's your mom. She's damn good at what she does. If you can admire your alpha, it will make the job easier. A protector makes sure that the decisions of the alpha are followed, there's no fights, and that everyone remains safe. So you won't be alone, son. It takes teamwork. It may be a hard thing for a Kalona to come by but when met, it makes us all the stronger. We are the leading Kalona herd. There may be whispers about how we work together wheras most Kalona like to fly solo but there's strength in numbers. When the Kalona find themselves in danger, it's your moms herd that will be relied on for help. It's only a matter of time before a war breaks out among the races."