Title: battle against a thousand enemies
Fandom: The Madison Wolves
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 311
Authors note: I think this counts towards the meta-fictional part of the SBIGTTS: Writing badge
Summary: Michaela is proud enough to be at least a little thematic with her pick of bedtime story.


With bedside lights turned down to dim shadows that barely outstrip those cast by the setting sun outside, and the drawn drapes making a den of the bedroom, Michaela half reads, half recites the story of Fantastic Mr Fox to her kits. They are too young to learn her tales of wolves yet, surrounded as they are by Pack. (They are her kits, her pride and jealously guarded joy, and thus inevitably smarter than most, but identification of individuals and threat differentiation are not commiserate skills.)

And that in itself is a luxury Michaela had lost, to be too young and thus shielded. It is a luxury she has no intent of letting slip away once more, like hot showers and bacon.

But luxury taken too far is just as bad as a life lived with none at all. Not from everything, which is why Mr Fox, fantastic as he may be, is about to lose his tail. Michaela herself is far too fine a fox to do that, and she'll teach her kits the same caution.

She will allow them no dependence on single entrances - or exits - to the dens that they dig. Nor the folly of settling near the known dens of their enemies. No letting an inconsistent wind draw them from safety, even if she must ask Carissa for a bloodprice. They will guard themselves with traps of their own, supplement their cunning with claws and jaws of silver.

But these are lessons she will save for once they've grown some. Grown enough to go out and learn with her sans the looming, thundering Enforcer shadows her mate insists on. No cages or traps for them, human or otherwise. Just soft blankets and warm nest and foxy kisses.

And cunning enough to outwit a valley full of farmers, of course. If they don't fall asleep first.