She had come back, thankfully, to a much calmer Huckleberry then had been earlier in the day and that had made it much easier to set up this little session. She had little time to ever spend with her children alone, but none less then Elderberry - she was looking forward to getting to know her son better outside of the hectic full-family chaos.

Perhaps soon, but this was a time to get to know his skill instead, as well as Huckleberry and Mulberry, who she had taken as well. They were here in Polaris, Blackberry's personal favorite place to train, both for its close vicinity, openness, and the presence of the Spire, which gave magic training an extra push and a little extra energy to get through fighting.

Once they were a little ways into the cave, Blackberry turned around, pushing down a wince at the twinge in her chest. The bones Pride had broken were still healing and there was a tough wrapping of plants around her claws to let them heal good. But on her necklace was a new prize - a tuft of white hair, torn right off of the young deer's pelt. The battle was still fresh in her mind and it gave her satisfaction to think about. But she probably wouldn't be participating too much in her children's spar.

She looked over the three of them and how much they were growing, her chest fluffing with pride. They would be 2 cycles in just a few days.

"Children," she announced, proudly, "It's time for a little sparring session. Training time, if you please. It's something that is long overdue. I will assess your abilities one by one. You will attack - but not hurt! - your sibling on my command only. Elderberry, you will attack Mulberry. Mulberry, you will attack Huckleberry. Huckleberry, you will attack Elderberry. Only when I say and do not hurt! This is practice."

She nodded towards them. "Whenever you're ready, lunge at your opponent and attempt to knock them over."

Blackberry watched carefully as the first two children failed in their excitement. No focus at all, except for Elderberry, who seemed to have a decent lunge. But he looked absolutely ridiculous. Then again, battles were not about looking the best, they were about winning.

She frowned at Huckleberry and Mulberry, one of her claws tapping on the stone. "Focus, children. Calm yourselves. There is one thing important right now and that it your training. Keep your mind on that and that alone. Visualize where you are going to leap and do nothing else but lunge towards your target. A distracted fighter is a dead fighter."

She clacked her beak and nodded at Mulberry. "Again. Stay focused this time."

Blackberry nodded, approvingly, as Huckleberry and Elderberry did better that time, but Mulberry was still falling behind. She turned to the hyena and wondered why she wasn't doing as well as the others. Was it because she was not a child of her and Blueberry? No, that couldn't be it. She had shown her ferocity and enthusiasm when they had first met. She was a good fighter. Perhaps she was nervous and wanted to prove herself.

But, either way, Blackberry frowned at her and hissed lowly. She stepped forward and leaned down, grasping the rock and ripping it out of the canine's pad. "If something is bother you, don't let it go deeper! Destroy it before it has the chance to hurt you again." She turned to the other children. "This is a good lesson for you as well. One chance is all anyone needs, unless they deserve a second. If they do not, destroy them."

She picked the rock up and swung her head, releasing it at the pinnicle point. The rock flew through the air and smashed into a boulder not far away, where it split in two, the halves falling away on opposite sides.

She turned back to her children, her eyes glaring at each one in turn. Should they keep practicing the lunge for Mulberry? But she had already had two chances. She would have to learn it on her own. "Another essential part of battle is the bite. I have won many a fight by simply crunching down and holding on. Now, you will not be trying to draw blood or crush bones, but you should have a grip firm enough to hold on, even if your sibling tries to throw you off. You will let go if you are still holding on after 5 seconds. It is a good thing we all have mouths and beaks here. In the same order we did before. Off you go."