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Takes place a few days after Introduction.

Chapter 1: Cubs, Part I

Kolivan was used to keeping odd hours, so it was no surprise to find him patrolling the halls late at night when everyone else had gone to bed. If anyone had asked him why, he would have said that it was his duty as a commander (and if pressed why Regris didn't perform this duty with him, he would say that Regris was so ugly that he required beauty rest). It had been that way for years at Blade of Marmora headquarters. Now, in the Castle of Lions, it was no different.

He paused outside each of his Blades' doors, listening. Regris slept soundly, his breaths long and even, as did Zoshia and Shah in their respective rooms. Bavi and Renen's sleepy breathing were in sync, but long years of knowing them allowed Kolivan to distinguish each from the other. Timalli and Yarrata whimpered names in their dreams, and Kolivan's heart broke a bit more for Timalli's mate and Yarrata's brother. There wasn't much he could do to chase away grief's nightmares, so it was with a heavy heart that he moved on.

He meandered through the halls, steering clear of the Paladin's Hall and the Royal Wing. The kitchen, training deck, commons, and Bridge were all silent and empty, but he faltered when passing the engine room; a dim light shone from beneath the door. Neck and shoulder fur rising, he palmed his knife and eased the door open.

The engine room was large, tall and deep, a catwalk the only means of reaching the console. Small lights were embedded in the metal along the sides and should not have been on at this late hour. The lights also illuminated Pidge who stood at the console, fingers absently playing across the holoscreen.

He frowned. What was she doing? What was she doing up at this hour? He crept up behind her, knife still out. Of all the paladins, he distrusted Pidge the most. She was too quiet. She was like a predator whose small size belied her ability to kill. It was the eyes, too, he thought. Too intelligent and too guarded.

He came right up behind her and disappointment flashed through him; she was either ignoring him or completely ignorant of him. He cleared his throat. "If I were your enemy, you would be dead," he announced.

Pidge turned and…flickered?

Something warm brushed his back, curling across his spine. He whirled around, brandishing his blade, and froze, then looked over his shoulder at the first Pidge and forward again. How were there two of them!?

"And if I were your enemy," the Pidge in front of him bit out, tapping something against her wrist with the hand not holding her activated bayard, "you would not have made it across the catwalk."

Kolivan glanced back in time to see the Pidge at the console dissolve.

An illusion. A trick.

Pidge – the real one and the one who had gotten the drop on him (Regris had better not find out about this!) – stepped away, deactivating her bayard and stowing it in her jacket pocket. "Since we're not, I guess that means we're friends or something, and friends don't kill each other."

"No, they do not," Kolivan murmured. "I'm impressed," he added when Pidge continued to stare at him. "There are not many who can sneak up on me."

She blinked and turned away, walking back up the catwalk. Kolivan followed. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Old habits die hard, Little Paladin," he replied, deciding to be truthful with this enigmatic human. "I patrol to ensure my Blades' well-being."

"Good for you."

Kolivan bristled at the scathing tone. If she had been one of his Blades, he would have disciplined her. He sighed, knowing it was something else that bothered her. "You're upset at the loss of your leader –"

"Gee, you think?"

"- But that does not give you free reign to act like a child."

Pidge halted, her shoulders and back tense. "A child?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Despite himself, he found frustration rising. He kept his fingers around his knife as he said, "Yes, a child. You're a Defender of the Universe, a Paladin of Voltron! Losing a comrade is hard –"

"He wasn't just a comrade!" Pidge rounded on him, and it was only because her hands were still empty and she didn't lunge at him that Kolivan didn't attack. She plowed on, unaware of the danger. "He was the Black Paladin! He was our leader! He was my friend! He was like a brother to everyone here! He was my brother, and I'm so sick of losing brothers…" She trailed off, gasping, tears pooling in her eyes and running down her cheeks.

Kolivan was silent, too stunned to say anything.

At last, she sniffled and wiped her face on her sleeve. "I'm sorry I'm not good at losing people I…people I care about," she mumbled. "Maybe when I'm an adult, I'll get it."

Pidge made to walk away, but Kolivan reached out, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. He stowed his knife as he asked quietly, "What did you mean by that?"

She refused to look at him, eyeing the catwalk beneath their feet. (It occurred to Kolivan that she was barefoot on the cool metal.) "You accused me of acting like a child. On my planet, I still am one. I'm six years away from the age of majority."

Kolivan felt his eyes widen and his ears lower. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen. Lance and Hunk are both seventeen, and Keith is eighteen. Shiro was twenty-five and the only one of us who was a legal adult."

"I see." Something that was not a commander or a Blade, something strictly reserved for his nieces and nephews, something that screamed cub, cub, cub, protect, protect, protect stirred in Kolivan's heart, and he stepped closer, crouching to be on her level and removing his hand from her shoulder. "Then I owe you an apology, Pidge. I did not mean to invalidate your feelings, and I'm sorry that I did."

She made a funny gesture, half a nod and half a shrug. "I just… I miss him."

"It's not wrong to miss him," Kolivan soothed. "It's never wrong to miss someone you cherished."

She sniffed again, hard, and finally looked up at him, brown eyes over-large and red-rimmed. "What are we going to do without him? What are we going to do? We're just a bunch of kids, Kolivan. How are we supposed to save the universe when we're just a bunch of kids?" A sob broke from her throat and she pressed her hands to her face.

Kolivan knelt on the floor, ducking his head under hers. "I don't know," he murmured. "But we'll figure it out. It's okay to cry, Little One. It's okay to be sad."

With no warning, she leaned into him, burying her face, still in her hands, in his neck. Her shoulders shook as she wept, trying to be quiet and failing.

Kolivan sighed, pushed away the commander in him, and wrapped this little creature in his arms. "It's okay to be sad," he repeated. "It's okay to miss him."

She cried herself out after a while, and Kolivan found himself holding her up as she fell asleep. Smiling slightly (she was, after all, adorable), he rearranged his grip on her and carried her out the door towards the Paladin's Hall.

By that time, the castle was waking up and Kolivan did his best to ignore Regris's, Bavi's and Renen's wide-eyed surprise when they poked their heads out of the training deck, their greetings dying in their mouths at the sight of the paladin.

He caught Coran and Princess Allura heading for the Bridge. The princess did a double-take and then stormed over, her blue eyes keen and piercing.

"Commander," she said icily, "is there a reason why you're carrying one of my paladins?"

Coran slid forward and easily took Pidge from him. Kolivan let her go without any visible reluctance.

"I found her in the engine room," he explained while Coran stepped away. "She was…missing her friend."

Coran shared a look with Princess Allura before glancing down at the tear-streaked cub in his arms. "I'll take her to her room, Princess," he murmured. "Thank you, Kolivan."

Kolivan inclined his head and watched them go. He waited until they had passed around the corner and then said, "Princess, there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Princess Allura nodded stiffly and gestured in the direction of the Bridge. "We can talk while I work," she said.

"If I may, Your Highness. I think this requires your full attention."

"Oh?" She stopped in the hall and looked up at him, her face bland. "What is it, then?"

Kolivan had to remind himself that he and his Blades were not the only ones getting used to this situation; the Alteans and humans were, as well, so there were bound to be ups and downs in their budding relationships. But first, the matter at hand: "The paladins… they are all…" All what? How could he say this? Did she know? Why would she permit child fighters in a war?

"Yes?" she pressed.

"Cubs. Children. They're all children. Pidge is the youngest and the others are not deemed adults on their planet. You've recruited children to fight in a war, Princess, why?"

"What's wrong, Commander? I thought you Galra came out of the womb with knives in your hands?"

Kolivan growled, but did not show his teeth. "Not all of us side with Zarkon, Princess," he bit out. "We fight, yes, but at least none of my Blades are underage!"

She bristled, standing straighter, but whatever she was about to say died when Regris and all of his Blades rounded the corner, concern and curiosity in their faces.

"What?" It was Timalli who gasped. "One of the paladins is a cub?"

"They all are!" Kolivan snapped before he could check his emotions.

Shah rounded on the princess, fire in his golden eyes. "And you knew? You let them fight out there? In that? Against Zarkon?"

Princess Allura took stock of the Blades' rage, and Kolivan watched her think hard and fast. Politicians, he grumbled to himself, always trying to sneak out of trouble.

But then: a surprise. "Yes, I knew." Princess Allura said the words, defeated, her eyes low and her shoulders hunched. "From the moment I laid eyes on them, I knew four of the five were not supposed to step foot in this war. But the Lions chose them. It wasn't my decision to make – had it been, I would have launched the castle as soon as it was fit and taken them back home. I don't expect you to understand – I certainly don't either – but the Lions are more than machines. I have faith in their hearts, and their hearts have chosen children."

"You could not have found someone else, Princess?" Kolivan said, fighting to calm down. "Surely there are others out in the galaxies that are suitable paladins?"

"If there are, the Lions are silent on the matter, and like I said, it wasn't I who chose the paladins. Their bond is…unlike anything I know existing. It defies all description, and I won't interfere, especially now when…" She trailed off, blinking rapidly, and changed tactics. "They've come so far. Their strength and faith in their Lions and each other will see them through. We must support them however we can."

Kolivan nodded. "Of course, Princess. I didn't mean to accuse you of being anything other than supportive."

"It's all right, Commander" was the kind reply. "I know how difficult this must be for you, finding out. Children are…precious."

"Yes," agreed Kolivan. "They are the treasure of the universe. Forgive me for startling you with Pidge. She was upset and I wanted to get her somewhere safe."

Princess Allura nodded. "I understand. Thank you. Pidge is, well...she struggles. Her father and brother were captured by the Galra a year ago. Shiro was with them but your Ulaz helped him escape. Pidge is trying to find them."

Kolivan fought to keep his face blank at this revelation. The poor, little cub. She was losing family left, right, and centre.

"Ta-ta," Timalli whispered, her eyes round. "Kolivan, can we…?"

"No, Timalli. We send out scouts now, they will only be traced back to us." He held her gaze and then everyone else's, once more sliding back into the Commander's skin. "As much as it pains us, we must prioritise. But we'll keep our eyes and ears open," he added to the princess. "What spies we do have in place have already been asked to keep a look-out for prisoners. If they know something, they'll tell us."

"Thank you, Commander." Princess Allura inclined her head, more respectful than Kolivan had ever seen her before. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?"

Kolivan's mouth twitched in a smile. "I believe that was everything, Princess."

"Then I will leave you. Breakfast is in the kitchen if you're hungry."

"Thank you, Your Highness," he said.

Kolivan watched Princess Allura glide away and then glanced at his Blades. They were all already watching him. "What is it?" he asked mildly.

"Did you sleep at all, Kolivan?" Curse Bavi and her lack of subtlety. "Because it looks like you didn't."

"I was sidetracked…" he began but Regris interrupted.

"Well, nothing's stopping you now. Go to bed."

Kolivan smirked and half-bowed to his co-commander. "Yes, Commander," he muttered, inciting snickers from a couple of the others. They dispersed and Kolivan turned down the hall that would take him to his room.

Regris followed, giving him a hard look. "I don't want to see you for at least four hours," he added. "Don't make me station Yarrata outside your door."

Kolivan's ears went back. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"You're taking your anger out on me, Regris. Why don't you punch a wall or something?"

"You can't tell me you're okay with this!" Regris spat, all teasing gone. "They're cubs, Kolivan! Cubs!"

"I know. Pidge is younger than the boys."

Regris stopped and stared at him, his long tail quivering. "As in…Sokkan and Rashi?" he whispered, naming Kolivan's nephews.

Kolivan just nodded and ignored his friend's vitriolic swearing.

"I need to punch something!" Regris hissed.

"I'll cover the damages," Kolivan answered. "For now, I'm going to go to bed. Maybe they'll all grow into adults by the time I wake up?"

"And Zarkon's a benevolent ruler." Regris sighed, harsh and long. "Go. I'll keep our Blades out of trouble for a few hours."

Kolivan clasped his forearm and disappeared into his room. He lay down on the bed, the mattress soft and the blankets welcoming, but sleep would not come. He stared at the wall but could only see tearful brown eyes. Too intelligent. Too guarded.

Too young.

-:-

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