Sophrosnia felt nausea pang through her abdomen at the thought of food, moving along the heights. There was little doubt that @Vili was close on her tail. He seemed to have remained, lingering like a shadow as she went about her life. The tawny woman was still not certain as to how she felt about the father-to-be… she was not certain if his intentions were to truly stick around. A part of her had even considered that perhaps he was following her about only to try and snag her pup away from her the moment it was born. If that was truly the case, he would have another thing coming.

Still, she’d been forced to eat with his constant trailing despite the fact that her appetite had reached sub-zero temperatures. She supposed she had to, for the life that now grew inside of her… she was forcing herself to do it solely for the life she carried. From what she knew, from her mother (or more of adopted mother), this sort of thing was normal in pregnancy.

It had resulted in her own hunting grounds, finding a warren and using it to snag herself not one but two rabbits… it was no small feat, of course. She had been quite proud of herself for making such a catch though she firmly intended to eat only one, leaving the other for Vili who would not be too far behind.

However, the meal left for Vili might not last. She’d finished off her own rabbit, moving to walk away as a hungry stoat moved up, beginning to pick at the extra rabbit. Soph merely turned her head, emerald eyes staring down the creature, wondering if she should intervene, or if she should simply let it have it’s scraps.

Soph had not been expecting the presence of another to lighten the atmosphere. She licked the blood from her paws as the woman looked to her. She had not been expecting anyone other than Vili to find their way across her stoop but she found that it was not unwelcome. She found that the woman offered a certain kindness in the way she nodded towards the thief, and Soph pondered it for a moment. She nearly shrugged with indifference but then she thought of the sire to her children and considered her offer once more.

There was a curt nod, a silent thank you with it that would show gratitude for the woman who lingered across from her. She took the moment to analyze her, from her gait to the phasing nature of the grey fur she carried… a decent size, certainly larger than Soph herself… and a distinct lack of pregnancy though with her apparent age Soph considered that she should not be surprised. She’d have been on the cusp of even being able to have children. She also noted the scar across her cheek… somehow, to Soph, it simply made her more beautiful, and more radiant.

Perhaps because it proved that the girl had gone through trials and tribulations of her own… perhaps because it reminded her much of Nastasia and her father… she was not certain, nor did she plead with her mind for some form of answer to the question. Instead, the tawny woman sat, her emerald eyes intent to watch the show and see how her darling debutante of a hero could assist her in freeing up the meal for her partner… the father of her children. It was still so strange to think about.

Sophrosnia was normally a careful woman… even with her latest missteps, she proved to be cautious in everything she did. It had been a temporary lapse of judgement and nothing more… of that, she was determined to make certain. Besides, many cared little about forming attachments with her after they had come to understand that she was a wordless companion. Those who attempted to stick around usually wanted something from her, and once they realized they would not get it from her either they were quick to turn tail and run. She had come to expect such behaviors now… how horribly predictable.

She watched as the woman stalked through, a smile on her features as she moved towards the stoat. Soph watched with interest as it lashed out and fought back against an opponent that would clearly win, her eyes widening with surprise as it snapped at her nose. How puzzling! Intriguing even! There was little doubt that it was enough to make Soph’s mind wander to a variety of questions that would never break the crisp silence in the air.

She heard the girl growl, and watched as she flung it into the underbrush with a sense of approval radiating off of her. Yes, she was doing well.

She picked up the rabbit, bringing it to Soph and for a moment the expectant mother looked at it, blinking at it before looking back to the stranger. She’d had no intention of eating it herself, but the stranger could not have possibly known that… still, it was not Vili who had been there to protect the meal, and so she would simply nose it forward towards the woman before motioning to the carcass not far from where she had sat, hoping to signify she had already eaten one and that this one should go to the valiant debutante that had chased off the scavenger instead.

She seemed to have caught the woman off guard with her offer, and she watched as the woman glanced back to her as she ate. She simply offered a comforting smile to her, a gentle and continued assurance that it was all okay as she continued to eat. She did not make a single noise, not even a rather vocal exhale to break the silence of their interaction. Instead, there was a certain measure of contentment. There was a simple peace in being able to sit there in silence, not worried about what the other wolf’s intentions are.

She seldom got that, especially with how closely she was tailed by the father to be… Lillia had proven her intention by simply providing her despite having no attachment to her. She also had no knowledge of who she was, apart from being pregnant… it felt fairly easy in that moment to trust the other woman, at least for the interactions she had at hand.

Once she was closer to finishing her own meal, Soph began to sniff the air around her, a silent inquiry. She did not smell like other wolves, but that did not necessarily mean she was without a pack. Perhaps it was some form of extended scouting trip? Or perhaps she was truly alone… in which case, Lillia would be more than welcome to tag along with her, if she did not mind the silent company… she was certain that if it were an issue, the woman would simply depart.

She noted the comfortable silence of the other woman too. Some silence felt tense, other happy, other awkward or uncertain… but not with the woman who was now her compatriot for the moment. Admittedly, some small part of her hoped that the woman developed into a stage-five clinger just as Vili had, lurking constantly… a presence she had come to rely on, especially with her current condition. She knew it would not be easy, especially once she gave birth and found herself den-bound for some time with however many pups grew inside of her.

You don’t have a pack?

She considered carefully for a moment before she would shake her head, another silent answer. She noted the almost deliberate manner in which she asked a yes-or-no question, having hope that the woman could understand her silence as a condition rather than a choice… in some ways, it was a choice, and in others it was not. She would take a moment, grooming her paws and chest for a moment before looking back to the woman, blinking a few times. She had questions, but the overwhelming need for the solace that silence provided would win in the end.

It always did… it had for almost a year… when she had taken the dive into the relaxed embrace that it provided. Once she had found that peace, she found no reason to break it, and her life had been all the more peaceful for it. Seldom did she find conflict, even if it limited her in many ways.

She would tilt her head, blinking a few times before a light chuff escaped, silently asking to confirm what she already knew from scent alone. And you?