Oak Tree Bend resurrect

For @Lila
March 24th, Heavy Snow, 17F/-9C

Aponi should have found her daughter sooner, before the season began and explained what was going to happen but it had snuck up on her. Before she had a chance suddenly her hormones had surged and the usually cold wolf had turned into an outright bitch. Lila had been spared any of the harshness because she wasn't coming of age but the mother was sure that she had felt the tension. Then as quickly as it had come her heat had faded and left a pregnancy, leading to a nocturnal sleep schedule and constant eating.

Her mind was on the fat hare that she hoped was buried within the nearest cache but she knew she still needed to find her child. She wouldn't do the same thing to Lila that she had done to Kyna, she would talk to her instead of just springing the news on her. Digging through the thick snow that carpeted the earth thanks to the recent late spring blizzards a broad smile crossed her features when she finally met her prize; the hare.

Pulling it free from the frozen ground Aponi held it haphazardly within her jaws as she set out to find Lila, share the hare with her and give her the good news.

The static in the air made the long hairs between her shoulder blades stand on edge. Defensive. Whatever was going on, she hated it. The strange scent that had clung to her mother's pelt. The edge everyone seemed to be holding to. As if there wasn't enough of something for everybody. She did not understand. What had caused this? Why was everyone so different? She hoped it was not permanent, but the days stretched on. The further Lila extended the map in her head.

The worst of it was, there seemed to be no reason. Of course she wasn't being treated different. But, she could feel the tension that carried itself in her mother. Making her believe something was wrong. If her mother was sick she did not say a word to Lila about it. The young wolf tried to believe if it was truly terrible her mother would have told her by now. As much as she wanted to ask, she could not quite get the question out of her mind, and on her tongue.

Ultimately, it didn't last long. The scent changed, even if still a little odd, and Aponi seemed more her usual self. Sorta. Whenever Lila saw her she always seemed to be eating. Awake sometimes at odd intervals. Would she be sleeping now?

Snow clinging to her eyelashes, she brushed it away with a blink, and continued her course to the den. Why she loved the heavy, white flakes falling down, she had spent enough time alone today. A sound pulled her in a different direction. "Mom?" The inquiry hung in the air, and cock of her head.

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

Despite the lateness of the night Aponi was delighted that through the hare's scent littering her nose Lila's also began to comingle as she approached the den. Her daughter called out to her but the mother didn't answer more than a chuff given the morsel she carried within her jaws. Fat snowflakes covered the pup's pelt and with a bemused grin the Donata realized that with the lightened pelt the Aquila looked much more like her mother. Kyna may have taken genes from her uncle and her father, but Lila was all Aponi. The only difference between them as that the child's black pelt had never phased to grey as the mother's had and her blue eyes shone a darker hue of blue.

Gesturing with her head that they should walk a ways from the den so as to not wake the other's they walked in silence for a few beats. Once she was sure they were not going to disturb the rest of the pack, including poor @Serach who Aponi had been keeping up all night recently the mother placed the hare on the ground at Lila's paws. Nudging it closer with her muzzle the Donata woman smiled, "You're up late." There was no judgement or accusation in her tone, merely an observation. They had never had a strict parent-daughter relationship. Lila was free to come and go as she pleased so long as she pulled her weight within the pack and didn't stay gone for too long without telling her mother first.

Still, now was not the time for small talk and Aponi was not once to beat around the bush. Smiling tentatively she sat her rump upon the ground, "Lila I came to tell you something, Serach and I are expecting. I'm pregnant, you're going to be a sister."

Lila found her way to her mother's silver form by the help of her chuff. Blue eyes, momentarily landing on the hare in her mouth, while her tail gave a steady beat behind her. Though many changes had been thrust upon them, her mother was always the steadiness. Something she could forever hold onto. Any question that rose from her lips was silenced as she followed  beside her, away from where the others slept. It didn't necessarily matter to Lila why she getting this alone moment, and she was happy to merely be her mother's only company.

As the floppy eared thing was placed before her she was slightly surprised if only because how great her mother's appetite had become. Still grateful, she nudged her nose beneath the familiar silver chin. It did not come as a surprise she would know Lila had missed catching her own meal today. Temporarily, she snatched at the hare, but dropped it at the sound of Aponi's voice. She was not in trouble, but wondered what else her mother may have observed. "I'm not the only one," she managed to say in turn. Hoping it was a start to finding out what was really going on.

Aponi did not waste time. She spoke directly, not necessarily explaining, yet answering in part what Lila had wanted to know.

"Pregnant?" The word came out without her realizing until the strangeness of it hit her own ears. At which she cringed, giving a faint shake of her head as she attempted to not only compose herself but piece it all together.

"That's what all the fuss was about?" It didn't make a lot of sense, but it meant she would be an older sister like Kyna was to her. And Serach... He would be...well the dad of these kids like Triell had been to Treyah and Reiko. Which didn't exactly bother her. She felt close to Serach, and liked how well he treated not only her mother, but his care for the entire Bend. Yet she kind felt hung up on that part because she'd never quite known if she'd had a dad or if she should care she didn't. She clamped her teeth for a moment, lost in those thoughts.

She just had to imagine herself as an older sister, and realize she would be happy in the role. But, it was not her own well being she worried about. "You're all right though...right?" Aponi had done this twice, but Lila couldn't hide her fear, not from her mother. "What can I do to help? I mean..will they get here soon?"

(This post was last modified: Jun 30, 2017, 04:03 PM by Lila.)

Quick witted as ever her daughter's response was on her tongue, observing that the pup wasn't the only one awake late into the night. This Aponi could not argue, certainly as of late as she rose with the moon and slept most of the daylight hours away. It was apparent that these pups had a time schedule all of their own and for a moment the mother to be mused that perhaps these young would have raven pelts to rival the daughter before her now. For now at least they were safe within her womb and nothing mattered to their development besides their mother eating and resting, they had no idea about siblings or pregnancies or anything really.

Lila cringed away from the word and Aponi wondered if it was the announcement itself that had caused such a reaction or if it just took time to adjust to such an idea. Kyna certainly had not been happy to find out she would be an older sibling. Her first question caused a surprised chuckle to leave the silver queen's lips, "I suppose there has been quite a fuss about it yes. Every spring the females of age go into a heat which causes them to act a little strangely and if they act on their urges they will find pregnant. That is why it was my responsibility to assert my dominance to assure that my litter will be the only one born to the Bend this year." Suddenly Aponi realized that this concept might seem foreign to the child who had come to the world in a time of not one but three litters. Quick to fill in the gap she added, "Having only one litter gives them the best chance at survival as they get all the allotted resources."

Nudging her leathery nose into the soft fur of her daughter's plush cheek Aponi smiled gratefully that Lila seemed to be taking the news in stride. "I am perfectly fine, they'll arrive later in the spring. As a yearling some of the pupsitting duties will fall heavily onto your shoulders when Serach and I have other business to attend to." This year more than ever this was true, before Aponi had always been one of the others having pups, but this year she had the right, and the responsibility that came with it.

Lila was grateful her mother was right with her as she took it all in stride. Like it was just another question, and learning moment she wanted to help her through. Lila hadn't expected anything less. Aponi had never been short or impatient with her. It was more how the young lady realized how great a thing that was, especially in moments like this. When yet again she was faced with something she didn't understand.

She really shouldn't have been surprised her mother didn't skirt around the statement. But, she felt this may have been different, and she might not get a full answer. She was given an explanation, as easy as why the sun left, and the moon came out. So as any would do she began to place this new knowledge to her mind. Assuming this would happen every spring, and least now she'd be prepared for it. But, their was question in the cock of her head. As she realized last year there hadn't been only one.  She wasn't sure what made this different. When she came to think of it, she couldn't see how anyone else would be able to have their own. Aponi continued, and Lila slowly nodded her head in acknowledgement. Feeling a better understanding. It was another way the hierarchy played out in their world.

Lila leaned into her mother's touch, tail thumping. So this pregnant wasn't going to do any true harm, and the fear she had held was suddenly let go. The news she would get to pupsit was not taken lightly. Her blue eyes lit up with a bit of awe and delight. She would get to pupsit? A role with a lot of responsibility no doubt. The idea she would be trusted with this duty had her excited, and eager. There was so much she knew she'd teach them. Now, the last month did not seem so bad if this was what she would get in turn.

"Does everyone else know this?" Her mind went to Kyna, but she quickly swept the imagine of her sister away. Instead she focused on Serach, Ice, and Nalda. Oh...Nalda...did she know what on earth was going on? "Mom, can I tell Nalda if she doesn't?" Lila believed it'd be cruel for her not to know what all the fuss was about.

(This post was last modified: Aug 31, 2017, 03:25 PM by Lila.)

Lila and Aponi had a much different relationship than the one that the mother had with the eldest of her daughters. Questions were met with straightforward answers instead of veiled words and vague responses, hopefully leaving the raven pelted pup with no further confusion. Aponi had fallen pregnant with Kyna by mistake and the last thing that she wanted was for history to repeat itself. Suddenly the silver queen wondered what her life would be like if she hadn't come to Phineas' doorstep in the middle of her heat and willing to do anything to get rid of the itch that came with it. She shoved it aside, what would have been didn't matter because this is what was.

Luckily, Lila offered an easy distraction with the excitement and awe that painted all across her muzzle, at the prospect of pup sitting no less. Soon she would find that it might not be all that it's cracked up to be, three pups trying to run in every direction was not going to be easy to keep track of. Nuzzling her leathery nose deep into her daughter's dark fur, "Serach knows, and I haven't told anybody else but most of the adults probably will have guessed by now by my change in scent. But, you're more than welcome to tell Nalda if you would like." It pleased her that the cousins seemed to get on, perhaps the family she had been trying to build wasn't a total loss after all.

(This post was last modified: Sep 14, 2017, 07:49 PM by Aponi.)

A wide smile lifted her cheeks, easily comforted. But, there was a sudden quietness, but not an unsettled sort. She was thinking about the different scents and if she might remember what made them apart. It seemed confusing, just like when she tried to find a squirrel instead of a mouse. How she could find Aponi so easily now, and even Kyna....

"Do wolves scents change all the time?" Would she remember Kyna's or would it change too? Though she'd learned the world was seen through nose first, ears and eyes after she came to a realization. No one could keep such a thing as a secret. She didn't find the idea appealing. No one would really need told if they were old enough. They'd just know. "Are there other things that are hard to hide?" She would like to be informed now rather than later.

Pleased, she had had the right idea about her cousin she playfully nibbled at a long strand of silver hair, letting it slip from her mouth. "I'll talk to her, just to be sure." She pitied Nalda for not having her own mother to talk to about it. But, Lila would try to keep a connection with her cousin.

Fade with your next post please c:

A comfortable silence fell around the girls as they sat in each other's company. Aponi allowed her daughter the time to think of any other questions she might have and to generally let the news settle in. It was in fact a big change, Lila would no longer be the baby of the family and with the youngsters she would inherit a lot more responsibility than she had now as a pup herself. The mother was sure that she would adjust to what was expected of her but only hoped that the transition would be smooth.

Humming over the question to show that she was thinking while she mulled it over. ”Well, yes and no. Their core scent will always remain the same, just as I still smell like mom but some scents get added onto their original personal scent. For example, you smell like you but you also carry the scents of the wolves you live with, and if you become pregnant or sick or even with age other scents will add on. Or if you change packs you would stop smelling of the Bend and instead smell of the new pack, but you would still be identifiable as yourself by scent.” Aponi’s smile grew as her first question was followed by a second, Lila certainly was inquisitive tonight. ”Generally, anything that would change your scent is hard to hide. Physical changes can be hard to hide as well but can be snuck around for a little longer unless someone is particularly observant.” Hopefully this would answer everything that Lila had to ask because Aponi suddenly felt exhausted.

Smothering a yawn before it surfaced she nudged her daughter’s chin, ”Why don’t you go ahead and find Nalda now? I’m going to lay down a while.”