Whitestone Monadnock loud rumble

As usual hoping for @Wraith (lol no surprise) but anyone is welcome <3 || Day 22 - The puppies aren't too much to really feel or "look at" yet, but their little ears have developed in the womb. Their spinal cords are also developing, along with prominent facial features, such as eyeballs, muzzle and nose, paws, and the points of the ears. The mothers will require a bit more food than usual as her appetite increases.

after the cut comes the blood

Piety Santoro

She was hungry almost ravenous like. The dove had moved away from her sleeping pile and went to the nearest cache. Taking a plump hare and slinking down the monadnock to eat in peace. She had little concern for if someone had called dibs on this hare. It was in her jaws now which meant it was hers. Granted if someone she genuinely enjoyed came around she might consider letting them have some. That was if someone made it near her in time for there to be some left.

The pale second found a nice rock to lay on with her meal. She set it down between her paws and began to eat away. It perhaps didn't soothe all the rumbling in her stomach but it would do for now. Piety gnawed away at the hare as her muddy eyes looked out into the tundra. It was a peaceful morning. She wondered if she was the first up or if someone else had beat her.

With half the hare down she lifted her head, good ear flicking softly. Perhaps she could round Wraith and Morganna up for a little hunting. Something larger sounded extremely good right now. Maybe they'd get lucky and there would be a stray deer. A hungry expectant mother could only hope.

# C W T

The pressures of his increased duties had not escaped the male. His usual early morning jaunts around the territory had shifted from strict patrolling to a multitude of different things. Wraith would scout out the herds in the western tundra, keeping an eye on their movements. He'd refresh the scent markers which now smelled more of him than Craw. The sore spot led to further scouting which bled into hunting for small prey. The herds readily avoided their scent markers, but some of the smaller prey were not as cautious and a ptarmigan still in winter plumage fell victim to his jaws.

As always, the eastern borders were of least interest, though he did note Mittani's stale scent crossing there days before. Where had he gone off to, he wondered. Speaking of the white male, Wraith was actually surprised he had not joined Craw with the other visitors. Didn't he have more kinship with them than any from the Monadnock?

By the time Wraith returned to the Monadnock, his mate had awoken. With tail wagging, he padded fearlessly towards her and set his catch down beside her half-devoured meal and licked at the nub of her missing ear. "How are you feeling, love?" he murmured, voice low and warm despite the chill morning. Winter, it seemed, did not want to relinquish its grasp on the world over to Spring. Hopefully by the time pups arrived, the weather would be warm and there would be no danger to the little ones from frostbite.

"Sleep well?"

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Piety noticed how he always seemed to have perfect timing. The gentle giant taking a place next to her with more food. Her tail happily thumped against the stone below them. She leaned into him after his kiss to her missing ear. "I'm doing okay. Hungry. You?" She whispered in return with a small smile. The pale Monadnock wolf buried her nose into his scruff and planted a kiss on his cheek. Wraith was one of the only wolves who she wished to shower with affection. The dark Archer obviously the second wolf to receive her affection.

"For the most part." She admitted and took another bite from the hare she had brought. Happily swallowing her chunk before returning the polite question. "How did you sleep? You leave the den early this morning?" She questioned kindly. Her muddy eyes looking up at him as she pulled another strip of meat from the almost bare hare. She truly never had a morning where she woke up cold. If Wraith was gone Morganna kept her warm and if Morganna was gone Wraith kept her warm. It was a nice sleeping arrangement for them to have.

She playfully stretched out her neck and tugged gently on his ear. Her tail happily wagging. Perhaps he would be up for a small wrestle, nothing like their previous spars just enough to keep her active.

# C W T

"I'm doing well," he replied warmly as he dipped his head to begin plucking the ptarmigan of pesky downy white feathers for her. In truth, he was hungry as well. But Wraith would make damn sure that Piety ate well first. After all, she was carrying the future inside her. The least he could do was provide every bit of nourishment she needed. If that meant he went a little hungry some days, that suited him just fine.

"Slept like a pup," he shared and nodded. It had become habit to wake before dawn to do the first patrol of the morning. Wraith would often return even before Pi and Morganna had awoken, but he'd been slower this morning in his return than usual for no particular reason. In no time, his mouth was full of feathers, tongue hopelessly entrapped by their softness. Wraith pawed at his mouth in an effort to peel them away with limited success. It was comical to watch and at the end of it, his front legs were coated in saliva and peppered by feathers. A low chuckle rumbled from his belly and he blew a few of them towards her face in play.

As if it were normal everyday conversation, the brute leaned against her with contentment and asked, "Have you thought of any names?"

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 12:52 PM by Wraith.)

She watched with a smile as he plucked the feathers. Piety always saw him as a strong man but with a mouthful of feathers, it was hard to think of him as anything other than a fool. She loved him all the same, though. The pale Santoro leaned into his side as she finished her rabbit off. This was how she liked to be. Curled up next to him and happily snacking. Despite the cold, she could feel perfectly warm in his lush fur.

His comment was not missed. Perhaps he hadn't meant it on purpose but Piety noted the comparison. "like a pup," She couldn't exactly disagree. The time she had with Sven he slept rather well and was even content to bed down for naps after playing. "Glad to hear that." Her words were soft as she looked to the giant with admiration. Piety was happy it was him by her side. She had told him before that she could never go a day here with his and Morganna's care and feel unloved. It was the truth. She always felt appreciated or enjoyed.

She was sucked out of her thoughts when he spoke. His question caused a soft frown to etch on her face. "I haven't given much thought to first names." The pale dove admitted with a hint of sadness. Last time around it had been Skoll who recommended that their baby boy is named Sven. It was a glorious name and she loved it. This time was very different, though. It was her and Wraith. "They'll have your last name, obviously." She let her muddy eyes look up to his face to see how he'd react. "Unless you want to testify against that?" Piety teased softly with a grin.

# C W T

No matter that the pack was crumbling in pieces around them. No matter that Morganna felt in dire straits or that the future was so uncertain for all of them. Next to @Piety, it didn't matter so much. The entire lowlands could be enveloped in hellfire, he realized, and it would be painful to tear his gaze away from her. But nothing...nothing in all his life could quite prepare him for how wonderful his mate was. How lucky he was to have her.

The large brute stiffened beside her. His last name? Wraith was still getting over the excitement of actually getting to father his own pups and not just play mentor and teaching with them. And now? She wanted them to truly be named as his? The whine began quietly, almost too sharp to hear, but grew quickly in volume until Wraith was squirming beside the white wolf with excitement too great to withhold.

He had agonized over this last season. But Morganna had been firm in the pups being hers and only hers and he hadn't fought her on it. Craw had advised he be content with supporting them, and so he had. This was different though. Their union hadn't been born from duty. There had been love first. A lot of lust, but love at the base of it.

Wraith licked endlessly at Piety's face, kissing her thoroughly in his joy. Kael children. Their children.

"Yes," he finally said, breathless. "I mean, no!" he added quickly, belatedly realizing which question she'd asked last. "No, I won't argue. That is amazing. Wonderful. You are amazing, Piety. Wonderful. Beautiful. You're going to be a perfect mother." She was already the perfect mate in his mind. It only made sense that she would continue to thrive.

Piety heard the whine that slowly crept in volume and noticed the way he had stiffened by her side. She was quick to worry that she had done something wrong. Before she could even try to fix anything, she was being showered in kisses. That alone was an obvious sign that she hadn't done anything wrong. Her tail beat against the earth below them with a fast beat. A few joyous barks left her mouth as the giant Kael showered her with affection.

She couldn't stop herself from giggling at his words. Piety wasn't sure she had ever seen the large male act so excited and childish. She knew it was a privilege, though. One that she certainly hoped to experience more than just this one time. Her nose moved forward to press against his own dark nose. "And you will be the perfect father." A smile tugged at her lips with ease. She leaned into his thick fur for a moment before pulling back to examine him again. Her eyes then quickly looked down at her own stomach. "How many do you think there will be? Or at least hope there will be?" While her own birth litter had been big she had only produced one child. Perhaps since things were so different this time around the results would change. Without much true swelling yet she was left to merely wonder how things would be. "Do you think they'll look like you or me or maybe even something in between?" Her eyes looked back at Wraith's face with clear excitement.

# C W T

Father. To hear the word directed at himself brought with it a certain amount of giddiness he couldn't combat. The term had always been for others, but finally, it was his turn to not only provide the seed, but be wholly entwined in their upbringing and with every right to do so. It was...normal. For once, there would be nothing so unorthodox about the pack and it brought with it a heady sense of relief. He was nervous, for sure, but ready now to face the challenges ahead where he would have balked before.

At Piety's question, Wraith shook his head. "It doesn't matter." Truly, it didn't. Whether there was only one or eight - the most his own mother had at once - he would adore each and every one. Male, female, any were welcome and wanted and already so unbelievably loved. "I only hope for their good health and yours."

The black male barked out a laugh, eyes crinkling merrily. "Better hope they look as gorgeous as you." But Wraith found he couldn't emphasize enough that he had no aspirations for the little ones save that they would be happy and healthy. Anything beyond that was up for them to decide as they grew. Future leader, aspiring scout, mighty hunter. Whatever they decided, he would be there alongside Piety to guide them.

Her tail eagerly beat the ground with happiness. She planted a kiss directly on his face and nuzzled him briefly. "I know I'll be in good shape with all the support I get." The pale dove couldn't ask for a better support system than the one she had here in the Monadnock.

The smile that had taken over her face couldn't leave as her gentle giant kept speaking. Despite her damaged ear and scarred face he still thought her beautiful. It made her practically melt like a love-struck child. With a cheeky grin, her neck stretched out to reach some stray feathers from the ptarmigan and place them on Wraith's thick scruffy nape. "Or as handsome as you?" A giggle fell from her as she laid her head down put still look up at Wraith. When she first met she was certainly expecting some kind of hardass but look where they were now. All those adventures and moments of bonding had led up to this. The expectant mother could only hope for their relationship to keep heading upwards from here.

"Do you feel like a little jog in a bit? I really don't think I should be too stagnate. I'll get fatter than I'm intended to get." A smirk tugged on her face at the good nature joke towards herself.

# C W T