Whitestone Monadnock each coming night

It was dark but she couldn't sleep. She felt sick but not sick enough to bring her dinner back up. Instead, she opted to bury herself deeper into @Wraith's fur. The sound of rain against the stone and her mate's breathing soothed her mind to an empty slate. Her own breathing matched his after some time of laying in mostly silence. Eyes shut tight in hopes that if she stayed still sleep would come faster. It didn't seem to be working, though.

Restless paws picked the rather pregnant leader up from Wraith's dark fur. Her body slowly made it out of the den into the rain. She stood rather still for some time as the rain began to make her pelt heavy and wet. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she decided she better get back into the den or move somewhere more covered. Piety was not unaware of Wraith's displeasure when she put herself in even the tiniest situations of danger. So she scooted back a bit and took a seat. The tip of her muzzle was the only thing that stuck out of the den's cover to be pelted by the late winter rain.

Brown eyes glanced back to do a quick headcount. Everyone that should have been there seemed to be there. The pale Kael's gaze settled on her mate's large form and where she would fit perfectly next to him. A small smile tugged at her lips due to the thought that sooner than they'd expect a child would slumber with them. Their child.

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It was not the pitter patter of rain on stone, nor the occasional rumble of thunder that woke the brute, but the absence of @Piety at his side. He'd grown so used to having her warmth and heartbeat against him that it became all too apparent whenever she was gone. It brought a disturbing thought to mind; how could he ever live without her? The answer, at least, was easy enough to come by. He would never want to live apart in the first place, so it would never be an issue until old age had claimed the pair of them. Together, in their sleep, he decided right then and there. That was the only acceptable end that would be allowed for their relationship. And even in that circumstance, death would not be an end, but another journey together.

Was this how his father felt about his mother? Their love had seemed just as transcendent. With thoughts of the future already circling, his mind naturally turned to that of their children. What would their futures be like? Would they look upon their parents relationship - as he was now - and marvel at how lovely a thing it was? He hoped so. Wraith had always been a talented teacher, and in the lesson of obtaining happiness, he hoped to teach and lead by example.

A quiet sigh was the only indication that he was now awake as he watched his wife from deeper in the den. Amber eyes tracked over her form as they often did, searching out any hint of illness or injury. Finding none, he smiled absently. A single stream of lightning, the first he'd seen in the year, bolted straight down, highlighting Piety to set her apart from the darkness even as a partner rumble of thunder shook the Monadnock.

He stood then and padded softly to her side so as not to disturb the pack if the storm had yet to wake them. Without words, he bent his head down to lick upon her crown in soothing, loving motions. Wraith would be content to stay up with her all night if she couldn't settle if only to grant her comfort of company.

She did not need words or even a more animal sound to know that her love was there for her. He always would be as far as she was concerned. In all truth, Piety could live if the Monadnock withered away or if all of their members dispersed. She could live if another one of her ears was taken or even a bigger limb. Could she live if her gentle giant was to disappear? That seemed near impossible. If the sting of Morganna's absence still lingered then she certainly could never handle the sting of Wraith's absence. Not to mention that the pain that would exist if both of them being absent hurt would likely bring her to a crumbling end. But that was not the case; not now and hopefully not anytime soon.

The pale female stayed still staring out into the cloudy night as her mate's tongue wiped her forehead. A flash of lighting lit up the tundra for a split second. It was a sight to see if you didn't blink. While she was positive that all of the pack except for them had been asleep she wouldn't be surprised if a few started stirring due to the churning storm.

"I love you." Her voice was a soft whisper against the beating raining. It was the only thing she felt the need to say in this moment. For once, there were no pressing matters to discuss or issues to be dealt with. They could relax and watch nature. Enjoy each other's embrace without a care in the world. As much as she wished to stay like this forever they simply couldn't. The monadnock was changing with each passing second whether it was noticeable or not.

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To hear those words from Piety soothed every raw part of his heart. Every sharp edge that still lingered from the recent showdown with Mittani was worn smooth just as the rain was doing to the rocks in a far slower manner. It would take years for the rough stone to become slick with weathering, but his woman could tame his own rugged soul in a heartbeat with those three words.

Quietly, he rumbled with approval against her forehead. "There we are now," he commented with adoration clear in his tone. "Much more natural." Her previous attempts at such words of affection had always sounded forced with a bit of edge to them. But here, tonight, it was as easy as the fall of the rain around them. Pausing in his gentle kisses, he nuzzled his large head against hers, chin brushing where her missing ear would have sat while thunder growled from the sky and trembled in the ground.

With his head resting on hers, Wraith's voice, an age old accent lilting in his tones as his delved into memory, murmured quietly for her ears alone. "My mother came from a pack in the far south from where I was born. Farther even than the borders of Relic Lore. She followed my father into the mountains north of here past where Craw's family came from and together, they created their pack alongside my aunts and uncles from both sides who'd been inspired by their leadership." Against her, the pull of muscles was obvious as he smiled at the recollection. "There was a term my mother used for father that came from her own heritage. Acushla." The word was whispered and with it carried the weight of its importance in the reverence with which he wielded it. "It means 'my pulse.' My mother lived for my father until the day he died. And she lives still even without her acushla for the sake of her children, though I could tell on my visit with her that it hurt her to be without him."

Wraith pulled his head from off hers to meet her gaze steadily. "I know how she feels. You are my pulse, acushla. Now, and forever more."

Nothing more than a happy whine left her. She knew exactly what he meant. Piety was still amazed that he had found it so easy to call her such adoring names from the beginning. In no way did she mind it. She welcomed everything that Wraith wished to call her. From wife to co-leader, she was ready and willing to fit the role. All he had to do was ask.

There was a time she would have readily flinched when someone came so close to her missing ear. She would have shrunk to the ground and slunk away to put distance between whoever dared to make contact. But Wraith was not just someone and he did not expose ill intentions. Even Morganna, the woman who had done the damage in the first place, had been allowed to tug at her ear while she was still around. The promise the peach-eyed Archer had made to not be so rough again was enough to lull Piety. It seemed she was a sucker for that family even after all of this time.

The pale Kael was pulled away from her thoughts as her mate's words broke through. She listened intently to his story. While not much of his history was known to her, it wasn't something she pressured him into talking about. Piety had come here for a fresh start and Wraith was part of her fresh start. There was never a need or yearning to learn everything before his arrival here. Yet she couldn't hide her interest as he spoke of a place further than here, further than Craw's own lands. That explained the mystery of his rather thick coat, granted she knew there were more interesting things to focus on in his story. His mother and father's love and leadership. A special nickname that she wasn't sure she could pronounce. It's meaning was enough to make her eyes water. She buried her face into the thick fur of his chest until he pulled back to look at her. Muddy eyes easily met her mate's amber eyes.

Her tongue seemed to melt in her mouth as her lips parted. Piety simply couldn't think of enough words to explain how grateful she was and how deeply she cared for him. So instead she lowered herself and planted kisses on his chin and cheek, softly whispered "Forever." before deciding she wanted to take him to where she knew they could wrap up and being lovey alone. "Follow me?" She whispered softly for no one else to hear. Piety slowly tiptoed out into the rain and waved her tail as a sign she expected him to follow. Her paws moving down the goat track carefully to not slip on the wet surface. She was taking him to the old coyote den she'd been using for naps and alone time.

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

It never failed to warm or amuse Wraith when he caught Piety so off guard, but to see tears glittering on her lashes was new. Adoringly, he licked them away while his tail swished over the stone floor of the den. Her shared sentiment of forever brought a large grin to his face. At her bidding, Wraith stood to follow closely behind. The male watched her paws closely, ready to leap into action should she show any sign of slipping on the wet stone.

The pair descended the Monadnock without issue as a bolt of lightning crashed nearby on the lowlands. He wondered if the other packs were seeing the storm with the same intensity. Hearthwood was more protected within the woods and Wild Rye was a bit farther west, but no doubt they were getting their share of at least the rain.

While rain pelted down on them, the brute smiled serenely as if the world saw fit to give them their own private light show. That smile only widened and a teasing light danced in his eyes when they reached the old coyote den. "You have me all to yourself now," he observed after a roll of thunder trembled through the ground. Wraith pressed against her, ever gentle and aware of the life she carried within her, inhaling her scent as if his very life depended on it. Despite the private settings, his voice still remained a whisper, teasing and deep. "What are your intentions, Acushla?"

Piety was convinced that if she had wanted to walk to the ends of the earth Wraith would still eagerly follow. It warmed her heart and she returned his embrace. Leaning into his side and ducking her head under his chin for a brief moment. A soft chuckle joined the sound of rain as he questioned his intentions.

She shook off her coat and crawled into the den, muddy brown eyes looking to the large male. Her pale swollen form tucked into the corner of the old den. "Is it a crime to want to be alone with you?" Her ebony lips pulled up into a smile as she waited for him to settle by her side. "We won't have peace and alone time for much longer, you know." Nose pointed towards her stomach. She wondered just how much longer it would be but if this pregnancy was anything like her first then Piety knew her body would tell her.

Her eyes gazed out to watch the Monadnock be showered in the light of the lightning. "Did it storm like this in the spring up north, Wraith?" She asked softly. "Or is it some perpetual winter there too?" Piety's tail beat against the den floor as she nipped at his thick coat. It was a wonder how he didn't melt in any temperature that wasn't below freezing. While the pale Kael had a fluffy coat during the winter, it did become rather wiry and short during the hotter seasons.

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"Only when you're looking at me in that vexing manner. In which case, yes. It may very well be a crime." His tone was light and smile wry. That their relationship was constantly at ease and lacking in the drama that constantly seemed to surround their predecessors brought Wraith great comfort. Of all the so called love he'd observed since entering Relic Lore, from the wolves in Willow Ridge to even within the Monadnock, only theirs seemed as lasting as his own parents.

The trust he held for Piety was absolute and there was nothing he would dare do to betray hers in turn. But Wraith was far from naive. He knew things could change. There was always a risk for change. However, he felt in his heart that the love they shared could withstand any challenge. They'd both been rejects one way or another. While he'd never asked her of her past, he could tell she'd been a mother before. There was none of the usual expected jitters or anxiety that first-timers seemed to show. And at some point, things had changed and she'd been left on her own.

Never again, he vowed to himself. There would never again be a need for her to watch her own back as he would be there to do it for her.

"Peace is overrated when it comes to puppies," he admitted with clear affection. It was no secret to those who knew him well how much he missed the presence of Kara and Odin. Whether of his blood or not - and he would always have suspicions that Odin shared his - he loved them as his own and wished them all the best. It would be good to have a youngling around again.

Another bolt of lightning flashed before them, highlighting Piety's face attractively. She truly was the most beautiful wolf in the world. Half an ear, scars along her face. These things didn't detract from her beauty to Wraith, but added character. They suited her and if she was ever bothered by them, she was skilled in not letting it show. Unable to help himself, he licked both her scars and the injured ear with gentle affection.

Amber eyes glazed with memory as her question dredged up similar flashes of the weather outside the den. "Worse, sometimes," he admitted, snickering as she tugged at his fur. "In the mountains, it felt like you could simply reach out and touch the storm. You could feel the electricity in your fur and taste the way it singed the clouds. There were no patrols allowed on those days. No hunting. The mountains were too treacherous and even the prey knew to bed down and stay sheltered. And yes, the air would stay cold for longer even than this even when the summer sun was burning your nose.

"What about where you grew up?"

"Well you might as well be guilty too." She laughed softly as she enjoyed his company. Everything was also so casual and relaxed with them. Even serious topics never felt too heavy with him around. Perhaps the only time they were truly serious was at pack gatherings but even then Piety did her best to keep things light. She knew Wraith didn't like doing the group talking so it was easy for her to steer the mood of the conversation.

A soft "Pfft" left her mouth and she jokingly rolled her eyes. He wouldn't have to deal with the children whining and whimpering to hungrily suckle from her or squirming and fighting for room by her side. Granted, she wouldn't trade it for the world. To have small fluffy balls of fur being noisy at her side was better than to have none at all. So in retrospective, he was right. Peace was overrated when it came to their future children.

She could have listened to him talk about anything for hours. Her eyes watched him intently as the pale female gave her full attention to the dark male. "It sounds rather whimsical. If we didn't have obligations here I would have loved to see it. Maybe one day." She murmured softly as she leaned into his thick fur for a moment as she tried to think of it full of electricity.

"Oh!" It had been some time since she had talked about her past. "I lived in this place called Minister's Meadow. I was the third-born in my litter, alongside one other sister and two brothers. It was such a lovely place to live. The wildlife there was rather friendly if I do say so. Think I scared my parents a few times." She chuckled softly. "But I don't think the weather was as rough as it is here or as rough as yours was."

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