Empress Riffle league of pigs

All welcome! Special mention to @Clover and @"Vanadis in his thoughts.
Scattered Clouds, 51F/11C, Mid-Afternoon
RE: Viorel, a bird has decided to pluck your fur to use for its nest.

Time seemed to be passing the wolf by so quickly. It had been a month since what he was beginning to think of as the spring fever, and just the last few days he had begun to notice both women’s bellies becoming visibly swollen. Before now there were other signs that they were pregnant, but this was the one that really made it real for Viorel. He was going to be a dad this spring, twice. He had been doing his best to balance the loving frolicking with Vanadis, and also frequently checking on Clover, trying to wait on both of them tail and paw, with his leadership duties.

The afternoon though he had been playing a little bit of hooky, sneaking off to the rapids that he and Vanadis had happened upon earlier in the spring. This time there was no wolf covered in soot to bring any entertainment, and Viorel found the exhaustion getting the better of him. The sun filtered in and out of the clouds, and the warmth made his eyelids so heavy it was unbearable. He would just settle down for a little nap, and then he would wake up and go back home where he belonged and had things to do.

That had been nearly two hours ago when he woke to a sudden tug on his pelt. Yelping in surprise Viorel’s head wheeled around wildly, trying to find the culprit. Yellow eyes narrowed as he saw a small little swallow, boldly still standing on his haunches, staring at him curiously, with a beak full of his grey fur. Eyebrows furrowed as the Valle frowned, ”What the hell are you doing, stupid bird?” Couldn’t he have taken any of the fur that was laying around from the wolves blowing out their winter coats, why did he need pelt that was still attached?

(This post was last modified: Apr 15, 2021, 10:02 PM by Viorel.)

Sita wandered around the Creek's lands now, belly lightly swollen with what she was now believing to be a single pup. She didn't recall being so small before. There was the feeling of movement that felt like it jostled her insides in a way not so intrusive as, again, she recalled from her previous children. Quietly, she hoped for a girl. Even quieter, she hoped that the child would survive and would not be snatched cruelly from her.

The woman ought to have been resting somewhere. Settling in the nesting den she'd dug out for herself. But she hadn't forgotten her older children. Still lost. Safety unknown. They were capable, just like their parents were. Deep down, she knew they were likely thriving out here.

She was far from the Lagoon where she'd considered home now, but her children were not there. So she had been making her way northeast a bit until the leaves turned into hearts. The weather turned warm, comfortable. Perfect weather to do a sweep of the area and then return home. She had her sights set on settling, but she felt unsettled still not knowing.

Her ears turned when a voice perked up from a few hundred meters away, yelling at something. Not her, since it was light, drowned out by the sound of the rapids. But that didn't stop her from turning the rest of herself and moving towards the voice. A body formed as she focused ahead. A familiar body, she could hardly believe it, though. A scent so familiar, no matter how long it had been...

currently travelling with walleye

The stupid little bird did not respond to him, at least not verbally. It tilted its head this way and that way, and had the audacity to hop lightly on his haunches a few times. Especially grumpy to have been woken up during his stress nap, Viorel was in no mood for swallow games. Curling his lip to show his teeth the dark yearling snapped his jaws at the bird, but it had already flown away.

Grumbling a little, the yearling got to his paws and shook out his pelt - now with one less clump of fluff. So preoccupied by what had just happened Viorel did not even notice the figure that was standing near the rapids watching him. Yawning widely in an attempt to shake off the fatigue he yelped out again in surprise as the bold bird landed on his shoulders this time. Taking another tuft it flit away as quickly as it came.

Whirling around in a desperate attempt to snap his teeth shut on the bird’s tail, but, missed once again. It was in this quick turn that he caught the shape of another wolf in his peripheral vision. At first the tawny coat made him think of Sharlee or Vayko, maybe even Katna, the only agouti pelts he knew in the area. But as he turned back to look closer, the yellow eyes widened dramatically. Mouth popped open dramatically, ”Mom?” He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

As the dark form whipped around, attacking...a bird?, she stopped. Light blue eyes widened in disbelief. The feeling that she'd searched so long, doubt inchworming its way into her heart, maybe Azra had been mistaken. It was all dashed away in an instant. No more doubt.

The white of his teeth showed as he spoke, a voice she couldn't forget either. Her neck twisted, tucking the woman into a very quick playbow position which would just grant her the momentum to run at him. It was a sloppy run as her legs worked around her belly and Sita had to resist the urge to crash into him.

But she would immediately begin to try and smother his face with kisses, whines vibrating her teeth. It had been too long. She'd been told she was a bad mother. It wasn't true. They were here, they were alive, and she'd found them!

currently travelling with walleye

It was really just disbelieve that he was looking at who he was looking at. Before Viorel even had time to process that his mother was standing in front of him after being apart for four months she was bowing and then charging towards him. The yearling braced himself for a collision that never came, and instead was met with a faceful of slobbery kisses and high pitch whining.

In turn he licked at her chin desperately, crying out his own whines as he shimmied under her jaw and pressed himself into her neck. Salt and pepper tail swept behind him frantically, stirring up the dirt and the grass and creating quite the mess. When he was finally able to catch his breath Viorel gasped out, ”Mom! You’re here!” Scooching backwards so he could get a good look at her, make sure that he was okay, his yellow eyes landed on the small swell of her belly.

Suddenly it struck him that her scent was so familiar, and yet carried the same sweet change that had affected Clover and Vanadis. Confusion swept over him, and Viorel looked upwards to catch his mother’s eyes, a mix of apprehension and accusation present in them, ”And….you’re pregnant?” Instead of trying to find them she had been running around with some stranger? They didn’t have a dad growing up, and she didn’t have a pack to take care of her, what was she thinking? And Vayko thought that he made bad decisions.

Between them, they formed a little dust devil. Grass and dirt and tufts of loose spring fur kicking up spectacularly. It made her want to sneeze from excitement. He was so big now. A completely different wolf before her, yet she would know him even if it had been four years. "I finally found you," Her voice fluttered in her throat as they pulled apart, her ears flipping out and up, then doing it once more.

Sita could see it in Viorel's eyes before he said it outloud. Betrayal? Disappointment? She wouldn't pretend to read his mind, but maybe it lingered in his words. It hurt and she wouldn't pretend it didn't as she sat, pale brows pulling together. What they thought of her meant more than what Walleye thought, Marian, or Azra. The desire to make her children happy was at her core. The most important.

And Viorel's reaction to this had not been something she'd predicted.

"It happened while we were passing the mountain to find you. His name is Azra, the father, my friend." And she would be honest and meet his yellow eyes with her blues.

currently travelling with walleye

An eagle flies overhead and drops pieces of its kill. +3 Health

Somewhere in the background the small swallow was back, happily plucking up the clumps of fur that had gotten lost in their dust bowl. At this rate it was going to have the softest, best lined nest in all of the Lore. Other birds would tell stories of the furry nest miles away. But, Viorel was beyond noticing it’s little hops and collection. The pure joy of reuniting with his mom may have been short lived but while the emotion lasted it was euphoric.

Maybe he should have been more composed, he was a leader now after all, he was supposed to be diplomatic. But, he couldn’t hide all of the feelings that ran through him now. Joy, confusion, accusation, hurt, confusion again, disbelief. Yellow eyes dropped from where he held her gaze back to the swelling of her belly, and narrowed angrily before he cleared his throat and looked away.

Vayko was going to lose his fucking mind.

A friend and it just happened. That were the words that softened him a little, he knew first paw how those things ‘just happen’. Looking back towards his mom he offered all he could think to say, ”And your...friend, is he going to be sticking around? To help?” Or was she going to be a single mom again?

Sita would hold onto her composure and steady her own thoughts before they spiraled out of hand. What was important here was she'd found him. Hopefully all of them. Really, she wasn't interested in talking about her current condition at the moment. Though he was well within his right to ask. So she would field the questions as he offered them, patiently.

"He seems excited at the prospect. So, she will have a father." That would be a bitter taste on the Valle tongues. Sita knew what she knew, but sharing such knowledge would never bring anyone any peace. If her hopefully-to-be-daughter would have a father present in her life, she would try to see both sides of the situation for her family.

Sita sat down and gave her head a small shake. "How are you? Are Andrey and Xulia with you?"

currently travelling with walleye

Fade on your next post?

He wanted to raise his eyebrows at the word she, because he didn’t know that it was possible to know before the pups came what they were. He wanted to be angry, he wanted to yell that it was unfair that he had had no father and now this ‘friend happening’ would get one. But, a Valle was a Valle. And his sibling deserved everything that the name allowed her, including the protection and assistance of her family member. He smothered the anger, shoved it deep down inside so it could fester like an infected wound, and his muzzle remained calm.

He was thankful for the change of subject, anything to steer away from the uncomfortable seething in his belly, and what was growing in his mother’s. Suddenly grinning brightly he nodded, ”Andrey and Xulia,” although, they weren’t happy to be here, ”And Vayko and Sharlee, Aunt Modesto, Grandma Katna.” Rolling his shoulders to ease some of the tension that had built up there he let out a deep breath.

This might be a mistake.

Standing now he gestured back towards home, ”Vayko and I actually started a pack nearby as co-leaders, come with me and I’ll show you, you can see everyone again.” Then, grimacing a little, he added, ”And your friend can come too….I guess.” It would be an easier sell to Vayko if she came, but selfishly he hoped she would deny this Azra.