Dead Empress Backwater environmental illness [s]

For @Vayko and @Sharlee following this thread where Sita and Viorel reunite. Also taggin @Sita for thoughts!

The same thought that had run through his head earlier that day came back with a vengeance; Vayko was going to lose his fucking mind. He had been so upset about two litters, now they had the potential to add a third!? Viorel wished desperately that it had been his cousin’s mother who showed up unexpectedly, and pregnant with a friend. The young man had left his mother near the border and told her to wait until he got back and had to portray calmness as he walked quickly into his lands.

As soon as he was out of eyesight, and travelled far enough into the Backwater that he was sure his mother could not overhear he called for his co-lead and advisor. Things were about to get a lot messier for the pack.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko had, naturally, just come to terms with the idea of two litters. He was slow moving of course, because of his paw, but slowly he was getting more mobility. Thankfully, his cousin was not too far from where he had been resting. He made his way over, unaware of what had been happening at the borders. There was a part of Vayko that wished he didn’t need to know. It was curious that Vi was not just calling for him, but for his sister as well. He wrinkled his nose lightly as he took his seat. “You called?” The question rang out with a hint of curiosity. “Has something happened?” Was it the pups? He was no healer and he certainly did not know how long it would be until they arrived.

No, it couldn’t be that, because he would not be calling for them but rather sitting diligently at Clover or Vana’s side. Still, he waited patiently for an answer to his questions and for his sister’s arrival.

The last week had been horrible. Sharlee thought it might have been worse than when she'd woken up in this place. No, it probably was worse. She'd felt like she was going to die a hundred times over and probably wished she would so it would all be over. Finally she felt like she was getting some peace. A chance to rest from all that she'd been through the past few days. 

The young Valle was sprawled on her side under a tree resting. Her ears closed while she drifted in amd out if sleep. Every moment she wasn't experiencing one symptom or another was bliss. 

Her eyes fluttered open when she heard her cousins call. Eyes narrowed, she was sure it had been his fault she'd gotten sick and now he was calling her. Slowly she rise to her feet, she still had a job to do. Within minutes she reached him and Vayko was already there. "Please let this be worth getting up for," she commented before resting on her haunches before them.

Everyone was still recovering, and Viorel knew that. He knew what a hard sell he was stacking up here, it was his mother - not theirs, she was pregnant - a third litter, they were all recovering and not their best. It really could not have been worse timing, but he had to do it. For his mom, and the little bastard child growing in her belly. They were Valles and they had been raised to believe that that meant something, it meant loyalty, and now it was going to mean sacrifice.

He did not even have time to answer Vayko’s question before Sharlee arrived, looking worse for wear, but better than she had last week. Stupid fucking turtle, stupid fucking spring fever. Viorel was getting real sick of the trials and looking forward to the Backwater’s triumphs. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment and just put it all out there, ”I found my mother out near the rapids. She’s here, out past the borders waiting for me to come back.” He opened his canary eyes now, looking between the two of them.

Before any excitement or any reaction could build he quickly cut in, ”And she’s pregnant. The father is still around and wants to help, but...she’s fucking pregnant.” Blunt claws dug into the ground beneath him now, waiting for anyone to say anything.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

There was a vague disinterest in his expression, even after his sister arrived. His eyes widened at the mention of his Aunt being back in town… he cocked his head to the side because he sensed something else because he had left her waiting at the borders instead of inviting her into their home to join… which meant something was amiss. He didn’t have time to question it, because his cousin was quickly filling him in. He hissed as irritation coursed through him. Why did all the women around here have to be such floozies? “What a hussy.” Vayko muttered under his breath in a quiet tone so perhaps his sister might hear it without it reaching his cousin’s ears though he had no idea if he was capable of keeping his voice that quiet.

“Vi, we’re not even sure if we can support both of your litters, especially now that our main cache has to be rebuilt and we just went through a fucking plague.” He reminded him. It was really a question of family or survival. Did they risk Vi’s own children on his half-brothers and sisters? ”You know I love Aunt Sita, but realistically, if we let her and her baby daddy into our ranks, what will happen to your children and the rest of the pack?” Really, Vayko could not make this decision. If Vi was looking for a straight yes or no to pin this on him, he wasn’t going to get one. “How do you choose between blood and blood?” That was very much what his cousin had to do, and he would always have to live with the consequences. They both would.

Sharlee sat up a little straighter though her body still ached a little from her illness. Her Aunt Sita had been located and now Viorel wanted to bring her into the pack. Sharlee didn't have to think about this at all. Sita was a Valle, she needed to be with her family or what was left of them. It made the young Valle girl happy to think that the family was slowly coming back together. She could only imagine how happy Vi had to he feelingnto find his mother until the other shoe dropped. Sita was pregnant amd that complicated matters. She heard the words uttered by her brother, "Vayko," she hissed his name under her breath. 

He was the first to voice his opinion on the matter which wasn't a surprise to her. Vayko always had an opinion whether it was the right one or not was another matter entirely. However this time he did bring up some important points. They were things that couldn't be ignored. Once he finished Sharlee thought she should speak on the matter too. "Vayko is right we don't know if the pack can support the two litters we are going to have. Let alone another. That's a lot of pups to care for and ensure their survival." It was certainly something to think about. "The choice is a hard one Vi. But still, Sita is a Valle and her pups will be too. When has it ever been a part of our tradition to turn away family. If the father is willing to help then we have more paws to help with the care of the pups." She hoped her words wojld help her brother but she decided to add, "We can't Vi the chance to be with his mother again," she said this directly to her brother. 

The Valle missed what his cousin said, he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that the gears were moving too quickly to notice any whispering. He even missed his advisor hissing back her reprimand, he missed all of it. What he did hear loud and clear were Vayko’s - very fair - protests. There were no winning here, and salt and pepper ears flattened themselves against his skulls in an attempt to make everything slow down for just a minute so he could think clearly. How had all of this happened?

He said nothing, he didn’t know how to choose between the blood of his children and the blood of his mother and future siblings.But, if they turned her away now, would that sever their relationship forever? Looking towards Sharlee, suddenly thankful that he had called for his advisor for another point of reference, it didn’t do anything else to clear his head. Here he was confused, Vayko protesting and Sharlee fighting for it.

Shifting on his paws, the tell tale sign that he was uncomfortable for thinking really hard. Finally he conceded, ”You’re right, I don’t know if we would be able to support my two litters, let alone a third. But, I think we should at least offer her safety while she has her pups - my siblings.” Vayko probably wouldn’t like that, so he continued quickly, ”She looks farther along than Clover or Vanadis, and I would never forgive myself if we turned her away and something happened when she was in labour.” Would his cousin accept this compromise, for the time being?

Looking back to Sharlee he added one more tidbit, ”She said she has another friend with her as well. Maybe if both the pup's father and her friend are willing to join we might be able to offer them all a more permanent spot.” Adding three more sets of paws would help more than it would hinder, wouldn’t it?

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko loathed being the villain in any capacity, but it was necessary sometimes. Sometimes, the ideal happy family just wasn’t possible. He listened as his sister took the opposite view and sighed softly. He didn’t want to turn his Aunt away, but they had built this empire for themselves, and it was still in a precarious place of development. Still, he listened to his word sand hummed in agreement. It seemed like a good compromise and it was one that he could accept for now. Still, he weighed the options and nodded. “Perhaps for now, we could allow them to settle in the territory, give them that protection while they hunt for themselves… and we can formally reevaluate after we know exactly how many pups we’re dealing with?” If Vana and Clover both had large litters, three extra wolves might still not be enough, especially since who knew how many pups his Aunt was going to have as well.

He felt the need to clarify. “I don’t want to turn her away… but ultimately, Vi, if all three of them have large litters… we’re going to have to give. We can’t keep giving pieces away until we have nothing left. It’s the hard part of leading, is right here making these decisions between family and the survival of the pack.” They had enough trials they had already been put through, and he didn’t particularly enjoy the idea of needlessly putting themselves through another. “I can say without a doubt that if my mother showed up pregnant, I would urge the same: caution. I love my mother, I love Aunt Sita, but ultimate this is our empire and we need to protect it.”

Sharlee had spoken in favor of allowing her aunt Sita into the pack. She understood what that woukd mean for the pack and how having the extra mouths that Sita woild bring into the world could affect them. There were still some unanswered questions and it would be awhile yet before they were. Still Sharlee didn't like the idea of turning her aunt away at such an important stage in her pregnancy. 

Thankfully, it seemed Viorel had quickly given both her and Vayko's points of view some thought. She felt he'd come to a good conclusion. Her brother was next to speak. She agreed with him whole heartedly amd they would have more time to figure out the particulars. Thus seemed the best solution for them. After all they'd been through already she felt it was wise to proceed with caution. 

"I think allowing Sita to stay while she has her pups and reevaluating later is the best decision we can make right now. I have to agree with Vayko that it's a hard decision to choose between family and the pack but it's one that's going to have to be made. I don't really want to see Sita unable to stay but it's not just us. Maybe when the time comes to reevaluate we should let the pack decide since it will be them thats affected?" It was a suggestion and one that might give both her brother and cousin a better idea if the pack thought they could handle three litters. 

Final round?

Viorel was thankful that both of his cousins were here and seemingly keeping a clear head about the situation. He himself knew that he couldn’t be impartial in this decision, and valued their opinions more than he could say. In the end they would all be in agreement, his mother and her companions could stay, at least temporarily, and they would reevaluate once they knew exactly what was going on.

Nodding once Vayko had finished speaking Viorel followed it up with, ”Thank you for your understanding. I’m aware that this is another risk that we’re taking, and I’m appreciative to at least offer her safety for her birth.” Saying the words out loud, her birth, felt wrong on his tongue and brought a bad taste to his mouth. He was fighting to keep her here, and yet she had - in the words of Vayko - floozed herself out with a friend when she had no safety to offer the children. Viorel was young, what was her excuse?

Looking to Sharlee in surprise, he mulled over her words for a moment before nodding in agreement. ”Asking for a vote from the pack once we know the litter sizes seems fair to me. You’re right afterall, the more children we have, the harder everyone will have to work and it’s not right to expect that after mine and my mother’s mistakes without a say from all members.” Glancing back towards Vayko, he waited to see how he would feel on a vote.