Paradise Falls before the opportunity is gone forever

Spring showers have come early, resulting in heavy downpours throughout Relic Lore.

Her life continued to change. She continued to change.

She continued to forge onward day in and day out. Isla had never walked this path of life before, though. She had no clue what would ever be next. In a way, she appreciated it. Something like this surely guaranteed no monotonous days for her. Somehow the unknown had left her in a...chipper mood. As chipper as a woman like her could be.

She considered if she should pester @Adelard. She even wondered if @Nadine might be free! These thoughts carried her on light steps. Until a low roll of thunder and strong breeze washed over the lands, curled through the tree tops in a creaky way. She had nearly no time to think or prepare for what followed next.

A strong gust carried the rains right over the Falls where it began to dump its contents. Isla would be quickly drenched if she did not find shelter.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

Nadine had noticed her scent change, and with it she knew that there would he paws around that would need tending to. She had put in her work, as a packmate, attempting to do extra hunts, even calling a larger one to take down larger prey to help ensure they were ready for the new arrivals, even if they were weeks out from any such arrivals occurring.

She walked with a hare in her jaws, fresh on Isla’s scent. She once recalled her mother doing such things with Cyran’s mom when it was discovered she was expecting… something about ‘more mouths to feed’ and it felt like the right and proper thing to do.

Even though it was about to storm. She knew that from the way that the breeze began to blow in and she let out a woof to get the girl’s attention, motioning towards a small cave Nadine had located not long ago that should provide at least half decent shelter to avoid the heavy downpours. Nadine herself tucked away in order to avoid the onslaught, setting the rabbit down.

It was good to see a familiar figure. One who seemed inclined to shelter the storm with her. Isla wasted no time in long strides as she weaved her way into the cave. The warmth of it wrapped around them and although it would not dry the Valle off, it would keep the wind chill at bay.

What were you doing out there? As if the storm had not just been a sudden sweeping thing! Isla quickly lowered herself to the ground, head draped across a forelimb. She tried her best to not overly eye the rabbit that had been settled down.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

She followed her off, and Nadine considered very briefly pressing her body against the woman to try and help dry or at least warm the woman… but she would refrain. She didn’t know how the woman might respond to that, nor did she presume herself close enough to know. “I was looking for you.” She would answer, nudging the rabbit towards her in an encouraging manner. She saw her eye it, but the truth was that Nadine had caught it for her.

“My mother always used to tell me that pregnant women needed to eat more… that because they were eating for themselves and their future children that they should be the pack’s priority.” She explained after she had pushed it forward as her humble offer. “So I caught you a rabbit, was looking for you to ensure you were eating as much as you need for the future pups.”

Kindness, gifted to her in the deceased rabbit's form.

Isla could not help but feel the clenched discomfort in her gut. She hadn't expected what the blessing of Finley might actually resemble. She had not imagined it would mean that others fed her so freely. Still she struggled to grapple the concept of this all. Somehow she had walked right into a future. Walked right into making a future for others.

You've learned much about pregnancy from your mother?

She had not. A thought that frazzled her brain and its budding new hormones. She hardly hesitated in her reach for the meal now. Prepared to pick along at it as she listened to the diplomat.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

Nadine offered a softer smile, an almost shy one which seemed terribly uncharacteristic of her. She took the rabbit after her question breached the air, and Nadine answered it in the form of a tale that the soon-to-be mother could listen to as she enjoyed her meal.

“Yes, and no… I was raised in a pack different from my own. My mother and I were on a diplomatic mission, and as a result she encouraged me to be curious and ask questions… when the alpha became with child, I merely sated that curiosity by hounding anyone nearby with questions. I wanted to understand what was going on and why the behaviors of everyone, especially the alpha pair, had changed. The father had become more attentive, and protective, even growled at me a few times when I went to ask questions while the mother had become more tired, more cautious, and rested quite a bit. My mother helped me fill in the gaps my questions could not.” She explained, recalling that time in her life with a certain fondness.

It had been a strange experience, and surreal at the same time. It allowed her to be better prepared now. “We often brought her things – little trinkets we’d find like colored stones, things to make her rest more comfortable, and food for her to eat. I was told it was good manners, and that it would help not only the children, but pack relations as well.”

And listen she did.

Isla tried to imagine if that would become of her. Tired and cautious. She supposed she was already one of those things but would the other soon follow? She nearly dreaded the idea of being bedridden, even if she had sought out this fate herself.

Food and trinkets. The Valle to-be-mother had already been provided with meals. Finely had said that the pack would give itself to her needs. Yet she imagined that no one would think to bring her things to keep boredom at bay. Maybe if she asked but the idea felt so far removed from her.

Most of the rabbit had been picked at by the end of the story.

Had you stayed long enough to see them when they were born?

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

The woman listened as she rambled on… her usual prim and proper nature of her tone fading to show hints of her younger age in that moment… Nadine had already prepared herself for such an action… to pamper Isla as much as the expectant mother might allow just as she had done with Cyran’s mother… just as she might have done with her own had they been able to reach her father in time that she might have younger siblings.

She’d never considered being a mother herself, nor did she want to. She’d been told that it was Lillia’s job, given her nature as the elder of the two even if it were only by a few minutes. She was content to simply serve the role her mother had groomed her for since birth.

She offered a gentle smile and nodded. “We left shortly after… they’d just left the den for the first time.” She’d recalled Cyran’s father being cross any time she tried to sneak a peak, so it had been the only time she’d been able to get a clear sight of his siblings. “There were four of them… the healers say she labored all night in order to bring them into the world.”

The sound of rain continued to patter outside, even if they were sheltered from it now.

Four seemed excessive but...she found she did not hate the idea. Four more Valles made in her image. She had not given very much thought to these kinds of things. Boys or girls? Fighters or tricksters? It was easy to let her thoughts nearly run away with her in the wake of it all.

Four, She exhaled. That's like her own little army, isn't it? How bad was it to corral that many? Her tail thumped softly with amusement. Maybe to simply be an overachiever, she would hope for five or six even!

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

Four had felt excessive to her too… but she understood that nature was difficult to control and that mothers were simply blessed with what nature offered them. Be it one or four or forty, though she was certain that any one woman might die having to birth forty pups in one go… a body could not support that. She liked to believe nature only have a woman that which the body could handle, and yet she knew through stories of loss and tragedy that it was not the truth.

“They were terrors from the moment they left the den. Before we left, I used to help Cyran wrangle them for his parents.” There was a reflective hint, a sweet reminiscence of her childhood love, wondering where he was at, and if she did the right thing by sitting still and waiting within the Falls for him to find her rather than actively searching high and low for him… the same with Lillia, and with their mother.