Fallen Tree Cove most only see the girl

@Namid -- backdated to May 28th, late afternoon~

Having puppies was a very special occasion.  Though not related by blood in the least, Des still found herself overjoyed by the prospect of little furry bundles rolling around underfoot.  Taking care of her brothers had (mostly) been a joy, and while the twins remained lost to the wind, having new children to keep an eye on would certainly ease some of the ache in her chest.  Namid had never explicitly given her permission to nanny the puppies…but the timber wolf was satisfied all the same.  This was her friend's first litter, after all, and she had every right to be as protective of her children as she so wished.  The scout in training would be pleased with any help she could provide. Today, that meant bringing the Queen something to eat.  While she was certain the alpha's mate was taking fine care of her, it did not seem right to visit the matriarch at her natal den with empty paws.  More so, it didn't seem right to come calling with an average offering – a small trout simply wouldn't do.  It took the female most of the day to travel a bit outside the Fallen Tree Cove territory, but it was well worth her effort.  Chest swollen with pride upon her return, she placed a fat mallard duck outside the mouth of the star dancer's den. Taking a few steps back, she laid down and offered a small woof, ears pricking forward as she studied the mouth.  "Namid?" she called softly, tail sweeping across pine needles as she waited.  "I brought you something."

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(This post was last modified: May 29, 2015, 02:53 PM by Desideria.)

It had been a week since her brood had been born, and already they seemed to be growing like weeds to her. Their little pelts had grown into a fluffy, unruly mess that she’d found herself constantly taming and her belly was sore from all their suckling. Cernan was always the hungriest of them all, and despite being the youngest he was definitely the largest of the three. Aleister scarcely put up a fuss, except when it came to feeding. He seemed to be sure to make sure he got the best seat, going as far as to shove his siblings out of the way to acquire it. While his youngest brother didn’t put up much of a fuss as long as he got to eat, Neha had seemed to turn into quite the diva. Indignant squeaks were given when she was pushed out of the way, her high pitched mewling never stopping until she was placed directly to her food as if being served. She was the only of the trip to enjoy being cleaned, her pale fur fluffiest of them all. Already she could see each of their unique personalities showing through, and she only loved them more for it.

The pack had been tedious in their care for her and their heirs, which she was immensely grateful for. Meals were respectfully set outside the den for her to eat to keep up her nutritious milk, and she was slowly gaining back some weight now that she could keep down her own food. All the children were healthy as a horse and everything was going smoothly, much to her pleasure. At the moment, they were peacefully sleeping. They, of course, slept most of the time being children but rarely would they ever settle into a really peaceful sleep. It was because of this that she refused to make any move that would disrupt them and awaken them. It was her first moment of silence in a week, and she had almost settled down for a nap herself when pawsteps could be heard outside of the den.

A wide yawn parted her maw and she blinked tired mismatched eyes, turning her attention to the mouth of the den. There, she saw familiar red tawny legs drop an impressive catch for the girl. A rather plump looking mallard. A small smile curled onto the queen’s maw at her friend’s quick progress from where she’d first started. Desideria had been there nearly as much as her husband had, making sure she had all the food and supplies that she needed. Between the pair she was almost never left alone, of course for this she was grateful as well. The scout-in-training had kept her informed on her progress in her training, and she’d done what she could to help out. Explaining to her what she knew of pack laws, how to read body language from others, and little bits of conversation that would help her. Namid loved to teach, as had been her profession in Whisper Caverns though she hadn’t been there long. She loved knowledge, something she hoped to pass down to her children. To her, it was a gateway into something greater.

Her subordinates words brought her out of her thoughts, returning her to the present. “Come in, but be quiet. The children are sleeping and I cannot be bothered to move lest I wake them and create a mess for all of us,” she chuckled quietly, moving as gently as she could to make more room for the incoming guest. She nudged the cubs back toward the warmth of her belly, wincing as Neha gave a small grunt before settling down. A sigh of relief left her maw as she successfully kept them asleep, offering a lick to each of their heads before curling her tail softly against them.

Reclining in front of the natal den, Des studied the opening for any sort of movement. It was impossible for it to be empty, the woman knew – the air around was pregnant with the smell of newborns, and no parent, especially a nervous new one, would leave their precious children unguarded so young. The entire family resting, however, was an entirely possible option, and given the silence, a very likely one. The scout in training was just about to rise to her feet and leave in silence, lest she wake the pups, when the queen's voice gently came forth from her home. Tail swishing behind her furiously, she had to bite back a yelp of excitement. She would get to see the puppies! Namid trusted her to see the puppies. The timber wolf could scarcely believe it, pausing for a few moments to steady her breath and calm her nerves. This was not an event she could extemporize. Waking the heirs to Fallen Tree Cove would not bode well for any of them. Gingerly, she grabbed the fat duck before crawling into the large den, ever so careful not to touch so much as a hair on the sleeping cubs' heads. The waterfowl was placed in front of the queen before Desideria turned her gaze to the sleeping children, August eyes sparkling with delight. "They're beautiful," she whispered reverently, shifting her gaze back to her friend. All her worries and troubles had slipped her mind, overtaken by the sheer joy of witnessing the three little lives. "And three of them, too. So big and healthy. You must be very proud." Her brothers had been smaller, looking more like rats than anything else. This was clearly what puppies were meant to look like when they were quite young, with an entire pack providing for the family. "What are their names?"

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Namid could practically see her friend jumping with joy at her admission to the den, and likely she should be. Namid had yet to allow anyone inside the den other than Vespertio, the siblings having no need to come around anymore unless someone became sick or injured. That situation had not arisen, however, so they were not to be within the den. Her youths were still young, just a little over a week old, and still very vulnerable. Their eyes had yet to open, though she suspected they would soon and then they would be all over the place. They would be taking their first little toddling steps, a sight that she couldn’t wait to see. But for the moment they were still content to stay curled against her stomach where she could keep them safe and in her line of sight.

Her mismatched gaze settled on the tawny female as she entered, crawling forward on her belly with her posture in a respectful position and a respectful distance from the mother and her brood. Namid greatly appreciated this, and she gave the woman a thankful smile. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Des was older than the pale queen. She had such energy, such a childlike glee within her that she seemed to be a wolf half her age. In all honesty, she reminded Namid of herself no more than a year before. How time changed one’s soul, as it had changed hers into someone wise beyond her years. She reached forward to grasp the bird within her teeth and draw it toward her, careful to keep her body still as she did so. Carefully she plucked some of the down and feathers from its body, holding it steady with a paw and placing the softer parts to the side of her. Already the floor of the den was soft and cushioned like a bed of flowers, but now that the children were born she’d need more to change out the bedding that they soiled. Being so young they didn’t know and couldn’t go outside of the den to use the restroom, so they simply went within the confines. To keep it clean she replaced the bedding often, requesting to her mate and whoever else that they bring her the feathers and down of birds they captured or the pelts of animals if they could manage. Somehow the white pelt of the hare that their second, Anthem, had brought had managed to escape any body fluids and was left in proper condition for them to use hopefully for a long time. Perhaps, if it stayed the way it was, she would keep it to use in the den that her and Vespertio shared when she moved the children out of the birthing den.

"They're beautiful, and three of them, too. So big and healthy. You must be very proud." her subordinate admonished and the Star Dancer couldn’t help but lift her chin in pride at her brood. Indeed, they were the picture of health. None were too scrawny and perhaps only Cernan a bit on the chubbier side. However, she would rather him chubby than skinny any day. When she asked for their names, Namid’s gaze traveled down to their bodies. “This is Neha,” she began, gently hovering her muzzle over the frame of the pale pelted young girl happily nestled between her brothers. “This is Aleister,” she continued, trailing it to the slightly darker boy to the princess’s right. “And this this is Cernan, the chunk of them all.” she mused affectionately, her voice a wisp of a whisper as she brought her maw sweeping across them all to rest above the mixture of both her and Vespertio. The love she held for the trio was evident in her shining gaze, a soft smile gracing her features as she looked down at them.

Tucked in the den, Des was more than happy to nestle into the comfortable home and admire in silence while the queen started on her meal. It was a gift twice over. Not only was it a nourishing meal, full of fats and proteins, but the kill had been a careful one, providing the alpha with her choice of feathers and down. In truth, the older wolf could only be grateful that she was able and allowed to help, rewarded with the gift of seeing the first litter of Fallen Tree Cove. Such precious little things, the scout in training could hardly imagine loving them more if she'd birthed them herself. A pack wolf, her own children was something very unlikely, so all of her affection and care would be dedicated to the offspring of their alphas. Curiously, it was not something the thief minded in the least, glancing up only as each of the puppies were named. "Neha, Aleistar, and Cernan," she repeated, memorizing each calling and the round body it was attached to. "The names are as pretty as the cubs," she sighed wistfully, curling her tail around her haunches as she watched them sleep. Aleistar – that was a particularly handsome name. "He looks like his father," she noted, imagining the king was rather besotted with that fact. They all looked so sweet, nestled against their mother as they dreamt – all that would change when they became mobile, she imagined. A soft, pleased sigh, and she slowly turned her attention back towards their mother. "I'm glad to see you and your babies are all so well. I've been patrolling the territory – and around the lake, as well. I'm not…quite sure who to ask, to continue my training though, you know?" Obviously, Vespertio and Namid's attention was on their children, as it well should be. The female had a funny feeling that Anthem did not look well upon her – and Primrose was probably the last wolf she'd ask for anything. That left yearlings, Tagg…and Angele, Anthem's sister. Her pickings were slim, at best.

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Namid once again bent her head to sink her teeth into the flesh of the duck, happily chewing and swallowing the meat that she was finally able to keep down. It truly was a blessing that she was able to finally eat like she was supposed to, having gone through so much through with her digestion when she was pregnant with the little ones. That, of course, was still all in the past but still an unpleasant reminder as she continued to pluck the bird and chew the bits of naked flesh that lay beneath the feathery exterior. Her mismatched gaze lifted to give her friend her attention as she began to speak, blowing a feather from the corner of her lip with a sheepish look on her face at the action. Her eyes traveled to the middle child, her less problematic one of the bunch and certainly the quietest. She sensed strength from the boy, even in his brief life. He had, indeed, inherited much of his father’s pelt and markings and one could go as far as to say that Aleister was perhaps a ‘mini-me’ of his sire. Certainly he was handsome, she could only hope that he wouldn’t try his best to use it to his ability as he grew older. However, if he was anything like Vespertio he certainly would. Ah, trouble could be brewing in her future…as long as she wasn’t a grandmother by the time she was 5.

Her attention was again captured by Desideria as she began speaking again, her posture telling her she had the floor to speak. "I'm glad to see you and your babies are all so well. I've been patrolling the territory – and around the lake, as well. I'm not…quite sure who to ask, to continue my training though, you know?" she said, and Namid tilted her head in question to the last bit of the sentence. It would take a while for the woman to reach the goal she wanted to achieve, she hoped she knew that. It wouldn’t come within a day, or weeks, or possibly even a few months. While Namid trusted her, as was shown with her allowance into the den, her husband would have to have the final say. “If you seek more to do with your time to better your training, perhaps you should meet with Vespertio to discuss with him properly your plans and aspirations. I will speak with him myself to vouch for you, but you will need to show him that you are a worthy member. Show him that you are someone he may trust with valuable information that must be carried from pack to pack like a ghost. I do warn you, though, that he will not be as easily persuaded as I. You have done well to prove yourself in my eyes, show him that in his as well. He will likely give you a task or two to do to show that you mean what you say. If you do meet with him, come back and tell me how it went! I would like to be kept informed on what happens within the pack.”

"Oh." She'd been afraid Namid might suggest her mate. Ears rolled backwards as she sighed softly, not terribly pleased with the notion. While the male had never been unkind towards her, he'd only been distant. She expected nothing less than from an alpha male – unfortunately, it was an alpha male she'd had trouble with in the past. The queen loved him, certainly, and she didn't doubt Vespertio's ability to lead his pack effectively, but it didn't make the man any less intimidating. Resting her chin against her forelimbs, she glanced back up towards her friend. Was she giving her the wrong idea? "I'm not-- Not doing this because I think it's going to be easy. If I wanted easy, I'd have just followed Kajika north and probably would have taken up stealing again when my belly started to eat itself. I want-- I want to prove that I can do it." She didn't expect to simply be handed the title because she'd befriended the queen. While perhaps Dezzy wasn't aware of what actually went into being a scout, the duties explained hadn't deterred her. She did her best on her own, learning the territory and learning the entire lakeside. After all, that was one of the things Namid had instructed her to do – Des was only aware that was not the entirety of it. There were more things she didn't know how to do, but a wolf couldn't teach herself what she wasn't even aware of. Ultimately, she knew that the alpha was right. Vespertio would understand what his pack needed, and he would be able to tell her what she needed to learn, if he didn't explain it himself. "Of course I'll tell you," she rumbled, smile returning to her features. "Maybe once the puppies are older, we can train together, too."

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A simple “Oh” was given in immediate reply to the queen’s answer, and a slight frown marred her maw. She had discovered that her friend wasn’t too apt at making friends other than herself and the man called Kajika. It confused Namid, for to her Desidera was a wonderful woman and a loyal subordinate. Sure, she was rather opinionated at times but that was what the silver woman liked so much about her. She was gentle in her reason, but firm in her opinions which would make her a good advisor. Perhaps, if she wasn’t able to go through with being a scout, she could suggest that role to the red tawny woman. Namid simply nodded when Des continued, seeming that she had unintentionally hit a nerve of some kind. That had been the last thing she had intended to do, and she would be sure to apologize for it. The Star Dancer wasn’t so proud as to not admit her faults, which was what seemed to separate her from other leaders. It seemed, though, that she seemed to agree with the pale woman’s suggestion though it was begrudgingly. She agreed to tell her how it went, and suggested that perhaps they train when the pups were of age.

“Of course, I would love to help you when the time comes. I will have to get out and stretch these bones at some point, and when I do I will call for you,” She chuckled, stalling her laughter as Cernan gave a squeak. She winced and lowered her head to give soothing lick that trailed from his head down his body, the warmth seeming to lull him back into his slumber. Her thoughts drifted back to her friend’s discomfort, and she couldn’t help but ask with worry, “Have you made any other friends within the pack?”

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The idea of training with Namid was a very appealing one. Of course, she was the Queen of Fallen Tree Cove, and the older wolf could only assume she was a woman of great talent and skill to rise to such a role. What her crafts were remained to be seen, the scout in training had little doubt that they were impressive. "That will be fun," the desert dancer agreed, some of the light returned to her eye. "Are you a scout, too? Or-- Wait, no, you're the leader. Were you a scout before you became the alpha female?" she wondered, tipping her head to one side. This wasn't her friend's birth pack – it seemed plausible to her that it could have been a possibility in the woman's past life. But the conversation quickly changed, turned right back around on the older wolf and her life within the pack. Desideria shrunk back at the question, more concerned about the truth than she was the momentary squalling of the queen's children. Whatever had startled him, it seemed the cub settled right back down with kisses and care. "I've met some of the other wolves," she rumbled quietly, tail curled around her haunches. This she could say with honesty. "I saw the healers, when the puppies were born, though I haven't seen them much since. I met Angele, Anthem's sister. We had a brief talk. She wasn't much one for conversation, I think, but she loves her brother, and wants to work as his equal." The interaction hadn't been a poor one, but Des would describe it as neutral as best. It wasn't the same sort of chemistry she'd had with Kajika, nor that she had with named when they first met. That did leave one other. "Tagg seems pretty nice. Excitable, but nice. I think that's all of them, outside of Vespertio?"

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