Sleeping Dragon No sleep in Toronto

Future-dated a few days. Tags for reference as well as invitation. :D

This time, Wildfire didn't immediately drop off her kill and depart. Instead, she slowly lowered the dead gopher into the cache, then peered toward the nearby den. Her nostrils flared. She was fairly certain @Thuringwethil was in there alone with the pups. Perhaps @Gyda had stepped out to stretch her legs or answer nature's call. Almost apprehensively, the yearling licked her lips, then took a few soft steps closer, in case she was wrong or unwelcome. She lowered her head and tail, practically crouching, as she slowed to a stop perhaps four feet beyond the entrance of the den.

"Thur?" she stage-whispered, head cocking and over-sized ears tipping forward as she listened to the noises @Thyri, @Hvitserk, @Eske and @Freyja (not that she knew their names) made, as well as for the commander's answer. Wildfire sucked in a breath, trying to ignore the maternal instincts that flickered deep inside her at not only the sounds but the smells—puppy breath and mother's milk—that permeated the air. The Sjötta could not even imagine what would become of her once she actually laid eyes on them.

Bop!

Freyja had developed! Sort of. Her fur was a little softer, her paws were a little bigger, and her nose twitched hither and thither in an attempt to pick up more and more of what she could smell. And still she wriggled. Oh Rey loved to wriggle, and wriggle and wriggle, and she was enjoying the growing freedom she had over her own head. She turned it a lot. At the moment she had it rested on the floor and was licking at one of Thuringwethil's claws, because it tasted ever so interesting. Life was good.

At least once during the day, Thuringwethil swung by the den to make sure everything is okay. She makes sure someone is still guarding the den, whether it’s Dio or Hush, and to give Gyda a chance to stretch her legs. Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn’t. Today, Thuringwethil has stuffed herself inside to give the mother a few minutes to herself. It never lasts long, always drawn back to her children, but long enough that the children are fine in her absence, fed and playful or sleeping.

Thur?

She turns her head over her shoulder to see a glimpse of Wildfire’s legs and carefully, she moves—mindful of Freyja messing with her toes—and half-crawls out of the den to see her.

“Hey,” she says, glancing around—she’d sent the guard away for a few minutes to take care of whatever he may need—and takes note neither guard nor Gyda have returned. “Have you hunted for yourself lately?” she asks, glancing to the kill brought for the mother. Nothing either of them will turn away but the concern she’s not taking enough care of herself is difficult to hide sometimes.

When the commander appeared and didn't immediately tell her to get lost, Wildfire's heart fluttered. The yearling dipped her head, then looked carefully to one side, then the other—making sure the coast was clear—before inching forward to flutter her tongue against the corner of the Heda's jaw. She then backed off a few steps, having trouble stifling the smile that stretched her lips.

"Yeah," she replied with an audible chortle. The Alpha had likely noticed her hunting patterns during the famine but Wildfire had learned her lesson; she needed to keep herself fed if she hoped to help provide for anyone else. "I have, I promise." She paused, then couldn't hold back from asking, "So, how are they?" She wanted to ask, Can I see them? but even with her new status as the Heda's secret side piece, Wildfire held her tongue and waited to see if the invitation would come.

Wildfire assures her she’s hunted for herself after the gentle kiss; they were all still thin and it would take time to return to their normal lives. Taking the words for what they are, she nods her head and allows the conversation to change and direct toward the puppies. Thuringwethil shuffles back into the den so she’s on the right. There’s enough room, at least for a few minutes, to let Wildfire inside to meet them.

“They’re good. They’re all healthy,” she says, looking down at the cluster. Thuringwethil tucks her feet beneath her chest and noses them back into a neat little line against her side for warmth. “Freyja,” she says once she nudges the first, wriggling body. “Thyri, Eske,” she adds and then finally rests her nose against the sleeping boy, “Hvitserk.”

Her heart nearly soared out of her chest when Thuringwethil stepped back and made room in clear invitation. The level of trust meant a lot to her and she shot the commander a brief, adoring look before her gaze fell to the four squiggling shapes on the den floor. She hadn't seen a puppy since back when Eljay was little and never ones so fresh out the womb. Her first thought was, ohh, holy shit, which was fairly out of character for her. But she had literally never seen something so enchanting in her life. It literally hurt to look at them, they were so overpoweringly adorable.

Slowly, Wildfire sank to the floor as the Heda introduced them by name. After exchanging a brief glance with Thuringwethil to make sure it was okay, she stretched forward and gently touched her nose to the one nearest to her, which happened to be Freyja. She was so soft and warm. Her scent filled Wildfire's nostrils and, strangely, it made her mouth water. She didn't want to eat the puppy, of course. It was more like she was suddenly craving some of these for her own and her body decided to react in the only way it knew how to something so unbelievably, delectably enticing.

She took her time touching each of them, murmuring to them, before remembering to look up at Thuringwethil. There was a crooked grin on her mouth and a twinkle in her eye. "Ohhh my gosh, Thur," she said sotto voce, her voice catching in her throat. "I don't even—I don't even," she babbled, eyes dropping once more as she flailed verbally, now smiling like an idiot because she damn well couldn't help herself.

Rey was pretty dedicated to this wriggling malarkey, though when Thuringwethil moved away she fell still, disappointed. Hm. She'd have to go and find some siblings to get touchy with instead. So she set out on adventure. But although she had many, many skills (all of them wriggling), none of those skills involved walking — or holding up her head properly. So she only made it about an inch, but by then Thuringwethil was back. With a new thing. A new wolf. A new nose! The nose booped her, and after being frozen with curiosity for a few seconds, Rey proceeded to squiggle gleefully. A new nose!

Wildfire makes her way inside the den and does her best to get comfortable. It’s not exactly ideal for more than the mother and puppies but the few times she’s slept inside the den, she knows how to make it happen. She makes it in time to hear all their names, too, and gently noses them one by one. Her awe in them causes a smile to flutter across her muzzle, lowering her head to watch the girl soak them each in.

“It’s something,” she murmurs and presses her nose against the wriggly Freyja. The fact Gyda managed to carry four puppies to full term, four healthy puppies that have survived this far, surprises her. Each day these puppies are alive are further roots the Dragons embed into this land, further to continue their legacy for generations to come. It’s real. One day, she knows, she won’t be here, but these little ones will and the concept leaves her own awe.

Her own maternal instincts have picked up, but only to an extent, as she keeps herself separated—something she’s always been able to do as Heda. Well…

Wildfire rn:

She huffed a laugh, eyes glowing, at the commander's remark. Wildfire's attention then returned to the pups. Little Freyja was squirming merrily near her foreleg, perhaps excited by the new smell in the den. Very gently, the yearling maneuvered her leg to hook around the infant's small, fuzzy body and tugged her closer, toward her chest. When she was properly positioned, the Sjötta lowered her snout and gently snuffled at the velveteen patch between those floppy little ears. She then gave the tiny babe's brow a little lick, somewhat out of natural affection but also to see how she might react to the new stimulus.

Hehe! :3 Do feel free to skip me as you go along, both~ I'm happy to leap back in as and when. ^__^

Freya was a huge fan of moving, but not the happiest about being moved. So she gave a grumpy little huff when she was tucked towards something or other, but cheered up fast when it turned out to be fur. Nice fur, soft fur. New fur! Then there was a lick, and she started to squirm fiercely in an attempt to lick the licker back.

Watching Wildfire mesmerized by the puppies puts a curve of a smile on her muzzle as she lowers it to the ground. Eyes focused on Freya and her newest companion, experiencing a new set of smells and touches and tongue. The children she looks down upon each night and considers just as much apart of her as any of the others, and she's comfortable with the girl nestled into the den even without the mother. Her nose moved and she touches each one before settling back and letting Wildfire have her moment before Gyda is set to return.

When a little pink tongue darted out, waggling, Wildfire felt certain her heart would beat out of her chest. "Ermagerd," she may or may not have mumbled under her breath, unable to resist the urge to nose against the little flailing appendage, grinning as it tickled the tip of her snout. "You are so gosh darn cute, I don't even know what to do with myself," she whispered to the tiny, silky puppy.

She just gazed at Freyja for a long while after that before suddenly remembering that she wasn't alone (not counting the pups). Her amber eyes were happy as they rested on Thuringwethil's face. "Thank you," Wildfire said simply. Thank you for letting me meet them, thank you for being with me, thank you for bringing me here in the first place. The yearling had felt like a part of Sleeping Dragon for a while now, yet somehow being the commander's sidekick (even secretly) and then being allowed to meet the other Alpha's very tiny offspring made her feel, well, integrated in a way she hadn't before.

"Will Gyda be back soon?" she wondered a few beats later. "Should I make myself scarce before she comes back?" she offered, already beginning to rise, albeit reluctantly. Her nose trailed over the backs of the squirming whelps curled tightly to the Heda's warmth, then lifted to plant a soft kiss on the side of her black muzzle.

If it had been up to Thuringwethil, she would have spent all day just watching Wildfire handle each one and get to know them. She'd lost herself in the murmurs of the girl against the puppy that a knotted feeling—not entirely unpleasant, she realizes—in the pit of her stomach. It isn't until she's spoken to, a gentle thank you that brings her back to reality. She looks up from the wiggling Freyja to Wildfire and simply nods her head.

The question about Gyda makes her frown and she glances down when she realizes the puppies are simply for fantasy's gain. Wildfire's kiss to her muzzle shakes her enough to rid the feeling and shift a little upright.

"Probably," she says after a moment. She doesn't think Gyda would mind a visitor during her watch, though the protectiveness of a predator is never something to toy with. She noses under Wildfire's chin gently and caresses the soft fur there to lead her out of the den once the puppies had been regrouped again. "They'll be growing before you know it," she adds in assurance that it certainly won't be the last time.

Together, they stepped out of the den, Wildfire casting a longing glance over her shoulder before focusing her gaze on the commander. Their noses touched again and she nodded her head in response. The pups would grow quickly and become a major part of the pack's everyday life. She could hardly wait to partake in that, helping to rear the next generation.

Before the yearling departed, leaving Thuringwethil to her guard, she reached up to nuzzle tenderly at the healing wound by the Alpha female's ear. With a parting smile and lick to the underside of the Heda's chin, she then turned to go and resume her hunt.