Stavanger Bay The love of the hunt

*hugs!*

Ever since receiving the news from Julooke that she was pregnant with their children, Verrine had been lost somewhere in the clouds. Such unexpected and wondrous news had been a balm on the anger that had festered within him since her attack, particularly since no one had been successful in tracking down her assailant yet. He felt as if he walked around with a blissful smile on his face more often than not, and even when Julooke was in a foul, vicious mood (which happened sometimes and was normal in pregnant females, according to Thistle), he couldn't seem to be bothered by it because she was carrying his children. He simply couldn't believe he was going to be a father. He barely felt qualified to even be an adult sometimes, and yet here he was, preparing to be to a handful of new lives what his own father had been to him: a steady, unwavering pillar of guidance, safety, and love.

As he wandered through the sunlit woods on this particularly peaceful morning, idly looking for signs of small game he could catch for Julooke, he found himself thinking that he needed to have a sit-down with Ragnar sometime and get some perspective on fatherhood. Verrine wasn't sure he was ready for what was coming, but he had no choice. He had to be. Ragnar sometimes reminded Verrine of his own father, Leviathan, and for that, Verrine had come to respect -- and, in some ways, love -- the gruff Nordic wolf a great deal. It made sense, then, that Ragnar be the one to help Verrine embrace parenthood when that exciting day finally came.

Suddenly, on a soft whisp of the breeze came the scent of his beloved, and his ears perked up as a smile involuntarily crossed his face. Turning to follow the scent, he tracked her for a short distance until he found her sitting on the bank of the lake, her stark white coat contrasting vibrantly against the darker green and blue backdrop of the scenery around her. For the millionth time, he was struck by how beautiful she was -- particularly with her swollen midsection. He wagged his tail as he approached her, noticing that droplets of clear water clung to her dainty chin and glinted in the sun like diamonds. "Hello, my gorgeous girl," he said to her with warmth in his voice and love in his eyes, drawing close to give her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside her. He noticed she looked a little tired and irritated. "You feelin' okay today?"