Silvertip Mountain Mountains out of molehills

Raissa had been wandering around the mountain for a while now, stopping every once in a while and murmuring to the wiggling pups inside her. Now that it was midday, she decided it would be a good time to take a rest. Her secret trip to the caldera had worn her out and she had to save up as much energy as she could for when the pups were born. She let a faint smile grace her petite face as she felt a little ray of sun break out of the clouds and warm her patchwork fur.

With a little extra spring in her step, she wound her way through the Felsig forest, her pawsteps slow and careful on the rocky ground. She followed the scent of prey until she came to a cache and when she reached it, she dig it up and carefully selected a day-old spring hare, remembering to cover it back up so no other predator would find it. She picked up the hare in her jaws and carried it to a little sunny clearing before settling down to eat.

While she ate and whispered sweet nothings to her pups, her thoughts slowly drifted back to @FitzDutiful and their most recent encounter. She had thought it had been going so well, but when she went to embrace him, it was like he was repelled by her, bringing her even stronger to the conclusion that he no longer had feelings for her. That she had been replaced. By Bindi.

If that was the truth, he would definitely be pissed when he found out what she did to the stupid bitch. Those thoughts made a grimace form on her face and her food take on a sour taste. She quickly banished them from her mind and instead concentrated on talking to her babies. She had a few names in mind, but she wanted to check with Fitz before actually deciding. She didn't want him to hate his children's names.

She stayed in that clearing for a while, talking to her pups, telling them what a wonderful life they would have. But those words were not only for them, she was trying to convince herself. She would do anything and everything in her power to have them in her life. For them to be her pups too, not just Fitz's.

It had a been a few days and there still had been no sign of Raissa. He had followed her scent as far as he could out of the pack lands, recruiting the help of Comet to find her. Eventually they had had to give it up and FitzDutiful was almost resigned that he was never going to find her. Day by day he had gone a little further - his main direction being towards the Bay - and today he was heading towards Neverwinter Forest in hopes that she had just hidden out there. On his way he stumbled through a familiar scent. Raissa's.

He ran, charging through the forest, hoping that she had decided to come back. Time to start this he thought. "Raissa! Raissa!" he called, the worry clear in his voice. He came upon the clearing that she was in and ran to her licking her all over, expressing his worry and his concern. "My god Raissa! I thought you'd gone for good! I followed your scent off the mountain days ago, I was worried you'd ran away! I've been looking for you for days on end! I even recruited a bird to help me find you! I was so worried!"

FitzDutiful looked at his mate letting the concern for her, the worry that she had gone, show in his eyes and his body.

I wonder if they could have a change of heart, because I don't like it when they fight :'( I know that's not realistic, I'm just thinking wistfully out loud...

Raissa didn't know she had drifted off until she was suddenly shaken awake by an onslaught of kisses and worried barks. She woke with a start, her mind much clearer then when she had fallen asleep. The first few seconds after she opened her eyes and saw her beloved in front of her, she was enveloped by complete, ignorant bliss. It was wonderful, but then the painful truth of reality set in and all the happiness drained away. There was only a small part left in her and that was were the pups resided.

She looked up with complete shock. He was showing emotion! For the first time in what seemed like months, he was actually showing her something. Slowly a grin spread across her face, probably making her look like the crazy person Fitz thought she was.

She could barely make the words come out of her mouth, she was so overjoyed by the fact he actually looked like he cared. "Oh, I was just on a walk, but then I came back into the territory. You actually came after me?" she squeaked out, not acknowledging the fact that he probably only cared about the pups. She was too blinded by happiness. He cared.

She asked her questions as if astonished that he would care. He looked almost offended by the question before smushing up against her, all cuddly - as cuddly as a enormous teddy bear. "Of course I came after you!!" he replied, as if it was the only thought he had had on his mind - it had been. "I can't believe you think I wouldn't care enough to come find you when I thought you were missing. I was terrifying that you were hurt, injured, lost, alone - I don't want any of those things to happen to you!"

Change of subject was due, he didn't really want to carry on reassuring her how much he cared. It should be obvious from his actions that his words were doing nothing much to help. "Come now, we should get you back to the den. You deserve to be a lady pampered to your every whim. I've instructed Bindi to handle most of the pack running now. I'm only going to be casting my eye over new recruits. Aside from that I am yours until these babies are independent!"

The babies - three weeks was too long to wait for those little munchkins to arrive.

Raissa's surprised face softened into one of happiness as he snuggled up next to her, telling her how much he cared about her. Completely oblivious to his whole charade she welcomed his embrace, relieve flooding over her entire being and she physically relaxed. That little golden thread of hope came back in a river, making her eyes light up as she got to her paws, ready to pad back to their den. Maybe if he was so happy, it would be a good time to tell him how she felt. She considered it, worrying it would ruin the moment, but finally decided it was the right thing to do.

"Fitz, before we go, I just have to tell how sorry I am. What I did to Bindi was so childish, I couldn't be more ashamed of myself." she said softly, dropping her gaze. "What I put you through was so horrible, and now looking back I realize that everything I did was wrong and I am so, so sorry." Raissa finished, bringing her gaze back up to his face.

"I love you more than anything else and I want our pups to be born into a family that loves each other. I never want to hurt you as much as I did ever again." she finished with a whisper, taking a deep breath and waiting for his reaction.

When Raissa got back to her feet, FitzDutiful did the same. It was time to go, time to get home and get these puppies safe again. Or so he thought - it appeared Raissa wasn't ready to go quite yet. She apologised, dropping her gaze and returning it at various points. He was very careful to let nothing but affection show during this time - a slight smile, eyes soft. He said nothing, however, until she was completely finished.

The apology had taken him aback. He wondered if he could perhaps have forgiven her, if the situation was different. If Bindi hadn't been the beta of her pack. If Raissa had been the beta it would have been a different story - if Bindi had started the encounter then again, a different story. But this was a subordinate attacking her superior in something other than a rank challenge. It would not be tolerated by any other pack member and he wouldn't tolerate it from her. Again, none of this showed. It was a matter to be settled another time.

Focusing on the latter of her apology her sidled up close her her, ensuring if she needed any support he was there to rest upon. "I want our pups to be born to that too," his voice soft. It was the truth, it was what he wished for his pups. They deserved that. "Let's get home and maybe we can prep the den together for their arrival? I know it's early but I'm so excited for them to be here."

She looked up at him with a smile. Maybe they could make it. She pressed close to him after giving him a quick lick on the cheek. Together they started the journey back to the den. Soon there would be little tiny pups running around in it, so it was definitely a good idea to start prepping now. It would be a lot of work and Raissa would spend a lot of time there, so it had to be safe and comfortable.

"I think that's a great idea."she agreed, already picturing the den, with soft furs spread out in a dark corner where the pups could be warm and safe in their first couple weeks.

He smiled at her when she agreed, happy to see her happy. No matter what the feelings deep down inside of him were clamouring to say and do he had them firmly under control and he found the semblance of what they had once shared. That part of him, and the part that she was a pack member, was happy for her happiness.

"What kind of decorations and prep do we need?" he asked, looking around where they were. FitzDutiful didn't have the first understanding of what was required to prepare a den for children but he wanted them to have everything. Everything and more. Maybe there were some things here that Raissa needed that he could carry back.

Something to occupy his thoughts with.

Raissa sighed as she though about the pups. They needed everything to be perfect and their den would be nothing short of it.

"We need to get some thick furs to cover the ground, and some bones for them once they start teething. I remember the pups at my old pack used to love to play with feathers too. Are there any specific things you want them to have?" she asked, curious to see if his old pack had any pup traditions besides the trait names. 

Going to finish this up now for our new thread ^_^

She asked if there was anything he wanted and he thought for a moment. "Nope, nothing that I can think of." He didn't know about pups, raising them or anything. He hadn't been around younger siblings or pack young to know how to do so.

"Let's go find you what you need!" he said, enthusiasm running through his voice as they set back home, keeping an eye out for the items she had listed for the puppies.