It was a whopping ninety degrees. Tonravik was growing more pregnant by the day, and with that came more conditions she had to deal with. The cramping was consistent. Her stomach was sensitive and swollen, as were the objects her children would most desire. The unattractive wolf had become all the uglier in the process, and she glowed with an obvious hatred toward everything and anything. She kept others away unless they had food, though she had her times when she allowed others to linger in her presence... so long as it was done so silently.
In her was the future of the pack. And the things within her were not shy in letting her know of their growth, her cramps only becoming greater. She was able to tolerate it now, used to it. It did not make her any less irritable.
She lay outside, beneath a large tree near her cave. Her mate was always near when he could be... and her eyes sought him now. The large bear of a woman who was the heaviest she had ever been heaved herself upward, grunting in the process.
It was then something very peculiar happened.
Something fluttered within her, unique to any and all other sensations she had felt. The leader froze, staring absently forward... and felt it again.
They kicked.
Some mothers might find this very movement alone worth the pain and torment of pregnancy. Tonravik thought it anticlimactic, and looked to her stomach with great disappointment. It was good to know they were alive and moving, sure... but she had expected more. But perhaps they were hot, too, and alerting her to it... Tonravik, having not seen her mate, turned and moved into the cave.
yay surprises!
It was... warm with an extra splash of humid. For him, the temperatures weren't entirely insufferable, but they were definitely uncomfortable. He'd taken to appreciating the shade for what relief it could offer from the sun. He skirted around the trunks of trees as if to cling to them as he carried a pheasant along with him. He'd found it while out walking the territory perimeter and now it was his, or rather, his sacrificial offering to his mate who seemed disinclined to let anyone near her unless they came with food gifts.
The pheasant's tail feathers dragged along behind him. It was a touch difficult to walk around, but with the right grip he managed it and turned back towards the inner places of their packlands and towards the caverns his cavefemale had taken as her own. For as much as it amused him that she'd settled in a place so befitting of her, he was also secretly pleased she'd approved of his suggestion. Those grounds were most certainly hers and in time, their family's.
He neared the entranced and dropped the bird. Scenting her, he realized she must have only recently drifted from the area before retreating into darkness. He scanned the nearby area, noting that it was void of any other wolf, before he picked up the pheasant once more and proceeded to enter the main room. He took a few paces into the darkness before lingering as he let his eyes adjust. He'd not see his mate in this darkness and her perfume was everywhere.
Ears lifted, he awaited her familiar growl of warning as he dropped his peace offering at his feet and nosed it forward. Bait the dragon. Step back. See if it held any interest.
The sound of another approaching caused the alpha female to bristle. Her interest in company was the same as ever: nonexistent. She wanted to nap... but, the smell of food also came to her, and Tonravik found that her hunger was endless. So she did not snarl or push him away from her; instead, she drew nearer, reaching for the pheasant, and then retreated into the darkness to eat as though she hadn't in days.
Which was not true; she was well-fed and catered to according to this voracious appetite of hers. But the alpha female had no table manners and ate as though every meal was her last. The tender meat and warm blood satisfied her enough to not snap at him or chase him away. No, instead, she wanted his company. The leader again lay down slowly on her side to cool herself further, and for now, the bear cubs within her were quiet and still.
This way be dragons.
The great beast rose and stepped forward, cutting through the darkness to snatch at the meal he'd caught for her. She retreated, vanishing into shadow as he lingered and waited for her to begin the process that was devouring every morsel of that bird. He thought nothing of her savagery. That meal was hers, she could do with it as she pleased. As long as her aggression was for the bird and not him, he was content. Instinct, moods, or otherwise, he would tend to her in spite of her objections.
He waited for her to settle before he padded towards where she lay in the dark. His footsteps were soft, a quiet patter upon the stone floor as he neared the recent carnage. He stepped around it, lowering his head only once to pick up a lengthy feather that was once a part of the bird's tail. Now? Now he claimed it as his reward for a job well done and lingered over her, tickling her nose with the tip of the wispy plume.
Her mate drew nearer, and she only listened lazily. Only when he came toward her face did she acknowledge him again, her tail twitching in the hint of a pleased wave... but as the feather came toward her face, she lurched upward to snap at it. It was in vain; instead, she let out a mighty sneeze. The strength of it coursed through her and seemed to disturb the life within. Again they moved, but this time with more vehemence.
Looking to her stomach, her tail truly waved this time. They were strong, weren't they. Already. She gestured to her belly that had dropped rather than rounded (as all wolves did), letting him near for all of a second. She could not help but bare her fangs despite the offer she had given... She was all beast, and nothing but. They danced within, stopping at intervals, giving their proof of true life. Certainly, what moved within her was not just one.
The thumping of her tail let him know she was happy to see him. His own tail swished behind him as he teased her nose with a feather. A mighty sneeze escaped her. Grinning, he dropped the feather and nuzzled her lightly as her tail thrummed like a drum beating upon the stone. She turned towards her belly. He glanced at her, quizzical for a moment before he turned and pressed the top of his muzzle to the curve of her belly.
They kicked.
He had just a second to feel the press of them before she was snarling at him. Elated, he didn't care. His tail swung more fiercely as he stared back into those teeth and ignored them. He nudged her with his nose and lathered her face in excited kisses. The pups! They had moved! They were alive and well within his mate who endured the changes to her body with as much grace as she could muster. They were growing. They were healthy. They were strong.
His chest swelled with the pride of soon-to-be fatherhood as he turned affectionately to his mate. Soon. Not too much longer now and then they would have a fresh generation of Tartok. His. Hers. Theirs.
As he licked at her face, she nipped at his tongue without ever trying to capture it. Stop. Stop. Too hot. Too much. She growled, even; but as he stopped, Tonravik reciprocated aggressively, a true testament to how her moods shifted in quick succession. But once she was done, she drew a foreleg up and moved to press her broad paw against his face to shove him away. Of course, two minutes later, as he looked to her proudly, the leader reached out to pull him close again.
There was no grace at all in this for her, but she handled it. She was less becoming than ever, and ten times more aggressive. It was for this reason she stayed here. The demon-bear-cub-spawn within propelled her to launch at the face of any she did not know and tear it from them.
Her cubs moved again during this fantasy, and the mother-to-be took this as approval.
PP here. Can change if you no like~!
Haha! This pregnancy was making her fickle. On again, off again. Her emotions ran rampant. Okay with affections. Not okay. He took it all in stride as his patience and excitement overruled any feeling of being slighted by her aggression. He could take it. He would now, and he would continue to in the upcoming weeks. He would dote on her and offer her more peace offerings in the form of food so long as he could continue to partake in this gift of life she was giving him. Had he sired pups before? Perhaps. But never had he been in a position to be so involved and he was relishing in it. Proud. Excited. Nervous. A conglomerate of things he was ignoring in this moment of celebration with his mate.
She pawed at him, then licked him back. She flashed her fangs and licked him again. He laughed, not at her, but with her as he stepped over her large form and planted his teeth securely within the folds of her scruff. He pulled her then, ignoring whatever protests she might have as he dragged her through this darkness and into a pool of water. No doubt she was hot again, and therefore moody. She was more than welcome to hate him now and love him for it later.
His attempt to drag her would not have gone so well had she not rose on all fours to retaliate as quick as she could in her rolly-polly form, her weight had become so great that no amount of tugging on her scruff by one wolf alone could move her. But rise she did, moving to lash out at a foreleg in the vain hope to cause him to crumple so she could lay atop him. None of that worked out, so as she felt the water meet her toes, Tonravik caught on to his intent.
Feeling finished with being wheeled around, she maneuvered as best as she could to turn herself into a battering ram. If she was to fall victim to this, then he would be the first one to feel the water; she, wanting to feel the cold, did not attempt to remove herself from his grip. Her ears twitched and she listened for any sign that she succeeded... but knew that she would feel it before she heard it.
Hmm. It appeared as though he'd over calculated that move a bit. She was already heavy, he knew that, but even more so with the weight of children bearing her down. He was thankful when she lifted, moving to help him drag her towards the water even as she snapped at his feet. He danced around her, avoiding her snaps until both of their paws were splashing around in the shallows of the pool. She shifted, tossing her weight at him and he finally slipped and tumbled.
His teeth, still locked in her scruff, pulled her down with him. He let go the second he met the water. Limbs tangled as he found himself trapped beneath her and he scrambled to lift his nose back above the surface and right himself. He managed, oriented himself, checked in on her status, then circled back around to nip at her flanks in effort to encourage her deeper. Not only was the water cool, but as wolves were naturally buoyant, the water would help ease the weight of gravity on her shoulders.
He slipped back around her towards deeper water and peddled backwards. There. His foot hit a stone and he turned, getting a better grasp as to what it was. Mm. This would work nicely. Chuffing towards her, he moved, resting his chin upon the rock as he floated, weightless in the water. He glanced towards her, tipping his head to suggest she try it. Perhaps floating like this would not only keep her cool, but help ease the stress of pregnancy on her body.
Their struggle lasted seconds. He released, went deeper, and she fell soaked to the water. As he nipped at her flanks, she turned to snarl in his face: leave me be. She was temperamental and aggressive, and as ever, hot and cold. Her ears flattened atop her head seconds thereafter, her snarl forgotten, and with it the cause for her annoyance. He was deeper in the water and his fangs no longer pinched at her.
Tonravik's eyes, well-adjusted to the darkness, caught his actions. As he chuffed toward her, she was already moving in his direction. Water entered her nose and she snorted it out, and the woman followed suit to his actions, her muzzle pressed against cool stone and the rest of her body feeling light and rested.
She growled approvingly to her mate. She liked this spot. It was cold, perfectly cold.
He waited until Tonravik made herself at home with her muzzle upon that rock before shifting again. There. Floating like this seemed to ease the tension from her shoulders and brought a soft rumble of approval from his mate. Little things. He growled back, glad to be of some assistance for her before he removed his head from the stone and paddled back towards the edge of the water.
He drew himself from the pool and shook the water from his pelt. A clatter sounded elsewhere in the cave. His ears turned immediately, his instinct to hunt and explore the commotion in this otherwise still cave. Nose to the earth, he hunted down the sound and found a small kind of crustacean against the cavern wall. It must have clung to the fur in his coat when he'd been in the water and died on impact when he shook himself.
He had no word to describe the crawfish. He'd never seen one before, nor was he familiar with their larger lobster kin. Still, he carried it within his jaws towards the edge of the water where Tonravik might see it when she emerged. That water was wonderful, but also inhabited. Good to know.
Tonravik lay in silence for a while... but the sound of her mates movement distracted her into awareness. She opened one eye, and when he waded out of the waters, the other dark eye opened as well. For a moment she remained where she was... until there was a peculiar noise. She turned to leave the waters, herself... and noted her mate holding something gently between his jaws.
She had seen the likes of these things before, but not around here. More near the ocean setting. She withdrew sharply, noting its pincers... but when it did not move, she leaned in tentatively. Withdrew again, in case it feigned its death... and nosed it, jumping backward, slamming her paws against the water and standing rigidly. Still the tiny thing did not move. So she darted near to it again, reaching for the dead thing. Her tail waved; she liked the meat of the crawfish... but not its pinching claws, as evidenced by her initial reaction to it.
He dropped the dead thing. She jumped back, putting some distance between herself and the crustacean. His ears lifted as he too drew back. Cautious. Was there something wrong with it that he did not know? Shit. That thing hadn't poisoned him had it? He hadn't felt anything. But if it secreted something subtle? Shit. Shit. Shit.
He lowered his nose to the ground and stuck out his paw. Tongue lolling, he tried to scrap the remnants of the thing from his mouth as Tonravik tested the creature much like a pup would when discovering something new. Testing it. Trying to see if she could cause it to flinch or display any sign of life. Nothing. She took it in her mouth then with a wag of her tail. Oh good. It was safe. He wasn't going to die of poison.
Still, he had no idea what that thing was. He tipped his head inquisitively; a swish of curiosity to his tail. "What is it?"
Her teeth splintered the thing and she dropped it herself, now. Her mates inquisitive look was responded with by her nosing the object toward him, so he could eat the meat it offered. The crawfish was small, but a tasty morsel. She had no name for it, she only knew its taste. There were plenty of them in the oceans she had been trained in, and other things like it—crab—that scuttled and tasted the same.
Tonravik looked back to the water with caution now. The waterbugs pinch were a nuisance. She was tolerant to pain, but if she could avoid it when unnecessary she would. Its pinch was less than enjoyable; she could remember her curiosity as a cub as she sniffed at one, and remembered better its grip upon her lip. The leader wrinkled her muzzle at the thought.
The crawfish snapped between her teeth. The shell of it, broken beneath the pressure she applied. It smelled... fishy? Watery. Something. He couldn't quite place the appropriate smell. Definitely not ocean now that he knew what that was. This particular scent was void of salt. Riverish? Pondish? Mostly wet with a touch of slime. He wrinkled his nose at it, but when she pushed it towards him, the damage she'd done to its shell with her teeth revealed the fleshy insides.
He looked to her? Questioning for a moment before he sniffed it more closely. Still filled with water, he inhaled a bit and immediately sneezed. He shook his head, trying to clear the tingles from his nose before he sniffed it again, this time with a little more distance between his nose and the crawfish. Erm... Did he just like? Suck the meat out? He tapped it with his paw and looked to her for guidance. This wasn't like the flesh of most land animals he encountered. This was something different entirely.
Tonravik observed her mate, who was confused as to how to consume the thing. Often times, the woman forgot that not all would know what she did. As she was not omniscient, neither was he. So the woman placed a paw on the side of the frail critter, licking into the orifice she had created. Her tongue pulled the meat free of its proverbial cage, and once this was done, she let the meat fall from tongue to earth and nudged it toward him, tail waving.
The alpha female enjoyed meat from the water as much as she did the land. Meat was meat, and it was all enjoyable to her. The small creature was a treat that could not provide true sustenance, and was far from filling... but still had nutritional value, and a taste that she enjoyed.
He watched as she demonstrated how to eat the meat from within that creature. By sucking. It was easier to comprehend now that he knew the shell was not to be considered for nourishment, but rather that which lingered inside. He nodded in his understanding and sampled the sustenance she'd offered him. It wasn't terrible. He could see himself fetching a few of these from the water in the future, but for now he held more concern with his pregnant mate.
With a paw, he pushed the crayfish carcass back in her direction and awarded her the rest of the meal. She could enjoy it. He could always find something else later, but he'd rather her have a snack now than be hangry later.
Iqniq stepped towards his mate and nuzzled her lightly before stepping away. He had double duties as alpha to attend to and while he enjoyed the moments he shared with her, it was past time to return to their shared responsibilities.
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