Wolf RPG

Spring hadn't had a chance to speak with her Alpha for the last couple of days due to her business with trying to keep the prey caches and herb cache stocked up, for the upcoming pups.  Today though, Spring decided to talk to Saena about her encounter with Reek.  Saena would need to know now in Spring's eyes, before she had the extra weight of being a single Mother, which would probably happen in a mantle of days.  Due to the roundness of her Alpha.

Spring tilted her head back and howled for @Saena.  Then the brown furred female waited for her white and red furred Alpha to appear.  She wondered what Saena would think of the news that Spring carried.  Although a part of her wondered what she would be doing right now if Reek and Tavi had never had their make-out session.  If only life could be simple...

Something was changing. Saena could feel it subtly. It settled in her bones, across her heavy gut, and in her head. But she didn't recognize it and didn't spend much time worrying about it as she lounged around near her whelping den. When Spring's howl rang through the treetops, signalling the Gamma's return from her travels, Saena put it out of her mind completely.

It was slow going, but she waddled her way to the hazelnut Gamma determinedly and breathed a sigh of relief to see that Spring was unharmed. Saena felt personally responsible for these wolves now, and wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she'd sent a subordinate and friend out into danger. But Spring seemed well enough and Saena arranged herself into an awkward sit before studying Spring's face and asking, "did you find anything?"

As Saena asked her if she had found anything, the Gamma instantly knew the answer.  Yes, she did find much.  She had spoken to Reek, got direct clarification of Reek’s pack, Reek vowing to meet his pups no matter what, all from Reek himself.  That wolf was a disgusting creature.  How could one take so much anyway and retrieve so much in return?  It didn’t make sense.  It was ignorant, annoying and of course beyond selfish.  It was just ugly and disgusting to think that something like this could happen.  Spring hoped serious karma would murder the life out of Reek.  That wolf so very much deserved that.

“I saw Reek.”  Spring began in a disgusted tone.  Then paused a moment before continuing.  “He said many horrible things Saena.”  She paused a moment before continuing.  "He basically vowed to see his pups, claiming that they are still his.”  Spring gave Saena a sympathetic look, she felt bad that such a decent wolf had to be put in such a terrible position.  “I think we both know that he does not deserve any rights whatsoever to even see his pups.”  Spring added in a more serious tone.  “I also got clarification from Reek himself that he made a pack.”  Spring continued.  

Her eyes then flicked down to the ground trailing the dirt, before glancing back up.  “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that Reek failed you.  He’s an extremely messed up wolf.  One day he’ll learn though I promise you.  I’ll make sure of it.  It beyond angers me that he takes so much and expects everything.”  Spring remarked to her Alpha.  It made her sick to the stomach to think of being cheated on.  It was just so utterly disgusting.

Spring's tone doesn't bode well, and when the woman begins, it's all Saena can do to hide a righteous smirk. Her goal was never to completely besmirch her ex-mate's name, and any reasonable creature would agree that he'd done a good job of ruining his own reputation all by himself, but it felt good to have her feelings validated. She listens keenly, experiencing twin flutters of anxiety when Spring mentions the pups and the suspect pack, but ultimately what she's hearing isn't satisfying. It's terrifying.

"How anyone can trust that man," she begins, but lets the words fall with a shake of her head. "You're right, of course." Reek doesn't deserve to meet his children, to influence them, or have any part of raising them. Choosing a wolf other than his (as far as anyone knows) devoted, pregnant mate is one thing. Settling a pack close enough to hear the howls of the Phoenix wolves is downright creepy and threatening in Saena's books, and her features darken. "I told him he could meet them, but... I'm not so sure that's a good idea." How is she supposed to stand there in his presence and let him speak to her children, claim he loves them, when he chose Tavi over her and them?

She has her answer nearly as quickly as she thinks it: she cannot. The thought of even being near Reek makes her stomach twist into knots. "If he comes near this pack," Saena tells Spring, "I'll take his life as payment for his misdeeds toward us all." She would never get the opportunity thanks to the quickly approaching birth of her cubs, but it's a vow she intends to keep for life.

Spring listened with a serious expression as Saena spoke.  She was relieved to hear that Saena did not want Reek near her pups, that was good for everyone she believed.  Especially safety purpose wise.  “Good.”  Spring responded.  “He doesn’t deserve to ever meet his pups.”  She commented in pure disdain.  Reek didn’t deserve anyone at this point.  All he did was cause distress, depression, despair, ruckus and anger in his wake.  He was the body or representative of evil and cruelty in Spring’s mind.  Although he didn’t cause much physical pain, he cause emotional pain... maybe even some mental pain to others.  Probably even himself, chipping away at the world and himself piece by piece... almost like a stone to chalk.  It was sad in a way, but Reek deserved to be chipped away slowly and agonizingly, Spring could only hope that that was what was happening to him.  She didn’t feel guilty one bit as she hoped for that outcome.  Reek deserved to die.

“I agree with you one-hundred percent with you and I’m not just saying that as my duties as a subordinate, I’m saying it because I mean it.”  Spring spoke on in a pretty neutral, yet darkening tone.  She wondered how Reek and Saena had even happened though... she supposed Reek had seemed nice at first to her, but she had seen his dark side fairly soon.  Although she was unsure it seemed that it had taken much longer for Saena to see that he was a terrible creature.  So she wondered: why didn’t Saena notice before she and Reek became mates?  Or maybe she had, but just hadn’t thought much of it, until Reek had cheated on her.  It didn’t matter anymore though she finally concluded.  The past was the past anyways... it could not be undone.

Spring's disdain ought to come as as a surprise to the Alpha female, who's only ever known the Gamma's sweet and kind side, but it's not without satisfaction that she smiles thankfully. Turning the wolves of the maplewood against their former Alpha male wasn't her original plan, but now that the opportunity presents itself, Saena seizes it readily.

"Thank you," she says, leaning forward to bump Spring's snout with her own, if permitted. "I wish they didn't need to grow up without a dad, though," and this is true and heartfelt. Had she foreseen the falling apart of her relationship, Saena would've put the brakes on it then and there. Bringing children into the world without a proper family is, perhaps, the one thing the Alpha can't stomach, but she has no choice now and must accept it for the sake of her innocence pups.

"I had four parents when I was a kid," she said after a beat, "my mom passed away when my brother and I were born and we were adopted by the Alpha pair, who're also relatives. My real dad hung around for a bit, but ended up leaving before we really even knew him." Come to think of it, Saena doesn't remember what Kisu looks like anymore, it's been so long since she's last seen him. "But then my mum and dad, the ones that adopted me, had a falling out. My mom left without a word, and my dad... well, he chose his new mate over my siblings and I. I never wanted my kids to have to go through that kind of pain." She sighs, but then lifts the corner of her lip as optimistically as possible and mumbles, "maybe it's better I found out now rather than later, so they won't even really know."

Spring listened as Saena began with a friendly bump to her own muzzle.  It was sad to hear Saena open up to her about her broken family.   It almost made Spring feel guilty in a way, that she had had such a great upbringing... well until the sickness, but still at least she herself had gotten to know her Mother and had not had her family leave on their own will and turn their backs on her.  It made Spring’s mood falter even further to hear Saena compare this to what she wanted for her pups.  Her expression softened up as Saena finished.

“Saena.”  She began in a quiet murmur.  “I’m so sorry, I had no idea.  That’s horrible.  I can’t believe you had such a horrible upbringing.”  Spring didn’t know if their was much more to say about Saena’s horrible family in this situation.  It was just beyond horrid, terrible and cruel.  She moved on to the topic of the pups.  “Well... one thing I know for sure is that you’ll do so much better than Reek ever would.  Those pups are better of with only you and not some foul wolf like Reek.”  She paused for a moment, holding back a fresh tidal wave of ugly remarks about Reek before continuing, with something a little more heartfelt.  “One day I’m sure you’ll find someone perfect for you Saena.  Maybe then the pups can have a Father along with you their Mother that they deserve.  Don’t worry.”

Spring's reaction to Saena's news is better than the Alpha female could ever have hoped for, and a year ago she would've felt empowered and righteous for someone to agree so fervently with her. Yet she's grown up in her time away from the plateau, not completely but enough, and knows now that it could be worse.

"I thought so at the time," she say, lifting her body to dip into a languid stretch. The flesh of her belly pulls taut and she grimaces; it would be a good day when she isn't uncomfortable anymore. "I know now it could've been worse. Some pups lose both parents and are orphans." That was something she could never allow for her children, at least as much as she could prevent it. "But it drove me to want everything to be perfect for my children. Perfection is truly unattainable, though.

But I'm not worried for them," she shares after a beat. She was, at first, but isn't anymore. "They don't have just me. They have all of you as well. This pack is wonderful and will give them more than any sole father or mother ever could." This she meant from the bottom of her heart. Saena is rarely forthcoming with compliments and recognition, but when she is, it's heartfelt. She does dearly love her pack and believes they will easily replace and even surpass what Reek could've provided for her pups, and she knows that his unfaithfulness is the only thing that has caused her to think that way.

Spring heart warmed at Saena's heartfelt speech.  It really touched her and so she made sure to not ruin the mood by telling that she had in fact been orphaned herself at a young age or that her entire birth pack was dead.  Well... her other siblings could be alive, but she wasn't entirely sure.  Anything was possible though.  

"You are right indeed, I suppose there really is no such thing as perfection, even for the best of familys'. Yet... I still have no doubt that you will be a great Mother Saena.  Sole or not.  Your pups will love you."  She replied to her Alpha, with a small, yet warm smile.  Saena was strong for her age anyways.  She was younger than most Alpha's, still Saena seemed to be better than most.  Spring admired her Alpha much.  Pups would be easier than leading a whole pack anyways.  She was sure of it.

Spring's optimism was always a breath of fresh air, one Saena would remember most fondly in days to come, though she had no idea of it presently. The compliment paid to Saena by the Gamma brought a light smile to her lips, a genuine one that sparked in her eyes and spread warmth through her chest. "Thank you," she said, just above a whisper. "I hope you're right." For if there was anything Saena feared more than losing her title and her pack, it was being as hated by her children as she hated her own parents.

Part of her wondered if the absence of a father would cause them to resent her eventually. She didn't know how soon they would understand what a "proper" family looked like, or how young they would still be when they asked. Her experience with cubs was limited to Blue Willow's brood, and she hadn't been there for them as much as she ought to have, either.

A tense ripple of pain across her abdomen made the Alpha's face contort and she muttered a quiet, "oof," in the space between Spring and she. She didn't know it yet, but it was the beginning of the longest evening of her life, and this the first sign that her two months of pregnancy were drawing to a swift end. "I think I need to go lie down for a bit," the Alpha female shared with a heavy brow to suggest her confusion. "My apologies, Spring," she said as she turned and excused herself. She would only just make it back to the den in time for her labour to truly begin.