whoever would be near/in the den!
cortland had fallen into a routine about which he was very much pleased. it began and ended with food, snacks mingled with naps, and he was often wont to summon his mother for an extra midnight meal if he needed. which he did. multiple times a night. to say the puppy ate like a hobbit was an understatement. presently, as the dawn crept across the skyline, cortland stretched and smacked his jaws, blind head bobbing as he immediately begin to cry aloud for third breakfast, regardless of how much sleep his exhausted birth-giver needed.
There was something she had noticed between her son and daughter more obvious than their physical genders. Cortland was never satisfied for long, her robust boy constantly wanting to eat only hours after his last meal. Rowan lifted her weary head as light began to pour into the den and she lifted Cortland up again, returning and directing him to her beast. It would hopefully satisfy him so she might drift a bit longer, or perhaps he would sleep soon after eating. Mona so far had not stirred, the pale woman still curled protectively around her precious children.
a warm presence stirred around him -- he recognized it as the giver of milk -- and cortland wriggled excitedly to her teat, latching on tightly as his tiny paws settled on either side. he tugged ravenously, hoping to increase the milkflow, and found himself gagging when it began to pour unexpectedly into his mouth. pulling away, cortland squalled angrily beneath the waterfall, indignation writ into his small smushed features.
Cortland was enthusiastic as ever and Rowan had no fears that so long as her boy fed regularly he would become as strong as his ancestors. He apparently got too greedy and Rowan gave a little laugh, leaning down to lick his face clean of the milk and clear his nose out. "Aw, Cher, too much of a good thing?" She mused with a smile. Tired as she was, still, her heart was so very full. She adored him and his ruddy sister both.
cortland muttered to himself, but he licked his jaws and relatched to his mother all the same. however, the glory of nursing had been lost; he released the teat and began to nose blindly about for mona or any other interesting object nearby. surely there was more to life than eating and sleeping. probably not.
As Cortland pulled away Rowan smiled fondly, her fierce little boy. How proud she was of him already and he was so new and so tiny - already he had such promise to the utterly biased mother. With a little smirk she placed her paw just before her son, curious to see if he would charge forward and find a way to topple over or if he would be content to rest next to her.
the boy toddled forth, and tripped promptly over his mother's outstretched paw. gums gaped in a large squall, one that died away as he brought his tiny blunt muzzle forth and bumped it against the edge of her footpad, small tongue questing to taste and to identify. the flavor of earth filled his mouth, not wholly unpleasant, and cortland pulled away to savour it for a moment.
Rowan laughed softly as Cortland recovered only by the taste of her paw, leaning down to lick her boy, tongue laving across his body. He was so beautiful. She couldn't imagine this life even months ago - and her only regret was that Lasher was not present to bask in his youngest children. "My little love." Rowan cooed out, smiling as she settled her head down on the earth to watch him.
the fact that cortland would never know his father was something unfortunately lost upon him. for now he giggled as his mother lapped his velvety fur; it tickled! he babbled an aggressive string of syllables and flopped upon his back, lifting small forepaws to bat at her muzzle.
SHe had never known love like this. To be fair, to be honest, Rowan had never experienced love in the passionate sense before. Perhaps she could have grown to love Lasher, not to just wallow in obsession, but it had given her the two beautiful babies at her side. She nuzzled against Cortland's stomach when it was presented, even as he playfully batted at her maw.
cortland burbled happily, and then farted loudly, a sound to rival the quietude of the den. unperturbed, the hobbit rolled to his side and paraded toward his mother, making noises of hunger and smacking his toothless gums noisily. all this playing was making him starve to death.
If she ever doubted his strength it came in the sounds he made and the way he seemed to be endlessly hungry. Her little round boy made her heart soar. "Here, love." She murmured as she reclined a bit so that he could drink properly - soon would come the day when he would no longer need to drink from her and Rowan wasn't sure how she could handle that day. She would miss the moments he spent at her side, nursing from her, living still from her.
last post from me <3
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he kneaded her side with small paws, until his stomach had been filled. the natural thing to do then was to drift off -- cortland nuzzled into the velveteen fur of her belly and yawned once before his eyes fluttered shut and he found his dreams, at peace alongside his mother's heartbeat.[/tr][/td][/table]
It didn't take long before his hunger had been satisfied and Rowan relaxed too. She curled herself around her children, satisfied just to be and to enjoy the cuddles and snuggles with her young for as long as she could. They'd only be little for so long and soon there was a chance her son would outgrow her, perhaps her daughter too - to tower over her. They'd learn much together, they'd bask in affections, Rowan would do everything in her power not to fail them. Anything it took, she'd do it for them.