Sorry this took so long Shannon but this thread is backdated... Well.... A long freaking time. xD Before he leaves and after mating with Heartha.
Guiltridden and upset, Alder slunk his way towards his own tunnel, the one he shared with his wife. After coming back from the accidential affair days ago, he'd found the den empty. While he'd been fully ready to admit it right then and there, Aspen hadn't been in the nest... So he cleaned Heartha's scent from him and went on as normal as possible the next few days.
The King couldn't take it though - his wife meant the entire world to him, and never once had he wanted her hurt her. It would, of course: he'd cheated on Aspen and didn't tell her right away, plus there was always the chance that both of the women were pregnant. Part of Alder hoped so - no matter the mother, he would adore his children - but another part dearly wished he could just pretend he'd never left the borders and found Heartha that night.
Poking his head and shoulders into their den, Alder's one blue eye scanned for
@Aspen with a whimper of sorrow.
Aspen trotted into the tunnels she hoped she would find Alder here because she hadn't seen much of him these past few days and she wanted to share with him the disovery she had now come to terms with. She was pregnant. With his puppies. She trotted down the main tunnel a smile on her maw and then turned off to the one that lead to their den to find Alder in the enterance looking quite sorry for himself and appeared he was looking for her too. He smile faded to a look of concern before letting out a chuff in greeting.
"Alder! I've been looking for you, I've got something I want to tell you," she said calmly hiding her smile so as to keep it a secret. Perhaps she could cheer him up with the news she had to share with him.
Turns out, he'd made it here just before his wife. Upon hearing her voice ring out behind him, the King startled, slipping into the den so he could turn around and look at her. A sad, awkward smile crawled across his face, shame written in his every movement.
"I-I have something to tell you too, love. You first."
He was confident that he knew what it was, but right now his own guilt was swamping the joy he should be feeling upon thinking the Queen was pregnant.
Aspen's ears twitched as Alder turned to face her. Hidden behind the very awkward smile was something Aspen didn't immediately recognize. It looked like a mixture of concern and sadness. She gazed at him over analyzing trying to come to some sort of conclusion about what Alder could be feeling though she could not come up with anything solid.
Alder stuttered as he mentioned having something he needed to tell her first, that made her worry. Why was Alder nervous, what was going on. She sat down feeling like this might be something she didn't want to hear. "Alder...What's wrong?" she asked tilting her head slightly.
If Aspen hadn't noticed before, she sure did now - her lack of an answer brought his head shaking, and the King insisted on her telling him first.
"You first, dear."
His words were strained, forced, and worried, but he would not budge. Staring blankly at her silver paws, Alder waited.
Aspen stared at her mate concerned as ever. Her mood killed by her nerves. She was officially scared of what he could have to share. However Alder insisted she share her news first and she nodded adding a small smile and a wag of her tail showing she was pleased about the news she was about to share.
"You're going to be a father my love, I'm pregnant," she stated warmly and proudly. Her face returned to straight her eyes locked on his waiting for his reaction or for him to speak his mind. Words need no longer be said by her. She was sure he could understand.
Alder could see the lack of excitement in her eyes as she realized something was very wrong. She did share, and though he'd known this was a possibility, the King was massively surprised. "you're going to be a father"..... Again. Another shot at raising his kids and having a family, heirs, and he might've just fucked it up again.
At that moment, Alder's eyes rolled back into his head and the King went limp. He crumbled to the floor like a sac of potatoes, hitting the stone and sprawling.
Alder fainted.
Aspen watched as Alder appeared to be processing the information to which she had just shared with him but her jaw dropped as she watched his eyes roll into his head and him collapse to the ground. Had he just.....fainted. Aspen rushed over and began to nose him and licking his face frantically in an attempt to revive him.
She wanted him to wake up, not only so she would know he was okay but so he could speak his news as well and put Aspen's worrying mind hoepfully at rest. "Alder," she spoke before repeating his name louder the second time. "Wake up!" she added as she shoved him slightly harder.