She was getting better at recognising scents and following them away to the den while also managing not to get lost. That opened up the start of her beginning to explore the pack a entirely. She was spotted several times but never introduced herself, instead nervously avoiding everyone. Well today she discovered that there was milk scent and knew there were other pups around which got her more excited than she had been in a long time. She raced to the den and grabbed her old chew that she tossed away for sticks and began to follow the milk scent with difficulty, actually tracking seriously for the first time.
When she stood outside the den she suddenly wondered if she would get in trouble. She froze, chew in her mouth and hesitantly snuck closer still stubbornly intent upon leaving the gift though she looked ready to bolt. She didn't want to get yelled at and even worse, she didn't want it known she was so soft...she would lie and say she was just so curious and thought maybe bringing a gift would get her closer.
she felt drained, exhausted, and it hurt to lift herself up enough to gather her children close, or stop their occasional cries. she'd returned to her den, in the end, and even though she wanted dearly to sleep beneath the open sky, the prospect of crawling out of the little space seemed too monumental to attempt. and so she settled for lying her in a stupor, caught between feelings of love and failure and overwhelming exhaustion, holding tight
@Stone and
@Brook all the while.
it took her longer than it out of to notice the tiny figure at the den's entrance, and only habit had her call out a small greeting.
"hello." she lifted her head sluggishly, making out something in the boy's - girl's? - mouth.
Lainie saw had finally snuck close enough to speak Dawn and the pups inside and see that she was being watched. She dropped the chew and in a purely startled fashion hop skipped a few pages back her ears flattening. She paused as she heard the greeting and dropped to her belly "Hewwo" she said still struggling with pronunciation. "I jus wanted ta leave a toy. Itssa chew. I don't play with it anymoah" she belly crawled to the chew and picked it up, looking at Dawn imploringly for permission to come closer.
Once again her wayward daughter had slinked away! With an upset groan, Lie set about finding her scent and tracking the youngster. A firm tongue lashing would be in order. Yes they had been allowed into the rendezvous site, but that didn’t mean they could wander without supervision.
Lie herself had taken to sleeping at the rendezvous site despite her condition. She just couldn’t bare to be away from her children when she knew their time was limited.
“Lainie?” She called, following the easily distinguished scent of her ebony daughter. She grew more and more upset the closer she ventured to Aditya and Dawn’s den. After what had happened with Aditya and her children she felt ashamed at the way she had acted in regard to her packmate. And NOW THIS! Dawn had JUST given birth, surely she would want her space, and having another pup show up without warning? Lie shock her head. This could go very bad.
Hurrying her steps as best she could, Lie eventually came upon Lainie at the entrance of Dawn’s den. “Lainie!” She yell whispered at her daughter, “You shouldn’t be here my sweet.” Coming alongside the girl she peaked down into the den, seeing Dawn awake. “Oh Dawn, I am very sorry for the intrusion. I hope she hasn’t bothered you.” Sending a firm look at Lainie, “Congratulations, by the way.” This is not how she had planned coming to visit new mother.
the girl could have been leaving a rattlesnake and dawn would not have cared - most of what she said simply passed through her head, though she offered an "ok," and shifted to draw close one of her children, grooming unconsciously the far between its ears. stone, she thought, though if she was being entirely honest they looked very much the same and she wasn't much in the mood to flip this one over.
rosaline's there, suddenly, and though she's missed part of what the woman's said she's glad to see the wolf she considers a friend. "rosalie!" she greets, though the words feels thick on her tongue and she slurs it slightly. concentrating, she speaks again. "it's alright." she pulls the child close, eyes slipping closed a moment. gods, she's tired.
She could hear Rosalie's thundering mom steps before she even arrived and was turned around in a comically exaggerated look of horror as her maman came forward and chastised her. She frowned and opened her mouth to explain to her maman that she wasn't a bother, she only meant to leave a gift for the babies and go but then she looked toward Dawn and saw her curled around her kids and closed her mouth her ears flattening back "I'm sorry Maman I'm just curious about the new kids" she said softly sounding lonely and then she looked to Dawn "I'm sorry Madame" she apologised and turned to scamper away her tail curled beneath her belly.
At least Lainie hadn’t forgotten her manners, and Lie felt kinda bad for ruining the girls fun. But there were rules in place for a reason, and Rosalie was no pushover. No matter how much she loved her children. “I know you are darling, you can meet them later.” Lie didn’t miss the tone and her gaze softened on the girl, the three parents had been very distracted recently, had they been neglecting their children? Frowning as the girl ran off, suitable told off.
It was obvious that the new mother was tired, but from her vantage Lie could see the two young pups squirming against the mother as she groomed them between words. “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything Dawn. We are all here to help. I’ll leave you to your rest.” Giving a wide smile and brief dip of her head, Lie turned in the direction her daughter had fled.
She acknowledged her packmate's words dimly, though the groggy words of gratitude came only when both the child and mother had gone. Already her eyelids had began to close, and fitful sleep came easily. The plaything would be better investigated tomorrow.