Summer fields tesselate with drops of morning dew. She makes a gentle advance but stops short of the den by a few yards. Inside there was a new family, the alphas and their little ones nestled inside. She would not disturb the nursing mother or her cubs, but sings a soft note for @Gunnar and positions the lucky find at her paws- a spotted white-tailed fawn.
tags only for reference unless you want to post <3
Gunnar didn't stray to far from
@Taktuq,
@Astrid,
@Ujurak,
@Kristjan and Sven. Preferring to be right there if she should need him. They were mere days old and there wasn't much he could do except keep them warm if she needed a moment l. But he tried to do what he could.
The gentle sound of tauris roused him and he shifted to move forward. A small smile on his face when he met her. Then surprise at the gift at her feet.
Oh what a lucky find. Hello Tauris.
“Gunnar,” she greets gently with a nuzzle beneath his chin before nosing the kill to his paws.
“For you and Tak, I imagine you’ll both need to keep your strength up,” warmth glistens in her eyes.
“How are you holding up?” She asks and seats herself beside him. Gunnar had been father to many for much of his life. But this was his first time being a father by blood. She wonders if he’s felt a shift at all, but she wont occupy him with such questions. For now, she just wants to know the family is well.
“I want to hear all about my future leaders, who do they look like, who do they act like? Boys or girls or both?”
Tongue darts out to place a fstherly kiss to her head or cheek. A smile in his eyes. He shifts and chuckles.
I am sleepy, but she has done more than I so i shouldn't complain. And continues to do so. I can only keep warm and give breaks for now.
A smile in his eyes 3 boys 1 girl. Ujurak Baldir is our oldest. Granite like stone. Sturdy and strong. 2nd is tawny girl Astrid Ahnah. 3rd brown and grey mix of both in his coat Kristjan Tulugaak. And finally Grey with white freckles along shoulders Sven Adlartok.
Her paws shift nervously: four! That was so many! Like four petals on a primrose, or the four legs of a wolf! That’s two for each parent- a little dizzying realization she makes as Gunnar goes on to name each one. But they are all healthy and so is Taktuq, and they’d have the support of the pack to help rear them.
“Congratulations, dad. I can’t wait to meet them,” her heart swells for the man, but it’s bittersweet. Gunnar is aging, and she wonders how much time he’ll have with his children, and how many events of their lives he’ll miss out on. She leans in again to rest her chin across his shoulder and whispers, “We’ll all take care of them.”
It’s a promise that they’ll never be without a family. Even after Gunnar is gone.
“Will you give my love to Taktuq? I don’t want to disturb her if she’s resting.” She peers towards the den but all is quiet; peaceful. She turns back to Gunnar with a hushed look.
“Hey, there’s something else I need to talk to you about.”
She had her suspicions, and if she was correct then it was going to be obvious she was pregnant soon. It was a little too late to seek his blessing, but she wanted to tell the alphas before she began to show. Even if it’s a little humiliating to admit her failure- she’d gone North to avoid pregnancy. But she’d found Fig instead.
“There might be a few more pups running around here soon…” A wild heart shakes her chest, on her mouth’s a shy smile.
Four was many, but he wasn't surprised. His own mother had birthed four and then three her own self. His family had large litters and he imagined Taktuq's had as well. So they were sort of doomed in a way from the get go for a large litter.
A soft smile at her calling him dad. Both because he was one and he liked to think he was a parental figure for her as well. Gunnar had spades of love to give. And it hadn't left his notice that he wasn't long for this world. And sooner than he would like he'd leave his little ones behind.
Thank you.
At first he thought she meant Inkeri then he realized now it was her. A tightness in his chest at first. What would they do with more little mouths to feed than adults. But he wouldn't rain on her parade.
Congratulations. Are you excited?
Gunnar is quick to stow his hesitation but it wont go unnoticed. Her eyes avert passively and a breath’s withheld. She’d want to explain, in the same way she’d told Louis that it hadn't been planned, but it wouldn’t change anything now. Her ears flatten but she returns his look.
“Overwhelmed, mostly,” she confesses, “but, excited, too.” A wind picks up and she tries to let its sensation soothe.
“I’m thinking of taking Skáld out to the lake to go swimming for a bit. I’m worried about how he’ll take the news.” She wanted the boy to have good memories of his childhood. She wanted him to have time, just the two of them, where she could reassure him he could never be replaced; that he was her family.
He smiled at her and placed a paw alongside her's. Tauris I think you will be an amazing mother. You take such good care of us and Skald.
He briefly wondered if she would teach her children to be bitter like she was with the boy Bonario. But he quickly pushed the thought aside. Surely she wouldn't, and things seemed better. Speaking of bonnie, he wondered where he was.
He would like that, and maybe to hunt for some plants. He likes plants.
“I’m going to try.”
She had resolved to do what was right by her children, to allow them a happy youth, to protect them from external pressures, the same ones that had wrenched her too quickly from her own childhood. And it was the same thing she wanted for Skáld, to give him a foundation that wouldn’t shake, that he might be able to lead himself with confidence knowing he had family that was beside him always.
“Thank you, Gunnar,” she shifts, breathing the thick summer air. “Swimming and hunting for plants! Sounds like a fun vacation to me,” she barks, though could only hope Skáld would agree.
Gunnar didn't know the plans of Tauris for her young. But he imagined she'd do well with it and for them.
And gunnar certainly hoped the wolves of kvarsheim knew they had family behind them. If not he was doing leadership wrong in his opinion.
Welcome.
He chuckled. i think so. I hope you have fun.