It probably had happened before, but Osprey felt them move for the first time on the seventh week. The days had been quite warm lately, the sun appeared now and then, and she enjoyed sleeping and simply being lazy more than ever. The fear and confusion of the previous weeks had loosened their grip on her heart a bit, she was not entirely happy, nor her back to her old-self, but she had finally come to terms with what was going to happen and that no matter, how she felt or how much she did not want this, it would take place regardless.
She had also found that it was easier to go around and prepare for their arrival, to think ahead rather than wallow in guilt and regrets for things in the past that could not be changed anymore. Therefore, once the fever and headaches had become tolerable and her joints didn't ache that much anymore, she spent her days, either digging her sand-pit by the uprooted tree she resided by or fetching and bringing various useful stuff to the area she had chosen for whelping. Her progress was very slow and she had to lie down and rest frequently, but after that she kept working and planning.
It was light, tickling feeling in her belly that woke her in the middle of the night and made her lift her head and glance over at the source of it. Unlike the pain she had felt before, this was actually pleasant, made her curious and then... excited as she realized that somehow the kids she hadn't been able to imagine over the past few weeks, had become very much alive and real. However, all beautiful moments get ruined one way or another. For Osprey it was the pressing need to relieve the bladder. Therefore she got up and left her sleeping spot to seek out a place away from there.
And after she was done, she stretched and yawned, feeling that the sleep would not come back any time soon. One glance at the starry sky above, gave her an idea. Slowly she hobbled towards the edge of the plateau, where the flatlands lied and where she would have the marvelous sight of stars all for herself.
ooc: @Niria . Set late at night, clear, starry skies. Osprey is near the borders.
Most of the wolves would say they have a daily routine, wake up, take care of child, hunting maybe... nights were made to sleep. But that plan doesn't work for everyone, and Niria was the clear example. She hadn't been for so long in her new pack, when she realised she had already run all the territory. Always quiet steps, but steps that don't rest untill the sun has raisen.
It was just another night, and Niria with her fur bristled, and pointy ears, kept running, feeling chased by the creepy song of the owls. Niria's senses where blind, she was just able to hear, thousand steps and breaths behind her. Deep on her mind, she knew she was alone... no one was chasing her... but what if she wasn't? Although she would try to stop just because, her body wouldn't do it.
Maybe she had been running doing circles for hours, walking over her own footprint, but she didn't even mind, the idea was just run. She almost didn't realise about another wolf, not far from where she was, untill she got to close to change her way. A grey wolf grew in front of her quickly without taking care about it. When Niria's body were able to slam on the brakes, there where just few meters between her and the female. Niria, surprised, started grwoling without moving. She hadn't known all her new packmates, and didn't know how to react to the stranger.
Niria's stared at the female's eyes, trying to find out what she could be thinking in, showing fear on her own ones at the same time. "Who are you?" nearly whispered still growling.
Osprey had to stop quite often to rest her feet. She would sit down and at those moments would look down at the swollen and painful joints, quietly wondering, what had happened to them and whether this would pass or whether she would have to seek Blue willow for a cure. Sprained tendons and aching muscles had not been anything she had not experienced before, but this condition had lasted for quite some time now. Yet her stubborness to do everything in her own was still strong, therefore she decided that she could surivive another day. Night, to be precise.
Therefore once the pain lifted just a little bit, she got to her feet and moved onwards, feeling oddly happy and wanting to share this with someone the most. Yet she was at odds with all of the people, who she considered to be friends, and she was not sure, if they would receive this well. It ocurred to her that maybe she could try to mend this, now that she felt slightly better, more like herself again. But any further plans of reconciliaton were cut short, when Osprey realized that she was not alone in the forest and that there was another nightbird up and going, and growling at her.
If you are approached in an assertive manner, you respond with being defensive. Osprey was no different. She turned to look the stranger directly in the eyes and with fur bristled along her spine. She eased a bit, when she recognized one of the newer recruits in the ranks, yet even now she had a stance to keep, therefore, even though her eyes were now looking at the she-wolf kindly, the silver gamma's posture was still dominant. "I am Osprey, the gamma of the plateau," she replied in a level voice. "Who are you?"
Niria's night was plenty of bites and howls. Every night, the same race, scaping from her fears, and she still hadn't figured out how to control them. Her hoofs sunk on the cold earth to not finding herself running again as a crazy impolite. The grey wolf was interesting to Niria, who kept on watching her, with her ears laid back now, just on sign of respect to the Gamma. Despite there was nothing to fear about the situation if she calmed down, Niria found herself in an aggresive-defensive position. "Niria" growled "you are in my way..." she explained, but her expresion didn't help a lot showing she hadn't wanted to be rude.
All had happened so quickly, the wind hiting her face with little branchs and leafs, owls and dreams, and suddendly, she was in front of a stranger, even though Osprey belonged to her new pack. With her breath bumpy, Niria took now some brief look to the woman. A weird shape on the belly of the female took her attention. She was pregnant. What the hel is she doing here if she is with puppys?Where is the father?. The fact of not beeing able to hear someone else around them, made Niria be more nervous, which was obvious in the way she was little by little shrinking in her place, as she was getting ready to jump.
ooc; oh god, this is all a record for me...
As the time passed, Osprey felt rather uncomfortable to be in the white wolf's company. It was not that easy to read the girl's expression, nor tell, what was going on in her head or predict, what she was going to do. Yet the air around her was thick of fear and adrenaline pumping through her veins. She was afraid of something, this unsettled Osprey too and she took an involuntary step back and cast a wary glance around, sniffing the air and trying to find the source of danger.
It did not occur to her that the girl and her demons could be a matter to consider. "Is everything alright?" Osprey asked, sitting down and turning her gaze politely away just to tell the other that she meant no harm. That it was safe.
The conversation, however, did not turn out as planned and in the end Osprey decided that there was no point in trying to make a contact with a person, who did not want this at all. She left the girl and continued to head in the direction she had intended to go in the first place.
ooc: editted an ending, because the other player went inactive.