Although it was never easy to part ways with the warmth curled next to Portia, he'd risen early -- well before dawn, and set to work beneath the growing light of the morning.

With each day that passed, winter was easing itself away more and more. Or so it seemed to him. Maybe a piece of this belief came from what he anticipated, and how intrinsically woven into the springtime the notion was: pups. His mate's flanks were widening by the day (much to her dismay), and quickly too, leaving him with no doubts that they'd be having a litter. Knowing this with the certainty that he now did, he wished for the warm, green days to return to them quickly.. and in the meantime, he knew very well to keep busy if these puppies were to have a cushioned early-life.

It was peaceful between the trees as he'd trekked over the borders and crossed pathways with several others doing the same once the morning got into true swing. Only when he had thoroughly assured himself that was all secured, maintained, and well-watched, he drifted inward towards the coast when he reached the edge of the woods.. although it felt somewhat outside his routine to have this much afternoon left, he noted as he trotted on towards the beach. There, when he came upon Wildfire. He approached rather casually despite the probable invasion of her potty-time privacy as he walked on up to her with nostrils flared and a low rumble-whuff of greeting; lately he'd noticed her keeping away, likely to herself somewhere, and figured it was all her way of sorting through the processes involved in her first pregnancy.

So he wondered what she was out doing, if anything particular, and voiced it with a simple "Hey." Then a nod. "How're things?" Dio quietly clipped his jaw shut afterward. There were a lot of other, far more eloquent things he could ask of their leading ambassador, heda's mate, and expecting mother. Since he had no real business here with her right here, and he was uncertain of her overall mood (receptiveness to company like his included) yet, he'd check himself to err on the more cautious side from here on out--not that he intended to bug her for long.

It was a potentially delicate matter here, so he knew well enough to play it safe and not go nosing around too habitually. He didn't want to overstep in any way that he could help, not with so much else going on, as per usual. Yet even with this all at stake and in mind, Wildfire's puppies were certainly ranking loftily among his interests. It was hard not to be, and not only because he'd sired both litters. New blood for Drageda's next generation was impending, and frighteningly fast, how could he not anticipate it when it was the first to come in their new home? He was eager to see his sons and daughters grow--flourish, even--here in the name of the commander's claim.

While perhaps arrogant of him to think so, the future as it concerned Drageda seemed well-lit from here.

He let his ears flick forward from their outward splay when she invited him to guess, of all things. Although, he was glad the mood seemed light enough so far. Her greeting suggested so, anyway. "What?" he asked back, the swish of his tail slowing with a measure of caution. "A good thing, I hope?" He fished for details with a tilt to his head, eyeing her with interest.

Good things, truly, and the building tension he'd just begun to have diffused immediately in exchange for more reminders that these puppies were going to be here soon. "Oh. Good. Really? For the first time?" he eyed her sides for a second, wholly unable to imagine how such sensations must play out beyond her saying it could almost be mistaken for gas. At least now their kicks could not pack too much power yet, and Wildfire seemed blissfully aglow in a serenity he'd not seen before this so he doubted she was perturbed by their new motion much. "Isn't it nice to hear from them like that finally? Even if kicking their mom is not so sweet," he chuffed. Thinking about it too extensively was treading into territory he didn't want to touch but his tail waved a slow, happy little beat to imagine that they were well, meeting their growth milestones, and whatever else they needed to be doing in there in the cozy comfort of her womb. "A little bit, yeah. She's said they seem to be growing fast lately.." And accordingly, Portia took her issues with her expanding girth and Dio worried along in his proud sort of way that fast-approaching fatherhood seemed to instill onto him.

He understood these matters of gestation went differently for many females, but it was a welcome relief to see it all going relatively smoothly for Wildfire and Portia both. While he knew this could change at a moment's notice, he wasn't going to jinx it by dwelling on the maybes and what ifs. Instead, there was much else to be happy (and in truth, excited..) about and a lot to prepare for in the meantime, so there was no shortage of better places to focus. Wildfire's insight to the inner workings was.. bizarre to him, but vaguely fascinating as he nodded with a firm look on, unable to quite picture what the pups may be like but quickly consumed by thought of them as an entire whole. 

"My honor?" he snickered through a quick grin; he was placated plenty by his genetic ties to them, no matter the distance he may have to keep between himself and  them sometimes. Wildfire didn't worry him much in that regard, Thuringwethil did a little bit, but there was no telling until the puppies got here, both litters, and grew among the pack as a whole. His tail switched slow and steady while his eyes narrowed in consideration. "I wouldn't mind any, but don't feel like you have to for my sake. Only if it seems to fit, like it flows just right," he said, thinking with a name's aesthetic in mind first and foremost. He had his handful of offspring with Viviana sporting an -io in their title — which was a similar vein, he thought, so he wouldn't turn down making just absolutely sure his influence ran deep within the nomenclature of others if it had a good rhythm about it.

"I'm guessing you have thought about first names and all that, yeah? Since I'm not too sure if they will have them, we haven't really planned for middle names, yet.. for ours, just some rough ideas tossed around for the firsts," he detailed, referencing some idle chit-chat on the topic between him and Portia that was hardly more than a bunch of scattered this and that. Neither him nor his mate came from strong family traditions when it came to names, so he was finding the open expanse of possibilities quite wide — and almost daunting, especially with a ticking time limit on it.

Names were a weighty subject, and he wished to find the ones neatly between simplicity and distinction for his and Portia's litter. "We haven't exactly set anything in stone either," he nodded, glad to hear they were on the same page as this. He also appreciated her note on them pairing well, but since he didn't really want to go and spoil it too badly, he didn't try to find out a whole lot more about what she meant by that. "Considering Portia's.. vast knowledge on the matter," he smirked, unable to even remember it all himself because there was just so very much of it. "We were thinking something plant-life-inspired may be nice. Flowers, anything that isn't too blatant or bland, but still sweet somehow.." In homage to their mother, and some of them were actually quite pretty. Knowing his mate's middle name was a flower, too, further inspired him to keep this idea around.

He attempted to recite a few of the flowers Portia had told him about, although maybe a few here and there bled together, but the backbones of the plan were definitely in place. Despite not having names entirely picked out, or knowing exactly what would become of their little families once these puppies came, he was still excited. The days were numbered, and sooner than he would realize it, they would be here. A good long look at Wildfire was just another reminder, and while his boundaries with her were far different than with Portia, he still would make sure she was comfortable, and with anything she'd need (short of bringing the commander out of the wilds back to her side of course) before parting ways for now.