Lately, she was leaving a telling trail wherever she went. If not marking, she was hunting, or otherwise prowling around much more obviously than she had weeks before. For once, this would make her a little easier to find--when Vela came searching for her, she was polishing off a meal of rabbit she had more or less scalped from Charon's most recent hunts, but he was always especially generous when it was like this so he didn't take much convincing at all. Either way, the bones were almost cleaned off and her mate was long gone before she lifted her head and saw Vela coming her way.

Ame's tail beat against the ground as she finished licking her meal from her lips and then gathered her legs beneath herself to rise. She left a smattering of rabbit remains and fur at her paws, but paid it less mind for now with her most immediate of hunger pangs chased off. They would be back soon enough, though.

For now, her attentions were on Vela as she stretched and yawned, then chuffed to the pale daughter as she straightened her stance and went striding closer to her. She was welcome company.

She rumbled affectionately during any greetings exchanged, and when Vela settled down before her, she got comfortable herself--as well as she could for now, and tipped her ears forward to hear her daughter out. There was something almost foreboding about it, or maybe it was more the way Vela paused to listen after she laid her need for discussion out like that that made her think that. Suspicions were raising by the second and the matron of the mountain tilted her head with an interested smirk on as she listened onward.

"Oh?" she hummed. "Do not worry, he will not hear of it," she assured her, whatever it was. His involvement would likely not be necessary, although there were a few (highly pessimistic) options that did warrant having him know.. but that was getting well ahead of herself. Likely it was just something a girl her age wanted some privacy about, or maybe something he just could not know about yet. Not something dire, a threat to her well-being somehow. 

However, knowing that Charon was his most doting just before and after their offspring were born, she could only guess that he'd be off busy for a while since he had just checked in on her, brought a snack, and she had no other needs. But he might not, so she would allow Vela to proceed after a quick disclaimer. "He was here when that was fresh, and mentioned something about patrol probably before he went on.." she said, gesturing to the remains of the kill scattered on the ground a few feet away that were well picked clean. "Should be well out of earshot by now, for now.. What is it?" she asked quietly as she crossed her forelegs, one on top of the other.

Drogon, then? Amekaze couldn't say she was surprised.. even if she did not have all too much to do with him herself. He came highly regarded, hadn't bothered her any, and had stayed. She was silent as she took the rest of this in, quickly becoming aware of what direction this was steering in. "Ah. No," she began with, giving her that piece of solace right away. She thought it was interesting how averse she was to the notion of pregnancy, but honestly that was fine with her.

Vela was far too young to concern herself with it and Amekaze felt like in a way, she understood. As a young wolf, an almost yearling, babies had never been on her to-do list. It had taken years for her to come around at all.. and a very specific set of variables that was this mountain and Charon, evidently. "First, you are too young for puppies to even be a possibility for you," she explained, remembering a vaguely similar time last year when a cerberus, likely Alya, had cornered her about the topic just before Vela's litter had been born. "And, you can be paired up with anyone for anytime without having babes. It is not only the having a partner that results in offspring," she sighed, toeing a careful line and sure that this was going to get more questions but she was prepared.

Before it could get too in depth, she shook her head and wanted to keep the Drogon matter close-by too because she had a lot to find out about that one apparently. Not finding herself overly adverse to the notion already was probably the best start anyone could hope for. It seemed a little soon to be pairing off her last pale daughter to a yearling in her ranks. Drogon was on his way, but he still had a lot  to prove and establish in the meantime in her stingy opinion--but, treating her daughter well was going to earn him some regard quickly. "Well, what you should do can be many things. Anything really. Spend time together, hunt.. bond, and get to know him as you grow together. There is no hurry, especially if you are already exclusive. Do you think you will become mates one day?" she asked. She tried to think back to when, precisely, she might have called herself and Charon formally exclusive. Most officially as mates, she knew when and where even, but maybe truly it even predated that to not so long after their beginnings as dual alphas. From there, it had been awfully easy.

"For most, it begins around two years old," she answered. "A lot can influence when, exactly, from the time of the year to the availability of resources even." Which was only the very edge of what could make it happen, or more likely, not. To her understanding, it varied by the individual. She was pickier--more sensitive to it, and prone to needing things just right if she was going to go seasonal like that. If memory served correctly, her own honored mother had been quite different and quick to keep her cycles going, even in her later years as Ame had always known her rather prolific dam. "But yes, basically." Now she only had to tie in it with enough explanation to help her understand why it was such a delicate, albeit important, matter. "That scent comes when a mature females goes into something called "heat"; it signals the time-span in which pregnancy can occur if mated to," she said, half gesturing her snout towards her own flanks despite how clinical in her presentation she was.  She did expect some of it to be too much. She wouldn't blame her, especially when she was not gentle with her facts of life.

It was a heavy subject. She didn't like explaining it, but it was important that her daughters come to understand it at least vaguely enough before it happened to them. Vela just may be a little young for it to be anything except overwhelming, but she would answer her as much as she wanted to so long as she continued asking the right ways. "It can be anything. From menial everyday type of things to the more intimate closeness bonded wolves can share," she eyed the last pale daughter carefully. Everything continued to point to her needing to explain some mechanics here, as much as she would rather not. "All of it, what it means to be mates and all, can vary for everyone for every partnership, and every wolf's needs and wants." No two mateships were ever the same, and nothing forged between Vela and any other could ever expect to be just like what Ame and Charon had built their foundations upon. In this variety was the beauty of it.

"Ruhtinatar.." she tested, just to feel the very foreign word on her own tongue. "Interesting. Well, that is good, and I am happy he is sweet to you. Of course, you are both young still and have plenty of time to grow into what works best for you two and how your bond will grow and strengthen," she said, not wanting her to rush into anything because she had expectations of what it meant to be to have a partner (and one day, a mate perhaps) like that. If it was meant to be for them, it would fall neatly into place--or so she believed.

"Right. Carrying puppies is a lot of work for a body. Nature will not undergo that toll without good reason," she detailed a little, glad that Vela was catching on nicely and not seeming overly keen to the idea. Although Ame tolerated it, she truthfully found pregnancy plenty miserable--although it was at least peaceful unlike when the pups came, so she always tried to focus on the little things that were good to help.

Still, she had waited until her life was very settled into a good routine and she had the right partner at her side before it even occurred to her that she ought to procreate. "Some are more sensitive than others, some will cycle even if times are lean.. some will not if their status does not reflect the right to it.. it depends so much. It can also be a lot about the right time and place," she nodded, sure to emphasize the value of this subtly enough. Just as she had never seen a heat on the Sunspire, despite what she had always presumed back then to be a good condition, plentiful prey, and the status as top female, something unseen had decided otherwise. Evidently there had always been just enough stress to keep her on edge and neither was it ever meant to be there by some greater means, she believed now looking back--because how unhappy could she have potentially ended up if so? Trapped elsewhere, burdened by young of her own before she truly grew into herself, possibly even abandoned by their sire? Awful.

Nevertheless, Vela also seemed to be approaching it from a good mindset from what little she could tell so far. Ame nodded. "I think that is a good thing.. to know from each other, too.." she approved on all accounts, and would also perhaps get to know Drogon better too if he were a suitable counterpart for her. Since Vela very much reminded the mother of Charon, perhaps she might seek to see elements of herself in him, abstractly enough.  "If it is meant to be, it will work--and you will understand," she assured her pale daughter gently. To her, it was more of a feeling than something to ever be put into words. It just was.

Nodding deeply to her thanks, the mother was content to see the matter of puppies relatively shelved for the time being and she opted to just be thankful that Vela did not seem overeager in that regard at all. Moving onward, she wondered to herself what her future may hold exactly, and if Drogon was meant to be the one to stand beside her, bonded and whole. They would have a whole lifetime together if that were the case.

While there was much she could comment on if she tried, she was interested to see it unfold instead. "Mhm. Like I said, you just know," she murmured softly, clear that she was a firm believer in that gut, heart, and very soul feeling. Vela did seem to get this and she appreciated it greatly of her. For as much as she could be like her father, a little of her dam's guidance could not hurt. "Sometimes it is right away. Other times not. When I first met your father, I had no idea how important he would be," she mentioned. He had been far too young the very first time, and only after time and experience did he even truly begin to register as someone of earnest interest--which had only been a starting point, really.

Amekaze gave a soft dip of her muzzle. "You are welcome," she replied, content enough with the outcome despite the subject carrying some depth. For it considered, it had went well and the dark mother would not deny the pride that worked at her heartstrings then.

But, glad as she was, she was fine to see her off as well. With a soft, fond chuff of farewell, Ame knew she would see her again soon while she watched her go. In the meantime, she went off on her own way, likely to fine a quiet (and warm) place to nap.