She had known heartbreak before, watched it dance across her uncle's face like the lightening danced during a storm, she'd seen the way that Seelie and Oxtli both exchanged long looks when the subject of their mother came around. This was different. They could always pretend that Selkie was off having her adventures, her loyalty to her Man and to her Work eternal. Facing the real true reality of death was unfair at any age but especially when one was so young. 

If she didn't know any better she would have suggested that Sunny loved her; the way he spoke of Keoni was near sacred even when just explaining her traits. Catori gave a soft sigh and reached over to press her snout to Sunny's cheek. "I am so sorry, Sunny." She said softly. "Not only did she live what sounded like a hard life, it was cut far too short." She would never have the chance to meet Sunny's family or his little siblings or to explore and grow their relationship. She wondered what she might have done if Grayday had lost his voice, but, she and Seelie communicated just fine and so maybe that wouldn't have been an issue 

"Would you like us to set up a memorial for her?" Catori asked after awhile, the silence growing between them but not in an uncomfortable way. "Even though you didn't get to tell her directly you could still talk to her there. She will still hear you, sweetheart. She'll know." Catori said softly. They had held a ceremony for Chaska when he had passed but Easthollow probably also had their own traditions so what they did here might be something special just for Sunny. "....Maybe we can find something we could move like a pretty stone or a unique plant we could move with us. Maybe Pema could help us plant it if you found one?" 

 

Catori sucked in a quick breath as Sunny fell apart next to her. It was part hormones, she was sure, but there was also the real and raw quality to his pain. He chose to let her see it - to share it with her. He let her in and Catori knew that of all of Grayday's children Sunny was perhaps the most depensive of what they'd gone through. Catori reached awardly to shift a paw across his shoulders when he was close enough before she finally gave in and just curled up at his side like she might have Lavender or Easy.

"We can go back to the island once the puppies are older and find a matching one to keep here," SHe offered - her maw snapping shut when he called her ma. Easy had called her Mom - but this was something different. She'd never imposed or pushed to be a mother to Dawn and Sunny, knowing they'd gone through so much in their young lives. "Anything I can do to help you I always will." She promised, licking the tears from his cheeks. "Once their a little older and they can have people around, I'd love if you'd come to visit and tell them stories about Easthollow and Keoni." Catori said softly, keeping her voice down so that she didn't disturb Sunny anymore. She just wanted him to relax and do whatever it took to stay comfortable. She let out a little indignant squeak as one of the puppies kicked her hard; it was enough to make her skin twitch over her swollen belly. 

 

"She sounds special." Catori said with a gentle smile, letting a paw rest across his legs. She wanted the contact and to make sure that she was present for him - even if it was a little harder since she didn't know Keoni personally and she felt like a whale. Moving was harder now but she didn't care, she wanted to do what she could for him. Her tail wagged happily and proudly when he referred to Seelie as family - she definitely was and it made Catori so happy to think that the rest of the Sameth wolves would see Seelie as their own too. "It would be nice hearing them too since I haven't seen Easthollow myself." Catori only knew that it had been the start of something special given that her family had all started there. 

"This way you don't lose Keoni either - like they won't lose my brother Chelan. He stayed behind to lead our natal pack, but he was like my Dawn. He, Seelie, her brother Amoxtli and I were as close as could be. They'll get the stories of our childhoods and that way nothing will ever be lost. They'll be handed down to the children." Catori promised as she nuzzled against his shoulder. She wanted to reassure him that they would never forget the girl, even if she didn't know Keoni she knew that she mattered greatly to Sunny.

The gravid woman took a few deep breaths and let them out when she felt the flurry of kicks, nodding as Sunny quickly asked if she was okay. "Here," She said quietly, leaning back on the ground and letting herself relax on the ground. "They're just active; it's a good thing - if you want, you can feel them." She offered. With her extended size it was more apparent that they were getting bigger and getting tired of their one-room world. 

 

Even if it seemed silly to introduce himself to her giant stomach he did so with all the tenderness that Catori had come to expect. While she knew Sunny had struggled some with his place in the family, she also knew that he'd truly risen into his own after getting through the turbulent stages of adolescence. She'd never known anyone to make it through smoothly, after all. She laughed when the puppies had kicked and moved, giving several beats of her tail against the ground. "I think so." She admitted. 

"They're stuck listening to me all the time - and your dad has talked to them too." She encouraged. The Sameth-Corten litter came from a long line of story tellers with rich histories and traditions. She was excited to see them born, and even more excited to watch them bond with family. " What's your guess on how many we'll have?" Catori asked with a playful glint in her eyes - she felt so big it'd be twenty at least!