Noctisardor Bypass winging it

She was sure of it now. Her stomach had grown, and she arrived back in Rivenwood with pep in her step and a wide grin on her face. She didn't need Crow, and she certainly didn't need him to make a life for herself here. She would finally get what she deserved.

There was certainly a small part of her that was panicking, of course. She'd never been a mother, although she had helped Raven rear a litter or two. @Mahler claimed to be a midwife, and perhaps she should track him down, first. Was she supposed to be doing anything special? She did often gaze at her belly, wondering what the little sprogs were thinking and doing.

She also wondered how @Laurel had been doing. Perhaps she would pay her a visit as well. They'd gotten along swimmingly, which was more than Sequoia could say about anybody else in Rivenwood.

mahler had been watching for the return of the brash pretty piebald girl. having prepared himself to go out into the wilds and retrieve her, he was relieved to see that this would not be necessary. a companionable growl announced his presence; he slid into step along the wanderlust maiden.
the thickening of her waist was not lost to his knowing eye. rivenwood would grow, and mahler found, suddenly, that he was ready for it, ready to step into the role he had described to wylla. "it is good to see you back," he told her gently, wondering if she would speak yet to him of the tiny lives she surely carried, or if he had not yet earned that particular trust from her.

Oh, hey! she said, chipper as ever when Mahler approached. She wondered if she should bring up the last time she'd seen him, but Sequoia decided against it. She couldn't decide if those feelings had completely faded, but at least the lusty "take me, daddy" nonsense was out of her system. She'd gotten what she'd wanted from Penn, and she'd get what the kids needed from Mahler.

I'm pretty sure I got knocked up. I feel like a fricking puffer fish. Have you ever seen one of those? They're ugly as shit. But she was digressing. Anything I should know before these bad boys and girls get any further along? she asked. She knew the rough timeline (approximately two full moon cycles), but she had definitely tuned out whenever Raven had talked about any specifics.

mahler began chuckling and it turned to a bell of delighted laughter at the end. "you are truly amusing, sequoia," the gargoyle chuffed. she was wildcard in what she might say or do from time to time, and he had come to realize that this was simply the essence of the cheery girl. 
"vell, that is good news, ja?" mahler pronounced, politely taking a surreptitious look at her flanks. "expect to be sick for a vhile. it is important to drink more vater than before and rest as often as your body vishes to nap. if you tell me vhat it is they are craving, i try to find it for you," mahler offered, amused at what sort of culinary pairings sequoia would request.
"tell me at vonce if you have pain in the sides, bleeding, or you cannot keep food in your belly," he said more solemnly, though his eyes twinkled in the next with the anticipation of a großvater.

She wondered if that was a good or a bad thing: being "amusing" to Mahler. Whatever the quality, he didn't seem to hate her for it. She flashed a grin at his question, but her expression grew more serious as he continued talking about what would happen as the days went on. In particular, he mentioned sickness, thirst, and fatigue. Those she could probably deal with. There was also a mention of cravings, though she hadn't gotten to that point yet.

The last was more of a warning, and she swallowed thickly. Sequoia hoped none of those things came to pass. It surely wouldn't be good.

Sequoia took a moment longer to study Mahler, wondering what he thought of his role in all this. She had to admit that, well, not all of those feelings had passed. There really was something special about him, even if it wasn't the fiery romantic love she had felt for Crow or even the flash-bang night of lust she'd shared with Penn. It was something different.

Something she would have to shake off.

Cool. I never actually dug up a den here... think one of your cronies could take care of that for me? Maybe that Kiggy-pack dude who got all fussy with me.

kiggypack. mahler's amusement continued. "he has been scarce, as of late. i sent him to moonspear and he has not come back." a roll of his charcoal shoulders. "in his absence, i vill offer myself as den excavator," the graf joked.
reminded of how he had helped nyx find a suitable whelping den, he cleared his throat. "vhat sort of details vould you like for a shelter?" he asked, setting his mind to consider the details of rivenwood and where he might find the sort of locale sequoia would describe.
"fussy?" mahler inquired, belatedly, a moment later, tipping broad crown toward her again.

Huh, she said. Perhaps Kiggy-back wasn't cut out for the lifestyle here. Or maybe Sequoia had scared him off. That thought brought her quite a bit of pleasure. The fewer men around here who weren't Mahler, the better. Sequoia was so, so over having any sort of relationship with any men. Aside from the brief interlude she'd had with Penn, which had been decidedly unremarkable. She'd gotten what she'd needed from him, and he had served his purpose.

Um, just something cozy, I guess. Preferably away from the borders. I'm not that picky. Never ever. Nope. Not one bit.

Eh, doesn't matter now. He's gone. Just like Crow. Just like Penn. Gone and out of her life for good.

sequoia was easy-going and her usual direct self. mahler set them a path into the forest, for he had a place in mind. kigipigak was not necessary to the completion of rivenwood, though the gargoyle felt his presence upon the borders of legion had tipped the scales in their favour.
presently, the man stopped before a formation of stone and chuffed gently at it. "i have other places marked," came the canny rumble, mahler willing to search on if sequoia did not favour the place, "but this vas the first that came to memory."

When they arrived at the place Mahler had first on his list, it was love at first sight. Now that's what I call a home! Sequoia said, enjoying the view. It was a slightly crooked stone, covered in bits of moss. There was plenty of brush around it, and a small dark hole for an entrance. It wasn't anything grand, but she was really digging the look of it.

Not wasting any time, Sequoia wriggled herself in. The inside was surprisingly spacious, and already she was imagining places to put various furs and trinkets that she and the kids collected. The kids! There was a wee bit of light coming in from the entrance, but there also happened to be a skylight overhead.

You really outdid yourself this time, Mahler. This place is the bomb diggity.

She wouldn't realize it until a few nights from now, but it happened to be directly in the path of the moon. On a clear night, if you looked up at just the right time, you could spot the brightest object in the night sky.

mahler laughed aloud as sequoia explored the place, using her usual amusing figures of speech. "i am glad it is to your liking," he answered, watching her fondly wend in and out of the densite. there were other locales, but sequoia seemed quite taken with this one.
"i vill leave you to set up here, then," the graf stated gently, "and return vith a meal?" plume swayed slightly at his heels. mahler too looked at the high stone walls, the details of the place, and felt it would be a safe spot for her children to be born.

Feel free to archive here!

Mmmm, yeah. That should give me enough time to catch a nap. Don't go hunting anything too quickly, y'hear? Sequoia said, giving him an impish grin before she found the softest spot in her little hidy hole and settled down to get some rest. Maybe raising children like this was unconventional, but so far, it was good. She didn't have to worry about Mahler going out and cheating on her because—guess what—they weren't even a thing! And she didn't have to worry about all the icky emotions that came with being ~serious~ with somebody.