Greatwater Lake I'm cryin' through my fear

With Zharille's disappearance, was alone in tending the children she'd left behind.

@Racharra, @Liezhal, @Miho — all still young, but growing. 

Joining them in the burrow he'd dug, Khaba brought with him the remains of an elk limb. With no way to feed them proper milk, they would have to ween soon if to survive.

Nudging each with a strong nose, he pushed them towards the limb. Then he would wait, watchful.

If they would not eat this, then he would have to decide what would be done with them.

racharra lifted her head once her stubby little body almost rolled onto its side when the nose of her father nudged her awake. she fluttered tired amber eyes and gave out a yawn before looking for what woke her and soon found it when her eyes met khaba.

she couldn't recall ever seeing the wolf that sired her so closely before, but she was familiar enough with the scent to not be alarmed. she began to whine as she got up to her feet and approached the wolf. 

it's been far too long since she's had a meal however, and her nose caught the different, foreign scent of the limb khaba must've brought. she remained close to her father as she gazed at it, unsure of what to do. were she any smaller, the limb would nearly overtake her. she hesitated momentarily, before sinking little fangs onto the limb. she jolted back but only barely dragged the limb with her as she twisted and turned her head and body as instincts began to kick in, tiny growls grumbled from her snout as she struggled to rip a chunk out of the limb. with enough force though, and placing a paw against the limb, she finally managed to get her chunk, masticating it rather messily.

Inserting Aliki in here with permission from Heretic.

It had only been a few days, but Aliki felt she was starting to integrate into the pack well. She had already proven her worth and loyalty by assisting Khaba in dealing with the interloper. She was aware that there were young pups in the pack, but had only ever caught whiffs of their scent.

Now, as she happened to be passing through the area, she spotted Khaba's inky form at the entrance of a burrow. Having returned from a recent fishing hunt, her steely fur was disheveled and still damp. Clasped in her jaws, were the remains of success. A partially eaten, large salmon. Pale fish meat clinging to flimsy bones, the head still intact.

She saw the Elk leg and a small pup make a grab for it. Her ears rotated. She saw no sign of a mother. Nor any scent of one. Khaba, their sire, must have been trying to wean them. Pacing to the outermost fringes of the site, where she hoped she would not be perceived as a threat, she crooned low. Then, sure she had been noticed, dropped the remains of her lunch within easy reach of Khaba. An offering. An alternative with freshly chewed flesh, softer bones that snapped easily. And the most prized, the intact brain, rich with nutrients. She had been saving the part for last.

But these pups...their need for nutrition was far greater than her own.

Ghostly eyes peered into the darkness of her safe space, and with them came the scent of something absolutely mouthwatering. The girl squirmed awkwardly to make room for her father and the elk limb that was dragged in after him. Miho was a food-driven child, and since the absence of her mother, she had become afflicted with hangry fits. She was no longer the sweet and agreeable girl she had been before. She missed her mother. The scent of her, the feeling of being engulfed by her warmth and protection. Of course, and she would come to know this with time, she was lucky to have her father near still.

Following the lead of Racharra, after her father willed it so, Miho took a moment to rub an especially uncomfortable fleck of dirt from her eye. Once remedied, she was off to take her share of the winnings. This was until another figure unexpectedly loomed into sight. Miho fell into her shadow, immediately crouching against the leg of the elk leg for some sort of cover. Her newly cut teeth snapped in warning, baby lips pulling back like she had seen her mother do before. But this wolf smelled like home, smelled like she could be a mother herself one day. This coupled with a lack of reaction from her sire let Miho relax with a huff. The stranger brought something else that smelled decadent and now the young girl was faced with choices.

Sunspots was walking until he caught the fresh smell of meat, and... He raised his head to take a better sniff. Yes: puppies. In the coats of Selena and Khaba they always smelled puppies, but he had never dared to ask...

He hesitated for a few moments, aware that he was very close to where the cubs were. In the end he decided to go. He saw Aliki, watching the scene, and felt more secure.
He knew that Aliki, as a subordinate, had more rights than him, but he had to investigate. He approached with his head down and saw the pups eating. 

They are too young to eat meat he growled, looking at Khaba. She then looked at Aliki and thought about Selena, would Selena be the mother of the puppies? no, that was impossible, he had never seen Khaba be romantic with her. He looked at Aliki and then at the puppies, leaving a clear message: who is the mother?

The cubs took to the provided meal — one hesitantly so. Either way, he was glad that now a more unpleasant route wouldn't need be taken.

After a few moments, he noticed the shift in attention. Following Miho's gaze, Khaba turned to see Aliki hovering close.

Instinctively, he had the want to drive her away, lip curling tight in defiance. This den space had claimed as his own, and harbored his offspring. But when the fish she carried had been spotted, he took note of the gesture.

Khaba would not force her to leave, but a faint growl made it clear that she was not to enter further. 

Kicking the fish nearer with a gentle paw, he offered the option to the cubs. Perhaps they would prefer this instead. He didn't care what they ate, so long as they no longer had the desire for milk.

He watched them closely, content to continue doing so to ensure their bellies were full. But a sound disrupted him. The noise, familiar, his fur immediately begun to bristle. The omega had found the den of his cubs, but had not been invited. 

Marching straight for the entrance, the alpha pushed past Aliki and went straight for Sunspots, aiming to shove the omega with a rough movement. You are not allowed here! His snarl warned, teeth on open display, should the omega retaliate and their use would be necessary.