Verdigris Ravine And live my life alone forever now

The days passed, and Candle watched for any change within herself. She was unsure what to look for, in truth; all of this was so new, so unknown to her.

When she began to sicken, she did not know what to make of it. In the mornings all her meals came back up within moments, and in the evenings she found herself too dizzied to hunt. Instinct told her that this was expected. But another part of her was alarmed by it.

Candle often slept near @Zoug; if not him, @Sari. On this morning she woke and parted from her sleeping companion in quite a rush, frantic to put distance between them before the inevitable. Only moments later she was emptying the scant contents of her stomach into the sands; she hadn't even taken a meal yet. But the sickness was there all the same. Was this what it meant to have children?

idek how pregnant s'ari is so we're ignoring her symptoms rn cos im lazyyyy

S'ari had noticed Candle's morning sickness--how could she not--but had not given it much thought. She'd been around enough expecting mothers to have known a bit of what was to come with pregnancy. She only hoped that it would eventually pass, as it seemed to with the other mothers she'd been around. Candle needed to eat to keep up her strength.

She opened one eye as Candle left her side, annoyed at the sudden cold against her. But when she heard the woman vomiting, she tutted and got to her paws. Sick again already? she asked sympathetically, her voice uncharacteristically quiet in the still of the morning.

This is so short and bad I'm sorry

S'ari's presence was welcome, though Candle still felt her stomach churning. She wiped her mouth and looked up, stepping away from where she'd been sick, and nodded quietly. Yes, she'd been sick often.

You? Candle wondered aloud next. She knew S'ari had gone into heat too. But would they both be mothers now?

Not yet, S'ari replied, smiling a little. S'ari still has not shown symptoms. It is early yet. She worried a bit, wondering if, once the pups were born, they would have enough food and water to sustain so many at once. It would be different if most of the Tribe were grown, but soon, the sunlings would outnumber the adults. Perhaps we should be hunting more... stocking up. Once the sunlings are born, Candle and S'ari will be too busy caring for yowling babies to go out and hunt... She frowned.

Candle nodded as S'ari spoke of hunting. It was all true; so few others had remained among The Tribe, there weren't many hunters to sustain the mothers and their pups. The priestess herself intended to remain active until she no longer could.

But one thing did disturb her about what S'ari said. They... yowl? Candle whispered, wide-eyed. She hadn't known children were so loud. She'd never met one before.

S'ari studied Candle for a moment, amused. Candle has never been around babies? she guessed. Well. She supposed it was her duty now to tell Candle about children so she wouldn't be completely lost once hers were born. S'ari had never had a litter of her own, either, but she'd seen plenty of babies in the Tribe, and someone had explained all this to her once she'd reached six months of age or so.

They cry and whimper and yowl when they're hungry or afraid. They are born blind and deaf, their eyes closed, their ears tight to the sides of their heads. When they are very young, they must feed every few hours, so mothers are often den-bound for several weeks. S'ari is afraid she and Candle will not sleep well once their sunlings are born. The babes are only quiet when they are asleep or at the teat.

Thank you sm for your patience <3

Candle was horrified, to put it lightly. She hid it well. But what S'ari spoke of — it sounded like torture! No sleep, no time to herself, no opportunity to run among the sands for several weeks.

She hadn't considered the reality of having children until now. But she reminded herself that S'ari and Zoug would be with her, and after a moment it seemed more bearable. Still, she made a face.

I teach them - She grinned as she said it. Be quiet. Quiet, like their parents. Candle didn't truly think she could, but it amused her to pretend.

S'ari grinned back at Candle, shaking her head a little. Perhaps, she conceded, not truly believing it. She'd never met a quiet baby. And usually, if they were quiet, it meant something was wrong. But mothers could dream, couldn't they?

She lay back in the sand. So... How is Zoug? She waggled her eyebrows at her friend--or whatever the coyote equivalent of that was. Is Candle... happy?