Blacktail Deer Plateau Together

@Heartha, last thread between the two before the end...?

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Howl returned from his venture outside of the pack and all he wanted to do was find Heartha. Even though he had only been away from a few days he missed her presence. Especially when she could have the puppies any day now. He regretted leaving her in the first place but he wanted to try and make the pack more stable for when their children came into the world. Luckily he hadn't missed the delivery and he didn't plan on leaving the territory until the puppies were born and had grown a bit. 

He found Heartha inside the den he had dug out for her. He couldn't tell if she was sleeping or simply resting. The sun was just about to go down and the way the sun bounced off her pelt from the den entrance made her look gorgious in Howl's eyes. He took a few steps into the den, wanting to make sure he was quiet incase she was sleeping.

Heartha's cough spasms, that what they were becoming, were getting...worse for what she expected. She thought tyhey would be gone by now, and it had been keeping her up at night sometimes. Without Howl by her side, that was another factor in her continuous late night wakings. A few times, it was the vomitting she couldn't control either. That was much more rare than the coughing. 

However, she had managed to get to sleep during the day when Howl came to visit. Her nose twitched when she caught a scent of him, and she coughed a little in her sleep. She stirred slightly, murmuring incoherently in her sleep.

A faint cough came from Heartha in her sleep and Howl was reminded of how she had been coughing a few days prior. Had the supposed tickle in her throat stayed and not gone away or was this something that had recently returned. Howl couldn't not know for sure with his absence, unless he was to wake her. He didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping, but if she was lightly resting then his presence alone would wake her without Howl's say so.

He heard faint murmurs, sleep talk comming from her. He though it was cute. They didn't, at the time, seem to be troubling her sleep and so he thought it might be a dream rather then a possible terror or nightmare. He took light steps further into the den and gently grazed her cheek with her forehead. Steping over her he then layed by her side, spooning her. His muzzle was in her fur breathing in her familiar, soothing scent.

Heartha stirred again when she felt someone move against her, and her eyes fluttered open when someone's muzzle was in her fur. She glanced up, moving her head up and around enough to catch a glimpse of whoever it was, and she smiled. She had missed Howl. Missed his presence, his touch. Only Grayday had visited her in Howl's abscense.

"Howl? Where have you been?" she asked, though she already knew. She just wanted to hear his voice so close to her ear. "I missed you."

When he saw that Heatha was awake he shifted himself. Still behind her, but he lifted his head and proped himself up on his forearms. This way he could see her better and the smile she gave him when she fully woke from her rest. She asked where he had been, but it wasn't as though she didn't know that he had left. "Well... I went North and South of the territory and meet a few new individuals. But I couldn't stay away for long." he said kissing her on the cheek. "I missed you too." he relayed back to her. "I couldn't stop thinking about you out there."

She felt happy, as happy as everytime Howl said something that made her heart flutter. Hearhta was just so happy that he managed to both get home safe, and that he had come straight to her upon arriving back to the pack. "I couldn't stop thinking of you" she replied, then she glanced down to her belly, her tail gently swaying behind her. 

Heartha felt a kick in her tummy. Their time was coming. "They'll want to be out soon."

She remarked about thier soon to be children. They were so close to arrival he could hardly wait. It seemed like it had been for ever ago since the two had meet, but then another part felt like it had only happened yesterday. So much had changed from that time, but their feelings for eachother were still fresh and abundant. "Are you nervious?" he asked. Wanting to compare his feelings to hers.

Heartha nodded. She was always a bit nervous, ever since her first birth. There were so many things that could go completely wrong. So many things...

"Yes. I am very nervous...I'm getting old, Howl. And an old wolf giving birth..." She had to admit that she was getting increasingly worried. "What if something goes wrong? You'll be there for me, won't you?"

Heartha admitted that she was nervous, but not for the reasons that Howl thought she would be nervious. He thought she might be nervious about raising them, or making sure everything went well with their up brings, but that wasn't it. It was the delivery itself, he in delivery specifically. She brought up her age, which Howl had known but never really acknowledged. She had never acted as though she was old and so he never though of her as such.

When she started talking about something going wrong, Howl didn't even want to think of such things. Everything was going to be fine, better then fine. "Hey. Everything's going to be alright." he assured her. "You are going to give birth to our healthy puppies, and everything is going to be alright." he said it to comfort and assure her and he told himself this as well. Not because he thought otherwise but because he too was nervious about the upcomming days. "And when you do go into labor, if you want me there, I'll be right by your side the whole time." Many females prefered to give birth alone and without the company of their mates. But if she wanted him there with her, he would be happy to do so.

Heartha smiled. She wanted to feel this happy forever, and be with Howl. Howl had promised to stay by her side, it was a comforting feeling. As comforting as ever. 

"Howl...I want you to know that I appreciate everything you are doing for me" she said quietly. She would probably not want him there beside her the entire time, but she would always want him close, at least even just outside the den during it. She was not sure about the others of the pack however. Grayday had been forgiving, but everyone else...it's like she didn't know any of the others anymore. Things just seemed to be flying by.

He hoped what he said was comforting enough to put the worst of her worries at ease. The shear worry of something going wrong could create enough stress to actually have something go wrong. But he always wanted him and Heartha to be more excited for what was coming then worried about something that probably wouldn't happen. 

She thanked him, something she had always done and abundant amount. He smiled at her, thinking about her little quirk of somewhat over gradification towards him. "Heartha... You know I know that right? he asked sincerly "You don't need to keep thanking me. I appriciate it, but nothing of what I do is a burden to me, I find pleasure in it... Making you happy. Seeing your smile is the greatest gift and thanks I could ever think of recieving."

Heartha could go back to sleep, resting easily with such kind words. "I know...but..." She thought back to the past, so many times had someone promised her something. Only for them to go back on their word. Promising to help her raise her children, only for it all to go downhill. It happened with her first litter, and her second. 

"So many had made promises to stay" she quietly said, snuggling closer to Howl. Her first mate had used sweet words to her as well, so since then she could never be so sure.

Howl's wasn't sure what to say. It seemed as though others in Heatha's past had said similar things, but hadn't lived up to their words with actions. In this moment there wasn't anything he could do to prove he would follow threw in the future. Those actions would have to wait. For now he still relied on words to ease her mind. "Then I wont make a promise... I'll make a vow." he declared looking into her almond eyes. "I vow to always be with you in body or in spirit." There obviously would be times where he couldn't physicaly be by her side, but he would never leave her and he would always come back. "If I can't be with you physically then ever moment that I am away I will think of you and always return to you as soon as I can... Because I love you." he finished hoping that his words would be enough until the day came.

Heartha felt her heart beating n her chest, and her eyes blurred through tears. His words, they touched her deeper than anyone had before. And she believed he was genuine, despite all other promises spoken by others. She thought she could feel her heart beating in her stomach too, only for it to be a kick from one of the little ones inside her belly. She guessed it as a sign that her pups had been touched by it too. Although they had been kicking a little less, but she saw nothing bad from it.

"Howl..." She could not think of any words to respond with to him. "Howl, I love you too" she finally managed to say, throwing her face into his scruff. Her tears were tears of happiness, more happiness than ever.

He didn't know what to expect at first. After all her was speaking from the heart and that's all her couldn't really do. He hoped that her bad experiences wouldn't somehow effect how she felt about Howl now. About how well she could trust his words after whatever promises her past mates had broken. And at first he thought this might be the case when she couldn't say anything to him.

But a few moments later when tears began to roll down her face he saw that that wasn't the case. She told him she loved him and proceeded to burry herself into his scruff. He held her close in embrace happy for the moment they were sharing and the many moments that would have yet to come in their furture years together.

Fade?