Northstar Vale high places

tamar lay in the icier mud beside the namir.

she felt overheated and as if she were sick, but she knew it was only the shifting of her blood.

her tongue lolled; she rolled to spine and softly sighed. she supposed it was time to see which of her daughters wished to learn midwifery. 

quietly she called for @Zulema.

Zulema's ears lifted to the sound of her mother's soft voice, slowly waking up. She stretched her paws outwards before pulling herself up to seek out Tamar.

❝Hi,❞ Zulema sat beside her mother before lazily shifting to lay on the ground.

It was cold, but the girl's coat had thickened with the season like Tamar said would happen. Her back legs were sprawled out beside her as she looked to her mother, wondering what she had to say. She was hardly bothered to be woken up, the company was nice.

"hello, zuli," tamar crooned.

she looked fondly toward her growing daughter. "your brothers and sisters kick inside me. they make my blood hot. so i have come here to cool down."

her eyes danced. "do you want to help me, when they are ready to be born?"

Her tail began to thump on the ice. Zulema's adoration for her family would be extended to the life inside of her mother. The ruddy girl was excited even thinking about it, wondering what they may look like, eager to know their names.

❝Of course.❞ She smiled.

a grin wreathed her face. 

"good. i will need your help. how many siblings do you think you will have?"

tamar felt only that she needed them to be healthy. she studied zulema's face in loving silence.

Being needed for things always fed warmth to her chest. It was a good thing for Zulema to hear.

❝Hm,❞ Her head tilted up in an exaggerated manner as she thought.

She then rolled over onto her back, twisting to look at her mother to speak.

❝Maybe like two, three ish. I don't know.❞ Zulema quietly hoped they were fun.

The girl already wanted to show them her favorite spots, Antigone's berry stash, even the pond. There was so much they could do, but not without the hassle of balls of fluff crying and screaming for several weeks. Zulema at least knew that much. After though, after would be great.

"three!"

her belly rolled! "perhaps indeed you will be right. they will learn from you, zulema." 

a smile came to her mouth.

"what will you teach them first?"

Zulema was filled with delight at the prospect of teaching her siblings. There was so much to show them and her mind still thought of ideas.

❝I can teach them some moves I've learned from Ike and Phox?❞ She smiled, hoping to develop those skills further. ❝Maybe the games Zosime and I would play too, like the one we played when the snow first fell!❞

It was a fond memory, and she hoped there would be more of those with the birth of her siblings.

tamar sighed with gentle delight.

"it will be good to have them with us, in this world. there is so much loveliness. and they will see it all through your eyes first."

and zosime. and antigone.

Her mother always held such pretty words. The girl's moving tail slowed as she sat in the comfortable silence with Tamar. Was there more to say? Zulema didn't know what else to say as she thought of what was to come. Yet, she knew there would be love.

❝I'll make sure to be a good sister.❞

fade? <3

"you are already a good sister."

tamar's pale eyes were filled with pride. "come with me now. i will show you how they move after i eat." she had some meatbones in a cache near the den, and would urge zulema to eat her fill as they whiled away the day for some time, talking of many things.

ofc <3 thank you for the lovely thread

 ❝Okay,❞ Zulema could feel the warmth radiating from her mother; always a pleasant feeling.

Like usual, she was more than happy to spend the day with Tamar. Her presence was light, and amiable. It seemed she knew just how to make Zulema feel special.