Swiftcurrent Creek Reflektor

Wall of text ahoy!

Her husband was an honest man. Never were his words frivolous or verbose, so when he spoke Tuwawi knew to listen carefully and take his message to heart. He answered her unspoken questions, for his wife's statement had only alluded to it — and that was that. She did not bother to touch on the subject further, having a greater understanding their place in Swiftcurrent. Njal had no intention to usurp leadership amidst the strong personalities of the pack, or even act against the young alpha in any way. Tuwawi had a hunch this would be the case. It would be more beneficial to utilize this Swiftcurrent as a vessel, rather than try to bend the pack to their whims. She paused a moment to mull on this point. Hopefully, in time, they could become a strong right hand to Fox, and build the pack up as opposed to burning it down. Njal was good in every way, and Tuwawi wished for her subversive self to be more like him.

She hummed and nodded, not afraid to look into his molten eyes in a stamp of agreed opinion. Now that it had been settled, Tuwawi knew she would have to prove herself amongst the ranks, as did Fox in her new leadership role. Respect always begot respect, and her relationship with the yearling could be mended with time and diligence. Skills from Kindred and Tartok still traveled with her, as a warrior, navigator, and hunter... but these would have to be resharpened and honed. Tuwawi was strong with an able body, and with Njal at her side they could help support Swiftcurrent in ways others could not.

Red lobes swiveled in response to Tuwawi's thoughts, until she picked up on the nervous energy vibrating from her silver half. He looked into the darkness of their home with a wishful and devoted gaze, before turning to her. "Did you want..." his words became too ensnared to continue, "How big should the den be..?" Tuwawi blinked at him a few times before she truly understood what he had asked. Her ears pricked as her fur stood on end, finding his emotion highly contagious. She shuffled close to him, sitting sphinx like pressed against his side, a big smile painted sloppily across her narrow muzzle. The expression couldn't be helped, but it was soon tempered and softened.

It would be a lie to say Tuwawi hadn't thought about starting a family with Njal.... Many times over, in fact. However, she had never uttered this sentiment to her husband. In Kindred their relationship had been too new to advance it in that way; and their timing in Tartok, with Siku's feral crew, was off. The Issumatar had possessed sole breeding rights, and if any others had acted upon their natural desires they would have been exiled, or worse. The bear like matriarch had no shame in committing infanticide in an effort to protect her own bloodline. Even then, when Tuwawi's cycle had drawn close, the pack had dissipated. Perhaps Swiftcurrent would offer them this blessing. Children often brought unrivaled joy to a pack... like Sterntooth and Skydancer's litter had. The memory of her previous leader's small red and silver bundles made her smile, and it spurred Tuwawi to reflect on the type of person — mother — she wanted to become.

Yet, intimacy was something of a foreign creature to the red crested woman. Tuwawi thought she would have felt mature by now, but instead she felt inexperienced and young. It was both exciting and intimidating, and caused nervous butterflies to flutter wildly in her stomach. Her ruddy ears pinned themselves back as her chin dipped, a little bashful, but eager to talk about it with her spouse. "I think... the den should be big enough for you. For me," she paused here, the smile returning to her cougar marked face, "and for a few others." (Did this woman ever bother to speak directly?). Tuwawi attempted to muster up more courage to act candid with her husband. "It has been on my mind. To give us children," her voice flattened to a low whisper, as if they were talking in secret, "Palestrike. You are my Aokkatti. My blood." Tartok and Kindred's namesakes felt appropriate, here.

Tuwawi paused, glancing at Njal to better judge his reaction. His face was so handsome, so well chiseled... especially in the evening light. It caused her to lapse and speculate if she only craved closeness with him. A foggy memory of a passionate moment surfaced, but it was old, and quick to fade. Soon again, her cycle would arrive... but it would be soon, and she worried if the tumultuous Swiftcurrent would be in order by then. And what of Fox? Usually it was under the Alpha's discretion to let their underlings procreate or not. The bridge of Tuwawi's nose rubbed the underside of Njal's jaw as she continued, "What do you wish for?"