Swiftcurrent Creek Pacific

Tuwawi devoured the second hare a bit slower than the first, allowing herself the pleasure of savoring such a fine meal after her stomach had been partially filled. Already she eyed the third course with a discerning gaze. Could she top it off and eat that one completely? Now that the edge had been taken off the hunger, courtesy tugged in the back of her mind. Would it be rude to eat all three? Should she save at least one for Njal? Bury it in a cache? Offer it to Jace? Truly, Tuwawi was fortunate to have such simple worries.

The excuse of pregnancy could be used... if it were not for the fact that Tuwawi didn't exactly know if she was pregnant or not. No natural signs had offered a hint at that status, though she only knew of the physical ballooning of the belly. It was too soon to tell, and the expectant mother hoped to the high Sun and Earth that neither she or Njal would be discovered sterile.

Little crunches of thin, rabbit's bone delighted Tuwawi as Jace explained himself. The story unraveled easily, and though the northerner's wife understood Njal's frustration, she couldn't help by sympathize with Jace's plight. The gaunt youth was quick to deprecate himself, a figurative Eeyore with a befallen, troubled gaze. "Ahh," she sighed as she tried to think the best way to explain. "I would not fret too much, Jace. Njal... he is... a very proud man. Very... independent." Tuwawi's sentence was rather broken as she searched for the right words. It made sense that her husband felt he needed to be the singular provider and protector. He was a hardened man of the North who had often traveled alone. Perhaps the participation of the whole pack was too overwhelming? Already each Swiftcurrent member had shown great interest in their potential children, and she doubted this infatuation would lessen.

She nibbled the second rabbit's fatty skin as she pondered this. "You are too hard on yourself. You are doing more than is expected, and I am sure he will recognize it... eventually." Her eyes fluttered away for a moment as she attempted to lighten the mood, "besides, I don't think he realizes the trouble he is the fatter I get! They say expecting women have the strangest food cravings in the dead of night. I am sure he will be wishing he had some nicely stored caches by the burrow, then. Hah!" She grinned at the yearling and reached a paw out to genially cuff his shoulder, hoping to raise his spirits. Sheepishly, she looked down at the third rabbit and asked in a low voice, "are... you going to eat that?"