Stone Circle One Of Those Off Days

Steady couldn't help the sympathetic look he gave Amber when she admitted she was quite done carrying the pups. Silently, he admitted she did look uncomfortable, but he would never say that aloud. Well, it shouldn't be too much longer now, should it? he inquired. Thinking back to when Grayday took his mission to Those-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Steady figured any day now, Amber should have the pups. Unless he was wrong about the time frame. But, how much bigger did they need to get? 

His thoughts were interrupted by one of his pups, and he couldn't help but smile down at Nikai. He lowered his head, intending to give the top of his head a lick. He quite liked his nickname for him, wondering if one day it would fully change to "Daddy." Even if it didn't, as long as both pups knew they were loved, he would feel accomplished in doing what he could for them. He had done his best to make it feel like home, like a family, for them.

He lifted his gaze to Amber at her question, nodding. Not biologically, but yes, I consider myself their Dad, he responded honestly. One day, maybe one day soon, he would not bother with the explanation, and instead, simply say "yes." But, with Althaia's death still fresh in his murder, he wanted to honor her. 

His ears and head swiveled as Keoni came into the mix. He gave her a happy expression that quickly turned to shock, then horror, as she so openly called Amber fat. No, dear, he corrected. She's pregnant. She's got babies growing in there, he explained. He wasn't sure how much of that Keoni would actually understand. He shot Amber an apologetic look, a little, or maybe a lot, worried that she would take offense. 

When asked about the frog, he assumed Keoni was asking if she could eat it herself, and he nodded. Yup, looks safe to eat, he responded. He was both happy that she learned to ask what things were safe to eat, and unhappy that she had to learn the lesson at all. But, it was a part of growing up, he supposed. He knew they couldn't have eyes on them one hundred percent of the time, and that they would get into things, but he tried not to feel too guilty about the things that they got into.