Dragoncrest Cliffs i could find you by heartbeat

"Yes," she insisted, even as a second and stronger fluttering sensation kicked up inside her. Wildfire blinked slowly down at herself. Could there be pups in there, alive and stirring? It stood to reason that there had been more than two. But her sensible side wanted to shut down the very idea, the very hope, right away, lest it break her heart all over again. There were no puppies inside her; there would never be any inside her ever again.

When nothing else happened, the Feisripa looked up at her mate for a long moment. She shook her head at the food. "Later," she said quietly. "I want to tell you something, then ask you something else." She paused, lips pursing. "I want to tell you about Falcon and Hawk. I didn't want to burden you with the details at the time but... when I miscarried, it wasn't just blood. There was a—fetus," she confessed haltingly. "There were two heads, hence the two names. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, I didn't think y—anyway, I'm telling you now because I don't think I want to try again. I don't think I can, not after Antler, then these two. There's something wrong with my genes." She let out a breath. "I'm really sorry, Thur."

When she'd mentioned asking the commander something, she'd meant to bring up the idea of returning to her career, so to speak, now that there wouldn't be puppies to rear. But something else entirely came out of her mouth as soon as she opened it. "Maybe you should carry instead." And that wasn't even a question.