Blacktail Deer Plateau Can I tell you something just between you and me?

Of course. She grinned at him. She knew this wasn't his favorite thing to do; she could tell any time she started plant talk that he was only listening for her sake, but she loved him even more for that. And she knew her being out here was killing his nerves; he had asked her many time before leaving if she really needed to do this, and she wished she could have just said never mind and spent the day within the safe boundaries of Kaisteloki, doing something far less risky. But she did really need to do this. She needed to replenish her herb supply while she still could. She was coming out of winter way more behind than normal, and there was not only her litter to plan for this year. There was also a small part of her that really needed this, too. It had been a long time since had been able to do much plant gathering, and it always made her so happy and relaxed. But she knew it was making her mate the exact opposite of relaxed, and so she would try not to get carried away. 

When he urged her to carry on, she walked up and kissed his cheek. Thank you for this, she said, and then she reached down and picked up her own stack. She knew he would much rather be home, and she wanted him to know that she appreciated him letting her do this despite his constant worry that something would happen to her. 

With mouths full of leaves, they weren't able to speak while they made their way into the forest of the plateau. It gave her plenty of time to think, though, and their unborn children were the stars of her thoughts. They hadn't discussed names yet, and she wondered if Emrik had any in mind. 

When she found some cobwebs on the low-hanging branches of a tree, she stopped at its base and deposited her mouthful on the ground. She nodded for her husband to do the same, a smile curving her lips as it often did when she looked at him. When he set his leaves down, she turned to the base of the tree, looking over her shoulder to ask: Have you thought of any names for the children? Then she lifted up on hind legs, placing her front paws on the tree, and stretched her muzzle over to the cobwebs to try and reach them.