Moonspear smallest wingless

Within moments, faces familiar and unfamiliar crowded in the ulaq’s doorway, throwing the interior into shadows. Before Meerkat could come up with any words to explain this heartbreaking situation, Stingray shouldered his way into the den, followed by the slightly less defensive Sialuk.

She found she couldn’t speak, so Meerkat slowly stretched out her forelegs to present the lifeless puppy to them. Tears brimmed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Even though she planned to ask the question, Meerkat already knew the answer.

He’s gone, she whispered to the room, isn’t he?

The other questions could wait a few moments. She wanted the final word on her son’s fate first. Then Meerkat would christen him and ask his father to find him a resting place. As soon as she could leave the ulaq, they could fashion him a cairn like Sobo’s and sing their lament. They would grieve the brighter future that had been snatched away from them.

As that thought threatened to crush her, Meerkat suddenly sucked in an audible breath. The ulaq fell deathly silent for a beat, followed by a loud sob tearing its way out of her. Quite likely everyone present in the den thought it an acute display of grief.

It was… and it wasn’t! She gave another small cry and tugged her son back against her chest. A smile broke through the sudden onslaught of tears as she felt a deeply unfamiliar and wholly unmistakable sensation: living pups moving in her womb as if to reassure their mother, I’m here, I’m here! In fact, they kicked so strongly that everyone in the den might see the press of a tiny paw through the pale skin of her belly!

I’d like to give Njord a chance to post next, then we can post in rounds; I’ll start another once everyone has posted.