Hushed Willows Circle of life

With how busy she'd been with her own children, Aliac's pregnancy had gone by in a blink. It seemed like only yesterday that her sister-in-law had broken the news, which made it all the more surreal as she approached the whelping den and caught the scent of new life on the breeze. Her pups trailed behind her, big enough to make small trips away from their own home, which wasn't so far from this place.

Ziggy bounced. Lana yipped. Cam, for his part, looked curious but brooding, silent as ever.

Aliac! Lily exclaimed softly as she drew to a halt just shy of the den's entrance, grinning from ear to ear. She cast Sunny an excited look. Congratulations, Papa, she giggled. How many babies? She stretched her neck, snakelike, to drag Cam back from the mouth of the den before he could weasel his way in there; he gave an indignant huff in response.