Whitebark Stream To return from the ashes you call

"sunny?" came her call, her side burning a moment as she picked up the pace at the sight of him. if it were possible, somehow, she seemed even larger than she had been her first pregnancy. she'd done her best to rein herself in; the pains and hurt of her first pregnancy were not something she wished to experience again. gaze alighted on Artyom, her tail wagging as joy writ across her face. "sunny, where were you? I was worried, I —" 

joy fades, replaced rapidly with worry, and then irritation. "you were gone. why did you leave?" these words lack the elation of the last, lips tightening as she comes to a halt, breath coming quickly at the exertion of trotting here while carrying with her gods knew how many children.