Blacktail Deer Plateau Sweater weather

Hawkeye listened carefully to the words the dappled female spoke. She had no idea who Perseus or Echo were, but figured that they had to be some relation to Pied. The Alpha nodded, showing Pied that she understood. "I think it was a good idea not to tell Crete what exactly was going on. I wonder what everyone will do now that Tyrannus is dead," she added, moreso to herself than anything.

An inky mouth parted slightly at the question of how she and Peregrine had fallen in love. How did it happen, exactly? "It started off as just flirting. We were around each other more and more; something just clicked one day when I had called for a pack meeting, and I asked him to stand beside me as my mate." Should she confide in Pied that she was unsure of her feelings at the moment? Hawkeye waited for her sister's response before deciding.

Pied wondered too, though she didn't speculate, as she wasn't familiar with each of her relative's connections here and so forth. She did know about Peregrine's issues with Atticus and Hawkeye's own rift with Crete, having just spoken with him about them... but she didn't presume to know enough about their lives to make any guesses.

"Well, that's fun," the Gamma replied, reflecting back on her conversation with Peregrine. "I kinda like that you two got together quickly, just like Kisu and me..." She bit her lip when she mentioned her mate but it would be some days before she really began to feel there was something amiss there, so she didn't mention it now. "You're really a handsome couple. Your kids are going to be gorgeous, all sleek and black and monstrous." Pied laughed good-naturedly.

With Pied's comments on the pups that Peregrine and she would produce, Hawkeye decided to keep her mouth shut for now. Maybe I'm just crazy? I mean, what am I thinking... Peregrine is Pied uncle. I just shouldn't say anything at all... Though she thought these words, Hawkeye couldn't help but feel an itch that needed to be scratched. "Pied... do you ever wonder if you and Kisu moved too quickly...?" And she was sure that her sister would hear the doubt in her voice for her own relationship and be there to help.

Pied blinked and paused when Hawkeye posed an unexpected question. "Well, the thought's crossed my mind, I suppose," she answered slowly. But she was much too intuitive—especially when it came to her sister—not to read between the lines. Hawkeye's question had nothing to do with herself and Kisu.

"Do you feel as if you moved too fast with Perry?" she probed. "You can talk to me about it if you do. That's what sisters are for." Sure, it wouldn't be easy to hear about issues between her uncle and Hawkeye but, well, she would try her best to provide honest and objective advice.

ooc: hahaha I'm confiding in one of your characters about another character of yours... so many feelings :p

Hawkeye became both stressed and relieved that Pied picked up on what she was saying. She averted her eyes for a moment and nodded, then looked back to the small female before her.

"Honestly... I.. Fuck. I don't know how to put this without sounding terrible. I have feelings for Atticus — not that I don't for Peregrine. But I just can't help it. I don't know what I am supposed to do. I'm pregnant for fuck's sake. I just wonder if love is enough." She bared her feelings, putting everything on the table. She felt terrible, but, like she had said, she couldn't help the way she felt.

Lulz... and I can see Pied coming back to confide in Hawkeye about Kisu. Well, we're just a clusterfuck, aren't we! :D

Pied was about to say, Just spit it out, when Hawkeye did just that. The news of an implied love triangle took her by surprise and she blinked. All at once, she felt sorry for Peregrine and concerned for Hawkeye's happiness too. More than anything, though, she thought of their unborn children.

"Oh, Hawkeye," Pied said, touching her nose to the other woman's neck. After a moment, she added, "If it wasn't for the pups, I'd tell you to come clean and see what happens. But the two of you are about to be parents and these puppies deserve a whole family." She frowned. What if their mate-ship eroded away into something bitter and unhappy? That would be even worse for the kids. "Because of them, you should at least try..."

She paused again. It was clear Pied was sorting her thoughts even as she spoke them. "On the other hand, communication is so important. Maybe you should... talk to Perry about it and try to work through it with him? And do you know how Atticus feels? I mean, what if you broke Perry's heart and hurt your kids in the process... and Atticus falls through too?"

Catching her sister's gaze, Pied said, "I love you, Hawkeye, but that's hard. I'll be here for you no matter what happens but... be careful. Think about the children, first and foremost." With Pied, it was always about the children. Hawkeye's, Peregrine's and Atticus's feelings mattered too but the innocent unborn were most important of all.

Hawkeye slowly nodded, tears brimming her light eyes. All of this was unfair to her; her happiness should suffer just because she was pregnant? Children were the most important things, but couldn't they be happy if their parents were not together?

She was now hyper-aware of the chill in the air and gave a small shiver. Hawkeye stared at the ground, willing herself to disappear, but, as she blinked back tears, she realized that could not happen. "I suppose you're right." Was uttered quietly from the midnight female's mouth. It seemed such an effort to talk, even thought moments ago words flooded from her mouth.

When Hawkeye became choked up, Pied pressed her face against her neck. "Hey," she whispered comfortingly, "it's going to be okay. No matter what happens, it'll work out in the end somehow." She rubbed her nose against the Alpha female's cheek. "Just take your time and assess the situation. Make sure you're sure about how you feel before you do anything. So that you don't make any impulsive decisions with so much important stuff at stake... and so you can own it when you do decide what to do."

She felt Hawkeye shiver and pressed her small, white form against hers in a loose hug. "I'm here for you," she reminded the dark she-wolf. "Let's head back to the plateau so you can warm up."

As they began to walk, Pied lapsed into silence and mused about the situation. Just moments ago, Peregrine had relayed the news to her and seemed so happy about everything. It was clear Hawkeye felt very differently, though maybe she was just having cold feet now that the honeymoon phase was over... or perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones messing with her head and heart.

"Maybe the honeymoon phase is over or your hormones are getting to you," she suggested lightly as they headed back. She saw the misery on Hawkeye's face and sighed. "This too shall pass, sister."

Hawkeye was comforted by Pied presence and closeness, but not completely. "Maybe it was just lust that had brought us together..." she murmured quietly to herself, but it was loud enough that Pied could hear. "I hope it's just these little brats inside of me, but I felt doubt before I was even pregnant, Pied." It felt like she was pleading with her friend to understand where she was coming from. She wanted a relationship like she and Kisu had, though she didn't know that each relationship has its bumps and nothing is perfect.

Pied winced when Hawkeye called her children brats, as if she suddenly resented them. Then why did you get pregnant? Pied thought sadly, though she kept that unhelpful thought to herself. There was no going back now, so it was a moot point. Besides, she wasn't here to judge her sister.

"I doubt that. I know you were boy-crazy but..." Pied trailed off. Maybe Hawkeye wasn't cut out for a long-term monogamous relationship. Her behavior sort of indicated as much. But, again, Pied wouldn't say these things so blatantly. "I can tell that it isn't lust on Perry's end, for whatever it's worth. I can tell he's very serious about you and the pups." Her lips pinched together.

They'd arrived back at the head of the path. Pied stood in front of Hawkeye and looked her square in the face. "No relationship is perfect. That includes mine and Kisu's. As a matter of fact, we had a disagreement not that long ago. Sometimes, I have my doubts and I'm sure he has his. Over a lifetime, you're going to have phases in your relationship. It's normal.

Just give it lots of thought and some time before you decide anything," she continued, repeating her earlier advice. "Be a hundred percent sure of where you stand and how you feel before you do anything because there are a lot of people's feelings at stake here. But with that said..." She paused, taking a breath. "In the end, you have to do what makes you happy, even if others would find it disagreeable or selfish. You only live once and you have to do what makes you happy, Hawkeye."

She nuzzled her sister again, then stepped back. "Now go home, wrap yourself in some warm rabbit skins or something and get warm. Check in with me in a few days or a week, okay? And, Hawkeye?" She waited until the Alpha female looked at her. "Love you like a sister," were her parting words before she gave Hawkeye a final lick and turned to start the long walk home.

ooc: she called them "brats" in a humorous way. :p

She took in the words with a quiet seriousness. The truth was, Hawkeye wasn't entirely sure what she wanted. One minute, she loved Peregrine with all of her heart, but once he was out of site for a period of time, her affections seemed to slowly dissipate. "I'll come find you in a few days. Promise." She smiled at Pied. "Thank you for listening... I haven't come anywhere near getting close to a bond like you and I have — being able to talk about anything without worry. I hope that your pups are healthy. I will be the best aunt in the world." Hawkeye meant the words that she spoke, but it wasn't like she never meant what she said anyway.