Blacktail Deer Plateau Doompy poomp

@Blue Willow (and @Tytonidae too if you want, else I'll NPC both girls)!

The Alpha male lay stretched out just beyond the den's mouth, looking very leonine in the April sunshine. He cradled both of his natural-born daughters in his arms, having left his two foster children with Hawkeye to feed freely and without competition from their older, stronger cousins for a few minutes. Both were asleep, Tytonidae sprawled over one leg like a limp noodle and Osprey turned upside down, her bum resting on his other foreleg and her tail dangling between her legs, just short of tickling her stubbed nose. He could clearly see the shocks of white fur beneath each leg, which delighted him.

He felt quite relaxed and fought the urge to sleep. Fortunately for him, Osprey Jr. unconsciously decided to assist his effort to remain awake by yawning suddenly and flipping over just in time to urinate all over his right foreleg. With a manly, muffled cry of disgust, he leaped onto all fours (accidentally tumbling Ty) and grasped little O.J. around the middle. He turned and deposited her on a clear patch of earth just in time for her to produce a copious amount of what Peregrine had come to think of as chocolate milkshake. He could deal with pee but he was incredibly relieved not to have to clean puppy scat off his leg.

Blue Willow carried a bird in her jaws as she came forward from the territory borders to visit her alpha's and their babies. Babies that delighted her truly, she arrived just in time to see the little one Osprey Jr urinate all over her father. A small laugh of mirth bubbled up from her mouth at the utter look of disgust on her alpha's face.

She laughed all the harder as the other then defecated all over the ground. She stepped forward from the trees and spoke to her leader, "Hello Perry, that was a quick save on your part. That would not have been fun to clean had she managed to defecate on you rather than the ground. I bring you sustenance. How have you and Hawkeye been? and the young ones?

She lowered the bird to the ground and then stepped back averting her eyes and lowering her tail to show the proper submission to her pack leader.

A tinkle of feminine laughter dragged Peregrine's eyes upward to catch sight of his Healer appearing out of the nearby trees. He smiled thinly at her, shaking his dark leg to rid it of urine and then turning his attention to Ty, who was flopped over and whimpering in the grass. He soothed her with a few licks, then turned and plucked up the emptied Osprey Jr. and placed her back beside her sister.

"Piss, shit, boogers, puke... I've already had it all. Still haven't acquired the taste, though, nor built up an immunity," the swarthy leader quipped. "We're all right. It's been a little crazy, what with... but we're all sort of settling into a routine and everything." And, much as he hadn't anticipated it or the loss that would precede it, Peregrine sort of loved his blended family.

"Thanks for the treat," Peregrine said, nodding at the small offering. "How're you holding up? You're welcome to come closer," he said almost offhandedly, gesturing toward his daughters. Whereas he hadn't wanted Sabriyah too close to the pups, he trusted the Healer and wouldn't mind if she came close enough to sniff noses with and even touch them a little.

Blue Willow chuckled again at the thin smile and his leg shake. "I believe my brother would have called that a bull's eye. She shook her head in merriment feeling the slightest ray of joy since poor Pied was no more.

Blue willow listened politely and nodded her head sadly when he spoke of Pied's death. "A routine is good for little ones, it helps them learn and they then do not dwell. How is Hawkeye holding up? I know she and Pied seemed very close.

Blue Willow smiled softly and spoke "I am doing fairly well under the circumstances." She smiled larger at his offer to allow her closer. She stepped forward and came nose to nose with Jr. She gave both pups a slight nuzzle with her nose. "They are precious Perry.

"She's an excellent mother," Peregrine answered, "to all four pups. We treat them as our own, of course without edging Kisu out of the picture. He's staying with us. I feel so damn bad for the guy. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose a mate. This is actually the second time he's been widowed; his first mate died too." The swarthy male shook his head lightly. "Hopefully his kids keep him sane and marginally happy."

When she stepped closer and touched noses with Osprey, a soft smile played across his lips. He approved. And a thought that had floated through his head before suddenly burst from his lips. "Just out of curiosity, have you ever thought about leadership before? I don't mean to get you all excited or flustered or anything but I've been thinking you'd make a great Beta female. I haven't talked to Hawkeye about it, though, so I have no idea what she thinks. And I'm not even sure the two of you know each other very well...?" He trailed off, letting her answer to that.

Meanwhile, he wiped the rest of the dampness off his leg by dragging it through the grass, then swept onto his belly again, cradling Ty, with Osprey curled in a ball just beyond his black toes. Both pups were half-asleep in the lovely April sunshine.

Blue Willow frowned, "That's awful to lose one is bad enough but to lose both and Pied was so very young. It's really not fair, but my father always told me that there is no such thing as fair or unfair. Fair just means that you may not get what you want, but everyone get's what they need. I still don't fully understand that, but it gives me a little comfort. To imagine losing a mate made her cringe on the inside, she had never been in love not even close, but she knew that if her parents were to lose each other they would be destroyed and lose their will to live and that was scarier to her than even the most frightening animal in the world, to lose your will to live.

Blue Willow blinked astounded at the leader and was pretty sure her mouth had fallen open slightly. She had no idea what to say, none at all. She had never thought of leadership before, because she had never been part of a pack before, she was certain there would be much she would need to learn. Blue Willow finally found her voice, "No I have never thought of it, and Hawkeye and I do not know each other very well no, though I do have a healthy respect for her. If i were to be considered for that position I would do my best to make you proud and you may have not planned on getting me excited but the seed is there none the less. She gave him a wolfish grin following the last part, she would be extremely pleased to be part of something larger, and to help her leaders even closer than as a healer well it tickled her to no end.

She blinked at the pups and smiled at their lazy eyes as they began to fall asleep, they were so precious, her alpha was right to proud of them.

Peregrine didn't think her father's advice made much sense at all, which he would have pointed out, but he liked her and didn't wish to tease her. He said nothing, though his lips twitched upward at the corners when she told him he'd planted a seed of excitement. He would feel bad if Hawkeye was opposed to promoting her after all, though he didn't see why his mate wouldn't at least consider the woman, once they knew each other a bit better.

"Well, work on getting to know my wife and we'll see what happens," Peregrine replied. "She's this pack's founder and I leave the big decisions in her hands. I will put in a good word for you, though." He winked.

Although he didn't really want to think too much about Pied's death, Blue Willow's occupation drifted through his head and the Alpha male asked, "Do you have any idea what went wrong? Why Pied died?" Peregrine himself did not know that her third pup of four had been stuck in the birth canal, killing himself, his mother and his unborn brother behind him. And there had been no evidence of it on her. There had only been her body... and all that blood.

Blue Willow herself didn't understand her father's logic completely. The only semblance of sense she could gather from it was that some had more than others, and itwas because it was what they needed, but not wanted. That was still confusing and it caused quite a connundrum if thought to hard about. So she just chose to not think to hard about it.

Blue Willow nodded her head, "I'll be sure to do that, though I don't know when I will see her, with her having the pups right now. and when she is in her top shape she is always patrolling borders and we often miss each other.

Blue Willow sighed sadly she had known this question would come eventually from someone. Truth be told she hadn't had a chance to look at the body so she really had no clue what had gone wrong. It could have been a number of things there could have been too many pups some still being in her belly, it could have been her internal injuries, the pups could have just been too big Kisu was a bit larger than Pied. She tilted her head and spoke quietly "I truly can't answer that question, because I didn't get to look her over afterwards which is fine, those who have passed should have their rest. It could have been any number of things truly. For starters there could have been more pups than just these 2 and one got stuck. These pups could have just been too large for her even though they seem so small, Pied herself was not overly large. It could have been as well her internal injuries that she had sustained from the beast from the water. Or it could have just been that she couldn't carry pups. Any number of those things could be the culprit. I wish I had stayed nearer her, I knew there were risks, but did not wish to impose, I should have anyway. Blue Willow closed her eyes for a moment as she thought of the once bright and lively female. yes she should have stayed close, she may have been able to save her.

He listened as Blue Willow offered several possible explanations. Fleetingly, he wished he hadn't buried her before the Healer could find the cause, yet he quickly dismissed the sentiment. Poking and prodding poor Pied wouldn't have brought her back. The thought of other pups still being inside of her at the time of her death had never occurred to Peregrine. He stared down at his baby girls and the thought made him ache. He was happier not knowing if that had been the cause.

"Don't waste your time blaming yourself, Willow. It was nobody's fault. It was nature taking its course, which is just the harsh reality of it. It doesn't make us any less bereaved, of course, but Pied wouldn't want us moping around kicking ourselves over her death. And there was nothing she would've changed, I'm sure. She loved her children long before they were born and I could tell how much she wanted to be a mother." He paused. "And she will live on through her son and daughter."

After a pause during which Peregrine gazed at sleeping Ty's twitching hind paw, he mused aloud, "I don't know if you already know this but she was my niece, my sister Velox's only daughter. And... not long before she died, she told me she could see ghosts. I still don't know whether I believe she really saw something supernatural but I wonder... I kinda find myself hoping there's an afterlife, that she's at peace and watching over all of us." The swarthy male snorted to himself. "God, that sounds cheesy as fuck."

Tytonidae suddenly whimpered in her sleep and Peregrine passed his tongue over her head and face in an attempt to soothe her. He then looked at Blue Willow and said, "Can you grab Osprey, please, and move her over here, out of the sun. I don't want them to overheat." With that, he closed his jaws around Tytonidae, lifted her, turned around and deposited her in the den's mouth, where cool shadows lingered. He then stepped aside, making room for Blue Willow to drop Osprey Jr. beside her sister.

Blue Willow did not tell the swarthy male, but she had seen cases where the pups that were stuck lived and their mother did not, she did not want to cause him anymore heartache as she noticed the pain flit across his face fleetingly.

Blue Willow nodded her head in agreement. "yes she did want to be a mother, she told me above all else i was to take care of her pups and make sure they lived even if she did not. Her and I spoke about the risk she was taking due to her internal injuries, but you are right she would not wish for us to dwell and all she wanted was to be a mother. Blue Willow smiled as she thought of the smaller pups that were hidden in the den at the present moment.

Blue Willow chuckled though it was not full of mirth, his last comment so uncouth yet suited the moment wonderfully. " No I did not know that she was your niece I knew that Hawkeye was her adopted sister though. I learned a while ago, that even if I did not believe that there was an afterlife or that another could see or hear something, they truly believed it and that was all that mattered. If you want to believe that there is an afterlife then by all means do so. I myself also think that those we love never really leave us, they live on in us and perhaps they are watching over us, there has been moments in my life that i believe i truly survived from divine intervention though what or who it was I do not know. And it does not sound Cheesy Perry it sound sweet.

Blue Willow stepped forward and picked up Osprey Jr gently by her scruff and gently placed her beside her sister, giving her an extra nuzzle as she lay her down. "Sweet dreams little one. She whispered.

Soon, the Alphas' daughters were both laid in the cooler space. Osprey fussed for a few minutes but both pups eventually drifted off to sleep again. Peregrine stretched himself out beside them, his body slightly curled, as if he was nursing them. Of course, he had no food to offer them. If either one woke up and started looking for milk, he would quickly move them back into the den beside Hawkeye.

For now, they drowsed and a cool breeze swept past, ruffling the long, roach hairs at the nape of Peregrine's neck. "Now that I'm officially father to two and unofficially father to two more, I was thinking of taking on the Caretaker co-rank," he shared randomly. "Think I have what it takes? Maybe I'll prove myself by opening a daddy daycare." His lips twitched and he met the Healer's eyes. "You working on a secondary co-rank?" he wondered conversationally.

Blue Willow smiled as the two little girls were curled up next to each other. They were sweet girls and she already knew she would do whatever it took to protect them for her alphas though she knew the two alphas would kill for them, she would also watch out for them, and she could heal that was one thing she could do better than most. She shifted her weight and sat down curling her large plume around her paws and getting comfortable, she would pass the time for awhile with her leader and friend.

Blue Willow snorted a laugh at the comical way of which Peregrine spoke about a caretaker rank a rank that she herself had been looking into. She would have to of course wait for that rank for when the little ones would older. "I think you will make a very good care taker and if I ever have pups I'll be sure to bring them to your daddy day care. she teased him lightly, so far he showed great promise as a father and caretaker and she hoped he received the co-rank.

She looked at him thoughtfully and then spoke, "Actually yes since my parents were healers and story tellers and I am already half of that I have decided to try for the chronicler co-rank. ALthough to do that I would need to ferret information out of a few others.

"Well, gee, thanks," Peregrine replied, fluttering his eyelashes as if bashfully flattered by her words. A deep chuckle escaped him the next moment and he casually remarked, "You'd make a good mom someday, Willow. I should hook you up with one of my brothers so you can crank out some nieces and nephews for me." The Alpha male winked.

"What kind of information?" he asked, curious. As the pack's leader, he supposed he should know the parameters for the various co-ranks—he could probably even set them himself—but the way Blue Willow phrased it, she seemed to have certain information in mind. "I'd love to help, if I can."

A bubble of mirth burst forth from Blue willow in the form of a loud laugh. She paused to make sure she did not disturb the little ones not realizing her laughter would be so loud. She chuckled again and said quietly "well I don't know about that seeing as how I have only met one of your brothers this far and he has seem to disappeared. I don't know about that. she teased lightly. She had yet to meet the elusive Atticus and Crete seemed to have disappeared as of late or else she just kept missing him one or the other she wasn't sure.

She titled her head and spoke again "A chronicler is in charge of keeping track of the packs history and teaching it to the new members and pups. So I would need to know how we were formed. Who formed us, of course some background information about you and Hawkeye as well and any other alphas if there were any before you or her." A chronicler was basically an official historian and story teller two things that Blue Willow loved.

Sorry for the abrupt way this one ended. Perry's freakin'. We can have another thread if you like!

Blue Willow answered him but her words went in one ear and out the other. Peregrine's face had frozen a moment before, when she's said, "...he has seemed to disappear." All of a sudden, the Alpha male realized he hadn't seen Crete since before the girls' birth. Of course, he couldn't have howled the way Atticus did to acknowledge the event, yet he hadn't come by the Alphas' den or showed his face at all. The swarthy male began to feel hot and cold all over.

Standing rigidly, Peregrine said, "I'm sorry, Willow, I'm going to have to help you another time. I have to go look for Crete." He cast her a distracted, apologetic look, then hurriedly grabbed Ty first, then Osprey, and placed them back inside the den. He kissed all four pups' heads, as well as his mate's, before hastily exiting again.

"Sorry again. I'll come find you later to talk about the Chronicler thing," Peregrine said to his friend before breaking into a lope, his nose dropping to the ground as he began to search for Crete's scent...

of course i like perry threads :) would you like me to start this one?

Blue Willow had not realized that the alpha did not know his brother was missing, but as she saw the stricken expression on his face she realized he hadn't known. She watched as he ran around crazily gettin the pups to their mother and then heading off on his own.

Blue Willow nodded her head and called to his retreating back "It's okay and Peregrine last i scented him he was heading towards the forest near Horizon ridge. She hoped it would be enough for the alpha to go on. she decided to help him as well she went the opposite way seeing if she could smell out Crete.