The Sentinels Time is of the essence

Blue stood outside the den both saddened and joyous as she realized that all too soon her and Lasher's youngest children would be a month old. They were already talking and exploring with watchful eyes. Soon enough they would no longer need her life giving milk, they could eat meat. Soon they would be running along on their own. She didn't quite know how to take it.

She was saddened because it was a big change, but also because she felt as if she missed most of it. Oh she had been present, but it had been so quick. She settled to her haunches and sniffed the air, looking around at frosty ground. It was beautiful the way things glittered and glowed, but it was also strangely cold and there was still the fear of losing the babies as little as they were in the midst of winter.

there had been great dissent in the ranks following aria's promotion, and emaleth sniffled in her natal den. lasher had not involved himself in the affairs of the adolescents, but he would come to hear small pieces of what it was they discussed. exasperated, the man sought out the refuge of his wife's presence. she sat quite beautifully in the door-way of their den, framed against its darkness by the bright glitter of light upon snow.

settling beside her, taltos reached to kiss blue willow's proud shoulder. he had worried for her too as of late -- she had been withdrawn, distant. "what troubles you, my love?" the druid asked softly, seeking her eyes with his own worried gaze.

Blue was not privy to the details of Aria's promotions, nor did she know of her own mate and the girls almost interlude, not that she would have minded. Though she may have chided him for their age gap, but she had been truthful when she had told him he could have his own interludes. She herself would not indulge, but she did not hinder him from doing so.  She felt distant and vague lately on all things, even of the children growing. The small movement stirred the air and she turned her green gaze to Lasher. A soft smile curled upwards at the edges of her maw and she chuffed a hello. However, the beta position was a different thing all together. Had she known her ire may hae been up for she thought of that position as Osprey's for both her mate and her sense of experience.

Blue willow leaned into his kiss and licked his own muzzle gently. Hello Lasher.  Blue hmmmed softly and then shook her head in puzzlement. I do not know. I am not sad, or upset. I am just distant. This pregnancy and the children growing it has moved so fast, so fast in fact that I barely remember it. I believe I am just tired. What of you my love? I am sorry I have not been as attentive to you or the pack as I should be. I am hoping to move forward from here.

"there is no need to be sorry," lasher chided softly, moving his lips to her forehead. he had missed the woman, missed her gentle touches and the curves of her body. together they slept each night, but the distance had grown somewhat. lasher made to draw her closer, to lay his chin o'ertop her head and remain there for a moment's time.

"i have made aria a beta. she is young, but she has served donnelaith well." he assumed that his mate knew of what had happened, at least in some part, but she had been away, if only in her mind. he would fill in the gaps of awareness. "and casmir -- our son has caused some dramatics in the lower ranks with matters of young romance."

Blue leaned into his embrace. She had missed him too, but had not realized it until right then. She smiled at him and licked his chin, happy to share a caress and cuddle.

Blue leaned back and studied him searching his face. But what of Osprey? Did you speak with her about it? After all her mate is Dante? Should she not deserve a chance before the girl? I am by no means questioning your judgement. I just....what if they are to mate? I do not know if Osprey could go through wolves treating her badly again Lasher, and it may happen since she would now be lower than the beta position.

At mention of Casmir's love life, Blue shook her head. have you talked with him of such things. It does not do good to prey on a girls affections and not want more....unless both parties are privy to the details.

"i did not speak with osprey," he rejoined gently. "she has been gone for some months, and is now withdrawn. i would not elevate her without some semblance of ambition or desire." he leant to kiss her forehead, to smile into her eyes. "aria is the best one for the rank, i assure you." he could not agree with her belief that the leadership was tied to mateship, and nor did dante. but it did not matter, for he would always take blue willow's opinion to his heart.

Blue looked at him and then looked away thinking about his words. It wasn't that she thought mateship was tied to rank. She herself knew it wasn't and she was fine with it, but there were others out there that did not think the same as she did. And she feared those would be the ones to cause unrest about their mateship and any children. She shook her head, it was probably nothing and it didn't bear thinking on. She looked back and nodded once. Very well I guess she is.

She settled more firmly into his embrace and looked out among the land. It's beautiful here.

he did not like how their talk had ended, but end it did, and she turned away from him. for a long time he had felt distant from his mate, an altogether empty feeling, but these babes busied her as the twins and eilidh had not. taltos could not help but believe it was due to their witches' blood, but he did not make mention of this. 

pleased at her settling, the druid tucked his greying muzzle in the crook of her throat. "not so lovely as you."

Blue turned back to him and smiled softly, leaning into his embrace and licking his brow. Tell me of Aria. Forgive me for being so short. I do not know the girl very well. I honestly cannot even remember if I have met her. How terrible is that?

She settled and gently preened at his neck and shoulders where she could reach without jarring his maw too much. Her mind on different things, but him being the largest chunk at the moment. She had neglected him as a wife, lover, as a fellow leader, and it smarted. Blue however couldn't help but admit deep down, that she was growing tired, not of him no, and not of their life. She was just growing more tired as she aged. She had a few years left in her sprightly form, but she would be remiss if she said that the little witches had been easy on her. When in fact it hadn't been at all. It had been harder than she cared to admit.

lasher had felt distant from blue willow, it was true, but he was an understanding man. when the little witches were older, he would take her away from donnelaith for a time, to rekindle what had been banked down into embers for the time being. "do not trouble yourself, wife. you raise the next generation of our pack."

"aria is a young but dedicated wolf who has devoted herself in service of donnelaith, filling the caches and outriding when it is needed. she is a boon to us, and in this i saw fit to elevate above all else."

Blue chuckled at him and shook her head. I will be troubled anyway, husband and you know it. She chuckled again at the way he spoke to her shaking her head in delight. She had missed him more than she cared to admit. There was a slow burning ember there, soon she would need to stoke it too see where it lead. Perhaps she was merely growing complacent as she aged. She wasn't entirely sure.

Well then she sounds like a good fit. Does she prefer to be on the home fires or does she like the travel more than the home? My father was like that. He preferred the travel to the staying. It makes for a restless wolf. She is one of our son's love interests?

fade and have another? <3

"she is the kind to stay close. i scent her quite often upon our borders, a tireless guardian. and yes, casmir is quite smitten with her." he smiled, casting a glance behind their backs to where emaleth and deidre lay in a fuzzed heap. his gaze traveled back to blue willow; a brow arched in silent suggestion that they retire to the shadows and reclaim themselves for a moment.

[quote='Lasher' pid='174829' dateline='1457989007']

Yes please <3

Blue smiled and shook her head. Young love, she worried about her son's ways, and hoped that they had not crippled him in a way. She noticed his gentle invitation and with a gentle wuff and a bending at the front, she turned and bounded off, waiting for him to follow.