Broken Antler Fen Finally, Some Alone Time

@Brandy

Aduin was too excited. So excited, he forgot to ask Brandy out for some alone time. The last time they had any was...well, felt like it had been forever since then to him. And he couldn't wait forever. He wanted to know what she had been up to. But there was more. He wanted to tell her that he planned to change, for her. Aduin couldn't have a repeat of their last meeting before she went off.

He sat by their den she had made and howled at to her. Since she had left, it had fallen into despair just like he had. Hadn't been cleaned up since. He never found the will too.

Brandy was out walking in the crisp Autumn morning without a purpose when her mate called to her, and with a smile she headed towards their grove. She'd been meaning to collect fresh moss and clean up the mess, but just hadn't gotten to it yet - maybe later. Slipping into the golden tinged meadow, the yearling trotted up to Aduin and at once pressed her entire side into his chest. 
     
                       "G'mornin my love."

Aduin smiled, his tail wagging madly as he saw his mate coming to him. He felt her warmth, and stayed silent to enjoy it, and their touch. "You seem in a cheerful mood" he said, giving a lick of compassion over her head. The seriousness could wait. "You know what Autumn reminds me of?"

For a long moment, they silently enjoyed each others imbrace, Brandy rubbed against him, sharing scents, and when he commented on her mood she couldn't help the peal of bell-like laughter that fell from her mouth. 
 
                "I haven't been happier since before the famine - I'm glad to be home, with you."

Was there a better reason to be happy than to be beside your mate? When asked about Autumn, the copper yearling only gave him a confused, dumb-looking gaze. What the heck was he talking about?
 
                                             "Uh, the cold?"

Aduin was so very glad to hear that. But he didn't voice that gladness. He was just too happy to be here with her, after around a month of her being gone. It just felt like too long without her. 

He smiled at her question. "No. The orange leaves...they remind me of your fur." He dug his nose through her fur, taking in her scent. "And despite it's cold, it can look rather lovely don't you think?" She might have made Autumn his favorite season yet.

He all of ignored her dumb face, only smiling and nuzzling into her and telling her the answer: her. At that moment, Aduin really might have been able to feel her skin heat up. His other words were processed in her brain rather than really heard, and she giggled hysterically. 
 
                    "Me? Really? Addy you're so cute. I don't like the cold very much, 'cause I can't go swimmin', but I think you made me able to tolerate it. Pretty, but I still don't like the cold."

Snow was a different story, however - that was a fact she would let him learn next season - she could tolerate the cold, too, as long as there was snow and ice to play on. And now, Brandy had a lot more people to bother than her mother.

Aduin couldn't help but feel his own face heat up. To be called cute made him feel so shy. Though hearing she wouldn't go swimming in Autumn meant he might not show her what he taught himself with swimming and fishing.

 "It's the truth. I mean it." He lifted his face to look her in the eyes lovingly. "I missed you, Bran." He felt a small whine in his throat, his ears falling.

Brandy didn't know the effort he'd been putting in for her, really - before or during her absence. It might've made her feel bad, but it also might've made her feel better - perhaps it was better she didn't know. Humming softly in her chest, the yearling settled against him with a sigh of joy.

               "I believe you, Addy. I missed you so much."

Aduin could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest. He had a question he wanted to ask. But how would he do it? It was the sort that made him nervous. "So, Sebastian and Pearl are going to get pups. I'm going to be an uncle. Sort of." Seb was, after all, not a brother by blood. It was more like Seb adopted him as a brother. "And you'll be an aunt."

He paused for a moment. "And on the subject of p-pups, w-well..I was wondering..." He stuttered, not sure how to ask. He knew it would be a while, so he was only asking in advance.

They sat there for a moment in silence, but Brandy could feel the tension within her mates frame - as she turned her lemon eyes up to his chocolate ones, he spoke about Seb and Pearl's gestating litter. He seemed happy to be an uncle, and the warmness that came over her upon realizing she'd be a technical aunt was enough to bring a smile to her face. The fire-legged female thought that was the end of it, that he was simply nervous about them: never in her life would Brandy have been prepared for the next stuttering sentence that fell from Aduin's lips. It was quiet, shy, and faded off before the man even got to truly ask - but Brandy's eyes had already lit up with excitement.

                     "Do you think Sebastian would really let us?"

Her own words were but a breath into his ear from where she was at his shoulder, but they were alight with joy and wonder - Brandy couldn't wait to have a family! She fully intended on getting permission from her alphas, first - her mother told her what some leaders did to children that weren't there own, and the Valentine knew that if any force in the world came after her kids, all hell would break loose. It was better for Broken Antler Fen if Brandy got permissino first.

Aduin thought on that. He suspected he would. After all, Sebastian looked after Aduin and Aduin looked up to him. And he would of no doubt be happy for Brandy and Aduin. Of course they would have to wait. And he was patient.

"I am sure he would" he said, moving his face forward to nuzzle her cheek. "He would be proud. And I'm sure your mom will too. Having little grandpuppies running around." It would make her feel old, but he didn't think about that.

Brandy wasn't as confident as Aduin was in Seb's approval, but she was still set on having her family - she just hoped they didn't have to leave to do it. The yearling rubbed her muzzle against his as her mate came closer, humming fondly. Her mother would be thrilled, yes, but Brandy also knew it would make her sad - not just from feeling old, but maybe from being alone too. 

                "I wonder if she'll ever have puppies again.... She's still young."

The worry for her mother passed swiftly - now she could just imagine her little Addy babies running around. In this very field, even, bursting from the feathery nest and running wild across the fen. They, unlike her, would hopefully be raised in pack lands. They would be able to play and have fun and wander, they would know stability - all things Brandy hadn't known all that well as a puppy. Ambrosia had always kept her close, had always been on the move, always way too worried about being safe. Tail thumping against the earth with soft thuds, the yearling whined in joy: why couldn't this just be happening now?

                                        "I'd like to have them here - not just the fen, but our den right here. It's not far from the Cove, but still far enough that we could raise our family in peace."

Aduin had never asked Ambrosia how old she was. She did look quite young. Certainly young enough to puppies, or so he guessed. He just never thought about it before. So he didn't answer. This was about him and his mate. 

"Should we make it bigger?" he asked. Sure, it was big enough to hold them both. But to have puppies in there too, it would have to be bigger. "We can get more moss as well for it. And feathers." He knew how much she liked feathers. But first, they would need to clean it up.

Aduin didn't comment on her mother, so she left the wonderings in the air. It was less of a worry of hers, Ambrosia's love life - her own was much more important. 

Her mate did, however, ask if they should make the den bigger. It was then she stood, slipping behind Aduin and padding to the den. She didn't enter, only reached her head down into the earth and looked around the den. It was just big enough for her and her man, but not for any amount of puppies. She'd set to hunting some birds later for their feathers, as well as raid the caches for any of the soft nest liners. 

                 "Yeah, we really should. Its only big enough for the two of us."

Aduin's eyes followed her to the den. He felt guilty for letting it get so messy inside and not modifying it himself. He had forgotten about it. He nodded in agreement. "I can dig while you get feathers. I know you like feathers, and you are the better hunter."

Aduin fell silent for a moment, casting a glance elsewhere. He couldn't bring himself to say what he wanted to before. About how he wanted to change, for her. Is that what she would want? The chance of breaking apart their relationship again was too much for him, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Cooing softly to her mate at the repeating thoughts of puppies, Brandy smiled and accepted his decision. He was the bigger, stronger one - he could dig until he saw fit, and she would make it as comfortable as before. She was obvlious to his worries, and forgot even that they'd had issues - for right now, her life was again perfect. Eventually, this would fluxuate, but not just yet. The copper yearling could be happy for right now. 

                           "Alright - I'll hunt some later on, see if there are any feathers I can pluck from caches."

"If you need any help, just ask." Aduin looked out into the Autumn morning. A beautiful day for a walk. "Want to go out for a stroll?" he suggested, taking a step forward. "Or maybe, a race?" A mischievous smile came up on his muzzle. He felt playful. And already, he could guess what they would be doing for the rest of the morning.