Northstar Vale sunflare

whenever you have time! <3 map for ref

time had passed.

she had changed.

what began with a sudden nausea around her favourite foods now grew larger. her body was shifting, and she found herself clumsy and heavy and sticky in the heat.

the air was cloying and scented with honeysuckle. the vomiting was endless. she lay on her side beneath the willow trees and only breathed.

she knew. all of a sudden she knew, the realization washing over her. and though she was too weakened to sit up for now, and the grass was so cool, she tilted her muzzle and crooned for @Arsenio.

The redstone man had been patrolling the northern end of the willows. His paws had sloshed through overflowing rivers, splashing up his legs and spattering his underside in wet sand and dirt. Arsenio did not seem to mind. He wore the elements well.

A sweet sound filled the air, drawing his ears to a point and turning his head to where Tamar’s voice had originated. Her distress had not gone unnoticed. Arsenio had watched as she had grown sick. He had worried for her, had spent his days searching for food or herbs that might soothe her stomach into something easier. His mind did not consider that she would carry their children – not yet.

Galloping to her, Arsenio breathed heavy in his approach. Tamar rested beneath the willow boughs. Her warm brown eyes seemed to flutter somewhere between resting and waking.

Tamar, my love… what can I get you? The man’s head canted curiously.

God I love that map. So beautiful. *w*

he came to her like a god.

arsenio's element had become the vale. where he had burned in akashingo now he glowed among the greenery and the four lakes, amid the mud and swampland and fields of wildflowers, inside the forests where they hunted together and loved one another often.

she reached for him, not rising. "come. lie with me," and when her redstone husband agreed, tamar wrapped her slender limbs around his shoulders and pulled their bellies together.

she laughed softly against his face. "it is not just you and i who lay here today."

Tamar’s arms were met with a soft nudge. The man needed little persuasion to join her. Pressed close to her frame, he could feel the gentle beat of her heart against his chest. Beneath the lengthy willow boughs, glowing with the light from the sun, she was perfect.

Oh, but they were not alone…

Arsenio’s ears pointed. He gazed upon his wife with reverent adoration. The redstone man’s eyelids fluttered softly.

What do you mean, my love? Has Kallik returned? A daft query, Arsenio was lost in the moment, lost in the touch of his wife’s arms. Only his head lifted slightly to glance around them for signs that another had intruded on their peaceful moment.

"kallik is with his wife."

arsenio came alive, searching round them for any dangers. tamar laughed again, raising her paw to push one of his lower, so that it rested against her flat belly. 

her chin lifted proudly, cheek pressed into the soft green beneath them. she looked up at the willows dancing above his strong body, above them both.

did he understand now? her eyes glowed.

The confusion upon his features gave way to shock. The beat of his heart hastened.

You… you are…

Ah, but the words had been stolen from his lips. Arsenio leaned toward her. His whiskers were inches from her own. The blue of his eyes held fast to her. His breath fell in hushed exhales. The man’s figure became charged with electric energy.

Arsenio laughed – a joyous sound that filled the air and rushed through the willow leaves.

Oh, Tamar…

The energy that had filled him pushed him up. He sat upon his rump and leaned toward her, inspecting her creamy undercoat with gentle prods of his dark nose.

how handsome he was in her surprise!

she loved that at first he still did not understand. it meant she was able to see the realization dawn to him, watch it wash over his face like the waves of the sea he so loved.

his voice was a rich laugh that lifted to the ears of their gods, both his and her own. tamar joined him, stretching her forelegs over her head as he tickled her stomach with soft searching breaths.

"we will have to travel to mereo. i need to see aquene," the young woman murmured proudly, her pale-tan eyes looking toward his taller figure.

Yes! Oh, yes! We must! She will be thrilled to hear that you are with children…

Arsenio was buzzing with energy. His tail swayed eagerly from side to side, thumping against the grass and kicking up dust upon his rear. Every tentative touch of his snout against her stomach was met with another at her cheek where he planted a series of kisses that made him giddy.

Germanicus, too. His pups will have friends, young ones to grow with, to learn with.

The formation of Epoch was drawing nearer. It would not be long before their claim on the vale would be sealed and their lives would begin anew, there in the home they had made. They had been blessed. Away from the hardship of Akashingo, they had found their peace.

When will we go, Tamar? Soon? Before it is too late for you to travel. Another gentle nudge at her chin.

tamar laughed and squealed beneath his affections.

he was filled with radiant delight. she could not help to respond to it, drawing him close again until the beat of her heart thumped against his own. 

"i am ready to go now. i have a lot of energy. i do not think i always will," she said, thinking of how lady ruenna and towhee and aquene had looked so tired at the end. "so sooner rather than later."

she kissed his cheek with a peppering of lips and then rolled to her side, shaking off the leaves and grass.

Yes! At once!

Ah, but he was getting ahead of himself. Arsenio gazed thoughtfully at his wife. His beautiful, perfect, exceptionally sweet wife. He did not want to leave in haste. If they did not property mark the vale and check for signs of wolves who might have gathered nearby, there was a good chance that they would return to strangers in their desired home. It would not take more than a day or two, he hoped.

Let me prepare the vale. I must mark the borders; be sure we do not have prey that will rot in our absence. A day, maybe two… will that be alright, Tamar?

He smiled as leaves tumbled from her coat. She was positively radiant.

her laughter was immediate and clear.

"i will go with you, arsenio. we will prepare this place so that it is ours even when we are gone."

she mused. "perhaps we should sing to kallik when we are close. he will wish to know that the vale is unguarded."

her grin came swiftly. "but not so long. we have work to do, to make this a home for our children." her lips trembled; she was overcome.

The man laughed softly at her mention of Kallik. The pale soldier would certainly not feel right knowing that they had left the vale with nobody to keep an eye on it. Arsenio was pleased that the other man was so diligent in his work and the safety of the home he occupied. Soon enough, there would be multiple children racing about the woodland. That keen eye for security would be needed.

I think that is a good idea. We will not be gone for long, my love. Not long at all. We will inform Germanicus on the progress of Epoch and will check on Aquene and her children. Then we can return to our home. And prepare for the future of our family. The man swelled with his delight. He could hardly wait until Tamar would swell with their children. Arsenio believed that she would make a radiant pregnant woman, even in the most cumbersome of states.

Let’s go make our preparations. A loving nudge was offered at her cheek.

fading! <3

she took his kiss.

she gave one of her own.

"it will be good, to leave with you. and to come back with you."

her heart galloped, an oryx against a sand-dune.