Moonspear flooded

open to anyone, but please limit three others! pup tags for visibility: @Pauk @Treepie @Kaujimaq

Seven days flew by, and the children grew. When they weren't sleeping, they spent their time eating. Sialuk spent much of her time in the ulaq, emerging only occasionally to eat, drink, and empty herself. She did, however, leave them with the family on occasion—including Alaric. Her heartache around Argent's departure had not completely dissipated, but she did find herself busied with the children enough that it dulled the pain. Wherever he had gone, she hoped that he was happy.

She hummed a quiet song to herself in the darkness of the bustling home, and she watched as the children twitched their feet in their sleep, tiny formless dreams surely propelling them through all kinds of adventures.

Many figures peopled teeny Treepie’s universe, which consisted solely of Sialuk’s ulaq. The most important one, at first, was Pauk. For several days, the tiny calico insisted on clinging to their brother’s hind foot, just as they had in utero. They nursed in shifts and often slept like yin and yang.

But slowly, their favor expanded to include Kaujimaq and, of course, their mother. By the end of the first week, Pie was quite familiar with them, as well as the more ephemeral presences that came and went. They adored them all, though Sialuk became the absolute center of their universe.

They woke from a nap now and immediately pressed their face into the soft fur of her underbelly, reassured by her scent and warmth. They ignored the milk on offer, instead scooting closer to Sialuk’s anterior—up and over their brother and sister, if they happened to be in the way—in the hopes of tucking into their favorite spot.

They bumped into the familiar plane of a foreleg and tried to squirm beneath it to get in between it and the other one on the far side. Tiuttuk snuggled up to their mother’s chest with a happy noise, willing her tongue closer. The little songbird always enjoyed a good bath.

The puppy equivalent of an oof emitted from Kaujimaq as one of her siblings decided to use her as leverage. Her nap was ruined. Absolutely, utterly ruined, and she would make sure all knew. A keening wail and rapid fire cries followed suit, her body squirming and undulating, but finding no purchase to propel herself…anywhere.

And it was frustrating. Being a growing puppy was so hard and exhausting. She needed her beauty rest! Then—her belly growled. She wailed her hunger, demanding attention to turn in her direction, a request to be guided toward the motherly figure that had nested with her and her siblings so that she may have her fill.

The pains of puppyhood.

Her little chirping bird was the most unique of them all, Sialuk had decided. Some time with the bones had answered questions of their strange smell, which she could decipher as neither male nor female. The bones answered in their usual way, with riddles and sideways answers that were more for contemplation that handing over the straightforward explanation. From what Sialuk gathered, Tiuttuk was gifted with a balance that would lead them walking two paths. Unlike many who were given only one, her tiny calico would have one foot in this world and another in the spirit world. They were a blessing.

They nestled themself in the crook of Sialuk's forelegs, and she set to cleaning them both out of love and habit. Not three licks in did Kaujimaq begin to complain, and Sialuk gently nudged her toward the source of food, hoping she might latch and not quarrel too much with her siblings. The sooty boy remained quiet, either sleeping or peaceful in whatever state he was in. Three, Sialuk realized, was many to keep track of.

Treepie cooed when Sialuk bent to smooth her tongue over their small body, oblivious to her mystification. They began to roll onto their back—puzzling anatomy on candid display—when the ministrations stopped almost as soon as they started.

They weren’t one to complain, though they let out a questioning and slightly querulous peep. Pie finished their roll and from their supine position, they struck out a single paw. Their tiny toes spread as if reaching out to grab Sialuk’s muzzle and draw it back to them.

Pauk had been sleeping as the others stirred. He'd gotten used to the constant movement of the ulaq and was generally a sound sleeper and the last to wake up for their wake windows. Today was no exception.

Kaujimaq's wailing caused him to stir, and he woke with a loud groan and stretched out his legs. Then, once adequately stretched, he flopped onto his belly, scooted closer to Sialuk's side, and began his search for milk.

Instant satisfaction was obtained as soon as anaa guided her to a teat. She quieted for a moment as she latched. Tiny front paws kneaded the soft belly as she greedily drank. Soft, happy whimpers of delight accompanied the suckling noises.

Another little body had found its way in her space and—she was not about to let anyone get in her way now that she got what she wanted—she flung out a back paw, hoping it would find purchase, pushing back the presence of Pauk. Tiuttuk had found their way in anaa’s arms and that was their space right now. The belly was hers and Pauk could find somewhere else to claim—maybe the back end? Kaujimaq did not care where, just not here.

Sorry, Pauk! I profusely apologize for Kauji’s behaviors now and forever.

Tiny paws touched here and there, and Sialuk gently guided Kaujimaq to a feed place. Pauk was pushed aside, and Sialuk grinned. Even now, they presented personalities for anaa to see. With her silvery muzzle, Sialuk nudged Pauk toward another teat, hoping he might find purchase there to take his fill alongside his pushy sister.

She moved her attention to Tiuttuk then, resuming bath time and humming a gentle song so that all three of her babes might find comfort in the sound of her voice. Soon, their eyes would open. Soon, they would stand tall. Too soon, they would become young men and women, ready to face the world.

When her muzzle came within reach, Treepie grasped it and tugged it closer. At least, that’s the way it felt to them. They cooed merrily when the bath resumed, enjoying every warm, damp pass of Sialuk’s tongue. If she nosed them into a new position, they gave a little peep of compliance.

Truly, the middle child could not have felt more content there in the cradle of her arms. They might’ve fallen asleep, though they slowly realized there was one other thing they wanted first: milk. They were loath to disrupt their bath time, so for now they ignored the gnawing in their tum.

Pauk felt a shove as he snuffed through his mother's downy fur and growled unhappily at the resistance. Just as he was about to retaliate, Sialuk intervened and guided him towards another teat.

Satisfied with the outcome and quickly forgetting what'd happened moments prior, Pauk began to eat.

we can probably wrap here!

More tiny paws on her muzzle. Tiuttuk was a handsy one! The other two went to nursing, and Sialuk continued to bathe her most enigmatic child. When Sialuk finished bathing them, she set them alongside their siblings to feed, knowing that when one was hungry, the others were likely to follow. Sleep would soon consume them all—herself included—and she would welcome the rest with ease.

Their hunger prevented a drowse, though Treepie soaked up every last second of bath time and gave a soft squeak of dismay when it came to an end. They went boneless in their mother’s grasp, then zoomed toward the nearest teat once they were set at her flank. Their forepaws came forward to gently knead Sialuk’s pink belly like bread dough as they suckled themself to sleep.