Swiftcurrent Creek bead water

swinging in her jaws was the hare. muskrat trotted quickly toward the creekland's rich centrality, wanting to place it where it would be taken to arlette.

her mind was clouded with memories and heated thoughts; she traveled on instinct, not quite present.

Arlette was kicked out by Arric. Perhaps it was good for her to just be her, and not just a mother. Though she did struggle to be away from her little ones. She quickly went for a drink. The sunlight coming down on her back was rather nice. She took gulps of water. She was a little dirty from laying around in the den but she didn't want to be all wet when she returned. Maybe she should find something to eat.

Right at that moment she saw Muskrat. A welcome distraction. She noticed the hare she had in her mouth and realized she was rather hungry. She should find a cache after saying hello. She seemed to be lost in thought. Hello Muskrat! Arlette greeted.

"allianchu, arlette?" perhaps the cadence of her voice might convey its translation.

she gave the hare over at once. "how life? how babies?" privately she felt that the scar-decorated yatiri was glowing beautifully, attractive in a new way now that she boldly stood as mother. arric was a good husband. it was well; muskrat would not have wanted to see arlette dissatisfied.

Arlette smiled in greeting at the other female. Her tail wagged. She spoke a word that wasn't familiar to her, but it was a question so perhaps it was how she was doing. I am doing well if you asked that. The birth had been hard on her but she had recovered. It had taken longer than before but that was a given with her exhaustion levels and size of the children.

Oh, thank you, Arlette smiled at the hare. Share? she asked. She felt a little bad for taking the meal, that would always be a thing for her it seemed. Good. Arric is with the babies. He told me to get some fresh air. He is wonderful. The babies are all doing well. I'm so happy!, she beamed. ::Hopefully you will meet them soon.""

the zeta shook her head. "no. is for you. need all meat to make milk." she understood the hungry demands of a newly made mother, and had considered it a point of pride to have helped in keeping many larders full for arlette's desire. she took one nip of the haunch out of politeness, listening to the plantwolf speak.

surprise flickered in the sunflower eyes. "you want me near baby?" muskrat asked, quelling the urge to lift her chin in incredulity. there was much friendliness between she and arlette and arric, but she only been truly named among them for a short while.

still, her face illustrated delight in the idea. "arric good man. how many pups you have together?"

Arlette dipped her head in thanks. Okay, alright, she agreed. She did need a lot of food still. What was remarkable was that last time she had three pups she had completely gone through all her nutrients. This time she had not lost any body fat while she had four nursing children. It was really a testament to swift current and their members.

Yes! Of course! You would be their fiercest protector? I think they would be very safe, she complimented the other. It is not long for when they want to exit the den, so once they are comfortable outside then you can meet them. Arlette was already excited about the idea of them meeting their pack members. We had four. Two boys and two girls. We named them Burdock, Juniper, Buckthorn, and Violet.

"plant names!" muskrat exulted with delight, a low chuckle conveying her joy in these sounds, and the radiance of her companion.

to be referred to as a protector further pleased muskrat, who sat up a little at that. "they grow fast. i see them in home. one day small. eyes closed. next few days, moving. loud. seeing." the camps of her people had always held many children. and although muskrat had no desire for those of her own, she could appreciate the way they grew into warriors and traders after their own hearts.

Arlette shot Muskrat a grin. Yes! Very good!, she beamed. She wouldn't know what to name her children otherwise. She was not so good at thinking of a name that didn't exist. So the plant names were somewhat a given. She thought it was a nice touch as a healer. Muskrat seemed to agree.

Arlette had to chuckle at that. She had the same experience. Oh yes. It goes by far too quickly. Soon they will be running all over the pack grounds and I am not sure I should even try keeping up, she chuckled. I'm glad I have Arric and the help with the pups, she smiled. "And.. other pack members soon as well,:: she grinned.

other pack members? were there more to be born? muskrat did not include herself in this possibility, for it would not be a possibility. "soon they run far. fast. ready to learn many things."

at weaning, a child went to help their mother in whatever skills she brought to the camp. muskrat had learned the sharpening of antler tines and the skinning of alligators, but had never truly applied herself to her work until the time came for warriors to be chosen by the war chief and their leader.

she had eagerly exchanged whatever life she might have had as a woman for that of a warrior, and she had not looked back.

"you teach them medicine too? and arric -- he teach fighting?"

Arlette nodded, almost getting sentimental already. Gosh, Yes!She knew she was going to mentally curse the children when they were running around and when she was really on a lack of sleep. She knew after it she was going to miss it when the pups were all big en independent. Arlette dipped her head. I'd like to teach medicine but only if they want to, if they are not interested in plants that is okay, she nodded. She decided to indulge a little into her past. My mother was a very skilled hunter, speciality big game. She gave me hunting lessons but I was terrible at it, and well, I really disliked it. Not sure if I was comparing myself to my mother but I did not have a good time, feeling I let her down. So I will just be very careful to see if they how interest in it. If not that is totally fine, maybe they come back more often to me for help, she chuckled.

arlette spoke of the differences between mother and child. muskrat was most struck that she did not plan officially for one of the children to follow her. these pups were her own lineage, and a daughter of her line could begin a matriarchy that only had the creek as its beginning.

again the young swamp panther wondered why these things did not exist in these wilds.

but she did not speak them. "i sure one will want to know medicine," muskrat assured, marveling at the contentment in the plantwolf as she contemplated motherhood.

Arlette chuckled at the answer. She hoped one of her children showed interest in healing. She would be more than willing to teach them all the ways of plants and healing others. But the last thing she wanted was to force something on her children which they didn't have any interest in. I hope so. But with four of them I hope to get at least one interested. But with children you never know, she smiled.

How have you been? How is the foot?, she asked. She had not forgotten. Though she assumed that it might be a lot better than it was before.

"i am well. and the foot, it is well," muskrat murmured, holding it up for inspection. she wanted to ask more of motherhood, despite herself. such questions, however, had always come with the caveat that she be teased for her revulsions.

men did not disgust muskrat; she enjoyed their company and their attentions. it was man's intent to possess which made her revile the situation entire.

"one, plantwolf. another, tall hunter," like arric, like the one who arlette said she was not, though the scars in her pelt said she had faced some harshness.

Arlette was glad to hear it. She curiously looked at it but with the fur grown over it she couldn't tell if there was a lot of malformation. She figured there might be some but at least the foot was functional. I'm glad to hear it.

The mother then smiled. Yes, and maybe a fierce warrior too if one goes to study with you, she hummed. If her pups would want to learn how to fight they would have a lot of teachers Muskrat would be one of them. In Arlette's eyes the warrior had earn her favor and respect.

"i like that, arlette," muskrat murmured, genuinely touched by the offer of involvement.

arlette's was a world still unknown to the warrior, who had been satisfied with glimpses of it thus far.

to see it closer had been unnerving in a good way.