The Sentinels Then we do it again

@Terance , @Wraen - set in the future a bit - eyes are open and puppies are a little more mobile . 

Though the pack had fared way better than it did now and Osprey's mind was occupied with the worries about, what awaited them in the future, she found that by focusing on the little everyday events, the set routine of caring for the infants and just taking her life one step at a time, helped her to relax a little. She had a lot of fun watching those three bundles of joy, growing a little bigger, stronger and louder every day. They were completely oblivious to the hardships that awaited them further down the path of life and, while Osprey noted and memorized every single detail of their little progress that was made every day, she wished she could shelter them from the harsh times, keep them like this forever. 

It was around midnight now, the kids assembled in a little pile and Osprey's body curled protectively around them. Her slow, even breathing told that she was deeply asleep and that she had let her guard down for once.

For a child so young as she there was no sort of schedule that tended singularly to the hours of day. She was in a constant ebb and flow of both awareness and slumber...waking when she was hungry and then drifting when she was not. But now that she could see the world, and enunciated [partially] the fragments of thought that glossed her mind, she was not married to merely being hungry in order to be alert.
 
She lifted her ashy head and peered through the darkness of night at her Mother. Osprey she identified firmly. But Osprey had two names; the first of which escaped Wraen's mouth with a soft, adoring mewl. "Mm!" she attempted with the furious wagging of her tail to illustrate her excitement. "Mo!"

Though Osprey enjoyed the motherhood for the most part and did not complain about the inconveniences that came along with it, there were moments, when she wished that she could have a full-night's (or day's) uninterrupted sleep for once without being woken up at random times. Had it been only one kid, she thought, stuff would be easier. Now, when Sarah had been soothed and calmed down, Terance began to cry, joined in by the other two. And the circle went on and on. 

For this reason she had also developed a skill to sense, when something was going on with the kids. Therefore, when Wraen - the smallest - uttered her first sounds, Osprey lifted her head, eyes blinking sleepily and yawning, to see, what was going on.

Dante and Osprey were equally guilty of whispering their desired names to the babes when left to their own devices. Wraen had listened to each of them with rapt interest the moment the cotton started being plucked from her ears...the sparkle of her eyes ever-watchful for their attention so that she might demonstrate the dawning of her speaking skills.
 
Osprey regarded her and the pup practically vibrated with excitement; it was of no concern to her as to what time it was...that sense of guilt would take far longer to rest on her tiny shoulders. "Mo!" She swallowed and gave a loud yap of giddiness before shifting the curve of her tongue to warp the words she was trying to form. "Ma! Mama!" she barked without consideration to the sleeping littermates beside her.

Osprey jumped a little, when Wraen barked loudly, all sleepiness disappearing completely. She shot a panicked look at the other two pups, who - thank God - had not heard this outburst and were still sleeping soundly and then mustered up a sincere smile for her youngest kid, who had decided that there was no better time for talking lessons than the middle of the night. 

"Dante will be jealous, when he hears this," she told her quietly, referring to the fact that "mama" was the first actual word any puppy of this litter had said. "Wait, 'till I tell him," she chuckled and licked the girl's cheek. She would then spend the next hour, playing with her little princess and trying to teach her new words.