Sleeping Dragon here is my thanks to the monster who didn't succeed in swallowing me alive

A rabbit hangs from her jaws, thin and worn down, but it had taken the risk for a little bit of food in the midst of famine. With the greenery returning, she’d seen a few extra rodents running around the mountain and the valley has been spotted a few times for tall ears above the grass. Thuringwethil had been lucky when she’d come across the unfortunate one while checking the boarders. The thought to eat the kill for herself comes first, saliva building in her mouth at the taste of blood, but she manages to hold off and find her way into the pack’s territory.

Gyda had swollen to the point, on her already thin frame, she might explode at any moment. Her time around pregnant females had been limited and having sent Gavriel off a few days ago, she knew she had to pick up a few extra things for her queen. She isn’t likely moving much these days and so the young leader heads toward the den @Gyda had made in the wake of her pregnancy, and chuffed around the kill once she sets it down on the ground.

Hush switched between hunting, patrolling and guarding Gyda's den regularly. With his Dróttning so close to giving birth and food stores still low, it seemed the proper thing to do to make sure she was regularly supplied with meat. Sure, the others catered to her, but Hush felt that it was within his right to make sure that she ate and that she was constantly guarded. She was the queen after all.

He was sitting outside the den, relaxed yet constantly aware of his surroundings, when Heda arrived. The mute whimpered softly and rolled onto his side, his tail thumping against the ground in greeting.

Hush had taken to guarding the birthing den, checking in on her, and bringing her food. He was not the only one, of course, and each wolf that stopped by made Gyda feel more endeared to them, thankful that she could count of them she had begun to grow restless. The birthing den felt claustrophobic to the mother to be and she spent as little time in it as she could, though the knowledge that any day...any moment she could give birth kept her confined to a small wandering zone nearby it. She did not stray far out of necessity, though she yearned to stretch her legs and run her patrols. Part of her was anxious to see them into the world while another part remained reserved. Their lives would be at risk the moment they came into the world and this knowledge and acceptance of it kicked Gyda's protective, maternal instincts into overdrive.

At the low chuff of Thuringwethil, Gyda pushed herself carefully to her paws, abandoning her grooming of them and exited the den, her eyes touching upon Hush whom had assumed a submissive posture to Heda, before her eyes flickered to Thuringwethil as she settled herself gingerly upon her haunches. “Thurin,” Gyda greeted her, stretching her muzzle to press it against the Heda's own, before she looked down to Hush. “Hush,” She extended a greeting to him too, not wanting him to feel ignored or excluded. Yet she offered no more words, looking expectantly at Thuringwethil after her gaze touched the rabbit for the barest of moments.

She glances to Hush, watching as he rolls to his side and exposes his tender spots to her. Eyes narrow as she considers what a real warrior might do, least of her own, where Hush shows every weakened spot. Disregarding the action, at least in that moment, as Gyda emerges and acknowledges them both and settles upon the kill she brought.

Thuringwethil glances toward the male and tips her nose off as if to say go before she puts her attention on her queen and the very kill between her feet.

Hush didn't expect anymore than what Heda gave him in terms of attention. While he showed his deference towards her in the only way he knew (and could do), he was fine with being dismissed. Heda could just as easily guard and feed Drotting than he could; she already brought something for the expecting queen.

He looked towards Gyda as she exited her den - no doubt she had already smelled the food long before she smelled who brought it - bowing his head as he recognized her greeting, before he slipped away, letting the two Queens interact as he searched for something to hunt.

Exit Hush :P

Thuringwethil wordlessly sent Hush off and the mute hybrid departed. Gyda watched him go for a few seconds and when he was out of sight turned her eyes back to the Commander. For a long moment (or, perhaps, that was what it felt like to Gyda) there was a stretch of silence. “Before you tell me what you came to tell me,” Gyda began, taking a breath for a moment, shifting her weight not out of anxiety but simply because she was restless and (kind of) tired of being pregnant. Their added weight was a burden and while it was not one she would change for the world it didn't mean it didn't take it's toll upon her. “I wanted to tell you that I'm considering stepping down, when they're born.” It was something she had thought of on and off light at night as she felt them kick inside her. She was not yet sure it was the course she would take — for that she would have to see — but she felt it worth mentioning anyway so that if she did think it was the best course of action it would not come as a surprise.

Thuringwethil doesn't linger long on Hush as he makes to disappear. Instead she watches Gyda and it's when she snaps away and brings her attention back, she knows the male is gone. Before she gets a chance to drop her head and pick up the kill, her queen is speaking and she's lifting her gaze again at the surprise. Perhaps it's not entirely a surprise, and there's a part of her that wants to speak out against it—I told you so—but she bites back the words. Perhaps, instead, it's what they need. She always has a hard time separating the fact she's meant to share the role rather than lead on her own, as she's been trained and practiced to do.

"Okay," she says and nods her head, looking to her swollen belly. The decision isn't to be made now, or right away, for Gyda's responsibilities have already shrunk back significantly given her condition. She would have time to think and the young leader would let her have that time, would let her hold on to queen for as long as she'd like.

For now, Thuringwethil drops her head and nudges the kill forward. A rare find these days but the promise the worst is over. They can only go up from here.

"I am sending Seregrýn to Trigeda. I cannot give her what she needs here and she has a lot to learn," she explains, moving on as if she hadn't just been told she might be stepping down. Until then, Gyda would be able to do what she can for the dragon. "Gavriel is the only wolf capable that knows the way. It's a long trip. Remember?" she adds with a hint of an apologetic smile. "He'll likely miss the birth."

The rest of the time together, Thuringwethil tells Gyda about meeting Floki and the bit of information she has about their shared mother and his potential visit before she leaves the woman to rest.