Moonspear your love will always be rooted deeper than any grave

Almost simulatenous to Amekaze's appearance and the soft chuff that invited him in, he heard wails starting from the den. There was a look on his face that could only be described as the first moment a father saw its children — happy, elated, like he could cry any moment, like he had just witnessed a miracle as one of the tiny copies of himself and his mate started to make sound. A proof that they were really there.

Without further hesitation he moved down to his stomach and he poked his head into the den after placing a sloppy, rushed lick on the side of Amekaze's snout in silent appreciation of the fact that she was still alive and well and for all the work she had done this evening. Then he turned to look at his children, presumably with Amekaze once more by their side, as they quieted down again with the contentment of their mother nearby.

"They're beautiful," he said, a weird croak in his voice from being silent sentinel for so long, but the words were genuine. He felt a warmth fill his heart at the sight of them, his perfect little angels, and any doubt that he had had — all the doubt that he had had — over the past months simply fell away. All that mattered now was his perfect little family and he did not even remember why he had feared seeing his children for the first time and seeing them grow up, forever harbouring a fear they might not be his. It didn't matter, because they were his in every way from this moment on.

He lingered a while longer, willing to stay here forever, just watching them and just being a part of this perfect little family. But duty beckoned as he said, "I will get some food," and he waited a moment, as though waiting for some sort of permission, before slipping from the den to unearth a nearby cache. He would not stray far, for he was loathe to let Ame and the pups out of his sight, but he would return with some much-deserved food for his mate soon.