Blackfeather Woods I need a gangsta

Harley was gone. Where to, she didn't know. Her sister was otherwise involved with the children she had borne. And her- she was alone. But it was so different now, she was swollen, and bloated, and leaking. That morning, she had slipped from the den that she had taken to sleeping in a short distance from the Glenn she felt trapped in. She was trapped. Her mate was gone, she feared the worst. The other here, they were...she had no words to descride them. Hell, she did not their full extent. And she, she was scared. Trapped here. Unless.

She rose from her position, eyes fearful as emotion and irrational thoughts and more ran through her. She'd run. Give her children a better life. They had to have one. They couldn't live here. Not in the darkness. Her mind reeled, then was made up. She heaved her heavy body off the ground, the minute movements of her children within her unnerving her. They were close. Too close. She picked a direction, and begun an unsteady, labouring lope. The territory did not go on forever, she'd find the borders soon enough.

Woodland. Swamp. Filth, mud, the cawing of ravens. This all passed, passed her by as she went, panting and slowing. The border. Her feet crossed it, but she was tired, this was too much work. She kept going. The border was behind her, not far, but too close. Her footfteps took her in a somewhat straight, wavering line, her mind robbed of reason.

She was up early collecting herbs in the meadow, returning near the end of the morning, bundle in maw. She wanted to find some plants in the marsh before she returned to the tunnels, but something stopped her in her tracks. The bloated figure of Althaia, Nemesis' sister who was way too close to giving birth to be so far from the borders.

Althaia, She called to the gray-and-brown female her brow furrowing at her quick pace. Why are you out here? Her voice was stern despite her curiosity. This wasn't a simple walk to stretch the muscles.

Her journey was cut short, however, by the pale form of Potema. She stepped back stumbling a little, as the ankle she had chosen to brace herself was the same injured by Dash. Her gaze fixed on the other, the one she had decided was good. A healer, she had helped Althaia in the past. "I-" She stopped, mind wiped blank. What could she say? "I'm running away"? "I hate it here"? "I'm scared, sad, angry and hormonal?" None of these things would do.

What was she even doing? Trying to run would be futile, and likely lead to the death of her children. Too late. Trapped. A flicker of fear passed over her face like a cloud before she spoke, unsure. "I don't know." she managed at last, for truly, what was she even doing all the way out here?

Althaia's mate, baby daddy, whatever, had disappeared a while back — something Potema regarded with little interest and a slight hint of disgust. It's effect on Althaia hardly swept through Potema's mind, until now. She looked at the whirlwind of emotions on the future mother's face with worry, half hoping that it was merely hormones that pushed her this far out of Blackfeather territory.

No matter what you think of us, She said softly, We are your best bet of keeping you and your pups alive through winter. Travelling would be slow going with pups so close to arrival — the Caldera was close, but still away a bit — and once they did come...how would she hunt? She would starve first, if she didn't freeze.

The worry on the woman's face was genuine, and Althaia, once again, doubted herself. Were they truly as horrid as she made them out to be? Or was it nothing back her wild thoughts that made it so? In any case, the pale ghost spoke true, and Althaia meekly dipped her head. "Yes. You are right." she said softly, to tired to argue, and already beginning to doubt herself more. The woman had seen right through her, and not even been angered. 

"My pups. They will be alright, here?" she asked, unsure. She had never really thought of them like this before, but they seemed so much more tangible, then when she had first pledged herself and them at the border. Things were changing rapidly, and she couldn't keep up.

The woman sighed, agreeing with what she said. Potema relaxed, wondering what finally pushed her to leave Blackfeather. She was glad she it was she who found her, not Damien or Kove. They would be much more violent.

They will be. We won't allow anyone to harm them, this was a true statement. They were Nemesis' kin, and while Althaia wasn't a true member of the Dark Brotherhood — not everyone was meant for it — she was still a member of Blackfeather Woods. They would protect her. Come, let's go back, There was a tunnel near the outskirts of the territory; they could safely travel from there to the Glen without meeting Damien. It was she who controlled the Web, having travelled through its winding caverns ever since she was young, moreso than her brothers did.

The pale woman nodded at the other's words, prepared to follow her back without a fight. Much of the bright girl she had been was gone now, crushed by responsibility and doubt and the knowledge that her past mistakes had been many. But some things still brought forth wonder, and hope, and now one of them would make their appearance. 

She took a single step forward, then stopped, paw raised a few centimeters from the ground. She had just felt the oddest of stirrings, the strongest she had felt for quite a while. A small smile blossomed on her features as she stilled, feeling again the movement of child within her. This by far was the thing that made her most aware of their presence, and she was silent a moment as she stood, both nervous and eager for when the little ones would make their entrance into the world.

Potema walked for a few moments, stopping as Althaia's stepped slowed and eventually halted behind her. She turned, looking back at the woman curiously. A smile alighted Althaia's face, which confused the witch. Althaia? She asked, wondering what was wrong with her. Or, what was right for her?

"They're....they're moving!"

Was her delighted and slightly belated retort to the witch's questioning, as she glanced up at her, elated. She wondered if the other thought of pups- she could only guess at her age, but she guessed that they were fairly close in age. Perhaps she was a little young to be a mother, on her very first heat cycle when it had all begun, but it was exciting all the same. At times, she worried she would not be as good a mother as say, Nemesis, older and with more experience than her. 

Worries, plagued her almost constantly, but it was moments like this in which they ceased to exist. But they stilled again, and she moved, up to the witches side and prepared to follow should she lead her back.

It was an experience that Potema could not equate with anything else in her life (just yet); she could not fathom what that would feel like. Especially for the first time. But she smiled nonetheless, happy that the children inside her were growing and strong and alive. She had learned about stillborns before — her mother once admitting that there were six of them in her womb, not three — and the thought of any of Blackfeather's pups being born dead (a paradoxical thing) revolted her.

The woman met up with her, starting to head back to Blackfeather Woods. Potema began walking towards the dark forest, glad that Althaia had reneged on whatever thoughts were plaguing her mind.