Stavanger Bay dream me the world, something new for every night

dated before scim thread! open, but attn: @Doe

deirdre had been told by her dear skellige of doe after returning rannoch, as deirdre had explicitly asked after the tawny shewolf; it was why, shortly thereafter, deirdre came back to the bay with an ample amount of herbs betwixt her jowls, each item a thing to aid in matters of pregnancy. deirdre would offer even to be a midwife, if so allowed; she owed the woman much, she felt. doe had been her caretaker after the bear had come for her and skellige, and deirdre had always adored her even before this! and so, she placed the herbs between her forelegs before calling expressly for her, but any face the depths might put into her view would be a welcome one.

Stone Den was coming along nicely. Doe had done as Furiosa had suggested and replaced the sand carpet with feathers. It'd taken a lot of effort, but between herself and Szymon they'd been able to get a good amount of padding in the most imporant areas. Doe had lined the pile of fluff with lavender and horsemint to keep any bugs away and because she'd never liked the scent of feathers, even if they were great for chewing on.

Deirdre's howl came from just outside the den - Doe gave a loud pip that said be right there and finished arranging her fawnskin rug before making her way - carefully - down the cliff face to meet her young friend. It'd been quite some time since she'd last seen the pale princess-turned-queen, and she'd yet to offer her congratulations on her new title.

Padding gingerly across the sand, Doe met the pale creature with attentively pricked ears and a wagging tail. She failed to show deference, but this was, perhaps, more purposeful than neglectful.

"Hail, Dei," she said with a cheery grin, eyes raking over the forest queen's scars. They seemed to be healing nicely, but Doe was determined to ask after them anyway. "How are you healing, lamb?"

deirdre paid no mind to the others posture, though did mind her own. though an alliance would come, in time, between she and skellige that would establish their united rule, it did not yet exist--deirdre's home was donnelaith, and doe's home was the depths, and deirdre heeded this, albeit subtly. for her eyes averted briefly to show doe her legitimate respect, and her ears melted atop her crown for a brief instant before flitting upward when spoken to.

the wounds that doe had treated were fading to nothing. though they had appeared deep, they were superficial enough to not warrant a scar; her furs were growing in the spots where the bear had struck, and soon, there would be little sign she had been attacked at all by the motherbeast. perfectly, thanks to you, deirdre breathed, her words fond and warm and loving; doe had treated her as her own mother might have, had she been present. deirdre would never forget the blue willow! but twas doe that cleansed her wounds and watched over her when she did not awaken. skellige has told me that you are with child, she spoke, and her eyes fell to the herbs between her forelegs. these herbs are to help with your symptoms, if you have any that give you difficulty. i am not sure how far along you are, but this is mothers silk; the birds have told me they have seen it used for morning sickness, though they warn about using it before the second trimester. to chew on it can relieve pain, i have also been told, her eyes peered upward toward doe, the emerald of them catching in the hours light. perhaps you knew this already--i forget myself, you are a skilled medicine woman! deirdre was bashful at once, her eyes worryingly searching the face of doe.

Doe was happy to hear that Deirdre was healing well, but that was where the Blackrock woman's pleasure ended. The pale queen went on to speak openly and at length about the delicate young lives that grew in Doe's womb, seeming not to know what terrible curses it might bring down on the innocent babes. Doe's eyes widened and her jaw gaped wide in a hiss of displeasure as she backed quickly away from the poisonous words.

Still, she could not be angry with the girl.

"Dei, stop, I beg you," she bade, quickly regaining the ground she'd given up and moving to place a kiss against the taller wolf's cheek. She glanced surreptitiously around, as if to check that no demons were listening in or watching from the cover of the trees. "It's terrible luck to speak of the unborn," she said in a hushed voice, eyes pleading for the other to understand. "Thank you for your herbs - I am in your debt - but please do not speak of this again unless we are in the birthing den."

Only then did the woman turn her attention to the flora Deirdre had brought along. Indeed, Doe had known of its uses and exisitence - but she'd felt no need to fetch any for herself. Like her mother before her, the dusky shewolf hadn't experienced much sickness. In any case, that time had passed for her.

Still, Doe was grateful to her forest friend. They would use the herbs for the king's girl - the stranger with the burning eyes that Doe still couldn't bring herself to approach. Doe thought to tell Deirdre about this, but held her tongue for worry of the woman's - and, probably, Skellige's - unborn.

deirdre quieted at once upon the others insistence, her ears flattening apologetically atop her crown and her eyes casting downward. she had not meant to offend, and as doe explained deirdre felt her tongue press to the roof of her mouth. swiftly, she spoke: i will undo it, for she knew of how to reverse a curse! she was a cunning witch with many a spell in her repertoire, and to wish bad luck upon doe's children, even if on accident, could not be had!

doe had seemed to forgiven her swiftly, kissing her cheek even before speaking, and so deirdre was still at ease in the company of her savior. a quiet hum came from her as doe spoke: you owe me nothing, she insisted, and though the words were spoken gently there was a clear vehemence in them; doe had saved her, many a time, and had taught her of many things to do with botany! though something clicked the moment doe spoke of the birthing den, and deirdre peered upward through thick lashes, wonder clear on her face. she was not so certain she had heard it correctly, and pondered at this--have you need of a midwife? of course i would do this for you! her shy expression betrayed her. the girl was devout to aiding doe in her own time of need as doe had done for her.

Doe did not question the pale woman; she did not know by what power she planned to undo her possible curse, for the dusky shewolf did not know that the forest queen claimed to be a witch. What Doe did know was that there were many strange powers in the world, and that a wolf in Deirdre's position might have access to much of them.

"Thank you," Doe replied, to both of the young woman's kindnesses. With her last question, however, Doe found reason to hesitate. She had entertained thoughts of calling for Furiosa when it came time to bring her young into the world. The older woman had experience in the act, and Doe found herself relying heavily on that fact. Still, she had been raised knowing that childbirth was an intensely private time for a woman - something that she must do for herself.

"I will surely call for you, if I find I have a need," she said at last, hoping that the pale queen would not feel snubbed for having her services all but refused. "Would you like to see the den? Or have you come to see the King?" she offered, and then quickly asked. Doe wondered how she would feel about Skellige having taken a mistress - Doe did not know if there was something between the two sovereigns, but if there was, Deirdre might not take well to finding Skellige had made his den with another. While Doe herself would not have minded sharing Szymon with another woman, Mirage had certainly protested against Riverbone taking another mate.

deirdre nodded her head in response to the other. truly, she would like to bear witness to the event, to learn, but doe had not presented the option to her and deirdre did not seek to thrust herself into a womans most private and intimate affair. it was presumptuous to think herself capable, yet--while her knowledge gained was rich and bountiful, it did not yet extend toward the den women brought life from.

i have come to see you! deirdre responded with a smile, moving to nose her fondly if permitted. her tail waved slowly behind her. i should so love to see your den, and she did not mention the obscure and vague 'they', not wishing to put a curse upon their heads.

"Me?" Doe repeated, oddly gratified that the woman had come to call on her. Her one ear lifted in something like pride, but she still had a warm look for her young friend. They did not see much of each other, but Doe regarded the pale witch as family the same as the wolves of Blackrock. This did not extand to all of Donnelaith - at least not in practice - but her affection for Deirdre had reach a level sufficient enough to take that name. Not quite sisters, but something like it, perhaps.

"It's this way, just under the cliffs," Doe explained, thoughts of sisterhood slipping away as the more exciting prospect of children took hold of her mind. The woman, even with her widened middle, easily scaled the narrow route to her den. She'd taken the path too many times in the past weeks. It would not surprise her if she could have managed it in her sleep, or if her unborn children had memorized the dips and twists even from the womb.

The dusky shewolf ducked into the entrance and stepped quickly aside before pausing to allow her eyes to adjust, and to give Deirdre a moment to catch up in case she'd lagged behind.

deirdre smiled warmly at the others surprise, and nodded happily to further press the point: you! the others invitation was one that pleased the young deirdre greatly--to be brought to the place that doe would whelp was a privilege indeed, and one that deirdre did not take lightly! deirdre, far larger than doe, had a more difficult time navigating her way through the narrower parts of their trek, though no doubt the womans husbands marks on this road made things somewhat easier for the voluptuous deirdre. 

she watched doe move gracefully, and with ease, toward the place she would bring these children to the world. deirdre ducked into the den shortly after doe had, and peered toward the lovely doe with a warm smile. her eyes still were adjusting, now, and she waited with perked ears for doe to speak on her abode, if she would.

The Stone Den was a place where Doe felt at ease. She'd crafted it with undue care, removing rodent, spreading sand and then sweeping it away again, gathering feathers, dragging pelts - it'd taken these many weeks to turn the dank cave into a place from which she could bring new life unto the world. And now, Doe was pleased with it. She hoped that Deirdre would be also, for this was a place where the pale woman's assistance might soon be needed. Doe would not call on her for her own children's birth, but for Skellige's brood, Doe would take no chances. Doe would attend that birth, and she would call on Deirdre to attend it as well. The king's line was precious, and must live on.

"I have prepared it for not only myself, but for another as well," Doe said in a low voice, wary still of the spirits that might plague them. She had warded the Stone Den against them with sour herbs and blood-spattered rocks, but they could still listen at the entrance, could still hear echos over the lap of waves on the outer walls. "Blackrock harbors another shewolf, ready to bring young into the world. I don't know her name, but her young... are important," she explained, unsure of their parentage but reverent all the same. Suddenly, Doe decided to dive into the subject that'd worried her since the foreign shewolf had taken root in Skellige's cave.

"Dei... what is Skellige to you?" she asked, head cocking to the side.

the cozyness of the den warmed deirdre, who could not recall her own birthing den. she fantasized that it held the same comforts as this, and she appeared to be delighted by what she saw. you have made this? deirdre whispered, her emerald eyes aglow in the dim light of the den. the warmth of the furs made deirdre wish to lay and languish upon them, though this den was not her place. this would be the place doe brought her young into the world, and deirdre thought of them no more on the premise of doe's foreboding words!

doe spoke, and deirdre at first did not understand--she believed that doe might be speaking of her young, and sucked in a worried breath that was exhaled after a beat of confusion. doe was swift to continue, and deirdre's ears pricked forward. she had not heard of another shewolf that would bear cubs, and her head tilted to display her wonder at that. who else but doe had earned skellige's consent? important, deirdre found herself repeating, her voice full of wonder. surely, they are as important as--well, are not all young important? she caught herself, not speaking of the children doe carried. her ears splayed bashfully atop her crown at her near-error, but at mention of skellige she appeared at attention again.

what is skellige to you?

the first thought that occurred to her was: important--though this was coincidence, due to their own wordchoice throughout the conversation. it did not dawn on her, though, that there was a link to importance between the woman who carried and the man she adored. still, the question confused her, as did its answer. there was never a reason for her to be dishonest, and though her head tilted minutely, she answered true. i do not know how to explain what he is to me--i do not possess him. he is dear to me, to my heart, deirdre spoke, and continued. i feel strange, sometimes, when i think of him, she admitted worriedly to doe, like a bird, she elaborated, like a bird, perched at the very top of a tree that rests upon a cliff, about to take flight--or maybe it is already flying?, to put words to her feeling was strange, and she felt silly, but it made sense, to her. she felt out of body as she thought of him, sometimes--the strangest sensation. it frightens me to speak of it, she admitted, though i have wanted to--i... am i ill?

Doe smiled kindly at the sweet girl, adoring her for her careful ways. Truly, the woman believed she would lead her pack well. "It is fine to speak of them in here," Doe said softly, moving to press a kiss to the other's brow. "Quietly, though. The spirits cannot reach us here, but our voices must not carry to them outside."

Leading, the swollen woman retired to the soft bed that she'd made for herself. It was big enough for the two of them to comfortably lie, and Doe's tail swept invitingly over the floor as she listened to Deirdre's 'plight'. Yellow eyes began to sparkle with mirth as the girl went on, describing what Doe had felt so completely for Szymon when they'd first met. To think that Deirdre had known Skellige longer but still felt the sweet flutters of first love was like something out of a fairy-tale to the red woman.

"Fear not, Lamb, it isn't sickness," Doe teased, a soft tsk falling from her lips. She did not know what had happened to Deirdre's mother, but she had gleaned enough from the young woman's scent to know that she was not present in her life. "What you feel is deep affection - it what women feel for men, Deirdre. Did your mother never speak to you of these things?" she explained, and then inquired. The question was a gentle one, though probing it might be. What a nuissance it would be for Deirdre to one day come into her heat - or, more likely, have a member of her pack come into heat - and have the pale queen be none the wiser.

deirdre wondered at does words, and breathed in true interest: what wards have you cast against Those That Would Wish You Ill? for her children were an extension of doe, and deirdre had been taught of many wards by the old, wise owl.

she followed doe toward the bed she had created, and intuitively followed the others direction. should doe lay, deirdre would seek to do the same; she desired, too, to feel the belly that carried doe's young, but did not wish to force herself upon the other she so adored. careful indeed! deirdre did not wish to offend the mother, and as her own had gone--perhaps from this world--the young queen did not know of limits, but never desired to test them against those that she trusted, and whom trusted her. yet she leaned forward a measure, nearer and with apparent interest, and though she made herself quite small the queen moved in a way that would truly enable any to see deirdre was not used to being denied. she had been the first to feed for all of her life, and even now this remained true given her status, and though she worked for all she had gained deirdre had not yet heard the word 'no', from any.

but she paused as doe spoke, realizing only then what it was she had been doing and withdrawing feebly with a sheepish glance to her broad, pale paws.

not sickness, a relief to hear! as doe explained, deirdre's ears cupped forward. only men? she inquired innocently, and truly the question was one she wondered about! as she grew from child to teen, deirdre found herself attracted to things about beings of all genders--though skellige seemed to have stolen the heart of her!

blue willow was spoken of, and deirdre murmured quietly, i have not seen her since the famine. she sought prey, and green... though perhaps she had only found paradise. her mother had taught her much, and had given her many of her passions! but deirdre had not been spoken to of the things which doe spoke of. aria, perhaps, she thought idly--was skellige her special one?

"The loving creation of a birthing den is a stronger ward than any spell could create," said Doe, her tail wagging as she gazed around the haven she'd cobbled together for herself and her family. "Love is strength beyond what mere mortals are accustomed to wielding."

And Doe loved Deirdre. Perhaps not as much as she loved others, but even a little love was enough to matter. The shewolf smoothed another lick over the other's forehead as she draw near and then seemed to pull away. "You will not offend me, Dei," she chided, settling on her side so that her bloated belly was more futher displayed. "It is natural to be curious - and you might even feel them move, if you're patient."

She would not have to be very patient, either - they were active pups that lived in her!

A flickering frown creased Doe's coy features, seeming to be on the edge of turning into a smile. "No, not only men, I suppose," she allowed, thinking of Starbuck and Furiosa, and others before them. "The fluttering in your belly is an ancient pull toward a suitible mate. You find Skellige... attractive? Handsome? Strong and brave?" she suggested, eyes querying as she looked on the younger wolf's face. "If you are patient and kind, and if you take good care of it, the little flame you feel for our Leviathan could grow into something strong and wild. When the flame has reached its full power and ripeness, we call it love - but it is not the love you feel for me, but the love a wife feels for her husband.

"The little flame you feel in you is the beginnings of your urgings to breed," Doe explained, perhaps a little fictitiously. In her mother's pack, these feelings had been for a very specific purpose - and for Doe, this was doubly true. The red woman had been born to bear her alpha's young. Still, the dusky shewolf was intent on sharing what she knew of the subject. Such things should not be neglected.

deirdre had heard of love being the most powerful magick of all, and she believed it--this was the magick she wielded, her heart open and adoring to all who her eyes had fallen upon. the words doe spoke made such sense that deirdre could think of no reason to argue it, and was comforted greatly by the protection spoken of.

the girl leaned into the others comforting kiss, basking in the attentions put upon her. deirdre loved others, and was loved in return, but the love of doe was different than any other--it was the love deirdre dreamt of, given to her only when blue willow lived. it was but a taste of a mothers love, but the taste sated her so greatly she felt she might burst with the full swell of the emotion doe provoked her to feel! the gentle chiding gave deirdre pause, though her flattened ears perked upward at the invitation. only then did deirdre move forward, careful and slow--not for fear of doe, now, but for fear of unsettling the life within her--until she rested her chin gently against the mothers stomach. deirdre waited for the feel of the others young, her ears panning forward a measure as though she might hear them from where she rest.

as doe continued to speak, deirdre's eyes moved from swollen stomach to lutescent eyes. it was difficult to be attentive to the words when she was focused so on feeling the unborn, though she did her utmost to hear her, knowing the words spoken were important. all words stuck, and deirdre was quiet in her thoughtfulness. once doe had finished, deirdre blinked slowly. breed, she repeated, oblivious to the meaning of the word--deirdre understood that this meant that she was not sickly, that this was natural. she was calmed by this as much as she was the cadence of doe's breathing, and was grateful and thankful both. but she did not yet speak on this, lest doe have more to teach her.

Breed, she said  - in question, and not understanding.

Doe gave a quiet huff of laughter, but truthfully, the young leader's lack of knowledge on the subject made her more uneasy than amused. To bear children was a good woman's birthright, and for an alpha, this was doubly so. The red woman felt slighted on Deirdre's behalf, that none had thought to educate her on the power she held within her own body, of the seeds that could flower in her womb.

"To breed is to bear children, Dei," she explained, speaking simply so that the other would follow. Yet, she would give a more detailed description of the process than she'd given her own daughter; for Deirdre was meant to bring young princes and princess into the world, and Qilaq was not. "When a man and a woman have chosen each other, and when the gods bless their bodies with fertility, the man will mount the woman and plant seeds within her - and from there, life grows."

She looked at the other, head cocked. "That is what a mate is - what Szymon is to me. Do you think that could be what Skellige is to you?"