Blackfeather Woods congratulations, beautiful
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@Shivali - set in uhhh the Redgrove I guess, dated like May 15

it was a strange place. Tahani had wandered quietly through the woods--when she wasn't glued to her siblings' sides--seeing all there was to be seen. it was mostly a dark tangle of trees, though there was a swamp in one part of the forest (she wasn't so fond of it). there also seemed to be a network of tunnels underneath, though she hadn't worked up the courage to explore the dimly-lit passageways quite yet.

this place was a splash of color, a vibrant red amidst the drab background of a deciduous forest. the cawing of ravens was ever-present, the black birds calling from their perches in the trees, which were thinner here--allowing for more sunlight to come through. though it was warmer here than in the shade, Tahani basked in the sunlight, sitting down on her haunches and closing her eyes for a brief moment.

there was work to be done. there were young children, a mother-to-be, and Siarut's injuries still needed to be tended to. she had found caches stuffed with various herbs and remedies; perhaps a search of the tunnels would yield more results. it would make sense to keep the plants in a cool, dry place. but first, rest. the fervor of their voyage from the north and the stresses of settling in an unfamiliar place had finally settled upon Tahani's shoulders, and she was suddenly exhausted.
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It’s surreal to have her siblings back—at least two of them, god knows where Tomkin is—but she knows there’re things she has to tell him. There’s a swell to her stomach she won’t be able to hide from the ignorant, though her pack mates may have already picked up on the obvious, and before long they’ll make their own conclusions and they’ll be mad at her for withholding in the first place.
 
Locating one of her siblings won’t be terribly hard but she has to find the right one. Maybe the easiest one. Telling Siarut might lead to a bigger mess and, knowing Tahani will have a better reaction, she locks onto her scent the moment it crosses her nose. There isn’t a hint of their elder brother, thankfully, and she moves quickly to avoid another interruption.
 
Light opens up as she reaches the edge of the grove, moving easily through the open wood, somewhere that offers the most light in such a dark, dreary forest. Maybe she can nest here when the time comes for it, losing fondness for the glen knowing she’ll have to share the space more than she’s fond of doing. For now, she shakes the thought away the moment she locates her sister, and kicks up her speed to close the distance.
Nothern 
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i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep
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Ooc — mercury
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#3
movement caught her eye, and she turned to find her sister headed toward her. her mouth splitting in a smile, Tahani closed the distance, nuzzling the side of Shivali's cheek before pulling back, eyes sparkling. Shivali made her feel most at home; she loved Siarut dearly, but there was something about the bond between sisters that was special, unbreakable.

"how are you?" she crooned, wagging her tail. her eyes flashed to the ravens, whose cries had risen to a dull roar at Shivali's entrance. they were starting to settle now, preening and moving around on their branches, sleek black onlookers in the trees. she didn't much like them, but she supposed she didn't have a choice but to share the forest with them.
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Shivali glances up with Tahani, looking at the various birds—she’s been in the woods a while and the birds have become background noise—but she redirects her focus on her sister. Taking a step forward, she nudges her on the cheek again, nipping below her ear. She has missed her siblings, even through the days of spending time with them, it doesn’t compare to the months they’d been apart.
 
“I am okay, how are you?” she murmurs, taking a step back and searching her face. Maybe her sister hasn’t picked up on the changes, the smells, but a lot is going on and they hadn’t expected… this. “I need to tell you something, before anyone else finds out,” she says softly, putting a step between them and searching the woman’s face.
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i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep
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she gave an easy shrug of her shoulders, an indecisive sigh. "i'm fine," Tahani answered simply. "it's a lot to get used to. it will get easier with time." she hoped. the woman had never thought she would leave the tundra; she had fully expected to be in the north from her birth to her dying day. yet here she was, due to circumstances beyond her control. what else would life throw at her?

evidently, she was about to find out something of Consequence.


"what is it, Shiv?" she asked, her voice a little anxious. the mood between them had grown suddenly serious, and her fur began to rise. what had happened? there were few things Tahani hated more than surprises; the anticipation before the reveal was a moment some relished, but certainly not her. she gritted her teeth, waiting.
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#6
It had taken her some time getting used to the woods but she’d arrived during winter when the weather was cooler and snow graced the ground. Now, it’s just hot. And it’s only going to get worse. The woods offers enough shade that she can find somewhere cool to relax but it’ll be worse in the coming weeks as she continues to gain weight. Tahani begins to tense and she frowns, worried now it won’t go as smoothly as she’s been expecting. With a deep inhale, she offers: Inutonngilanga.” Worry grows in her dark blue gaze and she holds her breath a moment longer.
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i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep
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#7
inutonngilanga. the admission was music to her ears, a cooling of the sudden panic she had experienced, and her eyes widened to round circles as she began to absorb the meaning of it. pregnant. her sister was pregnant.

"Shivali," she breathed, a delighted smile blooming over her muzzle. "oh, Shivali!" she closed the distance between them, nuzzling her littermate and covering her face in excited kisses. she pulled back, completely at a loss for words. "i. . .who. . .when. . .?" all she could muster were exhilarated fragments of sentences, questions that must be answered.

how could she have missed it? now that she looked closer, she noticed the slight roundness of her sister's belly, and a sweetness to her scent that was new. she felt some shame, that the signs had flown past a healer like herself, but the shame was quickly buried in a tide of joy. her sister was pregnant. their family was growing.
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The woman holds her breath for a moment, watching as the anxiety melts away from Tahani’s face to fade into something else. At first, she can’t tell what it is and she sucks in a breath when her name is spoken. Soft features turn into something excited and her own smile slips to her muzzle, leaning in as her sister comes closer and nuzzles her, covering her in kisses. Her tail wags happily behind her and she presses into each one, whining and rumbling all at once.
 
“Kove, the northerner,” she tells her. Her tail slows a bit but it still idly moves. She hasn’t seen much of the brute, aside from when she’d brought her siblings to the woods, but beyond that? It’s not something she’s particularly fond of thinking about. She’d been worried about raising them on her own but she has her siblings, now. At least Tahani. “They will come in a few weeks. I… will show more, soon,” she adds, her smile fading a little. She won’t be able to hide it for long. “I haven’t told anyone else.”
Nothern 
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i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep
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#9
children of the north. it was a shame they had to be born in this place, so different and so very far removed from the snow and ice--but any children of the north born into the world must be celebrated, no matter where. Tahani did a dance in place, mind going crazy. what to name them? how much she could teach them! she hoped there would be strong boys, smart girls.

she dipped her muzzle, understanding. "not even Kove?" she asked, canting her head to the side. it was strange that the father might not know, but maybe that relationship was strained, that there was some other element to it. she did not consider anything sinister; Shiv wouldn't have given his name so freely if he had raped her, or at the least, guilted her into it.

Tahani grimaced as she thought of their brother. "when will you tell Sia?" the brute was notorious for being bull-headed, but she thought he might not take it too badly. pups were a blessing--how could he complain?
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Seeing such excitement in her sister makes face makes it difficult not to feel the same. She never would have had the chance to have children back home without major repercussions (made evident by Tomkin’s situation and why they’re all here in the first place). Not has she put much thought into how she feels about having children, having ignored it for so long because there’s not much she can do to change the situation. She could have found ways to terminate but it hadn’t crossed her mind much. Perhaps it won’t be such a bad thing. They will be raised among wolves of their heritage, one way or the other.

When she asks about Kove, she shakes her head. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do about that but if he can’t be bothered to come around, what does he deserve from her?

“I don’t know. I have to do it soon,” she says, stating the obvious. The last thing they need is him finding it last—or figuring it out on his own.
Nothern 
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i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep
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her mouth tightened further. "definitely," she agreed, looking at a point just beyond her sister's shoulder as she took a moment to think. the news would have to be given delicately; nothing said "surprise!" like "hey, i know i haven't seen you in months but guess what--i'm pregnant!" and while it was a happy surprise for Tahani, it was a surprise nonetheless.

then there was the matter of a father figure. if Kove didn't know, that meant that Siarut would likely take over that role. it was a big responsibility, and she knew her determined brother would not take it lightly. say what you would about his stubbornness; Sia put his heart and mind into everything he did.

"it will be all right," Tahani declared softly, bringing her gaze back to Shivali with a smile. "pups! our family is growing. it is a blessing."
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Shivali offers a smile despite the thought of their brother. She has half a mind to ask Tahani to do it for her but somehow that seems like it’ll make things worse. But still, her sister assures her everything will be fine. Maybe she’s right, but she won’t know until she finds her brother for the news. Her stomach churns at the thought and she glances away, only drawing her gaze back when she exclaims her praise. The woman falls silent, leaning into her sister and nuzzling her close.
Nothern 
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0/3 threads
i opened my mouth in the night and the night poured in
the night fit against the ridges behind my teeth
the night packed itself under my tongue and settled in, as if to sleep