Lost Creek Hollow from the day we arrive on the planet

Attention: @Mona and @Ashlar.
Note: Setting this for Friday, March 8th. 
Weather: 13˚Clear throughout the day.

 
With a rabbit gripped between his jowls, Rannoch navigated the blanketed territory with ease as he made his way to @Mona's den. Although he had been present shortly after @Ashlar had been born, Rannoch wanted to take the time to personally welcome Lost Creek Hollow's newest member and see how Mona was fairing. After all, they were family. 

When he arrived, Rannoch stood just outside of the cave's entryway and ducked his head as he peered into her den. "Mona?" he called softly, his voice muffled by the rodent that remained in his jaws. "It's me, Rannoch. I wanted to come and visit if you'll have me."

relieved to be alone at last, mona had slid headlong into a dreamless sleep, punctuated only by her new awareness of ashlar's little sounds and movements. he woke to eat ravenously before joining his mother in slumber; so the cycle worked until rannoch's friendly call shook mona awake.
instinct prickled the hair along her nape. he was a male, and not only that, he was not her mate, possibly the only man allowed near after a child was born. but mona fought it, for rannoch meant her no harm, she knew. family, terance had said. 
and so the girl drew a breath, glanced around the confines of her den which would perhaps be enough space for the large leader's head and shoulders, and answered: "rannoch. please, come in."

Feel free to skip him as it goes

The baby slept soundly through until the warm's slight movements roused him.  They were his entire existence right now and he was as in tune with them as a practiced sailor was to the rolling of the waves.  He gave a soft whimper in response and paddled, snuggling deeper into the soft depths of her side.

When given the go-ahead, Rannoch entered her den with caution. "I wanted to come a see how you both are doing," he said once he had dropped the hare and nosed it towards Mona. "And see if you needed anything at all."

she blinked affably toward rannoch, relieved that he had brought her a meal so she would not need to leave ashlar and dig through a cache. "i am well. tired, but happy." there was no need to tell him of her soreness, the weariness in her hips and spine; mona suspected these things would pass in time. "are you to be a father this year, rannoch?" she asked quietly, wondering after his pretty mate liffey.

"I'm glad—well, glad in regards to you being happy," Rannoch mused.  Fatigue was a part of parenthood, he had learned. "You'll get used to being tired," he added with a light-hearted chuckle. 

When asked about his own litter, Rannoch's expression brightened. "Yes, we're due in the next couple of weeks," he replied. "Honestly, it's hard to thinking about anything else; I can't wait to meet them." He then glanced at Ashlar, and his smile grew. "I'm sure Ashlar will have plenty of playmates come the summertime," In addition to his own litter, he knew that Terance and Treason were expecting as well.

mona smiled, but it seemed dour, the prospect of constant exhaustion. still, ashlar was a boon to her, something on which to hold in the darknesses that now seldom befell her. "a preemptive congratulations, then," she murmured, thumping her tail lightly against the floor of the den. "we will have to arrange playdates."
trying not to think of terance, or treason, for that matter, the girl blinked in the semi-light. "do you think indra and laurel will come back?" all this talk of family, and she hadn't any of her own upon which to remark.

Mona's expression troubled Rannoch. Although she smiled, she appeared morose; his ears flattened, and he felt suddenly guilty. "You'll do great," Rannoch encouraged, hoping to subdue Mona's concern. His tail wagged at the mention of playdates, and he nodded in reply. "We must," he confirmed. 

"I'm not sure, honestly," Rannoch replied after a pause. He didn't know them as well as Mona had, so he had little to base his assumption on. "Did you talk to them before they left?" Rannoch asked.

she shook her head slowly, a wave of tiredness overcoming her senses. "no. they left so suddenly." like merrick, mona had never understood why indra allowed herself to be whisked away by laurel. yet unlike the grim boy, the firebrand understood the bond of family, and still thought longingly of cortland, of constantine, of eilidh.
"when he is older," mona went on, determined to change the subject to something lighter, "i'd like to resume my duties as scout." a light flickered in her eyes at the thought — oh, how long it had been.

"They did," Rannoch agreed, although he understood the gravity of what had driven them away. "I hope they're well, and that they found they're looking for," he added.  But then again, wouldn't they have been returned if they had Wyatt? Frankly, he wasn't certain. 

The conversation changed, and Rannoch smiled. "Of course," he replied. "I have a few places that I'd like for you to visit when the time comes if you wouldn't mind." Namely Swiftcreek Current—he hadn't paid them a visit since they had moved to the Hollow.

she nodded, hoping the same for the sisters, and fervently wishing that one day she would see indra again. a yawn came upon her now; mona looked away in chagrin. but surely rannoch would understand that she meant no rudeness. "i would be happy to take any assignment," she murmured, as ashlar awoke and began to nuzzle against the curve of her belly for sustenance.

"How many days away are you willing to travel?" Rannoch wondered, his attention momentarily stolen as Ashlar began to wake. "I know that things change when children are in the picture so I would like to come up with an agreement that works best for your family." Lost Creek Hollow had young, childrenless wolves that could take on the longer treks, but he wasn't entirely sure what Mona wanted to do. It was up to her how long she wanted to travel.

fading here <3 thank you!

nuzzling her new son, mona drew a breath. "maybe three days at the most," she murmured, jaws splitting then into a yawn she could not stifle. and while guilt racked her, rannoch, in his esteemed kindness, understood the mother's plight. she murmured a farewell as the leader took his leave, and was soon asleep alongside ashlar, soothed by the sound of his gentle nursing.