Whitefish River You'll never have to be alone

Hoping at least for the kids @Spica @Syrma @Castor but also AW
PP with the pups! Let me know if it's not okay <3

Speedy watched the children as she reclined in a patch of sun that stretched through the trees of the copse to slightly warm the ground. It was already too cold for her liking. She remembered from last winter that it would only get colder. Briefly, her mind was flooded with memories of last fall. Meeting Slavik and exploring with him. Meeting Llewellyn and joining Moonspear. Things had been so different; it felt like a different life, and she felt like a completely different Speedy. She couldn't have imagined then that she would be a mother now or that she would have caused so much destruction in her former pack. She closed her eyes and sighed, forcing her mind to go somewhere else. It was something she had to do multiple times a day to keep from stewing in her guilt.

Her eyes opened and her gaze fell on Acheron were he worked on his stick. He had been obsessing over the thing for weeks, slowly chewing it smaller and smaller. She sometimes worried if he was maybe too focused on it, but it seemed to keep him occupied, and she couldn't bear the thought of taking it from him, so she hadn't said anything to him about it. The twins were together, as usual, wrestling not far from where she reclined, her gaze finding them every so often to make sure things didn't get too rough. And Castor was lying between her front legs, inspecting some dandelion greens she had given him. She loved that he was so interested in plants, and she often gave him different herbs to study and ask questions about. She lowered her muzzle and softly kissed the top of his head, unable to resist being affectionate with any of her children when they were close.

There was still plenty of daylight left, and she soaked up the sun while she still could, finding comfort in the time spent with the kids.

Often, it was hard to tell where they ended and began. Syrma shone at her happiest this way, though, near to her sister and content in their own little world--adventuring, romping about, playing games, her life was moving at her own pace, seemingly.

Between the sisters as a tumble of bodies, their present go of it had begun to steer them back towards Speedy's spot in the sun. When this half of the pair found herself with the chance to untangle from her sister's throes long enough, she was recovering well within pouncing distance of her mom, with none of her brothers in the immediate path to slow her down. That was probably not an opportunity she should pass on--Spica would understand.

Since she was already all riled up about everything in general, she messily got to her feet and aimed a big jump at the medic's rump, landing with a peal of giggles, then she only stopped long enough to nip as she sprawled all over her mom if she let her.

Wrestling mode was engaged and Spica romped around the floor with her twin -- just the way she liked it. There was a playful growl in her throat as she rolled to the ground and was disentangled from. Spica glanced around, shook her head to get some of the dirt and loose leaves off, and then looked at where Spica was headed. Wait for Spi! she playfully shouted with a wag of her tail and she made to pounce for Speedy, intending to land on the other side of her head than Syrma -- on her back -- so she could try to grab one of her mother's ears.

She turned away from the twins to answer Castor's question about the plants between his paws, ecstatic that he showed so much interest in something she was so passionate about. but then she realized that things were quiet...too quiet. She turned to the girls again, just in time to see Syrma leap onto her rear with playful nips, sprawling out all over her in the process. Her attack was soon joined by Spica, who jumped on her back and nipped at her ears. Speedy rolled onto her side with a playful grunt, inviting more play from both of them with gentle mouthing to whomever she could reach.

She was only made more vigorous when she knew that her charge was no longer a solo one, and that Spica was striding along behind. With her sister here to join in, efforts were more than doubled thanks to the mere boost she granted her sister's tenacity. Syrma giggled through playful growls that she muffled through her mother's fur, mauling and biting at her as she soon rolled her way off, eager to reposition her angle of attack for elsewhere, now that they had effectively rolled her over, succumbed to their might.

With Spica at Mom's ears, Syrma looped around towards her head with a big exaggerated pounce. Mom! she yapped. Didja see!! she yipped and dropped down to her elbows to plant a lick on Speedy's muzzle, then bounced away again afterward into a prance around them both, watching her sister as she went. She wasn't clear on what she meant exactly by this, and it didn't really matter in her head or the moment--did Mom see how fierce their pounces could be? How many tumbles they did? How fast they could run?! Did she see how good they could be together?

Mom made it rather easy to win for the pair of them; she gave up as soon as she could see that she would never beat the might of the twins! Syrma's giggles were accompanied by another set, making them sound as if they were one wolf in stereo sound, as Spica bit at Speedy's fur even as she rolled over, a defeated wolf.

With a quiet oof Spica rolled off as Speedy rolled over to the ground. She quickly gathered herself again and pounced at Speedy again as just Syrma asked if mom had seen. Didja? Mom? Didja? Didja?? Spica excitedly added to Syrma's question as she rolled on her back on top of Speedy, which caused her to slide towards the ground again at a funny angle, head-down.

At this point, Castor had excused himself from the rambunctious play, moving over to pester his brother who had continued his obsession over his stick throughout all the excitement. Speedy took whatever the twins dealt her, retaliating with playful nips, mouthing, and growls. She never tired of their energy or their constant need to play. She knew one day they would be too big to play with their mom, and so she soaked up these moments whenever she could. She licked Syrma back when she felt her little tongue sweep across her muzzle, tilting her head a little at her daughter's question. Spica soon joined in on the questioning, making her feel as though she had missed something. A laugh escaped her chest, and she looked between the two girls. Did I see what? she asked, her curiosity growing. What had she missed that seemed to be so amusing to her daughters?

She paid no mind to her brother who moved on away from the immediate ground-zero of wound-up and excited twins, as who could really blame him? But, it didn't make a lick of difference to Syrma if he remained or not--in fact, selfishly better for her--Spica and Syrma could have Mom all to themselves, though this also left Speedy to their mercy alone.

Did she see, however, was the real question as Spica reiterated and Syrma oooo-ed about. See the BIG pounces!! she boasted, because they had both been busy romping this way and that, polishing skills for the hunt, or elsewhere too. And and and.. she rattled, jumping up her front half with every syllable, though she looked half ready to laugh into giggles, seeing her sister too. ..the BIG FAST!!! she barked, though finally had to stop a bit and finally catch a bit of breath afterward, and she eyeballed their mom expectantly as she did, tail still swaying happily on.

Spica excitedly climbed on top of her mother, waiting to hear if she did, in fact, see! Eventually she said that she had no idea what they were talking about -- how crazy! -- and didn't understand what she must've seen -- what?! how even -- and Syrma had to elaborate. After she said the BIG pounces Spica added in, And the BIG jumps! after which Syrma added the BIG fast, and Spica nodded a whole big lot to add strength to her sister's words. Then she added: And and and the BIG fierce! while her tail wiggled fiercely from left to right and she pounced at Speedy's face, trying to grab a hold of her ear in the process.

Speedy laughed at the answers offered by her daughters. Yes, I did see. It was all very impressive. Really it was; she was always amazed at just how much energy the twins seemed to have at all times. She felt Spica's body against her face and little teeth in her ear. She laughed again and playfully mouthed whatever part of Spica she could reach. 

She let the play continue on for a while before finally raising to her feet with a stretch. Alright, who wants to go check out a cache? Are you guys hungry? She waited only briefly for their answer before heading towards the closest food store, assuming everyone's answer would be yes or if not, that they would know to follow her anyway. Castor and Acheron jumped and took off running ahead of her. She smiled and glanced back at the twins, waiting for them to take off too before heading into the trees. The cache was familiar to all of them and wasn't too far, so she felt confident they could mostly find their way, but she wouldn't be too far behind in case they needed her help.

i figured we could wrap this up here and maybe have an updated one soon <3