Whitebark Stream So take this feeling, make it grow.
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#1
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Between careful teeth, there were stems of emerald - made complete with pristine, delicate little white flowers.

Artyom carried the snowdrops triumphently that morning, from the territory's Southwestern edges all the way back to the hollow where he'd left @Dawn to sleep in that morning for as long as she wished to. He'd always appreciated those blooms: little things, that somehow managed to find life through the worst of Winter's snowfall. For Artyom, they symbolised new life where hope was lost, and he was keen to present his bouquet to his new mate as a token of his affection.

He made his way careflly through the trees to their densite, hopeful to see her awake, and announced his return with a cheerful 'wuff'.
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the fading of her heat had left the huntress awash with tiredness, so much so that she neglected to wake with the sunrise as she usually did, instead slumbering late into the morning. it is, ultimately, the gentle sound of footfalls that wakes the woman from her light sleep, stirring carefully as she moves to nose at Artyom, finding only stillness where he ought to be. 

her auds cant back, but she can not fault him; she is no longer receptive, and such there is no need for him to linger near by her side. aditya had been distant the weeks after her heat cycle had ended, up to those very late stages of her pregnancy. 

but as she rises, blinking sleep from her eyes as she moves to intercept the owner of the footfalls; it is her mate that she finds. grin stretches across her muzzle as she issues a gentle chuff, tail wagging. it is what he carries that has her blink, gaze tracing the delicate stems. "how did you find them?" voice groggy with sleep is touched with awe as she moves to meet his gaze a moment. "spring is weeks, months away - they're beautiful." she murmurs, warmth gathering beneath her fur; glad as much for his return as the delicate sprigs he brings.
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Artyom regarded Dawn quietly as she ventured into the cold to greet him, fondness in the liquid brown of his irises as they followed her sleepy stride. His ivory tail swept the air behind him happily and as she drew near, he lowered the bouquet to rest on the snow at his mate's pale paws.

"Snowdrops," he said enthusiastically, wondering if she'd ever before seen Winter's pallid blooms or if she was simply more accustomed to seeing them later in the season. "They come from the soil beneath fresh snow; the first suggestion of Springtime. They've come a little early this year, though." A pause for thought then, as he considered what reason Mother Nature might have to brighten the world much sooner than was normal.

"How are you feeling?" Artyom asked then, aware of the flutter in his belly as his gaze studied her briefly. She seemed exhausted and, having only experience in pregnancy from afar before his mother delivered her second litter, he had no real experience for how things were meant to progress. He was both excited and fearful of the outcome, and pricked his golden ears forward in excited anticipation for Dawn's response.

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"snowdrops," she echoes, wondering if they're useful, like the healing plants pema used to keep carefully sorted. dawn had never been one for the little things — too many big things had a habit of taking hold of her life and turning it upside down. but the past few weeks had seen things falling together in a way she'd never thought they would; culminating in this moment, just now.

she noses them drawing in the careful scent and touching gently the petals. they seemed so delicate, but they must be strong to bloom in this season. "thank you," she murmurs, peering up at him. his next question has her straighten, smile softly. "I'm tired, but well." 

she considers a moment, then elaborates. "last time, I didn't know for certain until a few weeks had passed. it was visibly obvious, then - but there are other signs, too. cravings, or sickness." she did not know if he knew what came later in her pregnancy, the birth itself. she tried not to think about that, really. she could not shake the fact, however, that last time she'd done something wrong.
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He watched her in silence, earthen eyes half-lidded in soft affection for her as she examined his sweet surprise. While Dawn may not have been one for the little things, Artyom could pride himself on his consideration for such. He had great appreciation for pretty things and, when he found something he rather liked the look of, his desire was to share it with those he cared for. So he would keep delivering these gestures to her, the she-wolf who'd so suddenly come to mean the world to him, for as long as he drew breath.

The conversation drifted easily onto the topic of Dawn's hopeful pregnancy. She shared with him that, last time, she felt uncertain in the beginning until her womb swelled with cubs. A sympathy stirred in him, then; she was sure to still feel the absence of her children sorely. Artyom would not pry, however, and instead sought to bring her focus to lighter things. "I know next to nothing about this," he told her with a hint of laughter, "so I hope you're prepared for two months of stupid questions!"

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her tail sways as he admits his lack of knowledge, laugh escaping her muzzle. "I'm no expert, I have to admit - but I'm fairly certain I can answer most of them." she offers, smiling still. she'd not known what too do last time, and this time was not that different, really - she knew what to expect, at least, the swelling of her sides, the hurt, the birth. she'd be ready, surely, would not allow the experience to take her by surprise as it had last time. 

"I was thinking," she muses, considering then, "we could go to Legion, and Easthollow after that; propose an alliance and tell them of our claim. in a week, or two, before I'm too fat to go very far." she teases, remembering well the way she'd felt trapped by her own body. with the pack, and Artyom, she has hope that it will not be the same as last year.
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Her laughter was like music, the notes of it enough to send his heart aflutter. Artyom joined in with a beaming smile, content to have been the reason behind her smile. When the joviality subsided a little, he thought to draw his attention to another of their ranks she could share the experience with: "what of the other she-wolf in Whitebark who is expecting?" Artyom tilted a golden ear backward, nose twitching as he recalled how the dark wolf-dog's had so rapidly turned from pleasant to... not so pleasant. "I don't think she is my biggest fan."

Talk of Legion and Eashollow roused his curiosity, and the ranger rather enjoyed the idea of venturing out for a time to seek neighbouring packs - just the two of them. They'd discussed it briefly before but, now that they'd rooted themselves and Dawn's unexpected heat had passed, it seemed the time had come to take to the wild together. "I will be with you every step of the way," he told her.

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"bhediya?" she asks, brow furrowing a moment. she'd not given it too much thought, really. she'd invited the woman to lead alongside, since she knew her own group better than the huntress, and with such a large group, they certainly needed two leaders. reassuring brush of her muzzle against his shoulder when he revealed they hadn't gotten along all that well. "I'm not sure - she's seemed off. her mate turned against her, before she came here, and with the pregnancy—I think she's going through a lot." 

her expressions grows somber a moment, before glancing to him with a grin. "In any case, her loss. she doesn't know what he's missing, giving up a chance to be in the artyom fan club." perhaps she ought to talk to the woman - but kind-of-step-mother seemed to want her own space. 

"we could make a trip out of it—take a few days. bhediya's capable of leading, and Daylily's shown promise in being able to bring the pack together." she was young, but certainly active within the pack.
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Bhediya. So that was her name? His encounter with her hadn't even gotten as far as introductions, because the raven wolf-dog had taken it upon herself to heave onto the ground at his feet. His mate offered a tidbit into Bhediya's background and could appreciate her resentment toward the opposite sex, though he could not understand what had made her change so suddenly. Artyom twitched a whisker, recalling vividly her puddle of vomit that'd spattered across his pale forelimbs - and the smell

He shuddered; "she puked on my feet then just... walked off." There was a funny side to it, now that he spoke openly of the trauma that came with being puked on, but at the time he'd been horrified. So he laughed, "I'm pretty sure she did it on purpose!"

Dawn, too, injected humour into the situation, and he grinned with feigned pride to accompany the upward tilt of his muzzle. He was happy to end that grim topic there, and turned full attention toward this trip that his sterling companion had in mind for them. "I like that idea," Artyom announced, "any time with you, is time well spent."

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she can't quite help it; at the image of the diminutive woman vomiting on her mate's feet, she snorts. she tries to stiffle it, but she can't help but picture it again, and a laugh slips out once more before she can smoother it. "I'm sorry—that's disgusting. but she-" she laughs again, poking her muzzle to his in apology. 

the conversation shifts more fully to their trip, and she smiles. "there's a herd of deer that could use some thinning out. after that, we can go." standing, then, unable to banish the tiredness entirely, she suggests, "for now -- nap with me?" she is in no hurry to distance herself from the closeness they'd shared, and as she dips to carefully pick up the sprigs, her tail wafts hopefully at her rear.
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Her laughter was a delight to hear, and so he joined in. His grin was bright and his tail wagged jovially; regardless of the humour he'd come to feel after that particular encounter, Artyom genuinely hoped Bhediya was okay. He hadn't really appreciated the bluntness with which the raven wolf-dog regarded him nor the vile gesture to follow, but he was content to move on from it with no hard feelings.

Dawn booped her snout to the rrange's ivory muzzle and he was eager to accept her touch by shifting just enough to swipe his tongue across her nose in a playful kiss. She gathered to her paws and made a suggestion he couldn't refuse, so answered her with a gentle "of course." Nodding, he watched her carefully collect the little white flowers he brought her then made to herd her underground, ducking his head to join her.

When she came to settle, Artyom crooned affectionately as he curled himself supportively about her. He tucked his muzzle to her cheek and nibbled at the fur there, content to relax with her for as long as she'd allow.