Redsand Canyon Blood orange sunrise.

Her children were nearly a week old. Whether or not @Aquene sanctioned it, Towhee decided she couldn’t bear this separation any longer. Shortly after sunrise, she thanked the medicus and her husband profusely for sharing their food and shelter, then insisted on carrying little @Leona and @Jack Snipe back to the den she and @Maxim shared.

She knew it was a risk, yet Towhee decided she would rather die with her children at her breast than go another minute being parted from them in this way. The instant she settled them on the bedding, she curled around them and coaxed them to latch, hopeful but nervous that the dietary changes and rest the past few days would keep the milk fever at bay.

Visitors welcome!!!

Have this awkward brute

Reyson had learned his way about the grounds. Had set up his own schedule, wake up with the sunrise one small pleasure that man allowed himself was the sunrise and the sunset. They were to appease his memories of Renaud. Renaud who despite his military bearing, and his cold demeanor had the heart of a child. He loved bright colors, and sunrises and sunsets. Reyson had hated them all, until he lost Renaud and now he watched them for him, always for him.

Reyson had met a few of his packmates, though not many and it was this thought in mind that he grasped a hare in his jaws and took it to one of the dens that he had smelled milk and babies and something more. Though what the something more was, he didn't think on. He wasn't planning on staying. He just wanted to drop the food and be gone.

He made it to the den and around a mouthful of fur and blood, he chuffed and lay it gently at the den mouth. He didn't wish to push it in or push his head and shoulders into the den. It was not his place. No his place was the borders, the caches. Anything, but this.

Food. He spoke to the den mouth. No more, no less. He wanted ot make sure the mother got her sustenance and then he'd be on his way.

Nothing happened. The pups fed, then dozed, and Towhee felt no different. She didn’t even feel tired, not after convalescing this past week. She actually felt pretty keyed up and restless after everything, though she did her best to sit still to avoid disturbing the pups. They’d had far too much excitement already.

A shadow fell over the door and she thought it might be Maxim. He was never far. Or perhaps someone else had come to pay a visit, now that she’d settled a bit. Towhee would welcome that, for her sanity more than anything else.

The instant she realized the scent belonged to a stranger, she leaped to her feet with a growl vibrating in her chest. Careful not to step on the children, she swiftly moved toward the door and almost tripped over the carcass lying on the threshold. Towhee didn’t look down, her orange eyes fixed on the unfamiliar man lurking outside her door.

Who the fuck, she demanded brusquely, tail lashing, are you?

He was likely a new recruit, not a trespasser. There was no way someone could infiltrate this far into Mereo with a fresh kill. Nonetheless, Towhee did not appreciate some random dude showing up on her doorstep, especially not after this whirlwind of a week.

it was true, he was never far. often times within speaking reach of the den even, but occasionally he was dragged away. keen to be a provider, to continue restoring the health of towhee.

so to come home and find...a stranger, well, it flared something ugly within him. a rippling snarl as he flared to life with hackles skybound.

his wife already assumed a defensive position of the den, now maxim sought to take the man away from it fully — and he was not above using force, if body language would not be enough.

Reyson didn't return any of the growls he didn't even say a word. He backed up and to the side away from the angry male. His heart didn't leap at the ferocious duo. His only thought was frankly. Well disciplined speaks well for them.

He shifted looked pointedly down at the food gave a soft rumble of a chuff and said quietly. Reyson, new recruit. I merely brought food. Sorry to intrude. 

He backed up quickly though he kept his body tight to spring were he to be set upon, but his tail down and eyes averted. He would continue to back up until he was certain they wouldn't wreck his back. Then he'd leave them to it.

Maxim appeared from behind the unwelcome guest. He looked even more wrathful than her. Towhee would’ve shot him an approving glance if she hadn’t been boring holes in the newcomer with her eyes.

When the guy gave a name, another growl burst out of her. Reyes’s son? That wasn’t possible, though. He looked close to her own age. Towhee sneered all the same at the unexpected reminder of her former mate.

Thanks for the food, she replied waspishly, now fuck off.

Once he’d retreated, Towhee glanced over at her partner and then slipped back into the den to curl around their pups. She felt a little shaky, which made fear spear through her. But the slight tremors quickly subsided, the byproduct of the confrontation and nothing more.

They’ve been feeding and I’ve felt okay, she told her mate, looking up at him. Mind kicking that over here? she added, indicating the rabbit on the doorstep with a flick of her snout.

Little cameo for me!

Yeah, fuck off, buster! This is Redhawk territory. You stepped into the wrong room, pal.

Jack might have been able to agree with his mother’s protective snap to the stranger who had brought food to their door. Instead, he was nestled closely to her warmth. The smell of things wafted in and pulled his attention, but only slightly.

Maxim joined them shortly after the stranger’s appearance. The tension in Towhee shifted to something more relaxed, which allowed her son to feel more relaxed. Jack rolled onto his side and stuffed his nose into the fluff of his mother’s warm underbelly with a contented sigh.

Aquene had gotten up to run to the tablinum for more supplies. She had not been gone long but when she returned, she found her den devoid of most of the inhabitants that had been there for a few days. She sighed softly, a huff escaping as she carried her own children, three weeks old at this point, to the den of her latest pain-in-the-ass patient. She set them down carefully and then plopped down in front of the woman, staring her down in silence for a moment, contemplating her words.
 
She had missed all of the excitement with Reyson’s arrival and departure, instead only hearing Towhee’s question to her husband instead. “What are you doing?” She asked, though the pointed nature of her question would be lost on the woman as she could not hear the tone. “I haven’t cleared you yet. I know this is hard, Towhee, but feeding your children too soon could cost you your life and they need their mother.” She was still mildly traumatized from the woman begging her to raise her children when she thought she was dying, and now her one goal in life seemed to simply be ensuring that the woman did not, in fact, die.

maxim, with a sharp gaze, made sure the man was truly well and gone. recruit or not he should know better than to stick his nose into a married den. especially one with children.

he had only just managed to settle himself down, ready to bring towhee the offering, when another voice appeared. this one familiar enough that he did not immediately spin with teeth and hackles. it was merely aquene — with words that did prickle at him some.

but he knew better than to speak against her or her healer words, so he gruffly sat next to towhee and the children, setting down the rabbit. silent as he awaited their certain exchange.

Before he could do as she asked, Aquene turned up with scolding words on her tongue. This time, Towhee wasn’t really surprised. She knew she’d been a less than ideal patient, just like she knew her friend only wanted to make certain she was okay.

I’m feeding my little vampires, she replied with a defiant tilt to her snout, then softened and said, Don’t worry, Aquene. Your treatments worked. And I’m going to keep following doctor’s orders, well, as far as her diet went, anyhow. So far, so good.

She smiled down at the two dark bundles of joy for a moment, then looked up again, eyes bouncing between mate and medicus. She motioned for them to come closer if they liked. Now that she was settled back in her own bed, with her children suckling without incident, she felt her first real tendrils of contentment and joy since giving birth.

I just—I needed this. And we’re going to be fine, Aquene. But if you wanna hang out and give me the stink eye, you’re more than welcome.

"She'll have to give us both the stink eye," Ruenna piped as she appeared in the doorway, smiling broadly at her friend. Once she caught Towhee's eye, she attempted to sign the same thing, but ended up with something along the lines of, you and I are both stinky. 

Ruenna was yet another patient who had not been cleared to be up and about, but stampeding buffalo couldn't have kept Ruenna from Towhee's side, especially when she still had to meet the two new additions to their family. 

Despite the slight tremor in her muscles, there was a strength to Ruenna's movements that had been absent in the weeks prior. Ruenna covered the distance to Towhee and pressed her cheek gently to her friend's.

When she pulled away, she looked to Aquene. Were she and Towhee both about to get an earful?

Her little vampires. Well, that was certainly a new one and it was met with a soft snort. “So much for following doctors orders then, hm?” She challenged back as the woman tried to assure her that the treatments worked. The healer wanted to argue that the inherit nature of her feeding her own children before she was cleared was the antithesis of following doctors orders, but it was difficult when clearly the woman was picking and choosing.
 
Maxim appeared, silent as ever and there was sympathy in her eyes for the other woman. “I’m giving you the stink eye because feeding them too soon could kill you Towhee. You could die.” She wondered if perhaps the woman simply did not understand the sheer terror that death wrought. The Matrona was arriving, Aquene’s gaze fell to her and she sighed softly, groaning in defeat as she plopped her head down and indeed gave the warrior the stink eye. “She could die, Ruenna. She could die by feeding the little vampires… her endearment, not mine.” There was a pause for a moment before her attention turned just there.
 
“And you? How are you feeling?” There was concern over her back, and how she was feeling after her own brush with death. These two women were going to be the death of her.

skippable unless spoken to <3

he understood the implications of such actions, but aquene's need to keep throwing out the fact she could die felt unwelcomed. he did not hide the gruff look that settled upon his features, but he did not speak. this had suddenly become a women's circle.

Towhee missed Ruenna’s clever quip as she appeared in the den’s doorway, though her orange eyes brightened at the sight of her dear friend. When the Matrona signed at her, she arched an eyebrow and then huffed a laugh that came up from the deeps of her belly.

-Sure are,- she signed back with a wink, leaning into it when Rue came closer and touched her cheek. Hi, you, Towhee said out loud, adding sotto voce, Thanks for the distraction, while peeking over at Aquene, catching some of her stern speech.

She let out a breath, seeing no point in refuting the medicus or defending herself further. Aquene was very passionate about her duty and Towhee couldn’t fault her, so she just needed to let the woman vent. She really was glad Rue was here to divide the woman’s attention a little, though. And she was just as curious about the answer to Aquene’s question.

Concern spread across Ruenna's features when Aquene spoke. "That's a lot to risk.." Ruenna couldn't fathom what kind of illness would kill a mother just for feeding her children, but she trusted Aquene's medical expertise. 

She also trusted Towhee's instincts, given that she was the most experienced mother in Mereo by a long shot. It was all really a moot point though; Towhee was going to do what she was going to do, and she would do it with a warrior's fearlessness. 

Aquene directed a question to Ruenna, and the Matrona gave a reassuring nod. "Better. Stronger. And very curious-- what are we calling them, aside from vampires?" Ruenna nodded toward Towhee's brood. Had they been named yet? 

She met Towhee's gaze once more, the glint in her eye indicating that she was fully aware of the distraction potential once the focus shifted to the pups.

She did not revel in the fact that Towhee could die, but she would not cease to mention it because it certainly felt like, to the frayed healer, that everyone else was merely brushing it off and she would not stand for her friend losing her life simply because she was too stubborn. Towhee ignored her, which caused a huff of annoyance though she did not press on. What was the point if it would, quite literally, fall on deaf ears? She just had to hope nothing bad happened. She did not want a fate like that for the older woman.
 
Perhaps it was her own trauma speaking through her, and the fear she was all too familiar with… perhaps that was even why her attention turned to the Matrona who had also had a brush with death. “Stronger is good.” She stated with a simply hum, leaving it at that for now because as far as she was concerned, the Matrona was far enough along in the recovery to be moving about like she was…
 
There was another question and Aquene laid her head down. That felt more like a question for Towhee to answer as Aquene pouted in the background that the woman refused to listen to her medical opinion.

I’m going to be fine, Towhee thought vehemently, trying to communicate this to Rue with her eyes.

Jack Snipe, she replied readily when asked about the children’s names, brushing her muzzle over his back, and Leo. A boy and girl, Towhee finished, nose moving to skim over her daughter’s crown.

Looking up again, her eyes bounced from Rue to Maxim over to Aquene, then back to Maxim and the rabbit at his feet. Without preamble, she nabbed it with a paw, dragging it closer. She began to eat, glancing up at the medicus in the hope of scoring some brownie points for good behavior.

The food—and all the excitement—made her feel tired despite herself, so after she ate what she could, Towhee warned, I may fall asleep in the middle of the conversation. But please don’t think that means you need to leave. She was deaf, after all. Hang as long as you like. And come as close as you want to meet them.

I figured we could fade/wrap here? :)

Ruenna watched Towhee carefully, tilting her head slightly as the new mother tucked in to her meal. Towhee certainly didn't look like she was on death's doorstep. 

She nodded at Towhee's invitation, smiling despite her concern. "Jack Snipe and Leo," she echoed lovingly. She stepped forward to sniff at the children. Their new-puppy smell made her ache for her own brood. "They're beautiful," she complimented Towhee, looking back up at her friend. 

Towhee's eyes were closed, which meant she hadn't heard. Ruenna wouldn't rouse her. 

She retreated quietly, turning her focus to Aquene. "Should we try to move the children away once she's asleep?" Ruenna would do whatever was necessary, even if it meant remaining at Towhee's side to ensure the the children didn't nurse while she was resting. Towhee had fed Ruenna's children once, and Ruenna would happily return the favor if it meant keeping her friend safe.