Northstar Vale Agapitós

I hope you don't mind >w< <333

Arsenio carried a plump rabbit for @Tamar. His smile showed around the prey. The man was pleased to have caught it after the snow had started. He was not used to the chill on the air, even if his coat had grown thick and full in preparation for winter.

Their children grew strong, curious. The redstone wolf was surprised by them every day. They had become his life. All he wanted was a good life for them. Tamar was included in this, of course. Arsenio wanted all the joys of the world for his beautiful wife.

As he neared their den, he chuffed out to her.

NEVER <333

they had all settled into a routine.

tamar's heart was filled with good things when arsenio found her. and she hardly thought of akashingo now. she was coming into herself, and greeted him with a confidence in her pale eyes that had only grown during her time in the vale.

her own pelt had begun to thicken. she raced to greet him, rubbing her cheek along his own with a purr of delight.

<33333

The sandy colors of her coat widened his smile. She hurried to him, cheeks meeting. Arsenio lingered for a moment, happy with the warmth of her touch. The rabbit was still clasped in his teeth. Lowering his head to drop it at her paws, the man froze and gave her a playful look.

Dropping down into a quick bow, his torso touched the ground. Arsenio swung the rabbit from side to side and made a grunt in the back of his throat. His rear end waved with his tail, joyous. In one sweeping motion, he had pushed himself upright and jumped once, twice, three times. There was roughly a yard of space between them. He bowed again, tail waving at her.

arsenio bounced to play.

tamar's laugh was pure and crystalline. she darted forward, reaching to grab the rabbit as it arced through the air. she missed her first attempt but swung back for the second, hoping to narrow the space between them.

she was flushed with joy and determination, using her smaller frame to wiggle closer as white teeth continued their clicking for the prey

Tamar had joined him. Her snout reached for the rabbit; teeth aimed to clasp. The redstone figure swung successfully the first time. Her second aim was sound. The woman found purchase in the rabbit’s haunch. Arsenio breathed heavily through his nose. He looked into the warm brown of her eyes. Time had healed a great deal of his anger. The love of his wife had granted him new purpose.

Arsenio released the prize. She had won it with her swiftness, after all.

their eyes met.

her prize was won! tamar held it and danced in a tight circle, laughing and throwing it into the air to catch. but then she set it down and came closer again.

the soft look in his eyes was reflected in her own. "i love you, arsenio."

Arsenio’s eyelids fluttered at her words. The smile on his lips stretched wide. The man might have thought his heart was bursting from him. Such happiness lived in their home.

I love you, Tamar, he whispered, only for her. But there was more to love since they had settled in the vale and named their home Epoch. And I love our children. A laugh surfaced from his lips. He thought of their little ones and knew that he could ask for nothing more in his life.

Zulema is so brave. She will take the world by storm! Zosime is curious and bright and always asking, his breath was swift, words tumbling with the force of the love that he felt. And our son! How is Antigone so serious? So quiet… He could not believe how much they had grown.

his smile, her sunlight.

tamar stood pleased and trembling as he proclaimed his love for all of them. she watched him describe each of their children and adored him more and more in the telling.

tamar came to arsenio; kissed him. "this was a fine place to be born. now they will grow in teaching and freedom." her tan eyes were clear. "and our family too, should grow."

carrying little ones yet again; the thought endeared her.

Once, Arsenio might have thought that his love for Tamar could not grow beyond what it had become. Day after day, he was surprised just how much he loved her, continued to love her. It was like he was a boy again; with each passing day, he grew stronger and more capable – this was his love for the family she had given him. There were not enough words to thank her for what she had done. There were not enough to tell her how he felt, but he would certainly try.

When his wife spoke of their future, Arsenio breathed out a surprised noise.

Yes? More? Little sisters and brothers for our children, he said breathlessly. The man would love to grow their family until it was the way Towhee described her Redhawks. He wanted their happiness to overflow into each of their young one’s lives. After all, you are such a good mother… He nudged beneath her chin.

A good partner. A good wife.

her face could not hold all her joy!

"i have always wanted many children," tamar murmured, echoing his thoughts. and then she began to dance lightly about him, a radiant grin upon her features. "when i was growing up, there was always one or two or even three women pregnant. always children."

she sighed. she did not often speak of the oasis, but oh, such wistfulness gripped her when she did!

It thrilled him to hear that she wanted a large family. She spoke of her home, and he listened closely. She said that there had been many women pregnant at the same time. The redstone man wondered if Towhee would have more children when spring came. It would be good to see the other families thriving, expanding. It only felt like yesterday that they had all been born and they were already growing, already trotting toward adulthood.

A sigh of contentedness fell from his lips. Arsenio was happy with the life they had made. He was happy with the family that they had, happier still that Tamar wanted to have more babies. He did not know what he had done to be so fortunate. The life that he shared with her was perfect.

Then we shall have many children! The vale will be full of them.

He chuckled, longing to be close to her.

she was overjoyed.

she nipped at arsenio and pulled him toward her for a kiss and then to beckon him into a run.

the vale was their scepter. she felt dizzy with love, and she paused in her flight only when she came to a small stream lined with glittering ice.