Northstar Vale can't talk got a beat in my headphones

It was hot—the sun beat down from above, and the silver she-wolf let out a small huff. Still, she worked, nudging at plants, observing them before she began to pluck at some of the herbs. She wished to set them aside to dry them, and placing them delicately upon the large fern she carried, she folded the larger leaf over them to a makeshift pouch before gathering it to her jaws and ambling toward one of the many water ways in their stunning home.

She only stopped when she reached the waters edge—placing her prize to the ground and giving a small cringe as a tiny paw kicked from within—the life she grew growing more and more restless each day. “Simmer down in there,” she mumbled quietly to herself—and when the faint throb of pain gave way to stillness once more, she bent down, quenching her thirst from the vale’s stream.

Only a few more weeks to go—and she had found herself growing more and more worried with each passing day.

It was a real scorcher today. Though his pelt wasn't especially dark, even Sylianos was having trouble coping with the heat. His tongue hung from the side of his mouth and his sides billowed with panting breaths as he hastened for the nearest water source.

He was heedless of his company as he plunged headlong into the stream, spraying water every which way. Ahhhhh, he sighed. It wasn't deep enough for a proper swim, but Sylianos crouched down until the current was tickling the sides of his face.

That was when his brown eyes popped open and he spotted Meadow on the bank. Meadooooow! he called out in a casual surfer-style drawl. Bet I can make a bigger splash than you!

Probably not with how fat she was getting, he thought — she would definitely win if she jumped in — but life was just a big old game and Silly loved to play.

Like so many of the others in the pack, Saleem sought comfort in the form of cool, clear water. Like his twin, the idea of splashing in the water was currently more tempting than actually drinking it. Bet I can make the biggest! Saleem hollered mere seconds before he crashed onto the scene, belly-flopping flat into the shallow water. It would come at the cost of some bruises and a pink belly, but he would take it for the smug satisfaction of disrupting whatever quiet thing Meadow had been trying to do here. Because what was life without causing a ruckus?

Chaos came in the form of two boys—and while pregnancy hormones had her emotional and weary, it hadn’t tampered her love and amusement for them as they crowed their challenges—and offered a demonstration.

She shook the water from her muzzle, honeyed eyes drifting over both of them before she lifted a paw, pointing it to them both. “Bet,” she chuffed.

No way they thought she was going to do this, hence the call to action. But she was all too keen to call their bluff.

And of course she would need some traction and speed to even flop her whale-like form deep enough into the water to wipe their smug smiles from their face. So, backing up, she was solemn when she looked out to the two, a brow arched, vying for their full attention: “What do I get when I wipe the floor with you two?”

He parted his jaws to chirp another challenge, only to get a mouthful of silty water when his twin belly flopped right next to him. The slap of Saleem's body hitting the water made him wince and pull back his ears.. It was an effective strategy for making a large splash, but he bet Saleem would be sore in the morning.

Bro! No fair! he shouted as he headed for the shoreline, only to freeze when Meadow took the bait and prepared to jump. Bet. I bet two gophers you can't make a bigger splash than Saleem did! he called out at once. She might be as big and round as a boulder, but there was no way she was gonna flop onto that big pregnant belly the way his brother had.

...Right?

Saleem's belly stung, but the splash was sufficiently radical. Based on the "no fair!" from Sylianos, he had done a very good job. Meadow seemed less impressed, and she quickly pitted the twins against one another. The golden-eyed twin placed his bet immediately, and Saleem gaped at the cost. Two whole gophers?! He must have thought that there was no way Meadow was going to make a bigger splash.

Dude, you're about to owe Meadow two gophers! he cackled, pulling himself up out of the water onto the shore. That is... if she doesn't chicken out, he said, egging the pregnant woman along.