Divination Of Dreams

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delicate pawsteps padded across a mirrored image, creating ripples across the surface of it. She was unsure of her destination, yet she could feel love behind her, warming her back and encouraging her forward. The ground eventually shifted and changed until she found herself in the lush green forest of her childhood. The atmosphere around her was less vibrant and the trees were groaning in agony.

Clover slowed herself to a halt, her heart echoing this sorrowful song. It was then that she realized that the Fae Forest was in pain and she was feeling it too. Her gaze was drawn to the sky as it began to move swiftly through day and night, time passing before her eyes. When it slowed to a stop, she took a look at her surroundings and they had changed entirely. She could feel the buzz of magic in the earth, sending a tingle through her paw pads as she began to wander again. There was more life here than ever before and she took it all in with an expression of awe.

“Mama!"

She whipped her head around, facing the source of the call and suddenly laughter filled the air. She could hear them running through the foliage to meet them and she awaited them with open arms. Three pups burst from the treeline each of them leaving behind a trail of swirling sparkled and butterflies. Everywhere their paws touched brought new growth to the forest. She gasped in surprise and laughed as they tumbled over one another to reach her. As they collided with her, she felt tears form in her eyes, but they were not tears of sorrow. She felt that they were tears of joy, tears that healed her, even.

“Wait for me, you guys!"

Came a squeak as a fourth, tiny pup came scampering after them leaving glowing rainbows in her wake. It was then that Clover withdrew to look at all of them. Her eyes widened when she realized that she wasn't looking at a single one of her children.

None of them were Summit, Journey, Fern, Soraya, Piper, or sweet Daisy. No...these were not her children at all...yet, they were. As the final pup joined the pile, the mother pulled them all close to her and held them with all of the love she could possibly feel. “Oh, you all are so precious to me...never ever forget this..." She murmured, kissing their foreheads, which made them all begin to shine brightly until they became stars. The stars rose up into the air, twirling and spinning like fireflies until they swooped down and came to gently rest on her belly, sinking into her skin and making her body illuminate just as brightly.

Clover's eyes snapped open and she was in their family's temporary den, curled up next to Cian. She lifted a paw to her cheek to find tears had streamed down her face while she had been dreaming. She continued to stare up at the ceiling of their dwelling when she felt that telling flutter in her womb. Clover rolled herself over gently to face her husband, giving his nose a few licks to try to rouse him. “Cian...Cian, wake up..."

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Sleep could be elusive. There were some nights when Cian laid awake for hours, lost to his wandering thoughts. Sometimes – more often than he would admit – a darkness plagued his mind. Even when he was asleep, that darkness could come creeping into his dreamscape. That night, Cian was in a deep sleep which was uninterrupted by sadness or worry. With the comforting, familiar warmth of his wife curled up with him, he had slept soundly.

Cian woke up to butterfly kisses upon his nose, oversized paws twitching in response to the tickling sensation. Fiery eyes flashed open with a start, heading whipping back and forth with urgency. ”What? What’s going on?” He found Clover close beside him, right where she belonged, as sure as the sun rose in the east. The she-wolf’s expression was one of serenity instead of anxiety, and Cian breathed a relieved sigh to find no dread or urgency forming in the delicate curves of her face.

”Good morning. Or – well, it’s not quite morning, love.” When his gaze reluctantly turned away from Clover to the mouth of the den, he found that it was still nighttime. The world beyond their shared den was still a world of darkness, save for a rotund moon and the glittering of stars. A brow querked questioningly as his focus returned to the rose-colored sights of his wife. His heart stirred with concern when he noticed her still-wet cheeks. Cian had grown accustomed to his own nightmares, perhaps Clover had experienced one. But she didn’t look sad. He leaned closer to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, breathing in her sweet scent as he loved to do. ”Are you alright?”



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Clover hated to wake him, trying to rouse him as gently as she possibly could since he was used to emergencies prying him from his slumber. She watched his twitching paws with adoration as he began to open his eyes. When her husband himself with a start, she remained calm, inclining her head to touch noses with him to bring him back down. “All's well, love.” She whispered against his muzzle before she followed his gaze to the opening of their den.

“It's far from morning...sorry for waking you up..." Clover apologized softly, placing a paw on his and idly stroking it, still processing the dream that she'd experienced. When she peered back up at him, she saw the concern in his face, knowing he must've seen the stain of tears upon her cheek. He drew himself closer to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and hummed contently as he held her. “I'm alright...I just...I had a dream and, well...I'm not sure how to...explain that I saw truth in it, I saw the future.”

She knew it wasn't going to make any sense to him all the while making absolute sense to her, but she trusted him enough to share her thoughts. “I saw...our children, but they aren't the ones that are here...yet." Clover began, adjusting her position to be able to peer down at her belly that still fit to her frame. She lowered a paw to it just as she felt that fluttering sensation once mote. “I know that we are still in the dead of winter, I know that there is no way to prove it right now, but... She trailed off as she lifted her gaze to capture crimson sights with her own. “...Cian, I'm pregnant and there will be four pups this time. I saw them and held them and kissed them...they're going to be so beautiful..." She felt new tears forming at the corners of her eyes, her emotions taking over.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A deep exhale escaped his maw as he was reassured with gentle touches and a tender voice. ”That’s good,” he yawned, focus returning to his wife and the warmth that coursed through his veins when she was so close. Clover began to describe her dream: “I saw...our children, but they aren't the ones that are here...yet." His gaze dropped along with Clover’s to rest on her belly, which looked the same as usual – and damn good for someone who had already given birth two five children, still as svelte and graceful as she had been years before. Her sweet voice continued, and his ruby orbs turned upward again to find her rosy sights. “...Cian, I'm pregnant and there will be four pups this time. I saw them and held them and kissed them...they're going to be so beautiful..."

He didn’t doubt his wife’s intuition, not for a second and not even in his present sleepy state, for she had already experienced this twice before. She would know better than anyone else when she was expecting. The exhaustion dissipated in an instant, heart beating fast as his smile grew. The news itself was not especially unexpected, given how much time they had spent together, alone. But one word in particular was a surprise, and his sleepy eyes grew wide: ”Four?” He had never seen a litter as big as four, though he had heard stories of their existence. Well, they had always wanted a large family. Now it would be bursting at the seams.

Ten children... Would they be able to handle that many pups all at once? A bit of nervousness surfaced within his thoughts, but they had done just fine so far with their current brood. And if the older ones stayed close, they would all do it together. That’s what families were supposed to do. More siblings to rely on. More connections. More joy.

He nestled his face against Clove’s soft cheek to whisper, ”Of course they will be beautiful. Just look at their lovely Mama. I can’t wait to meet these four little ones. Just wish I could have a dream like that one, myself,” he quipped in a lighthearted voice. I feel… so happy.” It had not always been easy to say those words after the difficult year they had faced. Before he knew it, tears wet his cheeks, and his voice hitched with emotion. ”It gives me hope, Clove.”



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Clover placed a gentle paw on his chest, feeling his heart beat rapidly as she revealed what she saw in her dream. When she glanced at him, he was smiling and not a doubt crossed his expression. The only thing that seemed to truly wake him up was the promise of four new lives being brought into the world by the Eithne couple. It quite the surprise for her too, then again...after a full day of celebrating their love for one another, it seemed to make sense in hindsight.

“Yes, four...or...or three and a half. The last one is tiny like...” She faltered for a moment, still doing her best to find the bravery to speak about her lost child. “...like our Daisy." Not talking about it only seemed to build barriers...while being open about their missing little girl and recalling precious memories of her lovingly built bridges and kept her alive. That's what Daisy would've wanted, right?

It was daunting...the thought of ten offspring surrounding them, but only if they allowed it to me. They were an entire family that were there for each other, to help one another grow. If there had been any worry about it from the pair of them, it was cast aside when Cian pressed his muzzle to her cheek. Her husband's flattery warmed her entire body and she leaned into his touch, nuzzling against him softly. He mentioned wishing that he could have had a dream and with not more than a pause, Clover pulled herself away to catch his gaze and spoke words that felt as though they came from another source, yet she allowed them to pass her lips. “You will. We all will." Another promise.

And with this same force seizing her heart and driving her emotions, she became a bit more serious in the midst of a happy moment. “After they are born and are old enough to travel we must return to the the Fae Forest." Clover held his gaze for a few moments and then her lashes fluttered as a wave of weakness forced her to lean into him. “Uhhnn...I feel dizzy..."

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Garnet sights began to drift shut as he imagined what Clover described, his mind’s eye trying to conjure up these future children, one of whom would be tiny… “...like our Daisy." The breath hitched in Cian’s throat at the unexpected, to hear Daisy’s name… Could he bear to look at another pup that looked just like her? Some days were easier, but not one hour passed without longing for their lost child. The thought of having a lookalike, new version of the missing girl caused his heart to feel heavy within his chest.


After a silent second, he finally found his voice again, though it was little more than a whisper. ”More girls this time, do you think?” Given their current streak – one son and five daughters – the odds were high that their all-girl trend would continue. ”I will be happy either way, as always.” The sadness couldn’t outweigh the happiness, but still, it lurked in the background. Perhaps it always would.

Her expression seemed to grow serious, and Cian’s own visage would mirror her own. “After they are born and are old enough to travel we must return to the the Fae Forest." He would offer no resistance; if his mate wanted to return to her homeland, then he would go – though part of him was not eager to relive the difficult memories that remained there. ”We will.” But he couldn't promise that everyone would return with them, since the children were scarcely children anymore. Perhaps it was only a short matter of time before each of them found their own lives away from their parents.


Suddenly, Clover said she was dizzy, and Cian’s face instantly registered his concern. Lips pursed tightly as panic threatened to settle into his consciousness. ”Are you alright? Do you need to go back to sleep? Do you need water? Food? Anything…?” She had already been pregnant twice before, but it still felt new. ”I will get in touch with Willow as soon as the sun rises.” It had been a few months since he had last seen the healer. Cian was unaware of the tragedies she had endured.




@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

More girls? Her mate asked barely above a whisper and she blinked, realizing she hadn't even revealed that she'd seen a boy among them as well. “Perhaps..." She whispered back and then simply smiled, deciding to keep that to herself knowing that the impact would be greater if she left it a surprise. And there would be many a surprise with this litter, she could feel it as surely as her heart beat.

There was relief in her face when Cian agreed with her to make the return to the Fae Forest with all of their children when the time was right. Clover also felt unease at the fact that she recognized that her voice moments ago and even her thoughts were so clearly not her own. The dizziness was a new feeling, not something that had accompanied any of her pregnancies before. This was different...but, there was no need to worry her husband.

Clover rested her head against him with a sigh, letting her eyelids flutter closed for a moment. "Oh, I think...I might just need a good long rest..." She hummed and nestled her face into the comfort of familiar auburn fur. "It'll be nice to see Willow...and food would be nice later...a big breakfast...perhaps we can all have one together...find some rabbit...rabbit covered in blackberry jam..." She smiled to herself at the thought before drifting back into a comfortable sleep.

[Exit Clover via more sleepies]

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck