[ AW ] Family Matters

With each day that hurried past, winter’s touch felt a little less brutal. The days were growing longer, and it meant one thing: spring was on the horizon, that season of mercy and warmth and new life. Cian and Summit had returned from a successful hunt with a sizable elk as their prize. Hopefully, it would be enough for the entire family, now that the little ones weren’t so little anymore. As the sun was setting in the west, father and son had dragged the massive meal back to the temporary den that had become their home – but not for much longer. Their family would need even more space very soon.


Cian could feel the buzz of excitement as the family came together. His wife was by his side, as was nearly always the case. Perhaps their offspring had already begun to notice that Clover's belly was growing more round by the day, or the natural glow that she exuded when she was expecting. He would invite the children to start their feasting as he cleared his throat to make an announcement: ”I’m glad you all could be here tonight to share this meal as a family. I know that – that you could all be busy with other things,” he observed with a bittersweet smile. ”But tonight is important!”


Cian paused for dramatic effect before he shared the big news. ”Mama and I are going to be having another litter of pups. More sisters or brothers for you all.” He imagined it would be mostly the former, as the girls in the family vastly outweighed the number of boys. The ember-hued wolf's joy was evident, from the happy smile to his thumping tail. He leaned closer to Clover to gently nuzzle her soft cheek. ”We love each of you more than words could ever say. We’re not replacing anyone…” Deep red-orange eyes sought the cherished faces of each of his children to gauge their reactions. "Love grows instead of being divided."



@Clover @Journey @Summit @Fern @Piper @Soraya

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Clover rested herself, laying on her side and watching her children fondly as they filled up on the feast her husband and eldest son had brought back. She wanted to make sure her little ones got more than enough before she took her share. Thus far this pregnancy, surprisingly, had not demanded as much food as she had expected, but it had been the most tiring one. She tried to stay off her swollen paws as often as she could find time to and she had slept more than she ever had in her entire life. Not to mention the fantastical dreams that accompanied those period of slumber.

While she was as energized as she could be, she laughed as she listened to her pups tell her all kinds of stories and musings. They're growing up much too fast... She thought to herself, sparing a glance at Summit...Journey...Fern. They were practically adults themselves...but, it had only been yesterday when she was nursing them...and then Soraya...and Piper... They were younger yet somehow yearlings in the blink of an eye. Clover thought of Daisy...she was to be a year old soon too...perhaps they could celebrate their birthdays, especially in honor of the one they had lost.

The sound of Cian clearing his throat stole her attention then. Clover lifted her front half so that she was seated as elegantly as was possible, knowing what announcement was to follow. Something about sharing the news made her nervous, yet she smiled through it all. The mother's soft pink orbs traveled over their faces, studying their expressions as it all came to light. There was another piece of news she knew was important for them to know, but she didn't want to overwhelm them too quickly.

@Journey @Piper @Soraya @Fern

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Something big was about to happen. He could feel it – in the energy his parents exuded, the electricity in the air that hinted toward change. He had spent the better part of the afternoon hunting beside his sire. Both father and son were giants – somehow, Summit had matched Cian’s height, and then some. He stood taller than his father now, not be much, but enough that both had noticed. After they had found success and brought their catch back to the family, Summit was unusually quiet, mismatched eyes turned from one parent to the other as Cian began to speak.

A paternal speech followed, with Mama quiet beside Papa as he announced that soon, the family would grow larger still. More pups were on the way. His heart fluttered with excitement at the thought of new sisters, and possibly even a little brother, and his smile was joyful and genuine. Summit wasn’t entirely surprised by this news, since love made litters, that much he knew. And no one could love someone as much as his parents loved each other, and their children. He had never doubted his father’s sentiment: "Love grows instead of being divided."

His excitement was tinged with a different emotion, bittersweet, and he guessed that his parents were likely feeling the same. He remembered how excited he was to be a big brother, one year ago, and how happy he had been to meet his three new baby siblings. But then three became two... Summit made up his mind with intense resolve: He would protect these pups. He vowed internally that he would not fail them as he had with baby Daisy.

Still smiling, he spoke in a voice that was no longer that of a child: "I can't wait to meet them. I'll be there to help." He would be their protector. The best big brother a pup could have.


@Clover @Journey @Fern @Soraya

coding: gutz

Cian had one more surprise that even Clover didn’t know about just yet, and there was a hint of mischief in his eyes as they turned to find his wife’s beautiful face beside him. ”But there’s more! Auntie Willow found a nice cottage for us to stay in, not far from here. It’s big enough for all of us, to keep everyone safe, until the little ones are old enough to travel.” He hoped his wife would be excited, given her last two nurseries had been mere earthen dens. Cian had been on his way to send a bird to Willow, unaware that she was already near to help care for another new mother. He had run into her on the way, and just like before, Willow was happy to help. It had been fortuitous timing, the sort of coincidence that made a wolf feel blessed.

He looked at each of his children, every one of them unique - a full range of sizes from giants to petite, their colorful eyes, Some looked like their mother, more looked like Cian himself. He concluded his dad speech with a bittersweet smile: ”When the new little ones are old enough, we’ll return to the Fae Forest. I — well, I hope that you will join us.” He couldn’t bring himself to express the final sentiment: they didn’t have to. They were older now, less reliant. The oldest three were days away from adulthood. Cian and Clover themselves had been scarcely a year old when they had found each other, and they had been on their own ever since. Their children deserved the same freedom, he knew, but they were still his babies, no matter how old they got or what they did with their lives. And soon enough, there would be even more babies to dote on.


@Clover @Journey @Summit @Fern @Soraya

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

[Please delete! Double posted]

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Soraya had been staying close to home as of late, knowing that once Summit had found her wandering, he was probably going to keep a very close eye on her - after all, Daisy had never been found. Soraya supposed that Daisy was either living with the fae, or perhaps she was dead. Nobody had seen or heard from her. There was little chance she was still breathing. The thoughts of her sister still raged on in her mind, but she had given up hope. With the news of new little ones, Soraya felt a burning in her chest, an anger within her bubbling. She listened to the words coming from her father's mouth, and she knew he was not lying to them. More little ones would be coming, more would fill their home, take their food, and syphon their attention. She thought of asking obnoxious questions, as she always did - but not today. They were told of the dangers that lurked around them, and her parents wanted to bring more into the world to have to look over and watch? How was that a fair life for them? They would still be running from whatever danger had messed up father in the way that he had returned home. "Why?" her question came out on its own, pointed directly at her parents. Theyw ere the only ones who could answer it, and it seemed they were a little shocked by what she said, giving no answer immediately. "Why would you make more? Are you trying to replace her?" Soraya's orange eyes filled with tears in the corners. Her emotions were flashed on her features, shown with no attempt at shielding them anymore. Her breathing was labored as she was working herself up. Was this really happening? This could not be real life. Her eyes locked onto her father's and she spoke a little louder. "When did you stop looking for Daisy? Was it when you decided to replace her? Who else will be replaced?" She stood, still as a statue, watching them. Firefly rested on her shoulder, watching the family as she waited for a response. "Dream a little dream of me..." @Cian @Clover @Summit

A wave of happiness rippled through her family, first starting with her eldest boy Summit. It seemed that his younger siblings were all interested, curious, and had some excitement to go along with all of those emotions. Clover drew in a breath to release a sigh of relief, but it became caught in her throat when Soraya made her voice heard. It felt as though everything went silent, smiles withdrew, and the feeling of warmth and love was sapped by one single question.

"Why"

Soft pink orbs grew wide and were stricken with a fearful sorrow when she realized that there were tears in the fiery eyes of her daughter. "Soraya, I-" Clover started with a trembling voice, but she withdrew as the girl continued, clearly upset by the entire ordeal. It was the mention of Daisy, however, that took hold of her heart and crushed it entirely. It was the exact perception that she had prayed would not exist and yet here she was face to face with it. For a split second, she was speechless, but she never took her eyes off of Soraya. There was no one she could look to for help in this moment.

"Soraya, I never...we never had any intention of replacing Daisy! And there is not a single day that has gone by that we have not tried to find her. Clover glanced over at Summit and nodded in his direction. "Your brother has been tirelessly searching while I could not and we will not stop until there are answers." She shook her head and lifted herself to her paws to try to step towards her daughter. "Raya, honey, I promise you, no one is trying to replace any of you. All of you are so very precious and special to me, to our family..." Was anything that she was saying even helping at all?

@Cian @Soraya @Fern

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck