A Miracle or a Nightmare (Tagged)

[Rykett]

Skia:

Paws thudded upon the mottled sand of the Sandmoor. Skia had finished her duty in marking the border. A rabbit hopped into her path. Skia scooped up some pebbles in her paw and flung them at the surprised prey. Her power mark flashed green as she pushed the pebbles forward in midair, causing them to to shoot forward with extra force. They cut deeply into the rabbit’s flesh. The injured lagomorph clumsily attempted to leap away, but Skia’s paw slammed it against the ground. Her head streaked downward and delivered the killing bite. Carrying her prize in her jaws, Skia continued across the moor, searching for a suitable place to dig a den. She’d be needing one soon. The pups would be due any day now. She zeroed in on a boulder, sticking up from the sand. She padded into the shade and began to dig at the base of the boulder.

The rock should provide more stability than the shifting sand. The sand was easy to dig through especially as Skia used her power to help her push through it. She hit a layer of slightly larger rocks. Her power wasn’t yet strong enough to have much of an effect on such sizes, but she was able to dislodge a couple smaller ones that with it. The rest she dug through the old fashioned way. Under the rock was clay, it was incredibly hard to make much progress through. Skia stepped out the hole she’d dug to survey how deep the den was. Just little bit more and she should be ready to widen out a living space. Pain suddenly wracked her body. Skia groaned, dropping the limp rabbit she still held. Stupid pups not having any patience. Couldn’t they wait to be born until after she’d finished the den?!

Skia pawed at the hole, frantically, trying to widen out a space large enough for her. Working as fast as she dared, the she-wolf managed to have some kind of den created in time. Curled in the cramped space, Skia squeezed her eyes shut.
-Fade out-
Exhausted, Skia rested her head against the wall of the little den. She would widen the impromptu den soon, but for now, she was too tired. The new mother stared at her litter of newborns. There were six of them… six! Skia wasn’t sure whether she should consider it a miracle or a nightmare. She imagined having to deal with six little Allegros. Skia touched each one with her nose, recounting. Yep, six puppies. They were so tiny, too. How could something so small ever become something like what Skia imagined. Their wet little coats showed various colors. Red, black, orange, white, pink… Skia’s head bumped against the wall as she tried to find a comfortable position. The pups were comfortable at least. They snuggled against her, whimpering. Letting out a sigh, Skia just lay her head on her paws and gave into the fatigue.

-Time skip-

Chocolate eyes flicked open to a call from Fjord. Her mate was calling a meeting. Skia yawned and attempted to stretch, forgetting how cramped the den was. Frustrated by the painful thump that reminded her of its size, Skia dug at the den walls. She widened it enough to turn around. The litter of newborns huddled together, asleep. The she-wolf wriggled out of the den. She paused over the corpse of the rabbit she'd hunted to eat before she trotted towards where Fjord had called.

-Exit Skia-

-Enter Skia-

Skia’s pace was quick and nervous as she travelled towards where she’d given birth after the conclusion of their meeting. She had to make sure they were alright. She’d left them alone and unprotected during the short time the meeting had taken. With a couple whispered words, she’d told Fjord of his pups’ births. Now, he followed not far behind as she returned to the quickly dug den in the Sandmoor. The boulder marked its location. A coyote roamed around the base, sniffing the ground. Skia’s heart skipped a beat. With an angry howl, Skia broke into a run. The coyote fled, whimpering. Fortunately, it had been a distance from the den, and had merely picked up the pups’ scents. Skia cursed herself for ever leaving the litter alone.

The alphess checked to make Fjord still followed, her chest heaving with breath from the sudden sprint. Skia cautiously squeezed into the small den. ”I didn’t have much time to dig a den.” Fjord probably wouldn’t be able to join her in the den, so Skia positioned herself so he could see the litter. The pups felt her return and erupted into soft yelps.

((@shiver))

[Deleted]

The pups were here. A few hurried whispers had broken the news to him. He had known that they would come soon, his mates belly had been exceedingly swollen, it really wasn't much of a surprise. Besides that fact, he was feeling woozy, light-headed even. Pups. How many? were they strong? He was positive they must be, he had taken very good care of Skia during her time. He had even made this move of territories, in part, for her. She led him at a hurried pace through the dusty scrub and blooming desert flowers, her eyes trained at one spot in the landscape. There, a rock jutting from the earth, that must be her den. The dark red shewolf howled menacingly and shot forward at an alarming pace, screaming urgency. It was remarkable what having pups could do with a wolf. Skia was on high alert, her senses sharpened to a terrifying point. She chased a foolish coyote from her den before rushing into the shallow dug out.

Fjord followed at a brisk trot, keeping his legs stiff, attempting to stifle his trembling. The Alphess gave her excuse for having such a small den. Fjord simply nodded, his crimson eyes blinked down on the den. His mate lay curled around six tiny, squirming rolls of fur and squish. They were...ugly. First impression was wrinkled hogs. But from a fathers eyes...they were the world, and nothing could harm them. The Alpha opened his jaws to speak, but no sound came. Fjord furrowed his brow, smacked his lips before continuing. "They are-" Exquisite, a blessing, beautiful, perfect, ours, the future. All these mushy words pushed at his throat, urging him to say them. but then he remembered why Skia had agreed to be his mate. Not because she loved him, but because she admired and respected his strength. A lump formed in his throat, a pain throbbed in his heart. "They will do nicely." He grunted, averting his eyes from her chocolate ones. Was there love there? did she care for more than his approval and rank? Why should that matter? He didn't know, but to him it meant everything.

Settling down beside the pile of fur, peering into the den, he spoke. "Have you thought of any names?"

[Rykett]

Skia:

Skia watched Fjord’s reaction, eager to see what he thought of what they’d created together. His mouth was open as he gazed at the six newborns. In awe, perhaps? Or was he about to say something? The latter seemed the correct answer as he began, ”They are…” Fjord paused for a moment, keeping Skia in agonizing suspense. All she sought was Fjord’s approval. Had she given him the litter he’d wanted? She’d carried these pups for moons, unsure if they’d actually be worth it. She needed Fjord to say she’d done a good job… but what she wanted… that was a hope beyond what Fjord had given her so far. She wanted him to feel as attached to the furballs as she was. Maybe he’d say something that’d confirm that he was.

”They will do nicely.”

A soft ”Oh,” was Skia’s only response. The words were what she expected, but still, disappointment make her head droop slightly and her eyes flicked away from her mate. As soon as she acknowledged the emotion, Skia fought it fiercely. ’I can be satisfied with this. Fjord is everything I’ve ever wanted in a male and more. There’s no need to start whining for more from him especially if it has to with something he obviously has none of.’ She took a deep breath, straightened as much as she could in the cramped space and returned her gaze to Fjord.

His next words asked about names. Names… Most couples would brainstorm the names of their pups while the female was expecting. Skia, however, had been too focused on the annoyance of carrying pups to even think about giving them some sort of title. Until now, they’d just been either “annoying little buggers” or “my precious pups.” Was not thinking about what to name pups a sign of a bad mother? Would her oversight make Fjord think less of her? Maybe she could come up with some fast. Well, what did she call other pups? Twerp, runt, rat, furball? No, Skia would prefer to have those names in reserve for insults. Maybe she could name one after its parents? ’Fjord and Skia? Fffffffforkia…. Fjokia. Too much of a mouthful… maybe… Fia? That would work for a female.’ ”Maybe Fia?” Now which pup would the name go to? Looking down at their pups, Skia’s chocolate eyes quickly picked out the pup that most resembled her parents. ”For this one?” She touch the pup gently with her nose. She looked back up at Fjord for approval.

[Deleted]

'oh.'
That one word pierced his heart. It physically hurt him to hear her disjointed husk of a word. A gentle, lonely, oh. Fjord squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, denying every moment that he could be hurt by a simple word. By a simple shewolf's word. He was the great, the terrible, the terrifying Fjord. He was the Alpha of Midnight Silence, maestro of wars and master of evil. He was the servant of Geist, a bringer of death, pain, and hell. Fjord was a wolf who killed without mercy, never batted an eye at gore. Fjord was a name to be feared and hated. And hated it was. Fjord hated himself. Hated his weakness. Hated how just a simple world could plunge him into an abyss. Perhaps it wasn't that single word. Perhaps he had been taking steps towards that abyss his entire life. What would he call that great pit? Could he call that death? Could he call it fate? Perhaps the pit was his true self. Perhaps Fjord the Terrible was who he was always meant to be. A little, insignificant 'oh' would not change that.

Names. Who cared? Names were trivial, it was the wolf who made the name something. However, a name could never be fulfilled if it were never assigned. Fia. Fia sounded fine. Fjord nodded and gave his own ideas. "Umbra. For the brown one." He asserted mechanically, his eyes betraying his sore, wounded heart. A self-inflicted wound. "Zodi for the white one." Fjord grunted. Umbra was the traditional term for shadow, usually a 'great shadow.' Most stories that included 'Umbra' were during eclipses, referring to the great shadow passed onto the earth from the moons transgression.

[Rykett]

Skia:

The naming was a good distraction from the emotions Skia wish she could ignore. Her eyes were fixed on the pups, not wanting Fjord to see the feeling he might perceive as weakness in those chocolate orbs. Fjord dubbed the darkest colored one Umbra. She’d only heard that word in reference to the shadow of the moon as it eclipsed the sun, an event that Skia had only heard legends of. Skia hoped the first-born pup lived up to Fjord’s expectation and became the ‘great shadow’ that his name referred to. Fjord’s attention moved to the lightest pup. Zodi, the name didn’t seem to have any real meaning behind it, but it resonated with Skia. It tickled at the back of her mind as if trying to remind her of something or someone.

Fjord’s voice was unemotional as he named their pups, as if the little wolves were just a tool to for him to take advantage of, a method of preserving his legacy. Sure, they might be both of those things, but Skia felt a deeper connection to them. It was inexplicable, but Skia didn’t care. It’d help her protect them and make them reach their full, dark potential.

Three pups remained unnamed. Skia figured she should name more than just one of the six pups. Gathering her thoughts, she tried to think of something that had meaning behind it. The youngest pup whimpered shifting, and pushing one of its tiny paws in its older sibling’s face as it did so. The motion was probably accidental, but it sparked a word in Skia’s mind. ”Insolence for the youngest,” she tapped the newly titled pup with her nose. Skia thought of what she wanted their pups to become; warriors, weapons, killers. She should pick another dark sounding name for another one of the pups. Something…. sharp-sounding… ”Katana,” now to give it to the remaining pups. One was a light orange, the other one was… pink. ”for the orange one.” Skia was not a fan of pink. Something about the color made her squirm. It wasn’t just the happiness that it represented; it was something else about it that Skia couldn’t (or didn’t want to) pin down. The final pink pup she left for Fjord to name. He might have something in mind for the little male despite his undesirable shade.

[Deleted]

Fjord couldn't deny feeling distracted from the task at hand. His feelings and conflicting agenda made his insides roil. He was uncomfortable in his skin and his mind wouldn't let him forget it. He knew who he was, and yet his heart hurt as he drowned in the pit he dug. Skia seemed over the little lapse, the little stumble, that they had taken. The momentary slip up and display of emotion. She was busily whittling away at the task, Insolence and Katana of the girls. She had named them well he suposed, afterall names were only names. That left one. He was a mild, sage dusted raspberry color peppered in spots and strange markings. Ah, a name for him...it must be his turn. "Tuhota..." the name slipped quietly from his cold lips, hardly audible. Tuhota, a name he remembered from long ago. It meant Destruction. He remembered this name from long ago, buried in his blurry past. Trapped under an avalanche of foggy voices and blurred faces. Someone had called him this name in fear and desperation, barked out this call even as he struck him down, the blood from the wolf's ravaged throat burbling with the sound. "...Tuhota, destruction." The great white male spoke louder, the name resonating in his barrel chest.

Ah, it was done now, wasn't it. The pups were named. His duty was done. He would continue to provide food for them, protect them and teach them, but he was no more their father than he was mate of Skia. He was much too cold and cruel for such a title. Much too loveless to ever be the companion Skia deserved. He had many titles, but such endearing names as honey, mate, or father would never apply to him. He was Fjord the Terrible. And 'Terrible' he would always be.

"I will return with fresh kill," Fjord grunted, turning away from Skia so she wouldn't see the paralyzing fear and pain in his eyes. Without another word he left the meager den and trotted over the hill.

-exit Fjord-

[Rykett]

”Tuhota, destruction.” Fjord named the final pup and explained the name’s meaning with another word. Another fitting name for their offspring. Destruction was what Skia hoped he’d bring to their enemies. Skia nodded her acceptance of the final name. Fjord shifted, bringing Skia attention back to him as he spoke again, turning away so she couldn’t read his expression. Skia knew what she would’ve found in his eyes, icy confidence. She watched him depart, disappearing into the distance.

Skia’s chocolate eyes turned back to her litter. A doubt wiggled at the back of her mind. What if they didn't live up to Fjord’s expectations? What if one refused to follow their family’s dark ways? Would Skia be forced to eliminate one of them one day? Could she kill her own kin, her own pup? Skia avoided the mental question. No, these pups would be everything Fjord dreamed of and more. Skia refused to let herself brood over the impossible.

The new mother curled, protectively around her pups. Her eyes drooped from exhaustion that she’d previously rebuffed. Skia had gotten little chance to fully rest after giving birth. Fjord had called her away from her slumber for that meeting. Now she could relax for a time, until Fjord returned with food.
-End-