sound the alarm

The clear pool of water that Fate's Respite claimed was prime hunting ground. Tallulah stalked along the grasses, brown and yellow due to autumn, and skirted the edge of the lake. Her coat was naturally camouflaged by the fall hues. She was thankful for that. A small herd of deer currently staked a claim over the water. A few stray wild sheep grazed on the grass beyond it. She eyed them thoughtfully before focusing back on the deer.

The sheep could climb up mountains and rocky crops. It was best to do this quick and quiet, less blood the better. For all she knew, another hunter was stalking prey in a nearby location. She didn't want their quarry to be scared away by the scent of the kill. Movement caught her eye, but not from the prey. Another wolf had joined the hunt. One of Elysium. She didn't register who it was yet but she waited for a moment to strike. Hopefully, they saw her and would assist.

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The only reason she was able to hunt at all today was because of the sun. Cloudless days were ideal for Valeska as the sun's bright rays shone down to bleach the earth below in swaths of white light, reflecting blindingly from off the lake's surface and making vision almost painful for the surrounding animals.
So used to light bouncing from snow was she, the silver wolf didn't even have to squint; it was normal for her, digging deep into her roots as a creature who hailed from high, distant mountains.

Still, she would have appreciated an actual blanket of snow.

Moving forward stealthily, she remained in a low crouch, placing tufted paws carefully one after the other so as not to disturb any fallen leaves beneath her. Valeska crept up closer toward Tallulah, nodding her head silently as she flicked her eyes back toward the herd of deer that grazed peacefully beyond. They looked delicious.

How nice it was to have a great big water source in the middle of their territory as a prey-lure.

She grinned.

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It was Ms. Valeska who joined. Only her. She tried to hold back disappointment, knowing the woman was a friendly face — but some part of her wanted to meet others. Tallulah gave the hunt as long as possible to stall, but the deer were drifting away already. She grinned back at the pale-coated woman and flicked her tail to begin.

She moved closer, using the shadows that the tall grass provided, to shield her. Their dewy scent concealed her own as well. She peered through the foliage, snout first, staring at the deer she singled out. An old female one didn't have kids with her, nor did she seem very fast. Tallulah focused on that one, chuffing quietly to Ms. Valeska to alert her. She skirted the earth and the herd next.

Trying to splinter the prey between predators, Tallulah lunged at the unsuspecting old doe. She managed to grasp her back leg briefly, chomping down and trying to control it. The doe kicked out, narrowly missing the woman's face. She let go, and it turned directly at Ms. Valeska's spot. Tallulah lunged again, snapping her jaws to the side and making sure it'd go right to her leader. The other deer bellowed and took off.

The injured doe shot toward the other wolf in a panic.

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She waited silently, golden eyes wide as they scanned the area ahead for an opening. Valeska was too bright, too obvious to make the first run; until the first snow had fallen she was at a disadvantage during the hunt. Her pale silver coat did her no favors against the vibrant greenery and fall foliage of their home during warmer months, so she had resigned herself to the role of an ambush predator until then.

Valeska felt her muscles tense as Tallulah edged forward, preparing herself for the impending chase. She slowed her breathing, hearing her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

The mottled brown female went first - she shot out from her position like a bullet, attaching herself very quickly to the old doe's hind limb. It kicked, and she released her hold; skirting around, Tallulah snapped at the air and diverted its path back around toward Valeska.

She sprang forward, making a clear shot for the deer's neck. Her teeth grabbed skin, and she pulled, her weight slowing down her prey considerably as it reared up and sent out a flurry of kicks, dislodging the silver wolf temporarily. Valeska rallied and lunged again before the deer could get its footing again, this time closing on its shoulder as she was dragged haphazardly along.

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There were a lot of things both of them could have done, but Tallulah saw a bit of red once she saw her new friend and leader being dragged by the deer. She rushed after the pair, using the solid ground of the mountains to angle herself upward, jumping into the air once almost neck and neck with the prey.

She managed to land not on Ms. Valeska but on the deer itself. It bellowed in shock and buckled under the weight. Crashing to the earth, it slid across the ground a bit. The prey struggled below Tallulah but she grabbed the back of its neck, holding on. Her jaws would squeeze shut against the muscle, causing blood to trickle. 

True, she could have made this last longer. She could have drawn it out. But Valeska was being dragged, and she didn't want her leader and friend hurt on her watch. The deer began to bray and kick, weakening with each moment until the snap. Tallulah let go just in time to hop off, seeing the light dying within its eyes. "Are ye okay?" she asked breathlessly.

Her eyes were slightly wide, concerned as she looked at the pale woman.

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Valeska had some time to think.

The moment seemed a lot longer to her than anyone looking from the outside, hop-skipping along the ground as she fought to keep up with the panicked deer, flapping in the wind like a bike streamer.

The old sow was pretty strong, she mused to herself, lightly clocking her head on a shrub as it tore through the woods.

She never loosened her grip during the chase, though, not once; only when Tallulah came crashing down from above to take out the doe with a final snap to the neck did she relax her hold.

Valeska oozed onto the ground like a liquid, sticks and leaves poking out of her significant ruff. A thin trickle of blood fell from a cut above her left eye, and she at last shifted her gaze toward Tallulah, who was looking more than a little concerned about the disheveled state of her leader.

'Leader.'

The High Priestess could only imagine what she looked like accompanying that title now, and burst out in uproarious laughter.

“Oh, Tallulah -” she said breathlessly, rolling over to prop herself up on her side, “That was such fun! I have not enjoyed a hunt like that in ages; who would have thought a doe on death's door would be so strong? I wondered how long she would drag me for!”

Still giggling, Valeska stood up fully, wobbling a little as she shook away the dizziness. A few small droplets of blood went with it, splattering against a few nearby trees.

“Ah - how inconvenient.”

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Looking back, she was happy that Valeska had fun. But right now the blood triggered a response from her, an immediate action. With her only medical knowledge quick fixes, she didn't really know what to do with a head wound. Her eyes were alarmed now as the other woman shook her head, some blood coming from the wound there. "Maybe ye should sit down."

It wasn't a question but a gentle request. She stood, weary from the hunt but confident no other predator would take their prey while Tallulah dealt with this. A sign of physical harm was often a lackadaisical attitude toward it. Looking at a wound was different with non-healer eyes. She saw some red, some blood dripping down — but didn't know how to deal with it.

But it didn't stop her approaching Ms. Valeska and frowning, obviously concerned. "I'll help ya back to yer den, and then come back to drag this here to the cache. Aye?" Amaranth could tend to her in the meantime.

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Even in the short time it took them to hold their quick exchange, the cut was already in the process of drying, and the thin trickle of blood that marred her face grew old and lost its sheen. Valeska had been a clumsy child and was used to collecting bumps and scrapes, and this was hardly something she deemed worth fretting over; the most agitating part of the whole thing was all the sticks and debris she'd have to pick out of her fur later.

“Oh, do not worry,” she said with a wave of her paw. A thin twig poking out from her ruff bobbed along with the gesture, its tiny cluster of leaves at the end swaying as she moved. It looked almost like a holy relic, or an adornment for some sort of sacred ritual. “I just cannot believe it carried me so far. If only I will be that spry when I am old!”

She laughed again, refusing to sit, and shook out some of the detritus that clung to her pelt - it did very little, but now a fine mist of dust hung in the air near her. Valeska wished the hunt had gone on a bit longer, even then, enjoying the rush of adrenaline that coursed through her veins during the moment.

“Next time, perhaps I should conceal myself from a higher elevation and then leap as you did,” she mused to herself. “I do not seem to be as strong as I was prior to having my children, so I must work back up to my former... performance. At least until larger prey becomes easier to tackle, but stealth seems to be the best option for me until the first snow falls.”

The silver wolf glanced down at the carcass, feeling her mouth water.

“I think we can manage,” she licked her lips. “The sooner we bring it back, the sooner we may feast!”

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She sighed in relief. Ms. Valeska was fine, and she was able to stand without being helped. "Sorry" Tallulah apologized even if there was no need "I didn't mean to assume yer weak... I ain't used to people gettin' hurt around me since comin' here." Her former 'people' were hardy and shrugged off blood and hurt so easily... But she didn't know this. Well, she did — hence she thought it — but she couldn't remember it. She still couldn't remember much.

But Tallulah knew if she hadn't stopped, the deer would have dragged Ms. Valeska around more. She could have broken a leg or snapped her neck. The woman resisted shuddering. She approached the deer corpse with a soft frown before asking. "Izzit hard, havin' kids?" she asked the pale woman, wondering for the first time. It seemed like such a big part of her leader's life that it was rude to ignore it due to the fact she may be squeamish and inexperienced. She didn't want to be stuck in a den all day.

Waiting for the pups to be old enough so she can leave them alone. Waiting for them to leave the den but fretting over her own absence. Worrying they'd come home hurt, scared of their future and terrified of them leaving eventually. All kids do — but she never did.

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Tallulah remained as polite as ever, offering an apology when no wrong had been done - it was refreshing to meet someone as naturally kind as she was, but Valeska didn't want her to be constantly tiptoeing around. “Not at all,” she returned sincerely, giving the woman an affectionate nudge with her muzzle. “At any rate, even weakness is nothing to be ashamed of. There are many ways in which I am weak - and that is why we all have each other, to bolster ourselves up.”

While the High Priestess did not ascribe to the traditional pack setup of most, she was still a wolf - and deep within her soul she knew that together, they were as strong as they would ever need to be. That was the nature of a pack; not to hold one another back, but to lift each other up and use their talents for the benefit of all.

Valeska was in the process of reaching down to grab at the carcass, readying herself for the trip back, when Tallulah surprised her with a wholly unexpected question. She dropped the limb she had picked up, licking her chops and musing over the thought for several moments. She hadn't thought the hardy woman to be interested in the business of children and their rearing, but then again - she'd also never asked her either.

“Yes and no,” she said unhelpfully. There were so many layered aspects, it was difficult to give her a straight answer - but she had to try. “Birth is... frightening. I almost lost Sreda, but having an experienced midwife in @Olive present along with my sister @Harper, they were able to bring her back. It is painful - I remember that much - but once they are here, Tallulah, all of the agony is gone in an instant.”

She smiled fondly, remembering her children as small, helpless little bodies writhing at her side for warmth and food, and her heart clenched in a peculiar way.

“Child-rearing is different entirely. It is like having little pieces of your soul wandering around outside of your body. They hurt themselves, they cry, and sometimes you fight the urge to cry with them because you love them so very much,” she continued, remembering how often little Dimitri and Violet would run up to her with great big tears welling up in their then-blue eyes, wailing over some tiny cut or wholly invisible bump.

“They do not always listen, but I must remind myself that they are their own individuals. I cannot control them in the way that I cannot control the rain or the wind. It is only my job to love them and care for them as best as I am able, and they will take care of the rest.”

If she thought about it too hard, Valeska would feel something akin to sorrow stirring within her chest. Even now, they were growing so quickly, it was difficult to hold onto the days they still had together in this way - them needing her, wanting her, calling for Mama in the middle of the night. She knew she would miss these times, but they could not last forever.

“It would be well to learn of healing-herbs for minor cuts as a parent - my sister has had to give me many refreshers of late. Being able to seek out Chamomile for small cuts and Giant Goldenrod to aid in the banishment of fevers saved me many hours of torture.”

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Ms. Valeska talked, and talked. Tallulah listened, and listened. It was clear the other woman didn't expect the question to slip out but provided an honest answer in response. Her insides squirmed when the leader mentioned she almost lost a pup, having that sort of deja vu feeling once more. A brow furrowed in response, concern lacing her features for Ms. Valeska's former plight, but inside squirming dangerously. On the brick of remembering.

Her features turned to bewilderment when Ms. Valeska spoke of learning medicine as a parent. Did the pale woman assume she was asking because she was curious? Did Ms. Valeska assume she was thinking about children? Heat crossed her face, the same way it had been at Vanderfell Woods with their alpha explaining mating limitations. Awkward and confusing, once more. Tallulah shuffled against the earth. She worked her paws a bit, wondering if now was a good time to drag the deer back.

To avoid unspoken curiosity.

"I only ask cause ye speak highly of yer kids sometimes" she explained "and yer me leader — and friend. Avoidin' that part o' yer life is selfish" It was too very soon to think of little cow folks running around. There were hardly any bachelor males in Elysium to her knowledge anyway "but I cannae help but think. We aren't getting any younger, same fer me" Her fourth year would be upon her soon enough "I never really wanted kids. Maybe that'll change." Maybe.

All she really wanted was a stable and loving and loyal relationship if the woman had to be honest with herself. Kids could come in time. But the subject of her love life was a subject she didn't want to bring up to Ms. Valeska. Tallulah had no one, and it was simple enough to admit but... also terribly lonely.

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Luckily, being covered in fur, it was difficult to see when Tallulah blushed. For all intents and purposes her expression remained otherwise polite and intrigued, and Valeska was happy simply to ramble on, delighting in any opportunity to talk about the things that weighed so heavily on her heart. It was therapeutic in a way, to say aloud what secrets she felt so deeply - thoughts she had never previously articulated, complicated wells of emotion she had never tried to sift through.

She sighed at last, feeling only a little self-conscious for how long she'd gone on. The earthen-clad woman before her seemed suddenly shy - or a touch uncomfortable - and pawed at the dirt distractedly, making Valeska tip her head to the side in query.

“Selfish?” she said with pointed care in her tone. “No. It is selfish of me to speak unceasingly for ten minutes, but I appreciate your listening. Your question might have been simpler than the answer I gave.”

The little wolf smiled gently, reaching out to touch one of Tallulah's paws with her own in a gesture of goodwill.

“I did not think I wanted children either, until I met Amaranth. It is a worthy thing to question, and you are right to wonder,” she said. “I did not even think I could have children with my mate, given our - biological similarities - and yet the gods intervened, and granted us our wish.”

There would be plenty of time yet for her friend to figure out what she truly wanted, and the world they had entered was vast and still being charted, even now.

“You would be a wonderful mother, as you would still remain a wonderful individual without them. You do not need permission for such things here - but until then, you may always come to me with any worries you may have.”

She grinned, wagging her still-cluttered tail holding all manner of underbrush, and reached down to grab the deer once more.

 

{Exist Valeska}

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She chuckled and looked sheepish; akin to someone rubbing the back of their neck with a hand. "I sorta avoided t' pups round here, Ms. Valeska" Tallulah admits "I was worried I'd step on em... Or hurt em... Or say t' wrong thing round them. I've met yer son, Dimitri. He's a fine lad" A little lion heart "t-the others... Err. Yeah, been avoiding t' youth a bit. I know some mothers can be uneasy wit' new faces round their kids." Her confession paled in comparison to Ms. Valeska reaching out, trying to comfort her thoughts.

"It's fine to wait fer the right one, then?" She asked, her eyes filling with some small hope. She always felt pressured to produce children, due to her growing age and also her lack of a partner "maybe I'll find me Ms. Amaranth in time..." She tried to hope further, knowing no men had crossed her path that she fancied — yet. Nor did the ones that she became acquainted with display interest in her. She always felt there was something wrong with her. With that.

While she had some thoughts and opinions about how two females could even begin to reproduce — it wasn't her place to question such a thing. The children were born into this loving home. That was all that mattered to her and others, hopefully. You would be a wonderful mother the pale woman had said. Tallulah swallowed thickly, wondering how the emotion came out of nowhere.  "Aye" She said to the offer of listening to her woes and the comments "thank ya."

Thank gods that Ms. Valeska spoke so much, else Tallulah would be forced to fill in the silence. It had come round back to what Tallulah wanted when she even she didn't know what she did. Her question went off the raids and dove into unknown territory. She moved to help the pale alpha drag the deer back, her thoughts heavy. /end

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