And I couldn't be much higher

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Hiero's observations had all been correct. It was difficult to do anything lately, especially effortlessly. This whole experience had been something else and frankly, there were parts that frustrated her already, but she could only see the results as worth the pain. The final days were perhaps the worst though, confined to the den while the world moved on and she was forced to sleep most of her days away if she could find the rest.

She would not be as fortunate now while she laid in solitude, her eyes closed out of purpose as opposed to need. It was easy to make out the steps that came her way, her husband's footfalls growing all too familiar along with the lingering silence that stilled cavern walls. “You're back early, is all right?” She had no need to open her eyes, so instead she just adjusting along her side as she waited for his response.

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The sounds of scraping would draw an eye open as she looked to the fallen branch that now semi-closed the entrance. “What's this?” She'd snort, wiggling her way to sit up as she watched him step over the branch a few times.

Admittedly it wasn't a bad idea no matter how capable she believed them both to be, but emergencies were good to plan for, especially if something drew them both out of the den. “Clever. Though I wonder how long that will keep them at bay.” She had little experience with newborns and the early stages that followed. How long would it be before they grew large enough to clamber over or find the strength to move the branch together?

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Build a dam? Well now she just flat out laughed, “They will have to leave the den eventually. If their curiosity is that strong I see no reason to shelter them in a hole.” Of course, she didn't know just how many kids she would be expecting yet. She could very well eat those words if they ended up having more than they could gather together, but only time would tell what trials they would face.

“Well, we will just have to wait and see I suppose.” His nervous manner wasn't that surprising. They had moved rather fast after all, not that she minded. It felt better to not avoid the inevitable, especially with so many packs forming. They would need heirs to their name not just for Vanderfell but to secure their growing relations with their neighbors. So many new starts meant tension would rise somewhere and it was only time until trouble knocked down their own door.

Surprisingly, or maybe not that surprisingly, Ira was less concerned with being a mother and more so with the additional struggles that would come with children in the pack. She might not show it often but she was more than excited to have children of her own given she had always had a soft spot for pups.

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Even should his protective nature be overbearing, at least he was a king who cared and a father who would look out for his children. Truly, what more could she ask for than that? There would be much to discuss when it came to parenting, but those conversations would have to wait until their children were here where they could assess their wants and needs as well as tackle the problems as they arose. It would be impossible to prepare for it all now and a waste of effort should they be blindsided.

As for names though, well, that was something they would have to prepare now. The roan woman hummed with a slight tilt of her head in thought. The question was one she had been prepared for as it was one of the few things she could do from her den, though much depended on the genders and if their names would match their looks. “I've pondered upon a few. Rea is a strong name for a girl. I've grown quite fond of it. Renn as well though it would suit either gender.”

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therapist tagging

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Of course by now his touch had been accepted. They had already done more than a simple brush of their pelts and he was to father her children. Hiero moved to press his ear to her side and as he did so she shuffled back to her side, her hindlegs splaying out to her side as she tried to make herself comfortable once more.

He echoed the names almost as if it had already been decided, though offered no options of his own. She wondered had he thought of any or had he been waiting to see what selection she might bring? “And you? There is little time left to decide, though we have no way of knowing just how many there will be.” She imagined it would be on the larger side from how she had ballooned, but she was in uncharted waters now. Her best guess was to attempt counting the locations of kicks.

Her husband would only continue, his voice growing softer as he spoke of his affliction. The roan woman thought for a moment in silence. Of course, she would like her children to be normal, a disability was a hindrance even if their challenges could be overcome. It may complicate her plans should they take after him. Admittedly, it was easy to forget since Hiero seemed to have a hold on his weakness. How would her children fair though under such disadvantages?

She hated the thought of sending one for an alliance only for Vanderfell to be perceived as weak due to their genetics...surely if his traits came through they would just have to settle for remaining here where it was safe. The one comfort in it all was that she would not have to deal with that learning curve alone. “Then you will raise them well to survive.” After all, he had come this far and at a glance, he seemed no different than the average wolf. Aside from his patterning of course.

“We both will.”

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For a moment she pondered his suggestion, and while it might fit, if there were more than a couple then it might seem a bit ridiculous. Then came the matter of her reasoning for those names. The meanings behind them reminded her much of the naming back home, though simplified of course for wolves of these lands did not have names the length of titles. Ries though...“I like that...”

Perhaps she would dwell longer on it. Fortunately, they still had some time left. Hiero would settle down at her side, something that surprised her given the hour of day. It was still early in his schedule to call it a night, but she would not complain about his presence. She'd lean into him, and rather he stayed or not she would eventually fade into a light slumber.

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