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 Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:09 am
 Galahad had felt restless this morning. Not the he needed to run away and leave type but more of the way too much energy to stay curled up in the den type. Though admittedly he did also want to stay in the den, the den he now shared with Chivosi, her warmth was welcoming and it had been hard to pull away from that. Yet, he just couldn't lay there, not when he was itching to move about and lose some of this energy. So he had softly pulled away from her side, careful not to wake her as it was still very early in the morning, the sun was only barely starting to peek over horizon. Giving his muscles a stretch Galahad loped off, figuring a bit of a run and perhaps a small hunt would satisfy his restless feeling.
Stopping by the river for a drink Galahad then turned south, following the scent of a rabbit that had passed through not long before. Perhaps he could catch the little critter and present it to Chiv when he returned. Surely she would appreciate the gesture. Nose to the ground Galahad followed the trail closely, making sure not to step on any sticks or make any unnecessary noise that would give him away. Crouching behind a bush Galahad spotted the rabbit in a small clearing quietly munching on some grass. He waited and watched, and then when the rabbit lowered it's head he sprang from the bushed, catching the rabbit before it even had a chance to run. Setting the now dead rabbit down Galahad licked his lips and then noticed a bit of rustling from a nearby bush. Before he could turn to look a second rabbit shot out, trying to reach a safe spot. Two was better than one and so Galahad raced after the rabbit, catching it on the other side of the clearing.
With two rabbits now Galahad was ready to head back. Both him and Chiv could share a nice breakfast together and relax before starting the daily duties. Picking up both rabbits he padded back towards the den, having to stop every now and then to adjust his hold, but soon enough he could see the dens come into sight.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:38 am
 Typically Chiv was not the type to sleep in - on any given morning she was generally one of the first wolves up and about within the pack. Lately however she had been a touch more tired then usual and found herself drifting off for afternoon naps more often then normal...and waking up later in the mornings.
Like this morning, cracking an eye open she was not surprised to find Galahad already gone - the lack of warmth at her side had already told her he'd woken and left though she didn't think it was quite as late as it was until she lifted her head and looked outside. Moons! It was nearly midday and mentally chastising herself for being o incredibly lazy - what sort of example would that give the packs youth - she crawled out of her den and gave her pelt a little shake. Perhaps no one would see her waking up and not realize that she had slept in so late...but in taking a sly look around she noticed Galahad trotting towards her, so much for that plan then..and was he carrying rabbits in his mouth? Why that would make a nice...her stomach gave a lurch and her noe wrinkled of its own accord in disgust.
Chiv was momentarily confused - she loved rabbits she used to eat them all the time. Why the only time she'd found them somewhat tiresome was when she had been preg....oh dear. Quite suddenly it all clicked back into place and Chivosi turned around and squirmed back into the den. "Take them away!" She yelped at Galahad as soon as he was close enough to hear her "Give them to someone else!"
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:44 am
Ah there she was. Galahad spotted Chiv climbing out of the den, my she had slept late today. Of course with all the extra activity in the pack lately with the spring weather in full swing she was likely tired from overworking herself. Smiling at her, somewhat awkwardly thanks to the rabbits being held in his mouth Galahad padded forward but then noticed a change in Chiv and quickly brought his paws to a stop. Take them away? But he had caught them for her. Perhaps she wasn't feeling good, though she hadn't seemed ill last night. With a bit of a shrug as Chiv returned to the den Galahad turned and carried the rabbits away.
After placing them on the stone that kills were generally brought to for the pack to share Galahad padded back to the den. Slowly slipping inside he looked at Chiv, moving forward and nuzzling her in an apologetic way, though he wasn't quite sure what he was apologizing for, Chiv loved rabbits. "Is everything alright?" He asked before lowering himself down to sit at her side.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:30 am
Poor Galahad - Chiv could tell by the way he nuzzled her that he thought he had done something to upset her which was as far from the truth as one could get. She just didn't think that gagging and hacking was the proper way to explain to him that he was going to be a father.
It had been a while since Chiv had been pregnant - which was way she likely hadn't caught onto it sooner then this, the excessive tiredness, her increasingly picky appetite that seemed to fluctuate from being ravenously hungry to feeling ill at the thought of eating more on a whim...it all made perfect sense...she just hadn't thought this would happen so soon after they started sharing a den together...though that was a bit of a cop out, she was an adult and she knew the consequences of what they had done. She wasn't even upset about it - she love puppies, she wanted to be a mother again and Galahad had already implied that he wanted to be a father...but look what had happened last time...everything had been going great then she'd had puppies and Mene had gone away on her.
It would be different this time she told herself - Galahad would never leave he was a different type of wolf. Lifting her head she finally let herself look at him, she gave him an apologetic look for making him think he had done something to upset her and thumped her tail a few times before pushing her head against his "I think so" She told him "I think you'll find it more then alright actually"
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:38 am
For the first time Galahad was a bit disturbed by the silence. Normally he was willing to wait for her to think things over and speak but this time it made him nervous. Did that mean everything wasn't alright? Was she truly ill? He hadn't see any signs of such really. Had Mene come back and thus make her wonder who to live with? No, he would have known if Mene had returned and he was certain that even if that wolf did return she would stick with him, for he was far more stable than that shell of a wolf. The dens were quiet so no major accident had happened while he was gone out for his walk. So...to be honest he had no idea what to think.
Finally she looked at him and he caught her tail wagging. So all was well then? Galahad gave her cheek a lick but was still not sure what was going on. According to Chiv's words everything was alright, more than alright, but he was still a bit left in the dark. "I don't think I follow you." He finally admitted with a bit of a nervous chuckle. Really he wasn't normally daft, but the whole thing over the rabbits and now her somewhat vague explanation had him a bit dumbfounded. When did life become so complicated?
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:45 am
He looked more then a little bit confused and Chiv supposed that she couldn't really blame him - she hadn't come out and told him what was happening yet after all and this sort of thing generally took a pretty blunt explanation she had noticed. Another female would likely pick up on vague hints and put the pieces together but males tended to need a more basic explanation.
"You've noticed I've been sleeping more then normal?" She asked him - though that she was sure was obvious to everyone who had been paying attention "And my appetite is a bit off" she went on to explain "Well..if you recall the conversation we had not to long ago, when I asked you to become my second Alpha and move in with me?" There had been more to that conversation of course then just that and Chiv wondered if Galahad would pick up on it for himself. "Well..I think I'm pregnant, the last time all this happened was when I was pregnant with Derecho, Aleu and the others"
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:56 am
Galahad nodded, yes she had been sleeping a bit more than normal. But really they were doing a lot more work and patrols now than they had during the winter, so he hadn't counted that as a strange occurrence. Some days he had been absolutely exhausted after multiple patrols, mixed with hunts and keeping up with other Alpha duties. So it would make perfect sense for Chiv to be tired as well as she did the same if not more work. Of course as she went on to speak of their conversation a while back it all started to make sense. It wasn't the extra work that spring had brought it was...
Then she said the word, the word that he was not rolling about in his mind. Pregnant. Now he reaction to the rabbits made perfect sense. His mouth gaped a bit in surprise, though the corners of it were pulled up into a grin. Tail thumped against the ground in happiness. She was pregnant...with his pups. Oh happy day! Galahad had to give his head a shake to clear away the shocked dumb look that was on it. This was wonderful news. "You're pregnant..." He couldn't help but smile widely and lowered his head down to nuzzle her lovingly. "I can't believe it. I'm going to be a father." His dream would come true, there would be little pups, his pups, running about in the future.
"This is great Chiv." He laid down now, pressing against her side gently. "Wow...me a father. I know you will make an excellent mother." Part of him wanted to race out of the den and shout to the whole pack about it, but no, he also wanted to savor this moment. He glanced back at her, though honestly she didn't look pregnant. "How...how soon before they come do you think?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:18 am
Chiv was pretty sure that Galahad had started to figure it out by the time she actually got around to saying it, she could see the knowledge bouncing around in his eyes as he mulled it over before she confirmed it with her words - strangely telling Galahad was not as hard as telling Mene had been - in fact he had first spoke with Edgar the strange rat tailed wolf whom had stayed with the pack in that first year before she had confessed her condition to Mene.
Perhaps it was Galahads easy nature..or the experience of having told someone before but Chiv was not so much worried about telling him as she was excited to see his response...and Galahad certainly didn't disappoint her - he seemed legitimately excited by the prospect of becoming a father. Of course she had always expected that he would be. "And you'll be an excellent father" She assured him 'you've always done well with the pups in the pack" She told him recalling her own worries the first time around. Rubbing her head along his neck and chest lovingly she chuckled a bit at his last question "Oh it will be a while yet" She told him "it's still quite early"
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:29 am
He smiled and nodded a bit. Yes, he had done well with all the pups in the pack so far, but these would be his own flesh and blood children, surely that would mean he would treat them differently, likely be even more protective of them, wish the best for them and absolutely be a nervous wreck when they did arrive. Really though, what was there to worry about? Chiv had done this before and he did enjoy spending time with pups, it would just mean that for once he would be tending to his own and not others. Now he somewhat hoped that another couple in the pack would have pups as well so that his children would grow up with friends.
"You know I'm going to make you rest plenty now. And I will fetch whatever food doesn't turn your stomach on that particular day." He said with a chuckle. Obviously today, rabbits were bad, but there was still deer, a variety of birds and fish if he really had to. Running his rose down her back Galahad chuckled a bit, so they had lots of time to prepare, that was good. He didn't care if the litter was going to be large or small, nor did the genders matter, though honestly deep down he had to admit having a son would be nice and a large litter as well, but he would be happy with daughter or even a small litter. All that truly mattered was that they and Chiv were healthy. They would need to eventually think of names, but really it would be hard to settle upon names until the pups arrived. Oh such an exciting time.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:42 am
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you" Chivosi told him with a laugh as he spoke of making her rest and ensuring she ate well until the pups were born - that seemed to be a universal trait of worried fathers and she supposed she couldn't really complain about the extra attention, it was their way of being involved in the process and she wouldn't begrudge Galahad that.
"I wonder what they will look like" She murmured after a few moments of thought "I was surprised when Tantalus was born..he looks just like my mother and the tribal markings on Aleus children come from my father" She shared with the brown male, she supposed she and Galahads children would be largely earthy natural colors..what with both of their browns in the mix, though she had no idea what Galahads family looked like.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:55 am
Smiling Galahad laid his head upon her back. He should be leaving for a patrol soon, but that could wait just a few more minutes. As Chiv spoke once more Galahad pulled himself out of a daydream about pups rolling about the den. "Tantalus does stick out amongst his siblings, I had always wondered where that coloring had come from." He admitted. Would any of his children resemble their grandparents? Possibly, one could never be too certain until they arrived. "I'm sure they will all be as beautiful as their parents." He was curious to see what they would look like, would they take on coloring from his family, though they were mostly browns like himself, or would they inherit their mothers tribal markings, perhaps even resemble a member further back in their line. Ah the possibilities were endless, and they would have to wait some time to find out. "As long as they are healthy I don't care what color they are."
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