Talas'An placed her face close to the reflection of the moon in the stream. Could she really give them anything they wanted? If Tal asked hopefully enough, could she even give them pups?

The water rippled and distorting the moon, forcing Tal to look up through the few over-hanging branches. Looking at Her directly sent a thrum through Tal that a reflection couldn't. It couldn't hurt to ask. She and Tar were under Her protection now.

"Cerridwen," she whispered, not wanting to break the silence of the night around her. "Cerridwen, please hear me." She fell silent. She felt silly. Shame washed through her and she straightened her shoulders and stared defiantly at the moon. "My mate and I have now dedicated our lives to you. To your pack on Telk. As your faithful servant, please grant me your blessing for a family. For pups from Tar and I. They will be raised as your pack wishes, knowing your love and will grow strong to add to the ranks of your followers. Please allow us to have pups, and soon. It's been a long journey here." Tal sighed. "To you."

--
Tar was rarely far off from Tal - but on those rare occasions when he was he always found it easy to find her again, he merely had to think of her and his paws inevitably led him in the right direction. Fate...much like thier trip here and thier finding of this pack. It as so sheltered and so obscure that Tar couldn't place that on anything but fates shoulders.

When he did find Tal again he found her stareing at the moon high above, whispering something quietly that he couldn't quite make out from where he stood. Brows furrowed slightly he wondered if something troubled her, she had always come to him with her troubles before but perhaps this was something more serious. You’re just making trouble for yourself, he told himself after a few moments and stepped forward. "Tal?"

--
Tal turned her head quickly, startled to hear her mate so close without her having noticed, but she smiled softly at him as her tail gave a few welcoming wags. "Tar. Come sit with me." Her focus had blinded her other senses. That wasn't usually a good thing, but the packlands had been safe so far, and now that Tar was here she would be fine.

Her flight of fancy with praying to Cerridwen again struck her as a foolish whim, but she pushed the feeling aside. If both of them asked Her, maybe it would be twice as powerful, especially since it would show both of them were invested in the decision. Tar wanted a family as much as Tal did. She knew it well enough.

--
Well she didn't look too worried, Tar told himself as he looked upon her - and he had to admit she made a rather pretty picture in the moonlight. Striding forward in typical Tar fashion he returned her warm welcome with a quick nuzzle before sitting down beside her and tipping his head back to eye the moon for a few moments. "Were you to having an important discussion?" He asked Tal as he turned his gaze back upon her with a slight motion of his muzzle towards the moon.

--
"Not really a discussion. But it was important. It is important." She nuzzled him in return and sidled slightly closer to him. "I was asking her to give us a healthy litter of pups." There was no reason to dance around the issue with Tar. He was her mate, her best friend. They never lied to one another, because there was never a reason to. "It sounds odd, but that's the pack's custom. And if the moon-wolf really watches over us, it can't hurt to ask her to help us."

--
"Srong healthy pups hmm?" Tar responded after a few moments of silence - he knew Tal wanted a family, he did as well, but they had both agreed to wait until they found the pack - were settled in. Now that they were here…well it was getting a bit harder to find reasons they needed to keep putting it off. The pack was small, still searching for more members from what he had over heard and Tar couldn't see here they would object to a little of puppies. The land was more then flush enough to care for them all - including a few new mouths to feed. "Well...I think that’s a request I can get behind" He told Tal with a bit of a smile. "Shall I ask as well do you think? Or is it a female thing?

--
"She's your goddess now too." She smiled in return, pleased that he'd decided to join her. How anyone could not notice the Tar she loved she never knew. Everyone else must be blind. "I think if both of us asked, she wouldn't say no. She couldn't deny us that if she sees how happy it would make us, and most likely the pack as well." She nudged him with her shoulder, pressing briefly against him as she did so. "Go on, you try this time."

--
"That is true" He told her with an affectionate n** before furrowing his brow in thought. Tar had given himself to the packs ways and he believed them, he really did, but he was a little unclear on how to go about asking a goddess for anything. He had prayed to pretty much everything under the sun when he was younger - prayed that he would end up with Tal, that they would find a way to leave, that her family wouldn't whip him good when they found out how they felt about one another. So far he had to admit most of those had been answered pretty well. He'd gotten Tal, they'd left and found Sanctity and well her family was a goodly bit away now wasn't it? Yes he couldn't argue the power of prayer so far in his life. It only made sense to try and keep the trend going.

A quick look about to make sure no one else but Tal happened to be around and Tar cleared his throat. "Cerridwen," He started but then seemed to lose track of how to continue, after a few moments he tried again. "Cerridwen - I know Tal and I might not have served you our whole lives, but we have journeyed long and hard to find you...and our pups if you so choose to bless us with them will grow up knowing your ways, will learn to serve you from the moment they are born. Tal and I will lead them right, I promise..."

Well he wasn't sure if that was good or not but it sounded good to him and he turned his eyes to Tal for her opinion.

--
Tal grinned as he looked to her, vaguely uncomfortable, and she pushed her head under his chin for a small snuggle. "Wonderfully spoken, Tar. I don't see how she could doubt our sincerity."

It was a little more awkward to pray with someone listening-- most likely Tal would take to performing any supplications to Cerridwen in private-- but she didn't want to Tar to feel alone.

"Cerridwen, you've heard us both. Please don't ignore our request because our happiness is yours. May it be so."

Tal fell silent for a moment, looking down slightly and letting her eyes stare blankly at the leaves, then she peeked up at the moon from under Tar's chin again as branches creaked slightly in the breeze overhead. "I hope she was listening."

--
Tar gave a small huff as Tal grinned at him a typical cranky response when being placed in an uncomfortable position - such as talking to a goddess - but he softened to Tal's touch and sighed somewhat contented as she pushed her head under his chin. He would put up with any amount of embarrassment for her. And anyways she said it hadn't sounded near as silly as he'd thought it had after thinking back on his words for a few moment. She was probably right he told himself - she normally was.

Tar was content to sit in silence with Tal, in the moonlight, by the stream it was a clear night and the forest sounds embraced them both, Tal's voice blending with them like she belonged where his typically sounded so gruff. Or perhaps that was his own imagination. "I'm sure she was love. How could anyone not listen to you hmm?"

--
"Charmer," she murmured, feeling the usual amused pleasure at his compliments. She couldn't imagine a better mate for herself, nor a better father for her children. Sanctity should prove to be a wonderful home for them.

"Are you ready, Tar?" She asked after a while of silence. "We've asked the moon, and I know I am, but what about you? If we aren't ready, we can wait a little longer before trying for our family. It would leave us more time to spend with Sauda and our packmates, anyway." It was true, after all, but Tal was admittedly eager to start her family. Still, she didn't want pups born to parents who weren't entirely ready for their coming. It was always safest, best to be prepared. Pups died in less-than-ideal conditions.

--
Tar chuckled slightly as she called him a charmer - only Tal would find him and his complaints charming. Nasty and ill tempered were the description he'd heard most throughout his life. But Tal was different…which was one of the reasons he couldn't see himself with anyone else. Ever. Still...he remained silent for a few long moments as she asked her question - part of him wanted to leap up and exclaim that of course he was ready, that there was no reason he could see to put things off any longer. They were young sure but they were perfect for one another and Tar could picture Tal as a mother. She would be wonderful and kind and everything a pup could possibly want. But he refrained himself from making this instinctual leap...it was an important question and it deserved some serious thought.

But no matter now much he turned it about Tar couldn't come up with any reason to keep waiting and so he turned to Tal and gave a soft nod "I think I am - or at least I'm as ready as I think I can be," He added truthfully. "The beta has given us his blessing."

--
"I know. But the Beta can't tell us what we feel. I'm glad he gave us the freedom to have a family as we see fit. I'm sure the Alpha wouldn't frown on us for it either. Like you said, they are looking to bring more into the worship of Cerridwen." Her realism surged and she sighed. All right, she still had a small crisis of faith when it came to belief, but if they did indeed have a large, healthy litter, that should at least imply some assurance than Cerridwen was real. And she cared.

The water rippled by her feet, and she looked into the pool before leaning down and drinking straight from the reflection of the moon. She smiled at her own folly as she pulled back from the water, amusement chasing away her darker, more realistic thoughts. "We should try soon."

--
Tar nodded slightly as Tal spoke - it was true, though the beta had told them it would be fine he was glad they had decided to talk about it first rather then just well…leaping into the situation. Tar was of the opinion it was always better to talk things over, stuff just always seemed to work out better that way - though pups hardly qualified as 'stuff'. "Should we...should we ask the Alpha anyway do you think? Just in case?" He asked Tal as she bent down to drink. Soon? How soon was soon? Did it matter? They had already decided they were ready and nerves at being a father aside Tar gave his mate a warm look "If you'd like we can."

--
"I don't think we need to ask the Alpha. With Kalani's blessing we're free to try, and if we..." She cleared her throat, smiling as if she was a silly teen again, "We get pregnant, we can tell the Alpha. Until then the business in our den is our own. Everyone deserves a little privacy every now and again." She stood and shook out her fur.

"Our den will be much warmer than here, now that our prayers to Cerridwen are done. Let's head home."

--
"Well said" Tar responded with a slight smirk - true he had wanted to ensure none of the packs customs were broken but well - he hadn't been entirely keen on announcing just what they were up to to everyone in the pack. Lets face it in a pack this small word was bound to get around faster then airborne leaves. "And that’s settled then...so let go get warmed up before it gets too chilly out here" He agreed, shaking out his own fur before leading the way back towards their den.