Tal walked as if her ankles were wings, paws dancing across the leaves. She was sure now. She wasn't sure before but she was sure now that she was right. Tar was out wandering the borders, she thought, or perhaps was out seeking food. Tonight was a meal night, and they would need supper. Often they went together, but Tal had, she had to admit, been a little odd with her attentions lately. Sometimes she was overly-affectionate, eager to cuddle and spend time in the den, and others she was distant and absent, spending her time hunting for the sheer desire to hunt or visiting with Sauda. Sauda had easily become her best friend, but she would have to know second. Her mate would be the first to know.

Tar's pelt was a shadow among the trees, but she saw him in good time and smiled widely, her tail wagging furiously. Not even her usual realism-- she was going to have to carry these things for months and then care for them-- could keep her spirits from taking off above the clouds.

"Tar!" She called, pretty much galloping over to her mate.

--
Tar's ears were flat against his skull as he watched the young doe ahead - she would be difficult for him to bring down alone but she was limping, clearly wounded and still young enough that she had not gained her full stature. Difficult but not impossible. Of course that was all moot as she went trampling off through the bush - limp or not she could still move when startled.

Tar might have been mad, had it not been Tal's voice that had spooked her and turning to look at her his frown turned into a smile and he wagged his tail - she certainly seemed eager about something...and she had been so different lately, Tar wasn't about to upset her but complaining about the scared off deer."Tal!" He greeted in a chipper tone "You certainly seem happy about something? just pleased to see me?" He teased - Tar didn't really tease anyone but her, he wasn't comfortable around anyone else enough to do so.

--
"I'm always happy to see you," she retorted, rubbing her body against his and nuzzling into his neck as she stilled and pressed against him. "Did I scare dinner away? Were you hunting? I'm sorry." No, she wasn't really. Who cared about a single lost meal when her news was far more exciting. Later, they could bring something down together and have a celebratory meal alone together.

--
Tar couldn't help but feel a stir of pride when she stated being happy to see him, he was always proud to know she was his as much as he was hers and who wouldn't be? All the other males in the pack - yes even the alpha ought to be jealous of him when it came to Tal. "It's fine" He assured her "Probably wouldn't have been a good meal anyways" He concluded with a glance in the direction the deer had taken before turning back to her "But what brings you out and about? Did you want to hunt together?"

--
"Yes. We should hunt together for a meal, like we did when we were alone." Her tail had stilled, but something in the tense muscles of her body implied that her excitement lingered and in large quantities as well. "It can be a great celebration for us and we can offer what's left over to Cerridwyn as a thank you by moonlight. I think tonight is one of the moonless ones, but I doubt that will change the meaning of the offering." She looked in the direction Tar had glanced briefly, and then her purple eyes clashed with his gold ones again, face uncharacteristically pup-like. She got this way sometimes just from being with Tar, but not more than once or twice since the two had become adults.

--
Tar had rarely seen Tal so excited over the prospect of hunting - she sh enjoyed it, like all wolves did but he rarely seemed to be bursting from the seams about it like she was now and he arched a brow slightly in thought. "Celebration?" He questioned after a few moments, was there some holiday he'd forgotten about? "And uh..what are we celebrating then?" It really wouldn't surprise him if he had forgotten something - Tal was much better about such things then he was.

--
Tal pressed her nose to his. "It worked," she said softly. "When we asked her, she heard us. Tar, we're having puppies." Her voice on the last word went up a few notches in squeakiness, but her voice stayed hushed, intimately soft. "I know for sure now. We're going to have our family!"

--
Tar blinked at her for a few moments his body going still as she nosed him and told him the news - THAT news in hushed but excited tones. By the moon! It was finally going to happen, they were finally going to get thier family. Oh he'd known that one day they would of course - but knowing an having were two differant things entirely and now that it was about to be Tar found himself frozen in shock. Not bad shock - he was immensly pleased with the thought of being a father, but shock none the less. "Truly?" He fiinally managed to ask her as though he couldn't quite believe it "When I mean...not soon right? We have lots to do..will the den be big enough? We should probably make it bigger..and you should be resting...and eating only the bet, do you want me to fight for he best pieces..I will you know, mayb I should just hunt for us from now on - make sure you only get the best"

--
Tal reached out and settled her teeth around his muzzle, gently resting them there for a moment to silence him before letting go. Puppies apparently caused wolves to act against their usual natures! "Tar, I'm not an invalid! The pups are barely rounding my belly, I almost didn't know myself just yet. I'm fine to hunt and what's more I want to. I want to be healthy and active so that the birth will go more easily. Sitting around our den with nothing to do would be foolish, and you know I would just spend all my time at Sauda's den or convincing her to take me hunting. Let me be with you as long as I can before these pups resign me to the main dens for weeks. We can do all of our own hunting if it makes you feel better, until the pups make me so ungainly I couldn't even catch a fawn."

She grinned and nuzzled her face into his neck again. "Oh, I'm so glad she heard us! I can't imagine the litter would be so large that we'd need a bigger den, but wouldn't that be wonderful?"

--
Tar took a few moments to settle himself as she quieted him - yes of course she was right, she normally was he reminded himself and gave her a somewhat sheepish look once she finished speaking 'Yes of course...got a bit ahead of myself" He admitted "I just want to do what will be best for our puppies" He told her seriously, although h was caught with another thought - just how many puppies would they have? He wasn't the greatest when it came to crowds - but certainly it would be different with his own pups.

--
"You'll be a wonderful father, and they'll know that." She glanced up at the sun, getting close to setting somewhere hidden behind miles of trees. "Let's find that meal and eat our fill before we offer Cerridwyn thanks. It will be nightfall soon, so perhaps we can catch some deer as they rest from their day, or when they're out looking for their first meal of the night. With you protecting us, and our pack and the moon with us, our puppies can't help but be strong. I hope they realize what a gift they've been given when they're born. However many we have." Silently, Tal prayed for a large litter, at least more than two pups, and she hoped, deep in her heart, that all of them would be healthy. The fear of a miscarriage now that she was pregnant would plague her until the pups came and could prove that fear was baseless.

--
Tar paced about the mouth of the den, throwing worried glances at Tal every now and again. He hadn't been present for a birth before and noises she was making from time to time worried him greatly? was it normal? Was she alright? He had no idea and so he was stuck doing nothing but casting worried looks and sending silent prayers. He was both terrified and excited, a strange mixture of emotion that made him edgy, his fur brstling as he stuck his head outside for the hundredth time to make sure no one was approaching to threaten Tal and his soon be born pups.

--
Later, Tal was told that for a first time mother her birthing went fairly easily. A short labor, no complications, and everyone-- including her-- was healthy afterwards. She still wished she had thought to send for Sauda to be there for support, or to at least keep Tar from jumping out of his skin every time the wind rustled. She simply didn't have the energy or the free attention to focus on anything but the coming pups.

When Tar had stuck his head outside for what seemed the hundred and tenth time the last of her litter arrived and she heaved a loud, groaning sigh of relief when she realized no more were forthcoming. She panted, just letting her head rest on the floor for a moment, then turned and gazed at the four gooey bundles. With her last bit of strength she brought the last pup up to her side with her siblings so the wiggling, sniffing little creatures could begin eating when they were strong enough. She began washing the newest-- another female-- and a smile curved her lips as she cleaned her offspring. Four perfect pups, none stillborn and all actively lifting their little noses as much as they could with their newborn strength.

"Tar, I think that's all of them," she said, barely capable of lifting her voice.

--
Tar was greatly relieved to hear those words - four wasa good size to his way o thinking and he hated seeing Tal so uncomfortable. Padding foreward hesitantly he inspected the four little beasts - sniffing them each in turn and greatly pleased when they all wiggled away from his nudges. Two mals and two female, all strong and healthy and Tal - well she looked tired but well and pleased so she would be fine too. "They're wonderful!" He told her in slight awe before nuzzling her lovingly and laying down to stare a the pups some more.

--
Tal beamed at him, still able to manage that much despite how weary she felt. "They are. They're perfect. Oh look, this one has your fur." She gave the little black and red-brown male a nudge with her nose before swiping her tongue against the head of the other boy, whose shoulders looked as if they had taken markings from her. "We're going to have to come up with four names." She looked at her mate questioningly. "Should we name them the way our old pack did? In the fashion of our names?"

--
Tar was rather lost in the vision of pups squirming, his ears pricked as the made soft little noises and he nearly missed the words of Tal, had to pull his head up and refocus on her to answer "Perhaps we should" He told her "Even though they will grow up here it will be good to remember our heritage" Though for the life of him he couldn't think of any at the moment.