Hólmgeir yawned wide, jaws stretching with a crack. Letting his head flop back tiredly across his paws he blinked open bleary eyes, just in time to receive a tiny paw directly in the face. Scrunching them shut tight against the innocent attack he huffed out a breath, one that was apparently hard enough to jolt another bundle of fluff from its position atop his back, as a still sleeping cub slid down his flank to land atop their brothers and sister. The resulting uproar as four mouths opened in unison at this rude awakening, stirred his sleeping mate.
With a sleepy sound the pretty golden cream female stretched out her front legs carefully, eyes only slowly slitting open. Sóma was as tired as he, more so in actuality, as she had the responsibility of feeding the four hungry bundles every few hours. Hólmgeir honestly had no idea how she did it. He at least could escape the tiny terrors when he was worried his temper was starting to fray. He had already been out hunting several times, just as an excuse to get away from the den for a while. Plus he believed the fresh meat was far better for his poor wife than something killed several days previous that had come out of the stores. While it had been good to exercise his badly degraded hunting technique –a reaver of his advanced experience and standing in the pride did not have to hunt for their own meat after all- he did feel slightly guilty about it. Gradually the four cubs drifted off back to dream land, though their wiggling and jerky, uncoordinated movements continued for a while after. But at last they settled and Holmgeir sighed with relief. The longer they slept the more rest both him and his mate could get. But Sóma, it seemed, was awake now and yawned mightily.
“Morning dear.” He rumbled quietly, carefully stretching his head across to lick her cheek without disturbing the pile of fuzzy sleeping cubs that were curled up against his belly.
“Morning dad..” Sóma returned, a sleepy twinkle in her dark eyes. Holmgeir grunted in return though her new nickname for him secretly pleased him. He was a father, to four perfectly formed, alert and active cubs. Three of them boys. Looking down he watched them sleep. Ronan, Ragnvard and Raskgor. Ronan stood out with his bright yellow coat and red mane, a furry sunspot in a bundle of darker colours. Raskgor was smaller than his brothers, and the only one to inherit the more muted shades of Holmgeir’s parents. The other three had the warmer tones of Sóma’s line. Each and every one of them was perfect, and the little girl named Vundi, looked like a perfect mini-version of Brenna, Sóma’s sister. Sighing with quiet pride despite his usually stoic attitude, he nuzzled his wife a second time.
“Why don’t you go get breakfast dear?” He asked in a carefully lowered tone so as to not wake the four terrors that shared their den. “A bit of fresh air would do you good.” He knew he was fussing, but it was his privilege as a father and husband. Sóma had become his wife many ayear ago, an arranged partnership between their own parents, but over the seasons Sóma had won not only his admiration and confident, but his love too, and the big gruff reaver could not imagine his life without his vibrant, sassy wife within it.
Sóma yawned again before returning his affectionate nuzzle with her own, licking his cheek tenderly. “If you are sure, älskling.” She chuckled at his raised brow look. “Alright, alright…” With practiced care she eased herself up and stood, stepping slowly over the sleeping balls of fluff, pausing to rub her cheek against her husband’s thick dark mane for a moment before moving quietly to the den’s entrance. “Won’t be long.” She murmured, glancing back at her mate and new family. A moment later she was gone, slipping away to go fetch some breakfast.
After filling her empty belly, Sóma made a small detour, going to visit with her sister Brenna for a little while. As always her sibling was full of gossip and the goings on around the pride, much of which Sóma had missed since the birth of her litter. Looking after four tiny cubs didn’t leave Sóma with very much free time right now, though she had been assured they would soon start to become more independent, or at east would go longer between feeds. Honestly, Sóma was looking forward to when they were a little more… individual. When they would show their personalities and do more than eat and sleep.
After bidding her sister a fond farewell she returned to the den by the long way, taking a quiet walk along the beach, her husband’s words echoing in her ear. He would be mad at her if she let herself get sick, so she heeded his advice to get a little air and exercise. But eventually she could resist no more and bent her steps back to their den and her new family. Slipping in through the mouth of their home she padded over to Holmgeir, brushing their cheeks together before settling down beside him, curling up contentedly against his side, claiming her spot while all four cubs were actually all in one place at the same time, on his other side.
Lifting his head to sleepily nuzzle Holmgeir shifted, closing any space between them, and after she laid her head across his broad fore paws, he settled his chin across her shoulders. “Did you eat well?” At her nod he purred in contentment.
“I also visited Brenna, and took a walk by the sea.” She offered, voice quiet to avoid waking the cubs, though they were due to start demanding their feed any minute now.
“How is she?” He asked, smothering another yawn. They should have time for a little nap before the demanding fuzzballs woke up again. Soma filled him in on her visit, but both of them were having trouble staying awake, so soon enough Holmgeir shifted closer, gave her ear a lick and told her to rest. “They will be up soon…” He reminded her in an amused if tired voice. Within moments both adults were fast asleep, just as the first cub started to stir, one tiny paw jamming itself into the nose of his sibling.
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