[ COMPLETED ]

Intended as a short interlude since I don't know much about what to have my girl do while being pregnant. Tagging @[Czestochowa], and @[Torro De'Saint] can join too if he wants .

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Gee, this was tiring. If she'd known all that beforehand, she'd definitely not gotten into any kind of mateship at all. Pfft.

Aamu had been dragging along a brown hare and dumped it back at the stock room. She'd been reorganising it, knowing that if winter did come along, she'd not have the time to hunt for a few weeks and so it had to be logical. The oldest kills, more on the front side, so that any hungry wolf would surely eat those first. She'd even separated birds from rabbits and hares while she was at it. Now if dragging along a slightly heavier belly wouldn't slow her down, it might have been a different story, but for now, she was done with it and decided to move back up to the 'roots' of the Citadel.

Yawning - the sun was only up high, this was getting ridiculous - she looked around the area to see if her mate was around. His smell was here, all right, but that did not mean much as he was coming and going by about the same route every time, and so was she, and multiple others. She felt exhausted already, and that usually meant she just wanted to snuggle up next to him, but apparently he did not want to lay down as much as she. Life, especially bringing in new life, was so unfair.

Czestochowa had been out that morning saying daily prayer. This was his first prayer with the necklace on and with this, he should be a Viligant of Valkryi. Of course Aamu was always a topic in such prayers. He asked for her to feel well and have a good pregnancy. It worried him sometimes that she was always so exhausted. She would be moody one day and back to normal the next.

It was strange, he had never experienced such things before, he knew he was born but not much more to it than that. He anticipated each coming day, excited for the unborn puppies. He would constantly be full of questions, which were cut short by Aamu always asking him for some very strange venue of food. Ducks, squirrels, berries, hog. The list seemed never ending. But he tried his best to bring her what she wanted. He also mentioned keeping Divium well and safe, to bring new members and even asked for Valkri's blessing for a safe and productive winter.

As he trotted up through the tunnel entrance that lead to the shining woods in the other direction, he came upon camp and just not a orange tail slip through the entrance to the great Citadel. Surely it was Aamu. Czestochowa picked up his pace, the beautiful black feathers dancing around his neck. He made his was up to the entrance and quickly went in after her. "Aamu! Good morning! Look what I have." he proudly stuck out his chest and lifted a skinny leg up to his necklace of ebony crow feathers with a smile.

Blinking in the sun, the orange female turned her head at the voice. She grinned when she saw him approach. "Looks good! So you're a Vigilant now, officially?" she asked. She was pretty sure she already knew that answer, but still.

She knew she asked a lot of him lately. Sometimes, she had just completely different feelings than other days, or reacted more instinctively than any other day. She did like that he had come up with the food she had a craving for on that particular day, though. Secretly, she'd only challenged him to catch the hog just to see if he would, but she thought it better to tell him... some day after the birth. Instead, she smiled at him now, and nudged his shoulder. The black feathers really did look good on his fur.

Torro had only made it with Suwalki in tow this morning, and he hadn't seen hide or hair of Freyja or any one else for that matter. So he told Suwalki he would be back, and to wait for him while he ventured deeper into Divum territory to see if he could found Aamu. He lowered his nose to the ground, and followed her scent, eventually rounding the corner and coming across Aamu... and Czest. Torro's ears flicked back, and he contemplated using his natural affinity for speed to run the fuck away. Clearing his throat softly, he tilted his head to the side in thought. "Uh... Hi there." He said softly, feeling like he was interrupting something mighty important.

He noted that Czest was wearing feathers now. What did that mean? He cocked his crown to the side in slight confusion, and then looked from Czest to Aamu. She looked tired. This pregnancy thing must have been tiring. He wouldn't know because he wasn't a female, but he could only guess how horrible it must be. He opened his maw to say something, but then closed it again abruptly, unsure of what to say.

Czestochowa smiled with a proud nod. "Yep, sure am!" Suddenly he heard a voice. He turned his head to see it was Torro. His smiled faded and his tail had ceased its happy wagging and he just stared at Torro almost in a glare, but more just wondering why hs was there returning the same tilted head movement.

He knew Aamu said he would be here, but for him it was too soon. Czestochowa didn't feel the need to show off or explain his new necklace to Torro and figured he probably didn't even notice anyways. He breathed a sigh for a second before looking over to Aamu, then back to him. "Torro." he said dipping his head slightly in a single nod of acknowledgement.

Well, he was here now. And he would have to try his best to keep a level head and be polite. But he wouldn't promise not to keep a careful eye on him. It would be useful having him around to help, it was tiring sometimes to chase down the crazy things Aamu wanted. But he did it because he loved her.

He would tolerate him for his help but it didn't mean hs was going to be all buddy buddy with him either. This was a strange situation as it was. And Czestochowa didn't want to admit that he felt even a tad bit jealous and maybe hostile.

Aamu grinned happily at Czest. She had yet to tell him to catch another flying creature on the day she was going to birth, since she needed one for the ritual of a safe litter, but she was distracted by Torro coming around the Citadel. He twitched his ears backwards, maybe thinking he interrupted something. Well, any time he'd come around when she was talking to Czest it would probably feel that way, so she tried to take away the awkward feelings by smiling and greeting him happily. Waving her tail behind her, she barked joyously to her friend coming by. "Hi Torro! It's good you found your way over here. I'm glad you'll be around to help Divum through the winter."

Of course, she noticed Czests reaction. She had sort of expected it, as he would probably not like the idea of the two of them having been together, or even fathering her litter. But there was nothing to be done about it any more besides making the best of the situation. So, she flicked her left ear towards her mate, but tried to ignore the awkward silence between the two males.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Torro gave a nervous chuckle as Czest regarded him with a look that could almost be compared to a glare, but brushed it off. He would just have to get over it. Despite the tension in the Czest dipped his crown to Torro, and spoke to him. Perhaps just acknowledging that he was here. So Torro did the same thing. His own crown dipped in response, and his baritone lyrics slipped from his mouth. "Czest." He greeted, his eyes catching on the necklace of feathers. He hadn't been wearing those before. He blinked a few times. "Were you wearing that the last time we met? I don't recall it. What's it for?" He asked, his inquisitive nature getting the better of him.

His eyes tore from Czest to look upon a very pregnant looking Aamu with banner wagging happily. He grinned softly at her, but kept his distance for the sake of her, and her mate. He nodded his crown to her, and spoke once again. "I told you I would. I don't try to make it a habit to lie. I've uh, I've brought a friend with me. I was escorting her back to Orior, and she insisted that I come here, and she'll leave here in a few days time to continue the rest of the journey to Orior without me. I just thought I'd let you guys know."

Czestochowa still watching Torro carefully received a querry from the other male. It almost suprised him that he cared to ask about it. But Czestochowa, being a Viligant now, was bound to his word to share knowledge with others if they wanted it. Not that he wouldn't share with him what it was about, it merely gave him a reason to talk about it.

Then he smirked proudly to answer the question. "Oh, this? No I wasn't. I made it just this morning. It means im a Viligant of the goddess Valkryi. I am a knowledge seeker and sharer. This necklace was a part of the ceremony in which I became a Viligant only a while ago. Although, I think I may just keep it on." he said as he began to hoist a dainty paw up to it and lifted it slightly to look at the beautiful black feathers.

As he studied his necklace Torro replied to Aamu's happy greeting. He didn't know why she was so happy to see him, he didn't like it. But he wouldn't stop her, she wouldn't do that to him. She can have the friends she wants, but that didn't mean they had to be his too.

Czestochowa merely tried to pretend not to care much of their conversation as he figured Torro would ramble on about something and fiddled with the necklace. But as Torro mentioned him bringing a friend he found himself listening. Then he cared to add that it was another female. He almost scoffed but luckily caught himself from doing it and smartly looked away to avoid a disapproving glare from Aamu. He was lucky to see a squirrel scuttle away into some brush that could make it look like it had grabbed his attention.

She grinned at the happenings before her, now. Torro was too curious to let go of asking about the necklace, and Czest was too proud of it not to answer. It could almost be a normal conversation.

She smartly smoothed her face when attention went back to herself, though. Torro said he'd brought a friend - a she? - whom he had been escorting to Orior but would scuttle away soon? Seemed she was planning on joining there? She tilted an orange head. If it hadn't been for herself, he would probably have followed this female, was what she could hear between-words.

Czest quickly turned his head, Aamu only turning an ear towards him when he did. Yes, she'd noticed too, and no, she wasn't too happy about it either. So instead of what Czest had feared, with hoisting her head, Aamu's disapproving glare went to Torro. "Already?" she softly inquired, tone neutral as she didn't want to sound too badly disapproving. He could do whatever he wanted, right? Well, not all right. If he made another female pregnant while she was just about to birth, how was he ever going to be a father to both litters? Or maybe he never planned on that. Hoped that she would not have his pups. Well, she did too, but that was a different reason.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Torro listened to Czest with real interest, and nodded his crown. There was even a little bit of a smile that could be seen there. He knew that Czest and he would never be close or "buddy buddy" but he was really trying to make this work here. "That's neat. I think it looks charming on you." He'd bark, his twin banners wagging happily behind him.

The smile that he had been wearing smartly wiped off of his face as he saw the male look away quickly, and Aamu glare at him as if he had done something wrong. He scoffed softly, his ears pinning against his head not in anger, but at the silent accusations they were making of him. His ears then hoisted back off of his his head, but not in it's entirety. He cleared his throat, his crown lowering. "What ever you're thinking, I'd kindly ask that you stop." He replied, the hurt that they would think so lowly of him. It hadn't been his fault that night in the city. She had been consenting so who were they to judge him of something he had done?

"I was escorting her. Not courting her. There's a difference." He'd reply again, his tone tight, and his body struggling to remain nonchalant. "I do have feelings for her, but until things are sorted out here there will be nothing of the other sort going on."