A couple of days had passed since their daughters had been born, and their mother was slowly feeling her life return to normal. Kind of. She knew that life wasn't ever going to be the same as it was before she'd given birth. Mostly because of how much she loved the beautiful little balls of fur at her side. While she knew very well their creation had been a mistake, she wouldn't have been able to give them up for anything. They'd complicated her relationship with both men in her life, Mithras and Steel. She hadn't been sure what her relationship had been with the latter any better than she knew now, and she worried about his decision to go back with his sister, or to stay here with her and the Diamachi. The fact that he hadn't returned with them yet was testament to how much she meant to him, he would have been long gone if he didn't right? The brilliantly colored she wolf would sigh heavily as she looked down at her belly and the peacefully sleeping forms that lingered there. She didn't know what the future was going to hold, but she did know that she was going to take care of her babies, no matter what. ""

Mithras was a total wreck. I mean, between hunting for Faria and patrolling their den site every half hour to make sure every single living creature was either killed or driven off, well, he was exhausted! But the frazzled brute had never been a father before, and he wasn't really sure how this kind of thing worked. It seemed like just yesterday they had swum ashore in this wacked up realm, and now this... He sighed, and thought longingly of his sister. Where had Caia gone? He couldn't even share the news with her, never mind that her most likely reaction was violence and that thought put the fear of the gods into him. He still wanted her here. Mith couldn't help but worry that something irreparable had changed between him and Faria... It would make sense of course, things had changed and they'd done so drastically, but... That didn't stop him from lamenting how it had turned out. As he walked towards Faria's den, freshly killed rabbit hanging limp in his jaws, he amended that thought. He didn't regret all of it. His daughters scared him more than an angry grizzly, but they were still... amazing. They took his breath away whenever he saw them, and his mind was lost in the endless possibilities in their future. It seemed as if they grew larger and larger every time he saw them, never mind that it had only been a few days. Faria promised that soon they'd be up and running, and Mithras found himself oddly excited. And terrified. What kind of trouble would they get in? Lord, if they had inherited any of his or Caia's traits towards mayhem... He didn't want to think about that. He paused outside the mouth of the den, and murmured, "Dinner has arrived! Can I come in?" The space wasn't large enough for him to share it comfortably with Faria if either of them had to stand, but he'd promised to dig it out further once the pups could be taken outside. It would do for now. "Talk" "You" Think

Faria would lay quietly, her brilliant gaze lingering at the small forms at her side. They were so pretty, and literally the most amazing creatures she'd ever met. They didn't even really DO anything, but she knew they were special. They might not have been planned but she wouldn't have given them up in a thousand years. Despite the odd turn their relationship took she knew she was very much thankful for Mithras's presence. He was helping her more than he ever knew, she would have never been able to feed three hungry mouths on her own. During her daydreaming brilliant ears would flick back at the sound of Mithras approaching. She could smell the fresh kill he had with him and was looking quite bright by the time he asked to come in. She'd smile at him as he poked his head at the entrance, the den was too small for the both of them to comfortably inhabit it. Maybe it was a good thing though, with her heightened hormones who knows what she might have started thinking about Mithras. "Of course," She'd answer as she scoot to the back of the den, bringing her disturbed little ones with her. There was so much she wanted to talk to him about, everyday she'd go over the questions, the discussion she wanted to have. But everyday when he asked to come in she'd draw a blank, nerves keeping her from saying what needed to be said. Today would be no different as she watched the father of her children enter the den. ""

MITHRAS AERIS Mithras felt a warm comfort in his chest as Faria graciously granted him entrance to the den. Things could have gone so much worse than they had, in so many different ways. Hell, it was possible that he could have missed the birth of the girls entirely, could not even know that they existed. Faria could have sent him away when he did find out. But instead, there they were. It was awkward, sure! Neither of them seemed to know where to find stable ground, but at least they were tumbling down this mountain of "new" together. He would set the plump rabbit near her forepaws, preening a bit just like he always did. He was such a good hunter! And clearly an awesome dad! Never mind that he'd barely gotten more than an hour of sleep at a time in the past handful of days, he was just planning on ignoring that fact. He turned his gaze to the little blue bundles. One blue, one red, and one dark with specks and veins of brilliant color. The blue clearly took after Faria, and the red one looked a lot like others in his own line. The darker coated girl, well, he wasn't entirely sure if that had come from him or Faria but he found himself lost in the way colors were blooming from her inky coat. "Have you named them yet?" he asked gently. After the birth Faria had been too exhausted, and since then they'd been too wrapped up in being, well, parents to much too much thought into it. It never occurred to him that it might be something they would come up with together. After all, she had made them! She'd been the one to carry them, go through the pain and the blood, it ought to be her choice, right? He looked down at the girls once more, trying to feel out what their calling would be before it was announced, if Faria was even ready for that. One more step of the many the little ones would take. Gods, he was so nervous he felt like he just might puke. "Talk" "You" Think

She was quiet as Mithras offered her the meal he'd gotten for her and slowly settled down beside her and their three daughters. They were still so incredibly small she could hardly believe it. She hadn't really noticed how much they had grown but Mithras was more than aware as he wasn't with them every moment of the day. She watch him as he gazed down at the little lives they created together and she knew she'd made the right choice. He'd looked after her, been there for the girls, and she could see the very much obvious love he held for the three bundles at her side. He'd gently ask their names. She hadn't really thought about it yet, but they all did have a nickname in her mind. She'd meant to talk to Mithras about their names too, but it was just another unanswered question in her bank. "Well, In my head at least... I've been calling her, Artemis." She'd reach down and touch the brilliant blue girl with her nose. "Iskra, and Leto." She'd say softly, touching each pup in turn. She didn't know if she would consider them official names, but every day she used them they seemed that much more right. She would only hope that their father agreed. ""

The names she'd chosen seemed... perfect. Oddly so, even. As Mithras looked over each of their three daughters, let the names sink in, they just seemed right. He nodded, and could not keep the broad grin from spreading across his face. Artemis and Iskra for the bright blue and the scarlet, and then Leto for the darker girl, run through with vibrant streaks of color. Mithras hummed out his satisfaction. "Beautiful names for beautiful girls." He wanted to tell Faria that he was proud of them, proud of her for what the two of them had created. These three little pups, these lives that would now grow and walk the earth with them. He was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he couldn't wait for the day when he could look at them as they were, and then look back on the moments they were living at that very moment. He wanted to treasure every second. Who would have guessed that the young ruffian would be so keen to parent? He could not stop smiling. Between the crushing fear of protecting his girls and their mother, of course. But how could he tell Faria what was running through his mind? Things were still weird for them, or at least they seemed that way to him. They hadn't really discussed it, even then. He took a deep breath, leaping into things before he could think better of it. "Hey, look..." He wheedled, looking skyward and fishing for the words he ought to use. "I don't... I don't think this is a mistake. I mean, sure, maybe an accident but never a mistake." He felt at once that he was moving to fast into this conversation and was afraid that Faria would recoil, and for some reason he decided to press further. "I mean, things are good right? Weird, but good. I like them. I love them maybe, and no matter what you're still my best friend... right?" Maybe his voice was weaker than it ought to have been, maybe he put a little bit too much emotion into it all, but... Oh well. He really couldn't give a rats ass. He just wanted to know what Faria would make of it all. "Talk" "You" Think

Her features would brighten as the satisfied rumble echoed through Mithras' chest. He'd agree, these names were beautiful and they fit just right. They were indeed beautiful, more gorgeous than anything Faria had seen in her life to this point. They were wonderful, and she wasn't sad that her world now revolved totally around them. Bright eyes were encaptured by their forms, she'd long since stopped looking at their father. However her attention was easy enough to grab as he sought her. She'd tilt her head curiously as he looked away, obviously searching for the right words to say. Their relationship hadn't really been right since the conception of their children. She loved him, probably more than she'd ever want to admit, but it was so odd going from an almost sibling like relationship to co-parenting. "...never a mistake." She was partially surprised by the words, but she felt the same way. They were never meant to happen, but now that they were here she would never think them anything but perfect. Her eyes wouldn't leave him as he went on, she'd smile at how much of his inner self he was willing to show her. Goofy statuesque Mithras actually having a fot gooey middle? WHo would have known? And it only took her getting pregnant to find him. The soft understanding smile wouldn't leave her features, "Best friends Mithras." She'd smile a bit winder, aiming a nuzzle near his cheek. "I don't believe you though, i know you love these little girls." If he didn't he wouldn't be here right now, and she would be struggling to keep them alive. ""