She waddled from her den, regretting the large dinner she had had the night before. She had felt unusually hungry, and had gorged to her heart’s content, and she already, impossibly, felt like she had put the weight directly on her stomach. She felt unusually clumsy and weighed down as she left her den that morning. Her tummy seemed to wiggle beneath her as she moved. She exercised every day, how had this snuck up on her? It was more than just winter fat, it was going right to her stomach, and not padding her muscles. Feeling a little weird, the Alpha would ignore this change to her body, as any good healer would protest, and make her way through the pack. She would start with checking on on her winter recruit. She had helped him find a den after she had showed him the territory, but mostly had left him to it after that. After all, she had then had to deal with talking to Rhythm and Vail, and then Rhyme. That had been one of the most awkward conversations of her life. She just wanted life to go back to usual now, wanted to find some semblance of normalcy in this madness. Helping a newcomer settle in felt like a good place to start. She stopped by his den, and gave a soft bark, to let him know she was there. "Talk" "Listen" Think

He hadn’t taken much time to socialize since he had arrived. After Shaye had showed him around and to then find a den big enough for his form, Shaye had left him to continue dealing with other matters. He was a busy bee after that, sure the den had been okay, but the large male wanted to make it comfortable. His first step was digging it a bit deeper, wider, and packing the walls as best as he could. Making it comfortable and more suitable to last for a season. Then came the gathering of pelts. He needed plenty of pelts to line where he would lay so the male would hunt day after day. He would aim for as large as he could manag and skin it after the creature was dead.

Laying the pelts out on rocks to dry and tan. One they spent a few days in the sun he pulled them into his spot and piled them on, making a rather comfortable bed. The meat wouldn’t go to waste. He would drag the carcass into the center of the pack, where most of them were and left it for whoever was hungry. Antlers and some of the bones he would take and keep to craft later on and one to chew when he needed it. When he finished with his den he took a few days to relax. It was one of those days when Shaye came back to his den. He had caught a nice meal earlier in the day and ate his fill before returning into his den to play with his small collection of bones. He was in the middle of working with them when her soft bark called him from his task. Abandoning his craft he moved to the entrance.

He popped his head out to look at her before smiling and drawing himself completely out of the den. He took a seat in front of her. The first thing that came to notice was that it seemed like her abdomen was a bit more filled out, but he dismissed it for the moment.

“Hello Shaye,” he greeted.

She would find a den changed from the one she had left him with. She could see that he had enlarged it to fit his lofty form, and could smelly newly tanned coats even from the entrance. > “Hello Gustav, making yourself at home?” she said with a smile. > “I hear you’ve been fulling the catch pile quite nicely over the last few days.” his scent had been all over it, and it had been partly why she had felt comfortable to eat such a large prey the night before. He had left plenty for others to enjoy, and indeed it would have gone off soon if she hadn’t feasted. > “How are you finding it in Abaven so far?” she asked, wincing as she took a seat next to him. Her stomach definitely felt bloated. She was regretting all her actions at the moment. She was itching to get in some exercise, and do something about this new state of her body. The thought however, didn’t fill her with relish as it should have, it just made her feel tired. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Her words made his smile grow even wider.

“It needed a bit more room and is going to be super cosy for the winter,” he replied. “Yes I have been busy, but now all the hard work is done. I think I may have caught enough to last the winter for the pack.”

He chuckled at his own words. He had been keeping the prey pile full that was for sure, but the pack was big enough that it wouldn’t go to waste. Hopefully since she had noticed this meant others were putting it to use, maybe even Shaye herself was enjoying not having to catch her own meal.

His orange eyes caught the slight wince, his observant and curious nature wondering if something may be up with her. He could see a lot better now that she was sitting that she was indeed heavier, but it collected in her mid section. There was no way it could simply be “putting on pounds for the winter” as some would call it. Her question drew him back out of his thoughts.

“So far its a rather nice change, I’m hoping now I can socialize a bit more and get to know some of the members,” he replied. “How have you been fairing?”

The question was for friendly conversation, but to also try and figure out if she may have some aches and pains, or simply what may cause the swollen abdomen.

“Looks that way.” she said pleasantly as he told her that it needed room, and was going to be cosy for the winter. It looked like he already had more pelts then she did in his den, he had certainly been working hard to prepare for winter.

“Ah, this is your fault” she said with a pleasant laugh. “With all that food on the cache pile I fear i’ve been eating more than I should. I can only go so far before it stops being winter fat and just becomes gluttonous.” she said, her chuckle fading to a regretful sigh.

She wasn’t exactly pleased with herself, it seemed she had a few things to be regretful for lately. This was only a mild one on the list, but still a nuisance.

She seemed to approve and didn't take any offense at his modifications of the den. He was glad she didn't seem to mind. He had been unsure when he first started feeling he should have asked since he was simply a guest, but he thought of it as the den was already made and could easily be reused. As she went on to explain about it was his fault, with all the food supply she had been eating more then she should, but it didn't convince him. Once more he found himself in an odd position within a conversation with Shaye. First had been her secret and now this, but if it truely was why her abdomen was swollen he wouldn't want her to go without knowing in fear the lives she was carrying would suffer. "I um...." he hesitated for a moment, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, he still had to keep his word to her. Getting up he moved closer to her, so he could speak in more quieter tones, just in case someone would be nearby. He looked a bit concerned with his brows furrowed together. "I hate to bring it up but..... I don't think it's fat your putting on... Ummm.." he struggled, really struggled not sure how she may react when he suggested what may be going on. "Everything seems to be centering in your abdomen... are you sure your....... not pregnant?" His words got quieter as he went on expecting some sort of horrible outburst from her. "speech", 'speech', & action

He started to speak, then looked about to see if anyone was within hearing. They were alone, and she frowned at him, puzzled by the expression. He approached her, coming closer, and for the briefest of moments she blinked in uncertainty, was he.. Was he.. Propositioning her?

No, what an absolutely silly idea. Just because she had told how she had already used her body unthinkingly, he wasn’t about to go ahead and make unwanted advances, he was just leaning closer to whisper in her ear - which was still rather strange.

She snorted, the hint of a laughter in her voice when he finished speaking. “What?” she said, surprised. “No, that’s impos-” except, it wasn’t impossible, was it. She blinked, trying to put this new world into perspective. She hadn’t known why he was leaning forward, but understood now that he was keeping his promise to her, to keep what she had told him a secret. She sunk into her toes, slouching on the grass as she looked at him in shock. “I am, aren’t I?” she whispered.

He knew everything was odd and by how she reacted he was pretty sure the thought had never crossed her mind. He felt bad that it was him once again that had to discuss things that one should not. It should be her family, but he would hate to see any harm coming to the potential puppies because she continued to live on without knowing she had growing forms within her. She seemed to mull it over and he sat down in front of her with his ears gently folded back against his skull. "I am not a healer, but it just seems odd that it is only your abdomen that seems to be growing," he said quietly. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling, or what she was going to do. Was it even his place to ask those kind of questions? His orange eyes looked to her face trying to read her emotions as she took it in. "I think you better see a healer to confirm, but it's highly suspicious." he said. "speech", 'speech', & action

How had this man become her confidant? It was something about his easy nature, and his habit of appearing at all the right times. She was glad she wasn’t coming to this realization alone, through in some ways it might have been easier.

“Your right” she said, her voice a little dull. Was this coming as a complete surprise? Surely this can’t have been as utterly and completely unexpected as all this. She was a healer, she knew well what happened when two wolves got together. She should have known when her belly started to grow, and the aches and pains that came with it.

She hung her head with a soft sigh. “Didn’t I have enough to worry about?” the question didn’t seem to be directed at him, just the cosmo in general as she woed to herself. “How am I going to tell people this.”

She seemed to fully realize it, claiming he was right and he looked to her face again, trying to read her emotions and trying to figure out what else he could say or how he could make her feel better. He then looked to the ground hearing her next words he just quietly nodded, agreeing with her. He hadn't been around very long and didn't know a whole lot about her, but what he knew already she had more then enough to worry about and the golden heart that beat within his chest wanted nothing more to then help to try and take some burden from her, to help her in any way he possibly could. Her next question made him lightly dig his claws into the earth. How could she tell anyone the truth. She wanted to keep her mistake a secret and now it was impossible, literally impossible. He didn't know what he could do to help her further. It made him think back to papa and what kind of advice he would give in a situation like this. It reminded him of how he really didn't know his real mother and father, his lineage, and what all came with it. He was of darker colors, but without knowing his real family there was billions of possibilities of what colors ran within his line, what markings ran within his line. Then suddenly an idea flashed within his mind, but he didn't know if it was a good idea or a horrible idea. "Well.... You could find a sucker to be a 'fake' dad." he started. "That is if your talking about how to explain the father." He was quiet for a few moments wondering how he truely got into this whole mess. He had been looking for something to glue him to one place and he was liking Abaven so far. He would get an answer to his problems and she would get an answer to hers. "I would....... be the sucker to do it," he said quietly. "I never knew my biological parents and.... I don't have any family to go back to. And like I said before I was looking for something to glue me down to a place." "speech", 'speech', & action

Her questions chewed at her, and she knew she was being a terrible host to this newest addition to her pack. She just couldn’t bring herself to delve into conversations about how he was finding things, or what rank he would want to assume, all she could think about was what was happening in her belly right now.

Of course, Gust shared her feelings, looking sympathetic as he spoke next, giving her an option. Her ears perked up, head tilted to the side. What a strange idea. Was it possible, truely? Could she tell this pack that the pups belonged to another?

He would then go on to offer himself up as this ‘sucker’ saying he just needed a reason to stick to one place. She didn’t reply immediately, mulling over the newness of this idea, evaluating it… considering it.

“That is.. An extremely kind suggestion, and I thank you.” noncommittal, eyes glazed as she let herself get lost in her thoughts. She knew, she knew she didn’t want to tell the world they where Rhyme’s, didn’t want her children growing up with that prejudice hovering over them. This man was a stranger, and he had some darks and whites, some markings on his face. The pack didn’t know him, or the colors of his lineage. It was possible
“I would very much like it, through we would probably have to set up some ground rules, and figure out how this would work. I don’t know why you have been so kind to me, but you have, right from the start.”

She was quiet, maybe going over his idea for a moment. He looked away, staring off into the distance and thinking over what he had just offered her and why he had been crazy enough to offer it. He hadn't grown up with wolves around his age that stuck around, the life of a loner was okay if you were not a social butterfly. He liked meeting new wolves, he liked being around others, and he didn't always get that with how he was living. He now had more then the best opportunity for friendship, for family, and for a new chapter in his life. Maybe that was why he was so willing to give himself as the father to force himself to have no reason to continue living as a loner. Her voice pulled him from his thoughts and his orange eyes looked to her. She thanked him for the suggestion and he nodded. One more thing came to mind. If anyone ever knew the absolute truth they may think he had ill desires, or even ill intentions, but he didn't it wasn't like him. She then went on it sounded as though she was agreeing to the idea. Naturally she wanted to set up some ground rules and he completely understood and respected that. "Just call it being raised the right way and don't forget you have been kind to me as well," he said with a light smile. "What kind of ground rules were you thinking?" These were her children by blood and she was alpha, he would fallow by her rules and her wishes. "speech", 'speech', & action