The Empress made her way to the den of her Warlord and Heart, she was addicted to the puppies however much she didn’t want to admit it. Her childhood friend and the woman just as close as a sister, rejoicing in their first litter. Deathbelle wondered about their futures, if she could hope that her children and theirs might grow to love each other. They were almost even, three boys to one girl verses her four girls to one boy.

These thoughts filled her mind as much as bringing another of her own into the world. She loved her children, and they were turning into the impressive wolves she knew they would be. Deathbelle couldn’t help but year for her den to take on the milk smell again and produce sounds of mewling babes. She sighed softly as she approached Zee and Sirius’s den. She’d have to address the problem of overcrowding first.

With a smile she banished her thoughts from her mind and knocked at the entrance. ”Zee?” She questioned if she could enter softly, already knowing the answer but stopping at the threshold for politeness.

Zee couldn't ignore the irony in her Empress politely knocking at her den, and stifled a giggle. Seasons ago it was timid slave Zee tapping upon the palace doors each morning to be granted entrance, and here now her mistress and friend was waiting so patiently for Zee to call her in. "Come on in!" She called out, feeling the puppies stir beside her at her yell. Once the Empress had entered and made her way into the room with Zee and her pups, the new mother would gift her dearest friend a smile. "You know, family doesn't knock. Keep that up and you're going to offend me." The affectionate tone and grin clearly said that Zee was joking, though she still punctuated the statement with a soft laugh. "Look at them! Growing every damn day." Her nose booped her daughter upon the butt, and her tongue ran swiftly over the boys' fur to make them look respectable for company.

Her once servants were now elevated beyond anything they had been beneath her in Ashen. She was infinitely proud of her friends who by now she considered family. They didn’t share in name or blood but she loved these wolves as much as her blood or name. Zee quickly invited her inside and Deathbelle didn’t hesitate to bring herself through the entrance and deeper into the puppy den. She was told not to knock anymore but with Zee’s smile she knew she was mostly serious. ”Yes, your highness.” She chuckled softly as her lavender gaze fell on the beautiful children at the queens side and she only had eyes for them. ”They grow so fast, Zee.” She warned knowingly. ”Make sure to enjoy them while they’re small. They certainly will not stay that way.” Not these boys, not in the least. Aslatiel was a possibility but Belle’s guess was the girl would be closer to her mother’s side. ”Gods they’re beautiful. I can’t get over it.” She offered adoringly as she lowered herself to the ground by Zee’s belly.

Deathbelle made her way over to Zee and lay down beside them. The new mother sighed happily, staring down at her little bundles as her friend spoke of enjoying them when they were small. She gave a soft laugh at her friend's joked 'your highness' and grasped Indigo, shuffling him over into Deathbelle's arms. "Go nibble your aunty for me, you're small enough that you're allowed to bite the empress." She told the purple boy, eyeing him with adoration. In her own arms she placed Asla - her only daughter - and began to groom her carefully. She'd never imagined herself raising a little girl but now that she had her, she'd not trade it for the world. "Can't they stay small and adorable forever?" She asked hopefully, nuzzling the pup with her cheek gently.

Deathbelle couldn’t help herself, she loved babies. Especially adorable babies like Zee and Sirius made. They were perfect little puppies and her heart soared when the red marked Indigo was placed in her arms. Of course he could chew on her all day and she wouldn’t mind it for a moment. He was perfect, as were all of the tiny babes. Aslatiel especially, she was dainty and beautiful and the perfect little princess.

”Yes, come chew on me.” She groomed him lovingly as the young boy squirmed in her paws. She tried to visit everyday, and he was at least familiar to her. None could compare to mom though. ”I was saying the same thing with mine.” She chuckled as she nuzzled Indy’s round belly. ”I’ll have to refill my den again soon, because no matter how many times you tell them to stay small they do not listen.” Deathbelle half teased as she thought both of her closeness to Hannibal as well as Iolaire’s conversation with her the other day.

It felt like just yesterday that their roles were reversed, Deathbelle holding five pups in her arms and Zee coming to meet them for the first time. They had been so small, so innocent. Now she saw the young prince and princesses wandering around Ashen growing into themselves, soon they'd be yearlings and Zee could hardly believe it. Deathbelle mentioned filling her den with pups again and her head lifted eagerly to listen. "Oh, I hope so." Zee breathed. "How nice would it be to have our children grow up together?" At one point in time her pups were to be bound to Deathbelle's first litter, and thankfully she'd relieved them of that expectation. Zee was all too glad for it, because she couldn't imagine having to part from them and watch them grow in Ashen without her. "Who's the lucky man?" It'd been too long since they'd had a real heart to heart, and since Iolaire Zee did not know what wolf held her Empress' heart in his paws.

Zee mirrored hers and Iolaire’s sentiment that her den be full to the brim with puppies. Pregnancy was difficult, but the end result was more than worth every moment. Her children were almost yearlings. They were nearing adulthood and it saddened her, she wasn’t needed anymore. Not like she had been needed when they were just little beans like Zee’s. ”It’s one of my dearest dreams.” Deathbelle told her softly, but honestly as she tried and failed to groom down Indigo’s mohawk. She perked a pale brow in Zee’s direction as she asked about her chosen man. Well at least she knew how to keep a secret. Not that she had nearly enough time to spend with Hannibal as she liked. That would be one of the first things to change once her pups turned into yearlings. A sly smile played on her features as she thought of him, ”Hannibal.” Even saying his name caused her skin to tingle with goosebumps. ”All of our previous relationships moved so fast… we’ve been trying to take things slow.” It was hard not to laugh at herself. ”Key word being try.” She chuckled at her not so subtle confession.