Sparrow awoke to the dream plane again, her body less attached from the aches of bringing their children to life. She liked to imagine them by her side, but she wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not. Pups were barely conscious in the first weeks, so it possibly made since that they could traverse both planes at once, but she didn't want to assume they weren't a figment of her imagination.

"Recluse," Sparrow called out, "Babe, I brought someone to meet you." She didn't bother speaking with her voice while trying to summon her wife. Somehow, even though she was asleep, she was so tired. She'd save the effort for when she was perceived.

The first thought that entered Recluse's mind the moment it was able to form thoughts at all was to wonder how much time had passed since their last talk... When Recluse had learned the impossible news. The words Sparrow "spoke", sent a rush of excitement through her. But she also couldn't help the worry either. If, as Sparrow assured her, somehow the kids were also hers... What was the chance she'd doomed any of them. She hadn't exactly been alive when they'd allegedly been conceived... What parts of her had they taken? But still she was almost pulled towards her wife. As Recluse drew in the sight of Sparrow and- Recluse couldn't help the way her breath caught and she was almost instantly at Sparrows side, staring down the the five shapes nestled at her wife's stomach. An old familiar feeling welled up inside her. Joy, pride, a maternal desire to give the lives in front of her everything. And a new sadness settled over it. Recluse was keenly aware that there was nothing she could give them, not even her presence as their mother. It was a lot, and as Recluse crouched down and slowly reached out to nose at each one she couldn't help the tears that started to roll down her cheeks. The seperation between herself and the living felt worse somehow than it ever had. These kids would not have the memory of her touch the way the rest of her children did... Even still her heart was swelling and she looked up at Sparrow, her wife and the mother of her children, somehow, and gave her a teary eyed grin. "They're gorgeous babe." ”Speech” ’Thought’

Sparrow waited for her wife to appear, checking the new littles for their own solidity in this place. Recluse arrived and Sparrow gave her all the time in the world. There were a lot of emotions for her. Sparrow had never been as maternal as almost anyone else she'd ever known, but she knew what these pups meant to her and Recluse, and the loaded feelings that came with their situation. After a while, Recluse looked to Sparrow, calling their kids gorgeous. Sparrow kissed her wife, "They must take after you, then."

After another few kisses, Sparrow turned her attention to the bundles at her side, "I haven't named them yet. I thought... I'm a pirate, you're my solid land. These pups are everything in the middle, so what if we named them like that- places where water and land meet?" She was nervous at revealing the touchy feely reason behind the pup's possible names, but thought Recluse might just like it.

Despite the tears Recluse growled playfully against her wife's lips. ”I'll have you know I have impeccable taste in partners. And you're easily the hottest.” She knew it was a joke but Recluse couldn't help but want to reassure her wife that yes, in fact, she was also gorgeous. Maybe it was the distance that separated them that made her want to make sure her wife knew just how much Recluse adored her. Though it was also easy to melt into her wife's affections after her small protest was raised. Names. They didn't have name yet. That wasn't surprising to Recluse. She'd always waited until her children were old enough to leave the den to name them. Just in case. Though some part of her couldn't help regret the callousness with which she'd abandoned one of her own once she'd realized he had been born blind she also felt at this point that she'd done the right thing by him. Beat had probably deserved better than to have his son suddenly dumped on him but the little boy would have not survived in the world she'd built. But these kids... They were different. She adored her adult children but these children were the result of something much deeper and meaningful. They were born from love. Not simply her desire to be a mother again. Something she'd never gotten to have in life, having died before she could give her husband his own litter as well. Recluse wanted to break tradition. The woman rose, and moved around behind her wife. Though Sparrow was larger than she was she still settled herself behind her, resting her head along her wife's abdomen so she could keep staring at the little miracles. ”I think that's beautiful.” To be so fully wanted, it made her chest ache. ”I admittedly have less knowledge in that area than you.” Recluse nuzzled at whatever parts of her wife she could reach. Had Sparrow always been so sentimental? Recluse liked it, just about as much as she liked the fire cracker she'd first fallen in love with. ”Speech”  ’Thought’

Sparrow relished in the compliments her wife gave her. "Yes, I am a catch, thank you for noticing," she returned with a toothy smile. It was comfortable here, warm, and Sparrow had no intention of turning down any adoration that was handed to her by the woman she loved. The two came together as Recluse snuggled up from behind the larger woman. Sparrow let herself focus on the weight of Recluse's head on her abdomen as she breathed for a few moments. This was what it meant to be settled, huh? Maybe Sparrow should have tried it sooner. Recluse agreed to the naming scheme, but admitted that she wasn't very knowledgeable in that area. Sparrow flashed her a toothy smile, a little coy and all 'I already considered that because I'm so smart', although she didn't say that. "Me neither," she said. "Never been good with words, so I asked my parrot companion since he knows pretty much all the words ever." Sparrow listed them all out: coast, shore, beach, bank, lagoon, estuary, delta, kaira, swamp, marsh, bog, fjord, cove, bay, harbor, sound, jetty, canal, quay, moor, shoal, and whatever else she could think of.