He tried to think how many time he had been back and forth between dens today. He sighed heavily as he passed the place they’d laid Darilnor today. He couldn’t be sure of anything today though. He felt exhausted. Completely. Emotionally, physically, he was drained. He didn’t want to linger at the place over the river, Rhythm had Tana and the babies wrapped up for the night and he’d left them to just go patrol. He was tired, but he couldn’t stop moving either. His paws were heavy as he veered off the path and realized he was headed for Shaye’s den.

He approached the entrance, unsure if he was ready to go back in. He wanted to take some more time and spend with his newly born daughters. Eventually he decided to go in when he realized everyone but Motif had vacated. He was too tired to announce his entrance, not that Shaye would chastise him for being kind of rude. Silently he found his place at her side again, snuggling in close as he stole her warmth. He’d wiped the snow off his paws already, but they were still near frozen after his patrol. He sighed heavily, knowing it would be good to tell her everything he’d been through that day but also that he didn’t want to burden her right after the birth.

""

She was wrapped up in her babies, they had cried their little hearts out, taken their first feast, and fallen asleep curled up at her side. She still hadn’t become accustomed to the sight, the image of these little tiny forms curled tightly to her stomach. She wrapped herself around them, keeping them warm. Of course, her den was also fairly well insulated, with Epitaphs help. The man had made many useful suggestions before her pregnancy, and had helped her get everything in order.

The Sheepskin rug beneath herself and the babies was one Rhyme had gifted to her, and the babies snuggled deeply into the plush fur. She was exhausted after the days events, and had fallen easily to sleep, with the sound of very slight snoring from one of her little ones. Bliss, this was what it meant.

She didn’t wake again until the feel of warmth began to envelope her from behind, and she turned her head into Rhyme’s warm coat. “Mmm” she said, sleepy, happy. Then, still half asleep, she gently picked up a baby at deposited it in the space between herself and Rhyme, grabbing her second and repeating the motion. With the babies between them, she curled into him as much as she was able to without squishing them. One of the babies partly woke and began to nuzzle into Rhyme’s coat, searching for milk to suckle. It began to suckle on Rhyme’s fur, before falling back asleep, mouth still enclosed about her father's fur. Shaye’s chuckle as rich and warm as she nuzzled her head into Rhyme’s neck.

Shaye slept as he slipped into the darkness of the den. She stirred slightly as he cuddled up to her. A soft murmur left her sleep drunk lips and she distracted his racing mind. Rhyme expected her to fall back to sleep as he lay beside her unable to grasp at the rest he needed. She surprised him though, and suddenly the warm lumps of pup were nestled between them. Even through his exhaustion and sadness the pups were able to make him smile. Make him focus on the living, the ones who needed him. He felt guilty leaving Tana with only his mother to take comfort from.


Shaye's soft chuckle brought his attention to her, and his lack of lactation. The tiny little girl tried unsuccessfully to feed, but fell back to sleep before she could vocalize her failure. She seemed a bit more awake now, her touch seeking to fully occupy his thoughts. He reacted in kind, holding her close but keeping aware of the tiny squishes between them.


"So much has changed today." He whispered as her buried his nose into her soft scruff. He realized then that they were laying on the sheepskin he'd squired for her. The day that changed their whole dynamic. He was hers and she was his. Rhyme had his own little family. Almost half a year of freedom and he'd done so much to catch up on all the life he'd missed.

""

Keeping a careful distance between them where there little ones lay, the Alpha would nuzzle into Rhyme’s neck, still sleepy and content. Since the day she had admitted her love to him, fierce and determined, she had decided to trust him absolutely. There was no judgement in her eyes, no doubt, only love and family as she looked to Rhyme now.

“They are going to be little terrors, you said.” her voice teasingly accusatory as she looked at him through half-lidded eyes. She gently nudged one of her sleeping babies, pulled her into Shaye’s coat and warmth, leaving the one latched onto Rhyme’s coat attached to him. She had the destruction markings, clearly spaced beneath her eyes. Motif. Poem ws the one Shaye snuggled close, the Imperium dots clearly visible around her eyes. She kissed the little one on its head as she held her close. “Yeah, little terrors.” Shaye added, a silent laughter parting her lips as she licked Rhyme’s ear.

He didn't know if he wanted to sleep, talk quietly with Shaye, or go out on another patrol. The protective part of him told him to go back out into the snow and take another round around Abaven's territory. There could be more head hunters out there ready to pounce at any moment. He wouldn't just be fighting for his freedom he was protecting his family. His son and four daughters.

Rhyme knew his body was too exhausted to partake again, he'd been going too hard today. Instead he snuggled into Motif's soft puppy fur as Shaye pulled Poem closer to herself. He was right too, they would be little terrors. Right now they were perfect.

"They stole my heart, that's pretty terrible." He whispered back, suddenly feeling incredibly guilty for enjoying himself so much. He squeezed his eyes shut, holding back his frustrated tears. He knew he wasn't going to have a better time. Loss was never easily conveyed. "We lost one of our pups." He croaked, his voice barely working. "Tana have birth today as well. Two boys and two girls." He couldn't as easily keep his quiet sobs within. "We buried Darilnor."

Rhyme nuzzled in to Shaye's gentle touch, seizing her comfort and wetting her fur. How could he so easily move on with his life when one of his pups hadn't even the chance to take his first breath? He sighed heavily, trying to reel in his emotions. The pain hurt, but he had to be stronger.

She laughed a sound of pure joy, one kept soft, husky for its quiet sounds, so not to rouse the kids. "Stealing your heart is that terrible, eh?" She asked in the soft tone she had adopted for the sleeping creatures curled between them. She watched as Rhyme cuddled into little Motifs for and felt her heart sigh for the pure bliss of the sight. He was going to make a fantastic father, and now he would have that chance with her two girls. She knew she had made the right decision.

She noticed immediately when his mood chnaged, it was hard not to in their confined space, and he was suddenly admitting a burden on his heart. A soft sigh of understanding left her, and she pulled his head closer, letting him cry into her coat.

A shiver wracked her as she thought about what he had said, and the guilty realization that was glad she had not lost one of these precious girls before them. This was one if the things Rhyme had feared with Tana, with her tiny frame. "Oh sweetheart" she whispered, nuzzling her head into his ears his neck, wrapping her muzzle around him in comfort, the soft sound of Motif snoring and rhymes quiet tears filling the air. "Shhh, I'm here, I'm here." She promised him, holding him tight as her own heart wept for the lost little child.

He was too tired to fight the sobs and had shed so many tears already. Shaye gave her comfort freely, offering her shoulder and pulling him close to her as he mourned. Rhyme wanted to take joy in the living pups that needed him, but he couldn't help but dwell on Darilnor's lifeless form. The day's events were getting the better of his weakened state. If his warriors were to see the condition he'd let himself get into he'd have garnered quite the lecture.

He sniffed softly and pulled away from Shaye slightly as he regained his breath and finished his tears. He had to be thankful that Shaye hadn't been subjected to the same loss. Rhyme didn't know what to say, his heart hurt. He leaned over Motif's tiny form again and nuzzled her little round form. He hadn't noticed the white tail tuft earlier, she almost reminded him of a little fox kit. She was much bigger than a fox kit though. Both girl's were big and healthy, he had to just be grateful for that.

It hurt to see him cry, Rhyme, who preferred to stand back from affection, who was hard to pin down for a hug. Sure, his affection had smoothed a lot since they had professed their love, but he was still sotic and strong. Likely a reaction from his forced upbringing. To have him here, crying into her coat, was heartbreaking.

“Shh, it’s alright.” she continued to soothe, until he lifted his head and dried his eyes, looking back at their living pups. She could see that he was trying to hold onto what was in front of him, to be grateful for what he had.

She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek a chaste kiss, with a great deal of affection and acceptance behind the gesture, “i’m sorry, Rhyme.” she murmured gently, snuggling Poem who still managed to sleep. Motif’s nose made little twitching motions, and a paw reached up to bat at her father’s muzzle as he sniffed. Shaye found it heart pressed to tell if she was actually awake or not, and her tiny body was like a feather to Rhyme’s form