Mort was a good dad. A damn good dad, if Halo did say so herself. Attentive and kind and caring in all the best ways-- she was grateful. Halo was so incredibly grateful. Though her entire world had been turned upside down in the last couple months, it had all come about in the best way. She was proud. She was proud of the pups. She was proud of her family. She was proud of what she'd become. It was everything that Halo had wanted, and everything she'd hoped for. Though some things still hung a bit uncomfortably in the balance, it really was starting to feel like everything was coming together. This was her life, and she'd built it. Speaking of building, though, she really had been away from her garden for too long. Autumn was here, and winter would be hot on its heels. Halo had set about some of the winter preparations before the pregnancy had rendered her too large to be useful for most things, but she hadn't gotten nearly as much done as she would have liked. Now that the pups were a bit larger, a bit more independent, she could slip out of the den for a little while longer. A pang of sadness as she made her way farther from her den than she had in what felt like ages... this must be how Mortis felt when he was leaving on patrol. But she has work to do. Halo moved to inspect what was left of the plants, grumbling to herself as she did. Not confining the mint to pots had been a mistake, one that she hoped would be remedied by the first hard frost. Hopefully a harsh enough winter would kill the overly abundant, overzealous plant. Well, at least she knew for next year. Her gaze moved to the bed of cold-hardy herbs, the things that would stay in the ground for the winter. The garden had been well cared for in her absence, and a proud smile played softly on Halo's face. Still, it was time to get to work. The pale healer began to dig in the garden, pulling away all of the weeds and extraneous plants, working away and preparing for winter. "Speech"

Sirius had also been caught by surprise at the size of Halo and Mort’s litter. The pregnancy had been unexpected, and they had been born shortly before winter. A part of him was frustrated at their appearance. He was combating lethargy in the pack at the moment, and with their size and the coming of winter, he had some serious concerns.

But that was not a face he would show towards Halo. That was reserved towards Keahi and Hazel. Mortis was right, he had found a loophole with this litter, and Sirius had blessed it. What was done was done.

He found Halo in her garden. Almost a rare occurrence lately, which was to be expected with the children. He approached carefully, mindful of the garden around him as he stopped near her. “Halo, it’s good to see you out and about. How are the beans?” He asked conversationally.


"Speech"

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Winter was an ever-present concern in Halo's mind. It was how she'd been raised. The nomads that had brought her up, they'd lived dire winter after dire winter. The stress, the scraping, the preparing-- it's an ever-present thought in her mind. Surviving the winter was a year-round concern. Surviving winter was their only concern, and that was often a decision made for the worst. Looking over her shoulder for the coming winter was a constant, even now, despite the safety and stability that the Armada provided. Halo was working away, her pile of leaves growing ever-taller by the moment. On the other side of the garden bed there was a pile of plants that were useful, things that had grown either intentionally or accidentally, things that she would need to process later. That was easily done at home, though. For now they are simply a stack. Even the plants that would be left in the ground for the winter were trimmed back. Halo worked away at it, until she saw bare soil beneath the plants. Good, very good. She'd made good headway indeed. The Warlord appeared, and Halo found herself just a bit startled. She'd been lost in her own thoughts, to be honest. Really, Halo was still worried that he was upset with her for having the litter at all. He didn't look upset, at least. "Ah, I wanted to get the gardens sorted for winter. This is one of the things I feel like I should do myself, you know?" She offered a slight smile, a deferential dip of her muzzle. "Oh they're so lovely, Sirius. They're moving more independently now, it'll only be a matter of time until they're out and about." The pure joy rings through in Halo's tone, absolutely glowing with pride as she talks about the pups. "How are you?" "Speech"

“So I see” He said, slight amusement in his voice as he watched her work. He only watched for a few moments. Seeing what was being dug out, what was being trimmed back, and what was left alone. He did not know herbs very well, but he was very good at mimicking what another was doing. So, extending his claws, he used them to press into the dirt and loosen the roots of the plants she was pilling. He wasn’t a wolf that stood idle while another worked.

“Won’t be long before we have little Halo’s and Mort’s running around this garden” He commented. The pups were growing quickly, he had seen that himself when he had popped in to ensure they knew his scent. “Have any of them started showing any preferences yet? Have you considered apprenticeships?” He asked. He knew they were still very young, and it was quite possibly the last thing on her mind, but he wanted to be a part of his grandkids' lives. He wanted to offer his knowledge where it was wanted, and help them learn the basics of self defence.


"Speech"

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Halo was happy to see Sirius jumping in, though she still watched the Warlord from the corner of her eye. It was no secret, gardening probably wasn't his strong suit, but he was doing well. That, and his sharp claws were quite helpful for breaking up the roots of the weeds, where even Halo's own fell short. "The weeds will go to the compost, and the herb scraps I'll take home and process. Everything in this bed can stay in the ground for the winter, but I'm going to trim all the plants back so they'll hopefully go properly dormant when they're covered up." Halo chatters on, explaining the intent as she works. Honestly, she's just happy to share her plan, he thoughts. The Warlord's comment makes her smile, it's a pretty thought. The pups would be running amok soon, and Halo was so incredibly excited about it. Already, each day was more exciting than the next. Sirius asks about the pups, asks if there are any pups with particular early talents one way or another. Though it was extremely early, Halo considered the thought as she worked away at her task. "I think many of them would like to be fighters, and maybe just as many healers." She smiled softly, her tail wagging softly at her haunches. "Do you know who all is interested in taking apprentices on?" Halo tipped her head to the side, thinking about each of her pups in turn. "Speech"

The Warlord nodded his head in understanding. He didn’t have the perfect eye to distinguish between herbs and weeds, and he didn’t trust himself to trim back the plants without destroying them. But he could loosen the tough weeds when she indicated, and carry the muck to the pile.

“That’s good to hear, the pack could always do with more fighters and healers” He said agreeably. They were only small at this stage, but one day they could likely be prominent members of the pack. Children of his oldest, and his lead healer. They would likely go far. “Hazel is keeping her eye on those that want to be mentors, and I’ll happily take them out for lessons myself, of course” He would ensure that they were given every resource he could.


"Speech"

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Halo was grateful for his help, even if she was still a bit on edge around the Warlord. He's mad at you, the nasty voice in her head would remind her. She'd done something she wasn't supposed to. Procreate without permission, and this close to winter... it shouldn't have been possible. It shouldn't have been possible, and she was a healer for heck's sake. Yet here she was. Here he was. He didn't look upset... but maybe he was upset and hiding it. "I spoke with Keahi after the meeting, too, but I'm always happy to mentor. I've got my hands a little more full than usual, but there's always room for more." Halo smiled warmly, excited to get back to caring for the pack, to teaching them, to working with all of them. The Armada is the only real home she's ever known, and she had nothing short of love in her heart. "They'll love going out with you, too. I think they can only listen to me talk so much." A soft chuckle, her gaze flickering to the Warlord. She'd told him once, she loves puppies. This was still entirely the case, and she knows him now. She knows how much he loves them too. "Sirius I..." Halo's voice trailed off. She had to ask him, she had to know. Still, it made Halo distinctly uneasy. The very act of asking him... she was worried. Jesus, how she worried. The girl swallowed hard, and she looked back to her work. Easier to ask this question without making eye contact. Focusing on the garden, on the work before her, she finally asked the question that had been on her mind. Her voice was soft and she felt so small. "Are you upset with me?" "Speech"

The Warlord shook his head, not entirely sure how to put his feelings into words. “The pirates are changing, and I'm not sure what that will mean for us. But, no… There's something about the earth. Perhaps I’m just old, Halo. But I feel a change.” He had seen so much in Boreas already. He felt he should trust the cold pricking up his spine.

“I know exactly what you mean” He said with great fondness. He felt it for every one of his pups, even if he had too many to count on every toe he owned. “That’ll never change” he promised her, putting a paw gently on her shoulder. One parent to another, kids were something else. A reason to live, when you felt you would otherwise lose it.


"Speech"

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A strange feeling, Halo's brow furrowed at the words. She paused for a moment, looking to the Warlord. Halo was the anxious type-- she always had been. Heck, she probably always would be, even moreso with the pups to worry about. Worry. She's a worrier. Some things don't change. "Are the Pirates causing problems again?" She asked quietly, soft gaze filled with concern. Though it felt like a shift had gone on, Halo wasn't sure how to really... explain it. Though she could chalk it up to the Pirates, she worried that there was something more on the Warlord's mind. Still, his words were reassuring. Halo relaxed only a fraction, taking the words with a soft nod. "I've never loved anything like I love them, I can't even begin to describe it," she spoke softly, tenderly of the children. They were so wonderful. All of them were. They were developing their own personalities day by day, going from little soft lumpy creatures to bigger and stronger beans. Already, they were her whole world. "I'm in awe of them, every day." She admitted with a soft smile, still working away in her garden. "Speech"

“I imagine the pirates will always cause trouble” Sirius said with an amused sigh. They may have changed leadership, but he couldn’t see them changing their stripes any time soon. “But i’m not sure that’s entirely what’s worrying me” He said, because it paid to be truthful to your lead healer.

“I know exactly what you mean. That feeling won't go away just because they’ve grown up, either” He warned her. It was especially painful when they went their own way, and found their own lives. He would never not hate seeing his children leave.

“If you have any questions about pups, I can try to help as I can.” he said then. He had hands on experience with rather a large amount of children. But she was a healer, and a gentle wolf. He had a feeling she would find her way.


"Speech"

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