They were all resting. Blessedly, quietly resting. With six of them-- six of them, it felt like there was always something. Always someone who needed a cuddle, always someone who needed to be held or loved on. Halo was positively glowing with it, actually. She'd always loved puppies, and now to have her own? Well, that was the greatest gift. It was hard for her not to just stare at them while they settled for their afternoon nap, watch them where they rested. Their perfect little paws, little ears, little noses-- so perfect. They were so perfect.

But the den was a disaster, and Halo wasn't going to waste this moment of quiet. Moving as quietly as she could, the healer set about her business. Stacking all of the dishes that needed to be washed into a bucket, tucking all of the kids' toys away in their baskets. Piling some of the more questionably grimy skins to be brought down to the Cove and scrubbed out, something she'd do on another day, when she needed the break. Even in all of the household chores, Halo finds joy. She is home. She is safe. She's made it.

"Halo" & "Mortis"

Now that the pups were born, and the danger was past, Mortis was struggling to find a balance. To both spend time with the pups and Halo, and to complete his pack responsibilities. He knew that his fathers patience would only go so far, and he had neglected his chores for nearly the entirety of Halo’s pregnancy. Leaving the den was nearly unfathomable hard. His thoughts were on Halo and the children constantly. Six, six children that he had helped to bring to life. He would never tell them that they had been a mistake. From the moment Halo had told him, he had taken full responsibility for them, and worked to create a family. He moved quietly into the den after his patrol. The silence from the den telling him they slept. He found Halo carefully moving about the den, leaving cleanness in her wake. He laughed a silent laugh and made his way to her side. Grabbing a toy she hadn’t gotten to yet and tossing it gently into the basket. “Hello, love. How long have they slept for?” he asked, his voice barely audible in her ear.

It was true, they'd been an accident. It was perhaps the best accident that Halo had ever been a part of. A happy accident... they'd never know. They would never need to know, if she could help it. They didn't need to know. For now, the only things they needed to know were how much they were loved, how much they were treasured. How deeply they were loved and cared for. Raised with all the love in the world, that much was for certain. The tiny, pale creature could channel all the love in the world, and all that love would go straight into her family.

Without looking up, Halo knew that Mort had returned from his patrols. His return to his tasks and duties had been hard on her, but maybe... maybe there was a little relief too. Halo was used to being alone, just her and Mr. Raccoon. It was easier to get things done when she was on her own in the den. When Mort was around, Halo wanted to put all of her attention into both him and the pups... but splitting attention in seven pieces was hard. It was just easier to get things done with one less large body in the den. Still, every time he came back home, it was like the first time all over again.

"Welcome home," she breathes the words softly, her tail wagging gently behind her. "Not long, fifteen minutes maybe? I was just straightening up." Halo remained quiet, careful not to wake the sleeping pups. "How was your patrol?" Halo did not envy the warriors. Patrolling wasn't the sort of work she had an affinity for, that was for certain. Tending the gardens, though? Maybe Halo was missing that just a bit. She had to trust that they were well cared for, between Dee and Hazel.

"Halo" & "Mortis"

He kissed her check, his lips twitching again as she spoke. ‘Welcome home’ he had struggled for so long for something to feel like home. He could still scarcely believe it. He was almost afraid to. But here, with Halo, in this den that smelled like puppies and milk and musty coats, he felt more at home then he ever had in his life. “It was alright” He murmured back quietly, a hint of unease entering into his tone. Had Halo noticed that there seemed to be something in the air lately? Predators and prey alike seemed riled, and there had been an earthquake not that long ago. But nothing he could do about it now. His thoughts were for Halo, for their children. The rest he could only keep an eye on and hope. “If you want to stretch your legs for a bit, I can watch them” He offered, knowing how much time Halo was spending in this den now.

A good home. A comfortable home, a cozy home. Not necessarily a tidy home, but that was okay. Just as Halo's den had always been, it was lived-in. Full of life, the artifacts of full days and a loving family. A home that was filled with laughter, light, warmth. An environment that was safe, comforting, inviting. A home that was theirs. Halo could scarcely believe it, but here she was, reveling in it.

Mortis's unease doesn't go unnoticed. A flicker of concern in her eyes, Halo leaned up to kiss his cheek, then again at the corner of his lips. "There's nowhere I'd rather be than here, with you." She reassures Mortis, a shy smile on her face. "We could sit on the patio, though? There's hot water for tea." They would be able to talk a bit more comfortably without waking the pups, that way. That, and Halo was excited to enjoy the finished project. "We um, we could talk wedding plans?" A shy smile and a light blush coloring her cheeks, Halo peered up to her fiance.

"Halo" & "Mortis"

He felt his eyes flutter as she kissed the corner of his muzzle. Mmm the soft sound escaped him. Her eyes truly were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He was distracted, and confused for a moment when she spoke of moving to the patio. He felt himself blush, remembering the sleeping little forms behind them. “Good idea” He whispered. The patio, at least, had been finished before the puppies had arrived. A good thing, too. It gave the parents somewhere to retreat to at moments like this. He headed out to the patio, one wing around Halo. closing the den door softly behind them, he added some wood to the little fire that sat in stone on the patio. “Wedding plans.. That’s a good idea. They’ll want to be a part of it, won't they?” He asked softly. Were they doing this all backwards? He didn’t want to make any mistakes, not with Halo. “You're okay that we are marrying after they are born, right?” He asked, insecurity sneaking into his tone.

They shifted to the patio, a pair of tea cups in Halo's grasp. Green tea, mint, and honey-- just something they could enjoy while they sat outside and spoke together. The door behind them shut softly, and Mort set more wood on the fire. A beautiful night, more than beautiful. More than lovely, more than wonderful. Halo lifted her chin to the fading sunshine, basking for a moment. Feeling it warm her face, and take her over. How wonderful. How lovely. All of it was picture perfect, in her mind.

"I think so, and I'd like to involve them if they want to be." She spoke softly, sipping her tea. Halo settled her head against Mortis's shoulder, curling close. Gentle, all of her gentle. "Mort, there's no wrong way to be a family. Whatever order we choose, however things come about, none of that matters. What's important is that we love each other, we love them, and we take care of each other." Halo's words were soft, tucked close to her future husband's side. Heck, where she was from, there were no weddings. There was no ceremony, there was no desire to call love and attachment anything aloud. All of this was new, and all of it was so lovely to her.

"Halo" & "Mortis"

Mortis nodded his head at this answer, not terribly surprised by it. He wanted them involved as well, even if it made for chaos. He imagined half of them trailing flowers at everyone and breaking out into play fights in the middle of the reception. His lip twitched lightly. “I’m glad you see it that way” He said softly, sure that he often made a mess of things. So long as Halo thought his mess was beautiful, and worth keeping around, he could live with everything else. “I do love you, Halo. This is… this is not what I expected, and I wouldn’t take back a single second” He admitted, wrapping his wing gently over her white coat. “So. Is there a season you would prefer?”