Basilisk sunk into the bedding in the upper den he and Ignita had claimed for themselves. He still felt sick and weary, but he was undeniably glad to be near Ignita again. He would have preferred to keep her away from his sickness, but she was determined to ignore him. Protesting that she had eaten the meat, and was contaminated regardless.

He waited until she was closer, and caught her in his arms. “My Consort.” He whispered possessively. Weak and weary as he was, he was still able to drag her down beside him. He moved his paws down her side, and then over her belly. Feeling against her skin. After a moment, he lowered his head and rested it against the raise. “Their timing couldn’t have been worse.” He murmured. He worried for them.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She had grabbed a pail on the way to the den, knowing one of the symptoms of this sickness afflicting her fiance was spewing, she would be prepared. She wouldn't have any further separation, they needed to be together, and separating families when there was no point and already infected didn't seem efficient to her. If there were wolves in the woods that weren't sick yet and could help, they needed to be here and getting fresh meat.

She practically purred into his strong arms, though they were weakened from the blight. She settled into him and pressed the back of her head and neck into his body as he had his paws explore hers. She felt him find the swelling womb within her and she let him lay his tired head over it. Finally, she felt her body melt as she became encased in his protective embrace. She had barely slept the entire time they were separated, but she had kept herself overly busy. Not letting herself have time to think much about anything but finding a way to keep others safe.

He murmured about the timing of their young, "I know, I... I tried not to think about it much. It's not like we could have foreseen this happening... all at once." Had they been too distracted with each other to miss the signs of early infection? She stroked his brow as she lay on her back, his head over her belly.

She smiled as she felt one shift under him.

"Speech"

He rubbed her belly gently, grinning at the feel of one moving beneath his paw. A life, where before there had been none. This was their future. This was what they were building together. “We’ll do everything in our power to protect them” he said softly, leaving his head against her stomach.

There were a lot of horrible scenarios he could picture, but he had to assume that they would be okay, unaffected by what was happening in the pack. “How many do you think are in there?” he asked her softly, pulling slightly more of his body across her, wrapping a foreleg around one of her own. Feeling the familiar warmth of her body beside his. He had missed her so desperately.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She closed her eyes at the feel of his massive paw over the gentle movement. They were more than the flutterings of a few days ago. She hummed in agreement as he promised how they would protect them.

She ran a pad over the arm that ensnared hers, softly shifting the fur over it. She had missed his scent and warmth more than anything. How she had spent so much of her youth without him she couldn't even imagine now. She opened her eyes to softly gaze at his sunken azures, she had not missed the scent of Yara on him. She chose to simply assume that the slave had been kept close to him while he was sick, ignoring the flare of a new cloying emotion writhing between her ribs. She smiled at his question.

"How many? My love you know that if I could find out I would. With how many times you filled me-" and she flicked a gentle claw over his nose, "-surely there's a whole pack within me now." She chuckled at her little joke. A few tiny wriggles within responded to her joy, pushing against his jaw. It was the first time she felt truly relaxed since the first day of the blight.

"Speech"

His eyes fluttered closed at the soft feel of her paw against his fur. Already she was a balm against his illness, and much of the pain of it seemed to carry away. His eyes flicked open again as she flicked his nose and he snorted softly at her. Playfully snapping at the offending paw, though he didn’t put much movement or effort behind it.

He rested his head against her again. He thought he could hear the soft movements of them inside of her, but perhaps he simply fancied it. He wiggled his nose into her fur and licked her belly. “My Ignita. My children. All of you are mine, and there's no escape now.” He growled softly at her, a wicked grin on his maw. Ruined somewhat by sniffling as he struggled with the symptoms of the blight. He had completed his promise to her, he had made her his Consort before they were born. Their children would be royalty within the pack.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She couldn't help but giggle as she pulled her paw quickly back from him as he weakly snapped at it. The concern then quickly washed over her features as he laid his head weakly down again. How long would this sickness last? With how skinny he was maybe he was already on the upturn, but perhaps it was going to get worse.

Though as he wiggled his nose into her belly fur her smile returned, and she laughed as he licked the tightening skin over their children. Kicking her back feet as he growled possessively over them. She pushed his face away from her belly, well she would have if one of her limbs had not caught the dangling necklace and made her pull up short as the chain tightened gently on her neck.

"Oops, still getting used to this." She murmured, disentangling her paw from it and readjusting the tension. "I really like it by the way." She mentioned as she settled back down.

"So what did you find out there? How long have you been sick?" What role did the Songbird play while they were out there?

"Speech"

He made a satisfied sound as her paw caught on the chain of the engagement gift. He reached forward and tugged lightly just above the bird, letting the chain tighten around her throat. His eyes showed heat and amusement as he let his claw go, and the chain slowly loosened. “It suits you, Little Bird.” he rasped softly.

“More blighted trees, it’s spread further than we can contain.” He explained, his voice dry and rough. “I’ve had it a few days, my fever broke this morning.” A sign that he was on the mend? He hoped so, and a good sign that would be. No one had died from this yet… that he knew of.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Their children would be royalty, a promise kept. Now as his consort, she... had so many things to do. He needed to rest, and she needed to make sure the burning of the forest wasn't getting out of hand...

At his gentle tug of the chain, a shiver of excitement ran through her but she subdued it. Oh, the bastard knew exactly what he was doing when he got this for her. She silently glared at him with a coy knowing smile. She softened though as he spoke about the blight and his recovery, she stroked the fur over his head resting gently on her belly. She didn't know much about fevers and sickness, but that sounded like he was on the mend.

"Well I'm glad I pushed for burning it down as much as possible. We need to save the rest of Boreas from it too. I have Vesper and others clearing the storerooms already. I don't know much about the patrols or who's on or off the roster, or too sick to patrol." Her mind had turned back to all the duties that needed to be arranged and overseen. Her gaze settled on the in-between space between them as her mind flitted about. But then her golden eyes caught one of his, and her curiosity burned her with like a brand,
"Who helped you while you were sick?" Why did she care?

"Speech"

He rested his head on her stomach, careful not to press too much weight against the smaller, more delicate wolf. Breathing in steady lungfuls of her scent, and feeling the occasional movement of their children. This. This was worth everything. These moments in time that he had come to love.

“I know. Wylan’s been quarantined, and Spider…” He broke off. He didn’t want to stress over Spider right now. If they ended up in trouble, they were on their own. That wasn’t a thought he could afford to dwell on.

Ignita distracted him with her question, and he answered it without much thought. “Your slave, rabbit. We handled the samples, so we’ve been quarantining separately from the others” He explained.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Oh no, did Wylan catch it too? Damn. She really was on her own to lead the pack in this for a good minute. Her heart ached at the mention of Spider. She hoped and prayed that they were safe. Would Spider be here for the birth? It was unlikely now... With this blight.

Her ears pinned against her head as she looked away before she could catch and monitor her own reaction to the news that Yara, the pretty little slave, had been his attendant. She blinked and glanced back at him neutralizing her expression as quickly as she could.
"Ah, yes. Well, that's... good. Wait away from the oth- yes, of course, that's what that means." A tension crawled up into her shoulders and invisible claws coiled into her scruff.
"Did she... prove herself well then?" She replied stilted, unable to look him in the eye. Hopefully, he was too sick to notice. Unease coiled in her belly right next to a babe, making her queasy.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

He took in another deep breath, his eyes closed, and head pillowed gently against her stomach. A place that might quickly become his favourite. The feel and scent of Ignita were grounding, and he felt more himself than he had in a while. Even the sickness was ignorable while he was like this. “Indeed” The Warlord agreed, his contented voice showing no sign of stopping as he stumbled straight into danger.

“We came to an understanding, Little Rabbit and I” He explained, thinking about the chase, the honest talk. She seemed ready and willing to join properly with the Armada. Ignita might be giving up her slave sooner than expected.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Her breath caught in her throat. She swallowed. Her heart picked up its pace as her mind filled with snow. He seemed so... nonchalant. Was she really just a plaything to him? Fill her with his seed then discard her for someone new to chase? He even gave Yara a little name.

She rolled over. His head would be resting on her back as she faced away from him. Her ears were heavy, and the necklace weighed her down enough to drown.

"What... sort of understanding?" She asked the darkness of the den. Her tail gathered around her, a wall building around her heart. He thought he loved Hazel... Would he do it all over again?

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

He groaned in surprise and discomfort as she rolled, taking the stomach away from him. He was too sick to tussle, so he let her. Instead, he gently pulled on the chain of her necklace, a teasing rebuke. He turned to the side to cough, swallowing down the taste of mucus instead of spitting it on their clean den floor. Hmm… speaking of their den, they were running out of time to puppy-proof it. They needed a barrier at the door too high for them to climb.

“She wants to stay, become a part of this.” He explained, his voice rasping a little from the cough. She wanted to find her brother, and that mixed with her vision of staying a little. But it was clear that the Armada had become something that mattered to her. Perhaps the pack could make use of her experience and put it to work to put up defences to keep something like the Blight striking them again.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She looked back at him, another flash of concern as he protested, weakly. He really wasn't himself. She turned away from him again as he pulled at her chain, then coughed. She was being ridiculous. He was in no state to cheat... Or would Yara take advantage of that? No, she was being paranoid!

Then his words washed over her like a wave of ice-cold water. They had been separated and she had worried about him this whole time and he was simply inviting Yara to be a part of their relationship just like that?

The fur along her spine started to rise and prickle. He can't be THIS oblivious! Basilisk... was... Hers.
"Part of this? Part of this? Part of you and me?" Her voice was high and accusing, "Are you so cockheaded? Are they empty promises Bas? Do you love her already?"

If he wanted to take another slave as his consort, how could she ever truly stop him? When he regains his strength he can do whatever he damn well pleases. Would she sit and let him fuck whoever he wanted? Or would he cast her aside when he was done with her? Was the story he told about Hazel leaving him really all that true?

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

Her sharp words brought him back to himself. He didn’t realise just how much his thoughts had floated away, sick and half asleep as he was. He blinked, raising his head off her back slightly. Part of them? What was she rambling about now? He rested his head on his paw, propping it up. Fatigue in his body, through confusion slowly turned to annoyance… and then mischief as he responded to her. Was she… jealous? How delicious it looked on her.

“Part of the pack you fool.” He said, and that part was annoyance. But his eyes turned sly for a moment. “Though once I marry you, perhaps I could take up a girlfriend. If you're really good… we could share her.” His eyes sparked, and he bit back a cough. He was teasing her, but she deserved it. Besides, her jealousy was sparking a heat in his stomach. One he was really too sick to indulge.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Calling her a fool did nothing to dissuade her nerves. She pinned her ears and crawled out away from him, then turned around to face him.

She scowled as he mentioned taking up a girlfriend. Eyeing him as he sputtered around a cough. Maybe it was the hormones surging through her system, maybe it was her fear that pushed her.
Her voice was sharp and tinged, her tail raised. "Who says I'll want to share her, who says I want to share you!" She caught the glistening in his eye, the hunger was still there. He was getting up to no good and he needed to rest. She huffed. She shouldn't have brought it up with him while he was so sick.

"You're in no shape to make good on any promises right now. You need to rest. I need to check on the tasks and see where everything is at before sunset." She was craving a fine desert delicacy and there was no way she'd get it anytime soon. She was still mad.

"Ignita"

He huffed a soft laugh at that, pulling himself to his paws as well. Unsteady, but towering. He stepped closer to her, closing the distance between them. Even sick and woozy, there was danger in his stride. She spoke of leaving to check on things - as if she had any chance in hell at getting out of this den.

He pounced, closing the distance between them and grabbing the necklace around her throat. Pulling it - and her - closer, until she was pressed against his chest, and enclosed in one of his arms. “Not so fast, consort.” he whispered in her ear. “I want to hear in detail how i’m yours ” He purred at her. The effect was somewhat ruined by the rasping in his throat.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Her eyes widened as he gathered himself up and overshadowed her form, a soft laugh her only warning of his next move. She skittered a step back just as he pounced. She gasped as she felt the chain tighten around her throat and reel her in to his chest. His arm wrapped around her, she was going no where. The chain slackened just enough for her to breathe, but still bit at her skin. The way he whispered her title consort into her ear made her heart leap into her chest. Arousal? Alarm? Both? His throat rasped and somehow it heightened her anticipation. She melted into his arms as her head swam.

She pulled her claws up to his chest and leaned in, "You're mine... Only I can tend you... only I can satisfy your needs." She rasped back at him, her claws flexed and dug into his collarbone, her eyes lidded with heat and promise, "I am the only one who will carry your line. Mine is the only womb you'll fill." She dared to push her maw forward and rake her teeth over his throat, and nipped his larynx for good measure.

"Speech"

Heat swam through him, and this time it wasn't a fever. He pressed her against him, and he felt her body respond. She was heavy with pups, with their pups and he was careful of her stomach as he pressed a paw behind her and manoeuvred her to the floor. 


Her claws dug into his skin, and her teeth found his throat. He arched into her, eyes burning and body aroused. Everything bite of her claws or fangs into his skin only heightened his need. Gasping slightly he shifted his hips and positioned them over her. He lowered his head to her throat, just below her ear. “My selfish Little Bird. How needy you've become…” he teased her softly as he pushed himself into her. Little gasps of pleasure escaped him. How he had missed this, how he had missed her. “Maybe” he thrust, gasping softly again. “I need to match your selfishness and lock you away in my den…” he brushed his teeth against that soft spot below her ear.

She braced herself against the floor as he lowered her back down. How did he have this energy? The scent of him made her wild, she had missed him and every night she had lay alone in the dark, worried and wondering and thinking. She burned for him between her legs, an insatiable thirst as her alarm mixed with excitement melted into a desperate need.

Her breath caught in her chest as he hovered over her now, his head to her throat her breath came heavy in response. Yes, needy, always. Ever needy, always wanting more and more and more of him. Selfish and wanting. She arched and moaned as he took her. Already she was growing his seed, is it safe? Her mind couldn't grasp another thought as the itch within her made her gasp and grasp at his fur.

"Lock me... away and... throw away the key, then..." A noisy gasp as he thrust, "-then I can't prop-properly serve the pack... my Lord. Ah!" She writhed beneath him, her claws clutching at the fur of his throat. He shouldn't be exerting himself so much. She shivered.

"You need... to rest. Go lay down, I'll... finish you off." She curled her lip at him to command him. Snapping her teeth close to his throat to get him to lay back down.