Never want to let you go

CW: Recluse is still grieving the loss of one of her kids, just be aware that will be a theme of this thread, take care of yourselves. <3

Recluse hadn't really wanted to let them out. They'd only managed to get the blood out of the stone floor of the den a few days ago and the image of her eldest daughter cradled in her forelegs... Eyes already unfocusing... Well, it had visited her in her dreams every night since. Eraithus had offered that they could move dens but Recluse didn't really want that either. He'd found it and she liked the den when- Well when she wasn't reminded of Kali. Which was most of the time right now, even when she had to focus her attention on her youngest litter. They hadn't even gotten to meet her- No! Recluse shook that thought from her mind. But the sudden loss of her daughter, it would have been a lie to say it wasn't affecting her decisions right now. The woman didn't want to let her youngest out, she wanted to hold them to her and never let the cruel cold world have them, she wanted to keep herself from ever having to lose another child again... But Eraithus was right, there was nothing they could have done for Kali, and sheltering them here, keeping them from the world wouldn't protect them, it'd only leave them unprepared. So they'd agreed today would be the day their children would get to see the world for the first time. Didn't mean she had to like it. Recluse looked down at her children, piled at her stomach. The sun had set only a bit ago and no doubt they'd soon start to wake, as with all her children she'd taught them early to be nocturnal as she was. The woman looked for comfort from her husband. Now more than ever she was glad he was here, Recluse wasn't sure she wouldn't have collapsed under the weight of her own grief if not for the man's support. He was the father of these children, even if he hadn't fathered a single one. ”Well...” She said as she looked at her husband. Recluse's voice was hoarse, she'd done more crying than proper talking lately and there was a clear reluctance in her tone but, well she was pretty sure Eraithus would be there to help and she wasn't sure she could back down now, no matter how much she wanted. The woman set about waking the sleeping children gently before seeking out Eraithus again, turning to him to help calm her quickly rising panic. ”We're uh- Loves your father and I have big plans for you all today.” She managed to say, a sad smile pulling at her lips as the woman watched her children begin to stir. She would wait until she could extricate herself without knocking any of them over and she slowly, hesitantly made her way over to the mouth of the den where she felt herself falter. Recluse turned back to look at her family, her chest constricting and she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud, saying it would make it true and it would mean one more step toward the danger of the world beyond for these children too. Instead, she looked to Eraithus before gesturing silently towards the mouth of the den, the best her kids would get in terms of her saying outright that they would be going outside for the first time. Beyond the mouth of the den Galho would be waiting, the Potoo perched in a tree to quickly swoop down and stop any pups from getting to far and to offer his own eyes on the scene. Lilith slithered into the den and wrapped herself around Recluse's neck in her usual spot, giving the alpha a gentle squeeze of reassurance, she too would offer her sight to keep an eye on the pups, Recluse would take all the help she could get. ”Speech”  ’Thought’