A Ballad of Sacrifice

The moment hung in the air, stretched taut as a bowstring. He wasn't ready for this, but then again, how could anyone possibly be ready for this particular turn of events? The cries of the newborns filled the den, weak and desperate. After a few more moments of hesitance, Aresenn lurched forward, bringing the bundle to Absinth’s side- gently setting the pups down on the bedding beside her.

With a gentle touch, he pulled back the cloth that veiled them. And when he got to look at them- really look at them for the first time, it left him in shock. Their eyes were still closed of course, their fur soft and fuzzy with a promising array of vibrant hues. The one male had Aurelia's signature azure coloring, while the female boasted dark tones and intricate Saxe purple markings. But then there was one male who seemed to have no fur at all, his skin covered in small bristles around his neck and shoulders. As he studied them further, he noticed bony growths protruding from their skulls behind their ears- indicative of … horns? Did that one have a fucking forked tongue? “What the fuck?” He asked lowly, not expecting an answer from anyone. How could anyone explain this? The creatures before him were unlike anything he had ever seen before, both fascinating and unsettling at the same time. Sure, he had seen grown wolves with similar attributes … honestly he hadn’t given it much thought. He just imagined they were also born normal. Clearly that wasn’t the case. And to him, the pre-developed features looked just as odd on the newborns- or perhaps it was merely just because he just had his own for comparison.

He couldn’t help but run his large paw over the course bristles of the tiny pup’s back- the one male who had nothing covering his body otherwise. “Have you ever seen anything like it?” he asked, his gaze flickering briefly to Absinth before returning to the motherless pups. Seeing them next to his own litter was a stark contrast, and it was bizarre to say the least.

"Aresenn Praetor"