Baby, I’m Giving You The Mommy Issues

Absinth’s emerald eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Scald’s reaction. She noted the tension in his stance, those quills along his spine bristling in response to her words. Such anger for a quick quip. Perhaps… no, he couldn’t have been jealous of Ezekiel? But oh…. It was the only answer for his sudden retreat. When he turned to murmur something to his mother, Absinth’s ears twitched, catching the faint sound of his voice but not the words themselves. Her gaze remained steady, unwavering as he turned back to face her, Elysia, and Ezekiel.

As Scald’s heterochromatic eyes locked onto hers, Absinth’s lips curled into a half-smile, more amused than intimidated by his hissed retort. Much too defensive, huh? “Witnessing doesn’t make you squeamish, Scald,” She replied smoothly, her voice low for him to hear as he approached, dripping with a mix of sarcasm and challenge. Still, she maintained all her impish glory, her voice a purr to sweet for its own good. “But running away does, which you just did. And if that’s your idea of bravery, then perhaps we have different definitions. Just be at her side. I only care what Elysia wants while she birth’s your pups. Don’t take it personally, I certainly won’t. I will not measure my trauma dick with your’s, because I assure you, I’d win.” She didn’t need to explain any further, not with her childhood, not with her fight for survival every fucking step of the way. Madman on a beach one night? Live with one. Live with him grooming you into something terrible, live with pain and suffering every single day of your life. Live with a drunken mother who took her frustrations out on you. Live eating rotten food, live watching your fellow street rats dying and being taken, running from the same fate yourself. She had nothing to prove, but the jab Scald had made sent her fur bristling, her tail twitching as he didn’t know her. He had taken her jest too seriously first, and now her mind was spiraling. Absinth may have had her own pups recently, and motherhood looked quite good on her, but she would never lose the scars that had made her who she was. Fuck. She could not be getting riled up at Ely’s birth!

She watched him closely as he reapproached the den, her eyes flicking to Elysia for a brief moment of reassurance before returning to Scald. His words to Elysia, murmured with a mix of tenderness and urgency, did not go unnoticed. Absinth felt a pang of something – perhaps satisfaction, perhaps protectiveness – but she pushed it aside. Her sister could handle her own affairs. She was done speaking to him, and what a shame, after their pleasant talk at the Wall. Haha.

She stepped back slightly, giving Elysia space but remaining close enough to offer support if needed. Her eyes flicked to Ezekiel, giving him a nod.

Absinth’s eyes flicked to what appeared to be Scald’s mother, taking in the older wolf’s words and the joking tone which piqued her interest. She could appreciate humor in tense moments, and so she moved to greet the woman with a tilt of her charcoal skull. Better this way, Scald didn’t seem too keen on her at the moment anyways.

“Fear?” Absinth echoed, her voice low and edged with a hint of mischief as she looked the woman over. “We fear nothing here.” She stepped closer, her presence a silent assertion of protectiveness, but underlined with an impish curiosity aimed at the horned woman. Her eyes scanned the surrounding landscape, following the other’s gaze but finding no immediate threat. She clicked her teeth to signal her ravens in the treeline, who quickly alighted and began an aerial scan of the perimeter.

“I am Absinth. Don't bother asking for an apology; it's not my style. All I want is for Elysia to have an easy birth. Hurt feelings are not my priority. Nor is Scald’s jealousy.” It was honest enough. Truth, but Absinth didn’t owe it to this woman. Absinth’s gaze shifted back to Scald and Elysia in the den, her expression softening just a fraction as she watched Elysia settle.

“If anyone were foolish enough to try something today, they would quickly learn the error of their ways.” She continued, her voice calm but carrying an unmistakable undercurrent of menace. Though, not towards the woman she was addressing; but for Elysia’s safety. She didn’t think this woman would be a problem. “Elysia and her pups are under our protection. There will be no repeats of past traumas here. Not by anyone, you have my word.”

With that she returned to the den’s entrance, to at least remain close, her presence a steadying force as Elysia leaned into Scald's touch. The tension in the den seemed to ebb slightly as Elysia directed her brother to inform Rhazien of her labor. Absinth caught the underlying command in Elysia's words and gave Ezekiel a brief nod, signaling her agreement with his departure.

When the first pup finally arrived, Absinth watched with a mixture of anticipation and silent pride. As Elysia cleaned the newborn and confirmed it was a boy, Absinth felt a surge of emotion she rarely allowed herself to experience. Elysia's words, filled with pride, resonated deeply. It was different witnessing it from the other end, she wondered if this was how Aresenn felt when she’d birthed their children.

Absinth stepped closer, her emerald eyes softening as she looked at the small, charcoal-colored pup nestled against Elysia's side. “A strong start.” She murmured, her voice a blend of admiration and satisfaction. “He'll grow to be as fierce and resilient as his mother.”

She turned her gaze to Scald, her expression neutral but her tone carrying a hint of approval that he’d returned to her side in the end. “Congratulations.” A sly grin, a flick of her tail like a retort.

Absinth then shifted her attention back to Elysia, her voice softening further. “You've done well, Elysia. Your strength and courage have brought him safely into this world.” She leaned in to nuzzle Elysia's shoulder, a rare gesture of affection and solidarity. “Say, do you think they’ll call me auntie absi?” The monochromatic woman grins, a light laugh escaping her inky lips as her eyes twinkle in cheer.

With a final glance at the newborn, Absinth settled nearby, ready to assist as needed and to ward off any threats, ensuring Elysia and her pups remained safe and undisturbed.


wormwood