Well, you see, this one time...

Surreal’s worry for Fiori and her family eased as Falk shook his head, reassuring her that they were alright. The problem was more personal. Surreal’s ears tipped back on her head as she watched him while he paused to think. His next words came in a rush, with barely a pause for breath, and she waited once he had finished, letting them all sink in. Gods above and below. They were looking for a male to impregnate Amalia? And not just any male, mind you, but someone related to Athena. Someone like Falk. Half brother through Isardis. The same gender mating didn’t bother Surreal; Syrinx and Eos, full siblings, had mated and had their litter of little hellions, after all, and she was pretty damned sure at least one of them had been among the stale scents from Arcanum.

It wasn’t an unusual thing that Amalia wanted children; Adravendis were family driven creatures, usually. Pip had seven kids, for goodness sake, and Erani, Surreal’s own mother, had been notorious for adopting those who had been thrown from their own family, like Taurig, maimed and disowned by his own father for leaving the pack to claim his own, or those who had lost their family. Chrysanthe had followed that strain, and so had Pip, Chrys with adopting Odette, and Pip with Arian.

Her mind races, and she stared at Falk’s anxious visage for a long moment, before saying, softly, ”I’m thinking that I will need time to think on this. If this were anyone else, Falk, you would be gone from here. We would be through. But… this is Amalia. Family. I need to think.” She pushed to her paws and brushed past her sightless mate, padding quickly from the den and out into the plains, breaking into a fast run, trying to outrun the racing, swirling thoughts. If it were anyone else… If it were anyone else.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think