Faite was procrastinating. She knew Baine wanted to leave as soon as possible, but Faite was still a bit nervous by leaving the pack without Regulus around. Things would be fine - that's what she kept trying to convince herself. It was weird for her to be the Archangel now. She was in charge of everything now, all by herself, and that prospect was a bit daunting. It wasn't necessarily how she'd expected everything to go down, but she new the importance of it. Regulus was escorting Kavdaya and their parents to the nomads. She wanted nothing more than to see them get better, but it left her with a sinking feeling in her gut. She'd wanted her own pack - not Regulus'. She found herself heading to the lake. She hadn't purposefully headed there, but she was done with her patrol for the day. The sun was still pretty high in the sky with a few hours of daylight left. Fall had taken on full force and it'd already rained a few times, but it wasn't enough to fill the lake back up to its usual crystalline splendor. She stared at it sadly and briefly wondered how they'd fare during the Winter. Prey was already a bit scarce and what remain was awfully thin. Even the herbivores were struggling to find food which was a disturbing thought. She could only hope Winter was more kind to them. She paused by the lake and sat down. A soft chilly breeze ruffled her fur and she closed her eyes to enjoy it. It wasn't chilly enough to be downright freezing yet, but it was a nice relief from the unbearable summer they'd just had. It'd been ridiculously hot and the darker parts of her pelt had felt like it was on fire half the time. It was nice change to see the leaves changing colors and scattering across the ground. Walk, "Talk" Think

When the suns started to go down, he knew that he should head back to the family den. But there was just so much to do and not enough light to do it in! Bouncing around the lake, he tried to get rid of his seemingly endless energy. If he wanted to sleep tonight, he needed to get tired. He wasn't tired at all, not even a little bit! So he was running at full speed around the lake, not noticing Faite in the low light. He slammed right into her right flank, landing on the ground with a solid thump. Stunned, he blinked up slowly to see the wolf appear out of nowhere, right in his way! Jumping to his paws, not having realized who it was as it grew darker, his hackles raised as he let out a series of little puppy growls. "Hey! Wha' yew doings? Yew can't jwust show ups outta nowheres! Sos mean, waking me swam rwight into yew!" Fable grumped, a large pout on the growing boys face. The more he looked at the woman, the more he started to realize that he had seen her before. His brows furrowed as he tried to figure it out, his lower lip pouting outward. And then it hit him, not like how he had hit her. "Fwaite! Oh noes, oh noes! I so sowwie, I sowwie! I no mean ta ye'wws at yew wike dat, I so super sowwie!" The grey and white boy scrambled backwards, whining softly as he tried to lick at her leg. He was so stupid!! Here was the leader of the pack and he was growling and grumbling at her cause he hadn't seen him. It was his fault, not the older woman's. His ears slicked back against his skull, big wide puppy eyes looking up to inspect her. Walk, "Talk" Think

Faite didn't quite notice the small gray bundle of fur as Fable hurdled towards her so needless to say she was pretty surprised when something ran into her leg. He was still small enough that he bounced right off of her and her head snapped downwards to see what had hit her. He hadn't hurt her and overall she was mostly just shocked. It took her a minute to register that it had been Fable, one of Creed's kids, to slam into her flank. She simply stared at him with wide blinking eyes. What was more surprising was the outburst that soon followed. An eyebrow rose before a grin broke out across her maw. So spirited! She couldn't quite remember being like that when she was that young. Had she been this much of a handful too? She certainly wasn't insulted by his words, though she could hardly imagine that she'd "popped up out of nowhere." Fable's attitude turned around quick as he seemed to realize who she was and she had to hold in the laugh that threatened to bubble past her lips. He scrambled back and whined before trying to lick her leg apologetically and she lowered her head to try and nuzzle the top of his own head in reassurance. She wasn't mad at him in the slightest and she was already surprised with his sudden respect once he realized she was the one in charge. She certainly didn't want to come off as angry. "It's okay Fable, no harm done! See?" She said, gesturing towards her leg. "Are you okay?" She said soothingly. "You ran into me pretty hard." Walk, "Talk" Think

He felt stupid, not only had he run right into the leader but then he blamed her for it. He was going to be in so much trouble, wasn't he? He looked up at Faite with wide eyes, his tail tucked right against his belly. Would she be mad at him? Holding his breath, his cheeks puffed out as he waited for her to speak. His head was getting all fussy from not breathing, so when she finally spoke he blew out the breath is one big rush, shaking his head back and forth to get rid of the silly feeling. She gestured to her leg, saying that it was all good. He let out a sigh, leaning forward to try and lick at the spot that he had run into. Part of him was a little bit offended though, he would have thought that he would have hurt her a little bit. Fable's lower lip threatened to puff out in a pout, but he resisted the urge as he pulled back and looked up at her. It felt good when she nuzzled his head though, a warm feeling spreading through him at the loving gesture. A sudden sadness hit him in the heart, and he walked over to lean against her. "I okays, I gwuess," he said softly, lifting his head to peer at her. She was a really nice lady, trying to make sure that he was okay and assuring him that no harm was done. Faite was nice and warm too, and he liked the feeling that filled him when she nuzzled her head. Excitement took over his features as his tongue flipped out of his mouth, his gray and white tail wagging behind him. "Fwaite, can you be our Ma? " he asked with a chipper tone, seeing no harm in asking this at all. "Ma isn't awround a wot an' you are so nice and warm, you make me feels happy! So cwould you? I will be a rweally good boy!" He said, a small whine leaving his maw. Da would like her too, she was pretty! It would be fun to have a mother again, and then if Ma ever came back then Faite could do back to doing... whatever it was that the adults did. It would just be a temporary thing, right? Then Da and the others wouldn't be so sad anymore, and everyone could be happy again. Walk, "Talk" Think

Faite couldn't help but eye Fable anxiously. His tail was still tucked under his belly and she frowned at the thought. If he'd been an adult an outburst from him after running into her wouldn't have been welcome, but he was still a kid. He was learning and she couldn't condemn him just for being careless and besides, he was absolutely adorable. How could she be angry at a face like that? Had he been bigger she probably would have been bowled over and she tried hard to suppress a grin. That probably would have hurt a bit. Her ears flicked as he let out a breath and she watched him curiously. Had he been holding his breath? She watched as he shook his head before looking to her leg. There were no visible signs of any injury (he was still a small little fluffball after all) so she hoped that would assuage any worries he had. She was surprised when his tongue licked at the the spot on her leg and she smiled down at him. Was that his way of an apology? The most shocking thing happened next. He got up and then padded over to lean into her and she let him as he said he was okay. His tone didn't seem like a young carefree pup's should and she frowned again. She peered down at him to meet his gaze, colors quite similar to her own, and then all of a sudden his demeanor switched to happy again. A brow rose at this and a smile tugged at her lips at his wagging tail. Her smile faded as fast as it'd started and she did her best to keep from frowning at the heart wrenching words. His excitement for the idea he suggested only tugged at her heart strings more. The whine was the icing on the cake and her thoughts raced towards Kavdaya who was currently on a trip with her brother and her own parents. She understood the necessity of the healer leaving, but it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to Creed nor the kids who so desperately needed their mom around. Fable was a clear indication of that - he was craving a mother and now he believed he could get what he needed from Faite. Her heart felt like it was trying to escape through her throat as she gazed down at him sadly. How was she supposed to tell him that he already had a mom? She didn't want to upset him about the situation more than he clearly already was. "Oh Fable." She murmured softly, trying to nuzzle his head again and even try and give him a swipe of her tongue. "You already have a mom. I promise she'll be back, but I can keep you all company while she's gone?" Walk, "Talk" Think

There was so much hope in his gaze as he looked up at Faite, his tail thumping on the ground behind him as he waited for her answer. She said his name and nuzzled him again, making him giggle as her tongue ran across his fur. But then his whole face dropped when she said that he already had a mother. Fable's lower lip protruded as he pouted up at her, his eyes growing misty as he sniffled softly. He was trying to be strong but a wave of sadness washed over the usually excited boy. "Bu' why can't you does it? My Ma lweft an' she might not evwen comes home! It's all my fwault, I not good enough to keep her heres. I no good, I gotta be better," he said with a whine, turning to hide his face in the woman's chest. He started to cry into her soft fur, his body turning as he tried to wiggle even further under her. It just wasn't fair, he was trying so hard to his his Ma's attention but she was just gone. He didn't understand that she would be back, not when he had been gone for nearly all their lives already. How could he know that she would just return? Plus Faite was here NOW, and he wanted this warmth and comfort for him and his siblings in this moment. Not tomorrow, not later, now. His too-large paws kneaded at the ground as her fur grew wet, a high pitched whine muffled by her gray coat. It wasn't fair that he had to wait, and that Da had to work so hard. He wanted to work extra hard to help him, but he wasn't very good at hunting just yet. Fortune had been helping him, but it was hard when all the animals were nearly bigger than him. But Da said that he would be big and strong soon, maybe then he could keep everyone safe and warm. When he was taller than everyone they could cuddle into his coat and he would make sure that they had the nice feeling that Faite made him feel. Was that what love felt like? He knew that he loved his Da and his siblings, and that he wanted to protect them. But he hadn't really felt that fussy feeling before, it was different when Creed had taught him a bit about fighting. That was more pride, but this was comfort, adoration, and it was a motherly feeling that only another woman could give him. He craved it, he hadn't realized just how much he had needed it before now. "Pwease Fwaite, I pwromise I will be good..." Walk, "Talk" Think

His good mood certainly hadn't lasted long. As soon as the words were out of her mouth she regretted them instantly as she watched his face fall. He looked so forlorn and sad and her sad frown deepened at it. "Bu' why can't you does it? My Ma lweft an' she might not evwen comes home! It's all my fwault, I not good enough to keep her heres. I no good, I gotta be better," Oh. It felt like her heart was breaking in two as she heard those words. He didn't feel good enough for his own mother. She knew they'd all miss her, but this was something else entirely. She let him snuggle into her fur and bury himself underneath him and she nuzzled him softly before trying to drape herself over him in a tight hug. She let him cry into her fur as she hugged him and she felt at a loss for words. She couldn't have kept Kavdaya going, she could have tried, but now she felt selfish for letting her go. She had kids to take care of and yet she was off with her own parents trying to track down the nomads. Would Regulus have been able to find them on their own? She knew Kavdaya needed to go, but it didn't stop her hurting for him any less. How could she explain this to him? She certainly didn't want to hurt his feelings anymore - not when he desperately needed someone to be there for him. So she pulled her head away from him and looked down. She wasn't their mother, she never would be, but she didn't like seeing him cry. She nuzzled her nose against his head once again before she went to work to lap at his tear streaked face. "Shhh." She murmured softly, trying her best to be soothing. "I'll tell you what. I'll be your mom just until your own gets back. She will be back though, I'm sure of it." She made sure not to promise it to him though. How could she promise him the safe return of Kavdaya? She wasn't master of the universe or else she would have, and yet she didn't want his disappointment to be worse if something really had happened to Regulus and Kavdaya along the way. No, this was the best she could do for Fable right now. Walk, "Talk" Think

Faite let him nuzzle into her form, and he felt her leg wrap around him in an embrace. His heart nearly burst as that amazing warm feeling filled him again. He started to calm down, his cries turning into sniffles as he pulled back as she did to look up at her kind face. She was so caring, nuzzling him and making him feel special. She licked at his wet face, making him giggle softly as a small hiccup made his body jolt upwards. A grin slowly spread across his face as she said that she would be his Ma until Kavdaya returned, his white marked tail thumping on the ground behind him. But it faulted as he thought of the pale form of his real Ma, a sick feeling gripping at his tummy. "I just misses hwer," he whispered gently, leaning against her leg and pulling at her hairs playfully. He didn't like being sad like this, he wanted to by happy and jumping around again. Peeking up at Faite with his wide, blue and yellow eyes, trying to smile at her. His tail bounced off his hocks as he nipped at her more, dropping into a half hearted play bow. He didn't want to think about it anymore, he wanted to play! Pounding his front limbs on the earth, he let out a bark to try and get her to play along. A distraction was all the pup longed for, no more sad stuff. Walk, "Talk" Think

Faite was relieved when his crying dwindled down to just sniffles. She hated that he felt like that and it worried her that the rest of the pups felt like that as well. She had watched as her youngest three siblings grew up without the influence of their own mother. Spending all her time resting in her den being sickly didn't exactly give her the opportunity to teach them things. In a way her siblings and Creed's litter had a lot in common even though Laisren, Rasiel, and Kieryn seemed to be taking it a lot better. They were old enough now to at least understand what Surreal was going through. For these pups ... well not having your mother around at all was different than being sick. She could only hope that Kavdaya would return soon. She didn't want them to have to grow up without her. "I'm sure she misses you all as well." She felt him lean into leg and tug at her leg hairs. She smiled at him softly and was glad he'd calmed down some. Just like that his mood shifted and his sad spell was over. Her eyes widened slightly as he nipped at her. The shock wore off quickly and instead a mischievous smile crossed her face. So he wanted to play? He lowered her own front legs into a play bow and let out a playful growl before she reached out to tap him with her paw. "How about a game of tag?" Walk, "Talk" Think