Vail left Shaye’s side and made her way to where she would find Tana. Poem and Motif were wonderful, and she was excited to experience her niece’s future as they developed and grew. She had felt a touch of sadness as Shaye announced the girl’s name. After their mother. She had been reminded of the loss that they experienced. Their parents were gone, and this little girl’s tribute name made that fact real. She left her sister to bond with her pups, Vail felt a yearning for motherhood she hadn’t expected. Her dainty paws carried her to Tana’s den, she had just given birth as well. Vail asn’t as sure how she felt about these babies. She still hadn’t forgiven Rhyme, though Shaye would scold her if she knew how Vail still held onto the grudge. Shaye had too much to worry about for her to say anything yet. "Tana? Can I come in?" She asked at the entrance of the den. She’d been there for Tana through out the pregnancy, she wanted to meet the result. So maybe she did feel happiness for having them. Her opinions of their father though.. ""

if i haven't replied to you in a while, remind me [here]

She had just woke up and found that Rhyme was gone. It wasnt an oddity to her. He was after all the alpha and he had duties to worry about more than just their children. She didn't know about the fact that Shaye's mate and the father of hers was in fact Rhyme either. That that was where he was disappearing to. Her pups were squeaking and making noise as she laid with them. She wasnt about to put them near her tears, aware that they had to learn to use their noses.

Vail's voice cut through the racket and she smiled. Why Vail felt she needed to ask if she could come in she wasn't sure. Rhythm had left earlier to visit her niece and her new pups where tana assumed she was probably going to stay. "Of course." she beckoned to Vail to have her enter. Rhyme would eventually be back and she was happy to have a guest until then. "What brings you today Vail?" she perked her ears to listen for the blind healer. Hopefully she didnt trip or slide down the steeper entrance to the den.

She knew the den smelled like earth and her herb store helped with the scent. Her herb store was no where near what Vail's was but she was starting to amass a little collection of them. Plus she might have things Vail didnt. It was probably a good thing the two of them could work with each other, seeing as two healers could more effectively store things together. And she figured in the end of this winter they could take stock of things and then they could split up what they would need to gather for the following year and each store them in their dens or find one for communal storage.

"speech"

The sound of mewling babes didn't escape her alabaster ears, she felt herself smiling softly. No she didn't feel any love for their father, but she knew she'd love them. Tana was quick to invite her in and Vail made all haste. The day was bright, and the sun's light blazed bright enough Vail could make out Tana and the three babies close to her side. They were a little harder to make out with the furs beneath them, but she could make out the difference in size. She smiled at their tiny forms and made herself comfortable.

Tana had amassed her own collection of herbs, Vail inhaled the scent and it reminded her of home. The smell of new babies mixed with herbs as the crisp winter air. There was little better than this, she felt another rush of excitement that was overwhelmed with anxiety as the question she avoided within skimmed her mind.

"I came to check on you and meet the babies of course." She spoke softly, "Everyone seems to have healthy lungs." Vail leaned down to get a better look, wondering if Tana might let her hold one. "I just left Shaye, Rhyme and their new babies. Two little girls." She sighed softly, feeling that asking Tana how many times they'd had to try before conceiving might be inappropriate. She had no idea she'd let some information slip that Tana was not yet privy too.

Tana smiled at the other woman as she came in and settled near her and the pups. She had no idea the other woman was trying her hardest to become pregnant, nor that she was wanting to ask her questions and confide in her. Had she known she would of immediately let Vail be ome the centrepoint of the conversation. 


Vail happily answered though. She had come to meet the babies and tana was all to happy to let her. She had guessed well enough now though that the other woman was likely just as blind as her by the way her companion was always clicking and riding her back. That or she was almost blind. So she figured the best way for the other woman to meet them was to come and snuggle with them. Smell and touch were the best things for those like them. "Then come over here and meet them."[/color] she didnt mind the other woman holding them or helping out. 


Then a bomb dropped and Tana's smile fell. Rhyme was with shaye and their babies. Her ears pressed. Two little girls. Rhyme and Shaye's babies. She had known all along she didnt deserve him but she had hoped that somehow maybe he was happy to have her by his side for his life. [B]"Oh, glad to hear they're all good." she definitely sounded deflated by the news. She obviously wasnt about to judge, where she was from wolves bred with their own family members sometimes and mistresses weren't unheard of. She had just liked the thought that maybe he was her knight and he loved her enough that she would be enough for him. 


She was quick to put on a false smile. Of course she had known, she had always known that she didnt deserve him or anyone else. Why mope or get upset when she knew already? "I had four, two boys and two girls, one didn't make it though, and luckily little Verse there did. She almost didn't at first. We have Noir, Theory, and Verse. Darlinor was buried not too long ago." she had been surprised by the fact that verse even existed having only known there to be three, but she figured she had been hiding the day they counted. She was distracting herself though with the talk of her own pups. Who by now were quieting down and piling over one another for the best position for food.

She was invited whole heartedly to meet the children in whatever way she deemed fit. Tana knew she was sight impaired and preferred touch. Vail didn't waste any time as she leaned down to inspect the little bundles. Sh was distracted as she nosed into the three of them, but she didn't miss the difference in tone of Tana's voice as she offered a flat non-congratulations. Vail perked her ears curious. So Rhyme hadn't actually told her he was the father of Shaye's babies? She felt her fur bristle, feeling the mix of emotion at being happy about being right but feeling the melancholy of being right. She knew he was a scumbag. What did Shaye really see in him? Just a father figure for their babies? There were many strong male roles for the girls to follow, why did it have to be Rhyme?

"I'm sorry you had to hear it from me." she whispered softly, she did feel bad that she had been the one to give Tana the news so non-chalantly. She didn't like that she'd been the one to hurt her friend when that irresponsible jerk should have talked to her weeks ago.

Vail sighed heavily to herself as Tana introduced the three babies. They has counted three the whole time and Tana's admission of four surprised her.
Darilnor was the name of her grandfather, Motif's father. Rhyme stole the name for their dead son. She grit her teeth, she didn't know how Tana might really be taking Rhyme's heartlessness so she didn't want to be too obvious in her disdain for him.

"I'm sorry to hear about your son." She told her evenly as she snuggled closer to little Verse. She was the softest of the three, but Theory rivaled her on snuggle-ability. "Congratulations on these three though, they're absolutely lovely little bundles." Despite their father.

She tried to keep the smile on her face, it was easier to hide her disappointment. "Solor and I have been trying since the wedding, but no luck yet." Vail even managed to say all of the words with out any of the worry she had creeping in. Barren she wolves weren't unheard of, and she had seen first hand with the hermit how difficult and long the road to parenthood could be.

She wasn't sure if she felt okay with having Rhyme around now that she knew. Obviously she couldn't do anything about the fact that shaye's mate was Rhyme but she could hope that he had meant to tell her himself. Only somehow she doubted it. He probably wanted a mistress to also have his kids so he was satisfied in his familial needs. 


Vail apologized and she shook her head before sighing. "Its ok, I knew I wasnt pretty or good enough to be seen as his mate. I just had hoped that I would be able to make him happy enough to be his mate, even if it was behind the scenes." she really hoped he spent the night over with shaye then, the less she had to pretend the better she was sure. She did smile as Vail snuggled in with them. Verse was content to lay against the albino and easily fell asleep there. 


Noir though she could feel fighting to be as close to her as he could get. He even did that when Rhyme was trying to snuggle them, obviously he wasnt happy with anyone but her. Already each of their personalities were showing through. Though she still worried about verse's development and if she would have some disability from being a runt. Theory was happy to be cuddled by everyone like verse. 


Then Vail told her something that she was happy to hear about. Her and solor were trying to start a family. "Definitely don't give up. But a peice of advice, when it finally does happen be careful afterward, don't strain yourself and eat plenty and sleep enough. Also beware once it happens it is even easier the next time to get pregnant." it was best to give her friend the best advice she could.


She stood though and moved towards the place she kept her herbs. She was quick to return with a bundle bound by a strip of deer hide. She placed it in front of her friend. "This is a herb I learned about as a slave in my homeland when the Alphess was trying to get pregnant. It's called Black Cohash, it's very potent so dont take it often or in large doses. It's the only one I could find before winter so be careful. Two or three buds should do for a dose, take it about an hour before you try and it can help to stimulate your ovaries." she had never told Rhyme or Shaye that she had this. They may of had her destroy it, but she was against destroying it. "And whatever you do dont take it for a week after, it can cause your body to reject the fetuses." she really did want to help her friend achieve her goal for happiness.

As Vail said her apology and snuggled closer to little Verse as Tana tried to brush off her feelings. Vail didn't often growl, especially around children, but Tana's words upset her more than they should have. She put herself down too much, but she shouldn't have expected any different from a former slave. "Tana, as your mentor I forbid you to say something like that again." Her voice was serious, even more than when she was teaching. "As your friend I want you to know Rhyme does not deserve you. He's not the wolf you think he is. You are wonderful, the best I can call him is a low life if he can't even tell you he's been with another." She didn't completely believe in Shaye's innocence either, she had insisted on Vail blaming her as well. "The best thing he's done is give you these beautiful babies." Her voice quieted again and she settled back into the disturbed pups snuggle pile.

Tana managed to wriggle free of Noir's grip as she shuffled to her herb store. She returned with a neat package that she settled near Vail's paws as she encouraged her to keep trying. She managed to put a smile back on her face at her apprentice's advice. She would certainly take it to heart.

Tana then described the herb she had found. Used sparingly it could help stimulate fertility. Or flush her womb. Vail stored all of the information away for herself. Consume an hour before an attempt and not for another week after a failed attempt. She nodded, feeling incredibly grateful. "The tables have turned and the apprentice teaches her mentor." She chuckled softly as she leaned down to sniff lightly at her gifted bundle. "You're very kind my friend, thank you. Maybe I'll have you be my midwife when the time comes."

The growl from Vail was offputting to say the least. Her ears folded and she was quick to hush and drop her head. She'd upset Vail now. That was just fantastic. Her only real friend around here and here she was upsetting her. She couldn't agree with Vail's words though. She was an ugly little woman and it wasn't something she could hide. While perhaps her personality made up for that flaw, it wasn't able to fix that she wasnt alpha mate material. She let it die though afraid to upset her friend more. Especially with her children right there and easily able to be killed. 


She turned her attention back to the lesson at hand. She had wrapped it for a reason. "Its wrapped up to keep moisture from it but also because if a nosey pup gets ahold of it I don't know what would exactly happen but if it's a girl it might lead to pregnancy before they should have a child. I just dont want to take chances." of course she didnt know that the only children in the pack other than newborns were ignis and Actea and that both probably knew better than to get nosey and eat random herbs. The other reason she didn't say though was because she had intended to keep the herb and take it later on after her children were much older.


She had always wanted a large family so she figured that Rhyme wouldn't mind her ensuring such things. Though then again he might have. But now she wasnt sure he'd even look at her again. She gave a smile at the comments Vail made. Especially when she said she might have her be her midwife. "Shaye or Rhythm might be better suited for that. Without my eyes I cant guarantee that I might be much good help or that I'd even be able to stop anything bad from happening." of course she knew what she was doing in her own birthing and had listened to Vail's lessons but she wasnt sure she could do like Vail.

She didn't fail to notice that Tana didn't push the issue when it came to putting herself down. Vail made a mental note to herself, if anything Tana needed a boost to her self-confidence. She'd try and figure out someway to help make Tana 'see' herself like Vail did. She wouldn't push it now though, with Rhyme in the mix she knew she was fighting an uphill battle.

She perked her ears though, keeping attention as Tana continued and offered the knowledge she had of the herb. Keep it wrapped to remain dry and keep out over curious mouths. Vail also wondered absently if Tana had meant to use the plant or had used the plants already. Obviously she had her optimal result with either or.

Vail felt a little hurt that Tana was going to deny the offered position. "Well I can't use mine either, and you still let me help up until their birth." She reminded her, and Tana had more experience than Vail in that she had experienced giving birth. Vail hadn't quite gotten that far yet. "Even the best healer can't fight fate." She murmured, one of the most experienced healers Vail knew had assisted in Tana's birthing and yet one pup was still lost.