The late evening arrived, and Vail was forced to take another long nap before she was able to have her little alone time with Tempo. Solor took the other two boys out and their mom was left alone with her sweet boy. He was the one who most similarly resembled Solor, and Vail loved him for it. She invited him closer to snuggle with her. There was a chill in the air, and while she was supposed to be keeping him warm, the tiny she wolf would cling to her child for warmth. Vail wasn’t doing well, but this was one of her better days since the birth. ”Did you have a good day, Tempo?” She asked softly as she aimed to nuzzle into the soft fur of his scruff.

Speech

Tempo had been growing more and more impatient, he wanted to spend time with his momma like Pitch and Beat had! So when it had finally been his time Tempo was eager to snuggle up to his mother's form, pushing his tiny face into his mother's chest. His father, brothers and aunt Shaye and everyone else he'd met thus far, well they were warm, their body heat easily shared with the small child. But his mother had never been like that, and someday when he was older he'd realize why she'd always been so cold physically, and he'd always sort of wonder if he'd simply understood sooner if he could have changed what was to pass in the next few days, but for now that child simply knew that as being how his mother was. Nothing wrong with that.

Vail's nose would reach the base of his neck and the pup would nod against her chest, he had been told that his mother, like Pitch, was blind. He had been told that that meant his mother and brother couldn't see, but the truth was the boy was still too young to really grasp that concept. He simply couldn't imagine anyone experiencing the world different from himself, so all that really meant for him was that his momma didn't really look at him the right way and that he and Beat had to be more careful when playing with Pitch. But he had quickly learned not to rely on physical cues with his mother, so even while he nodded against her, knowing she could feel it, he'd follow it up quickly by tipping his head back so his chin was pressed against his mother's chest and he could look up at her face. Afterall his momma was very very pretty.

"Uh-huh!" Tempo confirmed, his tiny body beginning to wiggle as he felt the excitement of the day rolling through him, his tail starting to beat frantically. "I got to go out an' explore with papa and Pitch and Beat!" He started, recounting the adventure he'd gotten to have. "We played with Aunt Shaye and 'splored more of the packlands than I'd seen before!" He paused for a moment as he thought about all the fun stuff he'd gotten up to. "I even caught a butterfly!" He said, his torso wiggling as he straightened his shoulders in pride. "I'll catch you one next time! Oh! But don't eat it, they taste yucky!" He was proud of that discovery too.

He paused for a moment, pushing his smaller form into his mother, trying to become as physically close with her as he could. "I hoped I'd get to spend time with you too, I didn't wanna feel left out, but papa said I had to be patient. I know you're sleepy a lot so I tried to wait, and be real real good!" He'd been jealous of his brothers, momma didn't leave the den as far as he'd seen but they were often hearded outside so he wanted to spend time with his mother as well... and he'd been worried he'd be shuffled off to bed without getting a chance to have playtime with his mother like Pitch and Beat had had earlier in the day. "Papa said we'd work on it, so guess I'm not too good at patience yet..."

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Tempo snuggled against her and she held him as tightly as she could. She couldn’t describe how much she loved her little buggers, and she tried not to think how little time she might have with them in the physical world. She hoped she might be able to watch them from the afterlife, if there was one. She thought a lot of death after realizing that both Motif and Shai were gone, and deep down she hoped she might be reunited with them on the other side. She had to focus on life while she was allowed it, and banished the thoughts from her mind as she held her little boy and he told her excitedly about the day he experienced.

She smiled brightly as he recalled running around with Shaye and his brothers. ”I promise I won't eat it,” she told him as he proudly listed off his discoveries, and promised her a butterfly on his next adventure. He snuggled in closer and she shifted slightly so that he might be able to more closely lay with her. ”You can be impatient as you want when it comes to spending time with your mom.” She promised him as she aimed to tickle his little white belly. She needed her sleep, but with her time being so limited she wanted to spend every moment she could with her little family.

Speech

His momma said she wouldn't eat the butterfly he would catch for her next time and Tempo nodded emphatically. "Good. You can keep it!" He paused for a moment, imagining his mother with a whole flock of butterflies hovering around her, standing in the sun though he'd yet to see her do so. "I'll catch you a whoooole bunch, that'd be really pretty." He rubbed his face in her fur again, eyes closing for a moment as he drew in the comforting familiar scent of his mother. Later he'd try to cling to this memory, try to summon the vague milk scent of his mother but it'd never quite return to him.

His momma would reach down to nose at him and Tempo would roll easily onto his back and would giggle when her nose tickled his stomach, his hindlegs flailing while he tried to grab at her muzzle with his forepaws. Trying to lift his torso to lick at her muzzle, very happy to be given attention and wanting to return the affection ten-fold.

"Okay!" He said simply, accepting his mother's statement. "But I'm still gonna become the best at patience!" He wanted to make both his parents proud and happy. In the end, all he wanted was to please them both.

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Vail smiled softly at his words not that he understood that she couldn’t really see the gift he offered to her. Maybe if she had been able to go beyond the den’s entrance in the sunshine, but it was unlikely. ”That sounds marvelous, Tempo! I’m sure it would be very pretty.” She assured him as they spoke of patience. Her little boy was quite the determined one, and she loved him for it. ”What else will you be the best at?” She asked curiously, knowing that she would never see him get there to prove his puppy self right or wrong. She wanted to dream about his goals before crossing over or disappearing or whatever happened. Vail thought a lot about death and what happened after. She hoped at least she could see her pups from beyond.

Speech

His momma agreed with Tempo about the butterflies and the boy gave a little happy wiggle. He screwed his tiny face into an exaggerated thinking expression. Not that his mother could see it. He rolled a few ideas in his mind as he considered what else it was he wanted to become the best at.

"Uh... I wanna be the best at... Helping!" He said said with an emphatic nod. "I wanna help you and Papa and Beat and Pitch and aunt Shaye and everyone!" He lifted his forepaws from his mother's muzzle and stretched back, arching his back so his stomach pushed into her nose as he demonstrated "everyone." "Oh and I wanna be the best at making friends!" He paused for a moment to think. "And hide and seek! I like that game best! I'll let Pitch or Beat be best at tag though." He nodded emphatically again, so very sure in his generosity allowing his brothers to be best at the game he liked less.

Art by LoupDeMort

Vail didn’t think she could fall more in love with her boy as he spouted off easily that he wanted to help other wolves. Her heart melted and she snuggled into Tempo’s pale fur as she grinned. The new mom couldn’t have been more proud, though she was sassy and a little standoffish back in the day she did try and help those that needed it. Knowing Tempo would hopefully do the same made her fate easier to face. ”Everyone is a lot,” she chuckled into his fur. ”I’m sure you can do it, and I know you’ll make lots of friends. There are so many wolves in the pack who will want to make friends with you, too.” She encouraged him, knowing that her cousin was nursing her own litter. ”That’s very kind of you, I’m sure Beat and Pitch will be happy to be the best at tag. You’ll help them be second best at helping others, right?” She asked softly as she lay her head down beside him, doing her best to conserve her energy so she might linger with him as long as possible. ”I love you, Tempo.” Vail told her son passionately as she snuggled him up to her neck with her arm and held him as tight as she could, knowing she wouldn’t be able to much longer.