Almost a week passed since Eska came home bloodied and violated and he had hardly left her side since. The only time had been early the next morning to go seek out the trader they had once spoken with about acquiring the dogs he wanted. No matter the resolve she had that she was strong and could stand on her own, it would still ease his mind a bit to know that she had a couple of companions with her whenever she left the territory. He wouldn't keep her from doing the things she normally did since he didn't want to make her feel like he was trying to control her, but if she could just allow him this one thing he'd feel at least a little better. If anything happened there would be these large dogs to help her in the fight or at the very least run ahead to go get him so she wouldn't have to walk back alone injured like she had.

Luckily he didn't have to try too hard to make her take it easy for a few days while her wounds started to heal up. He would keep his promise and he would start some serious training with her, but not a moment before Gwynevere gave her the all clear to do so. It seemed like this bastard had done more than just tear into her with teeth and force himself on her, her neck apparently strained from a moment of whiplash as well. The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally make it worse. He took Eska to their lead healer frequently, probably more frequently than Eska would like, but he would much rather be safe than sorry with an injury like that. Although he didn't want to admit it, there was another reason he brought her to Gwynevere so frequently.

She hadn't been in heat, but he was pretty sure Aranea hadn't been either their last night together and that hadn't prevented him getting her pregnant in the end. Bella hadn't been in heat and yet Serenity was here. There was always a chance and ever since that thought crossed his mind while he was laying there awake the night after with Eska sleeping in his arms he just couldn't get it out of his mind. Every day that passed he kept expecting some kind of symptom to pop up and it made him nervous. He hadn't admitted his fear to Eska, but he knew Gwynevere was a perceptive healer. If there had been any signs even if that wasn't particularly what she was looking for she would have mentioned it.

With his morning patrol done he went to get Eska. He had taken their dogs with him so they could start learning the path around their borders, but now that he was done he sent them away to go guard the alpacas. He found Eska pretty easily within the castle walls and he smiled softly as he came over to her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "Ready to go see Gwynevere? I think she mentioned maybe taking out a few of the stitches today last time we saw her."

"Ulric"

Healing from the wounds inflicted during her ravaging was taking longer than Eska anticipated. Meat and muscle healed at different rates. Her flesh had been torn, but the muscles had been damaged as well. While the meat was threading itself back together, the muscles would take significantly longer. It was unfortunate. Eska was ready to begin her training with Ulric immediately.

The man had been taking very good care of her, rarely leaving her side and always making sure that she was provided for. It had taken a few days of sleeping and eating to get her strength back, but Eska was back to normal in that department. She was back to making small patrols, usually closer to the castle for Ulric's peace of mind. The silvered woman wasn't an idiot and she didn't think that she was invincible. It was easy for her to understand his worries, so when he told her that he was going to purchase the dogs that they'd looked at together, she didn't argue.

Had Eska known the worries that were going through Ulric's mind, she would have been able to set him straight. However, he didn't talk to her about his concerns. Did he not trust her? Did he think that he had to protect her from his thoughts? Who knew?

While Ulric ran through his patrols with the dogs, Eska rested. She knew the drill by now. He would return, they would go to see Gwyn together. She would be told that she was healing at a good pace. The earthen man would still worry. Dark ears perked when the door was pushed open. Ulric came forward, kissing her quickly before asking her if she was ready to go see the healer. Reaching out one silver paw, Eska cupped the man's cheek, pulling his lips back against hers. She missed their intimacy. Though she was resigned to the fact that it would be unwise to engage in such strenuous activities with healing wounds, that didn't stop Eska's lust in the slightest. There was just something about Ulric that made Eska want to be beneath him all of the time.

Once she had tasted her fill of him, Eska pulled away and slid from the bed. Together, they moved through the castle and to the infirmary. Golden eyes kept glancing in his direction. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go without him.

"Eska"

Ulric's ears perked with surprise when her paw caught his cheek, pulling him back in for another kiss that poked at the deep desire he had done his best to keep reined in since the day she came back from being attacked. A rumbling, pleased murr sounded in his chest as he returned that kiss, his eyes fluttering closed as he savored this little taste of her. He refused to make her injuries worse just to fill those desires, but that didn't mean they weren't there and she certainly wasn't making his resolve to resist her any easier with moments like these. When her lips pulled away from his, he watched her slide off of the bed, sorely tempted to take her back to bed and give in to their lusts as carefully as he could manage, but instead he walked with her dutifully into the infirmary, his silver gaze catching hers occasionally with a smirk on his lips. He dipped his head to kiss her cheek, his side brushing hers. Gods, he loved his woman.

He held open the door to the infirmary to let Eska walk past him, revealing the now familiar room and the Seneshal that practically lived within. He knew she still had a room she kept in the wing where the rest of the Carpathius family resided, but more than once he had found her here all hours of the day. Gwynevere came to greet them and he sat off to the side as she went through the motions of checking Eska's healing wounds. As he had predicted she took the time to remove some stitches from a few of the places where her skin had been torn near her shoulder now that the skin had mostly begun to mend together. After applying a few herbs to a few of the still raw places she went to check Eska's neck, gently feeling and pressing with her paws. After telling them how the inflammation in her muscles was beginning to feel better and that she still didn't notice any fractures in the vertebrae she went over to the store of herbs she kept and brought out a sizable piece of a plant with little white flowers. She placed it in front of Eska saying, "Now that the stitches are out you don't need to come as often, but here's some boneset to help with the muscle pain. Take about this much in the morning and at night," she suggested, holding up how much she meant. "Just take it easy and let me know if it doesn't start getting better in another week or so."

The constant worrier that Ulric was, he nearly spoke up to ask if she was sure it wasn't better for them to come back more often for a little while longer, but he bit his tongue and just smiled softly as he gave Gwyn a thankful nod and watched her walk away to go back to her usual duties. He rose and padded over to Eska, giving her a soft kiss. "How are you feeling? Anything bothering you besides your strained muscles?" he questioned with his never ending concern, genuinely wondering if she was feeling okay, but also wondering if there was any symptoms she hadn't mentioned yet. Whether they were tied to his quiet fears or not, he wanted to make sure she was completely cared for.

"Ulric"

The healer poked and prodded, feeling muscle and bone. Gwyn really was a good healer. She explained everything that she was doing as she worked and Eska greatly appreciated that. She liked knowing what was going on with her own body. Ulric sat beside her and she could feel a nervous tension pouring off of him. He'd felt like that for a few days now and she didn't quite understand it. Did he think that Gwyn was going to tell them that she was permanently broken? That she would have to be cared for like all of the other women that he'd been with previously? That would never happen. If Eska was ever unable to care for herself, she'd throw herself off of the castle and into the sea. She would be no one burden.

After the boneset was explained, Eska thanked the girl and turned her attention back to Ulric as he kissed her and began to speak. He wondered if anything else was troubling her and she thought about it for a moment. "My stomach was a mess this morning. I threw up when I was out walking." She gave a little shrug and fixed him with her yellow gaze. "I feel fine now." One brow lifted as she questioned him. "Why do you ask?"

"Eska"

Ulric wore a small smile while he waited for Eska to evaluate herself and after a moment of thought she told him that she had felt sick that morning and had gotten sick. His smile faltered slightly no matter how hard he tried to hide the slight panic that crept over him. He remembered Azariah's symptoms vividly when she had been pregnant with their children and he remembered those weeks of morning sickness and desperately trying to find anything she could eat and keep down. His ears flicked uncertainly and he settled back on his haunches, wondering to himself if he should call Gwynevere back over to do another exam - this time focused on whether Eska was pregnant or not. He hadn't mentioned it to Eska purely because he didn't want to cause any extra worry, but he felt like it was inevitable now.

He sighed softly and he let go of the veil of calm he had been trying to hold on to, revealing the worry that was thinly hidden underneath. "Eska... Do you think... Do you think you could be pregnant?" he asked softly, his ears folding back against his skull. He was worried and nervous over the possibility, but it also fueled the pure, unbridled hatred he felt for this black and blue bastard that had done this. He had already begun to think through the possibilities of what they could do if she did turn out to be pregnant, but none of them were really possibilities he enjoyed. Forcing himself to be a father to the children that had been born from a rape didn't sound like something he could feasibly do, but he had also already seen too many dead puppies for one life time because of Aranea. But if they didn't chose one of those options then what would they do? Drop them off somewhere else? He wasn't sure he could do that either.

"Ulric"

The nervousness on Ulric's face was evident and Eska wondered what was going on in his mind. It didn't take him long to voice his concerns after she'd asked. Eska blinked her golden eyes and stared at him for a moment. "Is that why you've been fussing over me like a mother hen?" There was a bit of amusement in her voice as she spoke. Gods... why hadn't he just asked her sooner? She could have saved him so much fretting.

Eska raised a paw to cup his cheek gently and raised her muzzle to kiss the tip of his nose. "I've been taking Queen Anne's lace from the day that it happened. There's no chance." Nor would there be any chance of her getting pregnant for some time down the line. The flowering herb halted the menstrual cycle and it sometimes had a difficult time starting up once more. Eska knew very little about healing and herbology, but contraceptives and after care were two things that Aunt Balaa had taught her.

"Why didn't you just ask me?" The silver and black woman tilted her head slightly, brow furrowing. Ulric was having a difficult time accepting that she wasn't some delicate thing that needed to be protected and shielded. "No matter how hard a situation might be, you can always talk to me about it. I'd prefer if you'd talk to me about it." At some point he had to stop trying to treat her like she'd either break or leave, right?

"Eska"

When she looked at him with such surprise and had such an amusement in her voice he felt like there must be some piece of the puzzle he was missing, but he still gave her a bit of a "guilty as charged" look when she accused him of acting like a mother hen. He leaned his head into her paw as she lifted it to his cheek and then it was his turn to look at her in surprise when she informed him that there was no chance because of an herb she had been taking. He didn't know the first thing about herbs or which ones did what, but he vaguely knew that there were herbs that could prevent pregnancies and that sort of thing so he had to assume that's what this Gueen Anne's lace did since she brought it up now. The tension in his shoulders relaxed and he felt like a complete fool for worrying over her like he had. No matter how many times she proved that she could hold her own, old habits died hard.

His larger paw came up to rest over hers on his as she questioned him on why he didn't just ask her about it and insisted that he could talk to her about anything, no matter how hard. He sighed softly, gently squeezing her paw. "You're right. I know you're right. I was just trying to keep any other stress off of you while you recovered." Releasing her paw, he dipped his head to give her lips a tender kiss, infinitely relieved that his fears were unfounded even if he was an idiot about how he went about handling his concerns. After growing up with someone like his mother who crumpled so easily at the smallest thing and living with Azariah who he had catered to in every moment they were together, adjusting to the strength and independence that Eska held was a whole new world. "I'm sorry," he said softly against her lips, his paw brushing her cheek in return. "If you ever feel like I'm being a mother hen again please call me out on it. Sometimes I don't even realize when I've gone too far."

He smiled softly and kissed her again, lingering a moment longer than he had before and kissing her more deeply. "I hope your injuries finish healing quickly," he admitted after a moment with a slightly more husky tone to his voice, a little smirk pulling at his lips as he remembered the heated kiss she had given him before they came down to the infirmary. With that worry and weight lifted off of him it was easier to acknowledge the constant attraction he held for her. He would never do anything that would just end up hurting her worse than she was, but he wouldn't deny how he felt either.

"Ulric"

From the stories that Ulric had told her and of the various comments that she'd heard from other members of the pack, Eska knew what his tastes had been. That Ulric was even attracted to someone like her was still surprising. Eska was not one to lean on others or let others do for her. As she'd told him many times, she stood on her own. That being said, Eska had made an effort to let Ulric help her here and there. He seemed to need to care for her sometimes. It seemed to make him genuinely happy. So, for Ulric, the man she loved, Eska mad herself a little more vulnerable at times. It was a balance that they were crafting. He had to learn that she didn't always need protecting and she had to learn to give a little and rely upon him.

Ulric's words about stress brought a soft laugh from the fae and she pressed her forehead against his. "Love, you are more stressed than I am." Pulling back, she kissed him quickly. "I am determined, if anything. Determined to heal, work on my fighting and meet the bastard again for a rematch." No matter how many times she told Ulric that she wasn't weak and womanly, his mind still worried that she was. It would take time, but she hoped that he could eventually break the habit.

Their lips met and soon their tongue's danced. A small groan pulled from Eska and lust glazed over her golden gaze. His words after brought a lascivious little grin to her maw. "If you're careful with me, we don't have to wait." No matter how injured she was, Eska would never deny Ulric. If he wanted her, he could have her. Anywhere, any time, any condition. "Should we go back to our room?" Her paw had drifted from his cheek downward so that she could pull her claws through the fur of his chest. 'Say yes,' she willed him.

"Eska"

He smiled and chuckled along with her as she pointed out how he had been more stressed than she had been. That was more true that he wanted it to be and he knew he had to e better about relaxing. He was a work in progress and he was just grateful that Eska was willing to work through these bumps with him. He had realized quickly that this was really his first real relationship with love and understanding and a willingness to adjust and grow together. It was a partnership, just as as she had requested when he started this journey for them. He nodded in agreement to her determination to get better, to get stronger, to teach that bastard that had hurt her a lesson. And he would be there to support her every step of the way. He would be there with a proud smirk on his lips as she brought the fool to the ground and showed him the error of his ways.

As they kissed and indulged in each other for a moment he did his best to keep his desires in check. He done well so far, perhaps even better than he had in the days they spent together before they were officially together and had enjoyed those physical pleasures together for the first time. The stress and worry had helped distract him, but with that gone and her injuries well on their way to recovery it was becoming harder and harder for him to behave. That soft groan that caught in his ears like the most delightful sound and the lust in her gaze certainly didn't help. He hated and loved how she tempted him as she reminded him how they didn't have to wait if he was careful with her. He stood conflicted for a long moment, torn between his desires and what was probably the more responsible choice, but the invitation to go back to their room and the feeling of her claws combing through the fur on his chest finally chipped away at his resolve and he smirked, catching her lips in another firm kiss. I think we should," he agreed in a quiet rumble.

He got to his paws and led Eska out of the infirmary, pausing at the door to hold it open for her and grinning as he snuck a teasing nip to her hip as she walked by. Chuckling softly, he walked up the stairs and down the corridor with her, eagerly closing the door behind them once they were hidden away in their room once more. His lips found hers again and he kissed her passionately for a long moment, all that fire and need he had been tamping down and hiding away coming back to life in an instant. Once he broke their kiss he smirked and told her, "Go lay however is most comfortable for you, my love."

"Ulric"

Eska could see the war within Ulric's mind as he considered both his lust and his motherly, concerned nature. The brindled woman merely watched, a smile on her face. She knew what he would eventually choose and in time, he agreed. Ulric opened the door for her and gave her hip a gentle nip. Eska's tail curled up, sliding along the underside of the man's jaw. She looked at him over her shoulder, giving him a 'come hither' look before moving out of the room.

Up the stairs she went, allowing Ulric to hold open this door as well. Eska waited as he shut the door and was ready to meet his lips as he pulled her in for a kiss. The woman's tongue slid along her mate's and she once again groaned into his mouth. Eska couldn't get enough of him. Had she been your average woman, she would have already been pregnant. They certainly had sex often enough for it. However, Eska had been ingesting a contraceptive herb since she left home. Well... her old home. There was no chance. So, if Ulric ever wanted to produce more children, they would have to have a conversation about it.

With the kiss broken, Ulric ordered her to bed, prompting her to lay however she felt most comfortable. One silvered brow arched as Eska dramatically seemed to think about how she would be most comfortable. Really... she would be most comfortable with him inside her, but they had to get there first. Breaking away, the silver streaked fae rose onto the bed. Once there, she sprawled out onto her slender stomach. Eska looked over her shoulder again, one golden eye falling upon the earthen brute. Her thick tail lashed back and forth over her thighs. "I won't break," she promised. He would have to be gentle for the sake of the muscles in her neck, but as for everything else, he could be as rough or as gentle as he wished.

"Eska"

Ulric chuckled softly as Eska seemed to consider the possibilities before moving over to their bed, his silver gaze roaming over the curves of her body with hunger and appreciation. She was a stunning fae in every sense of the phrase - body, soul and personality. It was no secret that he had been with his fair share of partners over the years, but no one had truly captured his attention and challenged him in all the best ways like Eska did. A grin pulled across his lips as she settled onto her stomach and looked back at him, reminding him that she wouldn't break. He knew that she wouldn't. As precious as she was to him and as much as he struggled to make himself believe it he knew she was far tougher than he gave her credit for. Ulric padded over to the bed while not being shy about his eyes drinking all of her in.

Climbing onto the bed, a low, rumbling, pleased growl rolled in his chest while he left a trail of kisses and nibbles from the base of her tail up along her spine all the way to her ears. He was still careful around her neck and did his best not to jostle her around too much, but once his body was settled on top of hers it was still easy to be swept away in the desire and need for his mate. He slipped a strong foreleg around her waist to hold her hips where he wanted her and held himself above her with another paw on the bed near her head, nibbling around her ears and catching the delicate skin between his teeth. He slowly pressed his hips to hers and sank into her with a groan, claws gripping onto skin.

The strong and hard rolls of his hips were contrasted with the savoring kisses he left all across the top of her head, her cheeks, along her neck and shoulders. Every part of her that he could reach with his lips was given some kind of affection, lingering carefully around the places were her wounds were healing. As strong and self sufficient as she was and how much he trusted her abilities, it still hit too close to home just how hurt she had gotten and how he could have lost her if her attacker had been even slightly more malicious or if her wounds had gotten infected or worse. The thought made him hold her a little tighter, leaning his cheek into hers while his other paw gripped the furs of their bedding. "Eska... I love you..." he moaned breathlessly against her skin, giving himself over entirely to the pleasure, pulling her back into him with each movement until they both reached their peaks.

- fades and stuff for reasons -

"Ulric"

As Ulric slowly kissed and nibbled his way up her spine until he covered her, Eska growled softly with pleasure and anticipation. Each little touch sent electricity coursing between them. She wanted him like she had never wanted another wolf and hoped that it never changed. Eska leaned into him, reflexively shifting her hips upwards as his paw slid around her hip. "Please," she purred, not able to wait any longer. He was intoxicating. The love that he had for her was all consuming and she couldn't wait for him to devour her with that love.

Ulric sank into her and Eska released a shuddering gasp, her spine arching as she pressed into him. He was gentle with her but rough where she needed it. He knew just how she liked it and, even though she was still healing, he gave her everything that she needed. As he whispered into her ear, Eska clenched her teeth and raised her head, sliding her cheek along his. What had she done to deserve a god like this in her life? The culmination of pleasure and love soon brought Eska to heights rarely reached.

-Stuff. Things. Fades-

Afterwards as the pair of lovers basked upon the giant bed together, Eska smiled. She had shifted her position so that she used Ulric's stomach as a pillow for her sore neck. She needed a bath, but it could wait. For now, she simply wanted to soak up this moment that they shared. Now that she could breathe again and she was able to make sounds other than moans, the brindled fae cast her sulfuric gaze upwards towards her mans face. "I love you too."

"Eska"

Ulric was reclined back into the pillows and furs of their bed, gazing lovingly down at Eska where she was resting with her head on his stomach. He was completely spent and satisfied in every possible way with a little, floaty smile lingering on his lips. There was just something that was different about being with Eska compared to anyone else. She lit such a fire of desire in him like no one else and they fit each other so perfectly. His paw gently stroked over the top of her head and down her neck, rubbing the store muscles under careful paw pads while they caught their breaths and savored this moment. His silver gaze found hers when she glanced up at him, hearing her return the 'I love you' he had said before they were completely lost to the throes of passion. A grin pulled across his hips and he chuckled, his paw brushing her cheek. She was the other half he had always craved and he felt so grateful to have her.

He was quiet for a while, just enjoying the peace of having her here with him and safe, the dancing tingles of pleasure steadily dissipating from his skin. His mind started walking through the events of the day again, the fear of her being pregnant that had been dissipated by the news that she had been taking herbs to prevent it in the first place. His past with fathering children was a troubled and difficult one, but it was something that he enjoyed more than pretty much anything else. His children were his pride and joys. Even still, when his former mate left he thought that his days of fathering children were over. As he looked at Eska now, his claws lightly combing through her fur, he realized that wasn't something they had really discussed for themselves.

He had learned from the first year of his children's lives that ruling a pack while raising pups wasn't a life that he wanted. He hadn't been able to devote nearly the time and effort he had wanted to their earliest days and they had slipped him by. If he was going to do it over then he wanted to correct what he had done wrong. The beauty of leading The Hallows though was that it was never intended for him to keep it forever. He was keeping safe to hand over to Resin's children when the time came. "In the summer," he mentioned quietly, breaking the silence as he teasingly stroked across the edge of her ear, "My kids will be fully adults and Artorias will be old enough to take over the pack completely. It'll be time for me to retire." He chuckled at the thought. He wasn't exactly an old man, at least not in his mind, but he certainly wasn't a young man either. By the time summer came he would be in his seventh year and most certainly old enough to justify taking a step back from things like leading a pack. "When that happens and we have a little more time and freedom to ourselves... What do you think about us having pups of our own?"

"Ulric"

Ulric's paw stroked across her cheek and Eska's sulfuric gaze slowly drifted shut as she reveled in his touch. The woman was content. Purely content. If she was a feline, she surely would have been purring up a storm. Since she was not, she settled for a lazy smile and a press of her cheek into her lover's soft underbelly. The comfort of knowing that Ulric was there and was watching over her began to lull the fae to sleep. The lazy pull of his claws through her brindled pelt only enhanced this sleepy feeling.

Soft, thoughtful tones roused Eska back to the present. She blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus on Ulric's handsome face as he spoke. He spoke of the summer and of his children being grown. Eska nodded, wondering where he was getting to with his thoughts. Retirement. That was an interesting concept. Once summer came, he would be free of responsibility. Perhaps they could travel a bit. See the different sights that the world had to offer. It would be nice to be on her paws again. Eska did enjoy traveling.

What Eska didn't expect was what Ulric said next. Pups. He wanted more pups! Eska's initial reaction was to balk and say no. He had many pups already, so why did he feel the need for more? She held her tongue, however, instead deciding to think on the matter, though she was sure that her brows furrowed as she did so.

Ulric obviously felt that having children was important. He wanted to have children with her, though that didn't mean much since he'd wanted to have children with his former mate as well, she imagined. Eska had never pictured being a mother. Helping Ulric with his own children was mothering enough for her, in all honesty. After staying quiet for a time, the masked fae decided to speak openly and honestly with her mate. "I've never really thought about having children. My whole life has pretty much been devoted to finding my mother." There hadn't been time for anything else. No time to think of what her life could be after. Again her brow furrowed. "I'm not sure that I'd be a very good mother." She didn't exactly have an example to base her mothering upon. "Why do you feel the need to have more?" Her eyes met his and she waited for an answer.

"Eska"

Ulric watched Eska's reactions curiously, watching the confusion and disbelief cross her features in the form of a furrowed brow with a bit of amusement. He honestly wouldn't have been disappointed or offended if she refused. He had quickly learned with Eska that she stood on her own feet and made her own decisions about all things and he had no doubt that this would be the same. All he wanted to know was if it was even a possibility to be considered. She had stepped up to being a part of his other children's lives, but that didn't necessarily mean he expected her to want children of their own. She was more than enough for him either way so he waited while she considered the question for a moment, his claws still lovingly raking through her silver brindled fur.

Her initial response wasn't far off from what he had expected from her, but it showed she was at least open to considering the idea which he appreciated. As with everything she was the logic to his emotion and she questioned a very important point - why did he feel like he needed to have more? He had already fathered six children - nine if he counted the three that had died because of Aranea's actions - and that was already far more than most wolves probably had in a whole lifetime. His mother had only had two, but that had mostly been because of the fact that his father was murdered so early on in her life. It wasn't that he was unsatisfied with the amount of family he had or his current children in any way. He considered it for a moment, wanting to give her a thoughtful answer to her question.

"I love being a father," he answered honestly, his paw lightly tracing her ear. "Out of all the things I've done, it's the one of the only things I've genuinely enjoyed... But I've never planned to be a father. I had no idea about Serenity's litter before I found her, the litter with Azariah had been a surprise and unplanned, Aranea... that had been a mistake on every level." He frowned a bit at that, but he moved on quickly, adding, "I'm not trying to make up for my mistakes and recklessness, but I would love to experience what it's like to actually enjoy being a father without having to worry about raising them alone or without being pulled in a million directions because of other obligations, to just... have a family and be able to be with them and love them. I just... I just wish I had been able to give that to all of my kids."

The guilt he felt about not being able to give his children the attention from him that they deserved still ate at him constantly even though he knew he was only one wolf and there was only so much he could have done as a single father that suddenly had the world placed upon his shoulders unexpectedly. He blinked and refocused his attention on Eska's golden gaze and he smiled softly, brushing his paw across her cheek again. "You've taught me to be so much more intentional with my life and what I do with it. I know where I want my priorities to be. You are my priority first in this decision so if being a mother isn't something you're wanting then that's fine with me. We can just live our lives together and I will be more than content with that, but if that is something you want then I would love to share that experience with you."

"Ulric"