Sedna was restless.

Her sides were already beginning to stretch with the lives that had taken root within her. She had moved all her herbs to the main storage, kept the poisons on a high shelf in her separate medicinal storage. She had widened the main area and made an extra room off to the side for the children. But it didn’t feel right. She had scouted around the tall grass plains and down by the beach to no avail. Nothing felt right, and the stress it was causing her was only waylaid when she happened to run into Raijin by the cliffs. She knew what she had to do to at least get some much needed rest.

Chips had flown off to track down the spotted man, and Otis stood by her side. She had the cougar pelt on her back and the small blade strapped to her tail, her companions, and that was all she carried with her. Everything else had been redistributed back into pack storage. Her heart hurt, but the restless kicking in her lungs and kidneys hurt more. She needed to do what she thought would be best for them. She tipped back her head and called for Sirius. She never thought any of this would happen so soon, or that it would make her feel this way, but history did have a habit of repeating itself.

The Warlord was fishing when the sound of a call summoned him. He glanced back to the stream for a moment, and the fish that were yet to bite and gave a rueful smile. He shook out his coat and turned, trotting away from the summer stream and made his way to Sedna. He found the newly colourful wolf, strapped and geared up. Looking like she was ready for a battle or a journey, and her sides were beginning to show.

A frown darkened his expression, and his steps slowed. Taking him more slowly to her side. “Sedna.” he said, the unease in his gut told him he knew why she had summoned him. She was one of the last of the wolves that had joined him near the start. Was he to lose her, too, today?

"Speech"

“Sirius,” She replied formally with half a smile, an unexpected lump growing in her throat as she drew a sharp breath in through her nose. Tears were stinging the backs of her eyes, but she tried to blink them back, taking a moment to glance to the sky overhead. These fucking mood-swings would be the end of her, she was sure. That and the inability to keep anything substantial in her stomach, or get comfortable enough to sleep, or the inexplicable desire to keep moving.

“I’ve been havin’ a hard time settlin’, nothin’ feels quite right anymore.” She certainly hadn’t expected to catch feelings along the way, and at this early stage, she wasn’t even sure that was what was happening, but she wanted to give it a shot, especially if it meant she would be able to snag a few hours of sleep. “I feel like I need ter keep movin’, Ma got th’ same, most o’ us were born on ‘er way ter somewhere new, like our comin’ was some sorta sign that that was where she should stop.” She chuckled, but rolled her shoulders uncomfortably. “But I didn’ wanna go without at least sayin’ goodbye.”

So he was right, she was pregnant. That had happened quickly, despite her assurances that it would be some time. He fleetingly wondered who she had decided to father kids with, before he caught the scent of an Ashen wolf in her coat. His assessment on her gearing up had been right, as well. His mouth set into a grimace. He did not want to let her go, but nor could he bring himself to fight a pregnant woman. The slow stream of goodbyes in his life had cured him of the belief he could hold onto everyone, but it left a hole in his heart every time regardless. He loved his wolves, he loved them fiercely and he would fight tooth and nail to protect them.

And still, they left him.

He let out a soft sigh, and lowered his forehead to touch lightly against her own. He didn’t have to lower it very much, they stood shoulder to shoulder these days. “The Armada would offer you a safety net, a place to raise your kids in safety” He pointed out softly, through he had a feeling her mind was already made up.

"Speech"

Sedna would have fought if he wanted to, but the gentle touch was met with her closing eyes and a small rueful smile. “I know, but I can’ put that on th’ others, an’ its one thing fer Hana ter ‘ave yer grandkids, if I do it, then th’ other’s ‘ll expect th’ same an’ as much as I know yer’d love ter be drownin’ in kids, it’d put a strain on everyone. Packs’ve been taken out by less.” She’d seen wolves run off for less. Seer might have had a soft spot for her, but that didn’t mean she was going to do anything but what was right, and best for the pack as a whole. At the end of the day, she still held a stubborn, independent streak, a desire to make her own mark, and leave her own legacy. This wasn’t the place for her to do that.

“Raijin, their dad, e’s in Abaven, an’ they’ve got a school goin’. I dunno if that’s where I’ll stop, but it’s gotta be worth at least checkin’ out, an’ I hear there’s new packs in th’ south? There weren’t any down there th’ last time I was there an’ now there’s supposed ter be three! Maybe a bit o’ travel will wear me out enough ter sleep?” And maybe she would find her own slice of somewhere to make her own. “I promise I’ll bring ‘em back ter visit, at least that way they’ll only be a temporary disturbance. Yer don’ need more Archer’s runnin’ around wreckin’ th’ joint.” Her smile was lopsided, just like the unsteady thudding in her chest.

He gave her a rueful smile, knowing the pack was fit to bursting these days with kids. “I’d do it anyway.” he said, a little sadly, because he knew her mind was already made up. He leaned back on her haunches, giving her a little breathing room. “Abaven’s a good place, they’d make good use of your knowledge.” He said, he looked at the changed wolf again, and shook his head. “Ah, alas. I always knew you’d have ambition enough to take you away when you joined” he said.

He kissed her forehead. He wasn’t a wolf that was good at saying goodbye. “The Armada is your family, remember that. If you don’t introduce your kids to their Uncle Seer, you’ll be in trouble.” he warned her, but he was at least half teasing. “Did you need anything for your journey?”


"Speech"