((Ali preferred first, if any kids hop in I'm gonna say somewhat fluid posting order))

Desponia wasn't going to take them far. She wasn't an idiot, a lone mother with her brood beyond the borders of her pack made for an easy target but she'd be damned if she was going to let her kids play unsupervised with their dreadful cousins. Of course that meant she had to watch them. Had to keep urging them onwards and make sure none of them slipped off on the trip. Frankly Desponia did not understand the appeal of motherhood. Could not understand why her sister had wanted it so much she'd had multiple litters. But neither would she let it be said that she wasn't doing her duties. And despite her distance she wouldn't let anyone say shit about her kids, not because she felt protective of them but because of her own damn ego. Not that she was going to let them slide on bad behaviour either. To say the whole situation was complicated would have been an understatement.

As Desponia lay herself down in the grass, having found a clearing in the thicket, giving her kids a stern set of instructions ("don't go far, you need to be able to see me at all times, if I tell you to go home you run your ass home am I clear?") she had no idea how much more complicated things were likely about to get.

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Image by Lipton23

Ronan kept to himself; knew full well the clock was ticking, and yet he had no real desire to take action just yet. Boreas was as good as any place to lay low, all things considered, but he was starting to feel...aimless, restless. With an empty stomach, he wandered and soon came across the Thicket, a good enough place to hunt as any. He didn't expect company, he never did and maybe that was on him- but he certainly didn't think he'd spot a flash of purple through the undergrowth. Her familiar scent followed suit when he inhaled sharply, he was of half the mind to just leave before she noticed.

But she wasn't alone, toddling paws stumbled after her, young but old enough to be out and about.

He didn't presume-didn't dare to, but if he did take a moment to think about it the timeline did match.

Keeping quiet, he skirted around the bushes, it was too thick to get a real good look, but there was plenty of colour on display. Surely that was all her, she was bright purple after all.

Desponia's words only receive a flitting glance of Magdalene's icy eyes before the pup is off toward the outskirts of the clearing. Just being able to venture outside of pack lands was exciting enough, but now they were given even more freedom? Her nose is quick to lower to the ground, tail flagged high over her back as it wags excitedly back and forth. Snuffling at each and everything that she can, Mags soon finds out how sharp the thorns can be. A high-pitched yelp escapes her lips as she reels backward, teeth bared at the dangerous vine.

With a grumble, she turns to keep going on her exploration. The grass in the clearing smells sweet and as the wind shifts, other scents are brought to her. Flowers, trees, birds, wolves... Wolf? Her brow furrows, head lifting slowly as the fur along her spine bristles. Narrowing her gaze to peer into the shadows, she thinks she sees something or someone, but can't quite be certain. A growl rumbles in her chest, but the scent soon dissipates. Snorting, Mags continues on her little scouting excursion around the clearing.

"Magdalene"

Frankly Desponia was barely really watching, more zoning out than anything else. It wasn't until her daughter started growling that she caught wind of something being off. Cautiously the woman rose to her paws. Mags was already stalking away from whatever she'd reacted to and slowly, Desponia wandered her way over to where she thought the girl had caught something.

Traces of a scent. One all too familiar. It wasn't fear exactly, but it was safe to say the last thing she wanted was to have to run into the bastard that had gotten her pregnant in the first place, especially not with the little monsters around! She kept her expression calm, but after a moment turned to look at the pups.

"We're heading home." Desponia said in a tone she hoped would mean none of them complained or tried to fight her on it. "There's a predator sneaking around." Even trying to herd the kids back towards the pack she couldn't help the petty barb. If he was still in the area it was clearly aimed at him.

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Image by Lipton23

Astra followed after her family, not saying a word during the way. Always the quiet type, she was not into direct interactions unless she was addressed first, just a thing she had been developing as she grew up. The idea of good and evil were blurred up on her psyche yet all she knew was that the only she had to obey was her mother and that was it. Anything else fell on emptied wishes.

Blank expression switched slightly as her mother mentioned the word predator. Unaware to her that predator would be her very own father. Sighing she rushed behind mother and huffed at Magdalene to not stay behind.

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code by shaz - Icon by Dissasterpuppy

A predator? He gritted his teeth, hackles raising as he shot a sour look at Desponia, ears pinning back slightly at the insinuation. He was admittedly trying very hard not to notice the resemblances too, one was very purple and the other was- the timeline did match up but he'd thought...Well, he hadn't wanted to think.

"No," he corrected, stern, intent on not letting her scurry away. This wasn't a topic of conversation to be avoided. He wouldn't allow it. "You know full well I- " Ronan grunted, forcing his shoulders to relax a little, blades held not quite so...pointed. He couldn't go and say he wouldn't hurt anyone when he looked like...this.

"They're mine aren't they?" Just two of them?

Magdalene was content to explore the clearing in the thicket. She noticed that around the edges, the thick, woody vines had very sharp and large thorns on them that hurt when touched. Her nose even had a prickle of blood on it from her investigating a little too closely. Careful to keep her distance from the exterior, she decided she'd look into the little bird's nest perched toward the ground off to the side of the clearing. What a good place for birds to live! It was hard for large predators to find their way through the full thicket. Within the confines of the nest were three, small baby blue eyes with brown speckles. A gasp of awe leaves her lips as she leans closer.

Tempted to touch it, Mags is prevented when her mother calls out sharply to her and Astra. They were leaving already? Her brow furrows, confusion and sadness dampening her gaze. Opening her mouth to argue, she quickly shuts it again with an audible click of her teeth. A predator? Instinctually her fur bristles, shoulders hunching, head lowering as she spins to look around. Where?

Oh...

This dude was big. Her electric blue gaze scans over the massive form that emerges from the shadows. What were those things on his legs!? Magdalene's mouth drops open in wonder. She doesn't register his words until he asks "They're mine aren't they?" Blinking with confusion toward her mother, she looks between Des and the man. Mine? As in that's her father?

"That's my dad!?" Mags says rather incredulously.

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