Broad paws struck the terra with near complete silence, and the giantess would stop on the roots of a mangrove tree with a soft sigh. She looked down, to where her reflection was shown in the still, low lying waters of the mangrove. She had lost some weight, but not enough for it to be very noticeable. Her mercury optics were haunted, but she put on a mask of calm and joy for those around her so she would not be interrogated too thoroughly. A sad smile was offered by her reflection, and with a sorrowful grimace at the expression, she turned away. There was the sound of joyous squeals from up above, and a small black missile dropped onto her back and clung to her neck. "Rory! You were gone, and I was out getting food for a second and you disappeared..." The petite ebony feline murmured into her thick ivory fur, purring wildly as she embraced her friend. "W-where did you go?" The small cat asked with hurt in her voice, a rare emotion from such a calm and steel skinned creature. The alabaster queen winced, looking slowly over her shoulder at the feline. She looked deep into the yellow-green orbs of her friend, drinking in the rampant emotions within before deciding how to speak. "I needed some time alone, and I didn't realise how long I was gone..." The pallid wolfess would murmur, closing her eyes for the briefest of moments, simply letting the guilt of abandoning her children and the emotions wrought upon her by her time alone wash over her infinite mind like a tidal wave. Consuming silver optics would flutter open once more, and she looked in the direction of where her friend should still have her den. "I need to speak with Song, and apologize." Faintly accented Russian lyrics would whisper, their ethereal tones soft as silk. Looking over her shoulder again, she would watch Corvusi's features. The feline nodded, clambering from the willowy huntress' petite shoulders and padding off. "You had better come back to the den, you children miss you a whole lot." The green eyed cat would command as she padded off into the shadows of the mangrove. Putting the location of the den, and the strongest scents of her best friend in front of her, the ivory femme would trot towards where Song should be at this time of day with the sun beating down on the land. Something smelled wrong, like sickness, and the twisting of dread made bile rise in the moonstone orbed dame's throat. Had she left at the worst possible time? Was Song sick again? Had something terrible happened? The questions flooded the immense conscience of the pale lady as she picked up her pace even more. Arriving in the familiar clearing, she would lower her cranium to peer into the mouth of her pearl pelted companion's den. There were new scents here too, and the faint tang of lactation filled the air around the den. "Song?" She would call quietly, almost afraid of what response she might receive from the smaller woman, who was undoubtedly still her superior.

Song's overly swollen belly had reduced its size almost completely after the birth of her newest litter. Beside her lay the fast growing forms of her brood, the she wolf obviously thankful they did not reside within her body any longer. She was still rather weak, needing more help from her older children than she had ever imagined. With Cherokee taking over primary alpha ship he had barely any time to be with their expanding family. She would cherish the moments they did have together, but the rest of her time was spent taking care of the little ones just brought into the world. Life had calmed considerably since their birth day, her den was rather quiet. Not many of the pack's wolves had come to see the new faces of the destruction family. She was still quite den-ridden, and hadn't even been able to meet Symphony's additions. She would gently coo over her young children, their eyes were open but still unseeing. They were starting to learn to vocalize, but mostly they would just squeak and growl. She had started to share with them the dinners that were presented to her by the few who hunted for her. Their personalities already so distinct, she found herself worrying about future behavior. All in good time though, for now she enjoyed their dependence on her and how cute they were.


She had eaten quite recently thanks to Novel, who was still practicing her hunting skills. The girl would be an amazing healer, but her hunting technique still needed improvement. She almost it was her daughter's foot steps she heard, but this wolf was obviously much bigger than her tiny daughter. Finally a voice would be put to the form as her friend Aurora called out to her from the entrance. Her relief would be apparent in her voice, as she had missed her friend quite a bit since her disappearance. "Aurora! Please come in!" there was plenty of room for the huntress to occupy within the den's depths. She wished to introduce her children as well as find out where the queen had been.?

A slow, sheepish smile would creep onto the features of the pale furred lady as her friend responded without hesitation or hatred. The giantess would dip her tiara to step within the confines of the den, shrouded in shadow and quiet. The scent that had intrigued her was stronger, and the wiggling bundles attached to her pearl coated friend's belly explained it. The grin on the pale femme's sharp features would broaden as she took the little ones in, before looking to the features of her companion. "Congratulations! You have blessed the pack once more with fresh blood." Faint Russian lyrics would exclaim, the long plush banner of the dame giving a small wag against the tall heels of the ivory she wolf. Haunches would slowly lower to the dusty floor of the den, the wolfess' tail wrapping about her powerful paws. Liquid mercury optics would fixate upon the creamy white features of her best friend, and her smile would falter. Iron gaze would fall to the ground, and wander to the sweet forms of the children. IT was not an occurrence in the mind of the woman that Song could have had a stillbirth, the Oracle was far too capable of being a mother, a good, proper mother. "I left, and I am deeply sorry. The stillborn, she looked just like my youngest sister... I couldn't take failing her again." Crumbling whisper soft tones would apologize, Russian accent quite thick as emotions clogged in the queen's throat. I could have saved Twilight, if I'd been faster. She mentally scolded herself, torturing her already traumatized mind further. With such a vast conscience, the lady was capable of beating herself over past faults for eternity and driving herself to places most would shirk from. Slowly would the robotic gaze of the alabaster femme raise to the mismatched optics of her best friend, waiting for the axe that would soon be dropped upon her head. Song had a right to scold her, or demote her, or even exile her if she chose. Aurora had done the wrong thing, and she should pay the price for her actions, she would do so for any subjects she had. If the Oracle chose to yell, that would be okay with the willowy huntress, for she deserved and needed someone to be upset with her for abandoning her family and pack for nothing more than her own pitiful horrors, chased by ghosts from her past like a simpering child.

The Tall empress would enter the confines of her den, smiling and giving her congratulations on her most recent litter. She would spare a gaze to her abdomen where they all slept peacefully, pride showing through her delicate features. Her friend would take a seat then, becoming quite somber as she looked at the children before her. Songs ears would fall back against her pearlescent crown as her words reached her. She was unsure how, but she had no idea that Aurora had lost one of her children. The dove like she wolf would abandon her children, leaving them curled with each other as she moved closer to her friend. Upset that she had not been there to comfort the woman, "I'm so sorry Aurora. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you.. I'm just so glad to see you back safe." she would push her head into the woman's neck, wanting to show how much she cared for her. How sorry she was to know about her sister and her child. "How are you doing now?" she would look back up to her silvery eyes, wondering what she would see.?

Song left the little ones now, letting them curl around each other and squirm momentarily. Waves of disappointment radiated from the creamy pelt of her best friend, who nuzzled her tiara against the powerful neck of the alabaster queen and murmured her own apologies. A small chuckle was given by the giantess as she rubbed her cheek against the dainty features of her friend. "You have nothing to apologize for, my dear." Soft ethereal tones would assure the Oracle as she looked upon the face of the smaller dame. "It was wrong of me to leave, whether I intended it for only a few days or not." She continued, her voice dropping momentarily into a growl of loathing for herself and what she had done. Long plume would give an aggravated flick at it's tip, disturbing the twin raven's feathers into a short, startled ballet. A long sigh would escape her lungs, flanks shuddering with the effort to calm herself down. "In my absence, my children have grown to hate me. I am loathe to admit it, but I fear I will never regain their affections. It shames me to know I have failed so deeply, and I at one point considered..." Soft vocals would explain, hoarse with emotion and withheld tears. She would never not love her wonderful little ones, her brave Australis, who took care of his sister when they had not a mother, and her lovely Zlata, who had not been one to hold a grudge against her still. What had she done? Would she ever regain the love of her babes? Only time would tell from now on. Slowly an inquiry would tickle her tongue, and she would hold it back for a moment. Song asked her own question, as to the ivory dame's well being at this point. Another slow intake of breath, a quiet exhale before speaking again. "I am well enough, willing to return to my duties. However, I fear this heat wave may pose problems if I were to hold a lesson. None of the prey I would usually focus on to teach are in the area, they have migrated to cooler climates..." She would inform the lass, looking over her petite shoulder to the dried out earth beyond the den, the limp and exhausted plants. Any hopes of holding a lesson would be quite difficult, but no doubt the sharp witted femme could manage. Her earlier query would return to tug at her brain, begging to be voiced. Slowly, dark lips would part, and for a moment there would be no sound coming from her maw. "Australis informed me that Magnus did not care for them in my absence, is this true?" Ghostly tones would ask, her faint accent wrapped comfortably around her tongue and laced within her words. Mercury gaze would fall to her friends features anxiously, watching for a reaction that would forewarn her of what would come. The idea that her beloved could have abandoned their children as well broke her heart, and she hoped to the gods that it was not true. Otherwise, what would that mean for their small family? They could fall apart, become broken. She loved Magnus dearly, but the idea that he could simply leave their babes to survive on their own, risking their lives alone in the mangrove, brought the first bubblings of rage into her chest.

Song would continue to comfort her friend silently, listening intently as she spoke of all her worries and woes. Aurora would tell her of the children's misfortune, how they had come to detest their mother and her lack of care. Song would nuzzle her friend comfortingly, she had no idea that her babies had such strong feelings already. She hoped they would again turn back to their poor mother, but it was unknown what would really happen. She would keep herself close, offering a moral support for the woman. She would go on to tell her she would retake her duties, explaining the lack of prey. "It would be good to take the younger members on a night hunt. I'm sure I've smelled rabbit on my rounds." finally a question would be uttered from her lips, one of Magnus and his lack of care for their children. "I don't know if I can answer that Aurora, but I do know he was injured and unable to hunt for a time. I've been too busy with my babes to take much notice of his actions." she would again offer her affection to the larger she wolf. She'd missed her friend. "Cherokee has been scarce," she would offer the woman, "It's been hard for me to run the pack alone." she would end as she gave the Russian woman an inkling into what she had been dealing with while she had been gone.?