Surreal snoozed around her newborn brood, feeling peaceful. They suckled, making the sweetest noises. She hadn?t decided on names for every single one of them. Zuriel, her second-born and firstborn daughter, Falk had named. She was more contemplative about the other two. Being the first and last borns, they needed names that would be memorable. Names that they would wear with pride and pleasure. For now, she was happy to drift on the after birthing sleep that consumed tired mothers. She loved them all, so much that she felt as though her heart would burst with maternal pride. They were her little gifts. Her angels. Her little dreams. A soft hum left her as her head lifted, eyes opening as she blinked away the sleep and turned her head automatically to nuzzle her brood. ?My little dreams.? She cooed softly, muzzle against her children. The memory was very, very faint, but she could remember vibrations against her when she was tiny and still blind and deaf. Even now, she guessed the comforting feelings were her mother doing this exact thing. They squirmed and snuggled closer, her red boy curling tight against her belly, one paw stretching stubbily out in front, before pulling in tight. He was most certainly a massive puppy, much larger than his sisters. She could watch them for hours, she was sure. She would never tire of it. Her hunger would soon be sated, if Falk and Alsander were successful in hunting. Ashtoreth might be helping as well, so they were assured a kill. Animals would be stuffing themselves with single-minded intent for the winter months, filling the fat reserves for a long winter sleep, or to weather out the long months of cold and snow. She had a feeling the winter might be harsh, with the minor drought the land had endured. Whatever came, she would keep her little darlings safe and warm.

Alsander

The hunt was indeed successful. Alsander carried most of the kill; a large yearling fawn who?d been inexperienced in keeping one eye and both ears alert while feeding and stuffing himself with forage. The hunt had been quick, and he?d volunteered to carry the majority of the kill back to base for the family. Falk, he knew, would be along very soon, with the remainder of the kill for Surreal. Alsander, however, wanted a little time with his cousin, a moment to admire his new second cousins. So, he dropped the yearling fawn in the designated feeding area and dipped his muzzle in the stream, snapping his jaws open and shut a few times to clear the fur and blood from his teeth and whiskers. Then he turned and padded toward his cousins brood den. Soon enough, he could hear her voice, softly cooing to her new brood, and he stopped, enjoying the sounds of a happy mother and contented pups, before stepping up close to the mouth of the den and peering inside, letting his eyes adjust to the dim interior. He smiled as his eyes found her and the newborns, a grin full of pride for her and the pups. They weren?t his own children, but oh, he would love and train them as though they were newborn siblings of his own. His heavily furred tail wagged heartily as he lowered himself to his belly, scooting forward so that he was half in, half out, leaving room for when Falk would get there with a haunch. ?They?re beautiful, Cousin.? And how he wished he had a few of his own. His eyes trailed over the wiggling forms, landing on the monster, bright against his dams silver underside. ?That one is particularly interesting. Any idea where the color came from?? He didn?t remember his family, on either side of his bloodline, beyond those here with him in Alacritia. The red could have come from Falk, though Falk was a mixture of the earthy browns, russets, and creams, while this pup showed no variations of the bright blood red hue. No signs that darker timber markings would appear later in life. His mismatched green and gold eyes lifted. ?Have you named them all??

Movement outside caused her a moment of maternal protective instincts. A snarl wanted to bubble to the surface, and she curled around her brood, eyes shooting icy daggers at the entrance of the den, before she recognized Alsanders tread. She relaxed immediately, as he poked his head around the edge of the den mouth, his stillness telling her he was allowing his eyes to adjust. The smile said he could see, so she greeted him with her own smile, obligingly opening herself a bit to flaunt her brood to her cousin as he scooted forward on his belly. Half in, half out, he looked them over, and her proud grin grew as he remarked on their beauty. ?They are.? She leaned her head down, caressing Zuriel with a gentle lick as his eyes landed on the big red. She agreed with his comment, nodding, then thought over his question. ?Mother said that her grandmother was said to be red like this. Briena. So? I guess this big boy must be a throwback.? She nuzzled the big boy in question, smiling softly as he wriggled and squeaked. She looked up as Alsander asked about names, and smiled, nosing her middle child. ?Falk and I agreed on Zuriel, for her.? Her eyes roved over the other two. ?I haven?t decided for these two?? Her eyes lifted to her cousin. She knew his love and longing for children of his own. The lovely albino female he?d fallen for had disappeared, well before their own trip to the island. He?d been despondent on the times she?d snuck up on him, before he could hoist on the mask. ?Alsander, would you like to name one?? She shifted, her posture speaking of permission to come closer. Permission to get a closer look.

Alsander

Her nod of agreement to his comment made him smile. Her tenderness for her children made a warm and fuzzy feeling charge through him. He listened with interest as she explained the possibility of the red pup being a throwback from previous, far back generations. Could that mean he had a chance of passing that coloring on to his own? A question bubbled to the fore of his mind; what did his mothers side carry? Were they all silver, like Cormalin had said she was? Or had they had different colors? Markings? It was a fascinating thought, and one he would never find answers to. Not anymore. He was brought back as Surreal responded to his question about their names. He smiled as she nosed the darkest grey female. It looked like this female, who most resembled her mother, would have little black paws. He smiled. ?Zuriel is a beautiful name. Falk has good taste.? He wondered what they would name the others. Then Surreals eyes met his, an earnesty in their gaze that he couldn?t deny took his breath away. Then she asked if he?d like to name one of her children. It was an honor that he hadn?t expected. His tail began thrashing behind him of its own volition, and he forced it to be still as he answered her permissive posture and scooted closer, moving so that the light would fall on the brood. The only male, red as blood fresh from a vein, fairly glowed under that light, stark in contrast to his little sisters. Alsander gazed at the three bundles of life, then lowered his head, gently nuzzling the two, before his nose rested on the unnamed female. A strong name. A feminine name? He looked up at Surreal. ?Faite?? It would ultimately be her decision. But Faite seemed to fit this little girl.

Surreal smiled as he complimented Zuriels name. Falk did indeed have fine taste in names. She?d liked it at once. As she made her offer, she could tell how much it meant to her older cousin. She could hear his tail thrashing the ground behind him, before he made a visible effort to calm it and came forward. She watched as he gazed at the brood, then lowered his head to nuzzle them, before his muzzle, so large compared to the little females body, rested above her third born child. He seemed to think for a moment, before he looked up to her from his lowered position, his green and gold eyes questioning as he spoke a name. Surreal thought about it for only a moment before she smiled. ?Faite. I like it, Alsander. Faite she is.? She lowered her head to nuzzle the newly named Faite, her tail gently wagging against the ground. ?And I trust their big Cousin will do his best to keep them safe.? There was real affection for her cousin as she looked at him, mingled with that glowing, maternal pride and joy on her face. He?d been her favorite cousin. Claire hadn?t stuck around for long after the brothers had arrived. She wasn?t sure why Claire had left. But she heard that Claire had found a mate, and had children. ?Thank you for naming her. Faite really does seem to fit her.? The pleasure in her heart for her children soared, her eyes gleaming. Then she looked at him. ?So, you aren?t upset at all, so the hunt must have gone well.? She grinned.

Falk had trailed behind Alsander on the way back to his den, the meal he had set aside for Surreal and himself firmly in his jaws. He was on cloud nine. All three of his children were healthy and beautiful and Surreal didn't seem to be any worse for wear after their birth, even with his son's surprisingly large size. The boy was still a bit of a wonder to him, being so large already and so brightly colored. The other two were so different from the boy, their two daughters. He could already tell those two were going to have him wrapped around their paw, just as they should. He was a bit worried about how small Zuriel was, but he kept his worries to himself. He wasn't sure if she was just small compared to their still unnamed son or if she really was tiny. He hadn't exactly been around a lot of pups in his life after all. He finally arrived back at the den, spotting Alsander's gray tail sticking out of the entrance. He chuckled and set the deer haunch just outside the den, licking his muzzle clean before slipping past his cousin-in-law so that he could lovingly nuzzle Surreal. He had come in just as Surreal asked Alsander about the hunt and he answered, "The hunt went very well," with a chuckle. He peered at his children, smiling as he gently nuzzled each of them as well. Speech Thought Others

Her children were old enough that she felt comfortable leaving them alone with their father for a few hours so she could get some alone time. There was no denying that she loved her children dearly, but sometimes, she just needed some peace and quiet. She had not seen her brother since their birth, and she knew that Surreal would be due soon with their own children, Russet limbs would pull her out of her own home, and towards the last place she had seen the pair. Nostrils would quiver as she attempted to pin point her brothers scent. Since her blinding, her other senses had slowly heightened to compensate for her lack of vision. After some time and patience, she would finally locate her brothers trail. Following it diligently, she would find herself as what was presumably their den judging from the smell of puppies. Not wanting to linger silently, a soft bark would leave her jaws, announcing her presence. Her singular orb would peer into the den as she inched closer, her crown lowering. Anothers scent mingled with the two parents, one that she did not recognize. But judging from the voices, this stranger was welcomed and not a threat to her brother or his family. A small smile toyed with her lips as she waited to be acknowledged so she could slip into the den. It was already crowded and she didn't want to overwhelm the new mother. Speech,

Castiel

When Surreal had had her children, Castiel had been conspicuously absent, allowing the new mother the space that she surely desired. He had kept to himself, sticking near enough to the den to keep an eye on things but not so close that he encroached upon the space of his sister or her mate. He had hunted as little as possible, and slept only minimally, spending most of his time on alert and on guard. New mothers were vulnerable, and Castiel knew that fundamentally. As Surreal's self proclaimed guardian (though Falk, Cas was sure, would have something to say about that), Castiel had a duty to keep an eye on things. It was only when other wolves began to approach the den that Castiel followed suit, coming to a stop outside his sister's den at the side of a strange russet female. Though Castiel did not comment on her presence, his golden gaze was wary as he watched her. If she so much as made an unwanted glance towards the pups, Castiel would not hesitate to remove her from the premises. It was likely, in the titan's mind, that she was a relative or friend of Falk's, as he had no memories of her and she bore no scents of any that Castiel knew. Still, as much as he wanted to keep her away from his nieces and nephews, Castiel knew that that would not be acceptable. And so the titan did nothing but watch guardedly, keeping all of his attention focused on the stranger as he waited for his sister to acknowledge him and choose to let him into her den or not as she saw fit. It would surely be cramped already, and Castiel wasn't exactly the smallest around - he could content himself with just the view that he had from here of his dear sister and her mate. Things were coming together; all that was missing was Amia. He missed the brown female, but he had not seen much of her lately, which was a shame.

Alsander Grey

Alsanders tail waved behind him as Surreal approved the name. The now named Faite would be a special girl. He?d do his best to train her in what she needed to know. ?I will do my utmost, indeed.? He grinned down at the litter, then raised his eyes as she inquired about the success of the hunt. He was about to reply, when Falk answered for him, slipping past to settle beside Surreal and greet his still unknowing pups. They would learn swiftly who was who, even before their eyes were open and their ears had begun to hear. For now, they were more focused on sustenance. Alsander smiled, nodding. ?A young yearling who hadn?t learned vigilance. He was fat and healthy, and he gave us a good run, but ultimately, he wasn?t fast enough.? Hunting stories; a mainstay part of family life. He already regaled his own nephews and niece with stories of the hunt of the week. He wondered if any of Surreals pups would be a hunter. He nudged the thought aside and stretched, belly growling. ?Time for me to see if he tastes as good as he looked.? He flashed a grin and wriggled backward, nearly bumping into a russet female whom he?d seen only once before. His initial thought was to growl an alarm, but she wasn?t threatening, and Surreal gave him a nod, a message that the female was welcome. ?Lady.? He rose with a wary nod and retreated a fair distance, though he remained on guard for any mischief. He noticed Castiel and grinned at the male, ambling over to him, though one ear and eye was trained on the stranger among them. ?Castiel. You look well. Surreal said she wanted to see you, before we left on the hunt.? Unspoken was the acknowledgement that Alsander would keep guard in his place while he went to see his sister.

Castiel

When Alsander exited the den, Castiel inclined his head easily towards the other male, flicking his ears towards the other as he began to speak. His greeting towards the russet female supported Castiel's conclusion that she was a guest of Falk's - it didn't sound as if his cousin knew the female. "As do you," Castiel responded simply to the other's comment. Did he actually look well? Castiel was running on little sleep and even less food; he had hardly stirred from his position outside the den recently. No harm would come to his sister, not with Castiel around. And as much as he trusted Alsander, Castiel knew that he would never forgive himself if anything happened to Surreal while he was gone. Ears pinning back for a second, Castiel exhaled softly, glancing from the russet female to Alsander and back again. Alsander could likely handle her, he reminded himself, and if he couldn't, well, Castiel would still be between her and his sister. With that thought, the titan rose to his paws and shook himself slightly, bringing feeling back into his limbs after his statuesque guard pose. "They're lovely, Surreal." Castiel felt his breath leave his lungs in a soft sigh as he padded closer to his gray and black sister. "Are you doing well?" He glanced at Falk, and nodded towards the russet Armada, but otherwise his attention remained focused on his sister. He had no time for those outside the family, and while he might one day come to consider Falk his family too, that time was not now. Not with youngsters to protect and his sister weakened by childbirth.

Surreal

Her question was answered, not by Alsander, but by Falk as he slipped in. She smiled, returning the affection he gave her as he settled down, giving their children a loving nuzzle. Alsander added onto the details of the hunt, and she nodded. ?A good kill. If not us, then some other predator would have taken him eventually. All it takes is one mistake?? And a mistake that highly benefited her group. Alsander made his exit, just as another entered. Surreal thought she recognized the step, and as Alsander paused, she caught the smell, and nodded her assent. Sibelle, being part of the family, was welcome to view her new nephew and nieces any time she wished; Surreal hoped that Sibelles and her children would be able to play together sometimes, and form a familial bond. But the wolf who entered was Castiel. No matter, she wanted to see her big brother in any case. ?Castiel, brother. I am well. I am beyond well. I am euphoric.? She grinned at him, noting his tense form. ?You can relax, brother. The female out there is Sibelle, Falks sister, and now ours through matrimony. Come see your new family.? She lifted her head to peer past his white form. The den she had chosen was now large enough to admit three other wolves. Her mother had widened the walls after the others had left for the hunt before retiring to her own den. ?Sibelle, you?re welcome to see them, if you want.? She waited until Castiel and Sibelle were both present, and leaned back a bit to better reveal her brood once more. ?Falk, love, Alsander named our third-born. Faite. I think she needs a middle name.? Her eyes lifted to meet Sibelles single verdant green. ?Would you like to give her one?? It was an offer not made lightly. Then her eyes turned to Castiel. ?And I would love for you to name your Nephew. I think it?s fitting. He?s the firstborn, like you were.? She smiled up at her brother, mismatched blue and gold eyes twinkling. While she was still a little tired, she felt much stronger than she had directly after the birthing, what with her nap, and the knowledge that food would be coming soon. Speaking of? Her eyes turned to Falk. ?Could you bring a strip of meat from that haunch you brought?? Food sounded amazing right now. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Castiel

The titan found his tail wagging easily as his sister spoke happily. She would introduce the female standing outside the den and Castiel turned a thoughtful gaze towards the russet girl - Falk's sister, then? So she was family, he supposed. Some of the tension began to melt from his frame and finally Castiel began to relax for the first time since he'd learned his sister was pregnant. Always he had been on edge, ready to leap to her defense. But now there were other wolves keeping watch (and there always had been, he supposed; Falk and Alsander had never been far from her side either) and this stranger was a friend. "I am glad to hear that." His voice was warm as he moved to nuzzle her head lightly. Assuming she did not pull away, he would remain there for a moment, before pulling back a little so that Sibelle had room to move as much as she needed to. For a moment, Castiel remained still, allowing Surreal to address those around him without comment. "Me?" For a moment he looked blankly at his sister, then glanced down at the crimson youngster. He stood silently for a moment, "Regulus, perhaps, sister?" The name was solid and strong - like the large youngster. He was already bigger than his siblings, and from those large paws it seemed likely that the boy would take after Castiel himself in size - a titan from a family of titans. "They look so strong." Castiel murmured; one of the best compliments he could give to his sister's children.