for valen

She would depart the borders of her home in favor of those of her son. The winter chill whipped around her, snow clung to the tips of her pelt. Her sides swelled with unborn bastards, of which she had no desire to deliver. Paws pressed into the snow, leaving clear tracks to her destination. Her pace was slow until she reached the border and came to a halt, toes teasing her sons scent markers. Her crown would tip back, a call leaving her lips as sought out her young King. It hadn't been long since she had last spoken with him, but much had happened in the short time apart. Haunches would drop with a thud, her swollen sides weighing her down and exhausting her far faster than she liked. Audits tipped forward as her gaze swept across the snowy hills. It was quite a place he had here. Had he gone to claim anymore lands? She mused quietly to herself as she waited, finding herself growing impatient in the chilly now. She hated winter....  "Burn Baby Burn"

Her scent reached him first. Still out of sight, Valentine froze. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared in response to the unmistakable quality her perfume held. Hooooooly shit. Soon enough she was going to drop another litter of hellions. Kylar's spawn, he assumed, which only added to the amount of scary her uterus was getting ready to release into the world. Picking up his pace, the brute reached the border in seconds flat. He stopped before Cataleya and looked her up and down, feinting seriousness for a moment. She was huge and reminded him a bit of an engorged tick...but there was no way in hell he was going to tell her that. Still, the mental picture was amusing. A smirk tugging on his lips, he rumbled, "I'd hug you, but I'm afraid you'll bust and spew puppies all over me." ""

Her soon would reach her in probably record timing. For a moment he looked serious, but then an all telling smirk would curl his dark lips. Her eyes narrowed to slits when he spoke. "I can still beat your ass." She would growl in annoyance. Weariness clawed at her bones and the desire to eat and curl up in a warm den was overpowering. But she had come to visit with her son. She would look expectantly at him, the urge to just waltz right into his home was overpowering, but she would be polite during her first visit here, after than she made no promises. Her tail twitched as nostrils quivered. She was growing impatient. There was much she needed to share with him. Though mostly she was here simply because she was nosy and wanted to know what was going on in her sons life, what she had missed in their time apart and how he fairing. Claws kneaded the snow beneath her paws, snow continually falling around them. She could not express enough how much she hated winter. "Burn Baby Burn"

Cataleya's retort earned her an impish grin and a thunderous chuckle. Quirking a brow, he dipped his head to her in a show of agreement. Touche, land whale, touche. He may have thought it, but he dared not say it out loud. Seriously though, she looked like she'd swallowed a cow. Where were his manners? Jerking his head to the side, he said, "Come on in, you of all wolves don't have to wait out here." Unspoken lay the demand that he be offered the same courtesy. Feeling hospitable, he said, "Are you hungry? There's a buffalo kill not far from here." All things considered, offering her a meal wasn't a half bad idea. Maybe it would soften her up a bit. He had news and considering the nature of it, stuffing his mother to the gills so that she could chase him would probably be in his best interest. ""

He would laugh, though he said nothing. Wise boy. She continued to glare at him, even as she crossed the threshold and into his home. He would offer her a meal, politely, and one that she would happily take. "Lead the way." She would fall into step beside him, waiting for him to guide her. She had never been here before, not even when the lands remained unclaimed. Her coral gaze lazily examined everything with detail. "Solstice gone." she would pout, frown as she gave him the latest 411. "Handed off to someone else as its Alphas fled." Irritation dripped from her words. One day she would find them again, and they would pay with their lives. "But Im here because I would like to arrange something between our packs." She would peer up at her son, curious to know what he thought. He had been King long enough to establish himself and his pack, it was time that their members met and solidified their alliance. "Burn Baby Burn"

Unperturbed by her hostility (when was she ever not scowl-y?) he continued to smile to himself as he led Cataleya to the kill site. "Solstice is gone."His smile faded and he turned briefly to look at her. The brute shrugged. "It was only a a matter of time, I suppose." He wasn't surprised, really. That his mother and her mate had driven off their enemies wasn't news at all. "They knew when they were beaten." With that said he would continue on his way. Reaching the kill, Valentine settled down beside it but made no move to eat. He'd been here countless times since the buffalo's demise and was still full from his latest meal. Her final statement caused his brow spots to rise in a question. "Is that so? Tell me more." His interest quipped, the brute nearly forgot to mention his own news. So as not to forget it, he threw it out there, "I have news for you as well, which we can discuss after our...official business." ""

She would chuckle at her sons word. He had point. The Solstice rules knew that they were incapable of defeating Arcanum, or even standing a chance against them. Though it was sad really. Now she had no one to torment. They would arrive at their destination, her son seating himself off the side, clearly not hungry. She would eat, ears tipping towards him when he spoke, though she didn't answer until she had eaten her fill. Rocking back onto her haunches, she would clean her lips before speaking. "I think spars between our packs could be beneficial. Group hunts, playtime for the children, that sort of thing." She would say with a shrug. "Nothing to grand, just something to acquaint our members with each other." Her coral gaze rested easily on his face. Though her interest had gone from pack gatherings to the news he had. "But do tell, what is this news?" Her crown tipped to the side, eyes lighting with curiosity. What could her son possibly have to tell her? He had defeated an enemy? Conquered a nation? Ideas ran wild in her mind as she waited. "Burn Baby Burn"

Valentine found himself nodding as his mother spoke, agreeing with everything she said. It sounded like a great idea, in fact, it was...he had it seasons ago when he first founded Imperium. Well, kind of. What he had in mind was a mock siege, a way to prepare their forces for the inevitable. He liked her idea of starting off small, though. It got their packs together and got them building a relationship. The friendly rivalries could come later.  "I like it," he rumbled, "How about we take turns hosting it? Do you have a place and time already for our first get together?" "But do tell, what is this news?" Now came the hard part. Valentine cleared his throat and straightened, sitting tall in preparation for...something, because he had no idea what his mother was going to do. He decided to be blunt. "You're going to be a grandmother." ""

He appreciate the idea, immediately wanting more details. She would smile. "I'm fine with taking turns. I think Ill hold it first, on the plains before the end of spring. By then your new siblings will be old enough to meet." She would shift her weight, it was not uncommon for her to be completely uncomfortable. He would sit up a little taller, as though he was steeling himself for something. When he spoke again, she would still, her coral gaze snapping to his face. She was to be a grandmother. He was having children. She was going to be a grandmother. She remained silent, probably for the first time as a loss for words. "You make me sound so old." She would mutter, finally regaining herself. "Who is the mother? And I accept to be introduced to the little rugrats." A faint smile would tug at her lips, her tones mildly teasing, though she was still entirely seriously. "Burn Baby Burn"