He moved with a purpose he hadn't felt in months. Had it...really been months? The cold sure told that story. The way it pushed into his bones, chilled him to his entire core, he knew it had been a long time. Time had slipped by so quickly, and yet, at the same time, it felt like he had lived long enough to witness the whole world perish and restart before his eyes. He could feel it under his paws, this sand was new, was fresh. And soon, in the manner of weeks, life would begin again. Though perhaps, and most importantly, not his own. He could feel it in his lungs, every breath he took felt like the last. But he wasn't scared anymore. His world had perished on that day, and he had mourned and he had survived and now it was time to find his purchase in this new world. But...it didn't feel like it was here. He would smile softly, a strange foreign feeling on his lips, but there it was. Perhaps not back to normal, perhaps not his signature grin, but he was smiling. The sun was rising over the quiet ocean, and he stood in the black sand, toes massaging the earth as he thought, as he remembered. It had been years now since they had come here, had settled, had made this their home. They had started their families, and while his...well, that was just what was meant to happen, wasn't it? No matter what Glacier or Astrea said, his life was molded to be used by his family. He was meant to protect them, to worry about them, to lift their hopes when they felt so low. It was wrong of him to dream his own dreams, to live his own life, to turn his sights away from his siblings and onto his children. So, the universe had righted his wrong. But the new world was rebuilding itself, and Voltage could feel a rebellion coursing through his veins. He wouldn't bow down to the universe's decision, to his lot in life. He would go out and find his daughter, and his siblings would be just fine. He sighed in the sweet air, moving slowly away from the shore to turn towards the dens, his stormy eyes searching for someone in particular. Someone he rarely saw, rarely spoke too, but held a special place in his heart. He only hoped the universe would be kinder to her and his brother's new family. "Burn Baby Burn"

Walk | Talk | Think

Anais was resting. She had been doing a lot of that lately. With her stomach grown large and round with pups, there was only so much she could get away with doing before Glacier jumped out from wherever it was he hid to watch her and made her take a breather again. Now that it was closing in on the end of her term, something that she sensed without needing to be told, all that resting had begun to sound more and more appealing.

Naps, in particular, were turning into a favorite of hers. After living such an active life, she never would have expected it, but the proof was in how often she indulged in them. And they helped. She would always wake feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to begin anew as she seemingly continuously adjusted her den. It needed to be just right, perfect, for the birth of her children. And her definition of perfect, unfortunately, lacked consistency.

After waking from one of her naps, she had set about picking up her den, and was still working on it when she heard the sound of pawsteps approaching from outside. Her ears perked and her gaze lifted from the floor of her chosen space to peer at the entryway, stepping quietly over to it to peek her head out and see for herself who it was that approached.

Her golden eyes blinked, surprise filling her. Voltage? When had she seen him last? When had she spoken to him last? She was happy to see him up and about, undoubtedly, but her heart went out to him. She did not know the pain of losing a child - thank the gods - but loss was not unfamiliar to her. In fact, maybe she knew a little too well just how devastatingly it could tear apart a wolf when the one they loved the most was taken from them.

She hardly knew how to approach that subject, that pain, but it was not going to stop her from seeing him. Anais stepped halfway out of her den, lifting her head to smile gently Voltage's way. "Voltage," she greeted, her tone warm and friendly, quiet. "I'm so happy to see you." On impulse, she left the space of her den and exited into the cavern that connected each individual space, moving toward him so that she could nuzzle affectionately against his yellow-marked cheek.

He found her den, well, their den, tucked away in the tunnels and he couldn't help but smile at how positively Glacier it was. The silent worrier, making sure his sweet beloved had a safe place. His nose found her before his eyes, so he followed that without a thought, untill she appeared. And it took his breath away. Nostalgia flooded through his body, crashing over him like powerful ocean waves and leaving him drenched. He barely moved as she stepped forward, greeted him, nuzzled him, and he took those few seconds to collect himself again. A small laugh rumbled out of his chest as he nuzzled her in return. "It's been far too long, little mouse." He said with a gentle smile, taking a step back to look at her properly. "Just look at you!" There was a happiness in his voice that hadn't been there in so long, his eyes shone like they hadn't since Illie had disappeared. "You positively glow, Ani. You're as pretty as the first snow of winter." He would smile so brightly then, and it felt natural. Glacier had been afraid of his reaction, had been afraid it would spiral him off the deep end, he knew that. But oh, he was just so happy for the big lug, and his little mouse. He had never imagined his brother as a father, but it felt so natural. It felt so...delayed, and he wondered what had taken so long for this to occur. "I'm terribly sorry I haven't a gift...I only found out recently, and, well, I didn't have anything on hand." He said with a gentle laugh, shifting on his paws as he looked at her with his gentle smile, with happiness in his eyes. "I'm so happy for you, Ani. How long now?" He wanted to meet the little ones before, well, if he went through with it of course. "Burn Baby Burn"

Walk | Talk | Think

He looked a little stunned when she first showed herself, but recovered as she extended a warm welcome his way. That was a relief. She had not seen it for herself, but she knew Voltage had retreated inward after...and that he had been scarcely seen since. He might still have had his ghosts, but Anais could see some of his old spark within his pale eyes as they looked at her and assessed her condition. She endured his stares much the same way she had done with everyone else - quietly and with a decidedly shy smile. There was no hiding the baby bump, but the attention still embarrassed her.

"Thank you," she responded through a sheepish chuckle as her mate's brother complimented her, caught between her own personal embarrassment and the pride she felt over her future family. "I still can't quite believe it's really happening." It amazed her to think that everything had started that first day when she had seen the large, intimidating figure of the blue wolf sitting serenely upon the frozen fjord, and that things had progressed from friendship, to a crush, to a budding relationship, and now into a fledgling family. Her world had been altered that day, and it was a shock to realize how long and lasting that alteration ran.

She could only chuckle as he spoke of gifts - he probably failed to realize how much of a gift his presence was - and felt a little jittery flutter of nerves when he asked after her due date. "Soon. Very soon, I think," Anais answered with a firm nod while she shifted her weight between her feet. "Days, a week or two at most." It was so hard to track, and there was the whole matter of her body knowing on its own when the time would be right. She just hoped the rest of her would be as ready; she still did not feel as though she was there yet. "I'm so excited for them," she admitted, her smile bright, "but I'm nervous too."

Suddenly recalling Voltage's experiences with this sort of thing, she made herself ask, softly and as gently as she could, "If I may ask...how did Gaia do with her birthing?" She feared the subject too tender, too raw, all things considered, but she thought the knowledge might be invaluable to her given the circumstances. But she refused to push, and went instantly quiet with a look that was almost an apology, ready to accept a change in the subject if he wished not to speak of it.