Azalea was relieved, everyone was. The whole of Alacritia breathed a sigh of relief as the epidemic came to the end after Covari (at least she was fairly certain) discovered the cure. Azalea was more than happy that it hadn't been Glaciem, they likely wouldn't have shared it with Valhalla. It was over though, the wave of death past them. In its place life took root as Azalea grew near to dropping pups. The little life suckers had her bloated but she didn't believe she was much larger than last time. There was no telling herself that there was only one puppy in there, she felt multiple. They were actively rolling and kicking and it wasn't uncommon for Azalea to be seen bracing her legs and swearing. She had made a point to get out while the going was good. While Sarak was out (likely hunting for her) she ditched the joint, making her way oh so ironically north. She wanted to see Liberty. When Azalea found herself on the doorstep of Tortuga it was dumb luck. She had never been to Tortuga nor did she have any idea of where it was located... until now. She looked around, ears pulling back, uncertain on how to proceed or if she should just go around. If Roman came along she would pick up her scent so best to at least say hi and not seem like she's spying. Azalea sat down, her butt on the ground with her legs propping her up. Her nose tipped back and she called out, a short and sweet howl.

Tortuga had survived their second test of strength. First it had been the earthquake, and then the epidemic- or as Roman thought, the poisoning. The healers could call it an epidemic all they wanted, but she was convinced that it was- a poison. However, she was healthy again- for the most part. She'd been overly exhausted lately, but she could only assume that the pregnancy was to blame. She still patrolled the borders, nearly relentlessly. The Red Forest had become her home, and second to the lake- it was where she spent the most of her time, these days. It bordered Glaciem, where her family was- and it was the closest she could be to the siblings she had there. She moved around the border, at a easy going trot- her mind not really on the task before her. She almost missed the scent- almost. She paused, taking in another deep breath. Azalea. What had brought Azalea Adravendi to her borders? A moment later,a short howl echoed through the forest. She took off at a lope, towards the sound- closing the short distance easily, and coming to a halt at the borders. Azalea was.. pregnant? Very. Pregnant. Blinking quickly to hide her shock, she gave the wolf a warm smile. "Azalea! It's very nice to see you are well. What brings you up North?" She asked politely, and wondered if Azalea could tell, her own secret. Speech,

Roman arrived quickly, before Azalea could even finish her call. "Azalea! It's very nice to see you are well. What brings you up North?" The surprise in her town was clear and Azalea smirked a bit. Yep, she was in a rather odd state given the way she had spoke of her last pregnancy. Azalea still couldn't be mad about being pregnant. Would it happen again? Hell no! But how could she be upset over the most wonderful night she could have asked for? How could she rage at Sarak when he was so excited and grateful for her part in carrying THEIR children. "I was headed toward the Glaciem area, hoping to draw Liberty out for a visit before I become an all hours buffet. I always try to go ways I haven't before, to learn the land, and well I ended up here. Figured it wouldn't hurt to stop by and say hi. Plus wouldn't want anyone thinking I'm up to no good." She smiled now, her nose working. "My nose tells me you've either just been with a nursing wolf or you are working on the same issue I am." Azalea had unconventional ways of speaking of pregnancy and it was with very few that she openly discussed them, but Roman already more or less knew her feelings and there was no reason to start skirting the truth now. "The male I told you about? We are together and this is the consequence of the body's desires." "And I told him to stop." She left out that last part. Now she quirked a brow, looking around curiously. "So this is Tortuga."

Through violet eyes, she studied Azalea's rather enlarged form. She could only dread the time that she'd be so.... pregnant. She had so many questions about children- how pregnancy felt and so many fears about labor, and looking at Azalea who was about to have her own children, Roman felt all of these questions swarming in her mind. She'd have to find someone in her family- who had children and discuss it with them. Her ears turned toward Azalea, as she spoke. Roman took in her words, and chuckled slightly. She nodded at Azalea's words, and then spoke. "This forest border's Glaciem's pines." She said, her tone light. She wasn't sure what to say. Azalea spoke again, and Roman's cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment at the other wolf's words. "Oh, I'm working on the same issue." She admitted, her tone almost rueful. Yeah, she wasn't exactly sure... how she felt about children. At Azalea's next words, Roman's smile widened. "I'm happy for you Azalea!" She said warmly, and she was, extremely happy for the other she-wolf. "The rather.. infuriating male I was talking about... is.. well, we.. yeah." She spoke, stammering over her words. She couldn't blame Faust... she had been convinced she was going to die. "I want to blame him.. but... I don't think I can." She muttered. Oh, yes, she wanted to tear into Faust, nearly, make him realize just how inconvenient these children were, and it was his fault... well, mostly his. "Does it get easier?" She asked, glancing down at her paws, before her violet eyes sought Azalea's amber ones. As Azalea looked around, and spoke again, Roman chuckled. "ffffff">"This is Tortuga. We're stuck in the damn north, but- at least the forest helps block some of the storms in the winter." She said with a bit of pride. She was proud at how well Tortuga was coming along, and how well they seemed to be fairing now. Tortuga had been in shambles when she came, and now, they were... strong. Speech,

"This forest border's Glaciem's pines." Azalea took in her words, nodding before her eyes looked to the trees to see how they matched the Glaciem trees. It was true, they seemed to be the same. Of course, most large pine trees looked similar to her. "Oh, I'm working on the same issue." The she-wolf seemed a tad embarrassed, her body language changing and Azalea tipped her head slightly, eyes watching. Where Azalea was usually bad at masking emotion she was already aware that Roman was good at it but seemed to have opened up to Azalea more than she might others. "I'm happy for you Azalea!" The sudden burst of excitement startled Azalea, making her body jerk and making her roller coaster emotions flare with rage. The anger left her quickly, like usual the Adrevendi girl found the good mood contagious and was smiling too, though a bit shy about it. "The rather.. infuriating male I was talking about... is.. well, we.. yeah." Roman's words were taken in hurdles and Azalea found herself giggling. She entirely knew THAT feeling. How many times had Azalea been into males who frustrated her? How close had she come to fucking several of them? It could be said that Sarak was frustrating at first, back when he wasn't prepared to let anyone in. She had pursued him the longest and was quite proud of her catch. Azalea had let her eyes wander as their conversation was light, then Roman spoke again. A question to draw her focus. "Does it get easier?" Azalea was confused on what specifically she was referring to but she could only guess pregnancy. "Uhm, if you mean pregnancy, no. It pretty much fucking sucks always. Unless you're like my mother, then its all sunshine and daisies, but lets be frank, my mother is kind of crazy." In Azalea's mind, Soleil was pretty insane. Insanely happy and positive. "They kick me all the time. I puke... all the time. I want to eat all the time. I'm pretty sure if I tried to go swimming I would just sink." At the same time she talked Azalea was looking at one paw wish she was playing with. Sometimes her paws got sore. She was sure they would be when she got home, at least. "This is Tortuga. We're stuck in the damn north, but- at least the forest helps block some of the storms in the winter." Azalea shrugged. "No where his perfect. I'm sure its beautiful in the summer."

Faust was infuriating to say the least. He seemed to know just how to push her buttons, and it irked her to know end that even when they first met- he seemed to get such a rise out of her. Some things had changed when he'd saved her life from the cliff, but some things, she supposed would always remain the same. She hadn't decided what her feelings were for him, or if she had any. She just knew that he made her feel safe, and that wasn't a feeling she was used too. Yeah, he was a bit of an asshole- but.. she couldn't find herself annoyed enough to rid herself of him.. yet. When Azalea spoke, Roman's jaws fell shut as she listened. Her frown deepened, and though a smile flickered at her jaws, it fell quickly, as Azalea went on. Oh god, what had she gotten herself into? Letting out an exasperated sigh, she groaned. "Oh god." She was going to be fat. The babies were going to be ugly or stupid or ugly. She let out a sigh, a slight growl of frustration leaving her. "I am going to fix Faust so this never happens again." She cursed aloud. She was silent for a moment... "Is it worth it... though?" At Azalea's words about Tortuga, Roman smiled slightly. "The forest is gorgeous in the summer. When the damn snow melts, I honestly couldn't imagine being anywhere else. The grasses are thick, the leaves green. It's a slice of heaven." She said with a slight sigh. "Though what I saw from the plains, Valhalla is also a slice of heaven." She said with a smile. Speech,

"Oh god," Was Roman's initial reaction. Azalea quirked a brow spot at her. She had no idea what she was getting into. "I am going to fix Faust so this never happens again." Azalea smiled at that, her eyes thoughtful as she considered neutering Sarak in his sleep. Just one perfectly aimed bite had to be enough to do the trick. "Is it worth it... though?" Roman's words snagged Azalea out some rather gruesome mental images on what might happen if her aim was wrong in attempting to fix her own male. Ironically, Azalea's own father was "fixed", he had his crown jewels taken away so that he could no longer hurt Soleil's tiny body with child birth. Azalea's attention refocused on the Tortugan woman and she bobbed here head from side to side in an "eh" kind of waay. "If so, I have yet to reap the rewards. Its more of a constant headache. Then there are arguments you never even knew you were having. Maybe I just got unlucky with sensitive ones but there is a lot of thinking of them when its stuff that should only pertain to me." Damage control was key. "The forest is gorgeous in the summer. When the damn snow melts, I honestly couldn't imagine being anywhere else. The grasses are thick, the leaves green. It's a slice of heaven." Azalea could picture it, even if now it was all covered in a thick layer of snow and frost. "Though what I saw from the plains, Valhalla is also a slice of heaven." Azalea nodded. "Every place has its own kind of beauty. I like to enjoy it all... or I did before Soren and Kismet were born." Her ball and chain that was only growing bigger.

She listens to Azalea nearly horrified, her ears flattening against her head slightly. Her eyes widened slightly, and she sighed. "Why don't they warn you about this?" She spoke, mentally cursing her mother and family. No one ever mentioned it would be like this. She hadn't experienced any horrible symptoms yet- but if it would become anything that Azalea described, she'd almost wish she was dead. She chuckled slightly, that the idea of being a mother had her wanting to tuck tail and run- when she'd face wars with less anxiety. Someone killing was easier- that baring new life. At Azalea's last statement, her head tilted. "I bet you don't have as much time to explore..." She said softly. Actually, it was incredibly brave or foolish of Azalea to venture back to the north- so close to Isardis. Speech,

crappy post is crappy, but do you know how hard it is to type with a swollen hand? X3

"Why don't they warn you about this?" Azalea shrugged, in her mind though she remembered vividly the times she had argued with her mother. Well, almost argued, it was hard to argue with a wolf like Soleil. Azalea had been the bad child, never doing what was wanted and always the one to be scolded.

"They go all soft and forget about everything they went through. I don't know, maybe my mother organ is broken but I just cannot forget all the trouble it is. I still can't eat rabbit."

"I bet you don't have as much time to explore..." Said in any other tone Azalea might have been offended by her saying it. All too easily it could have sounded like a "you get what you deserve" thing to say. She smiled lightly. "Well now that the boys are taller than I am it is considerably easier to leave them alone but being a whale does not lend to easy travel." Yes, Azalea was a whale who had become beached and was now shit out of luck. She had to wait until the tide came in and it was nothing but pain and slow suffering until then.

Conversation with Azalea makes Roman relax, even if it does stem some anxieties she is unprepared for about her own pregnancy. Who can Roman vent to about it? Surely most would think she is ungrateful for what they consider a blessing. Roman chuckles at Athena's words, wondering if there is indeed a mother organ, or did love really erase the pain. "I think I'd rather fight a thousand wars than be a mother- but I think I'm too late for regrets." She says with a rueful sigh. Steeling her nerve up, she decides that she'll be both a warrior and a mother. She can do both certainly. Azalea talks about her size, and how it impedes her travels as she's gained some freedom back with her two sons being grown enough to fend for themselves. She gives Azalea a wicked grin and says, "At least we'll be attractive whales, though I don't think you're a whale- and you'll be nursing long before I have reach whale-size, I think." She says with an honest chuckle. Greek Speak -- Roman Speak