Ebony ONLY

The pup who was more like her mother than her father personality wise rested next to Raisa's stomach where she had been suckling for some two odd weeks. It was at that time that her eyes flickered open and she yawned slightly. The small pup form rose and smiled with a wag of her tail as she looked at her siblings. "Mama?" He called out softly to Raisa, who had been the only mum she had ever known as she did not have a memory of the first few days of her life. Her icy blue eyes caught that of her siblings. "Ixion? Levi?" She called out softly further with the hopes of someone waking up so she could play.

The little pup was sleeping quietly pressed up against Raisa's stomach, the warmth flowing through his body like water down a calm stream. His tongue was practically lolled out of his mouth and hanging over the side of his lower jaw. He outstrecthed his legs to the side and repeated his long nap. Little did the boy know that Raisa was a queen and not his real mother, but that's what he had called her ever since he had been introduced to her warm milk. So he had no problem with calling her mother, mommy, mum, anything that suited his fancy. But one thing about Raisa got him wondering-...how did she get eyes that were different colors? He wanted some!

Suddenly his dream of a milk waterfall shattered and turned pitch black as his name slithered into his soft little ears. The tan boy lifted his head and fluttered his eyes to regain vision, before turning to his sister and smiling weakly. His stubby legs found themselves pushing his body up slowly, tail wavering around aimlessly and seeming to coil around his limbs. Finally, his little mouth would part and words would be hummed quietly."Oh, mornin' Cele." Ixionn continued to smile as he turned his bloody red gaze to Raisa. "Is mama and Levi awake yet?" The volume of his voice gradually grew quiet, for he did not want to wake them up if they were asleep.

"Speech"

Walk. "Talk." 'Think.' The charcoal hued lady lie against her mother, tightly curled up, with a plush tail covering maroon irises. A yawn stretched her lips as the young lady would unfurl, her pelt shimmering from freshly being groomed by herself. Rough tongue would swiftly brush her own lips as she would push herself up, rather pudgy frame shifting to help the dame to stand up. Maroon gaze looked about, looking for her father. No make she knew as her father was within sight. 'Daddy? Where are you?' The thought raced through her mind, faster than a wildfire, that her father had died. He was so noble and brave, she heard. The femme dismissed this thought briefly to simply lick at her fur, and heard several voices as her other siblings were beginning to wake up. "Rise and shine, daisies." She normally did not like it when her siblings would awaken, because once they would wake up?playtime was in the air. It annoyed the young lady to roughhouse and ruin her fur. Occasionally, she would join in, but it was only little that she would. Her haunches rest on the ground, and soon the rest of her body, as she lay down to rest, maybe enjoying the little peace and serenity she had.

Aiko began to roll over as she herd a voice calling out the names of her siblings. Finally she let out a little squeak and lifted her head. It looked as if Celestine was up and ready to play. Aiko would give a little stretch and would get ready to pounce on Celestine to begin their game when she heard another one of her siblings. From the sounds of it, it was Ixionn.

Slowly she got to her feet and began to walk over to her brother when she saw her other sister Seira cleaning out her fur. Aiko thought Seira was funny. Aiko thought it was also important to keep her fur nice and clean but she loved playing as well. After watching Seira for a moment she remembered she was getting ready to play with Celestine. She would crouch low making little squeaks of excitement as she waited for the game to start.

Levi hadn't really been snuggled up to 'mother' as much as the others had. He had a feeling deep in his gut Raisa wasn't his mother, by the way his father acted too. Regardless the gentleman called Raisa mommy like all the others. A smile smile formed on his face as he rose his head, tail wagging back and forth to sound of his siblings. He was eager to play too, and he stood wobbling slightly as he found his place next to Ixionn and flopped next to his brother. "Do you think we get to go outside today?" he asked. It was always the exciting thought, since they had never really been outside before. His little black tail would wag back and forth bright cyan eyes looking at Ixionn for the answer. Speech,

Hajime was ready, today was the day his little bundles of joy could leave the den. If only a little it was still an exciting experience for himself. While he wasn't sure what went through their little brains about their real mother Elsa, after all it was no secret that their mother was not Raisa. But he doubted that they cares since they all called her Momma including his princes Ixionn and Levaithi who had taken to the nickname Levi. His tail wagging nearly furiously behind him as he came to the entrance. "Are my wiggly butts doing well?" he said softly, just in case Raisa was still asleep. While she was their surrogate mother, she was still his queen so he had to hold a little respect for her. Though he hoped after telling her of his heritage. Over time Hajime would be able to raise his rank a little. So he felt more secure about himself. Speech,

The young boy smiled as the den of pups came alive, most getting ready to play. Like Celestine and Aiko. Ixionn was also quite suprised Raisa, or mum, wasn't awake yet, with all the chatter going on. But it was nice to be up and active with his siblings nevertheless. He hoped his father would be her soon- he really wanted to go outside. The light against his fur would feel so nice. Ah, and the soft ground, so light against him. Ixionn couldn't wait. But suddenly his thoughts were cut off as Levi hobbled to his side. The young prince turned to his brother and smiled to him cheerfully. "I hope so! This den is exhausting!" Was all he said before flopping down onto his belly. But his dad stepped in right then. Ixionn chuckled and allowed his tail to wag around behind him furiously. Then he yelled, "Hey dad!"

"Speech"

Raisa had been entrenched deeply in sleep, her mind afloat in a foggy haze of what had already come to pass and half remembered faces. The queen had taken to ebbing and flowing with their tides, surrendering her mind to the wiles of forces she had no hope to control. It was comforting, in a sense, to be so powerless. Even the nightmares were a relief, knowing she could feel and hope and despair, all without the threat of true failure looming over her neck like a guillotine. In this void, this world which was hers and hers alone, she was free. It would not last, though. Voices called out to her, hushed and warped by the distance between where their souls lay at rest. Their volume and clarity built, drawing Raisa to the surface rapidly and without mercy. In a sudden panic, she awoke, with only a slight twitch to prove she had been jarred into this reality far more drastically than she would have preferred. She took a deep breath, feeling her lungs expand within her chest, drawing in the scent of the children, the ones she had taken in. Such sweet pups, yet so sad, she thought. They were lost before they were born, she mused sadly, recalling perhaps the last vestiges of a murky dream. Is there truly a place in this world for a motherless child? Have I damned myself, placing my iron will between them and the gods who had damned them? To be perfectly honest, Raisa had had mixed feelings about taking them in, not long after the milk began to flow. They had grown quickly, proven to be strong and healthy, and this had shocked her. What creatures born of blood and death could be made so stout by the very powers who had sought their end? It made no sense, but perhaps that was all the more reason not to think on the actions and wiles of the deities. Perhaps they meant nothing at all. Perhaps Raisa had once more gotten herself in over her head. Her own children lacked her attention, and she knew it. Guilt ate at her, no matter what she chose. Any path she had picked since coming to this land seemed to have lead her astray... Even Ebony seemed to be fraying, growing weak and distant... She sat up slowly, shaking away the sleepy haze that lingered, and her darker thoughts. "I am awake, children," she said soft and sweet. She looked up to Hajime and smiled, wondering if he had noticed anything out of the ordinary. "Talk" "You" Think