Cerberus had spent most of his time with Siren since his birth, and honestly he hadn't known that Aliana was the one that had saved him when he was born. He didn't know he needed saving though, but he probably would have never rose with the question of who if he had heard a story or anything like that. He helped Siren with her plants or any other random thing she had in mind, and he cuddled with Viper most nights.

He had been with Aliana a few times, with Chimera. But he had never really had one on one time with her and unbeknown to him, Viper would have forbidden it. Just as she was with everyone, Viper was just as silent with him. But he also wasn't out wandering around looking for something to get into like a normal pup would. Viper wouldn't have found him with Aliana. Chimera had spent some time with him today, but had left him in Aliana's paws after that. He didn't mind. He did trust the wolves of the pack after all. While in his father's den-room, he laid down gently near Aliana, but didn't speak to her. Just looked around the room silently, maybe remnant of his mother.

"Cerberus Klein"

The days following the loss of her and Chimera's children had broken the ash and snow woman more than anything else had in her life. Being enslaved hadn't broken her spirits like this had. Being raped and attacked by her owners hadn't crushed her like this had. Aliana didn't know how to recover from this—or if she ever would. Her days were spent in bed, drifting in and out of depressed sleep and wishing death would come and take her like it had taken her pups. It never did; Death left her stuck in limbo, her own personal hell where everything hurt and reminded her of her mistakes and failures. She hadn't tended to her gardens, hadn't been in her study, hadn't done anything without Chimera's pushing. The clouded fae had become a ghost of her former self, devoid of all will to live.

On day number... whatever the hell it was following the incident, Ali had been sulking and mourning in bed as usual when Chimera came and dropped Cerberus off. He needed to tend to some things with Viper, and Siren was unavailable. Ali knew he wouldn't have come to ask her to pupsit if she wasn't the last possible option right now, so she wordlessly and reluctantly agreed. She and Cerberus hadn't spent any time together just the two of them. He had always been around Chimera and she happened to be there as well, the monochromatic brute the nexus between them. It was a shame he would have to see her like this, wallowing and hollow.

While the two of them hung out in the quiet, dark bedchamber, Ali's aqua eyes glanced over to young Cerberus. He had grown a good deal since his birth, and appeared to be healthy and (decently) happy. As a healer, she was pleased. But as a brokenhearted almost mother, she couldn't help but look at him and wonder if any of her own children would have been like him. Not in coloration, naturally, but in presence and personality. Neither wolf spoke, and at some point during her musing, Aliana felt Cerberus come closer to lie beside her on the bedding. She turned her head to look at the boy with a bit of surprise, his gentle affection surprising her and making her heart jump. Gods, how she wished she could have had her own children beside her now. But somehow, Cerberus made it feel... better.

"You're growing so fast..." Aliana spoke softly, her voice a little rough from lack of use. "It doesn't seem that long ago, you were no bigger than a stone." With the way he was growing, Ali guessed he'd be as big as his father, if not close to it once he'd grown up. She just hoped Viper was taking care of him and knew how much of a blessing she had having him in her life.

"Aliana"

Cerberus put his full attention on Aliana as she spoke, but didn't look at her as if he was deprived of attention. He liked the quiet, but he didn't dislike others either. He was happy with socializing or laying around a silent room. He was truly neutral in every way of life thus far.

He gave Aliana a gentle smile as she mentioned how big he had become, and while he wasn't aware that she had saved his life as a newborn pup, he didn't think for even a second that she wasn't around at all to see him. He had been with Viper for most of his early days, and afterwards spent most of his time with Siren. Though he wasn't unaware of the other residents of the pack, even while keeping himself secluded in either den. More recently he had spent more time with Chimera, and it was what led him beside Aliana today.

He didn't thank her for her comment, though he supposed it could have been a compliment. Instead his mind wandered to the children that she was meant to birth, not knowing that she had lost them. Though he had noticed that she had been slimmer than the last time he saw her, he didn't know such things could happen and he also couldn't remember Siren in her own pregnancy and birth so nothing seemed out of the ordinary for him. "When are the babies supposed to be here?" He questioned quietly, certainly not expecting to be touching on such a sensitive subject. He was truly excited for more siblings because he liked being a big brother, and he liked caring for them even if he was as playful or adventurous as most pups seemed to be.

"Cerberus Klein"

Cerberus was his usual quiet self while Aliana made small talk with him. Just having the boy's presence was proving to be a gentle comfort, if not also a painful reminder of what she'd almost had and had lost. It was such a bittersweet moment, but Ali took some small joys in knowing that Chimera had his other children to love where she had failed to give him any. She did feel a little bad for the boy; being raised by Viper had to be a difficult upbringing. The woman could scarcely speak a full sentence, she couldn't imagine her being very traditionally "motherly". But maybe she was wrong. Maybe having a son had been exactly what Viper needed to give her a new direction in life. She hadn't seen the scruffy woman in some time, so she couldn't say for sure, but she could hope.

As they lay there, Ali noticed Cerberus looking her over and a curious look overtook the boy's face. Then he asked when the babies were going to be here. The heartbreak and pain was visible in Aliana's expression, and her aquamarine eyes lost some of the light that had started to return to them. She didn't blame Cerb for asking, of course; he was a young pup and didn't understand the nature of these things. There had been no malice in his innocent question. Swallowing back the knot forming in her throat, Ali put on her bravest smile and reached a paw over to try and gently stroke over the boy's head.

"...They won't be, Cerberus." Aliana took a slow, shaky breath to try and explain. "They got very sick. Sometimes when things get sick, they don't always get better." She didn't want to leave the subject on such a negative note for the boy though, so Ali tried to pivot to a more hopeful outlook. "But it'll be okay. Your father will get you more brothers and sisters sometime very soon. Would you like that?" It was hard for Ali to remain strong and composed as the emotions threatened to overtake her, but somehow she stayed collected, even managing to hold back the tears starting to mist in her teal-green eyes. She didn't want Cerberus to see her cry like this.

"Aliana"

Cerberus couldn't reflect the heart drop that Aliana felt, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed when she told him the babies weren't coming. She had reached out to him but he found himself scooting closer to her as his own paws reached out to her paw that was rested on the ground. "I'm sorry." He was sorry for asking about it more than he was sorry about losing the pups. But because he didn't really understand what she meant. He hadn't expected the pups to even have a chance of survival or not, he just believed they would be here like he was and like Scylla and Albion.

Aliana had asked if he would like more siblings, and his gaze carefully found hers as he ignored the small amount of tears that glazed over her eyes. "Yeah," He confirmed with just the tiniest smile on the corner of his maw, "I don't remember much from when Albion and Scylla were so small." His brows furrowed as he questioned to himself before wanting to ask out loud. He assumed he wasn't out of turn if he didn't know what was inappropriate, he just felt like what he was going to ask wasn't necessarily right. "Will... will you be the mother?"

"Cerberus Klein"

Aliana was a little surprised to find that Cerberus had scooted closer to her when she reached out to him, feeling his paws reaching out for hers. Although he was still very much a pup, it was easy to tell he was going to be a sizable boy when he grew up. His paws were already nearly the size of her own; clearly his father's blood coursed strong through his veins. It was bittersweet and melancholic to look at his paws against her own and wonder what her own children would have been like. Would they have been large and burly like their father, or petite and demure like their mother? Oh, but she couldn't dwell on the fantasies for too long, lest she bring herself to tears again. Cerberus apologized, but Ali gave him a gentle, reassuring shake of her head and leaned closer to aim to place a gentle nuzzle on the boy's cheek. "Thank you, Cerberus. You're very sweet. I hope you always stay this sweet."

Her question had brought about a smile from the pup, and Ali raised a curious brow. So Cerberus did want more siblings? Well, that was good! Ali knew some pups didn't want siblings. She was glad to see Cerberus had taken to the role of big brother like a fish to water. Then he asked if she would be the mother, and Ali was surprised by the boy's acuity. Would she be the mother? A gentle smile touched her lips as she daydreamed of that possibility. She prayed that whatever malevolent force had stolen her children's lives hadn't taken her fertility along with it. If it had, she may as well just end her life now for how useless she would be. "I would like to be," she replied. "Although I suppose it could also be your aunt Siren too. We'll have to wait and see." Aliana knew Chimera hadn't touched Viper since they'd moved to the island, so she doubted he'd have any more pups with her, but he did love Siren as much—if not more—than herself. There was always the possibility that Chimera would want to breed another litter of purebred Kleins instead of test fate with her. Secretly, the clouded woman hoped that wouldn't be the case.

Shifting a little, Aliana sat upright and turned so she could better surround Cerberus with her forelegs, smiling at the precious child who was keeping her company. His mother should be so proud of him; he was a kindhearted lad. "Would you prefer more little brothers or sisters to play with?" she asked, keeping the conversation going to chase the quiet away back into the dark.

"Aliana"