Patch & Dovahkiin

If he was being entirely honest, the trek here was both invigorating and a bit exhausting. But the surge of energy in his blood was enough to prevent Patch from complaining. Slipping through the winterladen forest foliage, step by step with Equiss, was enthralling. It had been several seasons since Patch had wandered so far beyond the twisting streets of Atroe City, and today couldn't have been more perfect of an opportunity to do so. Silver Glades isn't the farthest territory from the alleys. They take the route directly through Storm Valley, and then into Emerald Pines. The vast expansion of coniferous trees dissipates into an open field, which is precariously muddy from the melting snow. The white areas of Patch's underside become caked with mud, the aging wolfdog not minding his new coloration. "Look, I almost match you now that I have some brown to me!" Patch jokes.

The border is clearly marked. A scent left rather recently by two wolves. Patch comes to a casual halt, stealing a glance at Equiss. "I'm not entirely sure who of Aaka's family still remains," Patch muses to his mate, cocking his head. "Hopefully we're not going to get our heads bitten off before we make our case."

***

Early afternoons on such a quiet, temperate day called for a bit of laziness from the new alpha of Silver Glades. After hunting early in the morning, and making sure Sweetclover's mouth was fed, the remainder of the day called for relaxation. The sun flitting through the bare branches of the deciduous trees, bathing the forest floor with warmth further justified the gentle nap Dovah slips into. He's curled tightly in a ball, his tail tucked over his nose. Every so often, little stirring of bold squirrels, also enjoying the shift in weather, rustling through the dead leaves and across the patches of unmelted snow, awaken the brute. Brown eyes flicker open, scanning the immediate vicinity before closing once more.

Equiss, Coyota, & Aakari

Regardless of how many times she'd heard some of Patch's tales, Equiss had indulged her mate by listening with rapt attention to the story of their outing with Lyckos and the moose cow. In turn, she'd offered a retelling of some of her own adventures, in between commentary on the lands they were passing through. Age might have brought an ache to some of her joints, and she'd certainly feel it tomorrow, but in the moment Equiss felt like a yearling again, off exploring with her mate and taking in all the wonderful wild sights and smells they so often forgot about in the congestion of the city.

By the time they'd reached the prominently marked border of the Silver Glades, the pair were looking quite similar, too. Equiss's already brown-hued coat was further blended by the same muck that now coated Patch, neatly covering up the slips of white fur scattered here and there. "You and I are in for a long grooming session when we get back." Her chuckling remark quieted as she lowered her head to analyze what messages had been left behind on the sun-bleached skull of a moose felled many seasons ago. Definitely an alpha pair, and they were in their prime.

Having trailed behind Patch and Equiss to give them their privacy, as well as to keep an easy pace with Zeus, Coyota took her time about approaching the border. The nimble, emerald-eyed coydog murmured quietly to Zeus, "Sweetclover and Taiser were the old alphas here, from what I know. Never met them, but Clover's parents were apparently a thing to behold." She gazed forward, eyes shifting through the army of tall, arrow-straight trees that lay scattered before them. Every now and then, a snow-covered branch would shift and unleash its heavy burden, sending a cascade of heavy snow crashing down to the forest below.

Equiss waited until the other pair had caught up. A wordless look was cast to the trio with her, a sort of 'Well, here goes nothing', before she lifted her mud-speckled maw and sent forth a friendly call.

---

Aakari had adapted rather quickly to the idea of sharing space with another. And though she still had the wild, wandering blood of her great grandmother that sometimes led her on solo missions both in and out of the territory, she was more often than not found somewhere near her mate. That held true this afternoon, with the white wolfess curled loosely atop low boulder near Dovah. A single paw twitched, and a noiseless snarl played on her muzzle as a dream carried her mind through a lively hare chase. Another paw twitched, and her eyes flicked beneath shuttered lids. Somewhere, a howl sounded out, and just as she was diving for her imaginary meal, Aakari's yellow eyes flashed open and she found herself scrambling up before she hardly realized why.

The alphas blinked and looked out through the trees while her mind rapidly made sense of the situation. 'The howl had been real, not part of the dream.' Aakari flowed off the rock in fluid movement while uttering a ringing howl of her own to answer the strangers. Her tone wasn't unfriendly, but it clearly came from the maw of an alpha, and it carried power. She paused only briefly to speak to her mate, "We have guests." And then she was off, streaking through the forest towards the border, where the call had originated.

Somewhere in the distance, Sweetclover's howl rose as well.

Zeus

Zeus hadn't had much experiance in the wild lands being a domesticated dog but he trusted his new pack and followed. He listened ot Coyota. Later he was gonna ask her something but not now. I don't have much experiance in the wild, I stayed in the human cityHe said calmly.

Patch & Dovahkiin

Patch felt winded by the time they reached the boarder, but Patch hardly allowed the sensation to shake his upbeat demeanor. His tail wags as he inspects his mate with a deep chuckle, nudging her gently with his nose. "How do the wild folk do this day in and day out?" Patch rhetorically wonders, give himself a little shake.

As Equiss lifts her muzzle to the sky, Patch hesitates for a moment before joining her warm call to the alpha pair of Silver Glades.

***

The howl from their boarder caught Dovah nearly by surprise, the brute's head snapping up as he rapidly blinks the sleep from his eyes. He's on his paws half a second behind Aakari, brown eyes squinting at his mate for clarity. It takes a half second for Dovah to recognize the friendliness in Equiss and Patch's tone, a flush of light confusion washing over the alpha male. He was unaware of any potential visitors to the territory, but at the same time, unsurprised. Aakari had mentioned the loyalties that ran deep during the reign of her great-grandmother. With the gentle shift in the Valley in the last few weeks, Dovah wondered how long before the winds shifted here at Silver Glades.

Nose pointed to the wind, Dovah took a deep breath before plunging after Aakari. Whoever this was, they weren't trying to disguise themselves. A pair of city-street smelling wolfdogs -- they smelled like grime and must, something Dovah had smelled only a handful of times but never forgot. The life in such close proximity to the humans, whom most wild folk considered dangerous and kept their distance from, made these two hardy creatures. Aakari had mentioned the city-dwelling pack before, but their name eludes Dovah as he slips into the forest vegetation towards the boarder.

Equiss, Coyota, & Aakari

Equiss was shaking her head to Patch's question, offering her emphatic agreement to his commentary. Sidewalks and streets cut down on the amount of mud one encountered, while the humans' ingenuity kept the streets and walks cleared of snow and neatly flat so that travel was a breeze. Out here, it felt like every other step came at a different angle or elevation, while blankets of snow and vegetation constantly tripped at one's limbs. It was little wonder that the elderly pair were panting a bit heavier by the time they reached their destination!

Coyota had perked her head up at the counter howl that came back. "Be prepared to show submission out here. Wild wolves are not as lenient as us when it comes to their territories." She offered Zeus this friendly advise, remembering well the story of how his friend had stubbornly refused to do this for Gwen.

----

After the calls had died down, it took only minutes before Aakari was breaking through the last line of trees between them and the strangers. Her tail was already up, arched high and curling slightly towards her back. Her dense, snow-white ruff was expanded to its fullest, and her rounded, alabaster ears were directed sharply forward. Second largest only to her mate, Aakari absolutely flaunted her strength and dominance as she stepped towards the others, letting there be no mistaking that she was a leader of these lands.

She took a step to the side, giving Dovah room to join her as she spoke, "I'm Aakari, daughter of Aakasi. Alpha of the Silver Glades. Who are you?" Scent already to her these four were from Atroe City, and her mind immediately jumped to the Shadow Lurkers.

Her guess and that inkling that Dovah had were soon confirmed when Equiss spoke up. The tri-colored wolfdog was careful to keep her tail low and loose as she addressed the lead pair, "Equiss, daughter of Bullet and Sasha, of the Shadow Lurkers." She dipped her muzzle at this point, wanting to be sure her presence was seen as a peaceful one. She also gave pause, allowing time for Patch and the others to name themselves before she continued, "We came on behalf of our pack to seek a renewed alliance with yours."

Zeus

He listens to her luckily he was submissive and his tail was down and just loosely swaying a little side to side. Probably a good thing Honz did not comeThough he did belief honz would of settled a little now being officially an alpha of a pack again. zeusHe said calmly.He didn't name his parents as he had only known them for about 4 months.

Dovahkiin & Patch

Blue eyes scan the terrain as Patch eagerly awaits the emergence of the territory's alphas. Curiosity spikes his blood at who succeeded the hot-headed Aaka after all these years. When Aakari emerges from the treeline, the black and white brute gives a singular chuckle. Patch had known Aaka from a respectable distance, but he already knew this alpha female was strong in her great grandmother's ways. Immediately, his tail sinks and ears flick backwards in a motion of respect towards to the pair of wild canines.

"Patch, son of Fanta," he greets warmly, wagging his tail humbly. "The loyalties between Silver Glades and Shadow Lurkers precede even Equiss and my lifetime." While not directly trying to make a joke out of his and Equiss's age, the brute doesn't mind if the younger, fitter alphas find it slightly humorous.

Dovahkiin strides one step behind Aakari from the forest, the dark colored brute eyeing the four dogs with thoughtful eyes. He comes to a stop, paws broad and shoulders rolling with the authority of an alpha. When the time became appropriate, the large wolf nods his head stoically. "Dovahkiin," he introduces himself, voice unwavering. He takes a half second before adding, "Alpha of Silver Glades, as well." The term still a bit foreign to say aloud, but Aakari herself had granted him the title alongside hers.

Dovah gently nods as the others introduce themselves, keenly focusing on Equiss and Patch as they manage this interaction. A renewed alliance. Eyes turn back to Aakari with heightened amusement, ears atuned for what his mate has in reply to their proposal.

Equiss, Coyota, & Aakari

When it came to her turn, Coyota gave a quick dip of her head and an briefer flattening of the ears for the short time attention fell to her, "Coyota, daughter of Bluecreek. Of the Shadow Lurkers." Then the ears were back up, and her voice was sliding lower in a whisper to her good friend, "Yeah, probably a good thing that he's not here. Though I doubt Gwen could have made the journey, and he's not willing to leave her side." As round as their alpha had gotten recently, Coyota wouldn't be surprised if there were pups waiting for them back at the den, and there was no way Honz would allow himself to be away for that!

Any hidden tension Aakari might have felt for meeting four strangers at their boarder quickly melted as each offered their name and alliance, with ample respect given. Her tail remained poised high, but Aakari shared a mild look of amusement with her mate, easing into a more relaxed attitude. "My grandmother has told me about the Shadow Lurkers and our history." The alphess started, taking time now to really look over those before her. Equiss and Patch had to be a bonded pair, standing so close together as they were. Their names, too, rang familiar in Aakari's mind, surely spoken by Sweetclover a time or two during her history lessons. She had waited to hear 'Lyckos and Hydras, or... was it Argolis and Dixie? When none of those monikers were offered, Aakari went on, "We'd be very interested in renewing this alliance. But who are your leaders now, and why aren't they here?" A glance was shared with Dovah again, before settling on the elder pair who were representing the Shadow Lurkers.

Zeus

Zeus listens carefully to them all. Our leaders are Gwen and Honz. They are currently possibly tending to new littl members He said calmly. He had a feeling Gwen had given birth just a sixth sense if you will.

Dovahkiin & Patch

The minute tension that filled the air between the Lurkers and the new alphas of Silver Glades slowly dissipates as introductions are made. While Aakari, fiery and protective of her home, relaxes, Patch can feel the pressure of the tension he held in his chest alleviate. The black and white wolfdog smiles gently, for a moment feeling like he's now amongst friends. Soon enough, Patch muses to himself. Patch nods softly as Zeus speaks up, blue eyes flitting from the dog back to Aakari and Dovahkiin. "Gwen is...perhaps was...very far along when we left. The pack has been waiting days for the little ones to join us," Patch explains calmly with a flick of his tail, "Honz hasn't left her side in the past few days, so, thus, we took the helm in reaching out to replenish old alliances." Every way which Patch speaks is respectful and articulate, the wolfdog gauging the receptiveness of Aakari, the heiress of this territory, and her mate. A gentle smile tugs at Patch's face as he decides to press Aakari a little more, in hopes to further encapsulate the potential to this alliance. "Aakari...I see your family still holds Aaka's name with pride," Patch comments with growing warmth, "Equiss and I were still young when she ruled Silver Glades here, but you seem to be doing her legacy well."

Dovah keeps his silence as the Shadow Lurkers and Aakari converse. The large brute studies the array of hybrids before him, amazed by how hardy these city-kept creatures were. While he knew Aakari had some dog in her blood, she yielded most of her wolifsh characteristics, and he, most of the time, forgot her former domestic bleedings. The wolf shifts a bit so that his shoulder brushes against Aakari, head tilting as he follows Zeus's, and then Patch's words. He chuckles as Patch compliments Aakari, glancing at his mate tenderly. "She was born a leader," Dovah added with a soft nudge in Aakari's direction, "Whether she'll admit it or not."

Equiss, Coyota, & Aakari

At the mentioning of pups, there is a general excitement that washes over Equiss and Coyota both, eliciting slight wags of the tail as they imagine a swarm of little furballs waiting for them back at the den. Equiss stills her fluffy appendage quickly enough though, shifting her mind back on the topic at hand, and making sure to hold herself properly before their wild brethren. Butter-yellow eyes glance to her mate a time or two as he speaks, then dart back to Dovah and Aakari as she too watches for their response. A smile briefly emerges at Dovah's chuckling, and her hopes for an alliance lift a little further.

Patch had chosen his words well, and his gamble to press further with the alphess paid off. Ever eager to prove her worth to the great-grandparents she'd only ever heard stories of, the elder male's praise stoked Aakari's pride a little more and erased any last doubt she had about these interlopers. She even shared an almost tender glance to her mate when he nudged her, a feat that she was not prone to do in view of others. "I was taught well by my mother and grandmother." Fortunately, ego and arrogance were not something she had inherited from Legosa's lines, leading the alphess to accept the words of Patch and her mate without too much outward fuss. Shifting her weight, Aakari leaned her shoulder ever so lightly against Dovah as she continued, "If she was near whelping time, I can understand her absence, as well as Honz'. They seem to be a devoted pair, and that makes for a stronger pack." Cool eyes swept the gathered alley-dwellers again, "I believe it's high time that this old alliance was renewed. But I do want to speak with your leaders as soon as they are able to travel, to make this official. In the meantime, consider us on friendly terms."

Coyota released a quiet breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Of the two leaders, Dovah definitely seemed far more approachable, even if he still held a definite air of confidence and strength. Aakari came off a little too formal in the coydog's eyes, but Patch had handled that discussion beautifully, and as the alliance reached a tentative deal, she turned her head back to Zeus and murmured, "Looks like we just got ourselves some wild allies. What do you say we go celebrate, after this?"

Zeus

He listens calmly to everything and stays close to Coyota.How do you suggest we celebrate?He asks quietly as to not disturb the others.

Dovahkiin & Patch

Tail wagging, Patch dips his head formally to Aakari. While not the immediate negotiators of their pack, both Equiss and Patch had made a quick and respectable work out of building an alliance with Aaka's granddaughter. He offers Aakari and Dovahkiin a gentle, friendly grin before glancing at the other Lurkers. "Thank you, Aakari," he nods at the alphess, then nods at Dovahkiin, "and Dovah. We hope this alliance continues to blossom." The ebony-and-white brute shifts a bit, eyes landing upon his packmates with contained excitement. Bumping his shoulder gently against Equiss's, the male points his nose towards home. "It's high time we've returned home," he announces, blue eyes sparkling at the mere thought of returning home to Gwen and Honz's bundles of joy. Little did Patch know, the Shadow Lurkers had also grown with the return of more family. The wolfdog looks back at the alphas of Silver Glades, dipping his head. "Until next time, our friends." He bids adieu before trotting off back in the direction they came.

Dovahkiin contains a little chuckle as he watches Aakari handle her compliment, his sturdy body absorbing the little brush against him. She was relentless and powerful as a leader, whether his mate fully recognized how well she carried the legacy of her grandmother. His mate hearing it from the aging Lurkers who once had seen Aaka in her prime made Dovah swell with pride for Aakari.

The city dogs all ready to depart. Dovah nods at Patch, Equiss, Zeus and Coyota with confident, steady brown eyes. Pup time was an exciting time for the entire pack, Dovah recalled that well. While subdued, Dovah could sense Patch and other's excitement. "Safe travels back," he tells them with a gentle wag of his tail, "Wish the new mother and father our well thoughts. "

Equiss, Coyota, & Aakari

Equiss has a similar bow for the alphas of the Silver Glades, dipping her grayed muzzle before them in line with Patch. "Thank you both, for taking the time to hear us out. We'll let Honz and Gwen know of our agreement, and I'm sure they'll be over as soon as parenthood allows." A gentle buffet against her shoulder has Equiss giving her mate a quick lick on the cheek, an almost instinctive move of affection for a pair that had been together so long. She paused though, in the middle of turning around to follow her companion, and looked back at the two wolves, "You're more than welcome to stop by our terra if you ever need." A second, fainter nod was offered before her legs kicked into gear and carried her back down the trail that had led them to the border.

A little distracted, Coyota was responding to Zues while her elders were wrapping up their goodbyes, "I was thinking we go somewhere away from the Alleys and the humans? How about... the Prairie?" A little belatedly, a large ear quirked back in the direction of Dovah and Aakari, and she realized both Patch and Equiss had turned tail and were trotting back in the direction of Atroe City. "Safe travels to you, as well." She blurted cheerfully to the leaders, even though they weren't the ones doing the traveling. Flatting her auds just a little she ducked away from Patch and Equiss after giving Zues a playful nudge, and started off to the Tall Grass Prairie.

The idea of heading into human territory did not sit well with Aakari, especially after her incident with them during the late winter. She somehow managed not to make a face at Equiss' invite, and merely nodded back to the elder's offer before watching the small group part ways. That issue aside though, the alphess was pleased with how their impromptu meeting went, and was looking forward to meeting the true alphas of the Shadow Lurkers when they time came.

Dovahkiin

The band of city canines vanished from their meeting place, disappearing into the tall grasses of the territory's terrain. There was a long minute that passed between Dovah and Aakari before the brute turns his head towards his mate, ears twitching as a little yawn escapes him. He studies Aakari, her somewhat authoritative rigidity with a glimmer of appreciation. A gentle smile reckons across his lips. "Our first alliance agreement seemed to go well," he observes with a pass of amusement in his tone, a chuckle escaping after his words. "These dogs...wolves?...do they really live in the city in such close proximity with humans?" A bit of perplexity passes the brute as he reckons that idea. He knew, by the cross look on Aakari's face and his own prior experience with humans, that such living conditions were remarkably unusual. Even detestable depending on the canine you asked. The fact that these Shadow Lurkers had prospered for so long in the backyard of the two-leggeds was interesting for Dovahkiin to imagine.

Aakari

"I'm curious to meet the actual alphas, but it does seem promising." Aakari agreed, despite her reservations against the two-leggers and this pack's ability to live right in amongst them. If not for their past relationship with the Lurkers, the alphess might very well have turned them away for even carrying the scent of the humans, but she was practical in her decisions and trusted Sweetclover's tales.

When her mate brought up their living arrangement, Aakari's mind delved deeper into the matter and a thoughtful scowl creased her features, "That's what Clover tells me, though I've never been near the human's colony. Apparently, they live inside an old human den." The way she said it held an air of disbelief, but again, she had never known her grandmother for lying or embellishing truths. "As much as it grates me to say, we'll have to visit the colony at some point, at least the outskirts - if we're to be good Allies, we'll need to be familiar with the location of their territory, in case they ever need our help." A keen eye might see the shadow of a disdainful snarl play on her lips at the very idea of getting so close to Atroe City, but it faded quickly enough as she adopted a more curious expression to turn a question to Dova, "Have you any experience with the two-leggers?"

Dovahkiin

Listening to Aakari, the brute can sense the slight contempt radiating from his mate as she discusses the city-dwelling Lurkers. Brows furrow as he imagines the choking stench of the metallic automobiles and the rancid smell of the trash they tend to leave behind. He'd never gone into Atroe City, and his only other encounters were skittish travels that brought him close to the lonesome households some of the humans erected within the forests. It wasn't so much Dovahkiin was afraid of these two-legged creatures -- though any wolf worth their fur was entitled to such feelings -- but Dovah had heard enough stories to keep his nose away from their business. Even then, Dovah silently noted, wolves like Aakari still wound up at the hands of these creatures. The collar on her neck was a testament of that.

"I'm sure we can survive avoiding those humans for a day if this pack has done it for seasons, Dovah states with an amount of hopeful resolution, his tail wagging a bit. He'd never asked Aakari about her encounters with humans, but based off of her previous indications, the male could assume she masked a bit of dismay underneath that rigid, disdainful facade. His weight gently shifts so that his shoulder brushes against hers in a gesture of comfort, his brown eyes gently gleaming in the shifting light of the afternoon sun. "Personally, I've kept my distance. Stumbled upon a few of the remote territories they make in the forest and mountains. Weird, recluse creatures some of them are...." Dovah thinks for a minute, a little chuckle coming from his chest. "While they aren't my stories, I've heard plenty of wild tales from other loners. Whether they're true or not, it's kept my conscious keen on steering clear of them if possible. "

Aakari

Her gaze had turned to the empty brush that only minutes ago had held the diplomats of the Shadow Lurkers, her thoughts following after them and the strange world they lived in. It wasn't until she felt the brush of fur against her shoulder and the comforting incline of her mate that the alphess snapped out of those thoughts and nodded belatedly to his hopeful point of view. "For our allies, we'll have to." The wag of his tail drew a faint smile across her snowy muzzle, a subconscious gesture that came purely in response to his confident, positive attitude. She'd been doing that more and more lately in his presence as their bond grew, and it helped now to divert her thoughts from going down a more pessimistic route when it came to the humans. "Weird is right, but I'm sure Gwen and Honz will have advice for us on how to stay safe in their realm. Out her, avoidance is our best response to them, and fortunately they've not tried to stake any claim within our lands."

A light breeze billowed through the branches, and Aakari turned her muzzle up to it. A beam of sunlight caught her snout and she wiggled her nose, whiskers flexing as she held a sneeze at bay. "We'll have to let Sweetclover know of the alliance. I'm sure she'll be enthused at the news." Aakar's smile faded though as a familiar look of brooding took over her features. She wrestled with an internal debate for a moment or two before directing her gaze back to Dovah. Bypassing the lines of thought that would lead to her next question, the alphess was not shy as she posed her next words in an abrupt shift in topic, "Dovah, what are your thoughts on starting a family?"

Dovahkiin

The soft breeze threads itself through the meadow grass as Dovah listens to Aakari's continued thoughts of the human-dwelling dogs. His ears are perked and mind fully engaged, but his soft mahogany eyes study the serenity of their now-dormant territory. Certainly, the small group of city canines had brought forth an amount of excitement, if only for a brief encounter. Dovah smiles towards Aakari, nodding to agreement to her mention of Sweetclover. The matriarch would be pleased to know that her granddaughter had forged an old alliance back into motion. "She'll be talking about it for the next week," he agrees with a deep chuckle.

Aakari's quiet conflict doesn't draw attention to the alpha, though the brute has tried to be conscious of her subtle emotions. Aakari was rather stoic, but Dovah could see the rigid exterior fading as the time elapsed between the duo. She was full of small details, and the gentle mystery of uncoding aspects of Aakari made him love her more each day. By the time he suspected something brewing there, the she-wolf's questions rolls off her tongue in an abrupt wave that nearly catches Dovah's breath. Brown eyes search their way back to Aakari, brows tilted with an amount of pleased shock. It's immediately followed by a gentle, loving laugh as he reaches forward and brushes his muzzle against hers. "Aakari," he begins with a soft wag of his tail. The next words are carefully chosen, in a way that Dovah wants Aakari to know where his heart is with their future as mates and parents, "I would be delighted to be a father, if you would love to be the mother of our pups."

Aakari

If she was at all anxious about what his reply might be, it didn't show in those keen yellow eyes of hers as they studied Dovah and his reaction. The following tilt of his brows and the emotions that played in his eyes immediately assured Aakari that she'd not brought up pups too prematurely. The gentle mirth that rolled from his mouth sounded like music to her ears, and she met his nudge with one of her own, caressing her alabaster snout against his cheek. When she drew her head back, there was a new spark to her eyes, subtle though it may be, "I would. It's been too long the Silver Glades has gone without new life." She nudged him once more, ending it with a lick against his snout before turning her gaze to the endless swath of tress behind them, standing like so many silent sentinels over the territory, "I suppose then, we have two things to tell Sweetclover. It may be two weeks that she'll be talking of it all."

Dovahkiin

Mind whirls at the sudden thought of little paws scrambling around this territory. He catches another laugh across his lips, spirits lifted. Truth be told, nearly every wolf thought about being a parent, but this reality had been subdued and nearly unattainable for the former loner. A dream deferred. But now he realizes the tangible reality as Aakari brushes her snout against his. Real. He couldn't dream of any better mate to start a family with. "Quick, we'll have to play off her excitement and get her committed to pup-sitting," Dovah suggests with a devilish glint in his eyes. His gaze follows Aakari's out over the deepening shadows in the trees. The territory was quiet at this moment, but Dovah knew that was changing. Their children would only be a start.

Aakari

There was a definite light of anticipation in Aakari's bright eyes, even if she kept her tones calmer and didn't permit her tail to wag quite as much as it wanted to. Pups had crossed her mind too in the past, but there had been a distinct lack of males in her territory, and Aakari herself hadn't been terribly receptive to those few that wondered close to her domain. But now, things had fallen into place, and with their future looking more positive, the wolfess permitted a wry grin, "That shouldn't be too hard." Aakari bumped her hindquarters playfully against Dova before bouncing away from the male, and delving back into the heart of their territory.