I try to digest my pride
#1
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It had been two days since they were born, and now she was beginning to fall into a bit of a routine. They ate pretty often. Naniko still felt a little sore, but getting around was a lot easier now that she didn't have the weight of the pups pulling her down toward the ground. She could shift, too, if she needed to, which was a relief.

She had been a little afraid that she might not be able to shift, that she might have forgotten how do it over the months that she had been unable to. Naniko wanted to be able to defend herself, something that would be much easier to do in that larger form.

The female got up from the mass of protesting pups, going out of the closet and through the kitchen into the living room. It was about time she took a look at the supply of herbs, so that she could be ready in case any patients came. It would be a while still until she could leave the pups for a long period of time, and she did still have a slight fear that Conri might try to come back and claim them, but she wanted to make sure that she would be ready.




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#2
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Now that Naniko's pups had been born it seemed as if things were a bit more relaxed around the manor. Savina knew it was only a temporary state. It wouldn't be long before they grew big enough to want to explore and would have to be carefully watched over. She was definitely up for the task though. The sable girl had been worried about her friend through the whole pregnancy, after what had happened the last time. This time around, things had gone relatively smoothly (excluding what had happened with Conri), and even though not all of them had made it there were four healthy children for Nani. She smiled to herself as she thought about it. She couldn't have been more happy for her best friend.



The wolfess had been rather lazy today, simply lounging around in her bed and thinking about things. The necklace that Kansas had given her hung around her neck. At first she had been hesitant to wear it in her lupine form, worried she would lose it. However she had come to the decision it was silly not to wear it and she would just have to take care not to let it come off. That was one thing she was somewhat nervous about. She didn't know if Naniko had taken notice of her interaction with the cream male. But Kansas had said that that night had been a mistake right? That they were like siblings. Surely her friend would be happy for them. Or at least she hoped.



Triangular ears twitched as she heard movement coming from the living room. Once her leader had moved to a downstairs room, Savina had followed, wanting to be close in case she was needed. Standing up, she jumped from the mattress and nudged open the door. A soft smile crept onto her muzzle as Naniko entered her view. She walked up to her friend and gave her a gentle nuzzle. "How're the little ones doing? And yourself for that matter." Her accented voice was soft, knowing how tired the other must be.

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#3
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I love your table :3333


She had learned over the last few months that it wasn't healthy to worry about things that you had no control over. She had made sure that the two stillborn pups had been buried after the others had left, wrapping them up in one of the furs that she had laid upon. Now she was focused on the four that were alive, keeping them warm in the cooling weather and making sure that they were never hungry.

Nani was very pleased to see Savina and prodded her with her nose, returning her greeting. "All of us are doing great! I feel like so much attention has been on me for the last few weeks...I want to know more about you! How are you doing? What have you been up to?"


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#4
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Thankies! Me too! Sara made it :3
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It had been far too long since the two of them had had a one on one. It was understandable though, they had been busy getting everything put together for Crimson Dreams. It felt great to have a pack again. The sable girl was still so honored that Naniko had picked her to help with the leadership of their new family. Even though there were no blood bonds, Savina thought of the ghost hued female as a sister. She would do anything and everything for the Commander.



Bushy tail waved happily in the air as the new mother reported all were doing well. "That's wonderful! They're all going to grow to be strong, healthy wolves, I know it!" Even though she wasn't officially a "pup sitter" anymore, she was still looking forward to helping Nani out with them whenever it was needed. Taking good care of the next generation was an important task, and it fell to all the members of the pack.



The femme's head had been so consumed with Naniko and the puppies that it took her a moment to think about what all she had been up to herself. Honestly she couldn't think of much that her friend wouldn't already know about aside from her budding relationship with Kansas. She was both excited and nervous to bring the subject up. She wanted nothing more than to tell her best friend about it, yet with the history it could be an awkward subject. "I'm doing well. I don't think I've been up to much outside of pack stuff. Though...well, Kansas and I have been becoming fairly close." The statement wasn't exactly straightforward, but to her it seemed like the best way to test the waters on the subject. Heart beat loudly in her chest as she watched and listened for her friend's reaction.


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#5
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She felt nearly weightless now, without the pups stretching her belly down to the ground. Naniko had been considering going out for a run, if she could find someone to stay with the pups for a few minutes. Just a jog around the mansion. She had gained some weight during the pregnancy, despite the fact that she'd felt sick to her stomach for most of it.

Her tail waved back and forth, but stilled at Savina's last words. Kansas? Sure, she had noticed that they were hanging out, the way they'd sat together at the pack meeting and everything...but had it gone that far? She didn't know what she could say about it--or even how she felt about it. It was new news to her. But she was happy for Savina for having found somebody the way that Naniko had with Anu...even it was with Kansas.

Naniko cleared her throat, nodding."That's great--I'm really glad for you. He's a great guy" She didn't know what was wrong with her, really...she had to be happy for Savina. She was her best friend--she should be happy for her.

"Then you'd really be in the family, too" The idea had just occurred to her. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad; she and Savina would be real sisters. "I was meaning to ask, too--how is your brother doing? I wasn't sure how many people were actually staying here in the mansion. Is it a lot?"


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#6
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Her body twitched as she noted her friend's tail cease to move. Were her fears right? Hell, she didn't even really know what she was afraid of. Naniko and Anu were mates, surely she wasn't in love with Kansas. They were siblings. Still, this horrible sense of foreboding ate at her gut. She had to work to suppress a whine from escaping her throat. Savina wanted Nani to be happy about this. The ivory wolf was like her sister, it would break her heart if she didn't approve.



Muscles relaxed as the alphess verbally replied to the news. Though her words and body language told two different tales. The ebon female's tail drooped like a wilting flower. Something wasn't quite right. If it had been someone else she knew that her friend's reaction would have been much different. They would both be jumping and wagging their tails. Maybe it was just the surprise of it all? The fey desperately wanted to know what was causing this certain reaction, but was too afraid to ask. Maybe once Naniko had time to digest it things would be better. She prayed that was the case. Her heart did lighten when it was mentioned that then they would be real sisters. "Oh that'd be great, wouldn't it? Even though you already feel like a sister to me, then it'd be official, huh?"



With the change of subject, she tried her best to shake the disappointment from her head. Even though she knew it would eat at her until it was resolved. Oh well, she would just have to quietly deal with it for the time being. "Oh Ehno? He's doing well! I think he's happy with how everything went. The new pack formation that is. I'm so glad he's here. I never realized how much I truly missed him until we were reunited." The Italian wolf and her brother were as close as siblings could get. They always shared their adventures when they were little. When he had left she had felt somehow emptier. Now that they were together she felt whole again. "I believe so. Everyone who lived here originally of course. I'm not sure where Urma and Pilot have taken up residence though." Talking about her brother and the pack were proving to be good distractions.

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#7
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She was happy that Savina was happy, and that was that. Naniko didn't want to think about it any more, about the two of them together. It bothered her that this was a big deal, that she felt this way. She didn't want to feel...what, jealous? She didn't even know what the emotion was, really, that she was feeling...but whatever it was she didn't like it.

It wasn't in her nature to even be jealous; most of the time those sorts of feelings were pushed to the side in favor of something lighter, something happier. She liked feeling happy. "I did have two sisters once. My littermate left when I was only a few months old. We were separated after our parents abandoned us, each of us going a separate way to look for them. I don't know if she found them or not...I barely remember when my father came back, I was so young. But as soon as he had left again she was gone, too. I learned that I did have a sibling from a different litter, Selene...she came and stayed in Storm. But she left after a while as well." Wolves moved on, over time. Even Physe was gone now. Naniko was glad that Iskata was still there, even if she was in a different pack.

"Yeah, I'm not sure either. I was hoping to get out for a while and do some running, maybe go fishing, now that I can. Would you be up for something like that?"


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#8
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Zomg we has pack Big GrinD And a bit of PP, lemme know if want changed, etc.



It wasn't that she was ignoring her friend's story about her biological sisters, she just simply didn't have anything to say in response. That and she was more intent on focusing on something else than the disappointment she had just endured. If she dwelt on the subject any longer, the more and more she would want to question Naniko about it. Right now she neither had the courage nor the stomach for it. Focusing on other matters would be the best course of action right now, for the both of them it seemed.



Truthfully, Savina was much more keen on getting a better look at the new pups. She said nothing to the effect though. Naniko was a new mother, and she would introduce her pups in a more personal manner when she saw fit. And maybe her friend would be more inclined once they got some fresh air. A somewhat forced smile worked its way onto her lips. "Yeah, that sounds great actually. It'll be good for you to stretch your limbs." The pair walked out of the door and down the stairs of the porch. Jade orbs surveyed the land before turning back to her friend. "Well, anywhere specific you'd like to go?" The jet femme wanted to make this outing about what Naniko wanted, considering it was probably her first in a while.

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#9
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Naniko definitely wanted Savina to see the pups too, and spend some time with them both with and without Naniko there. She trusted the other female with her own life, and with the lives of her children, too. It was one of the reasons that she had asked the dark one to join her as a leader of Crimson Dreams. It was a lot of responsibility to begin with, but Naniko had gotten some practice when she had co-led Twilight Vale with Conri.

It felt like that life was nothing but a dream now, though. This would be her home for the rest of her life, this pack. She was excited that Savina wanted to go out, that she was willing to accompany her on a little run. Nani didn't have to make everything about kansas--she wanted to talk about other things too. She would probably be more willing to talk about it after she had been given some time to digest it. Naniko didn't want to snap at Savina or say anything that she didn't mean.

A run was perfect. "Maybe just around this area for a bit. Have you gotten to run much lately? And are you eating well?"


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#10
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The mood between the two was beginning to loosen and become more like normal the farther they moved away from the topic of Kansas. For now she was perfectly happy to let it go and just act like they always did, the best of friends. Savina was still incredibly honored that Naniko had chosen her to help run their new pack. She supposed it made sense logically, after all she had been the third highest ranked wolf in Twilight Vale before it disbanded and then Lucifer had left. Regardless of the "logical predictability" of the choice, she still swelled with love and pride whenever she thought about it. The wolfess was determined to make this a great home for everyone, especially Naniko and her children.



"That sounds good to me!" Agile limbs began to carry her body faster and faster across the earth as she began to move and pick up speed. It took her a moment to come up with an answer to her friend's first question. "Well, I feel like I've been going around in circles a lot, but I haven't done much running lately. Just been so busy trying to get everything ready for the pack and the little ones, as you already know." Her voice had regained its more jovial tone. The feel of the wind against her fur and the adrenaline leaking into her veins lifting her spirits. "Well enough. I've been doing my best to make sure the cache has plenty of food for you. And it won't be long before they'll start to eat solid food as well." She hadn't been starving herself by any means, but made sure not to overeat. They needed all the spare food they could get.



The crisp air brought a question to her that she had been meaning to ask someone. "What are the winters around here like Nani?" The femme had only ever known the mild winters of Italy, and she already realized that the temperatures would be much colder here.

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#11
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It was all that Naniko wanted, to be able to take care of pups of her own. She had always watched over other wolves' pups, watched them grow up and leave after their real parents. Naniko had grown up knowing that her parents probably weren't going to be coming back...and she'd looked to Iskata for guidance and motherly love. She wasn't sure where she would be if Iskata hadn't decided to take her in. She had argued with Laruku to allow Naniko to live in the pack, after carrying her there from the mountaintop that she'd fallen from.

The female felt that she knew a lot about Savina, but the question sparked something new. She didn't know how long Savina had been in the country! She had probably been told in the past, but she couldn't bring it to memory if she had. Had she spent last winter here, or had she been back in Italy? She had never left Bleeding Souls before in her life, so she wasn't sure what the weather would be like in other places. In fact, she hadn't even asked much about Italy at all.

"I have never asked you much about Italy...about what it was like there. Here it gets very, very cold in the winter. Some days you can't even go outside, it is so cold. And if you get too far away from home and can't go back and you get caught in a storm, sometimes it can be fatal." At least, that was how it had been back in the higher territory.

"That was how it was northeast of here, anyway. Maybe this area will not be as bad. What was your home like?" They weren't going at too fast of a pace, so it was easy to talk and run at the same time.


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#12
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Shocked was really the only way to describe her reaction to the answer. So shocked in fact, that her legs screeched to a halt, bringing up a little cloud of dust in her wake. She stood there, mouth agape. "It gets that cold?" Not that the dark femme thought her friend was lying, but it was hard for her to get her mind around the idea. A quick shudder went through her body. She couldn't even imagine how cold that must be. "Ugh...this is going to be tough." She groaned. The Italian wolf had never experienced such temperatures before, she was a bit nervous to see how it would effect her.



"In Italy it never got much colder than it is now. It barely snowed. While I was on the ship I had no sense of direction, but I guess this must be much farther north than I thought." Though she didn't really know this, Savina had never grew in a thick winter pelt, because her body had never had the need for it before. The next winter would be easier for her, but this first one would be a struggle. Once it really started getting cold her body would probably react as it needed and start to grow thicker fur, however it wouldn't be there right when winter started as the other native wolves' would be. An exasperated sigh heaved out of her lungs as she shook her head.



Paws started moving again once she had the chance to recover from the news. "Italy was a very lovely place. Beautiful weather, always nice and warm for the most part. I wish I could show you it...but unfortunately that will never happen." The thoughts of the frigid winter that awaited her still made the fey cringe. She would have to work hard to not be useless once it hit.

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#13
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She hadn't really taken the time to just talk to Savina lately, and now she wished that she had. There was so much about her friend that she didn't know about. She had heard about her family, just as Savina had heard about hers, and about the Itallian's journey to Souls. But there was more to it than that. "Yes. The lake will freeze over, and we'll be able to slide around on it, it will be so cold. But you don't have to worry--we have the mansion. And there are nice days, too, where it's very clear. You're darkly colored, so you will absorb whatever sunlight there is"

"No snow? I can't even imagine that. I think there might be less snow here than up North...but I don't know how much less." She was really glad to be out and running again. She had missed that during her pregnancy, getting to go out and do things like this. Naniko had been a fairly active wolf, before. "Maybe someday we can go there together. When we're a lot older" If they didn't have a pack to take care of, anyway. Who knew what would happen in the future.


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#14
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The lake was going to freeze? That boggled her mind even more so than it already was. She's seen snow, sure, but it was never on the ground for too long. So her eyes had never seen a frozen body of water. "You can slide around on it? Well, that sounds like it could be fun I guess. That's really weird that it freezes. It never got cold enough for any rivers or lakes to do that in Italy." In the light of this information about winters in her new home, her thankfulness for the manor expanded tenfold. Being inside the large house would be much warmer than a small dug den outside. Or at least she figured as much. "Well, my coat will turn into an advantage then! In the summer it can be a bit of a burden when it becomes so hot. It will definitely be helpful in the winter though." She chuckled lightly and they continued to trot along.



It seemed their life experiences had been rather different because of their locations. Savina did however find it interesting how similar the two of them were even though they'd had much different lives so far. The wolfess still thought it must be fate that brought her here. She couldn't imagine not being around Naniko, having her as a friend. They were like two peas in a pod most of the time, and she really liked that. "Maybe. That would be fun. Take a nice adventure before we're too old to." The thought of taking her best friend back to her homeland made a large smile flower across her face. Her gaze turned towards the ivory leader, jade orbs sparkling.



"I can't wait to see the pups develop their separate personalities. I bet you can't either, momma." She winked at her friend with that last word.

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#15
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"Sometimes they all act up...but a few of them have better days than the others." Generally, Mati and Haven seemed to stick together more than the others. Their temperments were pretty steady, not going up or down, and they looked like they enjoyed each others' company. Most of the time Brooklyn spent her days bossing Mati around...maybe the bigger brown female wanted a friend who wouldn't tell her what to do all the time.

"Salem stays by himself most of the time, Brooklyn too. Mati and Haven sort of...hang out a lot. They have more....gentle play. The other two, when they do all get involved in it, are harsher. They're nippers" Naniko would usually step in at the point where it got too extreme. She'd been involved in many a puppy-fight. "I love them like this, so tiny and adorable...but it won't be too much longer and they'll be able to be out on their own. It's weird to think about...I really don't have a lot of time to mother them before they won't need me any more"
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#16
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Shall we start to wrap this up, mayhaps?



Savina was glad to hear about the pups. She hadn't gotten the chance to really spend any time with them, so hearing about all of this from Naniko made her happy. She had been so looking forward to having puppies around, and they were finally here. It wouldn't be long until they were big enough to run around on their own. Then it would be the whole pack's duty to look after them and make sure they didn't get into too much trouble. "Yeah, but that's pups for you. Just in their nature I think." Looking back, she could only imagine how much of a handful she and her siblings must have been at that age. And her mother hadn't had a mate to help look after them either.



"Yeah? That's interesting. I know things were a bit like that with my siblings and I though. Ehno and I were always together, playing and exploring, while Ghita kept to herself most of the time. Funny how quickly they start to develop their own sense of self and mannerisms." She looked lovingly at her friend. Surely it was hard to realize how fast her children were growing up. It couldn't be an easy thing to come to terms with. Lightly she brushed up against the alabaster wolfess' side reassuringly. "Yes, I suppose that's true. But they'll always need their mother. I'm sure at times it may not seem like it, but you'll always be there for them, and they'll know it. Look at me, I was always with my mother until she passed away and I came here. They may not stay babies for long, but you are their mother for life." The fey gave her friend a gentle lick on the cheek, to help drive her point home.

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