She is, if anything, an energetic child. Truly she seems to possess all the energy her brother lacks, though I hardly wish to think of Saintly in these moments. Perhaps it is…cruel, or selfish to turn the boy from my thoughts and yet I know already what perhaps I continue to deny. I will have the rest of my lifetime to think of Saintly, to think of everything he could and should have been. I have a lifetime to sit and stare into the darkness and mourn a little boy to weak to lift his head- but I only have a few months to watch my daughter grow, I only have a few months before her legs become gangly and her paws far to large and her ego as entirely all-encompassing of the world as my own. I only have a few months before she surely won’t need me anymore, much less have any desire to allow me to play with her as she does now. Children grow quickly these days and indeed I am entirely sure that she will want only the attention of other pups in the days to come, it hardly matters I suppose and such feelings are…ridiculous and weak and yet, they remain still. I lost my infant sons, I am about to lose another. Neveah is it, she may well be the last child I will ever Father, the last to sit between my paws and chew at my nose while attempting to batter my ethereal form with her paws in the same way. I am hardly the nostalgic type and yet, I suppose, having the young pup at my paws makes me feel younger again, makes me feel useful in a world fast having no need of me any longer. I came, I say, I conquered this land, my children are grown, my grandchildren and great grandchildren walking his earth, Isola and Kane will soon no longer need any guidance. Though perhaps, just for a little while longer, someone else will need me, the tiny black girl between my paws whose tail waved in delight at my apparent presence as I cast my gaze back towards the den. I would still have Zen, even when Neveah grew, yes, I would still have my mate and hell, perhaps it is damn time I retired. I deserve a rest, I think, even if I don’t handle not having a job particularly well.

I once more pushed such thoughts aside as I worked to smooth Neveah’s coat into an artwork of utter perfection, brushing each midnight hair into place, her pelt aglow with the ethereal shine of her mother before I moved to work on the patch of white at her chest, my sole contribution apparently, her eyes even holding her Mothers green, though indeed I have always liked such a combination, after all, it was what had attracted myself to Zen in the first place and I am pleased Neveah should wear such colours and with obvious beauty. A small smile pulled at my lips once more, chuckling softly as I spoke, the girl falling silent at the words as she listened with apparent enrapture. Hmmm, perhaps the rest of the pack should take a lesson from my child, that is how one shows respect to an elder. Then again, I expected nothing less from a girl born of utter brilliance. For a few moments the girl remained silent, clearly attempting to process these words I offered, green eyes wide with apparent delight in such a thing. Then again, who doesn’t enjoy being told they are great? Perhaps Zen will not approve of my parenting, perhaps she does not desire for her daughter to be raised to belive she is above all others, yet why hide the truth? Neveah is perfection, she is born of greatness, born to be more and she should know it, accept it and embrace it. Self-confidence is hardly a bad trait to have and in time I have every intention of teaching her just how to use it to get exactly what she wants in this life, after all, if I have learned anything from living so long within Moladion, it is that the majority of the wolves here- are idiots, entirely deserving of exploitation. The wolves of Diveen may be the sole exception- I do also rather like that Alcide fellow.

The grin that touched my features at such thoughts was quick to fade as my daughter spoke, my on features frowning slightly at these words. How do you tell a child that her Brother is dying? How do you tell a baby girl that the one she slept beside within her mother for so long will never play with her, that he will never chase her in the sun or learn to hunt beside her? How do I tell my daughter, so, so young…..about death? In time she will learn I suppose, I have spent my life ending that of others. Death I know so well and yet, never before has it felt so harsh or cold. Perhaps she is still to young to understand, the words that came to my lips quickly pushed aside. Too young, yes, she is not ready, not yet, to appreciate a factual explanation- nor do I wish her to hold any fear or worry about such a thing, no. She deserves the truth, but one designed for her to accept.

“Neveah, when we are born we have a purpose, a reason for being, something we must do or be in this life. Like a…job, a mission, except we do not know what this mission is, nobody tells us. Life is about finding your purpose, about becoming what and who you were always destined to be. For some it takes a very long time to complete this…mission, for others it does not take long at all and we don’t always understand what the purpose of others is, or why some….die so young. Neveah, greatness is measured in many, many things, what makes someone great is for you to decide but understand only that, in his own way, Saintly is great, for he has completed his mission already, he came, he did what he needed to do, whatever that may have been and, very soon, baby girl, he will have to go….back to the sky, he will die. Do you understand, darling?”

I smiled easily, readily, attempting to appear content and calm, assured within myself though even I did not know if I believed such words. They say only the good die young and yet, I have known more than one wolf who has been truly and purely good and lived a long, long life. I don’t know what Saintly’s purpose was, perhaps he simply came to remind me, once more, of Lucifer and Kael, though I never forget and perhaps there is some peace in that, yet for whatever reason and in whatever way, Siantly has found his purpose, he has done what he needs to do and he is no longer needed on this earth. True Angels are a rare and beautiful thing. I smiled softly once more, willing indeed to turn the conversation to something else, speaking of Isola, half-sister to Neveah, chuckling softly at the girls words, unable to stop the satisfied grin that lit my features at her words. Yes, I am rather great, probably greater then Isola, but really, has anyone ever set the bar so high as I? I reached down, nuzzling playfully at the girl as my tail waved behind, the little creature pulling herself to her feet in apparent exuberance at this thought of greatness, declaring her intentions to exceed myself before apparently seeing fit to propel herself into my chest. Well, she certainly didn’t lack……enthusiasm, she might not be the most graceful of my children but we could work on that.

“Yes, your greatness astounds me already, though how, might I ask, are you going to be greater then me, hmmm? Didn’t you just say Daddy was the greatest? Isola, well, she’s only a little bit great but don’t tell her I said that. As for Kane, Isola’s mate, I think you should inform him of his lack of greatness when you meet him.”

I grinned, chuckling slightly at the thought of a child of mine telling Kane off. Hmmm, rather amusing. Apparently however, Neveah was not satisfied with being pressed up against my chest, the girl scrambling up my shoulders and onto my back as I sighed, eyes rolling. This part of child rearing I did not miss so entirely, even so, I merely allowed her to continue. I may have no patience for anyone or anything, but my children are a different matter, they are….permitted to do things others are not, provided nobody is here to see the great Heyel having his already limited ears chewed on. Small paws pressed against my neck as she climbed higher, proclaiming my ears her own. Hmm, I like how early on she has learned the word ‘mine’. Excellent word that one. Even so, I do have some desire to maintain my ears, flicking them suddenly back and forward once more, twisting them to the side and out of her reach again and again, teasing playfully at her, careful not to move my head entirely to much, less the silly little thing fall off and hurt herself.

“I think, Baby Girl, that they are MY ears, perhaps though I shall take yours. Wouldn’t you like a nice tattered ear just like Daddy, hmmm?”

I was, of course, an entirely empty threat, I have no intention of biting off part of her left ear as is the case with my own head lowering carefully to the floor before I rolled softly, toppling her to the floor as I rolled back to my teeth, snapping teasingly at her tiny ears before grinning once more, lowering my head to her own in a whisper, as if what I had to say was a very great secret.

“Tell me, Neveah, would you like to see something very, very special? Something that is only for Angels?”