---

I may never recover from the injustice done to my face, never. I mean it’s not really all that bad but still, somehow I seem to have managed to earn a scar, an actual defect upon the perfection of my pelt. Maybe it is aesthetic but still, it bothers me, it also bothers me that it is on my left side Truth be told I do not have some ridiculous belief one side of my face is nicer then the other, no, it bothers me that the one war wound I get is on the same side as my Fathers, as if even Fate is trying to show us how similar we are and yet I am utterly determined that I am not him. I never will be him and hell, I think that is half the problem. I snorted, irritated at my own thoughts as I shifted from my place beside Andromeda, moving to wander across the spring earth and closer to our children, Celeste demanding at the top of her lungs that Guardian rearrange his hair, my violet blue eyes rolling lightly. That is the one thing I have not mentioned, the one thing I have left unsaid, my eye, the left one I……it’s not the same, I can still see of course, quite well really but the vision is…blurred slightly. I complain so loudly and vocally about the scar I think even Cat Eye has heard about it and she rarely leaves her den and yet in the end….it only really looks unfortunate, it does no damage, it does nothing. That my eye is actually damaged I keep to myself though I don’t know why, I am sure my Stella would think no less of e and yet, somehow, I just can’t bring myself to say it, that I got injured like that. Maybe I just want them, all of them, my family- to think of me as, well, infallible I guess, the way it should be. I am the Father, the protector I don’t have time to be injured or weak or lesser- so I won’t.

My lips parted to speak, Andromeda beating me to it, telling Celeste that at two years of age, Guardian could hardly be told what to do, at least not by her, the boy seeming to take some pleasure in this before bolting away, trying to crash tackle Starfall to the ground, tugging on his ears before sprinting back to Iophiel. My eyes narrowed slightly with concern, he was a lot bigger then them, he should be more careful, if one of my baby girls was injured by his stupid big feet I would be, well annoyed quite frankly. I let it go for now, eyes drifting lazily towards Meryl before lowering my head once more. I’m not supposed to have the day off and yet by some miracle Heyel is busy with his new apprentice, so much so that he did not summon any of us this morning and as far as I can tell that means I have a free pass. Maybe this year I’ll be home a little more, maybe I won’t be gone all day and most of the night, maybe I’ll actually be here to see these new pups take their first steps or learn their first words. Hell, I screwed up with Starfall and Guardian. I was there- but not, not really. I was better with Celeste and Iophiel, after all, there’s just something about baby girls. They need me more I guess, I guard them more closely, they are not like boys to be left to their own devices, girls are…yeah alright I have a soft spot for my daughters over my sons, it’s just the way I am although it’s hardly a secret I’ve always preferred boys, or at least, until my daughters were born I did. I like having sons, the more the better, I am entirely sure they are less work for a start and honestly I fear breaking them less.

I barely heard Andromeda’s words, lost within my on tangles thoughts as I rested, large, muscular frame extended fully on one side, ears flicking occasional with the sounds of yips and barks from my ever growing family. Honestly I should show some self control, the way Stella and I are going we will overtake Heyel for productivity and that is hardly a crown I want to steal anytime soon. I love my children, I do, but honestly I have…rather a few and I fear forgetting their names, or simply just screwing up. Andromeda’s size worries me a little this year, quite simply, she is fat, there, I said it. She is the size of a boulder and for the first time ever I am certain she outweighs me and I fail to see how that happened. Well, that is not entirely true, I know how it happened, I was there after all and apparently my return from war sparked a passion in both of us that night. My name on her lips drew my attention, head lifting before the pain in her voice rippled through her soul and into my own, my form rolling to rise swiftly to my feet before I followed her into the darkness of the den, snapping momentarily at Guardian, he could come in later, not now. She moved to nestle herself in the darkness and atop the feathers I always used within my den, our den rather, it hadn’t been mine for a damn long time and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I moved to follow her, seating my large, white and blood coloured frame near her forelegs, watching over as I did every time, every single pain that moved through her dancing along the edge of my own nerves. I try not to be anxious, I try not to be nervous but I can’t help it, ever since the birth of Star and Guard nearly destroyed her….a part of me worries, every time…..that I’m going to lose her and I can’t live without her, I already know that.

"I am here."

I murmured the words quietly, reaching down to lick at her cheek as her body seemed to heave and convulse. God, why did I do this to her? Why does she keep letting me? My own whine broke the silence as Meryl wandered in, standing guard over his Mother as he had always done, my eyes flicking towards him a moment, appreciating his presence I suppose, comforted by having his attentions all to ourselves should anything go wrong. I trust him, I guess, I trust him to keep her safe though I can still feel her heart, her life, so strong and alive within my soul. The first puppy came almost easily compared to what the others have been, my head craning to look before she picked it up and brought it to her chest, working to clean him off, him, a boy! My tail waved in pleasure at this discovery, features frowning slightly as he remained red even after Andromeda cleaned him. A red puppy? A puppy Marked from head to foot? I….I have never heard of this, not ever. I scowled at the thought of having to speak to Heyel of this. I wonder how long I can hide him from his Grandfather although as far as I am concerned this only proves it should have been my line that led next, not Isola. My children should have been the Prince and Princess’ of Diveen and if I had anything to do with it, one day, they would be. They deserved it more. Mithos.

I was so distracted by this red boy that I seemed to near miss the birth of the next and surely last child, the violet blue of my gaze resting on it as Andromeda brought it to her once more, licking it clean to draw out his dark coat and darker muzzle, stained with white as his Mother. Another boy! I allowed a rather pleased smirk to cross my features, bending to nuzzle at my mate and soul once more as she spoke, my own words soft for once as she gave our son the name I had chosen earlier. Zaphkiel, a good name, a traditional name and one to take pride in as far as I was concerned.

"Yes, it’s a good name, I think it suits him. Two more sons, just perfect, just what I wanted. I think- huh? What are you doing?"

How many were there? She has never had three, there is two, always two! Quite honestly for a moment I felt rather annoyed at this, she had had enough, she didn’t need to deliver anymore and really were it not exactly my fault there might have been more then too I would have been prepared to blame the child itself, my form shifting once more, pain radiating through her frame again as I pressed closer to her. I can’t do anything, I can’t help her and I don’t handle that well. I let my eyes drift across her frame, a silent prayer murmured upon my lips, there was….a lot of blood, was she alright? Was something torn? I looked back towards Meryl, searching his features as her breathing became more laboured and the third child was born. A…a girl! Oh hell, why do they do this to me, looking after my two daughters already stressed me to no end, worrying every thirty seconds that some boy was going to try and take off with them, they are perfect after all, just as this one is, a girl of grey and white placed with her siblings as I shifted easily forward, wanting to be closer to her. Elara, our surprise child it would seem. Sneaky thing, then again women usually where. I relaxed, finally, this entire thing done and over, tension easing from my frame before Andromeda spoke once more, head snapping back towards her, eyes wide.

"What!? What do you mean four!? We can’t have four! Just….just stop, put it back! "

Alright, maybe an over-reaction, but I was rather shocked, panic tracing my features as I paced back and forth, the pain settling over her features once more as her exhausted frame moved and contracted again and again until the fourth child came, my eyes wide, stunned, shocked. A white girl, white and red, just as she should be, my eyes tracing her form as Andromeda laid her down with the others. Ambrosia. Hell…..what have we done? We can’t have four…we can’t and yet, somehow we do, somehow, by some miracle, we have four more children for me to undoubtedly ruin- but I didn’t care, not right then. My eyes almost seemed to well, just a little bit, the dust I am sure, as I laid myself down beside my mate, head resting on her shoulder, eyes upon our children. Mithos, Zaphkiel, Elara and Ambrosia. Well, guess it’s lucky I’m a patient guy, eh?







AZRAEL

---

"7 years ~ Andromeda ~ 41in 177lbs ~ Sire of Meryl/Starfall/Guardian/Celeste/Iophiel/Mithos/Ambrosia/Elara/Zaphkiel ~ Diveen "