Oh such grace! Oh such beauty!
And lipstick, and callous
and fishnets and malice

It did not bother her that he did not wince from her snap. Nor did she feel intimidated by the glare that threatened to pierce her soul and chill her bones. Sure, that may scare those made of lesser stuff but Harridan was not those poor souls. She watches the good eye as it stares her down and she backs down somewhat unwillingly. He claims her naive. She thought him in denial. She knew that somewhere in that black, twisted, tattered little heart that there was an ounce of affection if not for her, for their children. She was sure of it, otherwise why bother showing up at the birthing? Obviously she did not expect him to be the simpering father waiting outside the den, but this wasn't exactly what she had expected either. Oh Abraxus, you still know how to surprise a girl!

She opens her mouth to have another jest at his expense, when there was a noise at the back, towards the opening she had built herself in case of emergency. She had no interest in their darkness, or their plans for the future. She had every interest in keeping Maud and Scallywag alive until they were old enough to make their own decisions for their future. She manages to stand but can't manage to hind the wince that comes and the trembling of her own back legs. It was far too cramped in here to have three grown wolves and yet she rearranges the squealing twins. She pressed them against the back of her den and then the pain becomes too much. Harridan's hind end demands that she lay down again, and she obliges. Behind her, their daughters squeal in protest from being moved, from the cold they felt. Harridan checks on them briefly, but knew they were dry, and she pressed against them as she makes herself as small as she possibly can. Should Abraxus fail (which never really crossed her mind) the intruder, whoever he was, would have to get through an angry mother. An sore mother, but angry nonetheless.

Those amber eyes trained on exit tunnel, waiting for whatever seemed to stagger and blunder through the tunnel to make itself known. She wondered if it was sick. If it was perhaps the former owner. Amber eyes flicker towards Abraxus to find him tensing without even looking like he was trying. He was double her size, and she had every confidence in him. She protects her babies, her lips curling up and supplying the growling snarls that Abraxus failed to produce. Whoever this wolf was, he was not welcomed. She only saw a brief snout before Abraxus flew at him making sure that this unfortunate individual wandered into no other birthing dens. Harridan got up just slightly, her muscles tense, attempting to see what exactly was going on in the dim light. There was only a flurry of movement, and she mostly only saw the father of her brood. Amber red eyes train on them, her body stiff and ready to join in should it be necessary.

For the briefest of moments, she despaired. Why couldn't she have babies without complication the way other bitches did? The last litter she had was mostly decimated by the meteor. Now she had some foolish, cannibalistic wolf at her back door. At least this time, Abraxus was present. Caius was long gone by the time it came to pick up the litter and flee into the night. But her mind refocused quickly enough, waiting to see the outcome of this little altercation.