It was my Calliel, my young one whom came first to my call on this night so perfect, so soft, so sweet- a breeze so gentle given to caress the white of my fur as the violet of my gaze, flecked with the emerald of mother my own was given to linger against my child of white and red and Kiska Gold. She is having the look of her Father and his blood, of this I am most sure, a female built of power and grace and yet beholding the colours born of my own blood, a creature of union so perfect, born upon the song of victory, just as Evero himself, conceived upon the wake of Purge’s defeat and expulsion once more from home our own, children born upon victory’s heels. It is the play manner by which her tail waves that sees my own given to wave this night, an energy uknown within myself as the bite of winter ensues and yet lessens upon the promise of the spring as it arrives this very night, as if the breeze itself blows with it the promise of sun and warmth and days to come. It is being a thing most un-royal I am assured, to do as I did in that moment, to bow my frame in the manner of play towards my own child, to allow my tail to wave and a bark of encouragement to sound towards her in a manner so unseen from myself. Yet within the dark of the night there are no eyes to see, no pack to wonder nor question and I may be given, for just a moment- to be as myself. To be Isola and not Queen and to offer the bow of play to my child, to pounce suddenly towards her and seek to engage her in play as a growl of exuberance rises from my throat, her teeth biting at my chest as one paw smacked at her, seeking to playfully knock her aside with perhaps a little more firmness then I intended, jaws parting to bite at her muzzle before settling once more to hold her against me as her whispered words ended the game within my mind.

“They will go one day, small one, in time. Mind is place most powerful and sometimes it is given to offer us dreams that speak untruths or show to us that which we fear. It will pass. Dreams cannot hurt you, all will be well.”

The violet of my gaze was given to linger upon her shoulder, the teeth of Tobias having dared to mark her flesh and yet already it was healing- just as her mind would surely do in time, for indeed I hoped my words to be true, hoped her sleep would become less fitful and rested. It was then that the voice of another drew my attention, my form parting from Calliel in this moment to embrace my Phaedra and the one for him I am given to worry most, perhaps. Her mind is…different, her thoughts askew and I do not know why. She does not seem unwell and yet so often her mind seems ensared within thoughts her own that are given to cause myself fitful worry, just as her words do in this moment, my own head given to tilt slightly as I reach for her all the same. A Mother’s love is blind, in this I am most assured, my daughter embraced in this moment as my jaws part to lick at her cheek in affection, to stir perhaps from her a similar gesture for so often she seems distant.

“My Phaedra, think on your words, perhaps you see Calliel as you say, but I am liking it better if you do not say it out loud. Some thoughts must be kept within our minds.”

It was gentle, my chastisement, seeking not to upset her and yet to correct her words this day all the same, the manner in which she spoke seeing my features frown slightly once more as she spoke of my voice in a manner most…colourful.

“I si thinking it is very nice that my voice is being so…..loud.”

I am thinking that is what she is saying, I is not being all that sure though I offer her a smile and nod all the same, seeking merely to appease her this night.

“It is being a night for family, Phaedra, for us to be as one this night. I wished for company, this is being all.”

I smiled once more before it was my Haziel was given to arrive, his pelt of dark and light aglow beneath the moon as a smile- just for he- lingered upon my lips and I was given to reach for my boy caught within the darkness, he whom Heyel had sought to destroy upon birth and yet he whom I had defended then as now I do still. One does not need sight to see, not truly, his mind as capable as any other of seeing what is false within this world and as such I ask for nothing more, pleased and most proud this day, of my son whom sought to make his mark upon the lands of salt and sand- his words answered in the latina of his birth and blood, the language of Angel.

“Multum gavisus sum tibi, dicit Dominus: Filius meus pulcher. Cum tibi desiderium absunt.”
(I am so very pleased you have come, my beautiful son. I miss you when you are away.)

Lips parted to caress his cheek most softly as Evero so swift and silent and Hadrian so….not- were given to arrive, my boy of white and black and red seating himself so softly, my head dipped in greeting to my Evero before it was Hadrian was given to speak most loudly and in a manner I am thinking is perhaps to much like Heyel for my liking, features given to scowl ever so slightly within this moment as it was he sought to apply a cream I is thinking is most questionable to Calliel.

“Hadrian, I am thinking perhaps Calliel will be healing fine on her own though it is most lovely that you is trying.”

It was the arrival of my Kane that saw my form lift now, reaching for him as he greeted each child in turn, lips parted to lick at his muzzle in a stolen kiss so soft and sweet within the night, my form pressed and held against him with the love of one whom has walked beside myself so very long. I moved now to stand beside him in this moment, to look upon so many of our children whom had gathered before it was the violet of my gaze inclined to the fields below, the grass scattered with snow hare, drawn out by the silence of the night to graze upon the shoots of spring grass.

“I is thinking that perhaps tonight it is we should be hunting, as family, I is liking to see which of you, my children- shall be bringing the first meal to my Kane and I. Let us run together this night. All of us.”