It had hurt more than she had expected, watching Neirin approach them and say she he wouldn’t stand in her way. Yes he had released her, but knowing the pain that lay behind his shimmering blue eyes had cut through the heart of her. While she was content with her decision the feeling of loss and separation still lingered and she had spent a few moons lamenting her woes to the stars with her alto-tuned howls. While the stars would not speak back with their ancient wisdom it had relieved the tension and stress she had felt and given her the peace of mind to move on and live the life she had decided upon. And while she had faced quite a quandary for some time now the gentle swelling which had begun to stretch her stomach aided in her new found decisiveness.

She had begun spending inordinate amounts of time with her moon, relishing the feel of him as she brushed up alongside or nuzzled beneath the soft hairs on his chin. Their caresses had turned into rapid play, which fueled by the desire they felt turned into passion that ignited her very being all of which culminated to how she felt today. An instinctual urge to den and dig had been growing in her mind like an itch she couldn’t scratch. No amount of running within the lower ridge of the mountains or playfully chasing the squirrels and rabbits that were still out despite winter’s chill could distract her. So it is on this day she finds herself at the mouth of the den she shared with her Moon. Her stance was wide, almost as if prepared for a fight while she stared inside its rather impressive depths. The ceilings were high which she was sure Ragnarok appreciated with this size, but she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the same, her heart now longed for something with close walls that would make her feel safe in their grasp.

She snorted, her warm breath vaporizing around her for a moment before she stepped inside not thinking for a second where Ragnarok might be or how he would feel about what she had set her mind to do. Her head was still held high as she entered, thanks to the height of the walls and its forbearers. Beginning she drug the dusty pelts to the mouth of the den, grasping them one by one between her powerful jaws and shaking them back and forth vigorously. Dust flew every direction until she was done and spread them beneath the cool noon-day sun. She trotted back inside; delighted to be fulfilling the purpose that nature seemed to demand of her this day.

Now that the dirt floors were bare she journeyed farther back in the cave, where a small channel and birthing den had been dung long ago yet obviously fallen into disrepair over the years of being abandoned. Breathing deep beneath the musty smell she could still scent the births that had happened here and it almost drove her in to a frenzy. Head down she began to dig, thankful the cold frost hadn’t reached its grasping fingers too deep as of yet and the earth was still soft. Her paws flung the fresh dirt every way, widening the channel only slightly to more comfortably fit her stature and the future newborns that would squirm here by her side. Backing up she began widening the side tunnel that led into the chamber only slightly to allow a touch more light to filter into the darkness here.

She knew she should call to Ragnarok, share with him the exciting news that cause joy to streak across her narrow features like lightening but it felt so good to be doing something finally and as her paws dug furiously at the fresh dirt she knew he would find her soon enough and she could share it with him, if he had not guessed by her actions already.