The importance of this moment and the scents that rolled from within the den had consumed Sleekwing's attentions. Luckily for Eric, the trees that he stood within as the birthing proceeded and the breeze worked in his favor, providing the perfect guise to keep his aroma from reaching the pack's Castellan. Throughout the birthing Sleekwing remained just far enough back from the den's mouth to give Ailith her privacy, but as soon as he heard the softened tones of the once assassin as she named her children, he edged forward so that he could look down into the recess in the ground where she had given birth. Even as she sounds her welcome to him, he remains where he is, a smile upon his features despite the meat that he clenches between his teeth. Slowly she moves her bodice so that he can catch a proper glimpse of the two pups, all creamy and brown with the distinct white of their mother's pelt as well. Despite the happiness of his moment that radiates of Sleekwing for his friend, he can't help but wonder who the male was that had contributed these colors. Did he care that his children had been born?

Gleeful eyes never betray such notions, for this is a moment so pure and filled with happiness that the thoughts are brushed away before they threaten to linger. Sleekwing offered her the meat, for surely hunger would arrive sooner or later after such an effort as bringing new life into the world. The compliment he offers is sincere and the smile he is rewarded with makes his tail thrum against the ground outside the den. Only his head remains within, the rest of his body beginning to feel the barest hints of warmth as the sun creeps higher into the sky. His attention is so completely focused upon her and the pups that when he hears movement off and away to his right he thinks it is only the breeze. Ailith goes on to tell him of the traditions of her former pack, where she had once served as an assassin. The girl was star touched, the speckles upon her cheeks were not visible to Sleekwing from where he lay but he imagined the dotting of white that lay along her face. And the boy showed strength, referred to as something called an ice bear. His ears twitch forward as she speaks of how Cadwan was destined to be a warrior, like Sleekwing.

He means to promise her that he will help her children to become whatever they wanted to be, but the sudden shift in her very presence made him withdraw from the den. He stands rigid, flashing his gaze around for whatever perceived threat she had felt. His entire body blocks the entrance to the den, ready to fend off the danger that made his hackles bristle and his lips pull back. It was then that Sleekwing's eyes fell upon the corpse of a rabbit adorned with the bud of a white rose. Lips immediately lowered back over his fangs as the word 'Eric' is heard from within the den. The imprint who had spurned her and caused her so much emotional turmoil. Sleekwing almost gave chase, wishing to track him down and warn him to never come here again, but that was when Ailith's howl resounded from within the den. She called out for him longingly and the heather marked wolf could do nothing but move to stand sentry at the gate of her home, his head tucking down to peer back within, feeling as if he was intruding now more than ever.