Out there, I am an alpha. The Protector of the Realm. Their Queen. Daenerys Mountainborn. But in here I am only Dany. Only Mom, mommy, mother. Jericho's mate, his love, his heart. And in this I find complete contentment. I would have it no other way. There is a quiet part of my heart that feels the absence of my first four children, nearly grown and certainly unable to fit within the den with us anymore. Though their den is nearby, if I could have it my way I would dig into the very heart of the mountain and there all seven of my children could nestle with Jericho and I. Reality dictates that one day the three girls that were cuddled so close to their parents would outgrow this den as well. The notion already made my heart clench, but as his breathing shifts to indicate that he was waking up I nuzzled closer to Jericho, knowing that when our children were grown and gone we would still have each other.

A smile took my lips as he lifted his head, yawning against the demanding pull of morning before returning to me and hummed softly as he did. Only then do my eyes open, mahogany pools seeking those of vibrant orange, the steadfast flame of my heart. It is a knowing gaze that I look upon him with, one filled with love but duty as well. The day beckons to us both, the responsibility of protecting not only our children but each of the sixty other wolves that laid their faith in us to provide a home for them. Together we stand, and my eyes drift down to the still slumbering forms Visenya, Sansa, and Nymeria. I leaned into Jericho's shoulder, smiling down at them, dreaming of what the future might hold for them. And then my ears pull back towards the den's entrance, from whence a haunting sound lifts on the breeze. Jericho goes tense at my side and the girls stirred, Nymeria looking up at me with questioning eyes. No fear enters my eyes, only resolute strength; a calmness and assuredness that soothes her as she rolls back over and continues to sleep. I met Jericho's gaze then, urging him out of the den, knowing the ferocity that builds within him, and preferring to let the girls sleep for a little while longer rather than worry them over what is to come.

Touching my nose to his cheek without a word, I set off to answer the call to battle. I would never falter in this, the demand to protect those that called the mountain home my first and foremost duty. The challenge that had lifted on the morning breeze had not been one so flippant as the last, instead it was a steady voice of determination seeking to tear down all that had been built within Spirane peaks. He sought a home for those he loved, and as I stood upon an outcropping of rock I slowly shook my head in disappointment. Whatever small band of wolves might follow him perhaps could have found sanctuary within the mountains. Now, he had condemned himself to forever be turned away from the largest stronghold in Moladion. Not every wolf was built to rule, and today would be the day I taught him he was certainly not meant to lead the mountains. That was my duty, one that I bore upon shoulders born to carry it. Tilting my head back towards the heavens, I answered his call, promising him that he would not take what was ours.

With the battle set to take place at midday I ventured back into the heart of my home, walking quietly back towards the clearing that housed my den. As I walked I reflected on everything that I had to fight for today, each wolf that depended on me to emerge victorious. But when I stood upon the edge of the clearing there was only one wolf that mattered to me, and for a moment I simply stood and watched him from afar. He was the father of our children, a role model to my young dragons who had grown up without a dad, the Bloodrider of the mountain and the protector of my heart. He paced back and forth, and I knew that this must be torture for him; I could only imagine what state I would be in if the roles were reversed. When he glanced up and his orange eyes caught sight of me I quickly jogged across the space that separated us, showing no hesitation as I buried my face into his ruff. I hated to see him like this, battling the demons in his soul, and it lit a fire within my heart, fueling my determination to drive away this new threat.

After a moment I stepped back, bumping my nose against his cheek before moving past him to lay upon the shelf of rock that provided a terrace outside of our den. It seemed like a lifetime ago that we had laid there together and he had confessed his demons to me, the things that haunted him. Now I looked over my shoulder, bidding him to come keep my company. Together we would rest, calm our hearts, and I would mentally prepare for what was to come.

"He would fight for a home for those he loves," I said, looking out across Moladion as it sprawled away from the mountains. "It will be different than it was with Covet, I think," I mused softly. I breathed deeply, finding solace in the touch of my mate, leaning into him. I basked in the silence for a time, wondering what would drive a wolf to challenge for the most well populated pack in all of Moladion. "Perhaps he does not realize how many dozens of lives he would displace to find comfort for those few who he calls his own." A long sigh expelled from my lungs, frustrated with this wolf I knew nothing about. There was no fear in my heart, for some part of me knew that my time as Queen would not end this way. I would put down his dastardly hopes at taking what was ours, and fight on to reign another day as Protector of the Realm. The time for me to step down had not yet arrived, and when it did, it would only be to yield the throne to one of my own who could carry on the legacy that Spirane deserved.