3/31/2016
Weather:
34° F, 1° C
Sunrise, foggy.
6:42 AM
Once the request was made, and her mate was able, they rose; silently picking their way past the others and into the chill air. Her bright sunny eyes turned up to see the stars above, and a faint smile appeared on her face. They had some time yet before sunrise, and she wanted to be ready. The leaders angled themselves toward the rocky slopes to the west; ascending past the short, scrubby trees and over the gravel; moving closer to the heavens with every step. Raela wanted to see it; to see everything when the sun came up. On the way she joked that they simply had to do it now, before she was too fat to make it to the top. She was only just beginning to put on some real weight; the lines of her waist were disappearing and to those that knew her well, the Queen was starting to look a little more... chubby. A foreign eye would be hard pressed to pick up on it just yet though; Raela still had a little way to go for things to be that obvious.
When at last they were atop the ridge it was practically showtime. Brilliant hues seen only in flowers painted themselves on the clouds, and fog hung low for miles around. The matriarch couldn't help the awe-inspired grin that tugged at her lips. Her pace quickened, and the smaller woman moved for the highest point she could find. The ridge climbed higher to the north, peaking once before flattening out and continuing on until it would eventually meet the river of the Palisades. Once she was satisfied with their seats, the mother-to-be settled back onto her haunches; her eyes scanning the land in amazement. Perhaps on a clearer day, even their old home would have been visible in the distance.
Gent was beside her in no time, pressed securely to her side. Raela brought her head to rest against his massive shoulder,nuzzling absently up and down. The agouti-pelted woman was content to let some silence hang between them for a bit, while they waited to see the sun, but eventually found herself wanting to speak. Her voice was soft at first. "I've been thinking about names," she started, glancing up at him through smiling eyes. When had she not been thinking about the kids? The Queen's tone turned more somber then. "They certainly can't be Asurns, and I wouldn't want you to have that name either," she half-joked, her mouth twisting in a wry smile. "There's also your name," Raela gazed toward his eyes in acknowledgment, "but I'm not sure about that either, after... well, Vitani." Her tarnished ear flicked backward as if either of them needed reminding. What did she know of Gent's family anyway? Maybe Vitani was just a bad apple, but she was wary all the same.