▹ Lie to Me ◃

[Deleted]

Afternoon. It was probably the most irritating and annoying part of the day. The sun beat down on the mottled female's back, her large form weighing even more now that she carried the Ultoris Alpha's pups in her belly. She groaned softly, obviously annoyed by her current predicament as she made her way slowly towards the Caverns. She knew several females of Kairos that had used this place to birth their pups, but she was unsure of whether or not she preferred such a spot for her own offspring. It was almost too crowded, and though she would likely welcome the opportunity to get away from her young if another mother watched over them, she doubted that she would enjoy the noise and constant bustle of the caves. She had no other spot picked out yet, but for right now, she simply wanted to enjoy the cool floors of the cave and the shade that the caverns provided.

She sighed heavily, making her way slowly towards the entrance and pausing to inhale deeply. She knew that other mothers had already made their dens here, and though she liked to at least visit Datura and her pups from time to time, she really had no desire to endure the squabbling and whimpering of young pups at the current moment. But, she would sacrifice her head for the chance at a place to rid herself of the heat and sun. Spring was well on it's way, and she was likely carrying one of the last litters of the season. Summer would soon be upon them and she would be sacrificing at least one of her pups to another pack. Although she told herself that she would not care because it was for the good of Kairos, she was unsure of how she would truly react. She had never been a mother before, nor had she even thought about motherhood before she had spoken with Goliath about the pack alliance.

She could handle battle, she could handle being the first female warrior of Kairos, but being a mother? She shook her head slowly, trying to brush away the thought for the time being. She still had at least a few days left in her pregnancy, though she knew she would likely be giving birth soon. She really needed to look for a good place to settle down for a while. For at least until her pups were old enough to travel. Her thoughts were pulled back to the present as she stepped into the shade of the caverns, the sudden shade a blessing as she let her tongue loll out of her mouth in a panting motion. Her pregnancy was making her head hazy, exhaustion overwhelming her and the sheer effort that it took to lug her now enormous body around had left her weak and dizzy. She typically knew her way around the caverns with her eyes closed, but today she took a wrong turn, heading in a direction other than the one she would usually take to Datura's little nook.

Words: 509
Tags: Messoria
Notes: n/a

[Messoria]

It was a slow day. The dark, newly slender form of the ebony she-wolf lay nestled against the back wall of her den, her luminous amber orbs half-lidded as she gazed lazily at the five bounding forms of her pups. They’d been amusing themselves by splashing about in the shallow stream of water that trickled across the stone a short distance away – there was hardly enough to cover their paws, so Messoria had not stopped them. Their hushed voices echoed softly around her, with one occasionally rising with excitement or shrill indignation before falling again, mindful of their mother’s request that they remain quiet. The caverns were practically full to the brim with new and expecting mothers, and the Consort did as much as possible to keep both herself and her young out of the way. Often times she would escort them to the nearby den where Lichen rested, allowing their pups to play while the friends relaxed and rejoiced in each other’s presence. Now, however, Messoria was simply enjoying her moment of rest.

It was the sound of heavy footfall that had her velvety ears tipping forward atop her cranium, eyes flashing to the entrance of her chosen area. Her heartbeat began to quicken beneath her ribs – not due to fear, for Messoria knew that she was safe not only in the back corner of the caverns but upon Ina’mos in general. Instead it was the thought that perhaps her mate had come to visit; his face was always a welcome one no matter what sort of day she’d had, although she was careful not to simper and cling to him. It was not within her nature to do so, instead greeting him with bright eyes and a pleased smile…but today it was not to be. The moment before the large form came lumbering into view, Messoria realized that the steps were just a tad too light, the strides not quite long enough, and yet she was surprised when Xena revealed herself. Messoria had never spoken to the warrior femme, and yet she knew of her enough to be startled at the glimpse of her bulging belly. She hid her reaction behind a carefully constructed veil of impassiveness, assuming that the female would not welcome ogling eyes and prying questions.

”Hello,” she said quietly, eyes flicking to where her pups played. They halted only momentarily, eyes wide at the sight of someone new, before they were off bumbling and splashing once more. Quirking her lips in a slight smile, Messoria readjusted her gaze so that it landed upon Xena once more, who somehow only looked more imposing with her heavier frame. Briefly she wondered what had prompted the masked female to seek out her dens, but a meeting between the two was long overdue.

”Scouting out dens for the big event?” She asked, a dry sort of humor in her tone. She doubted that Xena would have as much trouble birthing her pups as she herself, along with the much smaller females, had. Regardless, birth was a stressful affair, and the chestnut streaked she-wolf had found that she was far more sympathetic towards the task after her own experience.

TAG: @xena1
WORDS: 532
NOTES: ~

[Deleted]

She moved slowly, and it was as if time had stopped for her and was dragging agonizingly onward as she got heavier and heavier. Of course, this was not the case, and only a few moments had gone by, but it felt like an eternity for the pregnant female. Most of the Kairos mothers had given birth already and no longer had to endure the burden of carrying their young. She had bred late, a mistake that continued to torture her in the warmer days of the late spring. She groaned softly as she moved forward, the irritated growl that she would have usually uttered proving to just be too much of an effort to be worth it. Her eyes closed for a few minutes while her paws carried her onward, her brain too fuzzy and too exhausted to bother paying attention to where she was going. That is, until the sound of youthful voices and another female's words brought her back into reality.

Her yellow eyes opened, falling slowly upon the darker female that laid in front of her against a wall while her offspring played in the water a small ways away. The large female stopped abruptly, blinking a few times and shaking her head in an attempt to clear it as the other wolf continued to speak. ”Scouting out dens for the big event?” She blinked for a second, not even noticing when her body took the initiative to sit down and take the weight of her pregnancy and enormous size off of her joints. She sighed softly, her body more relaxed and at ease in the comfortable position and within the new found shade of the caverns. "Messoria, is it?" She asked, knowing that she had seen the female here and there within the pack's territory and had heard that she had produced a litter of pups for the pack. She continued to pant softly, ears somewhat relaxed until she realized that she had almost completely relaxed in front of the stranger.

Her body attempted to tense in an automatic reaction that was typical to her personality, but the effort was simply not worth it for her at the present time. Instead she inhaled slowly, exhaling just as slowly and allowing her body to give in and sink slowly to the ground in a laying position. It was only then that she seemed to realize that the other female had asked her a question, one that she tilted her head slightly in an attempt to register what the words had been. "I suppose that would be a good idea. I'm sorry to intrude, apparently I was not paying attention to where I was going. Do you mind some company?" She said, almost not even realizing what she had said until she had spoken. It was unusual for her to desire the companionship of another, but she was beginning to realize that she had no idea what she was doing. It was her first litter, and though it would have been intelligent to socialize with the other mothers and gain information on what she should and should not do, she had failed to realize the importance until now.

Words: 531
Tags: Messoria
Notes: n/a

[Messoria]

”Messoria, is it?”

Messoria dipped her head in confirmation, not bothering to take offense that Xena was uncertain of her calling. They’d seen little to nothing of each other since Messoria had joined the ranks of Kairos, and likewise had never spoken until this very moment. The dark she-wolf watched as Xena folded herself into a laying positon, her belly bulging out on either side of her hulking frame. Without realizing it, the corners of her muzzle pulled upwards just slightly, suggesting the beginning of a sympathetic smile. She was fully aware of the hassle that Xena was now experiencing, her own body having previously been subjected to the same torment. Originally when her stomach had begun to bulge grotesquely and her muscles had ached so fiercely, Messoria hadn’t believed that her figure would ever be the same again. It seemed impossible that her belly, which had very nearly dragged upon the ground, had indeed returned to its original slender state, her hips shapely once more, her muscles no longer complaining. Regardless, she would never forget the way it had felt, and therefore she would not dare make Xena move when the expecting mother had finally lay down to rest.

”I suppose that would be a good idea.” Messoria’s ears twitched at the response, nodding her head in agreement. ”I'm sorry to intrude, apparently I was not paying attention to where I was going. Do you mind some company?”

”Not at all,” Messoria replied, stretching her forelegs and resting her head on her paws, amber eyes observing the female warrior. ”Stay. Rest.” After a moment her gaze slid towards her young, who were now rolling about in the water, already eager to wrestle. ”It will be a relief to speak with someone whose only response isn’t why,” she murmured wryly, shaking her head as she glanced back to Xena once more. Her pups had reached their curious stage, questioning everything they laid eyes upon – as well as everything that Messoria said. It was a blessed respite that Xena had unknowingly offered her; despite her growing love for motherhood, it was undeniably exhausting.

”Are you excited for your own?” She questioned, genuinely curious. She could not see such a massive, fierce femme such as Xena softening beneath the clutches of motherhood, and yet there was always a high chance that she would be surprised. Pups had a tendency to change hearts, and even her own had not been spared. Messoria had found that she was just a tad softer than she’d been before, her arrogance often times giving way beneath the force of duty and obligation.

TAG: @xena1
WORDS: 435
NOTES: Sorry for the wait <3

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[Deleted]

The large female sighed, relieved that Messoria was not against her presence, even so close to her own young. Then again, Xena had proved time and time again that she was loyal to Kairos and that she was taking her position as Praetorian seriously. It would be nothing but idiotic to assume that the protector of the Royals and their offspring would even think for a second about harming a Kairos pup, regardless of who the mother was. She personally had nothing against Messoria or her pups, but as the dark female looked over at her offspring wrestling and playing, she let her eyes follow to them as well. There was motherly love in Messoria's gaze, a patience and a calm that she doubted she would ever mirror. No, instead, her eyes saw only the future wolves they would become, and how life would not treat them like the helpless and weak pups they were. It was the other female's voice that pulled her back into the presence, making her turn her head and look back at her with a soft sigh.

”It will be a relief to speak with someone whose only response isn’t why,” She knew that this was likely something that she would have to endure soon enough, but she also knew that she would not be a proper mother like the female before her. It simply was not part of her make up. ”Are you excited for your own?” Excited. Was that the word for it? She frowned, feeling the weight of her pounding head dragging it down and onto her paws, even though she had not meant to allow it. Her eyes closed for a moment, trying to imagine what she would feel when her own pups finally came. It would be soon, she knew it, but she had no idea what to expect. "I'm not a mother." She said, mostly to herself, but she opened her eyes to look at Messoria when she said it. "I am a warrior, not a mother." She said, a soft sigh escaping her jaws as if she did not know what else to say. She knew that she would not be capable of raising her pups like any of the other Kairos mothers. They would care for their young, they had proper instincts.

She had never been like the other females. She had always been different. She could not be a mother. But, as she had accepted when she had first talked with Goliath about the alliance with another pack - which turned out to be Ultoris - she had accepted that she would eventually become one. But not forever. Sure, her pups would grow up and she would have at least part of her litter within Kairos with her. But they would not be her children. They would be hunters and warriors of Kairos, nothing more. Perhaps Datura would help her. She did not want help, but she knew that she could not be trusted to truly be a loving mother to her offspring. Hell, they were not even pups to her. They were offspring, the future of Kairos and Ultoris. She knew that she would lose some of her litter, and she had told herself that she would not care, that she would not miss her pups. But as she looked over at Messoria's litter, at the way she looked at them, she was beginning to doubt her own strength.

Words: 572
Tags: Messoria
Notes: Poor poor Xena xD

[Messoria]

”I'm not a mother. I am a warrior, not a mother."

Messoria glanced towards Xena, following the warrior’s gaze to her own pups as she considered the fae’s words. She could relate to Xena, although not in the aspect of being a soldier; Messoria was far too diminutive to even consider the position. In the early days, before she’d known for sure that she was carrying Goliath’s children and after their heated coupling, she’d wondered how she would ever consider herself a mother. It had gnawed at her insides until the day when her belly had begun to swell; her uncertainty had dwindled then, but not disappeared. No, it wasn’t until she’d seen them that fateful day when she’d expelled them from her womb that she knew. ”I did not think I was a mother, either,” she admitted quietly, her eyes still roaming across her pups: Hyperion, largest of the bunch and yet surprisingly loving, doting upon her like the faithful son that he was; Nimue, the very reflection of her father, and by no means smal eitherl; Morrigan, who looked the most like Messoria herself, and whose liveliness was like a breath of fresh air; Croix, her firstborn son, and while not excessively large, sturdy and burly; and finally Fawn, who was downright tiny compared to her siblings, mischievous despite her size. Each of them was so unique, so perfect in her eyes – it had been impossible to not love them. ”My mother was not the loving sort; she detested us on her best days. I did not know true love until they were born.”

She glanced back to Xena with a small smile as one by one, her pups stumbled over to collapse in an exhausted heap at her side, too tired to do anything more than gaze curiously at the female warrior before they drifted off. ”Sometimes once you meet them, it changes things. Sometimes it doesn’t. Regardless, you’ll raise them to be strong.” Her own young were entirely still now save for the rise and fall of their sides, such a stark contrast to their rambunctiousness earlier. With the rate that they were growing, Messoria knew the majority of them would tower over her in the months to come – all with the exception of Fawn, it seemed. She doubted that Xena’s own young would be much bigger than the she-wolf who laid before her…unless she’d mated with a male even larger than her. Once more Messoria wondered who had sired her litter – Goliath himself, perhaps, or maybe Titan, but Messoria had seen little of the General lately. There was rumor of another monstrous brute come to Kairos, the brother of her beloved…and perhaps it was none of them. Regardless, Messoria would not ask.

”Should you need help with anything – questions, concerns, someone to babysit,” she suggested with a soft laugh. ”Anything at all, and you need only ask.”

TAG: @xena1
WORDS: 482
NOTES: ~

[Deleted]

She continued to pant softly, listening to the other female and leaning back and away from her slightly to both give the pups room to curl up against her as well as allow herself to stay as far away from them as possible. There really was only one pup that she truly tolerated, and that was only because she saw the same potential in the young princess that she had when she was growing up. Even then, she had so very little patience for Datura's daughter. Thinking back to when she had taken the pup out to the swamp, she still regretted not pushing the little thing off the rock she had been gloating on. Finally she sighed softly, shaking her head and closing her eyes for a moment. She knew she was close to delivering, and the offer from the other female was a very generous one.

Her yellow eyes opened once more, focusing on the smaller female in front of her as she slowly pushed herself to her feet with a soft groan. "I really appreciate the offer." She said, managing to get herself up onto her feet. Already she could feel her muscles aching, her joints weakening, and her belly shifting beneath her with the pups that seemed all too eager to get out of her. If she were to be completely honest, she could not wait to get them out of her as well. "I suppose I should probably find a place to settle down for a while. Something tells me that these pups will not be hanging out inside of me much longer." She said, her tone both excited to gain her warrior figure back, but also full of exhaustion and a mild sense of anxiety for the actual event. She was not nervous about the pain, she had felt all kinds of pain during battle before. This even the small females of the pack handled, she was sure it would be a simple process.

"Thank you for letting me stay for a while. You'll have to come by and see the pups before the trade with Ultoris. I'm afraid they will not all be staying here in Kairos with us." She said, looking down at her belly for a moment and then back down at the other female. With that, she gave a small nod and turned herself slowly towards the entrance of the caverns. She was much cooler now, and since she had rested slightly with Messoria for a short while, she figured that she was at least strong enough to find her own little nook in the caverns for the birth that she knew was probably just around the corner. With another small nod in Messoria's direction, she headed towards the exit, hoping that she could find a convenient little place to hide away as far away from the other litters as possible.

Words: 481
Tags: Messoria
Notes: I hope you don't mind that I ended it here...If you'd like me to change it, I can