wolves in the enchanted forest. - between Erika & evan..relic

Ayasha closed her eyes, and relaxed her body. She knew that Geralt could and would keep her safe if anyone chose to attack.

Geralt watched as the pack slowly drifted into sleep, his body not responding to the collective want to rest.

Questions began to race through his head, questions of reality and life, questions he had asked ever since coming out of Death all those years ago; questions, he had no answer for.

Ripping himself away from those esoteric questions, he anchored himself back into reality, he was alive once more; more or less and that was what mattered.

Ayasha sighed, and swiveled her ears. She felt at peace laying beside Geralt. However her mind wasn't. Questions of the furture blossomed in her head. Questions she wanted answers too. Mostly about her pack, and her unborn pups. Tearing herself away from her brooding, she shook her head to clear away the thoughts that didn't need to be thought about until after the pups were born.

Geralt looked out a hole in the wall, through which the full moon could be seen, thoughts still whirled through his head, Why did I come back? I know I was fully dead, but what drew back into the world of the living? Finding a mate? Taking revenge on the one who killed me? ...I don't know...

Leaving his brooding, he put his nose to Ayasha's neck, 'Love you.'

Ayasha heard some of his thoughts, but did not question him. Smiling, she laid still, and replied, 'Love you too.'

--TIMESKIP--

The sun shone through the crevices in the ceiling, Geralt sighed, got up and stretched.

Looking at all of the other wolves, who were not yet awake, he sighed again, 'Being alive is so surreal, it's...alien to me.'

Ayasha smiled, but kept her eyes closed, and completely still. She felt the pups stirring within her, and sighed. 'We might have to leave. I don't trust my pack.' She said. Getting to her feet, she looked at her eldest. 'I hate to do it, but I will give responsibility of the pack to my oldest.'

'I understand, but am I in the understanding that if you recieve word of one thing out of place, you'll come back in an anger?' Geralt licked her nose.

Ayasha smiled, and licked him back. 'I don't know what I will do.' Jumping off her ledge, she went to her eldest in the pack.

He awoke, and bowed to her. "Alpha." He said, in a kind voice.

Ayasha smiled. "I am giving you responsibility of the pack. I am leaving on a spiritual journey with my mate. I will return in a year." She said, her voice light, but with a hint of sadness.

Her eldest blinked, and nodded. "Alright." He said, bowing to her. "I shall be alpha until you return." Rubbing his cheek on her shoulder, as a sign of some weird friendship, her second in command nodded to her mate. "Be safe."

Ayasha nodded, and licked the top of his head. "You too." With that she exited the cave, and ran to the den that was a short distance away from the cave to wait for Geralt.

Geralt nodded to the Beta and followed Ayasha out of the cave and to the den, he wiggled in beside Ayasha, 'So what now?'

Ayasha smiled, and licked him on the cheek. 'I do not know.' She said. 'All I do know is that we need a safe place, so that we can have the pups without my pack, or any other enemy knowing about it.'

'I know of one such place, but it's not an easy journey from here. I hid there after I was wounded greatly before I died... and came back.'

Letting the memory wash over him, he thought for a second, 'Three days east of here and through the Crystal Peaks. There is a generously sized cave near to the peak that no animal will go near since they think the place is cursed. Humans won't come near either.'

Ayasha smiled, and clambered out of the den. 'Then let's go.' She said, as she started to walk east.

Geralt quickly followed, 'Thankfully, being like me, it won't be a tough journey at all. Tough for the truly mortal, but us? No, not so much.'

Ayasha smiled. Feeling more movement inside her, she stopped and placed a paw on her flat stomach, that started to show only a tiny bit of her pregnancy. 'I hope I don't deliver these pups while journeying.' She said. Feeling a sudden push on her paw, she sighed. 'This is going to be fun.' Her voice held a note of sarcasm.

Chuckling, 'Well, I'll put it this way, you've maybe got a week and a half until you deliver.'

Ayasha looked up at him startled, and growled. 'Perfect.' She said. 'And once the pups are born, will their growth rate slow to a normal wolf's, or is it sped up so they will end up dying in a month?' Her voice held worry, pain, and sadness.

'Best guess, same growth rate as normal, but they won't... um... perish. Like we won't perish.'

Ayasha smiled. Nuzzling him, she took his paw, and placed it on her lower stomach above her full womb. She felt the pups stir, and push outwards. 'They want to say hi.' She said, with laughter in her voice.

Geralt smiled as he licked Ayasha's cheek, 'Let's go. Besides, I can teach you more about the abilities you have now as we go.'

Ayasha let go of Geralt's paw, and walked on. 'Will I be able to do the things you can?' She asked, rather amazed with her new life.

'For the most part, keep in mind, I've had years to learn. You get the crash course.' Geralt walked beside her, senses pricked for danger.

Ayasha rolled her eyes. 'Fine.' She said, defeated. The pups stirred more, and a sudden bolt of pain went through her, that started in her stomach. Stopping, she fell to her side, her belly visibly staring to swell, as the pups grew within her. Whimpering, she placed a paw on her belly, that now clearly showed her pregnancy.

'Make that a week...' Geralt looked up at the sky, the twin Crystal Peaks barely visible against the azure sky.

Ayasha whimpered. The pain receeding, her belly looked like she had stuck a large watermellon under her fur. 'Oh great. This makes hunting and fighting impossible.' She said.

'Hunting's no problem for either of us. Both of us can attract some of the stupider forest creatures towards us and command them to kill themselves for us. Fighting's a bit more difficult, but we can deter would-be enemies by giving off negative energy.'

Ayasha nodded. She felt the pups moving, and saw a visible bulge where one pup stretched itself. It's tiny paw visible through her taught skin.

Sighing, 'Let's go, we have a ways to go.' He began to walk slowly for her sake.

Ayasha walked beside him, her belly getting in the way, for she was unaccustomed to having the extra weight, and size. 'This is going to be fun.' She retored to his comment. 'Now because of this, we are probably going to take longer getting to your safe spot.'

'Nope, actually, I lied about how much time it will take. Just focus on the location, imagine your already there.'