Ever since assuming the leadership of his newly formed clan, Saku could never imagine that things would actually go in his, Tala's and Hunter's favor as alpha couple and beta male respectively. They had their territory, the wolves in their command and now Saku's old friends, Sami and Faro, had returned to his life.
Moreover, since these two were allowed, with their small clan, to sleep over at their territory, the very next day Saku, Tala and Hunter offered them a help to mark the borders of their territory that'd neighbour theirs. While it took a good part of the day for that to be done, in the end, Sami and Faro had their territory and clan firmly established.
"Saku, thank you a lot for the help! What would we ever do without your help?" Sami was amazed by how different Saku was from the times before. Previously he was being known as shy, nervous and not very confident wolf she liked as friend. She still did, but now he was more firm, confident and stronger than ever. Saku looked in her eyes and answered: "Beats me! I believe you'd still look for the place to live."
He was right in here and now they had somewhere to live. If they ever wanted a new place to live, they just could not wish for it. They loved the environment around them, rocks and trees protecting them from the outside world, prey not far from their territory and more important, Saku's clan based on amicity and cordiality.
"You know, funny thing to bring this up, but like this, our clans could be like some sort of federation of wolf clans! I mean, with all the history between you three, it'd sound like a fun idea!" Hunter suggested his plan, which while it kind of sounded like a joke, Faro did not want to discourage him that easily: "If anything, we'll consider that idea, Hunter."
So it was settled, these two clans were de facto some kind of federation of the two packs, each of them being mostly independent from one another, only with close ties depending on this federation. It was done all in time, when it had begun snowing for them first time in the year. They made it before the harsh winter.
It was the end of October. The nights had become mostly cloudy with the strong snow falling more and more as the winter was creeping behind the corner. The environment between the two packs was now all white and the snow stretched beyond their view. This was the case with Saku and Tala, who were dating by standing at the top of the rocky hills that night.
"Saku, the lights! They're beautiful!" Tala gasped in astonishment when she noticed the Northern lights forming in the distance, all the way above the mountains on the north. They were dancing in green, violet and red out there and Saku leaned to Tala to whisper: "Have you ever wondered what is beyond these lights, Tala?"
It was a good question and she had never thought it that way before. Sure, she'd seen the northern lights in her life before, but merely as some kind of natural phenomena. No one asked her that question before and feeling the curiosity embracing her, she wondered: "No, not really, what do you think?" Unlike her, he had some kind of answer.
"When I was young, the elderly wolves told the tales that our ancestors' spirits are inhabiting the lights, coming at the direst moments in our lives when we touch the lights." Saku spoke this quite poetically and Tala couldn't hide her surprise. Sometimes his knowledge of nature would leave her speechless as she never thought of that way before either.
"Look, I can spot Faro and Sami at the top of their den!" Saku beckoned to Tala to glance at the northwest. He was right, two figures were seen at the top of the hill from where they stood and after recognizing the dark brown furred male and black furred female, Tala giggled in amusement and she said in that same tone: "Looks like they're dating too like we are now!"
"Heh, I had that same thought, my love." Saku connected to her statement and both of them looked in their eyes, all while Saku could notice the northern lights reflecting in her green eyes. Saku told her this quite openly: "Tala, I want to let you know that while I'm glad to see my old friends back, Sami especially, there is nothing between us anymore like I thought before meeting you. Nothing!"
The look on Tala's face indicated that she would never doubt his intentions and ideas. She leaned to his ear to whisper him with the voice that was as soft as the feathers: "Saku, I trust you. I know that you were afraid that you two would sparkle something together, but I know where your and her loyalties lie. Hers lie to Faro."
"And mine to you." Saku said this quite romantically as the two touched their muzzles while the northern lights in the distance glanced. The things that were in the past were in their place and Saku knew that. He didn't need anyone else but the beautiful arctic green eyed female in front of him on this beautiful snowy romantic night.
November had replaced October soon and once it had, the weather worsened with not only snow, but occasional snowstorms, which made the hunt for both Saku and Faro's packs difficult. Still, it was a relief when the skies cleared and it allowed the wolves from both packs to find the food for themselves in case the worst snowstorm comes to them.
One morning in particular, just few weeks after Saku and Tala's last date, Saku was awakening. It was dawning outside and the snowstorm that had begun last night ceased. The entrance was spared from that terrible snowstorm and so he, Hunter and Tala were able to hunt today, alongside other wolves in their caves.
"Tala, pssst, Tala!" Saku spoke that as he turned his head to his mate by his side, softly nudging her by her face in case she was going to woke up now. She did, but when she was awake, she lazily opened her eyes and groaned, not in pleasure, but because she was having a headache, making her head feel heavier than it should be.
"Tala! Look, do you think you can hunt today?" He asked her this question and this was like the fourth day in row he'd asked her this question. Moving her view slowly towards him, she looked at him with her eyes half open and her answer was, for the fourth time: "I don't think I can, Saku. This headache comes to me every time I wake up and I… feel lightheaded."
Last four days Saku had been suspecting that Tala had gotten ill. Well, when he was spending time with her at any time of the day, or night, she was feeling well, but why was she like this every morning? Realizing that it would bring no good to ask her again, he just told her: "Alright, but I'll leave Hunter to be by your side. I am not sure what kind of illness had gotten to you!"
"Saku! I'm not ill!" Tala protested, her voice being cranky and assertive towards her mate. Saku backed down a bit as this tone startled him because he never expected something like this from her. She lowered her ears when she realized how she sounded like and even her voice woke Hunter up as he was heard mumbling: "Whatsa' going on in here, you two?"
"Sorry for waking you up, Hunter." Tala apologized humbly with her ears lowered, not wanting to be like this, but she couldn't help herself. Saku gave up on taking her to the hunt and so he turned towards the cave entrance and let them know: "Alright, I'm going to lead the hunt today, we need more food. Hunter, stay by Tala and make sure she's going to get well soon."
Hunter and Tala looked at each other and it was clear that Tala needed no security, but she wished not to argue with Saku and so she answered: "Alright, if you want to." With that being secured, Saku headed outside to gather his wolves for the hunt while Hunter had to stay behind with his sister, who clearly wished her day did not start like this.
"Tala, look." Hunter started talking to her after seeing that Saku and the wolves had headed into the forest so this was a good time. "I am not going to side with Saku in here about that so-called illness Saku thinks you have, but honestly, I am concerned for what's been happening to you for the last few days."
As much as Tala wanted to tell him to knock it off and not to mention it anymore, she knew that it wouldn't bring any good if she were to yell at him right now. Therefore, he counted in his head and asked: "I mean, every morning you're waking up with headache, feel lightheaded and are cranky. Can you tell me at least, I'll understand you no matter what it is!"
Being happy that Hunter would never let her down ever since he was born, Tala rolled her side and exposed her belly to his sight. Truth to be said, one could notice that her belly, by abdomen, contained less fur than it should have and all that shed fur was on the ground, which more confused him by asking: "I didn't know you're shedding!"
"I'm shedding only on my belly and do you want to know why all this is happening to me lately, brother?" Tala spoke, with the smile slowly, but steadily stretching on her face and Hunter anxiously awaited the answer. She let him know: "I wanted to let Saku know first, but I'll let you know first nonetheless. Hunter, I'm going to have puppies!"
These news were indeed marvelous to know and Hunter's reaction was in form of his eyes widening upon that revelation as he stammered: "You… you're having puppies?! That's… that's… that's AMAZING!" He nuzzled her deeply by her side as he not only realized that his sister was going to be a mother, but he was going to be an uncle as well!
"But… but how did you find out?!" Hunter wondered, considering the fact that females were the only ones capable of being pregnant and Tala's answer was pretty reasonable: "Back in the old pack, I talked to some females who had puppies on their own and in the first two or three weeks of pregnancy, things like this happen to us. Then it goes on and on with other things."
If anything, Hunter felt relieved that his only sister was not ill, but pregnant! Whether Tala was going to handle that responsibility of being a mother well or not was to come, but Hunter could notice in her eyes how she was eager to have puppies and that she and Saku, while they'd have pawful of work on them, would cherish these moments with little ones.
"As soon as Saku returns from the hunt, I'm going to tell him the big news! Oh, I'm so excited right now!" Tala said this, swiftly raising on her legs, ignoring her inner troubles as Hunter raised on his legs too. With the sunny and cold day out there, Hunter could not believe how Tala went from cranky to cheerful like from zero to hundred in very short time possible!
After a while, Tala decided to take a walk around the den, with Hunter being by her side. Both of them were going to be together until Saku was back from the hunt, which could have lasted for an hour or two or maybe the entire day! All in all, it was going to pay off for waiting patiently and then revealing the great news!
In fact, as the chilly morning sun loomed over on the east, it was around that time when Hunter noticed the wolves, led by Saku, returning to the den. Judging by one dead rabbit and one dead groundhog, their hunt was disappointing mildly to say and even the wolves seemed dissatisfied with the hunt today.
"Saku! Hey! What's with the long face?" Tala called for him as she was heading to her mate, followed closely by her brother. While the weak smile stretched on brown wolf's face, he greeted her with the disappointment in his face: "Hey, Tala. We had a weak hunt today. Maybe we've headed too early today for the morning hunt. All we caught was this."
No one blamed them for having a bad day in hunting to be honest and there was still some left from the previous hunts in the storage cave. But now here came the news that were to change Saku's mood swiftly: "Saku, there is something I need to tell you. I already have told Hunter and now it's you who has to know."
"Huh?" Saku asked, wondering what had come to her and he was curious how Tala was not that cranky like she was in the dawn. With the sun beaming across her fur to enhance the beauty of hers, she asked him: "You already noticed how I have been behaving lately and now I can tell you for sure why I was like this… Saku… you're going to be a father!"
Indeed, from Saku's curious look consisted of him having his eyes half opened, his golden eyes were now widely opened and his jaw dropped down when he heard these news. It took him few seconds to regain his ability to talk: "Oh my… you, you're pregnant?! Oh, Tala! That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!" She deeply nuzzled her mate as she couldn't hide her joy that Saku was taking this very well.
"Did you hear that?! Alpha Tala is pregnant?!" Some of the wolves were heard exchanging the information between them and then the den echoed with the triumphant howls of Saku's wolves. Even one went on to suggest: "My alphas, we should celebrate in that name!" The celebration sounded wonderful, with the scenes in their minds how the night of the full moon was tonight and how the fire was lit to celebrate.
"That sounds like a great idea, but we should let the alphas go tell someone about this!" Hunter spoke with the smug look on his face when he talked to that wolf. Since he shared his euphoria, he knew that they were going to find out about whom he was talking about as Saku told them: "Faro and Sami should know about this! Let's go!"
Saku, Tala and Hunter wasted no time as they headed straight towards Faro's territory. After skipping the trees, rocks, ice, snow and eventually river, they found themselves on their territory and just as they were going to howl to them to indicate their arrival, Faro's voice from nearby was heard: "Saku! Tala! Hunter! What brings you here?!"
He was glad to see his friends coming for a visit, as usual. Even Sami was present as their friendship was unquestionable. Saku and Tala, escorted by Hunter from behind, headed straight to the alphas of the neighbouring pack, after making it through the bushes and so Tala spoke: "Faro, Sami. I have great news… I'm pregnant!"
Faro and Sami could not hide their joy and excitement as Faro nuzzled her in a friendly manner to tell her: "Congratulations, Tala! We're happy for you!" But there was something else that the other side was going to be equally happy when Sami laughed in joy to tell her: "That's amazing, Tala! I can't believe that you're pregnant too!"
"Too?! What do you mean… Sami, you're pregnant too?!" Hunter was stunned by these news as now that his older sister was going to have puppies, it had come to this! Sami giggled as she sat on the snowy ground, revealing her belly with less fur than it should have, just like Tala's. Moreover, she had to ask Tala: "Did you have morning headaches, dizziness and swift changes of mood?"
This just made Tala laugh, as she knew how relevant this was to her. This was followed not only by the unamusing looks of Saku and Hunter, but Faro too. Therefore, both Tala and Sami's sweet laughs echoed across the woods before Hunter suggested to them: "Now that we are all sharing good news, why don't our packs celebrate?"
"I was thinking of that as soon as I found out! But where now?" Faro wondered as both alphas had their clans respectively and each of them covered lots of space for all the wolves they had combined. In the end, Sami looked at Saku and suggested: "Why not at yours? It'd be honor to celebrate this day with you, my old friend."
Saku glanced at the others around and realizing that they had no better ideas, Saku decisively spoke: "Then our den it is, by the sunset!" They all nodded joyfully and before both alphas and Hunter returned to their dens to spread the news about the tonight celebration of two packs, Hunter asked Sami: "How many puppies do you think you're having?"
While it was still too early to know that information, Sami didn't want to go back without giving a proper answer and so she answered, hypothetically: "I guess that three or four would be a number. What about you?" Tala didn't have to count this one because her answer was the most logical one: "It doesn't matter how many, all that matters if the pups get born healthy!"
Maybe she did not want to know already and if she were concerned by that, it'd not be really good to think about it. But, as there was no place for that thoughts right now, Faro repeated: "Alright, tonight at your den! We'll bring something to feast on if you don't have!" Before they parted their ways, they laughed on Faro's jokes as the big night was coming.
That night was full of excitement and joy for both packs as both packs combined had roughly two and a half dozen members, who howled and feasted, along with the laughs of the ones who knew each other or at least met one another. The moon was shining brightly and as if it were smiling brightly for the females who were going to be mothers of the pups who'd be the "golden puppies" for both packs in the future.
With November shifting to December, as snowstorms had become more frequent, no bigger changes occured in the neighbouring packs, save for few newcoming wolves. As for both Tala and Sami, as the weeks passed, they were spending outside less and less and with their pregnancies progressing, most of the time they had spent in their caves individually, not wanting to strain themselves further and add more pressure.
And so the last day of the year came and as the sun was setting on the west, or at least it looked like so because the winds carrying the snow howled above the two wolf pack territories and it was louder than what was happening down there, in alpha caves to be exact. It was for the best that the strong wind was more audible.
But with the darkness falling, the wind died a bit down, but just in time that had occured. Down in Saku's alpha cave, he was there, letting Tala lean on his chest and rest. She was trembling, after everything she'd been going through this day to the point that she was breathing heavily, but out of relief now. It was all over.
"Tala, it's alright. It's over! It's all over now!" Saku whispered in her ear as he wanted to comfort her pain she'd been going through all day along and with her being exhausted, she looked up in his face and whispered softly with a trembling voice: "I know… I know… I cannot believe… I just cannot…" She went silent as she sought more comfort than ever.
"Tala, I knew it you'd make it! Now you have to rest, you've been through a lot!" Hunter, who'd not left this cave ever since it started happening, comforted his sister while sitting behind her. And all this was happening because there was a surprise and that surprise could be seen on Tala's belly.
It was the fruit of her and Saku's relationship - a newborn white puppy, whimpering and crawling to her mother's belly to get her sweet and tender milk. And that was it, just one puppy, no more than that. All while Saku's eyes widened in a joy as he whispered: "Bless the spirits, Tala! We have our own puppy! Only one, but our sweet little puppy!"
Just as Tala had predicted, she did not care whether she was going to have one puppy, three puppies, half a dozen of them or dozen of them! No, all that mattered to her that her puppy was going to be born healthy! Watching the newborn getting the milk from her, Tala knew it already as she reminded him: "And our only puppy is a female, Saku!"
Both Saku and Hunter gazed at a newborn daughter and niece respectively, both being in awe how she was taking after her mother and it was Saku who could not keep it anymore: "And she is as pretty as you are, Tala!" As she was going to expect that a lot in the future, she wanted to make them feel like they had contributed by saying: "But who knows, she could be as noble and kind like you, Saku… and you too, my brother."
All three of them couldn't take their eyes off as the little female white newborn puppy was wiggling and whining while not only being fed, but the cold ground of the cave made her feel cold herself so Tala did the motherly most thing by this point by covering her newborn with her fluffy white tail as if it were a blanket for her.
This was more than enough for all three of them feeling choked up by this heartwarming moment and even Hunter's voice trembled: "This… this is just amazing! I can't believe that I'm an uncle now! Whatever it takes, you two, I'll look after your daughter, or my niece, whenever you are not around her!" They loved his dedication for their daughter.
"Speaking of which… we need a name for her. Not just any, but the one that would fit her, be it appearance-wise or personality wise. Tala, I think it's your honor to name her!" Saku realized that something was missing and hearing that she had this honor, she just insecurely smiled and asked her mate and her brother: "Me? I mean, you two can also choose!"
That was all true, but Tala did the most of her work at this point and Hunter confirmed that: "We know, but it's your honor and you contributed to her birth the most so we will give you this honor!" Saku and Hunter sat down. Now this could have taken a while for Tala to think what name would fit for their one and only daughter. As if they had all the time in world.
It was something in Tala's eyes that flashed, a memory. It was a recent one, no longer than one month and that memory revealed the name of their only pup: "I got it! Aniu! Aniu is the name!" The looks on both males' faces showed surprise and excitement, as if the name "Aniu" was a honey to their ears and Saku was speechless at first until his voice, full of warmth, let out: "Aniu… that is a wonderful name!"
All three once again gazed at the newborn Aniu, who seemed like she was sleeping as the warmth of her mother's fur and tail combined tucked her tightly and soundly to sleep. Hunter glanced at Saku, Aniu and Tala every few as something was in his head. The curiosity, which had gotten the best of him, made him ask: "Where did you come across "Aniu"?"
Now the memory that had flashed in Tala's eyes was the same one she shared: "This was when I was hunting by myself for the last time, a month ago. I wandered a bit away from our territory and hidden behind the bushes, I heard some strange talk and with my eyes, I have seen them - humans. They were the tribal ones."
"They didn't see you back then, did they?" Saku, upon hearing humans, immediately felt the shivers down his spine, as he couldn't imagine that scenery in his head and it was a relief when Tala told him: "I have been hidden all time. They were cutting the ice to catch some fish. The word they were repeating the most was "Aniu" and I think I realized that word meant "snow" when they were cleaning the frozen lake surface from all that snow."
In the end, while it was a bit concerning that Tala was near humans while being pregnant, everything was well in the end. Then, Hunter leaned to his newborn niece Aniu to whisper to her softly: "Hey there, little Aniu. It is me, your uncle Hunter, speaking to you! I know that you were just born, but know that you have me as your uncle, your mother and your father, who will keep you sound and safe now that you're in our family!"
All the warm words he said it his niece made the hearts of Saku and Tala melt, even when Aniu whimpered in her sleep and curled in a ball of fur by Tala's belly all while her mother's tail covered her. This was a truly precious moment and one of many to come for Saku and Tala, and Hunter too. Many other moments like these were in the future, waiting for them.
The alpha couple and the beta male kept looking at the newborn Aniu, who'd from time to time wake up and get to feed on her mother's sweet milk and then she'd return to her dreams. All this was happening until one of the wolves from their clan bowed his head to announce: "Alpha Saku, I've come to tell you that alpha Faro from our neighbouring pack has come!"
Whether he'd found out or it was something else, Saku decisively told him: "Let him in!" And so that wolf obeyed his order and at the entrance of the cave there was the dark brown wolf Faro, who with a polite smile on his face, spoke: "Hey, you three! I've come to tell you that… oh, Tala! You've given a birth at last!"
It was evident that when he was coming in the cave, Faro noticed how Tala moved her tail aside to reveal her only puppy being born and Faro's attention focused on the white newborn female as his warm voice echoed in the cave: "Awwwwwwwwwwww, your puppy is adorable! Have you two named your puppy?!" There was more than the eye meets for him to say.
"Faro, meet Aniu, our daughter and only puppy!" Tala warmly welcomed him closer as the amazement lingered in Faro's golden eyes on this sight. As the little puppy stirred in her sleep, Faro whispered softly: "Hi there, little Aniu! I am Faro, a good friend of your parents and your uncle Hunter in here! You're one adorable white female!"
This was clearly showing how no one could resist the beauty of the newborn arctic wolf, or the fact when the puppy was older enough. Hunter, who could sense that Faro had some news, wanted to have him see little Aniu before asking him: "Faro, I suppose that you've come to tell us something, is that right?"
His thoughts were proven right when the widest smile possible was seen stretching from one cheek to another on Faro's face as he revealed: "Oh yes! I've come to tell you, but especially you, Saku, that Sami had given a birth to our puppies! She wants you to come and see them… and you too, Hunter! I'm sorry if you can't come though, Tala."
All three of them gazed at Faro in excitement. Sami had finally given birth to her and Faro's puppies! And Saku had this honor to come and see them? This had to mean something! So Saku said: "Then I'm coming with you! Though, I hope that Tala won't be alone when I go there… or that she won't mind me going to see Sami."
Judging by their relationship after all this time they had spent, Tala could easily tell her mate: "You should go and see her and their puppies, my love. If anything, Hunter will look after me and when you come back, he'll go. Does that sound fair to you, my brother?" Hunter found that idea more reasonable as he did not want to leave Tala all by herself at her most vulnerable.
"Go, Saku. Tala will be safe in my paws, and Aniu too." Hunter warmly beckoned him to follow his friend to see Sami's and Faro's family. Before heading out there, Saku went to nuzzle his mate to make sure she felt the warmth coming from him and that she could give it to Aniu before he followed the dark brown wolf outside.
"Come on! Let's hope the snow won't get stronger!" Faro led the path in the night as it was snowing out there. Passing through the concealed rocks, trees and eventually the frozen river, which they passed by sliding and slipping quite easily, they'd reached the bushes marking Faro's territory and after passing the woods, they reached the rocks where Faro and Sami's cave was.
"I'm back! You may go now." Faro spoke to the wolf who guarded the cave on Faro's orders and without saying any words, the wolf bowed his head down and allowed him and Saku to come inside and once he was in their cave, the familiar warm voice spoke: "Faro! Has Saku come with you?" All that echoed in this dark and gloomy cave was Faro's: "Yes."
The interior of the cave was a bit smaller than the one Saku and Tala inhabited, but it was more than enough for Faro and Sami to live in, and it even had the stream of fresh mountain water from one small hole on the other end. When she saw her mate, who laid down by her side and nuzzled her, and her friend coming, she spoke warmly: "Greetings, Saku."
"Sami, hey. How are you feeling?" Saku politely greeted his old friend and while he noticed her trembling, her eyes getting baggy and shaking as she breathed, she spoke with a voice that was surprisingly strong: "I've been through a lot today, Saku… but I've made it. Faro and I are the parents of the triplets!"
So she moved her tail away to reveal the three sleepy tiny furred bodies, cuddled to each other by their mother's belly. Each of these let the soft whimpers as it was taking them a while to get adjusted to the new environment. All while he noticed three different colored puppies, one that was as black as Sami, the other one who was as brown as himself and there was the white one, which had taken him off the guard for a few seconds!
"You… you have a white puppy too?!" Saku asked in an excitement as he was amazed that both alpha couples had at least that one white puppy. Sami smiled as she looked at her newborn white puppy and then returned her glance at Saku to ask him: "Yeah! Faro had told me that you have only one puppy?"
"Yes. It's a female and we've named her Aniu!" Saku proudly stated this out and that name was now lingering in Sami's mind all while Faro had remembered that name. It was the time when Faro asked him: "Well, my friend, are you ready to meet our triplets?" This was the question that required only one answer from Saku and that was: "Yes!"
It was Faro who started this, but did not finish it just so Sami could have that honor and so it had begun: "We have only one daughter and like yours, she too is white furred! We've named her Nita." He paused to look at his white daughter by Sami's belly closer to her rear legs, then he glanced at the brown male puppy to reveal: "And our younger son here, who looks a lot like you, believe it or not, is named Taku."
"Nita, Taku…" Saku muttered that in his mind so he would not have forgotten these names, but especially not the one that Sami revealed to him: "But look at our eldest pup and older son, Saku! I have figured out what his name is going to be and it is…" She paused briefly as she knew that this was it now: "Saku, meet our son Saku."
"Nita, Taku and Saku… Saku…?! You've named your son after me?!" Saku looked at the black newborn male by Sami's chest, Saku the Second, or more easily, Saku II. He gazed at the eyes of his old friends to ask them: "After I've run away from you two and had you left worried because of my actions… after everything…?!"
"Yes." Faro confirmed this and he bore no resentment towards him despite that act back then and not even Sami was strong enough to take that resentment on herself as she spoke with her voice being the warmest: "Saku, my old friend, that is all in the past. Let it go. Be honored that there's someone named after you!"
And he was honored, as he was sitting quite close to Sami all while the three newborn puppies of theirs, the black male Saku II, the brown male Taku, his younger brother and their only sister, Nita, were occasionally stirring in their sleep and whimpering, just to be covered by their mother's warm and bushy tail and having her sweet and tasty mother milk all in this gloomy and cold cave in the heart of Alaskan wildlands.