* Strength is in their shared den, taking a moment to look over his weapons and armor, something, anything really to occupy his hands and time. He frowns to himself.
<Alyah> Emerging from the shadows the Shinobi would enter the shared den with twin bowls of food in either hand. One of raw meat, the other with her normal meal of the day. Setting the bowl to his side she would sit herself down nearby. Not interupting his work.
* Strength looks at the food and then looks at her. He takes the bowl and sits down next to her, leaning over to scent her. He sighs and quickly sets about eating his food. "Thank you, my love."
<Alyah> Her fingers would brush over his muzzle as he leaned in to scent her. Stroking his fur with little soft stroking motions between each of her metal digits. "There is no need to thank me, my love." She said softly enough as she continued to brush her fingers through his fur
* Strength looks at his food and then sets it aside, gathering her into his lap. "I do not like this, Alyah. You are distant, in ways I do not understand. When we first started...our lives together, there was a distance then, but that I could understand. Please, please tell me what is wrong."
<Alyah> As he lifted her into his lap, her own meal set to the side for the time being, the Shinobi made herself as comfortable as possible, despite the heavy weight in her lower stomach, the shifting of posture bringing a small wince as her innards were punched by their unborn son. But glancing at him for a moment she final spoke up. "It is a great number of things are are wrong my
<Alyah> love. But the apex, is your daughter, Elizabeta."
* Strength nods a she speaks, noting the use of your instead of our. "Then let us deal with that. The apex can be brought low, so it is not a barrier between us." He nods and gently caresses her back.
<Alyah> Her back was tight, tense, wound like a steel spring, the muscles aching and sore like they'd been beaten into a pulp; likely due to carrying their child for so long. Even as he worked his paw against her back that tension remained. "I do not know Elizabeta. I have only known what you told me since I first arrived. But she was brought into the family without even speaking to
<Alyah> me about such a thing. Why Strength?"
* Strength dips his head and nuzzles her. "It was a mistake, Alyah. I allowed my instincts to be over ridden by my desire. I saw a perfect family, and I didn't think there would be troubles. I did not mean to bring troubles to our family.
<Alyah> As he dipped in to nuzzle her, her fingers would once more begin to dance across his fur, slowly brushing her thumb over his cheekbone. "You wish for the perfect family. I cannot fault you for this. Wanting something is not a crime." She exhaled quietly as she leaned into the metis. Her hand coming around to brush against his ears, she closed her eyes. "Mistakes are made. They
<Alyah> are resolved. Life continues. As the river flows forth so must we. I will try to accept her into the family. But it will not be immediate. I have a great many reservations regarding Elizabeta."
* Strength looks at her and nods slowly. "Then we must resolve those, love. They will not do so on their own, so please tell me what your reservations are."
<Alyah> Opening her eyes to glance at him for a moment the Shinobi would briefly brush her hair back wincing again as she was punched internally. A hand brushing over her distended skin to calm the shifting infant within. "Me reservations may sour your mood my love. But if you insist. She calls you father, she treats Talia like a sister, and yet ignores my very presence. Treating me
<Alyah> as if I am nothing but a figure in the distance. The one time she spoke to me, was hinted with ire and agitation towards me for even being present. It is clear to me she has no respect for me."
* Strength looks at her and nods slowly. "Would it surprise you to learn she feels very similar about you, My love? I didn't know until aftre she had accepted, but she feels you look down upon her, for she has no training as one would expect in our house, that you are jealous of the bond we share, and are acting territorial when it comes to what we have?" He speaks all this gently,
* Strength making no effort to hide what he knows, but rather to try to start to bridge their perceptions.
<Alyah> "No." She answered quietly. "Because I am jealous." The Shinobi turned her eyes towards him. "I am jealous, I am territorial. Because I have given up much to be with the man I love. I have sacrificed any chance of going back to my father and mother, given up the dream to one day slay the one who took my arm and restore my family honor. All because I wished to remain here, with
<Alyah> you, my mate. Yes, I am territorial, because I fear that my work may be undone by a girl no older than Talia. That my family, will be swept away from me. I do not look down upon her because she is not trained as we are, she is a proper Fang Princess. One would not expect her to have the training in which you nor I have amassed. But I am none the less jealous. Jealous because
<Alyah> I fear I may lose the wolf who I fell in love with." Her voice level and neutral, but he could sense the hint of sadness in it. The strain of hormones and raw unfiltered emotions.
* Strength lets her speak, listing to the raw truth of her anguish, his eyes soft and loving as she vents out her fears. Slowly reaching out he cups her cheek. "I will never leave you, love, and neither will our family. We will restore your family honor, Alyah, I will see you honored before the court again. You have nothing to be jealous of. I love you. You are my mate, and I would
* Strength be nothing without you. We are one."
<Alyah> As he touched her cheek, he would note there were hints of mist in her eyes as she turned to face him, her own hand coming to rest against his cheek as she leaned into him more. Tucking herself into his chest as she fought with her rampant and spiraling emotions. A low slow exhale rising from her chest as she listened to him. Taking hold of his paw between her metal fingers
<Alyah> she would link them together, giving him a slight squeeze. "I trust you, my love." Her words, barely above a whisper.
* Strength pulls her in close to him, hugging her in the powerful embrace of his steel like arms. "They we have nothing to worry about, None will ever seperate us. I would like to do this correctly. Alyah, I wish for Elizabeta to become a member of our family, our eldest daughter. Will you allow this?"
<Alyah> Resting into his powerful arms, her fingers took a firm grip to his fur, holding onto him for a long while as she mulled his words over in her mind. Exhaling after a moment her eyes closed as she laid against him. "Very well."
<Strength> "We will gather our family together, and as the parents to them we will show them our love and unity.  And soon they will be joined by their brother, and things will feel more normal, my love.  Until then, I will hold you in my arms each night and keep you warm and safe and relaxed."