Eclipse lifts his head, his eyes still adjusting to the bright morning rays of sunlight that were cast through the thick canopy of leaves overhead, speckling the floor of the den and shifting into different patterns while the wind ruffles the leaves.
He looks around, yawning. It had been three weeks since the kits were born, and he had been moved from the temporary den he had been staying in before to the more permanent, larger den that houses the mature and fit pokemon in the group. Aurora had been moved to the den that the kits and their mothers stayed in, which had constantly been causing Eclipse to wake up sith a start, and panic for a few moments before realizing that his mate is safe.
Getting up slowly and stretching for a long moment, Eclipse begins to pad softly over to the den Aurora was staying in. Hearing the hushed whispers of high pitched voices, he drops into a crouch used for stalking prey, as he had been taught by a different pokemon in the group, a flareon named Hydro.
"Who's there?" Eclipse growls playfully. A small, mewlike yowl is heard from behind the thick bush outside of the nursery den, and nine small figures hurl themselves at him, accompanied by little yelps of happiness and excitement. Laughing as he's rolled onto his back by the little pokemon, he paws at them gently, pushing one off every bow ad then as they attempt to bring their large prey down.
After a few moments of the play- Fighting, a large, masculine absol with something around his neck steps out from the nursery den. A smaller absol, about a fourth of his size, is at his heels. Nine of the pokemon that had been wrestling on the ground all paused and looked up at him, his silent gaze commanding respect and order. The tenth, however, happily leaped off the pile of small eevees that were heaped on top of their father.
"Dad!" The tenth cried, hurling himself playfully at the large absol. It was fang, and Eclipse looked at his children, noticing one in particular was missing. The large absol batted Fang away from himself before he could be launched into his leg. Looking detestfully over at his youngest son, he flicked his tail, gesturing for both Fang and his other son that had been at his heels to follow him. Walking to the den that housed the pokemon that weren't quite old enough to serve the community, but too old to be kits, his two sons followed him somberly and obediently.
Eclipse rolled onto his feet, and looked at the eight kits he had assembled in front of him. The three biggest were the closet to him, and all of them were looking up at him happily. "Thunder?" He leaned down to look at one of the three. "Do you know where your mother is?
The kit, being old enough to talk, replied quickly, after a slight nod. "Mhm! The den with grey."
"Thank you. Go have fun." Eclipse said the last scentence with a happier tone, and when the kits had ran off to the small hollow inside the camp where kits frolic, he sighed, and looked down at his paws. They've already given her a nickname... he thought to himself, a wave of worry coming over him. Maybe if she evolves into something that looks almost normal- but she's too young, and her coat will still- the soft thudding noise of paw pads on the dirt behind him interrupted his thoughts.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine!" Azure's always positive voice sounded. Eclipse jumped slightly, turning to look at her. She had always had a strange ability past the regular absol standard for being able to tell what someone's thinking. Eclipse looked down, feeling somewhat akward.
Sensing this, Azure changes the topic quickly. "I was just about to take swift out hunting. It's time he learned. She nodded towards the absol that was fang's older brother. He looked energetic and determined, even though just minutes ago, Eclipse had seen him looking dejected and timid next to his father.
"Be careful!" Eclipse calls after them as they leave through the narrow entrance. He turns away and pads towards the nursery den. Setting down beside his mate, he spots his shiny kit sitting against a branch in the wall, staring into space, her coat shining in the dim light filtered by the leaves and branches the den was made of.
"C'mere, Avalon." Eclipse reaches over and half drags her in between his front paws by her scruff.
Aurora rolls her eyes and goes back to her nap, and Eclipse gives his kit a light lick between the ears before closing his eyes. Maybe Azure was right, he thinks, slowly dozing off, maybe we'll all be alright.
