[ P ] Dandelion Dreams

I

t was easy to get lost in a place like this. The paths were winding, and sometimes obscured from view altogether. It was a strange, beautiful but enigmatic locale. But for Clover – his best friend, his lover – it was once home. Cian and Clover would not remain in the Fae Forest forever. They still had their freedom to wander. In the meantime, Cian was trying to spend as much time as possible with the Eithne family, which was so very different from his own, while also giving space so that Clover could connect with her parents during their brief visit.

Cian was more confident now, less nervous – though meeting Clover’s family had been particularly nerve-racking, it had gone better than Cian had expected. Was it any wonder that Clover’s kin would be as kind and gentle as the girl herself? But unlike their foundling daughter, the Eithne’s could not leave the forest, the price they had to pay for the very best gift. It was heartbreaking to consider, and relatable – Cian knew what it was like to feel trapped in one spot. So he had brought the Eithne clan a gift from the mountain, a sizable chunk of pure crystal quartz that he had carried all the way to their forest home.

For now, he was exploring on his own while Clover conversed with her mother. The flame-colored youth glanced back at his crooked tail, a physical trait that seemed to be a permanent one now. But Cian did not really mind it. At least it came with a funny story to tell, of that first night he had found Clover in the mountains, how amazing and shocking it all was to find each other at all, how the two adolescents had raced down the trail – and an oddly curved tail was the prize he had won after his fall. He laughed aloud as he thought of that memory, just one of many he had formed alongside Clover in the past few months.





@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

S

omething had drastically changed between herself and Cian. He was her best friend and he would always be, but it was suddenly...different. Something she could not define. It was ever since he'd first said out loud that he loved her and then they snuggled closer to each other, closer than they'd ever been, and well...

Heat spread across Clover's cheeks and throughout her entire body every time she thought about it. There had never been anyone else she'd spent time with like she did with Cian and it was...absolutely wonderful. And she was so glad that ever since they started doing all of those things, they never really stopped. It made her heart feel lighter and her world far brighter and at the center of it all was him, her...her Cian.

The next best thing she thought to do was to bring him along to visit her whole family deep within the central part of the Fae Forest. Especially while Winter set in and it was simply better to not be alone during the harsh conditions it might bring. Clover was ecstatic to see them all again and she was so happy that her Papa and Mama seemed so happy to get to know Cian and, of course, Chloe and Fletcher, adored him...though definitely not nearly as much as Clover did. She felt so whole, seeing everyone she loved most in the world there together all at once and she was pondering on all of it, when her mother pulled her aside to speak with her...

[A lengthy, life-changing conversation later...]

Clover had emerged, her expression blank, for she felt...confused and yet knowing all at once. She held a few small yellow flowers in her mouth that Mama had given her during their talk. She paused in her gait and she stood there for a long while, glancing at her own body as though she expected it to start bubbling. Nothing seemed to happen and she hummed to herself nervously, before immediately going to seek out Cian.

Spotting his ember coat she bolted towards him, skidding to a halt and setting the flowers down, looking around nervously as though she expected her siblings or Papa to come waltzing up at any moment.. "Cian, can I...can I talk to ya? In private somewhere? Uhm...here, just, uh...follow me..." Scooping up the flowers she trotted ahead without a another word, headed towards a secret grove she had discovered as a pup, knowing they'd have a moment alone there.


@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A

s soon as Clover appeared, Cian was smiling. How could he help himself? She was the most beautiful wolfess, and the kindest, and being here in her home forest, he felt as if he knew her even more – which was saying something, since the two had already been remarkably and wonderfully close. And that made him the luckiest wolf in all the world. He called out as she approached: ”Hey! I was walking around, and you should have seen this tree! Well, you probably have seen it before. It was really–” However, speaking of strange, something did not seem quite right with Clover, and the youth’s words halted mid-sentence as he noticed her expression.

Whether she heard him or not, Cian was not certain, but he was leaning toward the latter, for the she-wolf appeared distracted. Nervous. Not much like the usual carefree and energetic Clover he knew at all. She carried a few yellow flowers with her – dandelions? Immediately, Cian was worried, and his eyes were wide with mounting fear as Clover asked him to speak privately. This did not bode well, and his imagination ran wild with possibilities. Had her parents said something about him… Did this mean they could no longer be close?

She did look a bit different, but he could not exactly name what had changed. He was reminded of their height difference when he hurried his pace to follow, and with his long gait, had caught up to his companion quickly. ”Are – are you, uh, okay, Clove?” His own anxious stuttering had returned, but he still had sense enough to call her by the nickname he had recently adopted for her. Deep orange eyes flitted about the forest, but there was no one else in sight. Still, he followed Clover to a secret spot, visage full of puzzlement. ”What – what’s going on?”



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A

and she certainly hadn't heard what Cian had said to her. He sounded far away while her mother's voice rang out loud and clear in her mind as she moved briskly towards the undergrowth ahead. A voice at her side startled her and she looked over to find Cian there, not even realizing he'd caught up to her. He'd asked if she was okay, but with her mouth full of flowers she couldn't quite answer just yet. Clover's brows knitted upward and she forced a smile, but her light pink orbs swirled with worry.

She then disappeared between some overgrown ferns and within the grove she found a nice area of cool moss to gently drop the flowers. "Cian...?" Just saying his name cause her voice to quiver when she addressed him. Clover could feel herself already becoming overwhelmed and she hadn't even begun to relay to him what she'd just learned. Her eyes wandered over his form, her gut clenching as she imagined a scenario that her Mama had painted that wound up with Cian leaving her behind.

The simple fear of that becoming a reality was enough to bring tears to her eyes. "I-I love you, okay?" She reminded him, as if somehow that might persuade him to stay after this. Clearing her throat then, she forced herself to look deep within his crimson eyes, sniffling as she finally pushed herself to ask, "Cian, have you...have you ever...wanted pups?"

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

ian paused as Clover disappeared beneath the ferns with her tiny bouquet of dandelions, utterly clueless about her intentions. She had seemed happy enough this morning… So what was going on? Her voice was emotional, and she stumbled over her words: "I-I love you, okay?" He blinked, nodding his head slowly. ”Yeah – yes, I know. And I love you, too. What’s–”

"Cian, have you...have you ever...wanted pups?" A single brow arched in confusion at this seemingly random question, and for a lingering moment, Cian was at a loss for words. He studied Clover’s expression, trying to find the answer to this riddle there. But all that he could see was a mask of sadness and fear, and his heart was beating so fast, it sounded as if it were trying to escape his ribcage. Why – why was she so upset? What had he done? Instinctively, he drew closer to Clover to comfort her. Seeing her cry was unbearable.

The question lingered in his brain… Had he ever wanted pups? Had he ever even thought about it? His maw parted to answer, but he was still unsure – Cian only knew that he had better say something. ”I – I’ve never really, uh, really been around pups b-before, except – well, w-when I was one–” His mind was a mixed up mess. Being a pup had been fun… except when it wasn’t, but that was because of Father… Cian shook his fiery head to clear his mind. ”B-but, yeah, I – I think I would – you know, someday?”

Was that what this was about? Planning for their future together? His face flushed, he was happy to do that, excited to think about it – but then, why was Clover so upset? He asked, feeling uncertain himself, ”Um… Do you – you know, want that, too?”



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

lover swallowed hard as he uttered the word 'someday'. She averted her gaze and when she asked her if she had wanted pups, she hesitated before nodded and murmuring. "I was hoping someday too..." Someday for them, however, might be a lot sooner than either of them intended. But, there was first, another matter to attend to. After a long silence she took a breath and looked back over at him. "Do you...do you know...where pups come from?"

She feared his answer only somewhat, for her mother had also said it was possible that Cian had know the entire time. Clover didn't think that could've been true...it didn't seem like him to keep that from her. And if he truly didn't know...well, she had a lot more to share with him than just what the dandelions were for...

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

ian watched Clover’s eyes, so expressive, as she hesitated to respond to his own question. This did not seem like a promising sign, and he unconsciously bit his lower lip as he waited for her reply. "I was hoping someday too..." Cian smiled, presuming this was a positive thing, that they both wanted the same thing eventually – but the smile slowly faded as the confusion resurfaced with a new intensity.

Clover was silent for a few seconds, which felt like a lifetime to Cian, before she asked: "Do you...do you know...where pups come from?" Again, his brow quirked questioningly, the inquiry adding to his bewilderment. He thought back to what his mother had said, a long time ago… Something along the lines of, when a mother wolf and a father wolf found each other – she had mentioned the word love, but then, had she ever really loved his father? Once more, Cian found himself distracted by his internal workings, and he looked down. ”W-well, sure – they, um, they come from their parents.” That much, he understood.

But the rest… well, that was still a bit of a mystery, the details seemed like the sort of thing a wolf discovers when they are all grown up. The scarlet-hued youth offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. ”I mean – from their mom, specifically, I – think.” That was why pups were always closer to their mothers, he reasoned.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

S

he waited for him to go on, to tell her exactly what Mama had said, but when he didn't he ears laid back slightly. Clover exhaled a shaky breath, not sure if it was one of relief or just more nervous energy before she moved closer to him. She paused, locking eyes with him for a moment before leaning up and whispering in his ear as though it were some big secret that even the fae weren't to know. When she finished telling him, she pulled away and looked up at him, fidgeting anxiously as she awaited his response.

Clover watched him and when it clicked for him, she looked down at the dandelion and pawed it closer to her. "The dandelions...are supposed to tell us if...if I am bearing pups or not... She explained gently, glancing up at him, her entire face heating knowing that it was unlikely that she wasn't pregnant with their frequent closeness as of late. At this point, it was merely a solid confirmation of what was imminent.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

B

y now, Cian felt as if his head or his heart were about to explode, the stress of not knowing becoming overwhelming. His breaths came quickly, and as Clover came nearer to share the secret of what intimacy could lead to… At first, the information sat within his skull like a boulder. But – then, that meant… ”What…” He stared down at the dandelions as she drew them closer to her. "The dandelions...are supposed to tell us if...if I am bearing pups or not…”

His eyes grew impossibly wide as the reality of their situation settled upon him, a landslide of truth and astonishment – all he had been doing was following his own instinct, Clover had always been just as eager… He looked at his companion again, worry etched across his features as his eyes roamed her form. Yes, something had seemed a bit different, and now – now it was making sense. Her belly was more swollen now, certainly, and her appetite had been unusually ravenous. That could only mean one thing. ”I – you – but how…?” Well, now he knew the how, but this was supposed to be something adults dealt with. It was all too much, and Cian sat slowly, stunned again.

The scarlet-colored youth inhaled sharply, exhaling noisily as the words tumbled from his tongue: ”How – do we – how do you know? What – dandelions?” His sentences made as much sense as his confused thoughts, and he stared dumbly at the yellow blossoms.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

S

he thought that maybe she would feel better to be on the same page, but watching Cian's realization slowly become panic that forced him to seat himself. His words were a jumble and she took a couple steps towards him, but then stopped, a deep frown forming on her maw. She went sure what he needed right now...and she didn't want to make things anymore overwhelming for him by playing a part in smothering him.

When he referenced the dandelions she glanced over her shoulder at some taller shrubs she'd be able to conceal herself behind. "I have to uhm..just hold on.." Clover snatched up the litte, yellow flower and took it with her. When out of sight, she did exactly what she was instructed to do and urinated on the flowers. When she emerged she gently placed them down and stared at them. "I've marked them...and if I'm pregnant...then they'll have red speckles all over them..."

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck