[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Do you think tomorrow will be all right" she asked, worried that they would be found lacking. Truthfully, they were dirt poor and apart from what they had brought to sell, they had very little in the way of possessions. She tried to avoid thinking about all the things the pups would need, wondering how people raised families in the slums where nobody had much of anything.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus heard the worry in her voice and wandered over to the bed, sitting down and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I hope so" he answered, after a slight pause; "we're doing the best we can, and they're aware of where we've come from - I'm sure we're not the first people from the slums who have come seeking better lives."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis swallowed the fear that had risen in her throat at the thought that more people knew what had happened to her, but if it meant they would be given aid and their pups would have a chance at better things, she would swallow her pride and bury the hurt where nobody could see.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed his tense shoulders as the door closed behind the doctor. Though he was grateful for the help, and the man had been very gentle and professional, he simply wasn't comfortable with other people in his space, and near his family so soon after their birth.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He felt Borealis' hand on his arm, and looked into her questioning eyes. Not trusting himself to speak just yet, he kissed her on her forehead and wandered over to stoke the fire again. The doctor had been very clear about keeping the room warm, lest any of them catch a chill with the colder weather that would soon be setting in.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As he was putting some stew on the fire to warm, Cassus reflected on what the doctor had said about Borealis and the needs of a new mother. He knew she needed him emotionally, and he was very fond of her, but the doctor had warned him about some of the finer reasons why they discouraged matings after births, and he resolved himself to give her time to heal, knowing he may need to be the strong one and fearing she would feel rejected if he was too firm.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As he looked back at his little family from where he sat, he felt his resolve to protect them get even stronger. He knew he would need to go out to the market the next day, and try to find somewhere to sell his wares - the stipend from the Registry would only go so far, and there were things they needed to buy.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

The next day dawned bright and early, and Cassus was awoken by the sounds of the roosken crowing and Ebele nuzzling his cheek. A tiny paw was clutching the fur on his chest, and Cassus placed a kiss on the top of his daughter's head. It gave him a flush of pride when he realised what he had called her, and he got up and stretched with a smile on his face.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He heard a groan, and turned to see his new mate leaning towards where he had been lying, as if she were trying to find him in his sleep. Though they weren't truly mated yet - and wouldn't be, until she had recovered from the birth and the pups were weaned - he felt his heart stir with tenderness and protectiveness at the sight of her sleeping form.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus leaned over the bed and placed a gentle kiss on Borealis' cheek, nuzzling her to wake her. She blinked her eyes and smiled at him sleepily, hands automatically seeking out their pups.

"Are you going out?" she asked through a yawn, watching as he put on his shirt and began selecting jars of herbs to place in his bag.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I'm going to see if I can find somewhere to sell these" he murmured, shifting through their stock. "And I want to see what's available and what I need to get more of when I go." He turned and smiled at her. "Besides, we need to feed us all up, so the little ones can grow big and strong."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis stretched out and smiled at him, lazily enjoying being in bed with her pups snuggled close. She didn't like it when he left, but she understood the necessity of it and how her asking him to stay wouldn't be helpful, so she smiled and waved when he left the house, locking the door behind him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She sighed when she realised that Ebele had gone with him; she felt safer when the Radill was in the house, clever as she was, and wished they had a second companion to keep her company while Cassus was out. Especially since he intended to make a trip to the Rainforest to re-supply once their stocks started dwindling.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus stepped forward towards the Market, keeping to the edge of the street so as to not be shoved by anyone, the jars in his bag too fragile for his liking. He had a selection of herbs and medicinal plants, and a few home remedies, but he was very unsure of exactly how he was going to sell them.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Ebele nudged the back of his leg with her snout, and he caressed the top of her head with one hand whilst keeping the other on his bag, watching as the customers weaved in between the stalls.

Drawing himself up, he decided to wander through the Market, to see exactly what his competition was and how they carried out their business.