The pups' eyes have opened, and it means Dimitri's got work to do. Finding Fiadh food is one of the few reasons she leaves the den. Otherwise, her time has been occupied, every moment, by the tiny bodies around her. She speaks to them constantly, mostly in Russian, wishing them to know her voice. She adores them so much, and it hurts. It's scary to think that so many terrible things could happen to them at any moment.

It's also scary to think that she's not going to be a good Мама to them. With a rabbit in her jaws, she remembers the distance Amaranth had when they were young. Her siblings, Alder especially, had never been particularly close to her. Dimitri had noticed that, sensitive and empathetic as she is, and writhed over the fact that Amaranth may have resented them. She's determined to never let her children feel that, but would she... would she hurt them in other ways?

Мама had never hurt her-- not until recently, when the visions came and chased them from Elysium. And being told that Valeska would say nearly destroyed Dimitri's resolve. Had Fiadh not been so close to birth, would she have even left?

For Valeska's sake, Dimitri hopes the visions are overblown.

And yet, the universe seems to have ways of knowing what she's thinking. The festival is around the corner, so of course visitors would be coming, but for this visitor to carry familiar silver fur?

Dimitri drops the rabbit. "Мама." But she doesn't step away from it, as much as she wants to rush to her mother and make sure the water hasn't destroyed her. The seven lives in the den depend on Dimitri's vigilance. "Мама, you came."