[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He took his Landlady's advice, for the most part, and purchased knapsacks for himself, Ebele and Borealis, as well as collars for the Roosken. He then made his way towards the store she had described, taking a deep breath as he pushed the door open. Thankfully, their prices seemed reasonable, though he didn't doubt the fortune he had gained that morning would soon dwindle into nothing.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis stirred as she heard the front door open, and sat up when she saw Cassus stagger through, carrying two full-to-bursting knapsacks on his front and back, and followed by Ebele who was now sporting a new knapsack of her own, also stuffed full to bursting. She carefully pushed the pups to the centre of the bed, and slid off to investigate, shivering in the cool breeze as Cassus shut the door.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"What on earth did you buy - and how?" she asked, amazed, as he produced multiple cloth nappies, little shirts and pants, a few bottles with rubber things on their tops and a big jar of some kind of powder, some small blankets and soft towels, and then began to unpack what she realised was a selection of fruit, vegetables and meat.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I ran into our Landlady" Cassus explained, as he handed her a large slab of a sweet-smelling, waxy substance which she took to be soap. "Turns out, she owns the nearest Market stall for herbs and herbal remedies, and she gave me deals for all of the jars I took with me - here, look at these numbers. It means we can try for better prices around town if we want to, but I'm actually happy with what she's offering."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis looked at the papers he handed her, and her jaw dropped; she didn't doubt more wealthy citizens would think it normal to see such numbers, but for people like them it was a fortune, and it showed as Cassus pulled out more and more items from the knapsacks, Ebele sitting patiently as she waited for him to unload her.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Cassus, where are we even going to keep all of this?" she asked, eyeing the food warily; it took up almost all of the table, and the room was sparsely furnished to begin with.

"The meats are salted, and smoked, and they can be hung from the roof, as well as the onions and garlic, and the other bulbs" Cassus replied, gesturing to the hooks set into the beams in the ceiling.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"And the rest of it?" she asked, picking up a juicy red apple.

Cassus smiled, and shook his head. "We still have some Keystones left, and I can go back to our Landlady tomorrow with a jar of something if we need more. I bought a fruit bowl, at least, so that can be put on the table, and the pups' supplies can be put on a chair for now."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"What is this, anyway?" she asked, tapping the big jar of powder with a finger, and looking up when Cassus hadn't replied to see him blushing and folding his ears flat in embarrassment.

"That's - well - that is, apparently, what you feed pups if, um, if their mother can't produce enough milk, or when you're trying to wean them onto solid food - I thought it best to have some, just in case. You mix it with warm water first" he said, shuffling his feet as he spoke.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

He looked at her and winced at the hurt look on her face. "I didn't mean - I know you're feeding them just fine, but if you get sick I don't want them to take too much from you. This isn't meant as an insult, just a precaution - we don't even need to use it, if you don't want to" he said, reaching for her paw.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis let him take her paw, and nodded, though she couldn't keep the hurt look from her face. She knew she was undernourished - a lifetime in the Slums had seen to that - and she had been concerned since the beginning that she wasn't producing enough for all three of her pups, but to hear it said so plainly still stung a little.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus sighed, and drew her gently into an embrace which felt stiff until she relaxed against his chest, and placed her hands on his sides.

"I just want to take care of you - all of you, and that includes you. We have a chance for so much more now that we're here, I'm sorry if I got carried away. I should have asked you first" he murmured, gently rubbing her back.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis closed her eyes as she let his steady heartbeat soothe her. "I know you mean the best for us, and they're your pups too - by law and birth, if not by blood. I trust your decisions."

Cassus closed his eyes in relief, but kept her close, enjoying their shared moment until the snuffling cries of one of their daughters caused him to open his eyes.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Let's give them a bath - a proper bath, the soap I bought is specially made for pups and newborns, and we can put them in some new clothes and wash those ones. I know you made them, and I'm proud of it, but I was told we need to change them every day otherwise they can get sore" he murmured, gently releasing his hold on her.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis smiled at the thought of her little ones growing up knowing the joys of hot, clean water and warm, clean clothes, and stepped out of his embrace to set up the tin bath.

Cassus led the way, pouring hot water and mixing it with cool water into a shallow bath and using a small cup he had bought to scoop the warm, soapy water up and pour it onto one pup at a time, as Borealis held them for him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As each pup was bathed, Borealis used one of the new towels to dry them thoroughly, feeling the soft material between her fingers, and dressed them in a small cloth nappy and warm, new clothes. The pups quieted as she fed them, as Cassus drained the bath and added hot water and more soap, and she put them down to sleep before undressing and slipping into the bath herself.