Pregnancy did not sit well with the healer, and only in recent days had she conceded that she needed to slow down. Her belly was round with pups, she was producing milk, her appetite was lowered - all signs that she would be giving birth soon. A day she both dreaded and looked forward to, for she would finally be free of pregnancy, but then she would have the pups to contend with.

She... still wasn't certain how she felt about that.

Shēnléi was avoiding her. The Empress still glared. Hushed whispers filled her ears.

Still Kexin worked. Still Kexin would do what she was meant to do - to serve the wolves of Tianlong until she was physically incapable of doing so. Which... admittedly would most likely be soon. She'd fallen asleep in the back of the den she kept the herbs in, drooling into a pile of dried dandelion leaves.

It was the footsteps that roused her, and Kexin popped up, eyes round and the fur of her cheek covered in damp leaves. She looked a mess, exhausted and startled and ruffled from her impromptu nap, but she turned to face the general nonetheless.

"Jiang Haoran," she greeted, as though she were not, in fact, covered in dandelion leaves. "What brings you here? No injuries, I hope." Her eyes flicked down to the object at his paws, but out of politeness did not linger.