Ghost had regained some semblance of sanity. She was rocky, her mind often lapsing into dull conversations that would leave her docile and motionless for hours at a time but the lapse of time between this bouts and the time she lingered within them were slowly waning... would they return? She knew not. Segar, Segar was helping her. He was amazing, he went above and beyond for her. Coiled around her when bouts of madness took her mind. Cooed to her sweet nothings, brought her meals, and in the back stages of her pregnancy when her belly grew too large for her to do much at all he had done most everything he could for her. The love she felt for him swelled her chest.

Her night had been restless, crazed, her stomach had tangled itself in knots and minor pains had kept her up most of the night. Come morning she had managed to drift off into a fit full sleep, Segar coiled tightly around her, his head keeping her swollen body tucked into his, but when she had awoken from a sharp pain in her belly he was gone, more than likely out to get breakfast and suddenly everything clicked into place and the voices fell quiet. Even they seemed to realize this task would take all of her strength. Panic settled briefly in her mind, afraid that she couldn't do this, at least not alone.

Her maw would fall open in a desperate call, a howl, a scream for Segar. She needed him here, he was her backbone, had been for far too long. Her eyes clenched shut as contractions racked her frame. This would take time, she knew this would be no easy battle but she was eternally grateful when Segar arrived, she offered him his name in a breathless, pained tone and softly licked his cheek, she needed to apologize to him for so many things.

Hours ticked by, straining, whining, crying as the pain in her abdomen intensified. Her nostrils flared, claws scraping against the stones and rocks as the contractions grew closer and closer together. She needed no Seracian, only Segar. he would give her the strength, the prowess she needed. She could do this, for him, for her, for the life that so heavily depended on her. A cry left her larynx, silver eyes gleaming with pain as the contractions tore through her one after another, she pushed and pushed and pushed and finally the first was made born.

Instinctively she coiled around, her eyes widening as she saw the missing limb. A cry ,a desperate plea tore from her larynx as she bathed him, licking him clean, soft cries and whines vacating her, what had happened? Had her madness done this? Guilt gnawed away at her heart before it faded, it mattered little, he was perfect, gorgeous in her eyes. "Talon." She murmured softly, budging him over to one of her nipples before another contraction blindsided her and she was forced to lay back down. She strained and her chest heaved but the second came to being. Her heart relaxed as she was crying, happy, healthy and whole. A tan color, with a russet back, she was stunning gorgeous, she licked her clean and guided her to her abdomen, her head careening back to her lover.

"Name her beloved. You have more than earned the right." The word was cut off in a sharp, keening whine as another contraction smashed into her abdomen. Finally, finally, finally, the third made itself born, and the unbearable pressure upon her belly vanished. For a moment she was too exhausted to move, but she forced herself to curl around, to cleanse her lost puppy and guide the tiny female to a nipple. She was pale, more Ghost's colors than Segar's but absolutely stunning, her dad was still highly visible in her. Ghost slumped against Segar, exhausted and quivering in her exertion as the pups suckled greedily from her teats. "Mist... Mist will be her name. I love you Segar, I'm so sorry I've been so weak." She murmured against his neck, gray eyes fluttering shut as she tried to control her runaway heart.

Speech!

The cry of agony snapped him away from his hunt, his attention now centered on his wife and the pain in her howl. Without hesitation or a second thought he tore across the beach to their humble den, worry written all over his features. "I am here Mi Amor!" He said, nuzzling her cheek in an attempt to soothe her. He settled beside her, head resting against the floor as he watched the first of his children break through it's mother's womb. Pride swelled in his heart and then, horror. Only three legs...An heir with only three legs...No. He decided at that moment it wouldn't matter. Flores boys were strong, hearty, they could survive through any disadvantage. He would raise this boy like all his other children born on this day and no differently, "Talon" the new mother purred, pulling the small bundle to her teat. The second born was a beautiful girl, carrying the flawless forms of her mother and father. Ghost placed the naming of his second born on his shoulders, and at first all he could do was stare at the tiny life as she cleaned her. "Isicera" The name rolled off his tongue fluidly and coiled around Ghost's ears lovingly. A beautiful name for the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his entire life. The third and final pup was almost completely white, Thoughts of the future flooded through his mind, teaching them to hunt, playing with them on the beach, cold nights where they huddled against one another. He felt like crying from sheer joy, his body felt truly weightless as he watched the blind beings wobble about on their unsteady legs, crying and yelping and howling for warmth. Ghost collapsed against him, the only proof that he was still earthbound; "Mist... Mist will be her name. I love you Segar, I'm so sorry I've been so weak." He grinned and kissed her crown lovingly. "How have you been weak Mi Amor?" He asked. "You have survived an illness that has no cure and given birth to three beautiful cubs. You are not weak. You are the strongest wolf on this planet." He muttered, nuzzling her neck and licking the bridge of her nose. Speech,

ooc; with Seracia having to move, I'm going to assume this took place after the migration to the range? Correct me if you'd rather it be in the old land, though it'd be hard to move a mother and her young pups.

Cries did not go unheard by the monarch's ears. He was on the move at once, a spring in his step and excitement in his eye. Months ago he would have seen this as a dreadful event, children being born - children who'd been produced out of wedlock. But today, today the King could not be more pleased. This was the first litter to be born in the Kingdom. He would take his time, unwilling to push himself on the new parents too early. When he arrived, he would not linger long. He had much to do in this new land, and although he was eager to see the new lives - he would not steal a glance on this day. Congratulations would be offered, that was all. A smile bubbled onto his lips as he slithered toward the den, offering a chuff to announce his presence. Voice would carry into the den, gentle and kind. "Congratulations to you both, how many new additions are there?" The King settled himself, rocking onto his haunches a comfortable distance from the entrance of the den. New mothers could be testy about others being around, and he did not want to distress the lady.

"Speech"

Image by Ruelle.

She would struggle, the task was complete, her duty, at least for now, was done. Her pups were well and happy, greedily pulling milk from her teats. She would slump against Segar, exhausted and out of breath, her birthing had taken well into the next day and she felt winded and weak. But a sense of peace and contentment had arisen in the depths of her soul and she lounged with her lover. She craned her head around to tuck her snout beneath his jaw, grateful that he had come, grateful that he had stayed. She couldn't have done it, without his strength at her back. Did he know how much he meant to her. His scent had been the anchor. Newt had told her to find an anchor, he was hers, even in the haze of confusion her mind had lapsed her into she had remembered his scent.

She had lost her way and he had seen her home. Her tongue would escape her ivory lips and a soft pink tongue would bathe him in loving kisses. Her tongue softly trailing across his fur. She loved him, she knew she did and she thanked him for being here, thanked him for forgiving her, thanked him for putting up with all of her insecurities all of her problems with every languid lick of her tongue. "I failed you, my mind it..." She didn't have to speak, she knew what her mind had done, it had taken everything from her, again. "You are my strength, you are my light, you are everything to me and... I love you."

A scent, too familiar, a scent she hated drew closer and her gut reaction was to snarl, protective waves washing over her. Her pups, her mate, her den, he threatened them. She would never forgive Gerhardt, she would hate him because that wretched scar was a constant reminder of her own failures, of her own cracks, her own breaks of sanity. She wanted him nowhere near her pups they would not be told they were wrong because she had not first sought permission from another. Her lips curled over her teeth in aggression, her body moving wire tense and her bodice instinctively curling around her pups. He would approach the entrance of her den standing a fair distance away, sitting back to rest upon his haunches. He would offer his congratulations but it was false, she knew what he thought of her pups, of the perfection she had cradled to her abdomen. She knew they both expected her biting words and angered snarls, but her lips would fall and all emotion would fade from her gaze, her muscles, sore and exhausted losing their tension. Not a single spec of emotion could be seen upon the silver hues dames maw. There were so many things she wished to spew like venom, her lips would part and she would speak, surprising probably everyone there with the lyrics that would spill forth.

"Three. Beautiful, perfect pups. Two girls and one boy." Her tail would shield them from his view. Her voice a whimsical litany, beautiful, sweet, full of love and admiration, no a singular spec of the hatred she felt for the king present in her tones. "Would you like to see?" Her tail would lift, brushing across the ground to reveal the tiny life that suckled for more nutrients, allowing the king to see, a toss of her head told him he could come closer if he wished. Her eyes would gleam with something unreadable. Segar was her home. If he was content here, so too would she be. She would cause her lover no more trouble, no more pain, she be his whenever he needed her, whenever he required her, she would mold herself to be whatever he needed her to be, and that began with rebuilding a relationship with Gerhardt.

Speech!

His tongue brushed against her ear gently, his head coming to rest lightly on top of hers. "Hush my love, you have not failed me. You have given me something to fight for." He said, his tail stroking hers as joy overcame him. "You are my strength, you are my light, you are everything to me and... I love you." she said. He beamed at her words, a grin that fit him so perfectly yet seemed so foreign to him. It was an expression free of devilish thoughts or intentions, a look of pure and innocent delight "You are the force that drives me above all others, you are the fire that burns in my heart. Ghost, I love you more than anyone in the world." He purred, bathing her in kisses and sweet nothings. The sudden intrusion made him wary, he pulled Ghost closer as the scent of another wolf approached. Gerhardt. His grip eased around her as the wolf was identified, but he was still wary. Under Seracia they were still illegitimate and he feared that his king might do something rash, but as he offered his congratulations he relaxed entirely. He seemed happy with the new additions, and pleased by their birth, quite unexpected considering how he had acted just weeks before. His damaged ear flickered at the thought. Ghost, who had noticed was equally tense relaxed into him and answered the King appropriately. He was more worried about Ghost than Gerhardt, he knew she and the king had more than a few disagreements, and he feared that she might lunge for his throat if he came closer, he watched her carefully, looking for any sign that she was about to attack, but there appeared to be none. Not that it made him any less wary. Speech,

It was a beautiful scene, really. The King could hardly believe how harsh he had been about this very event only weeks before. Still, he knew he'd done the right thing in his heart, and did not feel guilty for the action any longer. He would sit a safe distance away, knowing that he was not the new mother's favorite wolf of the bunch. Still, he was King and had at least some right to see - and compliment - the new little Seracians. They were, after all, the first litter to be born to the Kingdom since it's foundation. He had thought he would see them differently - as illegitimate or otherwise - but in fact the monarch saw them for what they were, precious. A yearning burned within him, one that he knew would remain for quite some time. He had always wanted pups, children of his own flesh and blood. Maverick, Kamala, and Valkis had satiated that longing for a time, but they were nearly old enough to have children of their own - and the King was back to square one without a wife. Perhaps he would never have children. One wolf couldn't have it all, could they?

When it came time for Ghost to respond, she did so with a tone that baffled the King. She seemed almost pleased with his presence. Perhaps she had had a change of heart. She announced the genders, two females and a male. The King nodded with a genuine smile as she invited him to see. The woman unveiled them and he saw the three wriggling bodies lying next to her. The only word to describe the feeling in the air was awe. "They are remarkable," No note was given to the missing limb of the male, for the King did not even see it by the way the boy was laying - not that it would have mattered much in the first place. "I should like you both to know how truly sorry I am for the events of the past. It has become clear to me just now that I might have overreacted. I would like you to know that the law requiring potential mates to alert me before the consummation take place will be abolished. It isn't my place to dabble in the affairs of love." With another kind smile the King would pivot and turn away, leaving the new parents to bask in the glory of their newborns.

"Speech"

Image by Ruelle.