{{Ooc:: Setting this up via first post by request of Esperanza}}

The children of their second litter was due any day now. Kar was excited for the birth of the little ones, of their emergence into this world. He would breathe in and out slowly, his green gaze shifting over to his beloved mate every so often. She appeared to be sleeping, and he, like her, was taking his time to rest. It was a summer night, the heat within the area they settled a bit lessened by the source of water present. Thank goodness, Kar thought, for the falls during this time of year. Staying near the water source was certainly a good idea as well, for without water what could survive? The man would breathe out, setting his head upon his paws as he did some thinking. He had bargained for his daughter's freedom, though in return he and his son were to catch game for those vikings. A task he didn't enjoy, but knowing Mystic was safe made it worth it. The favor he swore too made him worried. He had no choice but to accept the unconditional terms... less he leave the threat not just to himself but to his entire family. No... he wouldn't damn them. He would shift his gaze back to Nalyda. She had grown round with their children, and her words still echoed in his mind about what they had spoken about for names. Honestly the thought made him excited. To have children with his parents name... the cycle would continue. He had yet to tell Yurella either. What would his beloved sister think? Would she approve? In all Kar felt lighter than he had during the time Mystic was captive. He would close both his eyes, drifting into a light doze. "Nalyda Speech," "Kar Speech"

Table by:: Keno

Nalyda had slept for some time now, her eyes were closed as her dark lids were almost like a dark hole that formed where her eyes should be. The sound of the birds reverberated throughout her lobes as she gave a small yawn and stretched her front paws out, still in her lying position. She had thought about her pups and wondered if it would be all boys, all girls, or anything that the Gods have decided to give her; she would be happy with whatever result. Her eyes would slowly open to reveal her ruby audets. She looked to her mate and smiled, giving him a gentle nudge before turning her cranium to look at her extended belly. The pups that were growing and forming inside of her were due at any day or time now, and she was excited yet also nervous if all the pups would be healthy.

"Kar, the pups seem to be growing quite well. I wonder how they will act once they start moving around," she grinned and placed her head back on her paws, placing one over the other. The sound of the birds continued to grow louder, but the dark colored woman paid no heed to their singing and only cared about her children.

His mate would stir, and she would give him a gentle nod before both her eyes and his would turn towards her rounded belly. The pups had to be growing well, big as she was. The man prayed that all of them would be healthy, and that no complications would become present in the birthing. The man would smile warmly, the thoughts of new children coming into the world making him happy. "I wonder as well... though I know they'll be so loved." Kar would lean closer to her, licking her ear. "...and their older sister is back. I still wonder where Ammy has gotten to... but... somehow I feel she's safe. She'll return to us." The male would look outside, to the sky. The birds were already calling. "Is it me, or does Naoise seem a bit different around Mystic now? He seems so happy to have her back... It's wonderful to see." Kar found his eyes shining. "All of them getting along... It is all that I have wanted as their father, you know?" Kar would ask softly. "So... what's your bet this time? More girls or boys?" Emerald orbs would shift to her, a chuckle leaving his lips. "Nalyda Speech," "Kar Speech"

Table by:: Keno

Nalyda chuckled and gently batted his nose with her paw, leaving it there for a couple seconds before having it plop back down to the ground. She winced when she could feel the pain of the pups moving as she stood up and began to move around, trying to calm herself before the pain of a contraction had occurred, and she had no choice but to lie down and bear the pain that was beginning to course through her body. Her audets closed tightly as she moaned and howled slightly when she could feel the pups kicking continously. The smell of some blood had begun to waft through her nostrils, but she paid no heed and continued to try and push and bring life into the world.

Kar would blink, surprised as his beloved batted his nose with her paw. He would grin, though that grin would suddenly turn to a look of worry as a contraction occurred within the female. The pups were coming! The male would move, giving his beloved space to adjust herself for the litter. Kar would breathe in and out, trying to keep himself calm. Sometimes he wondered if he might be more worried about her bringing new lives into this world than he was. He would frown deeply as the scent of blood hit him, trying to whisper to her in encouragement. “You can do it Nalyda...” The brute would say softly, nuzzling her cheek as he tried to encourage her. His mind would begin to turn to it’s worried state. Be safe.... Speech, Thought

The pain continued to surround her body. The pups that were now beginning to come into the world continued to kick and move around whenever every contraction had occurred. The smell of blood that the woman was causing to come out made her wince. She was worried that one of the pups would not be able to move or be alive, and every time she would worry her breathing would be abnormal. She couldn't help but whimper and whine whenever she pushed and the pups would continue to kick and squirm in protest.

"Kar, go and check on Mystic and the others. I will be alright, I just want to make sure that they would be alright..." She would speak in a whispered tone due to losing quite a bit of energy already, and she was sure that by the time she was finished giving birth, she would have no energy left at all. She would need Kar's help to watch over the newborns, as well as her yearling pups. She knew that she would need to make time for all of them, and it almost seemed as if that her family was like a small pack or band, but her thoughts would be knocked from her mind when another contraction occurred and caused her to push once more, causing one pup to be brought into the world.

This pup, however, had a pure white face, and the body color of Kar and the legs of Nalyda. She was not sure if his eyes would be more like her own, or her mate's, but Nalyda panted and quickly cleaned her son before putting her head back down upon the ground to bring more pups into the world, despite the pain and how much energy she had been losing.

Every whimper and whine would cause Kar to shudder with worry. The scent of blood seemed thicker in her nose than ever before. He was afraid for his mate, for the unborn pups that were still within her womb. Soon she would give birth to their young again. This process scared him. How scary it could be, just watching. Yet it was his beloved Nalyda who had all the hard work. He would shiver some as she made a request of him, and for a moment he was terrified that if he left her side he would come back and she would be dead. The man would slowly rise, placing a kiss upon her head. “I will... But... Please be safe.” He whispered to her. He would take a breath before pushing out of the den. He would be back before long to check on her, though he’d fulfill her request of checking on the others first. Luckily the dens were not all that far apart, so it wouldn’t take too long to make sure all was well with them before coming back to her side. "Nalyda Speech," "Kar Speech"

Table by:: Keno

Nalyda would smile and nod at her mate as he ran off to go and check on her other pups. Even though they were yearlings, she still considered them pups due to them coming from her and would always be her children. The pain continued to haunt her mind and body as she howled out from the excruciating pain that surged throughout her form. The smell of the metallic, crimson substance that came from her wafted throughout her nostrils as she gave a slight panic. She knew that she should stay calm for it was not good for her pups.

"Come on...come on..." She spoke to herself as another contraction hit her, causing her to howl out even louder than before as she pushed with all her might to get her children born into this world. When she soon finally managed to push hard enough to bring another pup into this world. Nalyda licked the young girl clean as her light grey body shown, a light brown face-mask was noticeable as well as a white belly. She smiled and soon lied back down, waiting for another contraction to occur since she knew there had to be one more waiting to be brought into the world.

Kar would leave, checking in the den where their son, daughter, and his sister were resting. All were asleep, curled up peacefully within. The gray man would smile warmly as he looked upon them. His little boy and girl, safely home. He felt better seeing them together again, even if their relationship had yet to fully recover. But Naoise would get there, the man had faith. He would breathe out, slowly turning away from the den. He was still very worried for his beloved. He knew the last birth had been very hard on her. Kar would return back to the den to find that two little ones had already been brought into the world. The man would give a warm smile as he looked down at the little ones, slowly lifting his gaze to his beloved Nalyda. “Nalyda... They’re so perfect...” He would breathe out. “Everyone else is resting up just fine. How are you feeling though?” Speech, Thought

Nalyda would then feel another contraction. Her eyes widening when she happened to feel pain, but, not your average kicking type pain, the pain that death was around, and there was nothing you could do. She pushed a couple times when another pup was born, looking to the little bundle. She happened to see that it was a male and that he happened to be a runt as well. Nalyda licked him clean and whimpered, nudging him, but he did not move. This one pup was a stillborn. Nalyda hung her head and whimpered, standing up and walking out of the den to be alone for a minute.

"Kar, watch over the pups for a minute," she would say, walking out of the den and sitting outside, looking out to the sky as she said a silent prayer for the deceased pup that had died while he was still inside of her. Every moment, she wished that she could have done something to save her stillborn son, even trading her life for his own if it meant bringing him into the world alive. After a couple minutes, she walked back inside the den and lied down, bringing the pups over to suckle, also, the ebony and grey dame grabbed the small pup by the scruff and brought it close to her chest, licking him and sharing her love to him almost as if he were alive. "I'm sorry, little one. May your soul find peace in the other world..." She closed her eyes and kept her head down slightly, bringing the pups head close to her own.

There would be no answer to his question as Nalyda once more went into labor. Contractions would rack her body, and soon she would produce another little bundle. Before even asking her what was wrong he could sense it. A heavy feeling would settle in his heart as he looked at his beloved mate, a whine leaving his lips. No... No this couldn’t be! Their child was...? Kar felt frozen, looking upon his beloved in silence. It was hard to believe that now they were truly to lose a child. A child they hadn’t even had the chance to know. The living pups would squeak and whine as their mother left their side, and Kar’s gaze would follow her out of the den. He felt horrid... It must have been the stress. The stress of the move. Of Mystic being taken. He would blame himself, moving closer to his new son and daughter, casting a glance at his lost son. Tears were within his eyes, a whine, chocked back, leaving him. “I’m so sorry...” He would whisper. He’d give a lick to each of his little ones in turn. A little boy and girl had survived. After a few minutes Nalyda would returned, and Kar would shift so that the little ones could be brought to her side. The man would lick the top of her head, giving another whine. “He is with Siri now. She will watch over our little one.” The man would say softly. “I... I should bury him, Nalyda... Before the others see...” His words were low, hurt. He wasn’t sure how else to comfort her, setting his muzzle upon her head. "Nalyda Speech," "Kar Speech"

Table by:: Keno

Nalyda would give a small whimper, tears running down her face as the tears fell upon the ground. She couldn't believe that one of her own children, one child whom she never even got a chance to meet and know, died within her womb and only to be brought into the world and to see him deceased and not moving.

"Kar, I know that our child is with Siri now, but, I cannot fathom that we have not gotten a chance to know our child. To see him moving, to talk, to do anything. I was fine when we moved and I stayed calm when Mystic was taken, but, to think that one of your own pups is dead...I just can't believe this..." She whimpered and hung her head.

The world would was something different from what he had known. When the boy was expelled from the safety of his mother’s womb he met the world with a wail, his small body flailing upon the earth. The child bore no name as of yet, but he would. He would grow to be the second son of Kar and Nalyda, a boy who would be family oriented, just as his parents were. The little creature would struggle on the earth, giving cries as protest during the time he was cleaned, and then again as the warmth left him. His mother was grieving for his brother, a brother he would not know. But he was ignorant of such things.

When finally his mother returned he would snuggle back to her side, focusing solely on the sources of warmth around him and feeding. He would not know of much else until his eyes opened, and once they did he would begin to see the world for all it truly was.

From the warmth and safety of her mother's womb, to the cold and unpleasant world that she would be born into. Since she was a newborn, she would not be able to defend herself; she would be relying on her parents for a long while.

She squirmed, her paws flailing as she could feel the warmth that was her mother leave her. What was going on? She did not know that her mother would be grieving over the loss of her brother, a brother who she would never know. The pup would have no name as of right now, but she would, and she began to whimper, wondering where her mother had gone. But, soon, she would feel the warmth come back to her and she nudged into her mother's side, suckling on the milk that would give her life and warmth once more.

Kar would gently nuzzle his mate as she whimpered. He would keep his ears lowered, shaking his head. “I know that it’s hard, Nalyda but... We can not grieve forever over what was lost. We may have lost a son... But we have a beautiful son and daughter laying with us right here and now.” The man would look to his deceased son, a pang deep in his heart. “I’ll go bury him... Somewhere we’ll be able to visit and lay flowers... Alright?” He would ask, wanting to make sure it was alright with her before he picked up the stillborn. "Nalyda Speech," "Kar Speech"

Table by:: Keno

Nalyda would look to her mate, her eyes showing sadness as she couldn't help but whimper a couple more times, tears noticeable as they ran down her cheek but didn't go down her chin due to being stuck in her fur. Her crimson eyes shown sadness as she looked to her stillborn son and licked him, showing him the comfort and warmth he needed as if he were alive. Even though one of their sons was stillborn, the dame wished to show that even though he was in the afterlife, she loved him and cared for him. She turned her head back over to look to her mate, nodding her head.

"May Siri look after our little one. Please, Kar, make sure he is buried deep enough that no other predator shall destroy his body..." She hung her head and placed her head on her paws, wrapping her tail around her newborn pups that were still alive. She couldn't help but close her eyes and fall to sleep within a couple minutes due to her crying.

The man would give a nod as his mate spoke, gently taking his son up with his jaws. He would make sure that no other predator could reach his body, so that he would be safe. His body, as it decayed, would eventually nourish the earth where he lay. The man would take a look at his new son and daughter and leave the den, walking outside. He would look around, gaze falling on a tall, sturdy tree. It was close to them, and he knew that his beloved still cared for the child despite it being a stillborn. Keeping him close would be the better thing, Kar thought. The man would carry the child over to the try and set him down, beginning to dig. He would dig the whole deep, making sure it was whide enough for the little body. Then the man would lay his son to rest, covering his body first with soil and then finding a rock to roll atop the grave. A marker... a reminder of who lay there. He would stand there in silence for a long moment, looking down at his son's grave before walking back to the den in silence and slipping inside. Gently he would nuzzle his beloved, laying down behind her. "You should get some sleep, Nalyda..." He'd say gently. "Speech"

Table by:: Eldarwen