It had not been the first night that week where the tightening in her stomach had awoken her, and like each one of the false alarms prior she curled herself back into Sirius' side and prepared to drift back asleep. Her effort was interrupted again and again, and eventually with a pain so sharp that she stepped on her slumbering husband in her rush to stagger to her feet. The feeling was familiar and filled her with dread - the warm happy feeling of newborn pups at her side was forgotten instantly, and instead she remembered how ill-equipped her body had been the first time to push out children of Sirius' blood. The pain was coming in too-fast waves, had it happened so quickly a year ago? No matter how hard she tried the memory of the actual birth was faint, overshadowed by the prize at the end that she was not entirely in this moment convinced would be worth it. What if this time she had four mutated, over-sized boys with wings and angry snappy pointy teeth? Zee thought she might faint. "Sirius!" Just in case the lumbering giant had not quite awakened, she threw a blind elbow into the spot where he lay, her head tucked down to look between her forelegs at her stomach. Her only relief was in knowing he was here beside her, and that for all his faults Sirius was never afraid to take charge and command a situation. "Speech"

Sirius slept more heavily than he usually did. He was comfortable with Zee in his arms, and the subtle warmth of summer holding on through the night. He was dreaming of rolling through the long grass of his pack, with an army of little pups chasing him. No matter how far or fast he ran, they caught him in the end. Topping him to the ground with a chorus of mighty little howls.

The Warlord was laughing, tossing puppies onto his stomach one by one, when one of them caught his side hard with a firm paw. “Ugh!” he cried, and the world around him changed. He was back in the den, and his little puppy army was yet to be born. Actually, wait… they were about to be born

He was on his feet in a moment, kissing Zee behind the ear, and then jumping to the den entrance. “Io!” his howl cried, knowing his sister was likely expecting the call. Then he was back to Zee’s side, curling himself around her. “My love, how are you doing, my sweet beloved?” he asked, his voice gentle and soothing.

Sirius was quick to his feet and Zee was glad he was doing enough moving around for the both of them. His tender words and soothing touch were comforting, though his question brought her to laugh. How was she doing? Well, not as good as she was half an hour ago... but better then she'd be doing soon. "Mmm." His question was answered with a pained grunt. Silly men. She lowered herself slowly back to the furs, rolling her weight onto her side and splaying her feet out to him with a groan. Her eyes slid shut, and then reopened as she addressed him. "Can't you just knock me out for it this time? One good hit, right here." She lifted her paw to her temple, though it quickly retreated as another spasm started in her belly. Her sarcasm faded, and her pained tone grew more firm. "If Io doesn't get here soon you'll need to call someone else, there isn't much time." Indigo was an option, though the last possible one Zee could imagine. While the healer-in-training would surely benefit from a birth, she was not pleased with the idea of him staring into her unmentionables. "Speech"

Her lack of true answer told him plenty, and he hid a grin, even past his excitement, worry, and anxiety. He kept his bundle of emotions at bay, concentrating all his attention on Zee. he began to groom the back of her head, and he growled softly, gripping her fur with his teeth and releasing it at the suggestion of knocking her out. That would be answer enough for his teasing troublemaker wife.

“She’ll be here.” He promised Zee, his faith in his sister unshakable. And with speed, she knew Zee was pregnant, and he couldn’t fathom her going far with Zee in this condition. He turned his attention back to grooming her, doing his best to comfort her and keep her attention from the pains in her lower half.

Iolaire was dead tired. That was her new norm. She didn't leave her cottage unless there was no other choice. Today... there was no other choice. As the call came Iolaire sighed and grabbed her pack. The prolonged exposure to herbs and poisons had left her thin and frail. She had already decided to stop the treatments. They didn't seem to be working.

It took the frail woman a while to reach her brothers den, but she eventually ducked inside. No doubt she longed as tired as she felt. Sitting her bag aside, she gave Zee her best smile. This was an exciting time for them and she would do her best. Patting the giants paw, she spoke. "How are things coming along? How are you feeling?" She needed to know how close Zee was so she could make preparations.

Sirius' gentle grooming was as relaxing as it got in such a painful situation, and she tried to focus upon the warm strokes of his tongue rather than the painful contractions that were steadily becoming closer together. As her husband had assured her, Iolaire did show. Immediately Zee's attention was focused upon the frail-looking healer, and she shot her husband a worried look from over her shoulder. Never would Zee dare to insinuate that his sister was not fit to practice her profession, instead she defaulted to Sirius' judgement and tried to reassure herself that Io wouldn't ever offer to help if she wasn't feeling up to it. Was she sick? Was it contagious? Would it spread to her unborn childen? Her breath was coming quicker, and she turned back to Io with wide eyes. Io had asked a question, so Zee was obligated to reply and try and ignore her many bubbling worries. "I think they're coming very soon." She murmured, wincing hard as another contraction wracked her. "It feels stronger then last time, faster." "Speech"