Oh gods it was happening.

The older woman lay in her den, the familiar contractions rolling through her body. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears pouring down her face. It wasn't from the pain, it wasn't that bad, it was from the fear of having pups. She had vowed after her last babies had been killed before her very eyes that she would never give birth again. And look at her now. Well shit, it too late for that wasn't it? Ekko curled in a ball, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling that clenched in her belly. She was young the first time, but now she knew. She had thought that she had learned her lesson the first time, but apparently not. Wailing, she curled even tighter. She had half the mind to just not push and let the poor things die within her, but she hadn't the guts to pull through this.

Colten.

Should she call him? No... perhaps it was better if she suffered this alone. So she sent out no call, only sniffled as she lifted her leg to peek at her own belly. Why had her stupid hormones betrayed her? It was all their fault! This wasn't supposed to happen -- she still didn't get it! Colten wasn't even two, and yet she was in  labor with his children. Oh gods... her alphas were going to kill her. Well, if they ever found out. Ekko sent a prayer that the children looked like her, that this wouldn't tie Colten down at all. How selfish of her to ruin his life like this? And now she was stuck, stuck in this stupid pack and giving birth.

The golden girl was padding through the pack lands, the warmth of spring had begin to melt the snow and some herbs were beginning to sprout again. Her store still wasn’t where she wanted it to be but it was growing at least. What remained of her motherwort was going to need replenishing soon, a trip out east would need to be made but she had at least one or more stalk that was still good. A fear smell suddenly assaulted her senses. Eyes growing wide the girl trotted to follow the scent. It took her to a den. Slowly she peered inside, soft voice finally lifting from her lips. "Are you alright?" A stupid question perhaps but if she could get the wolf to understand she wasn’t there to hurt them it was for the better. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and landed upon the swollen belly of a woman she didn’t know.   "I’ll be right back." The girl would rush off towards her stash, pushing her way into her den and digging up the small pile. Teeth clamping around the one still usable stalk of Motherwort and a few other herbs good for pain; she only hoped she could get back to the woman’s den before the rest of the pack showed up… she had a feeling Arcanum wasn’t exactly going to be kind to the clearly distressed woman. "Speech"

He had been given much to ponder. He was going to be a father. Yet he wasnt even an adult himself. He still didn't understand how this happened, and neither did Ekko. It wasnt suppose to happen. But it had. He would move towards her den, hoping to seek her out again. His movements were slow until the scent of her fear filled his nostrils. Without a second thought he would burst forth, legs stretching far to eat up as much ground as possible. He felt frantic. She was afraid and pregnant with his children. He wasnt entirely sure what was going to happen to them. He couldn't imagine that his grandfather or Cataleya would be happy about this. But he vowed that he would do whatever it took to help her. He reached her den in recorded timing, just in time to find another. He had seen her at the training meeting. She seemed like a kind woman. He stood awkwardly for a moment before slipping into Ekkos den, his movements slow, cautious, so as not to startle her. Ekko. Her name fell his lips softly as he peered down at her, eyes wide with concern. He would try and lay down beside her, seeking to tuck her protectively into his side, so that her back was against his belly. He began to worry that the entire pack might arrive for the birth, which would certainly not go over well. Speech,

Unfortunately she would not be alone for very long, although the pale face that poked into her den seemed to be kind enough. The woman said that she would be right back before vanishing again, leaving her all alone. She just wanted to suffer through this all by herself, this was her issue to deal with. But that sweet scent replaced the smell of her sweat, and her head lifted slightly. Colten. He was here. Her name was whispered off his lips, and he stepped behind her, tucking the small woman against his chest. Ekko sobbed, tucking her head between his front legs. She lifted her head so that it was pressed against his chest, tears flowing down her face. There was hardly any pain as another contraction rushed through her, but it wasn't the pain that made her cry. It was the fear, the huge amount of fear that sunk down to her belly. She was failing all that she had promised herself, all that she vowed to never happen again. But here she was. There was still time until the little souls would be brought into the world, the contractions still had a space of five minutes between them. Squeezing her eyes shut she wished that it would just end, that this would all be over with.

She would sob against his chest and he didn't understand her tears. Was she in pain? Uncertainty etched into his features as he remained silent, hugging her tighter, not knowing what else to do. He knew nothing of her past, or what had happened to her first litter, nor did he know a single thing about giving birth. He was at a total loss. Seeking to comfort her, his tongue would seek to rasp gently against her shoulder, the motion steady and repetitive. Audits flicked wildly, listening to see if anyone else would be approaching. He really hoped not, Ekko was already upset and in pain, he didn't want anyone else that would make it worse. Trying to swallow his worry, he would take a deep, steadying breath. He needed to be strong for the both of them, after all, he had helped get them into this mess. Speech,

As the golden girl rushed off towards the frail woman’s den, it would become evident as she drew close that she had failed to beat other wolves here. Though as she pushed her way into the den, she was pleased to note it was only one wolf, younger than she was and from his behavior he was not hostile towards the stressed woman. "Sorreh," she mumbled "Imm gon neeh spaceh teh wor." She tired her best to push in towards the woman, dropping her herbs at her paws. With so little space in the den it took some effort to separate the herbs from each other. With a soft smile the golden babe gently nudged the long stalk of motherwort towards the woman. "Motherwort. If you wouldn’t mind chewing on that, it’ll help with nerves. You’ll want to be as calm as possible for the pups’ sakes." Her voice was soft, hardly above a whisper. Then she nosed another herb from her pile, large leaves protruding from a long stem that once upon a time must have been capped with a flower. "Lady’s Slipper." Freya spoke, gently pulling leaves from it’s stem and separating them. "A mild, sedative, for the pain. I’ll be giving it to you in small doses, only when you need it." "Speech"

Colten pulled her closer and she whimpered, eyes squeezing shut as she tried to lock the fear down. The pretty healer came back in, pushing some herbs towards her. The first leaves she happily lapped up and chewed on them, listening to the kind soul. But when she pushed the sedative towards her, she turned her nose at them. The pain wasn't bad at all, it was her own damn fear that made it all so much worse. Another contraction came, and this time the urge to push was a lot greater. Her body listening without her really wanting it too, and she cursed it silently. But it wasn't very long before the small pup was born into the world. Ekko laid there for several moments, hoping that this would go away. Only one pup came out, and she refused to do anything to it. Until it cried. Her heart melted and she moved, cleaning it and placing it by her belly. The poor dear, it wasn't his fault that she didn't want him. He was a new soul, and she was punishing him for being born. How fair was that? "Shhh little one, its okay," she whispered, as she curled around his tiny form. A growl then rumbled out of her maw, teeth baring as she looked at the two beings in the den. Tears still poured down her face, fear very much still within her. "Don't kill him. Don't you dare kill my puppy in front of me again. I can't handle it, I won't allow it!" she cried, revealing just why she was so afraid. They wouldn't take him away, right? The wouldn't kill him, right?

Being unwanted while growing did more harm than good to the boy, although none of it could be seen. Those emotions and feelings had been passed down to him, even if his mother didn't mean for it to be. So his bringing up would be one that would surprise most, but that was neither here nor there. All he knew was that everything was changing, as he was brought out of the warmth and into a shock of cold. Laying utterly still for a few moments, it was several heartbeats until he cried, as if unsure that it would be answered. But he was grabbed and clean, and milk became all that he cared for. He was unaware that the rumble against him was his mothers growls, or that he was the only one who had been brought into this world. Just milk, just warmth. Love? No. That was something the boy would not understand for a long while.

She had been bidding her time, waiting for the day that the little whore would give birth. Did she honestly think that her pregnancy would go unnoticed. The Queen had taken to lingering unseen with a clear view of her den, waiting, always waiting. So when Freya bolted towards the den and then away, her interest would spike. Then Colten would arrive, rushing into the den without hesitation. Eyes narrowed in speculation. Freya would return, carrying something, probably herbs before ducking into the den. She would finally rise, shaking the dust from her pelt. Lengthy limbs would carrying her silently towards the den, coral gazing dropping so that she may peer in. She would slip inside, remaining half in, half out the already packed den. "You foolish whore." She would snarl, narrowed gaze resting on her slave. "You will not raise this child." Words fell like stones from her dark lips. "Everyone out!" She snapped, backing from the den before she would return from the child. "Burn Baby Burn"

She would press into his side, a whimper leaving her lips. Freya would return with herbs, ushering them towards Ekko. He would remain silent, even as his child was born. Eyes would widen, he had never witnessed such a thing. Ekko would groom their child, his tiny wails filling the den. He would begin to smile, simply peering down at the newborn. But Ekko would lash out. He growls vibrated against his side, her lips pulled back to expose teeth. Confusion swept across his features. He look at Freya for clarification. But her words could not be ignored. Kill him? Why in the world would he kill their child? Again? Confusion, hurt, uncertainty all swept across his russet features. E-Ekko, no one is going to hurt him. He would murmur softly, seeking to press his nose to her cheek, though his movements were slow, hesitant. A shadow would cross over the den entrance, causing him to tighten his body around Ekko protectively. And then the last face he wanted to see would appear. Cataleya. Nasty words fell from her dark, causing his hackles to bristle. Then she would threaten to take his child and his anger would explode. He would rise and slip from the den, lips peeled back. You will not touch him! He snarled angrily. He would seek to come at his Queen head on, long legs aimed to close the few feet between them in a few strides. His brief spar only days before had done very little to better his skills, but he'd be damned if he was going to let this bitch take his kid. His left shoulder shot forward as he aimed to collide the point of the hard bone with his Queens sternum. Simultaneously his jaws would part as his crown aimed to tip to his right, his jaws naturally following suit. He sought to grab a hold of the left side of her throat, just behind the curve of her jaw. All the while his defenses remained in place: eyes narrowed, ears pinned, hackles raised, head level with his spine, chin tucked, neck scrunched, shoulders rolled forward, legs spread equidistant and bent at the joint, toes splayed, claws digging into the ground, weight evenly distributed, tail straight and aligned with his spine. COLTEN vs CATALEYA for COHEN: round 1/2 Speech, ooc- saffie agrees that cat is like 2 feet away from the den entrance XD

Opposition met her. Kylar's grandsons angry words met her ears, causing her lips to pull back into a snarl. He would burst from the den, only a few feet parting them. He would rush towards her, coming at her head on, which she would allow. But instead of allowing his left shoulder to collide with the center of her chest, she would aim to take a single step to her own right, so that his shoulder collided with the blunt bone of the left portion of her chest. A moderate bruise would fare across her chest, though she didn't have time to think. His jaws would land slightly lower than his intended target due to her step to the side, landing about midway down the left side of her neck. Moderate puncture wounds would ensure following his bite. Rage would swell in her chest. Her crown would tip to her right, jaws also seeking to turn to her right. She would aim to grab a hold of the left side of his neck. Jaws aimed to grab nearly center across his neck so that his spine lay beneath her jaws. She sought a grip that would give her control over his head so that she could force him to the ground. Simultaneously her left shoulder would jut forward in an attempt to jab at his windpipe. Then her left foreleg would seek to lift, weight immediately redistributing, so that she would then try and slam it down on his own left forepaw with as much force as she could muster. What in the hell had gotten into these two? Now both had acted out in defiance. All the while defenses remained in place: eyes narrowed, ears pinned, hackles raised, neck scrunched, shoulder rolled forward, legs spread equidistant and bent at the joint, toes splayed, claws digging into the ground, weight evenly distributed, head level with spine, chin tucked, tail straight and aligned with her spine. "CATALEYA vs COLTEN for COHEN/MAIM (FACIAL SCARRING): round 1/2" occ- yes, i agreed that they are only about 2 feet apart lol

The woman would move slightly to her own right so that his shoulder landed more on the left portion of her chest. A moderate bruise would flare across his left shoulder immediately. Her movement had also caused his jaws to land lower than expected. His fangs would sink in about midway down the left side of her neck. His jaws would immediately seek to clamp shut while simultaneously he sought to thrash his head back and forth, wanting to rip open her flesh. Though in his haste, pain flared across his neck. Her fangs met their mark, landing on the back of his, about midway as well. Moderate puncture wounds bled across his neck, the crimson liquid standing his already russet pelt. Simultaneously her shoulder jab at his windpipe, causing him to gag, though he refused to relinquish his grip, trying hard to maintain it. He was inexperienced, that much was evident. Her left forepaw would slam down on his own left forepaw, heavy bruising flaring across his paws. In an act of rebellion he would seek to release his hold on her neck, his crown lowering as he attempted to grab a hold of her left foreleg. He sought to sink his fangs into the soft portion just above her left elbow. He didn't care what damage he did, so long as he did something. His defenses remained intact: eyes narrowed, ears pinned, hackles raised, head level with spine, chin tucked, legs spread equidistant and bent at the joint, toes splayed, claws digging into the ground, weight evenly distributed, tail straight and aligned with spine. COLTEN vs CATALEYA for COHEN: round 2/2

He was a foolish boy. He was inexperienced and had no business fighting her. Rage spread white hot through her veins. Her fangs met their mark cross his neck, though immediately she would release him, it was not a worthy hold. His head would thrash back and forth, shredding the heavy fat and flesh over the lefts side of her neck. Moderate wounds would quickly become severe and would likely scar. Her left forepaw would also land on his own left forepaw. She would seek to rotate her left foreleg outward, so as she grind her paw against his left forepaw. He would move again, releasing his grip on her neck. She would use through brief seconds to side step with her hips to her right, bringing them to a slight angle. This would cause his jaws to slice into her left shoulder, leaving behind moderate lacerations, though he obtained no grip. She would strike like a snake. Splayed jaws sought to come down across his face, her crown having tipped to her right so that jaws could point to her right. She sought to come down across both his eyes, though her goal was not to blind him. No, she would scar his pretty little face, give them both an everyday reminder of the sins they committed. She would lash out merciless, hoping that her jaws met their mark across his face. All the while defenses remained in place: eyes narrowed, ears pinned, hackles raised, neck scrunched, shoulder rolled forward, legs spread equidistant and bent at the joint, toes splayed, claws digging into the ground, weight evenly distributed, head level with spine, chin tucked, tail straight and aligned with her spine. "CATALEYA vs COLTEN for COHEN/MAIM (FACIAL SCARRING): round 2/2" occ- i apologize if these posts are all over the place. But you should all be proud, I just fought myself! And spreed it!!

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Colten VS Catalya Round 1 Colten: CLARITY: 10 / 10 Post was clear, full points POWERPLAYING: 10 / 10 No powerplaying found, full points DEFENSES: 10 / 10 + 1 for each defense listed up to 10 ATTACK: 7 / 10 + 3 normal attack, hitting shoulder bone into Cat's chest. +4 grip attempt, biting her neck. INJURIES: 10 / 10 First round, no injuries Round one Colten Total: 47 / 50 Catalya: CLARITY: 10 / 10 Clear post, full points POWERPLAYING: 10 / 10 No powerplaying found, full points DEFENSES: 10 / 10 + 1 per defense listed up to 10 ATTACK: 8 / 10 + 4 grip attempt, biting left side of his neck across his spine. + 3 normal attack, shoulder to the windpipe. + 1 minor attack, stomping on his paw. INJURIES: 10 / 10 Moderate bruise on chest, Moderate puncture wounds on left side of neck. No points deducted, first round. Round one Total: 48 / 50 Round 2 Colten: CLARITY: 10 / 10 Clear post, full points. POWERPLAYING: 10 / 10 No powerplaying found, full points DEFENSES: 10 / 10 + 1 point per defense listed to 10 ATTACK: 7 / 10 + 3 normal attack, thrashing head to tear skin. + 4 grip attempt, biting upper part of her foreleg. INJURIES: 6 / 10 - 1 Moderate bruise, on left shoulder. - 2 moderate laceration, bite to the top-middle of his neck. - 1 moderate brusing, on his left forepaw. Round two Colten Total: 43 / 50 Catalya: CLARITY: 10 / 10 Clear post, full points. POWERPLAYING: 10 / 10 No powerplaying found, full points. DEFENSES: 10 / 10 + 1 per defense listed up to 10. ATTACK: 5 / 10 + 1 minor attack, grinding his paw with hers. + 4 maim attempt, biting his face. INJURIES: 5 / 10 - 3 severe laceration, tearing on the left side of her neck. - 2 moderate laceration, bite wound on her left shoulder. Round two Catalya Total: 40 / 50 Totals: Colten: 90 /100 Catalya: 88 /100 And the winner is... Colten! Catalya must give up by either submitting, fleeing, or passing out. Colten wins the rights to Cohen. Damage: Colten- Moderate brusing on the left side of his chest and on his left paw. Moderate laceration on the top of his neck around the middle, may cause light scarring. Catalya- Severe laceration on the left side of her neck, will cause some scarring. Moderate bite wound to her left shoulder, might cause light scaring. Moderate brusing to her chest. Notes: Welp, congrats on almost tieing with yourself xD Let me know if I missed something or if you have questions <3 - Shelby

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This was pointless. She was fighting a child. With a final gnash of her jaws, she would shove the smaller child away from her. Rage oozed from her being as she stood dominantly before him. Hatred simmered in her coral gaze as she glared at him, blood matting her pelt. "Get out of my pack." She would snarl angrily. Lips peels back, exposing bloodied ivories. She had enough of their insolence. "If I ever see you again, I'll kill you and your whore." Hackles bristled, words coming out in a threatening hiss. Without a second thought, she would turn away from them, leaving the bloody scene behind her. She would know if they left or not. And if they didn't leave, more blood would be spilled, starting with Ekko's. Moving away, she half expected to run into her husband, but he had yet to show, which was also no surprise. It only fueled her anger. Her pack was filling up with disobedient fools, her husband included. A pack meeting was in order, and she would set everyone straight. -exit- "Talk like this" occ- i apologize if these posts are all over the place. But you should all be proud, I just fought myself! And spreed it!!

The fight happened before she could even realize it. Cataleya's face popped in just as Colten said that no one was going to hurt him. Well, it looked like this bitch was here to set the record straight. She growled, but not before Colten jumped into action. Teeth flashed as wounds were given out. Curling even tighter around her son she let out growls here and there, pale blue eyes wide with shock. She looked over to the healer, too stunned to say anything. But she backed away, Colten coming out the victor. It came with a cost though, as she freed her from the whole damn pack and told her to leave. Good! She didn't even want to be here in the first place! But the baby was just born, traveling wouldn't be very safe at all. What were they going to do? She turned to the boy, letting out a soft whine as the stupid silver bitch left. "What are we going to do? He was just born, Colten. Traveling far won't be safe... and your brother. Oh gods this is all my fault," she said softly, eying the young boy. But her gaze soon drifted down to the little bundle that was at her belly, a small smile spreading her lips. She may have been afraid of this, but seeing Colten jump in so quickly to protect him... perhaps this was all meant to be. She was free, at last.

The silver Queen would release him, the battle coming to a halt. She wold spit angry words, expelling him and his family from the pack. He would remain silent, defenses still in place until she left. They needed to leave, now. He would turn away once the silver queen was out of sight and slip back into the den. We need to go, now. He hated to make her move so soon after giving birth, but there wasnt time. He didn't want to be around for when the Queen returned to make sure of their departure. He would look down at Ekko and their child. A weary sigh rolled off his tongue. This was not how this was suppose to go. Ears remained pinned against his skull, his wounds still bleeding. He would shift his weight nervously, his gaze shifting back and forth. The sooner they could get out of here and far away, the better. He thought about going back to Secretua, but they would find him easily there. Perhaps they would stay rogues for a bit, then find a different pack to join. His mind was a jumbled mess as he struggled to make plans for his new family. Speech Thought Others

At the boy's words she nodded her head, knowing that what he said was true. She was tired though, she had literally just popped a baby out of her and now they had to go on the move? Colten's neck was still bleeding, and the small girl rose up to lap at the wound, little baby crying as she moved away from him. "What about Amarant?" she asked again, not sure if he really heard her the first time. Would they be leaving without so much as a word to him? He was Colten's brother after all! "I don't know how well he will travel, he was just born after all. We will have to stop a lot so I can feed him and so I can rest," her legs were still shaky after all, and she wasn't a yearling anymore. Dipping down her graying muzzle she let out of cooing sounds, trying to soothe the pups loud cries. "Not even a name for you yet and you are kicked out of your birth place. Oh my darling its okay, hush now. Colten will take good care of us, your daddy has us my love," came her soft words. Blue eyes roamed up to the brown boy, and she managed a small smile. Bending down she picked up the still damp pup, turning her shaky body towards Colten. Slightly pulling her head forward she signaled for him to lead the way.

She would inquire about Amarant. And for a moment he would hesitate. His brother. He needed to speak to his brother. But he couldn't risk their lives. Ill find him later, for now Im getting you two out of here. He would decide. She would express her concerns, and he knew she was right. He wasnt even a few hours old and already having to move. We will, he'll be okay. He would back out of the den, waiting for her to follow. He sought to press against her side, keeping her close while leading them towards the border. He kept his head low, ears pinned and his gaze focused straight ahead, listening for the sounds of anyone approaching. Together they would move from this place. He would try and move as quickly as possible without allowing Ekko to fall behind. They would stop once they were a few miles out, then they would move again, and keep up the routine until they were far enough away and could go into hiding. -exit- Speech Thought Others