Born of Fear

Walk | Talk | Think

No matter her prior birthing experience, Callisto still found difficulty with the task. She had never been someone prone to strenuous acts of exertion, even on her good days, and pushing out a live creature not once but twice was by far the most strenuous and tiring event of her life. She had managed to do so once already, and was well on her way to doing so again. Only this time she was doing it on her terms: in her own chosen location, with the necessary plants on hand, and without any unwanted observers. I can do this, Calli told herself as the contractions claimed the whole of her attention and she did her best to remember her breathing through the pain, I can. She was strong in her own right, and if she could do this twice before then she could certainly do so again.

Halfway through birthing the first pup, she began to have her doubts. Maybe she had forgotten how painful the process was, or how tiring, but she felt as if nothing could compare to what she was going through. Were the plants having any effect? Had she not taken enough of them? She groaned, struggled, and eventually had her hard work pay off. The first pup was born, and relieved for the first leg of this journey to be complete, Callisto slumped for a second against the ground. How many more? She worried to herself, feeling worn out already, but mindful of the pup in need of her attention she righted herself and began to clean it, exposing it to the air and trying to rid its slick, pitch coat of the evidence left from its birth as she curled possessively and comfortingly closer to it.

There was a lull in the process as the first pup began to nurse. Calli took that time to close her eyes and catch her breath, relaxing while she had a moment to. She expected at any moment to feel further contractions, as that was how the first litter had come about: suddenly and without much pause. Are there more? Is this it? She could hardly believe it; it had never felt as if only one pup move around within her, but more than that. Two or three in total? She had no experience with exceedingly large litters, but her expectation was answered when the painful contractions began again. Callisto spat out the sprig of lavender - it was practically falling apart now between her teeth anyway - and clenched her jaw as she worked to give birth to another pup. For whatever reason, the birth was mercifully short, and for a second time a tiny, wriggling pup was brought into the world. The exhausted mother nearly slumped over again in relief, but she could only settle herself with a quiet whine. The child needed her, and again she cleaned and consoled the crying babe that looked strangely identical to the first.

With another groan, the new mother allowed herself a second moment to catch her breath and recoup from the exertion she had put forth in delivering her first two pups. Two healthy pups, she thought as she felt them both squirm against her stomach, fighting, she presumed, for their first meal. One cried incessantly, obviously struggling, and compelled to act by the tiny, helpless voice, Callisto opened her tired eyes and reached for the little being that she had created, nudging it gently to an open spot where it could nurse without disturbing the other. Is this all? she wondered, trying to focus what little energy she had remaining on her body and how she was feeling. Everything felt...calm now, and hoping it was not simply wishful thinking she allowed herself to relax completely upon the ground while the pups nursed.

Her quiet, restful moment was short-lived. The second she heard a voice speak softly from the den's entrance in a whispered, dreamy quality, the calm about her completely disappeared. In a panic, her silver-blue eyes shot open, her body went rigid, and the hairs along her back and neck rose in warning. With her back already turned to the entryway, Callisto turned her head slightly and bared her fangs as she growled low and threatening at the figure in her doorway, ears pinning and her forelegs lifting her chest just slightly off the ground, poised to get to her feet and send her unwanted visitor away. It's Jak, her thoughts told her, recognizing the voice in an instant, but fear and paranoia worked against her. Could Jakart still be trusted? Would his true colors come out now that the pups were here? What if he tried to take them away? How could she let that happen for a second time? Mine, she growled possessively, protectively, desperately guarding the crying pups from Jak's view with her body. These pups were hers, and she was not going to let them be taken away from her like the first.