The Perfect Moments In Life [Birthing]

She’d been taking it easy – as much as a healer with a pair of very ill wolves could take it, at any rate – since her body had swollen with life. Admittedly, she felt as bloated as one of the deer carcasses she’d found the previous year along the river on the southern border of the pack land. Her unborn brood wriggled and squirmed most of the time, now, and at times, it was quite uncomfortable. Sleeping was difficult, between the waning health of Surreal, and now Falk, and the constant movement of the pups she carried.

She wasn’t about to complain. This had been a dream of hers since she was young – to have a family, see her children running, playing, learning, laughing, and finding their way in the world – and she would take any sleepless night, or constant running to the outside of the cave to relieve herself over another year closer to being unable to attain that dream. This dream.

She was strolling back from a short distance expedition to find a few herbs before Autumn could roll in and kill off the best herbs when the first cramp struck. It took her breath away, and she paused, waiting until the spasm eased, counting under her breath. Another swept in, and she knew for sure. She waited for the spasm to pass, then hurried forward. Her alcove was already ready, piled with moss and grasses from the plains, not to mention furs from her growing stock.

Creed shared the alcove with her, naturally, and as she alternated between hurrying toward the cave, and pausing for the contractions, she lifted her head, calling for him, as well as the rest of the family. She didn’t foresee any complications to the birthing; everything had gone well, as they should. In all, she was looking forward to the hours ahead, pain or no pain.

She finally made it to the ravine, into the cave, and to her alcove, settling with a careful sigh and relaxing, having set the bundle of herbs aside on her way through the opening. Now all there was to do was wait.

Skip to the action! (OOC I want to move this along so that puppies can be posted, even if we don’t have to finish the thread.)

Labor was well and truly underway, and she rode out the contractions as best as she could. She was vaguely aware of the giant red frame of Regulus outside the alcove, watching from a distance, but for now, her world revolved around pain, contractions, and remembering to breathe. She’d taken the herbs needed to ease the pain, strengthen the spasms, and help for an easy birth, but the pain was still intense. But she was near the goal.

The first was coming now, and she focused on that feeling, settling into a rhythm of push and breathe, push and breathe, until at last, the first pup arrived, encased within his slippery sac. She sagged briefly before twisting around to free her new child, lathering love and strokes of her tongue over his form. A boy, and big. She cleaned him up as best as she could before nudging the wriggling form to her belly, taking the time to rest. She knew there would be a short time to get her breath and bask in the triumph of becoming an official mother.

That moment ended, and she tackled the following arrivals with joyful tenacity, almost settled into a trance as the next pup, and then the next, and then two more arrived, cleaning each one as it came into the world, until at last, she sagged, certain nothing but the afterbirth remained to be expelled, and sought out Creed’s shoulder to press her nose into his fur. “Beautiful, Creed. They’re beautiful. Perfect, every one of them.”

(Birthing order shall start with Eve/Fable, and then whomever posts next, ending with Glory/Prestige, since they’re the smallest. Family and friends welcome to post ^^)

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think