Night, and the spirit of life
10-03-2016, 09:40 PM
Her eyes were closed as she focused on the darkness, trying to make it through each second as the painful contractions dragged on. It seemed to last forever, and she wondered if Steel would ever come. Time seemed to have slowed down. But finally she heard hurried pawsteps, and heavy panting as her mate came into the den. Emerald orbs shot open as she looked up at Steel - her expression was a myriad of emotions; joy, pain, terror, excitement. When his stammering voice hit her ears, she grinned through the pain, her tail thumping against the ground for a moment. "It's time, they're coming," she said as she grit her teeth, overwhelmed with another wave of pain. She couldn't say anything else, but she didn't need to as Steel went rushing to the den's entrance to call for a healer, or someone, anyone with experience. But as much as she had hoped for someone with some know-how to come, she wasn't so sure there would be time. She could feel the process in her body moving forward - things were shifting, preparing to expel the little bundles. "Steel," she called to her love, "There might not be time to wait." Whether or not there was time, she just wanted him close to her. She didn't know how long this was going to take, or how much more intense it was going to get. But if the healer Vereux didn't come, and no one else did, they'd be on their own. The best they could do is stay close, and Esarosa would have to rely on her instincts to get through this. As the sun set, no more light filtered into the den, leaving them in blackness. In a way, it was comforting, and by now, Esarosa was breathing steadily at the rhythm her body decided. At last came the first urge to begin pushing, and she would do as her body dictated, with nobody experienced here to instruct her. To her surprise, things moved along rather smoothly, and although the pain was intense, in a way she was numbed to it as she focused on pushing - just get it done. Finally, the first would come, kicking and screaming the moment her mother removed the amniotic sac and she took her first breath - apparently she did not like the sudden change in environment. A feisty little girl, most likely the one that kicked restlessly within the womb, causing a light chuckle to escape the new mother. Esarosa licked her first daughter all clean, then nudged the newborn toward her belly, instinct taking over for her so that she no longer hesitated nor worried. Moments later, she would get to work delivering the second, which felt easier than the first, despite the difference in size. A little boy, she discovered as she cleaned him up and helped him toward her belly to begin nursing. She smiled warmly at her new son, watching in pure ecstasy as the two pups snuggled, wiggled and whined as they suckled. Then another wave of pain washed over her, and so she worked with her body to deliver the third, and hopefully the last pup. The easiest of all three pups, another little girl, just slightly smaller than her siblings was brought into the world with relative ease. Esarosa licked her clean, nuzzling her second daughter lovingly as she then nudged her along to her belly. Soon after, the placenta would come, which the new mother devoured ravenously without a second thought. Finally, she looked up to her mate, her eyes well-adjusted to the dark now. She had wanted him there beside her, and then she had needed to focus on her body, and delivering and caring for the newborns. She wondered if he was just as elated as she was, feeling like she was floating in a different universe of pure joy and exhaustion. "Three pups... they're all here," she announced breathlessly, "They're perfect." Breathing deeply, she lay her head on the ground, her body quivering from the effort she'd just put forth. |
![[Image: JA7MsGH.png]](http://i.imgur.com/JA7MsGH.png)