Little Fiery One

Manea wasn't given much time to celebrate the birth of their fire-marked daughter as her body proceeded on with the natural course of things whether she was ready for it to or not. The labor was moving along swiftly which she was thankful for in some regards, but it did mean that there was little time to rest. She leaned back into Alastor once more, appreciative of him and his support, her paw lightly brushing his leg while she panted and braced herself for the next waves of contractions. "Just a couple more," she agreed breathlessly and glanced toward Irilyth with a small nod as her attentive handmaiden told her there was more painkillers to be had if she needed them. Manea certainly appreciated the offer, especially now that she had experienced the difference between birth with and without them, but now that she had the first one behind her she felt like she could continue on as she currently was. Maybe she'd regret that choice later, but only time would tell.

She breathed through the clench and discomfort of her contractions as they began to pick back up again, the muscles around her midsection tightening with each contraction as her body continued working the pups free. She snarled as the pain began to build again and as she began to push with each of the contractions she growled through each of them, her claws finding the fur they were laying on instead of her husband's foreleg this time. Each push took more and more effort, straining a bit more each time. She was reminded of giving birth to Saracyn, but at least this time she had something to take the edge off of the pain. The final few pushes to get the large pup free seemed to be more than the trillium could mask through and she turned her head a bit from where it was laying on Alastor and bit down around the upper part of his foreleg to muffle her screams, putting all of her energy and effort into freeing this pup. Finally she felt the pup slip from her and she was able to relax once again, collapsing back into Alastor with a shaky sigh as she released his leg. She gave the bite wound a few licks in silent thanks and apology while Irilyth cleaned up the pup.

She heard Irilyth announce that this one was a boy and once the second born was at her stomach next to their daughter she lifted her head to look at their new born children again. The boy was noticeably larger than the fiery girl, but looked almost as if he had been cloaked entirely in black. Perhaps there were some markings that she couldn't see or notice right in that moment between fits of contractions, but it seemed as though this boy got Alastor's melanism without any of the markings to break up the darkness. Either way, even without the stunning markings of his sister, Manea still found herself gazing at the boy adoringly. At the fringes of her mind she was reminded that they were fast approaching when decisions would have to be made and it made her lay her head against Alastor once more and turn her gaze away from their precious children.

Manea's labor forged full speed ahead before she really had a chance to catch her breath, the third pup coming very quickly and more easily than the first two. It was still by no means a pleasant experience, but she didn't think it ever was or would be. It at the very least seemed to go more quickly and with less strain that the second. She didn't have to bite Alastor's leg this time as the contractions gripped her and she gave hard pushes with each one, working the pup free with each one. With a pained growl and a tired grunt she finally pushed what was hopefully the last pup free and she panted to catch her breath for a few moments, the sound of another pup's cries filling the den until another little girl was brought to her side to lay along side her siblings. She laid there for a few moments longer, resting in Alastor's embrace until she was sure the contractions had settled and Irilyth was able to double check to make sure they were really finished. Then she sat up a bit, looking to the pups at her side and seeing the third pup for the first time. It was by far the smallest of the group, almost half the side of the boy beside her, but her coat was swirled with a galaxy of violet and red, mimicking her patterns with a blend of Alastor's red mixed in.

"Manea Mendacium"