Perfection from Nose to Tail

Briar went through the familiar motions that quickly came back to her as the periodic contractions continued. Breathing, pacing, counting the seconds between the gripping squeeze of the contractions. None of it felt unfamiliar any more, but she did wonder just how long of a road she had ahead of her. This litter was certainly as big as the last–if not more so. Gwyn had an extremely difficult time nailing down just how many pups were waiting impatiently to be born, but Briar decided well in advance that she would simply roll with whatever came and whenever the pups had all been born was when she would be done. It kept her nerves at bay as she calmly moved around the room, making herself breathe through each contraction and waiting for her husband and sister-in-law to join her.

She didn't have to wait long for Artorias to arrive, at least, as only a handful of minutes later his black and blue form burst through the bedroom door in an absolute frenzy, making her smirk a bit through her light panting. Once a worried father, always a worried father. She quickly picked up on the fact that he likely hadn't waited long enough for Willow to convey her instruction for him to bring Gwyn with him considering Gwyn was nowhere to be seen and Art was asking if she wanted him to call for her. Chuckling softly, she leaned into his touch, nuzzling his cheek lightly as she replied, "I feel fine, darling. Stay here, Willow will get her." Her companion was smart enough to figure out what was needed, of that she had no doubt. "Just stay here with me, that's all I need right now."

She continued moving restlessly around the room for a bit longer, occasionally leaning into Art's side through a particularly strong contraction as she winced and breathed through the pain, until Gwyn arrived a few minutes later with her herbs and supplies just as before. She gave her sister-in-law a grateful smile as Gwyn pulled out the herbs she would need and began asking her a few questions about how she was feeling and how the contractions were going, Briar relaying everything that had happened up to that point–which honestly wasn't much. The contractions were coming fairly quickly now, but she knew from experience that there could still be some time to go. She stayed still while Gwyn examined her a bit while she chewed and swallowed the slightly bitter herbs that would help things move along, looking to Art with a little smile as he brought her some water to wash them down.

Briar kept up her slow, steady, waddling pacing around the room until the contractions were too strong for her to stay standing and she finally let Art help her down onto the bed they had put together by the fireplace, easing down onto her side with a sigh through her teeth. She leaned back into Artorias as he supported her, using his foreleg and chest as a pillow while Gwyn felt across her rounded belly once more. Briar could already feel that one of the pups was nearly ready to make their appearance before Gwyn declared it so she braced herself for the next wave of contractions, her paw curling around Art's as she readied herself to push. With Gwyn's help and the assistance of the medicines she had been given the first pup was born after a few hard pushes and contractions, gritting her teeth and whining for a moment as she squeezed Art's paw. Still, all things considered their first pup arrived without too much fuss and she sighed with relief as she let herself enjoy the brief break she would have before the contractions began again.

Blinking her eyes open, she lifted her head to see their first born just as Gwyn finished rubbing the pup down with some of the towels and furs she had brought, mostly drying the little pup and revealing the stunning colors of their fur. Gwyn told them it was a boy and Briar looked with awe at the borealis like coloring that ran down the boy's side. The markings were so unlike anything she had ever seen before, but he took perfectly after his father with the dark coloring underneath and her own turquoise showed through next to the purple hues that lingered in the Fatalis line. One little feature that caught her eye that made her glance up at Art with a little smirk was the distinctive marking that cut across the boy's left eye. "Looks like we have one that finally takes after their grandfather..." she joked, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of the squealing boy's head, gently nudging him into place at her belly so that he could get his first meal while she continued to bring his siblings into the world.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius"