moonstone daydreams
Holed up in the very back of her cavernous home, protected from the violent of the high altitude elements, Lirika felt the first contractions. She had never really learned much about giving birth, as no one had expected her to have children anywhere but her homeland. Her mother had not lived long enough to teach her about the birds and the bees. Now, she had a vague concept of what to do- one part instinct and another part half remembered lessons from her youth. She paced the confines of the warm zone, wondering what she should do first. Walking felt better, her dark paws moved and stimulated the muscles around her womb.
Daring to step out into the open for even the briefest of moments felt like too much of a risk. She took it anyway. Called out in a sonorous voice for Mr. Morningstar. He would want to be present for the birth of his children, right? Sucking a deep breath as the convulsions in her gut intensified, she returned to the back of the cave. A nest of dried foliage and patchy animal skins had been her best attempt on such short notice.
Sprawling out on one side, she let her head rest against the floor for a while. Panting like a maniac wasn't good- she needed to calm down. Mercury gaze would slide closed, as she focused on the sound of the wind howling across the open mouth of the cave. Timed her breaths with her heartbeat, and the wind drowned out her anxieties. A massive roll of contractions shook her belly. The first one was coming. "Zhiva bless me." She invoked the creator's wife, praying that she would give her living children.
Lean frame meant that any bulky children would risk killing her and the remaining offspring. She prayed to anyone who would listen that they would be safely born, murmuring softly in harsh vowels of Russian.
One down. There wasn't much time, but she lifted her head to collect the little bundle. The protective sac had been broken on this one, and clung loosely across its back. A little girl. She was black in the face, and grey all over. Earlier generations would have culled her then, a child who wasn't blessed by Svarog. However, blue skin peeked out around her mouth and nose, in tiny little toes. This was not the Dark Times, not anymore. The child was pulled to her bosom, where hopefully she would begin to nurse. Tender strokes of her tongue along her body were offered, making sure the pup knew she was loved.
Time to admire her firstborn was cut short, and another wave of dizzying contractions hit. It was time to deliver the next, there was no time to wait. She stretched back out, letting her body do the work. As the contraction struck, she forced herself to push through the pain. Just like that, another child was born. Goodness, she didn't think her body to be capable of nurturing more than one. Wheezing with the effort, she curled around her belly to scoop up this child as well.
A soft gasp struck her, auds tipping back. Pure and unmarred white, blessed by the Father God of her line. The sac was draped over her shoulders like a tiny cape. Tears welled in her eyes, and she brushed her tongue over the spine of the sweet bundle. Already she knew she needed to take them to her homeland, so the Shaman may look the children over. Now, she knew that this litter was blessed. She tucked this daughter against her stomach as well, warming her body against the other girl and her own thick fur.
It seemed over now, two precious daughters. She would need to take the afterbirth to the entrance of the cave, and leave it to the creators. Deep, even breaths were heaved through her chest as she worked through the last of her labour. It didn't take much to expel the small sac. The phantom reached to pluck it from the cave floor, and found within it a squirming pup. Oh! Tearing it open as gently as she could, she pulled the tiniest of the litter free. This one was quite pale, but bore the marks of her sire as well. Gentle, affectionate kisses were pressed against the petite skull of the runt. Without hesitation, she was pressed tight to her bosom as well.
Three beautiful daughters. The Gods had favoured her, even in her advancing age. Lirika couldn't stop smiling. She didn't want to leave them, but her obligation to the creators bade her step away now. As the placenta was expelled, she carefully took it in her mouth- rupturing it would be a dark omen upon the litter. Carrying it quickly away from the children, she placed it near the mouth of the cave. A tiny pile of powdery snow had accumulated within the confines of the cavern, and she placed it there. Zhibog and Zhiva would consume it as they saw fit in the next few days.
"Many thanks, Mokosh." She murmured in her native tongue, settling down around her brood. It was time to rest, until their father arrived. Then, she would name them all.
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He stood and moved with a wordless motion to the two. Micah followed diligently only once forfax did. He ran a quick cleansing kiss over the top of their heads to make certain both would come. He then moved off, at a slower pace to allow for his children. Micah stayed closed to Forfax. They would remain close to each other sam was certain. He was fine with this.
As he came to the den site he stopped and waited to see Lirika emerge. He didn't wish to surprise her with extra. He did however tilt back his head and let out a low resounding howl for his kids. The content of the howl should let them know that their best behavior was expected. Then did he move when she went to praise her gods and complete her ritual after the birth. "Is it okay for me and my children to come and meet our newest family members?" He felt as Micah his himself behind sam's back legs. A small chuckle came forth at that. His eyes moved to each of his younger two in turn as he introduced them, "The golden one is Micah, and the white one is Forfax. They are two of my now eight minus one children. their mother has left them to my care alone, not wishing for any children ever. I am hoping that ours can grow with them if that is okay by you."
He was hopeful that she would not mind two additional children to help rear. Granted these two were weened already and ate small chunks of meat so they would be less trouble. "Should others that bear my mask or scent come, know they are my other elder children and likely come to help guard you and aid however they can. Beezelbub will be the largest, Mammon and Leviathan the two that could be yin and yang twins and Sathanus is the darkest. They are the only ones i know are here in Boreas to date." he made sure to hide nothing. His ear tilted to Micah and forfax, making sure he kept an ear on them. But he however did not enter the den until he had permission. He knew of a mother's wrath and would not risk it.
As his brother and current stalking interest Gabriel is allowed in any of his threads regardless of tags. Also as the father of Leviathan, Sathanus, and Mammon Sam is allowed to pop into any of their threads as he sees fits regardless of how they are marked.
Cocooned in the safety of a womb, the offspring was aware of only soft sounds. Twitching limbs from separated- and yet suffocatingly close- siblings. Their tiny murmurings, faint and infrequent. The space was too small, too tight. Delicate toes jammed against chins and bellies, butter soft nails far from a concern. It was peaceful here. Warm. The familiar vocals of a greater being would occasionally permeate their entire being, reverberating through their brittle bones. It was a comfort, but also deeply frightening. So loud, so sudden. Even when she crooned to them, the children often startled. It was suddenly tighter than before. Squeezing! The sac burst under the pressure, and the babe was forced from the womb. Emerging into the frigid temperatures of the living world, the only reaction they could muster was a sharp cry of indignation. Torn from their puny jaws by the shock of the cold air, oxygen went screaming into their lungs. Ouch! No! Bad! Mewling with fear and pain from the harsh air, they were tucked tightly against a very soft wall of warmth. Pale nose pressed tightly to the skin of mama's belly, they found what instinct told them would be there. Another one of them was here, suckling happily beside them. Ah, perhaps this wasn't so horrible after all.
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A tiny golden child tumbled past his forelegs, giddy and far from threatening. The tension in her shoulders dared to loosen only a little. Another plodded into view, the pair wandering into the den with little care or fear. Soft breath wheezed forth from her lips, head shaking lightly. "Please, Mr. Morningstar, come in." She murmured. To the little ones, she said "Careful, chlidren." Not too late afterwards, their father introduced them. "The golden one is Micah, and the white one is Forfax. They are two of my now eight minus one children. their mother has left them to my care alone, not wishing for any children ever. I am hoping that ours can grow with them if that is okay by you."
Taken aback, she glanced down at the three who suckled greedily at her belly. "I do not know if I can feed five mouths, Mr. Morningstar." She murmured, lowering her crown to nuzzle across the backs of the children. They were so beautiful, she was utterly awed. In regards to who he had summoned, she finally found an answer. "Should others that bear my mask or scent come, know they are my other elder children and likely come to help guard you and aid however they can. Beezelbub will be the largest, Mammon and Leviathan the two that could be yin and yang twins and Sathanus is the darkest. They are the only ones i know are here in Boreas to date." He told her, making a point to lingering near the entrance of the den.
She was too tired to care. This was too much to deal with right now. Her focus had turned back to her new brood, and their wellbeing. Elder children and pups she hadn't birthed just now were beyond her. "They still need names," She murmured, lovingly snuffling at the downy fur of the smallest. When she disturbed the babe, she cried out feebly. "Ничего себе, все в порядке." She crooned softly. Nudging her small form in between the other, larger pups, she made sure warmth was not a concern. She had made very little noise, and was smaller than the others. It was worrying. She needed a mighty name, to lend her strength and let her grow big like the others. "Dominika Elizaveta." she said resolutely. Loosely translated, this child was close to the gods, donning their strength through naming.
The biggest of the bunch, swathed in darker colours, was next. Only time would tell what she would truly look like, but Lirika would love her no less. A tender kiss was applied to her itty bitty crown. "Darya Ilari." The name was easy to bestow upon this child, even in her delirium. Darya, loosely translated to the common tongue, meant positivity. A child of purity and goodness, blessed by the gods. Let none of her family impose their old time hatred upon this sweet babe. Ilari was a diminutive, meaning cheerful. Naming children was supposed to imbue the traits one desired from their children, be they good or bad. She only wanted good things for her brood.
The last one, second born, was the child blessed by Svarog. Pale as the fresh snow outside. "Divo Sveta." she called this one; a marvelous star. Divo was the word to mean marvel, and she chose not to alter it in favour of femininity. Somewhere in her travels she had learned that being called a diva was not positive. Sveta was the name for a child of the stars, and she wanted to pay homage to her estranged brother Svetovid as well. She had been gifted healthy children, and no stillborns. Now her attention turned to their father. Mercury gaze fell upon him, and she smiled. "They are beautiful." She said, and finally let herself lie down again. "You are welcome to stay here, Mr. Morningstar. For now, I think I'll rest." She said softly, sighing with contentment. The worst of it was over, and now she was free to sleep, knowing she was safe here.
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How many times had she done this in the past few seasons? Her father would call and like the dutiful daughter she pretended to be she’d follow him to discover whatever new development he was announcing. A part of her was knotted in terror that she’d arrive to find another of her sibling’s mangled corpses littering the ground. She’d been lingering more towards the north lately, more time spent away from Levi than she’d have liked but she had been eager to keep tabs on her father, she was vaguely aware he had been meeting with two particular women but the reason did not become clear till she approached. "You better hope Bee doesn’t show up, he’d wake even those scent blind pups with his stench; that pretty little woman of yours will have to take her brood halfway across the continent just to escape it." She approached as her father mentioned his older children. She spared a quick glance to the cave entrance. The girl settled herself outside the entrance, she would let her father have his time admiring his new little mistakes before she’d speak again, softer this time. She could hear soft snoring from inside and as much as she had little thought for the woman who had birthed her new siblings she knew that letting the new mother rest was best. "I see you wasted no time making some replacements for Bel." Her tone was hard and she stared straight ahead. "I hope for their sake none of them look like you." She sighed and finally looked at her father, her gaze softened. "Does she know that if a single one of them bears your genes that they will be hunted, that they’re lives could be forfeit before they even have a chance to know why?" Mammon shook her head. "I could care less who you sleep with." Liar! "But at this point I’d thought you’d be more careful with your seed… They don’t deserve the curse they carry." For the first time she glanced back at the den, the shape of their sleeping mother and three small siblings at her belly. She hadn’t failed to notice the two older pups either. She settled onto her stomach, staring straight ahead again. "I’ll help in any way you need. They are my siblings and that means I’ll protect them with all I have, if I have to." |
Image by Risketch |