The woman had barely made it to The Orchard, one of Avalon’s territories, and selected a den before she could feel it. It was time. She called for Gavroche and Saga, knowing that they hadn’t spoken to the alpha just yet for their temporary residency but it wasn’t as if she could stop the puppies from being born. The woman just hoped that Corbie might understand the situation. Her mate and her adopted daughter were tiny - it wasn’t like either the wolf or the polar bear would cause trouble for the pack. Gavroche was a lover, not a fighter, and Saga was too young to be a threat. It was standard procedure to ask an alpha’s permission though… she just hadn’t been able to get Gavroche and Saga here yet. Well, she couldn’t very well stress about it now. The den was the same one she and Gavroche had stayed in the last time they were here. It had been widened to comfortably fit herself, Gav, Lucette, and their companions but now that extra room would be for the babies. Excitement fluttered in Bellamy’s belly. She had only been a mother once before, and while she was confident in her ability to do it again she could feel that this was definitely going to be a larger litter. Gavroche had felt three for sure but warned her that there might even be more pups than that. Bells was ready. She wanted to expand her family and was excited to meet them. Curled up in the darkness of the den, Bellamy could feel the contractions grow worse. They shook her with every moment that passed, the children fighting for their way out. Something felt different this time though. When Bellamy set to pushing she noticed that, unlike Lucette, this pup almost seemed to be fighting her to get out. She didn’t panic, but she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, this pup would be much bigger. Maybe they’d even grow to something closer to her height. That was an exciting thought. While she was glad Lucette had been Gav’s height and could see more on his level, with this litter she was hoping for a good mix of kids. It took some time, and some extra effort, but the first pup was finally free and brought into the world. For the most part, his coat was dark, much like her own, though on his neck, belly, tail, paws, and around his eyes it was light. Bellamy fell in love with him immediately, a little boy, their little boy. He reminded her of a good blend of herself and Gav, lacking her striping, but having solid patches of color like his father and taking colors that, for the most part, appeared picked from her own coat. He even seemed to have inherited a mane judging by the extra bit of fur tuft on his head and down his neck. Pride swelled within the woman. The first of multiple good children, siblings to already beautiful and strong daughters. She couldn’t help but wonder how Saga might feel about her little wolf siblings, and she was sure once Lu found out she’d be elated. The next pup did not come much easier for the woman. Another large pup, she realized, once she finally got it out. This little one was another boy, a brother to the firstborn, and one who inherited more of a hint of Gavroche’s coloration. Instead of red-brown or the normal brown on Gavroche’s coat, this little boy had a caramel brown that dominated his dorsal half. This faded into sandy tans around his middles and lightened to tan closer to Gav’s own on his unders and legs. Lighter flecks of color and spotting could be seen in various places on his coat and, the spots on his side reminded Bells of the spotting on a fawn. He was a handsome little thing - Girls his age better watch out when he aged! He was going to be a looker for sure. The next pup came easier, and it was no surprise why. The little girl was smaller than her brothers, a wee little thing compared to their bodies. Bellamy worked to clean her off like the first two, taking note of the more russet browns and reddish hue in her coat. Some deeper color, some black, marked across her new daughter’s face, legs, back, and tail. Lighter fur, appearing to be white fur mingling with the red, covered her unders and striped along her rear and tail. A child who had inherited some of her stripings! Bellamy felt her heart swell even more. Each child was looking so different from one another, and even herself and Gavroche. They were truly individuals, each and every one of them, and with each puppy born Bells found herself growing more and more in love with her litter. Three pups down didn’t mean Bellamy was done, however. She could feel those contractions continue to shake her body, and a knowing smile crossed her lips. Gavroche had been right, not that she doubted the tiny healer’s call for even a moment. She trusted him more than any other creature. The next pup came even easier than her russet daughter. Another little girl, a mix of creamy tan, sandy beige, white, and some diluted brown upon her coat. She too had some of Bellamy’s striping across her body, more prominent like her mother’s own, though it was shaped a bit differently. Bellamy was beaming as she cleaned the little one. She was smaller than her sister but even now Bells could sense a bit of a feisty nature from the child. She wiggled and squeaked, almost protesting at being cleaned at all. Would this little one inherit more of her personality? And what would the others be like? She was curious and excited, and though she was starting to feel a bit drained from her efforts, her tail wagged with happiness behind her. But it seemed fate had one last puppy in store for her. The woman took a bit more effort to get this child out, a lad bigger than her daughters but smaller than his brothers. He was dark, darker than the first child, though accented with brighter yellow-orange in his coat like little embers. Another handsome little boy, nestled next to his smaller sisters to keep them warm. She breathed out, amazed at her new children. She moved her head to her paws, gaze falling on Gavroche as he entered the den at last. She smiled warmly at her, a bit weary, but feeling good. “Five little ones, Gav… five…” She closed her eyes. She needed a nap. ((OOC:: RNG was used to determine birth order… and it didn’t change too much from what applications were sent in! The birth order is as follows for those who don’t want to read through the post:: Alexander, Dorian, Haydée, Lyonesse, and then Corbin!)) "Speech" 'Thought.'

Darkness surrounds the small girl and a sense of comfort and safety envelopes her every moment. She senses them, the four other bodies that reside in the same darkness as her, and she knows that each and every one of them are loved. Here there is no sense of time or fear, just the five pups pressed together and occasionally stretching their limbs to knock into each other. It is a peaceful existence and one the small pup gladly hangs onto for as long she can.

But the fates have something else in store for her and the four other bodies inside their mother’s belly. There is sense of something shifting, a great change in their limited knowledge of the world and great forces of pressure begin shifting their bodies around. She does not know what it is but her mother’s body is getting ready to welcome them all into the great life beyond this darkness. The pressure continues and one by one, her first and biggest brothers leave.

There is no sadness, nor fear to stain this beautiful experience; it is just a fact of life and the girl is ready to join her siblings. Soon her mother’s body is ready to help her enter the world and she leaves the only place she has known without a fuss. It really is just exchanging one darkness for another but, as her birth sac is opened, there is so much more here. While she cannot hear or see, the small, yet to be named girl feels.

There is a warmth that is so different from what she had experienced in the womb and, as her mother leans in to clean her, the girl mewls her protest at the rough tongue that swipes at her fur. Tiny nose works, searching for warmth and her first meal, little legs push her body toward the source of heat that promises food, legs splayed every which way as she goes. Her lungs are healthy and she is not afraid to share this fact with the world as she squeals loudly with every breath.

There is no sound to her but she knows that her body is doing something as the air passes over her new vocal chords and rouses them into song. A paw helps to guide her toward the source of warmth and she latches on to suckle next to her two brothers, small paws kneading her mother’s stomach as she drinks for the first time. More bodies join hers and they all suckle, a sense of peace and happiness covering them as they enjoy their first day of life.


"Haydée Kedieo"