She knew it was time. Medusa?s pregnancy had made her isolated in Amenti, cut off from her sun, restricted to the cold. She?d swollen up, become defenseless, a gem stored away in the safety of the small pack that she?d built around herself. Upon her first signs she?d sent Stheno to retrieve Jupiter, keen on having her love at her back, supporting her as she underwent a task most terrifying. She knew how to make children, certainly, but she?d never been taught how to bring them into the world. She tried to stay outside as long as possible, enjoying her bit of freedom before she retreated into her den.

Her call rang out, a summons for both Alena and Deteste. The first, because as the leader of Amenti she deserved to know how many new heads would be coming under her care, and the second because he was the father and clearly deserved a presence there. As time ticked by she grew more anxious, constantly standing up and moving, repositioning herself to try to find anything that felt comfortable. Nothing seemed to work, but it did not matter. Birth was still rather far away, she had time to find a comfortable position. For now she would focus on trying to get those that mattered around her, on trying to find protection, because never before had the opportunist felt so vulnerable. Her silver tongue was still intact, but the arsenal of her battle abilities was diminished. She was vulnerable, and she didn?t enjoy it.

The man had kept close to her since his return but he had been careful not to make himself noticed. Medusa was a private woman and though we never intently watched her he made it a habit to be without a couple meters of her location understanding her vulnerability and the ripeness of her pregnancy. As one to plan ahead Deteste had considered many scenarios. He had some medicine training and felt prepared but when the woman's cry pierced the autumn air he could help the nervous quiver that unbalanced his otherwise certain step. The flutter of his heart put out more than his body needed for the trot but other than these physical betrayals the man's thoughts were calm and his expression was ever unreadable.



Medusa. the timbre of his greeting was serious but gentle. He would pause at the mouth of the den uncertain what level of interaction the woman would desire from him during the birth and understanding that Jupiter would come to accompany her and that it was likely Medusa would prefer Jupiter to accompany her within the den. But accounting for the woman's untraditional sense of motherhood Deteste was also prepared to take up any and every duty. He would be willing to clean and guide the pups once they emerged if it were an unwanted task. He would do everything if Medusa desired to do nothing and we would do such to his best ability, without judgement against the woman, and, of course, with love for his children. Thus he lowered himself upon his belly, wedged strategically parallel but also somewhat inside the mouth of the den.

The voice of her deputy was unmistakable as it found Alena's ears. The ivory fea gave her companion, Dempsey, a lick on the cheek before springing up and trotting off in the direction of the call. Dempsey had proven himself to be very helpful, if for no other reason than to be a pup sitter when she had to go take care of business around the pack. Being Madame and mother had both proven to be quite time consuming. She spotted the form of Deteste positioned at the mouth of a den and with a few investigative sniffs she could tell that Medusa was inside. So it was time for her pups to arrive then? Alena dipped her head to Deteste as she padded over to a nearby tree, laying down beside its trunk. She knew from experience that too many wolves crowding around could be stressful during a birth so she kept her distance, but on the opposite side of the coin she kept near enough to offer her help should it be needed. Medusa was her former leader, after all, and a wolf that Alena respected highly. There was little that the pale assassin wouldn't do for the ebony fea. If nothing else Alena wanted to be there to find out the news of how many pups there were when it was all said and done. Speech Thought Others

She moved with definite swiftness and with endlessly sure paws, limbs cycling quickly but widely as she devoured the ground between she and her mate with almost needless haste. Her forever-trickling supply of stamina was being run into the ground by her advances but the woman sought her moon like a wren sought a grasshopper. A celestial-gazed glance was thrown behind her to gratefully receive the permissive nod from Mercury to go ahead without him, and she jumped at the opportunity. Sailing over one of the large, fallen logs, she finally forced herself to slow her pace and drop her nostrils to the ground, seeking the scent she so dearly desired.



They'd been on the way to check on the heavily-pregnant lass when the call had rung out across the lands. Jupiter by no means wished to miss the birth of Medusa's children--her children, as far as she was concerned. So negatively captivated by her panic was the she-wolf that she didn't quite realize the call had been a precaution to an event that had not yet occurred. After about a minute after disregarding the borders and skipping right over them, she found the smell she had so dearly searched for. The girl would have followed it to the ends of the earth but instead was lucky and discovered its holder within a secure den. Jupiter stopped, chest still heaving slightly as she paused outside of the opening. A polite nod was aimed toward Deteste, a fond smile creeping across her features. It had been far too long since she'd seen the dark male--so long that she was now visiting the birth of his progeny.



"Medusa? My serpent?" she crooned with a cautious approach, stance careful and head lowered as she tried to peer past Deteste, every crease in her features knitted with concern and tenderness. She tossed a peek back at the alabaster fae that was present before sweeping her path of sight back into the dimness of her mate's residence. Her heart thrummed with both excitement and seemingly-tangible affection, pounding a marvelous beat that echoed inside of her cavernous chest, striking the chords of her existence with pleasant strums that brought a smile further onto her lips.

TABLE + CODING BY TIFF

prone to violent reaction. ic actions have ic consequences and she lives and breathes it.

public enemy #1

crawl. crawl more. drag your hands and knees across the destruction left in my wake to the ends of the earth. there's a green light of a shining star in my sky and there will not be an obstacle i will not overcome until i cup that star in my palms. the void in my will has been filled with purpose. so crawl. crawl more, love.

because i like it when you're on your knees.

They came to her, all three of her summoned party. For a while it was just Deteste and Alena, not that she minded their company at all, but the Deputy wanted her mate present. However, she could not be mad at her sun. With the distance between them, the sun and the moon, there was an understanding that their reunion would take a bit of time. Medusa writhed, agony rushing up her sides like an electric shock as she tried to get through her labor, hoping to hold off long enough for the Sol to come to her side. Alas, the russet fur made its way into the serpent?s vision. ?Looks like we?re all in for a fucking party,? she said, wincing. Stheno?s face peered in briefly, her face looking like one with a great deal of news, but she departed soon after. This was not her place; she had elsewhere to look while her mistress was in the midst of birth.
?Fuck,? she groaned, whining and hoping somebody would come join her in the den, wanting to find contact and comfort with another warm body. She was nothing if not a physical being, and she was not all that tolerant of physical pain. She wanted to press into someone, to try to ignore the contractions that wracked her womb. Muscles stiff, face contorted, a picture of dark agony across her body and posture. For a while she resisted, unready to welcome needy whelps into the world, but alas she could not fight the course of mother nature.
One by one she would birth her children, each taking more from her than expected. She licked them clinically, without a deep motherly affection, but with enough caring to welcome them into the world safely. Bi-colored gaze absorbed their features; one was grey with a white belly and a white nose, one was grey with darker markings, another was a dark brown, speckled markings lacing her face and feet. Only one, strangely enough, took the colorings of both her dark parents. Medusa noted this amusedly, along with the speckles. She remembered speckles. She remembered speckles and giggling and she certainly didn?t remember the light headedness, the spots that took over her vision.
Head hit the ground in a heavy thud, body going slack from unconsciousness, frame losing any stiffness it had once had. She fell into the darkness soon after finishing cleaning the last child, but the signs had been obvious before. Medusa had seemed increasingly tired, aloof, and her eyes had grown more and more dull. Alas, her duty was done, but now she was not awake to witness the squirming whelps against her belly.

Deteste greeted Alena with a nod. The same expressionless greeting was offered to Jupiter, though at the appearance of the rust colored woman he could not help the smile that had crept unto his features, tight and minute as it was. He would inch enough away from the mouth of the den to allow Jupiter the space to enter and accompany Medusa. When the time did come he would inch closer, offering his own greeting to each child after Medusa's half-hearted kisses. He would groom the afterbirth from them and guide them gently towards the woman's breast where they would feed and have warmth. At the same time the man observed Medusa's state carefully, pressing his maw against the side of her face as what appeared to be some form of delirium overtook her. Her face was hot against his own and when she fainted Deteste's maw padded it's path to the sod of the den.



He would set her gently down before standing and speaking to Jupiter. She is overheated. It will be best if you exited the den to allow her some coolness. I will bring Medusa water and then I will depart to bring her a small meal and a couple herbs. Watch carefully the fashion in which I bring her water for you will be bringing her more once I am gone." his timbre was authoritative but friendly. He was worried for the mother and her new children but under their care they would do just fine. It was not unusual for a new mother to be overtaken by her first birth. He turned, trotting towards a large puddle not too far from the den that had been formed under the autumn weather. The man lowered his jaws parallel to the water's surface and dipped his maw below in unusual fashion as to capture as much as possible under the limitations of his physicality.



With a full and dripping maw he would return to the den and inch in. He pressed his lips against Medusa's, water flowing as he would part her jaws with his own, slowing the trickle best he could with his tongue. He was not sure if the makeshift drink would revive Medusa but it would certainly improve her state. Nodding to Jupiter once again he turned to approach Alena whom, by this time, would be aware of the situation. "Care to accompany me on the quest for small game? A meal would be good for Medusa. I may search for flora to alleviate her ailment while you hunt if you are willing to do so." the inquiry was gentle and Deteste was clearly able to do both on his own with speed. He only wished for the new mistress not to feel useless regarding the situation.

Limbs outstretched to press stubbornly against the flexible walls of his encasing as his mother?s contractions threatened to banish him from the premises of his sanctuary, minuscule toes splaying as the child attempted to hinder his expulsion, obviously unwelcome to the idea of unfamiliarity. His endeavors were pointless, however, and the frigid autumn air soon found its way writhing through his nostrils and breaching tiny lungs with a stinging sensation, causing brief whimpers to crack his jaws in protest to the oxygen. A foreign and wet body attempted to soothe his incessant cries with its warmth, but to no avail, and soon the child?s complaints would be directed towards his hunger rather than the desire for heat as he was provided it by an unknown source. Gentle nudges would be made against his hindquarters, directing his struggling body towards the pleasant aroma of nourishment which he would maneuver towards as quickly as his nubby appendages would allow, desiring to receive his fill as the competition settled within him in the form of his siblings? arrival. Eventually, the child managed to locate a teat after blindly scavenging, latching onto it and suckling greedily, warmth coursing throughout his tiny interior as the milk trickled down his throat, forcing contentment to stir within him despite the fact that his mother had lost consciousness.