Her den was the perfect place for this, highly considering the fact it was warm and full of herbs needed. Arian had told Starling what to do at the beginning, he was still a novice but with her out of commission it was technically her only hope. When contractions started deep growls and other scary things would erupt from her mouth. Never had she felt this kind of pain in her life, only one thing was going through her head at the moment and was to get these stupid pups out of her. Perhaps the pain was enough to make her want to just make it stop. Her head pulled back in a sharp bark of pain with each time her stomach clenched up against itself. She had to remain calm though, Cypress was here, Starling was here. Avalon and Amachi were free to enter if they wanted as well. The sooner this was over the better it would feel, however the giant balloon of an alphess felt like she was trying to tie her bones together. Her toes splayed digging into the soil, she cursed profanities out into the air. Probably scaring her pupil, as well as her husband perhaps. Denki just save her now, it was the most indefinitely horrible thing she had ever felt. "Talk"

To say Starling was a little freaked out was a very large understatement. He had never experianced such a thing! He was supposed to attend Motif's birthing but he had missed it somehow. So when Arian invited him to learn before they even arrived to Sonticus, Starling couldn't disagree. It was something that he couldn't entirely turn down. Birthing was a great experiance for the boy, and he knew he had to learn. The only way to really become a master was to learn everything, right? But he never ever imagined anything like this! God, he felt for his mother now. She really was the strongest woman he had ever met. So when Arian gave him a quick lesson before the birthing, Starling had tried to learn as best as he could...but good lord it all fled from his brain the moment the contractions started. He'd whimper nearly silently, trying to figure out where to stand, what herbs to use and what to even really do. "Bontà, cosa devo fare?" He asked, his tongue fluid in his favorite language as he tried to remember what she had taught him. He'd clench his jaw slightly, looking up at Arian before he turned towards the pile of herbs. "A-arian. M-motherw-wort or T-trillum f-for the p-pain?" He asked, trying to steady his voice. But the stress almost made his stuttering worse. "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"

Arian felt deathly bad for Starling, she was probably scaring him half to death. She was in so much pain she thought her mind was going to go blank. However when the question hit her ears she had to stop her panting for only a moment in order to answer him. "Trilliu-m......h...helps. bl-ood. flooow." she cringed as she said it. Another contraction hitting her. She felt there was many more than just two pups in here, of course she knew her stomach had been rather big. She hissed a little, damn after this she would be a disgrace if she didn't love these children with the pain she went through to have them..... it was no wonder some females died during birth due to blood loss. With what she felt though, she had a good feeling that things were going just fine. Her tail perked itself higher than usual as she was on her side. Trying ready to push these little bundles of life out of her. With each and every breath becoming more and more prepared than the last. This would be an experience she would have to share with her mother. Nothing went through her mind at the moment other than concentrating on keeping herself and her children safe. "Talk"

Starling would quickly move to seperate the trillium from the pile, something he should have done before the contractions began. Hindsight was 20/20, and that became more and more true the more days he lived. So he quickly seperated it and thought for a moment before quickly grabbing it into his maw and move at a steady but rapid pace towards Arian's maw. He dropped the flower and leaf before her mouth. "E-eat, chew w-well! The better you chew, the quicker it will r-react." He nodded then before turning towards her, watching as he side fall and swell with each laborous breath. He felt the adrenaline course through him, and his fear quickly took a backseat to his responsibility. Sure, it was something he knew nothing about, but Starling had been born for this. The very moment he had taken his first breath, it was destined that he would help others take theirs, and he would prolong the last breath as well. He felt his intelligent mind reel, trying to think of what Wren and even Motif might have said about pregnancy. It was natural, wasn't it? But oh, it looked so painful. He would shift to her stomach then, wondering how he might help with the pushing, if he could help at all. He didn't want to ask, but time was running short, and he had no idea. "T-tell me." He said then, sky blue eyes narrowed as he looked up at her face. He would wait till this was all over to apologize for his lack of knowledge, but right now he was the only one in the den that could do anything, while she was the only one that could tell him how. She was his teacher, after all. He figured he'd have to clean the pups, be sure they all took their breath and helped them find their mother, but he wasn't entirely clear how to get from here to there. "Burn Baby Burn" "Italian"

Dizzy she felt dizzy, but she had enough strength to take hold of the herb. Chewing it really well with her canine teeth and molars in the back. She wouldn't really know when it kicked in, all she knew is that it might as well saved her from certain death. Arian's crystal eyes were filled with pain, as Starling came close to her. She needed for him to trust in her. After all, the connected between a master and pupil she believed was important. She hadn't had anyone to really teach her other than Loccian for a time. Everything else she forced to learn on her own. She bit down and prepared herself for another push. First pup was out. She would do what any mother would do, the pup clean and wriggling around before she clamped down her jaw and looked at Starling. "Some water from the river, and if I need any help cleaning up that would be great." she would flush underneath her fur though, embarrassing as that was. The first pup was huge, a male at that. He looked almost exactly like her except for a gray tail and gray ears. Also, he held her very own eye patch. "Talk"

Good heavens, women were amazing. He decided it then. He felt a wonder fill him, something that pushed aside his fear and his anxiety. This was life, new life. This was her creating something that would breathe, that would have a destiny, that would love and learn and grow. "E'... un miracolo" He whispered softly before her voice jolted him from his wonder. He would nod his head quickly but hesitating to leave her alone, but she needed water. He'd quickly grab some moss and bolt from the den, running as quick as his ambling paws would allow. As quickly as he could he'd soak the moss in the water, pushing his paw against it to suck up as much as he could before he'd turn around to run back to her. It was the best way he knew to transport water, and he hoped she would understand it. "I-is there anything e-else I can't do? M-more herbs? M-more water?" He'd run back to that river many many times to be sure that her children were safe and she was safe. This was his first birthing, he didn't want her to be hurt because of his lack of knowledge. He was breathing hard, more so from his anxiety than the run. This was good experiance...right? He was doing okay, right? He'd look at the pup then, and before he could stop himself he'd smile and ask, "wh-what's his name?" "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

When all was said, she would be glad for the water. Everything was going to plan, her leg was not getting in her way either. One after the other pups would fall into the world. Another boy, two more girls and a single last pup after that. Five pups, oh boy she hoped she didn't faint. That was a lot of pups and all of them had the white eye patch either on one eye or the other. It made her giggle a little bit after she had cleaned each of them off. Trying to get starling to help lead the blind pups to her stomach so she could feed them. After he asked what the largest boy's name would be, she was flipping through her brain when something amazing popped into her head. "I'm going to name him..... Rivaxorus the second, after my great aunt." she would whisper, starting to calm down. Her heart that felt like it was going to rip out of her chest was finally starting to slow down. Her tired eyes would shift to Cypress for a moment, as she looked at Starling. "Would you like to name one Starling? You did.... an amazing job." she would turn to the one that had striking resemblance to her. Yet, she had to chuckle, all of them had a piece of their father for sure and a piece of her with the eye patch around each of their little eyes on either side of their bodies. She hoped Cypress would not mind Starling naming one of their children as he had helped their birth. "Talk"

Starling would instantly help her direct her children towards her belly, smiling at the squirming and the fighting for milk. He couldn't help but swoon, his heart already in love with these little guys. Perhaps that was a problem, but it wasn't something he worried about now. Instead his ears would flick as she named her first born, and he'd nod his head. "B-beautiful name.." He said softly, smiling brightly at her. When she offered for him to name one of her children, his eyes widened drastically. His maw would open a few times before he swallowed and nodded. The compliment washed over him, swelling his heart and making him feel...absolutely amazing. And being able to name a child? It was such an honor! Such..a task! What if she hated the name he chose? For a moment he glanced towards her mate, towards Cypress, his ears falling back just slightly as he looked back at the children, at the little girl who looked so much like Arian. They all seemed to be a mix of their mother and father, and he was painfully reminded of his own siblings. Most of them held either the eye markings or the nose markings of their parents.. He thought for a long while, in silence before he finally smiled, an idea coming to mind. "Juniper." He said clearly, with feeling. Cypress and Juniper, it worked. Perhaps it was because Starling's mind was always constantly full of plant names, and other things. Without another word he'd pick himself up and move back towards the herb pile. He would seperate some meadowsweet and alfalfa. Carrying it towards Arian he'd smile softly. "I-if you a-are still in pain..." He motioned to the meadowsweet. It was gentle, he knew, and it could help ease her pain. She just went to hell and back, he assumed, pregnancy was difficult on the body. "A-and I heard...al-alfalfa helps p-produce m-milk.." He would look up at her with his shining eyes, a small, nervous smile on his lips. "Burn Baby Burn" | "Italian"

It was a new day for Avalon, however, nervousness had been clenching her belly quite drastically lately. Each day that passed, Arian was getting closer and closer to her due date. Her growing belly confirming that. She had not expected it to be today, however. Since she woke up, she had been pacing her cabin. Back and forth, and sometimes from her bed to the door as she breathed fresh air each time. Why was she so nervous today?

A flash of movement caught her attention, the girl knowing that an apprentice was to aid Arian when the time came. She thought that maybe she was seeing things for a moment, but the body ran by again, and again and again. Alarm spread through her, it was time wasn't it!? Avalon gave chase after the boy, paws skidding beneath her as she fell ungracefully on her side in her haste. Her heart beat against her chest like the wings of a hummingbird, excitement and anxiety clawing at her insides.

Picking herself up rather quickly, she made her way towards Arian den where the mingled scents of Arian, Starling, and Cypress lingered. But beneath that, many new scents wafted towards her as well. Quickening her pace, she peered into the den, small noises of whining and crying reached her ears, and the small forms of squirming bundles were clamoring for the warmth of their mothers milk. She arrived in time to hear the word Juniper, and she glanced at the child that Starling had just named.

She was in awe, never had she seen newborn puppies before, and they were simply beautiful despite the mess of giving birth. "Congratulations Arian and Cypress! They're beautiful children!" She would exclaim. She stepped inside just behind Starling, nosing his left hip as her eyed sparkled. She couldn't imagine how nerve wracking it must have been for the young one to help in the deliverance of new life. "Well done, you did a wonderful job." She praised him wholeheartedly.

When Cy had arrived it was just a heartbeat before Avalon. He had a goose in his jaws, a plump critter for a change in taste compared to the rabbits he normally caught his beloved. He would set the creature down, his eyes neither on Starling, Avalon, or Arian, but rather the five little babies at his mate's side. Five children. Heavens above... five! Cypress would stand there, mouth agape, as his tail set to wagging. He was excited, just as a father should be, and he would move in closer, nosing the goose closer to Arian's head.

"They're beautiful my love." Cy would lay behind his mate, over looking the children that were born. The majority of them looked more like Arian herself, and it seemed like all of them had an eye patch just like she did. He couldn't be happier as a father and as a mate. "Do any of them have names?" He'd ask, letting his gaze shift to her."Speech"