Athena pulled awake in the early morning, her split colored gaze opening to see the sun barely peaking over the horizon. She thought about how strange it was for her to suddenly wake up so early. She never got up this early any more, not since their sons grew out of the "Moooooom get up and play!" phase. Then suddenly a painful tenseness gripped her sides and she gasped, more from shock than actual pain. Well that explained why she had woken up! She didn't have nearly the amount of anxiety she did the first time. She knew what to expect now and Amalia had been taking such good care of her that she knew everything was going to be fine. "Amalia... Amalia, wake up. The pups are coming," she said softly, reaching over to gently nudge her wife's shoulder. She could tell that the pups were going to be on their way any day so just the day before she had insisted that cold or no cold Amalia would move back into the den. She didn't want Amalia all the way over in her herb den when the contractions started. Even if she wasn't nervous, she still wanted Amalia there with her every step of the way. She shifted and settled onto her side, wincing as another contraction washed over her. The contractions weren't too bad just yet, but she could tell that they were getting there very quickly. Apparently their pups didn't want to waste any time! "Will you call for Tib? He'll be upset if he doesn't know they're coming. You can call for Leo too if you want, up to you." She grit her teeth again against another contraction then, letting her head settle down on the floor of the den. "Talk" "You" Think

Even though she had tried to fight Athena on staying in the den, her mate was relentless. There was no winning with her stubborn points and that cute pouty face she gave her, it just wasn't fair! Besides, it would be any day now that the children came. She needed to be there when it happened, instead of tucked away in her herb den. So when Athena nudged her shoulder the tiny woman shot up with a squeak, her dark blue eyes going right to her belly. She could see the contractions starting, and her entire back end moved with her tiny rabbit tail. "Its time!" she shrieked, jumping up and down. Amalia hardly heard Athena's words to call Tib and Leo, and the tiny woman danced outside and tossed her head to the sky, her excited call cutting through the early morning. She added her mother's name into the list of those being called, if the woman wanted to come and be part of this. It was still pretty dark outside, but to Amalia it felt as if the brightest sun was burning overhead. Dancing back into the den with a hop and a skip she grabbed the herbs that had been resting in the corner of the den. She had grabbed most of her supplies before hand, knowing that the pups were well on there way. Grabbing the motherworst the bundle of the rest of them. Dropping them by Athena she nosed them closer for the woman to eat before going to her belly, pushing her little paws against the swollen gray mass. Already the pups were moving into position, and Athena's body was reacting well. "They are coming!" she squeaked again, stretching her russet face up to shower her mate in kisses. "You're doing just swell darling, you need to start pushing with the next big contraction, okay?" she said, even though she knew that Athena knew what she was doing. "Talk" "You" Think

Amalia's excitement and energy never failed to amaze her. She watched the small woman spring into action immediately, squealing out words as she rushed out to howl for their family. Athena laughed lightly while she watched her, her laughter getting cut off by another contraction. She didn't remember her labor going quite this quickly the last time, but she didn't suppose she should be complaining. Amalia's excitement kept a smile on her muzzle the whole time though. Seeing how happy her wife was made every single contraction and bit of pain worth it. Her red and green gaze followed Amalia as she darted around, going to get the herbs she had brought for her and then coming over to feel her stomach. Athena sniffed at the herbs briefly before taking them and chewing them diligently. She knew Amalia would only give her what she thought she needed so she didn't question them. Her ears perked at Amalia's deceleration that they were coming and she smiled again, savoring all of her wife's loving kisses even as her sides squeezed with a contraction. She nodded in understanding at Ama's directions. She knew what to do, but she still appreciated her wife's guidance all the same. Besides, she wanted to make sure Ama was as much a part of this as she could be. These were as much Ama's pups as they were hers and she wanted so badly to make sure Ama felt that. She leaned up just enough to place a little lick on Ama's nose. "Will you help clean them up when they get here?" she asked even though her voice as a little breathless now from the energy and effort her contractions were taking out of her. She settled back down on her side once again just as yet another contraction gripped her, this one noticeably stronger than most of the others. She gave the first push of her labor and she panted lightly as the contraction passed and her body could relax for just a moment. This was definitely the part of being pregnant that she hadn't missed. She knew that once she saw their pups it would all be worth it though. It took a few more hard pushes before the first pup finally arrived. She let Amalia take care of most of the cleaning and such this time, but she did lift her head just too see what their first pup looked like. She blinked with surprise and chuckled a little at the massive amount of similarity between the pup and Amalia. It had two black paws instead of one and it also bore Leo's distinctive white ear, but other than that it was a spitting image of her wife. She grinned happily at Amalia and let her look to see if it was a boy or a girl before she laid her head back down to keep pushing. This one took more effort than the last and by the time their second pup appeared Athena's ears were folded back against her skull and her teeth were gritted. She was grateful for Amalia's herbs then since she was sure it would have all been much worse without them. Athena let out a sigh of relief and lifted her head to see their second born and she couldn't help but let out a breathless chuckle. The slightly bigger pup looked very much like herself. The pup seemed to be mostly her silver gray and had the same facial and ear markings, but the markings were in the slate blue that most of their boys had instead of her dark charcoal. The only real difference was the white dappled markings on the pup's tail, legs, and back. She leaned down to help Amalia a little this time, but still let Ama do as much as she wanted to. Once they had both pups nestled snugly against her stomach she lifted her joyful gaze to find Amalia's. "Two girls... that look just like us," she said softly with a laugh, leaning to nuzzle Ama's russet cheek. "Talk" "You" Think

Amalia's howl jerked him awake and hid head popped up from where it was resting next to Svetlana's. It took a moment for his mind to register everything and really wake up enough to understand, but once he did he was quick to hop to his paws. He guiltily looked to Svet and Korrin, sure that he had woken them both up with his sudden movements. "I'm so sorry, go back to sleep," he said with a smile, dipping his head to kiss Svet's cheek before quickly slipping out of the den and making his way over to Amalia and Athena's. He was excited for them and happy that they wanted him to be a part of all of this. They really hadn't spoke much of it since he had met with the both of them months ago, but he was happy to be as much a part of it as they wanted him to be. When he arrived he lingered a short distance from the den, not wanting to bother or interrupt anything. Or worse, see Athena giving birth. He chuckled awkwardly at the thought and his mismatched ears perked when he heard heavy paws quickly crunching snow behind him. He turned his head and smiled when he saw a very sleepy Tiburtius coming to visit as well. "I'm sure they won't be too much long-" Just as he said that he heard Athena laughing from the den and his blue gaze turned toward the sound curiously. "Maybe it's all done?" he asked Tib with a shrug and a grin. He padded closer to the den, carefully peaking inside and asking, "May we come say hi now?" right before his gaze landed on the two pups at Athena's stomach. A big smile popped onto his muzzle and his tail wagged happily behind him. "Oh they're beautiful," he said with awe in his voice, looking from the pair of pups and up to their mothers happily. "Talk" "You" Think

Tiburtius gave a little snort as he was woken up by Momma Ama's howl and he lifted his head with a few sleepy blinks. What in the world could she be calling for so early- Suddenly it hit him and he drowsily started pulling himself up onto his paws, careful to gently unwrap himself from Arivae so he wouldn't wake her up. He pulled himself out of their den, taking a moment to stretch with a quiet groan and a mental note that they needed to make their den bigger. He trotted off toward his mothers' den and when he got there he saw Uncle Leo waiting outside of it. He stopped next to the russet man and he wasn't there more than a moment before they heard his mom laughing. His brow perked curiously and returned his uncle's grin before following him over to the den's entrance. He peeked inside as well, his head taking up the other half of the entrance so that his and Leo's heads were side by side looking in. He spotted the two pups first and his eyes went wide. They were so tiny! How could they possibly be that small? They were smaller than his paw! Was he that small when he was born? He blinked and closed his mouth when he realized he was gaping at them. A thought hit him and he grinned, looking back and forth between Ama and Athena. "Are either of them girls? Do I have a sister? Speak Thought Others

Amalia had been part of birthing before, so she knew that these little ones were moving along quite quickly. Athena was holding up so well though, all smiles and laughs. She could see the pain though, and her coloured ears lay flat. Had she given her enough herbs? She was a tall woman, but she had been sure that she had the right things! Oh dear oh dear... did she mess up? The tiny woman couldn't linger on it long though, giggling when Athena licked her nose. She wanted her to clean the babies? Amalia felt tears prickle her eyes at the gesture, and she quickly nodded her head. Of course, anything for Athena, for their babies. As another contraction wracked her mates larger frame, she snapped back to attention and busied herself around her grey swollen belly. As her wife began to push she pressed her paws into her stomach softly, making sure that the pups were facing the right way. The last thing they needed was for them to get stuck! "You're doing so well my love, you make this look like a walk in the park!" she said in her chipper voice, although she did not look up from her task. When the first pup slipped out she gasped, her head pulling back as tears sprang free from her eyes. "Oh Athena, oh my..." she whispered in wonderment, bending back down to lap at the child. A little girl, a little girl who looked just like her! She couldn't believe her eyes. While there was a mix of Leo in there, the girl was just like her. Amalia could hardly believe it, and a slobbering giggle left her mouth, sniffling as she tried to contain her emotions. "Its a mini me!" she said with a laugh, setting the girl beside her wife's belly so that it could drink. And she was so tiny! The boys had been so big when they were born, but it was obvious that their first sister would be smaller than them. Before Amalia could say anything else, she saw Athena's contractions begin again, and remembered that she was not done there. The second pup slipped into the world, and Amalia squeaked with joy. Another girl! And this one had pale dots on her rump and tail, much like some of her other siblings. "And a mini you!" She looked up, tears still in her deep blue eyes and she and Athena placed the second girl at her belly. "Two perfect girls..." she added to Athena's words, laughing along with her lover. "Oh my Athena, they are just so perfect." she whispered, linking the bigger woman's face. It wasn't long before she heard Leo ask if they could come say hello, and before long there were two heads that took over the exit of their den. Ama let out a giggle, rushing forward and nuzzling both her son and brother. At Tim's question she let out another bubble of giggles, dancing from paw to paw as she stepped back to let them have a better look. "Two sisters, my son. Two perfect little sisters." Amalia was having a very hard time containing her excitement, but when had she ever been good at that? She fixed the large slate man with a stern but loving gaze, her eyes narrowing somewhat. "You better look after your little sisters! They need a big strong brother like you to show them this world. And to keep them from getting hurt, and keep them from running away, okay?" She began to choke up at the end, even though this was such a joyous occasion, it made her miss the rest of her boys even more. They should be here for this... "Talk" "You" Think

Epiphron had heard Athena's howl, but she had not been terribly quick to arrive. Not that she didn't care.. no, that was far from it. She knew that giving birth was an intensely personal experience, and if she was needed, Amalia would call for her specifically. Her daughter knew as much about healing as anyone she knew; Epiphron doubted that Athena would need anything in terms of the actual birthing process that Amalia could not provide. Slowly she would make her way to the den, noting that Leo had already arrived, as well as Tiburtius. A wide smile lit up her face - she swore she heard the quiet whining of newborn pups before she even entered the den. When she arrived, she noted the two males peeking into the den, and she would move to stand beside the two, also moving to glance at Amalia, Athena, and their two new pups. Her smile only widened at the sight of two perfectly healthy babies. "They're beautiful," she whispered softly, leaning into Leo with a peaceful sigh. Never would she have imagined thinking it, but there were few things more beautiful than children.

Air flooded the girl's lungs for the first time as she slithered from the womb, almost choking on her breaths. The ground underneath was hard and uncomfortable as she laid in a bundle of ivory fur, shrinking away from the frightening voices that boomed all around her. Who were they? What were they? Cold breezes buffeted at her tiny form, making her shiver and shake as the warmth evaded from her body. Oh how she missed the womb - her old home. She didn't like this new world, especially the new experiences that accompanied it. It was a dark world, and her blind state only intensified the fear. Then another small, though larger, body nudged against her legs as her litter-mate was brought into the world. Why couldn't it just stop? Heart pounding in her chest, jaws opened as she let out a quiet cry of protest - more like a squeak. All these noises, strange odours, shapes she could feel...she had to get to safety, away from them. And there it was. Safety. The aroma of milk tickled her nose, and summoning whatever energy she had been born with, she crawled over to its source. It was quite a distance for her, and a rush of relief flooded her as she latched onto her mother's belly, contently suckling the substance and feeding off of the woman's warmth. Most importantly she felt protected, like she was safe from those daunting voices. Perhaps this world wasn't so scary after all. Speak Thought Others

Janye came into the world squealing. As soon as she was able to get a lung full of air she was squeaking and crying in protest to all this cold and movement that she was suddenly exposed to. The only thing that calmed her down was the warm, rhythmic motions that suddenly were all over her. She let the little nudges and licks guide her as she squirmed until she suddenly ran into something very soft and warm- her momma? Oh that made her feel better. And her sibling! Oh, well maybe this wasn't all bad. Once she found the milk so she could eat she was as snug as a bug in a rug. She quickly drank as much as she wanted and ended up falling right asleep against her sister. She was out like a light, making little puppy snores as she slept. Speak Thought Others

Moments later her brother-in-law and their son appeared in the entrance of the den, taking up most of the view outside with their curious faces. She smiled at them both and gave Leo a thankful smile when he commented on how beautiful they were. They really were beautiful weren't they? She looked down at their daughters again while Amalia announced that there was in fact two new sisters for Tib to look after. She traced over their two new little bundles of fur with her eyes and she couldn't help the happy tears that welled up in her eyes. She was so tired, but she didn't want to go to sleep. She just wanted to look at her daughters for hours. This had been such a long time coming and now they were finally here. Her ears would perk when she heard Epiphron's voice and she lifted her eyes to see her mother-in-law leaning into Leo and gazing happily at her new grandchildren. Athena smiled sadly and quickly brought her gaze back down to the girls at her stomach. Oh how different her life had become. She was happy with all of the changes she had experienced, but in moments like this she ached for her parents and siblings. This was a completely irrational wish to have given that her parents were barely ever present for her childhood before they disappeared completely and she hadn't seen a single one of her numerous siblings in so long that she couldn't remember the last time she had seen them... But laying here with their new pups she wished she had more of her own family to share this joy with. She loved Amalia with all of her heart and she could never be able to repay her mother and brother for taking them in and giving them this incredible gift, but it wasn't quite the same. She pulled her eyes up so her gaze could meet the matching colors of her son's and she gave him a warm smile. The last of her sons... Perhaps it wasn't her family in general she was craving. Maybe it was just her missing sons. "Talk" "You" Think

Soon after her daughters came into the world, her mother showed up to come and see them. She looked up at the pale woman with bright eyes, stepping back a little bit so that the gang could see the little bundles of joy. It was then that her gaze went to her brother, thanking him for all that he had done for them with one look. "Leo, we wanted to thank you for this, by having the girls have a little part of you with them always. We were thinking of Jayne Aaren and Diana Lea." Her voice was tender, looking to Athena for approval. It was then that she caught the sad look in her wife's eyes, her own smile faltering somewhat. Was in in pain? Did she not give her enough herbs? Oh crap. But then the grey woman smiled again, and Amalia felt herself relax. "Mother, do you want to come and see them?" she asked, moving closer to the spectators. If Pip did want to come in, Amalia would squeeze out first to allow the larger woman some more room. Their den was large, they had shared it with giant sized boys after all. "Talk" "You" Think