Walk | Talk | Think In her sleep, Anais squirmed. Comfort seemed to be a thing of the past, kept out of reach by the growth her pregnancy had created and barred further by the occasional twinge of pain from within. The pain had only been a precursor to the birthing so far, discomfort rather than agony, but the previous day had been different. She felt it, sensed it, knew in some innate way that soon, very soon, her birthing would begin. It had kept her up late, well after the time Glacier had drifted off into slumber, but had quieted eventually to let her join him. In the early hours of the morning however, before the skies had even begun to brighten along the eastern edge to herald in the day, they returned. And with a vengeance. The expression on her sleeping face pinched, a breath eased out of her nose as she shifted again to try and create some comfort, but it did nothing. Her drowsy golden eyes fluttered open, stared into the darkness of her den as her senses finally woke up with her to try and desperately place what was wrong. It hurt, goodness it did, but did anything feel wrong? No, not wrong, she thought at last as she breathed, shocked when it dawned on her. Right on track. It's starting. Her stomach gave a fluttery flip as her nerves began to flare up, and she had to force herself to begin taking in easy and measured breaths. Calm, stay calm. You can do this, she told herself, taking a moment as she sat up to simply come to terms with the fact before turning to glance at her mate. It was a wonder how he slept at all with her tossing and turning, but she needed him awake, now more than ever. "Glacier," she whispered, raising a forepaw to nudge his massive shoulder. No way was she going to wake him in that quiet tone. "Glacier," she repeated, more loudly and with another nudge as a new anxiousness crept into her voice, "It's starting." The first of the contractions had arrived.

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He was adjusted to the idea of a pregnant anais by this point, giving her a little freedom and leaving her treats of food and gifts whenever he could get away with it. He even tried his hand at fishing to give her something different, paddling out into the cool ocean for a few hours until he returned to shore shivering and empty handed... before he cheated and got his water loving sister to sneak him something. Such was how his days had passed until this one had arrived with terrifying speed to be reality. Of course, he hadn't immediately realized it's importance, crawling into their den to curl up with the love of his life, falling to sleep surprisingly quickly, aided by the weight of his responsibilies that had driven his day. He slept like a log, holding her both close but gingerly, her swollen stomach tender and something to be treated with care.

That he slept through her tossing was a testimony to his exhaustion. Even when she tried to wake him, calling out his name, he was slow to return to conciousness. His eyes fluttered and he groaned, the ends of his paws twitching with a delicate stretch. It was the anxiety in her tone that finally reached him and he opened his eyes reluctantly, an inaudible gargle leaving his lips as he focused on reality. When understanding reached him... his brain flat lined. He froze, mouth slightly ajar, head raised just enough that his cheek no longer touched the den floor... and his entire body stilled and remained in the awkward position for a very long moment, before his brain was shocked back to life. He lurched to his feet so quickly his head hit the roof. He flopped back on the earth, dazed before he shook it off and scrambled to the den, freeing again, moving as if to go back to her, before he decided on a direction and reached the exit. He lifted his head to howl for terrae, his tone anxious and demanding as he called for his brother.

He scrambled back into the den, teaching anais's side, but even then he couldn't decide if he should sit or stay up or go and fetch her water, or lick her forehead. Why hadn't he gotten tips from his brother before this? Even voltage had been smart enough to consult his earthly sibling. In the end he settled for licking her cheek and waiting anxiously for someone to show up and tell him what to do.

Voltage padded along the beach, black sand massaging the tender pads of his paws. He hissed and winced at moments, pausing to run his tongue along the thing skin that constantly opened and bled since his frantic search for illie. It would take a while before they healed, if he ever got off them. But he kept that on the down low, didn't even want his healer of a brother to know. He had been woken by a nightmare, and had gently pulled himself from his mate's side. He had been walking the beach for nearly an hour now, slow back and forth along the water's edge and then the dens. It was quiet out, the air was brisk, and he basked in the ocean air. Alone, a still and beautiful night. It was like everything had quieted down for once, and he could finally breathe without trying to smile or trying to make sense of it all. The quiet was nice, for once. But...it wouldn't last. He was passing along the den's when he heard something bang inside, before he saw his massive brother exit his den to call for Terrae. Large stormy eyes watched, surprised he hadn't been seen before his brain caught up on him. Wait, Terrae.... A large smile touched his lips, and he instantly knew why Glace had such an adoreably frantic look on his face. Well, Volt knew something he didn't, it seemed. With a gentle shake of his head he padded gently towards the den, calm but still energized. He felt electric, a smooth current. Stormy eyes would easily adjust to the darkness as he poked his head into the den he knew well. "Morning lil lady." He said with a gently voice to his favorite little mouse and smiling to his brother. He would carefully step in, staying close to the entrance incase he became a nuisance. Terrae would be best to assist in this, but for now. "Anais, breathe lovebug." He said softly, moving to press a gentle kiss on the top of her skull, comforting and loving before looking at his brother. "Has Terrae given you any herbs in preparation? Any pain killers, birthing aides?" "Burn Baby Burn"

He hadn't been in the deepest of sleeps - a simple close of his eyes, observing the blackness. His heart couldn't relax with its pounding rhythm and his entire form was tense, making him toss and turn with discomfort. Even his companion had grown annoyed. Why? He didn't know, and when he tried to make it stop, it was no use. It wasn't the first time he hadn't been able to sleep, though instead of laying there staring up at the ceiling, he quietly padded out of the den into the chilly outside. The sky wasn't exactly the same inky shade that swathed the world at night; a few tones lighter - a grey. Great, he sighed, feeling his chest deflate. Dawn is almost upon me. Now he would carry out the rest of the day in a moody haze, exhausted in his sleep-deprived state and...all thoughts instantly evaded him as he heard the worry-stricken howl of his elder brother. He knew that call all too well. Galloping back into his den, he hurriedly assembled a bundle of herbs and took them with him to the leader's den along with a grouchy hedgehog. At the time of his arrival he overheard the questions being inquired by his other brother. "Has Terrae given you any herbs in preparations? Any pain-killers, birth aides?" How was he supposed to know the pups were already due? "I'll do that now," he rumbled hastily to the two males as he poked his head in, pushing his way into the den. There he found the golden-brown female known as Anais taking quickened, fluttery breaths. He had done this before; he could do it again. "Take deep breaths, miss. There's no need to worry," he gently instructed after placing the bundle of herbs on the ground, allowing his companion to nose through the small pile. With a white-flowered stem between its teeth, the hedgehog took the flowers over to the female, placing them by her nose. "That's trillium. It'll help ease the delivery," he explained, watching as the spiked creature skittered back to the pile and nosed a couple seed capsules to the woman. "And inside those are poppy seeds. They'll relieve the pain." There wasn't much else he could give, and he had to be wary when prescribing pain-killers. Too much could be fatal. The rest, however, was all for the female to push through and accomplish.   "Terrae speech" "Silvius speech"

It was one of the few days that Astrea was home, she was still thin and pale looking but after a few days to again rest before she left again Astrea did look a bit better. But that was not why Astrea was happy that she was home, no, as she came down into the dens she was met with a commotion and some very frantic calling for Glacier. Fallowing the call Astrea came upon the a gathering that screams, BIRTH. Astrea smiled, not helping the happy feeling that she felt for her elder brother. She spied both Glac and Volt near the birthing mother and Terrae giving her all the comfort of his healing art. But now was not the time for her to move forward and give the new addition to the family their birth right name. Even now she could see the flowing energy's. She closed her eyes, the wind kicking up behind her from the tunnel to the cliffs. The wind swirled around her making both fur and feathers rustle in a very dramatic way. In in her minds eye she thought she could see the swirl of the new energy and elements joining the family. Astrea smiled, knowing that they would bring new hope and happiness to the family, that they would learn from the mistakes of the previous litter, well... one thing was already better, she was here, Astrea would not make the same mistakes with Glaciers young as she did with Voltage. She would make sure they understood what they where and who they where, she would make sure they where given everything their nature needs to thrive, she would keep Voltage from smothering them with his need to keep them safe. Yes even if it killed her Astrea would make sure the new lives that where now joining them got what their soul needed at the same time as keeping them safe but she would not let safety keep them caged. Astrea nodded, yes she would do her best and hope that her best was good enough for the new lives coming into the world.

Walk | Talk | Think She tried not to let her nervousness become impatience. It was not her usual thing to wake up her mate in the very early hours of the morning, not if it could be helped, and he did not stir right away. But as his drowsy mind finally caught up with the situation, Anais saw the exact moment that recognition dawned. And caught Glacier within a long moment of frozen surprise. It would have been comical if not for the contractions that had started to come again, forcing her to take up her careful breathing, and when at last her mate moved she was not altogether sure what he intended to do first. He nearly knocked himself unconscious as he got to his paws, hesitated between the entryway, and finally stepped outside to call for backup. Anais shook her head slightly with his back turned and managed a painful smile. Maybe they would both need something to get through this ordeal. With him moved, she took her opportunity to reclaim the central portion of the den, wanting the space and the warmth from where they had been sleeping. He returned to kiss her cheek, looking out of place and a whole lot out of his league, but she was grateful for his presence and offered him a quick nuzzle before the first of their night's guests would arrive. Her eyes lifted to the opening into the den, expecting Terrae but finding Voltage there instead. He knew how this went, so even if he did not have the herbs that his brother would there was still valuable knowledge and experience that could be taken from him. And he knew it. She smiled at him as he entered the den to offer her a quick kiss and a breathing suggestion that she immediately followed with a nod, closing her eyes to focus on her task. Breathe. Just breathe. Vaguely aware of the questions that Voltage was asking of Glacier, Anais kept her focus on her breathing until she heard another voice within the small space. Eyes opening, she looked up to see Terrae there, along with a little hedgehog who traveled beside his feet. More instructions were given for her breathing, and she altered her breaths to accommodate, willing to do anything that would help things along and make it more bearable. The hedgehog nudged forward a small, flowery plant and as Terrae described its purpose Anais reached out and scooped it up with her tongue, chewing and swallowing it as she hoped it would work quickly. She did the same with the poppy seeds, sighing a quiet thanks once she was done. It was all up to her now. It hardly even crossed her mind that she had three onlookers watching and making sure that everything went smoothly - or another standing back and out of the way. The effects of the plants that Terrae had given her began to work their effects, but the process became all she could think about. She squirmed, turned, leaned slightly against Glacier as she found her comfort and began the process of birthing the first of her litter. It took considerable effort, more than she had thought it would, but as she practically crumpled against her mate the puppy was free. Instinct more than anything kicked in, drawing her attention to it to clean and care for the newborn. It was no tiny thing, but it still struck her as fragile, delicate, precious. She smiled, amazed, and was overtaken again by further pains. Another, her cloudy thoughts supplied, and tensing she took up her careful breathing again, shifting against her mate and straining a second time until another, smaller puppy was birthed, quicker than the last. Once more she tried to care for the child herself, tiredly curling herself around to clean it. It was smaller than the first, considerably so even for a newborn, but appeared no less healthy and active after its cleaning. Or at least it looked that way to her eyes. Exhausted, Anais turned her head and glanced through half lidded eyes at Voltage and Terrae before settling her gaze on her mate with a weak little smile.

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There seemed to be a wall between Glacier and common sense and he couldn't break through. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to make this easier for her and his useless squeezed his heart as he tried to calm himself down. He needed to at least look like he knew what he was doing right? He was saved from trying to decide exactly how to do that with the arrival of his litter-mate. His expression to Voltage was pure gold, a mixture of relief, love, exasperation (at himself) and fear, bust mostly relief now that Voltage was here. A moment later and Terrae was entering the den. Glacier smiled at his healer brother, and let himself truly relax. The experts where here. Voltage and Terrae both knew what they where doing, everything would be ok. He set himself up at his loves side, concentrating on matching his breathing with hers in the way Voltage had suggested to her, to give herself something to concentrate on, a rhythm to follow. He found her leaning against him and he pressed his muzzle to her cheek, promising her he was there every step of the way. Now that his family was here, it was clear Glacier was thinking again, and a little embarrassed about his lapse. When the first baby appeared she took Glaciers breath away. Already Anais was cleaning her and Glacier added a few licks of his own. “A baby girl” he whispered gently in the ear of his love. The second arrived and Glacier repeated the process with Anais, laughing gently, the sound amazed and adoring. “Another girl” he whispered. At this rate every new generation child was going to be female. He couldn't find it in him to mind, all he could think was that these where his baby girls, his little ones, his world. Shinning eyes would rise to take in everyone. First his love, who's cheek he tenderly kissed, then Terrae who had helped to bring these little ones to the world. To Voltage, who grounded him in the very moment he needed it the most, and to Astrea who would be here to guide his children and teach them what it meant to be an Elementas, and he never felt more loved or lucky in his entire life. "Speech"

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Comfort, warmth, contentment; These where all profound parts of her existence. There was mischief too, of course. She tickled the sides of her cave, she stretched at impromptu times, and made herself generally known to a world she didn't even know existed. When her world changed, she protested, struggling and moving, pushing through until she found the light. Here, she was shocked with the sudden cold and light and air of the world around here. Everything was real and strong even to her undeveloped senses. She opened her mouth and cried out, her lungs strong and sure as she cried her discontentment.

When the feeling of something rough brushed through her fur she fell silent, confused as she wondered what was happening around her. When she placed next to something warm and caught the delicious scent of milk she nuzzled and moved and put herself into position to drink from it, until her little round belly was full.

Seraphiel

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Even with his twin's absence as a constant distraction in his mind, he never forgot the request that his older brother made for the birth of his children. He knew it had been some time since then so he assumed it would be happening soon, but of course he happened to be away from the dens the moment he was needed. He was padding back toward them when he noticed Astrea lingering just outside one and saw a hint of Voltage's tail peeking out of the entrance as well. Curious, he moved closer and once he was able to catch more of the scents from inside he imidiately realized what was happening. He smiled and his ears perked as he came up along side Astrea, his shoulder brushing hers as he peeked past the bodies crowding around the den, his gaze just happening to catch Glacier's as he looked up to peer at everyone around him and his newborns. Solaris smiled and his gaze drifted down to the two children in question. He felt so at peace then, seeing these two new young lives surrounded by their family to welcome them into the world. He would take a step forward then slipping half way inside, Glacier's request ringing in his ears. He thought he would be nervous in all of his thoughts leading up to this moment, but he was really more happy and calm than anything else. Perhaps it helped that Astrea was there with him. "May I?" he asked softly with a glance from Anais to Glacier, his gaze lingering on his older brother. Speak Thought Others