Light had all but disappeared from the mountain when she felt the first pang in her belly. At first, she doesn't pay it any mind. Having already shooed everyone unnecessary from accessing their den, Tenshi was as ready as she thought she would be. Comfort was first and foremost. Every lush and soft pelt piled into a neat and large enough area to give birth while also not destroying the rest of the den. Though winter was on the horizon, Tenshi lit a fire in the hearth anyway. The quiet crackle of flames added to the comfort that she so desired as yet another pang twisted her insides. These were beginning to be more than just stitches in her side, that much she was sure of.

Her companions paced outside of the den's entryway. On full alert and prepared to turn anyone away that she didn't want around. While Tenshi was a family oriented wolf, she also preferred her privacy for such intimate moments. As the next twist of her insides came along much sooner than she counted, she calls out to her companions. "Have Aino fetch Vidarr and a healer, any will do," she calls out, almost weakly as she continues to pace back and forth. Her face contorts, teeth clenching as the next contraction comes. These were definitely more than just puppy paws sticking her in the ribs. Being the healer she was, she would have demanded she do it all herself, but she knew that couldn't be the case. If these puppies were just as big as she and Vidarr were, there could be complications.

"Speech"

Well, this certainly hadn't been on Sakana's to do list today, but he supposed he at least had everything he might need if he happened across someone giving birth thanks to his recent gathering trip. He had sent his bird to tell the Raid King where to find his wife, he might be at this for a while and didn't want her wandering off while he was otherwise engaged. He just hoped the man recognised it as his bird and not Deluge's... That might cause a bit of confusion...

He dipped his head into the entrance of the den, his blonde capuchin clinging to his back like a sack. “I'm Sakana, I hear you might need some assistance?” he was tentative about entering the room with a strange giant woman that could probably break him in half about to give birth. At least he'd known the other one his whole life... But then again, this wasn't his first rodeo, so he finally entered the room and set his monkey to mixing a blend of labour tea while he set a small bowl of water in the coals of the fire to warm. “This should help things move along, it's raspberry leaf, skullcap, papoose root and crampbark...” He wasn't sure of her background but he also didn't want her thinking he was trying to poison her. “How are you feeling, other than the obvious,” he tried to sound sympathetic, but thankfully, it was never a process he would have to endure and he acknowledged that with an apologetic quirking of his lips. “Any nausea? Unexpected discomfort?”

“Speech”

Tenshi had expected Vidarr or Aino to return first. But when an unfamiliar brown head popped into the doorway, she looked at the boy with a confused and pained look. Sakana? Assistance? This was the wolf sent to help her? Not that she would complain. Help was help and if the boy knew what he was doing, she wouldn't argue either. Instead of answering with words, she nods as another ripple of pain wrenches through her sides. Yep, they were definitely on their way, no doubt about that.

Clenching her teeth and laying her head down against the pelts, she tried to focus more on breathing than anything the kid was saying. Tea? Oh, that did sound lovely. She looks at him as she begins to pant. Another rippling clench of her insides as she heard him toddle off about what herbs he was using. So the kid did know his stuff. Tenshi was thoroughly impressed.

She has to laugh though at his question. "Unexpected discomfort? You mean other than puppies trying to wrench their way out of the womb?" The joke is tense, but only because she is feeling hot and in pain. Though this wasn't her first rodeo, these puppies felt different. Larger and more of them. "Not quite nauseous, but I think these ones might try to take my uterus out with them," she dryly laughs as she lifts her head and a paw to beckon the boy over with his tea concoction. "Anything to hurry this along," Tenshi says, all clenched smile and trying not to appear too out of sorts.

"Got anything for pain? You seem like you know your stuff," she raises a brow then, looking the boy over. He wasn't of Heidinn, so where had he appeared from? The pack scent that lingered on him wasn't one she was familiar with. A new friend of Vidarr's? He did seem to acquire those when she wasn't looking. The boy was young though so Tenshi wondered if maybe Erik or Delphi had brought him back. Before she could ask, another ripple of contractions radiated through her. "Oh, they're almost here," she lets out a whine before placing her head back down on the pelts.

"Speech"

His smile was strained when she cracked her joke about puppies wrenching their way out of her, it wasn't a feeling he could relate to so he wouldn't laugh at her expense, just nodded in consolation. The thought of a prolapse was more than he was willing to consider right now, though the whites of his eyes did show for just a moment.

When she asked if he had anything for the pain, he had to consider carefully. “Mmm, most of what was in the tea should take a little of the edge off, we don't want you so relaxed you miss your contractions, but I do have some valerian if you need something more...” He would have to be very careful with the dosage with the puppies so close, but he made sure to place it within her reach if she decided that she needed it, his attention focused on the rippling of her flank as her contractions came in waves. Sakana nodded in agreement when she mentioned the pups were close. “Certainly not long now, try to breath a bit deeper between the contractions if you can, and get ready to push when the next one comes... You're doing great!” He sure hoped none of his nervousness was coming through in his voice, and that he wasn't proving to be more of a hinderance than a help.

“Speech”

Work was work, and it had drawn him to the other side of the Steppe. The viking king would have preferred to not be the one handling another sheep-themed escape mission, but they needed hands and he wasn't going to let them get out. Still, it made for a long run back up the hill. Not built to sprint, the behemoth was out of breath by the time he came through the door of his den. Panting as he stumbles through, brows lifting as he spots the little brown healer. "You are still here, fishboy?" They're accompanied by a squint, but then, it looked like Tenshi was letting him help.

He moves to his wife's side, offering her his side, his cheek, his foot-- anything, really. Víðarr feels about as useful as nipples on a man in moments like this. It seemed like the two healers had things under control, so he'd just do his best to be moral support. Unsure how to help, but fixing Sakana with a steady, piercing stare. It's pressure that Víðarr views as warranted. Tenshi is the most important thing in his world, after all. "What do you need?" Though the question is for his wife, he supposes he'll take necessary instructions from the healer too. Víðarr knows when he's out of his depth. For now, he is a nervous, hovering dad.

"Víðarr"

Sakana's response to her question for pain relief has her smirking. So he knew his stuff. Wasn't just going to offer her whatever she requested just because she was in pain. "Not your first time," Tenshi exhales deeply, her eyes closing as she takes a long drink of her tea. Another contraction came and it was the moment that Vidarr burst through the door as Sakana instructing to continue breathing deeper through the contractions. Her eyes peer through slits as he snaps at Sakana, wanting to snap at him for being so rude to someone willing to assist. Not that they didn't have others who would or could, but still the boy was being more than helpful. His careful and gentle attitude helped ease the stress that had threatened to burst into her head.

"We need names" she says through gritted teeth as she pushes through the next moment. It isn't long before the first pup is there. Large, all dark coat like Vidarr, but with a slight marring of grey and some white on one paw. Tenshi blinks through tears as she nods to Sakana. "You can help clean. Make sure they are breathing," her voice is breathless as she feels another contraction. There isn't any time to tend to the first boy before the next decided to arrive.

The next is another boy, also quite large, but more greyish blue than black with light marbled grey like herself. She smiles, pleased that they already have two sons. More pain, more contractions, more panting and hushed swearing under breath as the third comes. Almost equally as large as her brothers, but not quite. Rather, she is slightly bulkier and more white than the last two. A dark slate blue that appears shiny through the amniotic sack. Finally, a girl, but not the last either. "She will be Lumine," Tenshi whispers, a tender smile on her lips before she returns her focus back to the situation. How many of them would there be?!

After that, another girl, similar in size to her sister, but fiery in color. As if she were born from the depths of the volcano that slumbered beneath the mountain. "Runa will be perfect," another breathless and panting whisper as she leans over her shoulder to look at Vidarr. Four pups, that would be good, right? Feeling exhausted and ready to relax, Tenshi knows she can't. More contractions come, none as worse as the last. More pups. Odin above.

The fifth is another large boy. As large as the first two with just as dark of a coat as the first three, but the striking markings across his pelt have her raising a brow. Had the thunderous god marked this one himself? Another smile that dissipates into a contortion of exhausted pain as the last and final pup arrives. Once more, as large as the others, they all had been large healthy pups. Good, but this one... His coat is different. More like Vidarr's sister, Rota. A striking brown and cream pup with tinges of orange. Her brow furrows. Was Loki in play with this too? Was this a prank on their perfect litter? No, of course he was perfect, but unexpected.

Letting out a sigh, Tenshi rests her head down against Vidarr's shoulder. "Name the boys, please, I need a moment," she whispers, letting her eyes close as she leaves the pup tending to Sakana and Vidarr for a few minutes.

"Speech"

When she declared that this wasn't his first time, he smiled ruefully, “Nah, just grateful I didn' have t'fish you out of the ocean half-drowned like the last one.” It was a tale for another time, as the first child was born. With her permission given he quickly scooped up the pup, giving it a visual once over, breathing fine, no signs of cleft palate, two ears, two eye, four legs with four toes on each foot, no sign of bulging around the umbilical... Good. He pushed the child towards his mother's flank just in time to catch the second, and then the third and fourth and fifth. Gosh he wasn't even the one doing the hard work and already he was exhausted!

He cocked his head at the sixth though, one of these things is not like the others... For one it was noisy and challengingly wriggly still covered in amniotic fluid, and while the rest clearly belonged to the two parents in the room, this one looked out of place. Maybe some sort of throwback on one of the parent's sides? It wasn't his place to ask. Satisfied this one as well as the others he pushed it back towards it's siblings against his mother's flank and turned to start preparing some additional treatments for the new mother.

He made several small pouches of tea to assist with postpartum recovery, consisting of a blend of yarrow, motherwort and rosehips, given the size of the children, he also set his monkey to making a balm of lavender, marigold, boneset and waybread. They were blended into a beeswax base to help it stick a little better to the mending tissues. He allowed enough time for Víðarr to say his piece with regards to the naming of the boys before gesturing to his work. “I will leave you to rest now, but I have prepared some tea to assist with your recovery, take it morning and night... and some balm...” He trusted Tenshi would know where it was for without him having to spell it out, growing hot under his fur, he really was still just a kid after all. “If you need me at all, you can send a bird and I'll be here as quick as I can, but I don't foresee there being much trouble.” He dipped his head respectfully and moved to the door to give the new family some much needed bonding time.

“Speech”

Sakana seemed unbothered by the shadow king's commentary. That was fair. Quite genuinely, he's impressed at the professionalism of the healer. Not too intrusive, and doing what he could to aid Tenshi in the moment. It certainly seemed they knew what they were doing, and Víðarr could only do what he was told. He was glad to do what he's told, really. Any way he can help. There's a reverence, a tenderness with which he regards his wife. He's never been secretive about the way he loves her, and this was no different. He fusses over her, brushing at her tears, trying to bring her comfort. How much help Víðarr could actually be? Debatable. But he's doing his best.

Doting on her, holding her, supporting her as best he can. Víðarr will do whatever she needs, in order to lend her the strength and... whatever else. Sentimental bastard that he is, this is a big moment. Emotions were running high, and he was trying not to stress her out even more. One by one the pups were looked over and placed by Tenshi's side. He was nervous. Nervous, but each seemed to be whole, according to the healer. The gods had blessed them. The gods had blessed them in spades. As the healer deemed Tenshi on the mend and the pups serviceable, Víðarr fixed the boy with a rather serious gaze. "Thank you, Sakana. Please seek one of the thralls, they will set you up in a den, feed you, just ask. We will speak in the morning." It's an order, he will not leave room for argument. Still, there's no mistake-- Víðarr is grateful.

And with that, he turns his full attention back to his wife. Pressing a reverent kiss to her forehead, her wish is his command in these moments. While showing emotion isn't his strongest feature, he reveres her. "I love you," he breathes the words. It seems like no others will do in a moment like this. It's then that Víðarr turns his attention to the little polar bears. She was right, they needed names.

The large, mostly slate boy with the spot, already dense and robust as he was-- "Björn⁢." Maybe a bit literal, but then, when wasn't he? And then looking to each in turn, the viking king would touch them. Softly. Cautiously. He's never seen anything so perfect, and he is a man deeply moved. "Hallvarðr... Styrmir... Steig." Maybe he'd gone on the literal side for more than one of them, but that was okay. He didn't mind so much, and he did look to Tenshi for the final approval. She brought them into this world, she had veto power.

"How are you feeling, my love?" He worried over her. He fawned over her. Víðarr has good reason to. This is the happiest he's ever been, and he's never felt so fucking blessed.

"Víðarr"