Dawnlark Plains as long as i'm living my baby you'll be

 

Catori wasn't surprised by Grayday and his quick approach. He'd kept his sights on her as much as he could, sensing the pickling approach of her labor almost before she did. Miles away her brother paced as she did, although her task was much, much harder. His was patience and vigilance and support, the tasks of husband's through the ages. Hers was to bring new life itself into the world and her endurance and determination would be tested in the process. 

Hours later she wouldn't remember the pain and the way it made her cry out. Hours later she would be tired and suckling her babes, happy as she could be. 

Now was not later, and now - now was growing increasingly painful. She gave a near pitiful whine in response to Grayday's woof but was too concern with where her own feet would be to be comfortable with him entering the whelping den too. Even when Sunny approached the site she was careful to fix him with a clear stare - he was welcome to wait it out and she appreciated him but she didn't want anyone closer. It felt so odd as open as she was to be so guarded but it wasn't her life she was protective of. It was for the little beasts who were currently destroying all sense of normalcy for her. 

It felt like a stretched out eternity before she ever had the urge to push and when she did the effort seemed insurmountable. On the Island her brothers bride labored, sides heaving with the effort even as Catori shook with hers. It took several attempts to free the first child from her body but it came out with a gross wet ooze that almost made her recoil if her instincts weren't so high. She took to cleaning the puppy, overjoyed at the hearty flailing of its tiny appendages and the hack of its cough before it cried out. This puppy would be strong. She could feel it. She only had time to gaze tenderly at the child she placed at her breast before the waves of pain started up again. At least she knew a bit more of what to expect but now there was the added worry of squishing the puppy nestled at her teats. 


If there was a contest between them, as often it was, Chelan would claim he'd won. His four pups to Catori's three would count as a victory to the leader whereas Catori would argue her nieces and nephews were precious, but, her own trio was the most beautiful she'd ever seen. They would bicker and argue relentlessly until the tide left the shore and came back, just to keep praising their own children. Catori felt blessed that her first litter had no casualties either, she'd steeled herself to the reality, but her two sons and her precious daughter breathed steadily and sucked greedily and stole her heart more and more with each passing second. 

"We have two new sons and a daughter," Catori said with a soft sense of awe in her voice. She had no idea how long it had taken but watching @River, @Eventide, and @Kasatka felt like a stretched out eternity she could not imagine more perfect than it was.