Larksong Grotto Forever 21

HELLO. TODAY IS BIG DAY. COME BE BIRTHED.@Hiram is only allowed inside because he is healer and jhala worships him too much to chase him away. @Tapat

Today was the day. Though Jhala had no idea today was the day, she was rudely awakened by a sickening lurch in her insides. She let out a low whine at first, sort of an 'oompf' to show that she was most certainly discomforted. She nosed Reek when the pain stopped, letting him know that the children hated her and were seeking revenge right now at this very moment. He urged her to calm down, though she was fully ready to go waddle off somewhere and smack these kids into shape. He explained to her what happened, and by the time she had calmed down another twisty feeling in her gut began, and this time her cries were not mere whines-- they were howls. 

"I don't like this," Jhala said, "I don't like this at all, Reek." Over and over she reminded him that this was terrible, and that this was surely not what Raas wanted. But in her heart she knew that it wasn't, because Raas didn't exist. This was proof of that. No God would let his children suffer, he wouldn't put his followers through that. That was all the proof she ever needed, religion was stupid, no God loved her.

It took a long while, but through much crying and whines of discomfort and pain, eventually a little, gray sack slipped onto the floor. Reek had coached her through what to do earlier. She licked at it reluctantly, confused and weak. It burst, and a slimy little puppy laid where the weird sack had been. 

"Come here," she said, her tone changing drastically, nosing at the thing quietly. It was a girl, tiny and gray but Jhala immediately imagined that she would have a dark back like she did. Without waiting for a word from Reek, she looked at him and said, "Wesleigh."

But Wesleigh didn't move-- in fact she didn't even whine, or cry, or breathe. She just laid there, and thought Jhala tried her damnedest to move her closer so she could eat, she wouldn't eat. Jhala looked desperately to her husband, confused, uncertain. "Why... why is... what is going on?" she fumbled out, her breathing heavy and uneven as tears threatened to shake her entire body. She knew what happened, she wanted desperately for Reek to tell her otherwise, but it didn't happen. She knew it wouldn't happen.

Through shaky breathes, she felt another terrible sensation, repeating the entire process. This time it was less chatty, as Jhala refused to say anything. She didn't move the small child from her side, but when the second came she did not name it right away. It was white, and was the same size as Wesleigh was. It was a boy, lively and loud just as he should be. When she moved him closer to her he suckled, and she let out a soft sigh, a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. This was nice-- nicer than she'd expected. It would've been even nicer if she'd been done, but another contraction rippled through her.

"God. Dammit," she growled, but worked her way through. She occasionally nosed at the little beings at her side, making sure that the white one moved and double-checking to see if Wesleigh had any sort of movement. She never did. When the third came out, he was a beast of a child. He was dark and fat and bulky and wiggled like there was no tomorrow. Had Jhala's mother been there, she'd have comment how similarly the two looked as babies, but she wasn't, so Jhala made no connection between their resemblance. 

She let out a soft sigh, eventually feeling that this was it. No more, it was okay. She looked to Reek with a desperate look in her eyes, soon glancing down and staring at the children around her stomach. She didn't say anything to him, but despite the maternal pride  she was feeling, she felt that this was the worst thing to ever happen. Jhala did not do children, she was not a mother... or maybe she was, now anyway, but she wasn't meant to be a mother.

She stared at the wiggly potatoes for some time, and if Reek tried once to stick his nose anywhere near them she'd make it very clear she didn't want him there. She wasn't afraid he would hurt her children, as most women were, she was afraid he'd take Wesleigh away. She didn't want her gone just yet.

It was a weird sensation being born, one he would soon forget as life continued. He didn't know much, in fact, he didn't know anything at all. What he did know was that he didn't like feeling this way, which he would later label as being cold and wet. The pup did the only thing logical to his instinct and that was to cry, cry loudly. He was taken from the wet sack and lifted, which was another stranger sensation. The little boy cried louder and tried to wiggle around.

He was placed next to something warm, and something else warm and really furry. The pup was still rather cold and loud crying came from him until he discovered how nice the furry thing really was. He nuzzled closer to it, something telling him that he had to look for something. He nosed through the fur and ended up with a little nub in his mouth. He sucked on it and he was instantly rewarded.

The newborn suckled till he could no more. He snuggled against the furry belly to keep him warm and the other things that seemed to be close, though he liked the furry object with the nice rewards the most at the moment. So he decided to stay in this location for now. His belly filled with warm milk didn't keep the pup awake for long. Soon he was happily snoozing from his wild adventure.

The darker pup was a husky and rather greedy sun-of-a-gun. When he was released from the strange and exceptionally cold place, he cried-- because it was the only thing he could think to do. He had no name and only two emotions, one being confusion and the other joy. Joy was experienced when the cold was taken from him, instead being replaced with a warm sensation. Joy appeared again when he found the thing, and from the thing came another thing that made his little heart flutter with happiness. It was milk, and he'd soon find that it was something he needed to live, but to the naive little being, it was merely a source of warmth and happiness.

The child quieted, but kicked unhappily at the creature beside him. He felt that the other was stealing his warm and happy, unaware of the numerous amount of teats to suckle from. 

When the time finally came, Hiram was fearful. Despite having other children, he had never been around a birth -- nor did he know exactly what to expect out of the whole process. So as soon as Jhala's labor pains began, Hiram stayed close to her side for emotional support and to lend medical attention if need be. When it came to being a midwife, Hiram was completely and totally green, but he figured his near encyclopedic knowledge on medicinal plants and other conditions would serve some sort of purpose.

He did his best to coach his wife through the worst of the pain. However, his attempts were likely to no avail, but he still stood steadfast.

With great difficulty, Jhala birthed the first pup. Hiram felt a surge of joy, yet when he saw his wife tear the amniotic sac, revealing a clearly stillborn pup, Hiram's elation soured. Jhala fought for the stillborn -- and Hiram wished to do the same. She spoke a name, as if it would make her move. However, Hiram knew any attempt to breath life into her tiny body would be fruitless. He did not move to intervene, as they would both have their time to grieve.

As another wave of contractions wracked Jhala's body, she fell silent. What followed then after much time were two, healthy boys -- moving, squirming, and alive. They were so small, Hiram couldn't help but think as they found their way into their mother's embrace. "They're beautiful," he couldn't help but mutter in awe. He simply couldn't take his eyes of his boys

Her amber gaze was dulled from weakness, but they glimmered with the sort of pride that every mother had. She stared for a little while, her attention on the first-born male, his pale body calm but full of life. She studied him for a while, her ears cupping forward briefly before they fell back against her head. She'd been a pain for quite some time now, and only now, after the worst had passed, did she realize how terrible she'd been to Reek. He'd done nothing wrong, she had nothing to blame on him. Though she'd had names picked already, she swallowed and leaned against her husband, letting out a shaky breathe. 

"Y'know," she began quietly, still clearly exhausted, "My birth pack had all these bazaar terms for the hierarchy and their families... we did'n believe in a God or anythin', but the a kid born to the hierarchy was a Tapat..." she trailed off a moment, her nose falling to the pale child and touching it to him softly. When she raised her head she turned to see the Cardinal, smiling weakly. "Born of the sun,"  she said, clarifying. 

Tapat didn't get to sleep for long because something hit him. Instantly a squeal came from his throat and started to cry loudly, perhaps to get the other off his back. He didn't hear his own screaming, and he didn't realize the other didn't either. The pup shuffled away a bit, still trying to stay close to the furry warmth. He didn't want to be kicked again. The newborn moved himself with some difficulty. Using the warmth to guide him. He eventually nestled himself a bit further away, towards his mother's hind leg, and close to the last row of teats. He did miss the warmth of the thing that kicked him though. Too bad. Then he shouldn't have kicked him. Tapat was born. He was healthy and very lively too. This time he was quick to find another nipple and drank briefly before following his regular pattern of eat and sleep.

last for Astik, I think. he be out. will be making a thread for the fam later today <3

The dark child was very unaware of the situation at hand-- nor did he care. He was warm and got food, and though the warm thing beside him left, he didn't care, it meant more for him! The young Sun Gosling was now tired, and despite his need for eat, his need for sleep overpowered him, and the fat pup released and fell fast aleep beside his mother. 

Hiram's awestruck gaze was pulled away from his sons squirming bodies in the wake of Jhala's affectionate gesture. He looked to Jhala, expression wrought with pleasant surprise. Throughout her pregnancy, Hiram had recieved no such affection and her temperament had been largely irritable. Once everything was all said and done however, it seemed all would return back to normal. Hiram's stiffened body relaxed as he then pressed into Jhala's light embrace, allowing her to lean fully into him for strength.

His eyes soon found their way back to the squirming youngsters at their mother's breast as Jhala spoke. "Tapat," Hiram repeated, smiling. Born of the Sun. The Daystar and Lord of all. How fitting, Hiram inwardly mused. "It's perfect," confirmed the Cardinal as he dipped his head down to get a better view of the stark white puppy -- the first born of the living. 

"What about him?" He asked, motioning toward the other pup -- the larger one. Every child needed a name. Reek of all wolves believed this.

Reek was pleased, she dared to even say happier than he'd been in a while. Her tail wagged quickly, and in her excitement she blurted out another word. "Astik," she said, though as soon as she did she wanted to take it back. Gray, was what she wanted to name this child. She was too caught up in Reek's happiness she forgot her own name, but it was too late now. She hesitated before speaking again, but cleared her throat and nosed the now sleeping pup quietly. "We did'n have a God," she repeated slowly, "But there was this guy who refused to follow the laws set in place, because he worshiped one of his own Gods-- or something, I never really paid that close attention to him. He was in a punishment rank, it was mockin' him, but it's sorta noble, I think." A lie, but she'd never tell him.

"Astik," she repeated, "He who has faith in God."

Astik

As Jhala recounted the story behind the boy's newly bequeathed name, Hiram couldn't help but think or two about verbal marks of shame. Reek, the mark given to him for being a child of infidelity had been carried with him all his life until he conversion to Raas'ilhm. Even still, the mark still followed him. This mark, in the Cardinal's mind, was not one of shame -- but one of strength.

Astik he would be. Hiram smiled as the boy stopped squirming and fell into a deep sleep. In that particular moment, all was right with his world. Yet there was still the matter of the daughter who sat lifeless against her mother's breast. He would need to gather her body eventually and take her to the mountain to preform the Writ of Ascension to return her spirit to the creator.

He would have to take her soon, lest her sprit become one with the earth to be claimed by the Heartless One.

The Vicar sighed quietly, her tail tapping the ground a few times before she leaned against Hiram again. "Tapat Jakob Larksong," she said softly, her eyes beginning to close, "Astik Gray Larksong." Her breathes were heavy, words paced and slow. 

"Hiram Reek Larksong," she continued, steadying her breathing with one deep breath, "Jhala Larksong." She stayed quiet for a few moments, amber eyes still closed and head pressed against her husbands chest. She had no intention of falling victim to this stupid lie-- religion had no place in the world. It was fake, only a way to get wolves to pretend to be better people. It didn't work, and she could be a good person by herself. But Reek believed it-- Hiram believed it. She couldn't go on lying without committing. If this made him happy, she needed to continue, for as long as it took. Even if she didn't believe it, Hiram would teach her children the ways of Raas, and she needed to support him through it. She couldn't do that if she didn't commit, it couldn't happen. 

Jhala was nobody. Jhala was a wolf born and bred to fight, to defend, to kill. She was not a wolf of peace and religion-- she didn't follow any light. If she had any intentions to help her children grow up happy, unlike the beastly children that were Laurel and Indra(though Indra she didn't mind so much), she didn't to commit.

"I want to be cleansed," she muttered, eyes still closed, "I want to be part of this thing-- for real, Hiram." Her tail moved to curl her children closer to her, ignoring the lifeless body that was Wesliegh. She would remain for now. "Bring me closer to Raas." 

There was contact; a closeness Hiram had not truly felt since he had been forced from the Maplewood so many months ago. He reveled in it. Surrounded by his family, his newborn sons, all was right and good with the world.

The untested strength of Jhala's faith had never come under question under the Cardinal's rule. Hiram never pried underneath the surface and took Jhala's commitment to the Daystar in a skin-deep sense, never questioning for fear of the answer he would receive. He cared too much for her to reject the Lord -- and in a way, Hiram felt he was protecting his family by never brushing past the surface. Unlike his daughters, who Hiram had not subjected Raas upon, Jhala was different. She was his right hand and among leadership of the faith.

When she spoke of a cleansing, Hiram's unspoken fears were driven away. "Of course," he said, nodding in joyous agreement. "But, I'll need some time to prepare the ritual." The feathers and frogs needed to be gathered. This would be done in time, yet not now. For now, Hiram had two baby boys to marvel at.

"Okay," Jhala murmured, almost sadly. Maybe she just sounded tired, but it hurt her soul to continue pretending-- to continue lying-- to Reek as often as she did. But maybe that was okay, maybe he just needed a bit of a white lie to keep him going. The man was tired as always, and though their relationship was almost forced upon her, she'd grown to love him in her own way... and to make the man she loved happy was worth it to her. 

So she nuzzled her head closer to him, her tail wrapping the newborns closer to her stomach, and let out a soft sigh. She was uncomfortable and tired and hot-- and even though she was a bit sad and confused, she was content. This was never her plan-- plans had terrible ways of falling through on her-- but it would be alright, and she knew that everything would be alright.