Dragoncrest Cliffs Aquamarine

Ears pulled down and tail tucked tight against his underside, he was his most obedient before a very pregnant Portia ready to breath hellfire upon him should he not heed her. Dio got up and moving fast, no questions asked about that. He had a good idea this was coming since he'd had a lot of time to anticipate it lately. Nonetheless, he had never been allowed near a birth and didn't need there to be a first time for that. The wocha made himself scarce. Once the initial start of her shooing him out of his typical watchful lounging wore away, he centered himself a handful of meters away. Wildfire was her next request and while watching the bandrona slip by, her sides rounded out ridiculously too, he knew that this was about to move forward and their litter was very, very close. 

A deep breath and some pacing aside, he settled as a stone faced sentinel near his mate's birthing den and hoped, prayed, and willed for her to get through this okay in any way he could as he watched the wilds for any sign of disturbance. He was worried for all the reasons he could be but excitement trickled in through the cracks even with the uncharacteristic nervous knot in his stomach. Not his first time in a position like this one, but by far and wide, the one he had the most personally attachment to already as his and Portia's little family's first.

His ears were peeled for signs of distress and time ticked by painfully slow, moment by agonizing moment. None came, and all was quiet here in the outside world too. 

After so long, Dio perked up to Portia inviting him back. Without seeing the pups or knowing a thing about them, his tail was waving and he was reaching towards her muzzle for soft, happy licks — although there was a tender tentativeness to the gesture just in case he was still on thin ice for putting her through what she'd just endured. He was glad she was alright. Probably exhausted, although nothing about sight of her did anything besides warm his heart. She'd done it, and the relief was overwhelmingly evident in the murmurs of affection while he carefully adjusted himself in the den to be right next to Portia. He next balked at Wildfire's well wishes, suddenly remembering she'd been here to witness it all. "Thanks," he said, wide-eyed along a big breath in. His mate the deserved all the kudos, of course, and he didn't have words to encompass the full lengths of that yet.

It was sight of the puppies that stilled and quieted him entirely at once. Two shapes, soft, and with lighter shades about them besides a few faint speckles on the tinier of the pair — one male, one female, he realized soon enough. So, so very small yet seemingly solidly built as well as he could tell, having everything a tiny blot of a wolf could need. He had never seen little ones so young and fresh.

Dio moved to them each in turn with a featherlight touch of his snout and proud curve of his lips when his tail picked up a new rhythm.  Finally, they were very tangible, and very, remarkably real. He sniffed generously at the duo and marveled. "Hope they were good to you getting here," he warned gently, lifting himself enough to nose Portia again because without her, he would have none of this so making sure she was alright was priority. However it was hard to take his eyes off them, even if there was not too much to see at first glance; he was confident he would see more. This had only begun to sink in. "So glad they're finally here. They're.. so tiny. Precious little perfect things.." he said fondly, settling around the two to take them in more and decide what to come to know them as next.

HI BABIES. WELCOME