Stone Circle Love me as though there were no tomorrow

@Keen, @Merrit and of course @Stark. Other pack members are welcome to cameo!! :D

A bit of PP on Stark, Sonia let me know if you want it changed. But I felt Stark would be with her as she got close to giving birth! :D <3 IDK let me know if you aren't cool!

Valette knew when she was starting to fluff up the den it wouldn't take a long time before she was going to give birth. The dark female realized that she was sleeping more. Luckily she had Stark that was the Beta and could help with leading. Last time she didn't have that. Valette also realized that her stress levels were far lower than last time. Perhaps this was because she knew what was going to happen. She knew that there would be a pain she needed to endure.

Valette felt a bit sorry for Stark but when she felt light contractions start, the soon-to-be mother didn't feel like having him around. She made sure she was out of the way. Valette didn't care if he waited outside but she wanted the room to move into a comfortable position if there even was a comfortable position to give birth in. The pain grew. Valette was surprised how much she had forgotten the pain that came with giving birth.

A jab of pain was the signal that the pups really decided to arrive tonight. It was followed by a gush of water. Valette grunted in dismay. She didn't feel very energetic but her main motivation was that she wanted to see her newborn children. The female started to push and realized that it wasn't as easy as she remembered. However, after some straining, she was met with the familiar screeching sound. Valette felt her heart flutter and instantly reached for the little thing.

She started to lick the pup clean. Her first born was a female and brown in color. She was mildly surprised as she thought all their children would be dark in fur color. Valette hummed happily and licked the little one clean. She already knew what she wanted to call this little girl. Keen, after Keoni. Though she would ask Stark first if that was okay with him. After the little one was cleaned Valette tugged her safely by her belly for warmth. She would let her newborn find a teat herself. Valette needed to focus on the next one that would come.

She let out a groan and a puff. She would have to go through this again. Valette felt that this one went more swiftly. Perhaps she just wanted this one to be born, and the room was already made. She decided not to think about it too much. With one deep breath of air and a strong push, the second one was born. The mother eagerly reached for the dark pup. She licked his little face clean, followed by his body. She was trying to comfort the little one before placing him by his sister. She watched them proudly, the two tiny babies by her belly. Valette fuzzed over the two with little licks, completely in love with them.

A contraction shot through her body. The female groaned and tried to push. Though this one felt rather difficult. She pushed another time with all her strength but she didn't hear that familiar cry yet, plus there was still the same pressure indicating that the pup was still there. Valette groaned audibly. After several pushes, the other was still not out and Valette was getting weary. Valette gathered all her strength and pushed again, to be finally met with the familiar cries. What Valette didn't know was that this little pup was born in breech position.

When the mother looked behind her, she froze in shock. Pure white. Valette stared at the screeching pup. She realized also how tiny this pup was compared to the others. How could she have so much difficulty with this pup? She noticed the screech was getting louder which kicked her maternal instinct in gear. Valette grabbed the pup and started to lick it clean which seemed to calm the little girl. She never expected a white pup. What would Stark think? She hadn't bred with Birk. She was certain. But then she realized that her mother was as pure white, and her brother was as well.

Valette tugged the little girl by her brother and sister. She looked so frail and tiny. Valette wasn't sure how she felt about it. She nudged the pup closer to a teat. Now she was doubtful if this pup was even going to make it. Valette instantly felt more stressed. The afterbirth followed, which Valette quickly ate while trying to see if the tiny one had drunk by now. Valette then placed her head down tiredly. She didn't expect this level of tiredness.

She closed her eyes but then she realized that Stark was probably still waiting outside. "Stark?," she called out softly. She disliked how weak she sounded. "C-Come look," she added. Last time she didn't let anyone in the den for at least a week if not more. She felt a bit tense. She felt nervous about a male so close to the newborns. She felt tense about the white pup and what Stark's reaction would be. His reaction in general. It felt wrong to keep him out. He was the father and her mate. She loved him and she just hoped that he would love all the three pups, even the frail one.

He knew nothing but warmth, the press of his siblings, and an easy existence. A world both right, and as it should be. This was the only world he had ever known, and as he dwelt suspended in the caress of his mother's womb, he had no notion or thought that the world could be anything beyond this — and he was content with that.

But his only world began to shift. It started with a gentle ripple through the walls surrounding him, not concerning but notably different, until he felt a much tighter constriction that squeezed every inch of spare room and clutch him with a mounted pressure. Something dislodged in front of him, and the presence near his face disappeared. And at this, his construction of right turned very wrong. He felt himself slipping, too, away from the other who shared this place with him, and he didn't want to go. He struggled for a moment, vying to hold on, but his small paws latched to nothing. With a final effort he reached out and made a grab for his sister, but his toes merely brushed her side and made no lasting purchase. The walls contracted again, and this time, the whelp didn't fight them.

He slid into the world a mound of slick and gooey fur. The air around felt warm, but so unlike the floating nirvana he'd left behind. At once his mouth parted with a cry, but his breath caught and gurgled on the mouthful of fluid he'd half-swallowed on his way out. His throat constricted, but the fear lasted only as long as it took for a gentle new thing to run itself across his face and whisk the obstruction away. Air flowed freely through his lungs and he breathed in the first and deepest breath he had drawn since his entrance to this place. Residual whines stung his throat, but his noises soon faded to a whimper, then silence, as his mother ran a soothing pattern across his back.

The whelp settled easily against his older sister, but only felt at place when he felt the touch of his younger sibling against his side. He knew nothing of this world but what he could feel and smell, but the softness felt familiar, and the large warmth smelt good to him, too. The boy decided this was safe, and he latched his mouth around the large warmth's nearest teat and kneaded her belly in a soft and instinctual rhythm. The world had changed, but in these things, it felt somewhat okay again.

Arlette, although she didn't have a name officially yet, wasn't aware of the trouble she was causing her mother. The child was mostly unaware of everything around her. She noticed that she had more room but it didn't go much further than that since the walls seemed to cramp around her. The young female felt her being forced into one direction, the one she didn't want to go to. However, it seemed that she couldn't fight against this force. 

The girl noticed that something pressed around her before all the warmth was taken from her. She squeaked out, though the little girl couldn't really hear this herself. She was didn't know what was happening and the cold seemed to get worse and worse. Something was still around her. Was it a slime? What even was a slime. Arlette just felt really uncomfortable. That is what she knew. Then another sensation went over her which she didn't really like. But in the end, she was rewarded for it as she felt something warm move over her. The girl's protests slowly ebbed away.

Then that feeling again, before she was warmed from both sides. The little girl realized she was more than content now. She liked this warmth and decided that she needed to stay with this warmth. Whatever happened, she needed to stay close to them, she never wanted to feel that cold again. Arlette nestled close against the warmth around her. Until she felt a push and felt a bit startled. She didn't understand why. She was pressed more against the warmth. The girl realized her mouth was close to something and instinctively she latched on. Finally, the girl had taken her first drink.

The male was full of worry and the moment his male pushed him out of the den he took to pacing it's entrance. If anyone had come close be would have sent them away - save for the kids, and maybe Banner. He wanted to call but at the same time he was too fixated on Valette to think of anything or anyone else. Every sound she'd made worried him and when other sounds joined hers he was even more worked up. His children. His own children.

After placing a new pathway in front of the den he was finally allowed to see them - bit first he grabbed a hunk of meat from the nearby cache he'd been building up. Gingerly he stepped inside, setting the meat down before kissing Valette's forehead. "I'm so proud of you.' He said softly - like he was afraid of being too loud to the children he hadn't even looked at yet. 

His gaze shifted to the tiny bundles - one brown, like B, one dark like it's parents, and then one stark white. His gaze shot to Valette's with a question he didn't need to ask - he didn't even think of her brother then

Her world was changing, shifting. At first, this development slipped the tiny dreamer's attention; how could she have recognized such a pivotal moment before it happened?
And all at once, it did.
Keen drew her first breaths, aching and sweet, as her mother tended her, then wiggled fiercely as she was moved. From the world of nothingness she had entered a place of movement, stimulation. The chocolate-cloaked pup stretched out with all her limbs, stiffly prodding at the warm, soft squish surrounding her. She was, for the moment, unaware that the squish was her siblings. For several beats, it seemed the girl had forgotten the main responsibility of infanthood in favor of flailing at her first discovery.
The first pangs of hunger set in quickly, though, and she abandoned her prodding in favor of exploring the big squish. Soon, she would learn that big squish was, in fact, mom; just now, she was discovering her very conveniently-placed food source. Keen latched greedily to her mother, kicking one hind leg rhythmically as she ate. Little could have dissuaded the newborn from her meal now.

Valette lifted her head when Stark came in. She wagged her tail, though it only patted lightly against the ground as she was rather tired. Valette happily closed her eyes when the male gave a lick over her head. He was proud of her. That was nice to know. But when she noticed him looking at the pups, she did see the questioning look on his face. "I was surprised myself," she commented softly, it sounded insecure. She didn't want to start about Birk now, because she hadn't. Stark knew that she had only been with him. He had made sure of that.

'But my mom... She was white with red eyes, albino and my brother... He has it too. Maybe she is like them," she added softly and glanced at the children at her belly. Valette felt a bit insecure about the life of the tiny white pup. She nosed over her newborns, to check on them. She didn't want to speak out to Stark that the white one probably wouldn't make it. Too frail and tiny. She glanced at Stark to see any further reaction from him. What would he think? She wasn't sure, sometimes he could be rather stoic in his expressions.

Valette then started to eat the meal Stark brought. She hadn't realized how much she craved it. She wolfed it down as fast as she could while still lying down. Once Valette had finished her meal and caught her breath she started to give Stark more information. "The first one was the brown one. A girl. I wanted to name her after Keoni. I'd like to name her Keen. And the dark one is a boy, just like you," she hummed. Though fur indicated that he might have some white as well. "I thought you might like to name one as well," she spoke with a soft nod. She hadn't thought of a name for the small girl. Perhaps they shouldn't name her in case she didn't make it.

Blind and deaf, the little boy was not yet privy to understand the deep rumblings that quivered through the milk giver's frame. One day, he would rumble like phrases, words, and ideas. Yet today, and for many days to come, he knew only this: that there was something quieting in the rhythmic shake, something else that reminded him of the safety of the cocoon he no longer found himself in.

Lulled by the vibrations of his mother's voice and of the heartbeats of the two warm bodies pressed in their own rhythms against his sides, the boy's kneading grew slow and his teeth lost purchase on his mother's teat. His face slipped and he tucked his forehead against the softness of her underside instead, adrift in a calm and steady rest, content, now, with simply feeling.

Ooc/ having some complications - some random pains they haven't tied down. Getting evaluated by more doctors xx

Stark remained quiet for a moment, allowing Val to focus on eating and on herself while he watched their children at her breast. He was full of so many emotions - doubt, pride, love, fear, an overwhelming desire to protect them. Had his own father felt this way looking at his children? He didn't have fond memories with Curran and hoped that further down the line his kids wouldn't say the same thing. He gave a nod when she mentioned the name she'd wanted for the girl - the one who looked like Banner. "Keen is perfect." He said with a soft smile, finally tearing his eyes away from the litter long enough to look at his mate.

"I like Merrit," Although no one should ever let him name anything - especially not children who would have to carry their names until they were old enough to change them. "Is that.... Too weird? And.. What should we call her? If she looks like your mom and brother... Maybe something about them?" Alexander wasn't very feminine though, and the tiny little girl deserved a name to grow into. Stark curled himself carefully, his back facing the entrance to the den so his warmth was given to his mate and children.

" When do you want to call the kids?" Stark was in no rush and absolutely wouldn't rush Valette either - but he would call Steph, Clary, and Ezra as soon as Val was ready to receive visitors. 

Oh no get well soon!

Valette smiled softly when Stark agreed on naming the girl Keen. Valette looked lovingly at the chocolate-colored pup. Valette turned her head a bit when Stark suggested Merrit. "Merrit," she repeated it. She liked the sound on her tongue. "I like it. The dark one will be Merrit then," she spoke proudly. Valette was now feeling completely at ease with Stark being in the den around her newborns.

Valette glanced at the fragile white one. "She does," she spoke softly. She wanted to be proud of the little thing. Perhaps she would look like her mother. But the idea that she was not going to make it made Valette not want to be too attached. "I don't want to name her yet," she spoke strictly then. "What if she dies. She looks so tiny and..." Valette looked a bit upset, mostly blaming herself. Maybe she should have rested more. Maybe then this little one would be bigger.

"Not yet," she admitted. "I think Clary would be too excited, Steph too. Maybe in a week or so," Valette decided. Yes, that would be a good idea. When the pups were a little bit bigger. She realized now that Clary was away with Red. So she wouldn't be around to see them.