Dragoncrest Cliffs This is the only way to be II

all welcome!

Her labour had begun shortly before dawn, while she was down at Siren's Beach, watching the shadow of the great arch as it stretched across the sand and out toward the ocean as the sun rose to the East. She'd spent some time in the cool waters, hoping it might help her along, wading in far enough that it could help her support the weight of the children she bore. The sea was calm, the swells regular and pulsing. She felt the waters warm as they darkened around her, and she knew her time had come. 

She did not withdraw, but remained with the saltwater coursing with each contraction and push. In the shallows, she lay, the water rising to her elbows, pooling about her belly before withdrawing with each ebb. Both children came quickly and easily; regrettably, she did not have time to call for @Etienne, who had wanted to be present for the birth. She did have an honour for him, yet- one she knew he might accept with happiness in his heart.

The first was paler, with a mahogany hood reminiscent of the fur worn by @Rosalyn. Her body bore the same beige hue of Erzulie, passed on by some miracle. The second was much more the image of her Grandmother- though she bore Chacal's golden shoulder markings. 

Each child passed from the mother, to the ocean, and then was seized back into the wolf's arms again. Pulled from the ocean and cleansed, introduced to their first taste of air as she cleaned the birth sac from each of them. On the thought-stone, warmed by the morning sunlight, she lifted her pups so that she might curl around them now that she, too, was clean. 

Untouched by the cold waves, Chacal lay, tall and proud, with the children christened @Chiro and @Chani at her side. There, she called out for her packmates so they might come to welcome the newest additions to the pack.

He heard his mother's call and though the disappointment hit him when he realized he hadn't been there. It was alright. he raced towards her anyway, in his maw things that he thought she may need. Mint for any stomach issues, cobwebs in case there was too much bleeding. So much, but upon his arrival he was pleased to see his manman happy with his little siblings and tears lit up his golden eyes.

Oh manman look at dem, dey be the prettiest little tings, dis side of de coast.

He happily waved his tail, but kept his distance he didn't wish to cause his manman stress in this wonderful moment of bliss.

I'm just gonna go ahead and say no posting order for this thread :)

The first to arrive was the boy who bore the looks of her dearly departed Maman, and her eyes welled with tears when the momentary pang of grief hit her. Erzulie would have loved to see more grandchildren; but she lived through them, already. She knew she would always see shadows of Erzulie in all of those she had loved, and who she had helped create. She decided, upon seeing her son, that she could give each of these children a middle name-

Chani Erzulie
Chiro Rosalyn. 

Etienne was smart to keep some distance, before he received an invitation. Not all mothers would welcome so easily all who approached- but she knew the compassionate young man had only love in his heart for his newest siblings so she gestured with a tilt of her chin that he could come closer, see them, and if he did, she would reach out to nuzzle him too. 

"Dey be perfect, dese two little girls,
de newest addition to our side of de world.
I am sorry I did not call you, when dey began to come-
but dey left me no time; but I 'ave a task for you yet, son.
Once de ot'ers 'ave come to see,
I was 'oping you might help me-
If you feel comfortable wid it, Etienne,
I'd ask you to carry one of dem up to de den."

She knew others would arrive to fawn over the pups in the wake of their water birth, and once she'd had a chance to rest, she would need to move the pups back up the cliffs, through the tunnel. She could carry one of them herself- but felt certain her son might help with carrying the other, at least a part of the way.

As soon as Theo heard the news he rushed over. His little sisters were born! It was so exciting to the young man. He knew he was barely more than a pup himself at this point, but nearing 9 month, and now being a big brother, made him feel older. He saw Eti already there and padded over carefully, smiling in happiness at the small pups. “T’ey be so little an’ so cuteeeee!” Theo said, looking from his mother to his brother to now his new little sisters. He wasn’t quite sure what path was ahead of them but he hoped he could teach them and protect them, like his mother had told him to

Suzu was without a doubt, slower in movement than her two siblings and despite the fact that she'd not been far down the beach at all from where her mother had given birth, it took her the longest to reach the cove when her mother called out. 

The fish trap she had built with Swordfish needed constant repair and attending, but it was proving itself worthwhile. A fish had been trapped in it overnight, and she retrieved it at dawn when the tide was low. She'd then had to wiggle another stick into the trap's design for extra support, just in case the weather shifted, as it was prone to do in March. Still- the fish it had caught was a nice prize for her efforts. 

She brought the fish with her, and spotted Etienne and Theo hovering over their mother in the distance. She huffed and puffed as she trundled along, not realizing what her mother's call had meant until she got close enough to see that her siblings were gazing at their mother's side. She let out a small boof of surprise, the fish muffling her voice, and she hastened her pace so she could join the party awing over the birth of the new puppies. 

She dropped the fish and inhaled in wonder. "MAMAN!" She exhaled, her voice just above a whisper. "Eeeeeee dey are so cute! An' so tiny! Is it just de two? Are dey girls or boys? Can I name one?" She asked rapidly, tail waving.

His manman agreed to let him nearer and upon closer inspection he snaked a soft kiss to each head of his sisters and pressed his head against his mother's chest.

Dey do be perfect.

They were so cute and soft, and every little toe and ear, was simply perfect. He wanted to cry from the sweetness of it. His own littermates approached fairly quickly and his tail weaved at each of them, as he pressed his nose to both their shoulders and heads too. Glad to see them all.

I be 'elpin' you manman. He nodded his head. He would help her. He'd carry one of the babies as carefully and gently as he could the whole way.

the voice of her siblings roused chani from where she curled against her mother's belly.
the birth had been confusing for chani but not for her mother, who had guided them all through it with a lovingness and innate peace that had made the transition easiest.
and the sea! touched by sand and foam, bathed second in the birthwaters of an ancient world, chani drew her first and mewling breaths.
now she wakened, blunt little muzzle searching for the new vibrations in the air, the ones she somehow knew down to her marrow.
daughter of the cliffs, breathe the salt wind

some healed, some followed the flow of time. the lapping of the waves a reminder of this.

jorunn set aside her own thoughts and feelings. focused now, once more, on only support. especially when the voice of chacal sounded.

proud and strong, the strength of the cliffs in her voice.

she would come no closer than she would be welcomed. new children did many things to a woman and she was prepared to respect all of them. even as she paired down at the soft carbon copies of the women she called lovers. saltwater in her eyes, not of the sea.

her heart grew by two that day, as did sapphique.

children.
born to the sea.
mireille's eyes stung as she joined chacal. two new nieces, tucked to her flank. etienne's sweet voice piping alongside suzu's wondering one.
jorunn; she brushed her shoulder in bonding against that of the woman.
"bon travay, sè," mireille whispered to chacal, moving to kiss the much beloved face. "we will help you, oui."
her smile was genuine.
and looking at their small closed faces reminded mireille of her own status. their babyish smell brought an aunt's fondness once more.

how fitting the two newest daughters of sapphique would be born among the waves. baptized by salt before they ever took their first breaths —

val felt his blood sing at such spectacle. he was much too late to offer assistance, though he pressed his nose to chacal in silent congratulations.

now his gaze fanned to the procession and their charges — sapphique’s proud future held in the jaws of their family.