Thunder Dome May Strong Arms Hold You

@Void , @Badger, @Granite , @Kiche , @Raen , @Sirris ! Midnight Scar, it be go time :3. Let Void go first!

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May strong arms hold you,
caring hearts tend you,
and may love await you at every step.

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The words were sweet and hot on her mind, her mantra as pain rippled through her body. She'd retired to their den, having furiously dug it out for days prior, accommodating additional space for them. Soon. Very soon, she could feel it. Meylodi turned her head and snapped at her grá, and felt her teeth rake fur; now was not the time for him to be at her side. No, not one bit. His presence irritated her, though she admittedly was not herself.

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Leave her alone for now. Get out. There would be time for that, time for cuddles, praise, and whatnot, but leave the Alfess to the quiet sanctum of her whelping den. 

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A cailín no longer; a woman. A Máthair. Máthair-Alfa. The Mother Alfa of Midnight Scar. Her children would be born on their soil, something she would always be grateful for. It was time; they were ready, wether or not the mother-wolf was. She howled for Kiche in particular, as Moorhen had still been out on patrol. Hopefully, the woman would come in time. If not, she'd always said her body would know what to do. Meylodi hoped she was right, because right now was not one of the times she was in control.

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They were. 

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Violence in the sky was upon this fateful day. A storm in full swing overhead, its lightning barrelling into the ground of their home in displays of sparks and short-lived flames. Thunder ran like hundreds of elk herds forming into one, spooked by the pack in a mad dash for life. They couldn't wait for better weather? She couldn't exactly say no. Get out of her, get out of her- she had been patient for so long.

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Her tongue lolled in a pant, focused on breathing. Just breathe, just breathe, she thought. Ya be fine, yer body knows what ta do, it does, it does - Pain rippled through her, causing small whines to escape her throat. No, she wouldn't call for her love, no, he did not need to be there at this exact second. In this case, the Alfess wanted a she-wolf... or she-dog, to tend the Dome's dark queen. Her form was almost invisible in the shadows in the leader's den, built for a pair of large wolves and dug deeper to accommodate her in such a state.

Void awoke to Meyls panting and contractions. He bolted up. It was time. “Meyl!! They’re coming right?!?” He asked in a panic

sorry it’s short, want the actual birth to happen :3

All wolves entered the world through blood and through pain.
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Ya blo'y t'inkin' o'erwise?! she yelped, her breathing ragged with the effort. Pic'in' a fine day ta come, ain't they? her body shook, further talking impossible. Meyodi's face contorted in pain, but she couldn't stop the pain. All at once, it seemed -

A crack of lightning, their first. A son, bathed in moonlight and casting a shadow upon his back as tall as the mountains he'd call home. Meylodi looked at him curiously for a moment, so tiny and precious, her muzzle licking the little one free until his first yip nearly made her cry, and shuffled him closer. To her warmth. They needed warmth. He needed it. @Badger.

A jerk of her stomach as another contraction had her biting her tongue and trying not to scream. Soon after, their second-born. This one was a darker grey, faded tips of white; another son. She, too, licked him until he gave her a whine, nudging him next to his brother. Find your food, little ones... @Granite.

But oh, no- the pain wasn't done, nor were there only two of their children. 

The next two competed for the spotlight, but a sure-black daughter came first, one white paw on her foot. Meylodi could only imagine that she was how Void looked when he was born. She got the same treatment as her brothers, licked until all the fluid was gone from her lungs, and she took her first of countless breaths. She was brought closer to the mountain they had for a mother, snuggled between her brothers. If their mother wasn't in so much pain, she'd be yipping in how interesting their nursing felt to her, tiny paws on her stomach.

A final daughter, white and grey. Licked, breathing as evidenced by a strong yip, a crack of lightning over their head as she was brought to her siblings. Their litter. A knot caught in her throat.

She counted toes, tails, ears, and noses, checking, hoping... All... fine. They were fine. Not a single, solitary thing wrong with their children, at least physically. They were larger than she'd imagined, but still quite small in comparison to their parents. 

The Mother-Alfa held her children close, her heart swelling with joy as she finally turned to her mate. Their father. I t'ink I may cry-

Void was overwhelmed with emotion. He too licked each of his children in turn, many emotions going through him. Love, protection, fear, joy. He wanted to curl around them too but he knew that was the mothers job. “They need names” He said softly. “This little firstborn has the face markings like a Badger. I think that could be a suitable name for him. What do you think for the rest?” Void asked, giving her the liberty to name the majority for the babies.

The little boy came into the world with a yelp. He immediately followed his instinct and moved his little body over to his mothers side, starting to suckle in an instant, and an instant more, falling asleep. Being alive was too exhausting

She rested for a moment, panting. Meylodi, had, after all, just had four children. That was... a lot of work. 

After the dark mother regained some of her breath, she looked over their children, pride in her Frostcrest heart . Her muzzle pointed towards their second. T'is li'le guy. Lookin' like scorched Gray-nite, don't he? Grrr-grranite. T'at be'er. An' tis one, she nuzzled her firstborn daughter. I'm t'inkin' Hazel, though I can't quite put me paw on one, Their last born, she licked. Raen, like t'is absurd we'er.

The lastborn had felt warm, and then cold, and then she had shaken until a yip came from her throat, though she did not hear it. She could feel her body being shuffled, and now she was warm again, surrounded by other wiggling bodies and one solid, warm one that smelt of milk. 

Milk... 

She wiggled closer, whining to get a drink. Thirst... her tiny paws found the solid one, pressing against it... her? It was squishy, and smelt divine. 

A drink as her tiny mouth closed over a spot where the milk-scent smelt particularly strong, and suckled. 

Raen drank her fill, and then slept.

A child, born of a squall’s image, took his first sips of air.

His pelt was the color of rainclouds. A dark cape wrapped around his back like rolling thunder. A flash of white. Lightening.

A cry announced his arrival. Granite. The child writhed and wriggled vigorously – a strong and healthy babe for the newly founded pack – against his siblings. Then, soothed by his Mother’s tender care, the youngling latched and drank his first meal on Earth.

In the breath of a storm, a daughter as black her father came into the world.
 
Coldness replaced warmth, and there she yelped to go back to where it was much more comfy.

And then she was moved closer to a giant mound of warmth and softness, drinking something very tasty indeed. She couldn't get enough, more, more!

Then she was full, and then she slept.

Meylodi looked at their sleeping children, her eyes soft. Her voice was just as quiet, nuzzling each of them. Go n-eirí an ghrian agus na gealaí ag rince thar do cheann, agus tú ag codladh go ciúin i do leaba. Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat pé áit a dtéann tú, agus is mó do bheannacht ná na seamróga a fhásann*. 

And then she turned to Void, smiling. Her tail gave a tired wag as she lay her head by his paws. Everything hurt, a lot, and she was exhausted. Aye, ya big ol' furball o' a fa'er, get cher tail down 'ere. Me need a spot fer me head. her tone was playful.

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*May sunshine and moonbeams dance over your head, as you quietly slumber in your bed. May good luck be with you wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow

Void nodded as she named all the babies and then chucked when she asked for him to get down there so she could lay on him. But he obliged, and the new father, though technically he fathered 2 litters before, settled down with his family.