Ocean's Breath Plateau [B] Remember when

Surprise! Welcome babies! Forward dating the birth to April 23rd. I’m working Monday and Tuesday and have something going on Sunday. Let Sumac post first, then the pups are free to come. @Mixedhearts, @Rainchaser, @Greyfalcon. Forgive me for any power playing that may occur.

The pains of life had begun the previous morning (Monday), lasting on and off throughout the day and into the coolness of night. She’d be coming and going, in and out of the den, whining, but tried to keep to herself, drawing no attention, no eyes. 

It was well after midnight, and in the early hours of Tuesday, before the sun was to rise, her labor began in earnest. She gave a call for @Sumac, a low howl to tell him the time had come, and she nested herself in the deep den she’d prepared up to this day. She was anxious, excited, hurting, and she didn’t know what she wanted exactly. She would let Sumac in, she would not chase him away, for he was their father. The mini Cougar, @Raja had been there too, giving a calming presence, her purring something to focus on.

She had laid down on her side, back against the back wall of the den, when she felt a pain that could be compared to no other. She tried to keep quiet, only letting out pained whimpers. When her body wished it so, she pushed, and brought the first baby, @Pine. She looked back at the precious little thing, bathed in auburn, grey and tawny hues. She licked her first daughter until she made the sounds of life, and placed her by her stomach, to drink the colostrum, the milk of strength. 

Once the first child was settled, she made way for the second. With a mother’s strength, she press down and with ease the second came into the world, @Silvertip. She did as she had with the first, cleaned her until her coat of dark blacks and light silver hues shone through and the sweet cries rang out.

There was a period of rest between the second and the third. When the contractions had come again and the sharp pain ran  through her body, she pushed the third, @Ponderosa, into the world. She cleaned the puppy born in the shades of her father, of the dark, with the reds of her own. The cries of her babies were music to her soft ears. 

She settled the third beside the others at her breast, when the last and final of the contractions had arrived. For the final time, she pushed with strength, and brought @Angel Oak into the world. She brought the fourth and last child to her breast, cleaned and crying.

Soon, all her children were quieted, happily drinking their mother’s milk.
Then, she looked to Sumac, his dark handsome face, with the love of a mother, that glimmer in her eyes. “They’re here. They’re ours.”

'Mac's nerves were frayed. The previous day, it was obvious that Raindrop was in great discomfort, and there was little he could do about it. He'd seen this behavior before in his own mother, and he understood what it meant. Anxieties plagued his mind, his ears perpetually pinned to the sides of his crown as he licked his lips nervously. After spending a day of comforting, pacing, and endlessly trying to be of some use, today he'd decided to occupy his mind with hunting. Unfortunately, his mind was too preoccupied, his muscles too spasmodic, his interest too firmly placed back at the den.

He was finally finding some success hunting a small hare at dawn, if only to occupy his whirling brain, when a familiar, but pained howl rang in his ears. Without a second thought, like a tightly coiled spring, he turned about and bolted, sending the hare skittering away at his tail. 

Sumac slowed his pace as he neared the den and swallowed hard. Cautiously, he stuck his nose in and called softly, "Raindrop...?" He'd never been allowed in a birthing den, and Ma had always been of a violent temper at this time. Rain was of a more even disposition, but surely the great pain of labor could drive even the most peaceful temperament into a tempestuous flurry. He'd been granted admission, so he carefully descended, a whine of empathy escaping his throat as he tried to lick her face in a comforting fashion. Not knowing what to do with himself, he simply lay beside her, pressing his side against her back in an attempt to grant her some solace. This was a battle he could not aid her in.

He hadn't realized how much he'd been holding his breath until he heard the first cries, when it came out of him in a rush. His ears erect, gilded eyes wide with wonder as he beheld the tiny, brightly-hued figure. Raindrop instinctively moved the firstborn, a girl, to her stomach to nurse. A second followed with slightly, mercifully, more ease: a beauty of silver, white, and black. A third followed, and after some time, a fourth. In all, four healthy, beautiful daughters. 'Mac forgot himself entirely as he gazed down upon the four little forms, squirming and nursing eagerly. His maw hung agape, all sense of language abandoned. There was only this precious moment, one that was etched eternally in his memory.

After some time, he finally found his voice, hoarse and raw with some unnamed emotion. "They're... perfect," he croaked, his eyes glistening with affectionate tears.

GASP!

I'm here!

Her entry into life felt like an explosion of sudden sensation. Air forced its way into her lungs immediately, followed by a reflexive cough, then the beginnings of a wail. She could neither hear nor see, but the tactile messages coming into her mind from all directions were enough to render everything a blur. Diminutive paws moved of their own accord, desperate to alleviate the sudden shock of cold. 

Her request was answered by warmth as she was aided with removing the remaining afterbirth that blanketed her body. With muscles too fresh to hold her weight, she was carefully placed in the one place she instinctively knew she wanted to be. Without a second thought, she latched onto the nearest teat, a pleasure beyond words seeping softly into every vein as she eagerly took in her first milk. Contented, she nursed until she'd had her fill, paying little heed as a second soft, warm bundle was laid beside her. The girl was sound asleep by the time she was joined by the third and fourth, but somehow it seemed their sisterly bonds forged even then.

All had been dark, warm, and somewhat quiet…. Suddenly this was all gone! She had been through a blur of sensations unknown to her yet, first it was darkness, now it was darkness but with all kinds of new feelings and things running through her little puppy brain.

She had whined and whined until mama had earnestly cleansed her making sure she was able to breath without problem and gently nudged to the thing she smelled…. Milk. Eager for it she nursed without a care, happy to be by something that her senses told her were her siblings, and mom and pop.

It was warm again, comfortable. Still dark, but that would soon change within weeks she would not know about.

Ponderosa was the third to arrive earthside. It was a disturbing experience, being pushed and shoved out of your cozy, warm home with an all you can eat buffet for 9 weeks. No worries. When she hit the ground, and the wet covering had been removed from her body, she cried, but her mother wouldn’t let her cry for long. She couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, even herself, but she could feel, taste the milk when she was put to momma’s breast. Her cry stopped now that she was satisfied. Beside her, she could feel warmth, other squirming little things. She didn’t know what they were, but instinct told her they were family, nothing to fear.

Even though she lost the warmth of the womb, she gained much more, and she would only understand all of it once she grows, develops. But for now, she was content, long as what she had wasn’t taken away, like her newly discovered love of milk.

The final girl was startled into silence by the indignity of her birth. In one uncomfortable squeeze, the whole of her reality had shifted. She was not where she belonged.

Belatedly, she gasped for air, and within a few breaths she began to cry instead. Everything hurt — to her, at least. She had never been cold before. Had never felt these strange textures. Everything was loud even to her still unopened ears. Bright, even to her unopened eyes.

Her mother's tongue soothed her, even though this, too, was startling. An eternity seemed to pass before she was shuffled in amongst her sisters, familiar to her even in the outer world. And there was the drumming thunder of her mother's voice, so much louder, now! But still recognizable.

And there was her father. The quiet wonder in his voice was lost on her. The vibrations of his voice altogether was something strange and new. But she knew the warm radiance of his presence, and soon enough, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

There in the cozy seaside den, it was a little portion of what heaven must feel like. Raindrop was indeed exhausted, it was a whole new world for her, the experiance of motherhood. But before she decided to lay her head down, she looked over her children, choosing two names, “The third will be Ponderosa, like the pines from my home, and Silvertip for the second.” Her voice was gentle, raspy from straining, but she looked to her husband, their father, a tired smile on her face, “It is up to you, my love, to name the first and fourth.” 

She listened, waited for Sumac to give their children names, then she would give him a lick on the face before she gave into the exhaustion.

We can wrap it up after you, ‘Mac. I’m so glad the babies are finally here. It’s gonna be a whole new adventure. :)