Moonspear I wanna stay right here in this moment with you

No post order after all babies have posted others will be allowed outside of the den

It was early morning; the sun barely started to rise and shine over the mountains when she felt the first stir in her belly. She had been down this road quite a few times and knew exactly what to do as she laid down and prepared to start pushing out the first babe.

After the first contractions started she pushed out the first child with ease as she began to pull off the sack and lick the tiny creature fiercely until it made sounds of life; it was a girl she noticed first as she cleaned them off. “@Tikaani.” She spoke not that the baby could hear her name just yet. Named after the word wolf in her language of her people.

The moment was cut short as the pain rose once more and she began to push out the second child. She whined softly as this one was a bit harder to birth than the first but after a while they came and she repeated the process; same as the first. “@Nayati.” Was the next name she spoke; this one was a boy quickly followed by another.

She pushed the second babe next to the other as she pushed out the third child. This one took its time to make any sounds and the dark woman feared the worst. “Come on little one.” She licked and nosed the child and thankfully he finally cried. It was another boy. “@Nicte, is what you’ll be called.”

She looked upon her three children nestled by her belly and thought that was it as the contractions settled for a while. About half an hour past is when they began to stir once more and again she birthed another boy. “@Nashua.” Named after the riverbed. She cleaned off all her children and gathered them as close as she could before letting out a small rejoicing howl to announce their birth

Aani wasn't ready for the world, but it's cold embrace was ready for her. The first shock to her system drew her breathless. And then she gathered what breath she could and wailed.

How dare she be handled so abhorrently. How dare it be cold and yucky. This was not what she was used too, nor was it what she wanted.

As she was handled and licked and cuddled and pressed. Her crying ceased and she latched quickly to suckle and sleep.

It was abrupt and traumatic being birthed. He was warm and cozy then cold and wet. He made sure to voice his distress especially when something else wet went across his body; but that was soon over and he was pressed against another and soon another.

 All was well again and he was warm and happy nosing around the belly fur of the one he’d soon know as mama.

The space around him slowly emptied until all that was left was him.

He waited. Paws stretched out to every corner, as though searching for any left behind, and when he found none, he curled back up and would have sighed, if any breath had yet entered his lungs.

Space for a moment. Peace from kicking paws - but only for so long.

When his time came, he slid out without complaint, and found himself amongst others again. The time and place for his momentary solitude replaced by those he was made for.

Nashua slid between his brothers and sister and found his mother again, gently kneading and nursing alongside the rest.

When he had been born there was nothing but darkness and cold. He didn’t make any noise at first and he quickly wondered if this was it. Just a cold nothing but that change after he got licked to life by someone he would only know by her scent and the smell of her sweet milk.  He let out a sharp whine of discontent before he was sighed by his siblings. Wiggling for warmth and nosing around her soft belly fur looking for life sustaining substance. Once found he grunted softly pressed around it for more milk before falling asleep next his siblings.

She looked upon her brood with wonder in her eyes. This would probably be her last litter and soft tears fell from her eyes of happiness. She was feeling pure bliss at the sound of her suckling children and she gently nudged all of them. Her other children were somewhere she knew not and her heart ached for them as well. 

But she was to do better with this litter. They will know love and safety if it was the last the woman did in her fruitful life. She wondered if her leaders had heard her call and she’d allow them to view them out of respect but not too close.

@Sialuk @Alaric and others welcome!

just one from me. <3

Sialuk had thought, last year, that two was the perfect number of children. This year, having three was proving that her first thought might in fact be correct. She had scarcely spoken with Moonshadow, but when the woman called out to invite others to celebrate the lives of her children, Sialuk pulled herself from the ulaq, leaving her three babes in the care of a trusted caretaker.

With her, she brought one of the otter skins, a piece of the bride price that she had decided to redistribute. Collecting dust in the ulaq was of no good to anyone, and it was a painful reminder of the man who had left it (and a family) behind.

She arrived quietly, the sound of breathing and suckling pups drawing her a close, but reasonable distance from where Moonshadow had brought more life to the village. Sialuk nudged the otter skin toward the woman, a look of solidarity for the four(!) babes at her breast.

The Ostrega would not stay long, only stopping to deliver the gift, exchange pleasantries, and return to three hungry mouths awaiting her.