Blackfeather Woods blood, guts & glory [birth]

THE MOMENT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. 
Birth order is: Atshen, Keelut, Astrid, Abraxas. Don't worry, this is forward dated a day to the 10th, so you don't have to go changing birth days. This round ends on August 15th. 
Welcome, lil fuck ups.
We have been waiting.

 

She rose that morning, to the sun bursting through the confines of the familiar den, though her family had since risen hours before. Qilaq, she assumed feeling the emptiness of her form that would curl against her side, had taken her walk; with or without Kove by her side. It worried her, the child roaming on her own. She did not know the dangers of the dark forest as Nemesis did, and did not have the mind to understand. Yet, she continued on the rest of her day as normal, a breath of held relief as Qilaq returned and soon nightfall was upon them. Kove had not returned, yet it did not bother her. In fact, as she pondered his absence, she pushed his presence away. It irked her, becoming restless from inside the den with the very thought of him laying beside her. With a swift movement she could handle it no more and without a glance to Qilaq's sleeping form as she broke free from the den. The moon had risen by then, only it's pale light guided her way as she fought out the empty den in which she was to give birth. Thunder cracked above her, foreboding with what was to come. It did not help her mood, sending her waves of agitation that she could not contain, though she pressed forward. She did not make it far before her tongue lolled out her mouth, panting at an uncannily rate though it was not from the movement itself, rather the foretelling of what was to occur that night. An itch formulated at the back of her mind, one of restlessness that the lope could not satisfy; it was not soon after the pain came.

As she slowed to a stop outside of the empty den, a brief yet stabbing pain jolted from her abdomen, a kind of pain she had not felt before. It was unexpected, a faint yelp coursed on the wind as she recovered from the shock. The rain came next in a heavy down pour and by each second that came by, all surroundings in the distance became blurry with the downpour, soaking her pelt to the core. Paying no attention to the storm clouds thickening above her, she paced with an anxiousness she had not formed herself. It came to her, ebbing at her emotions till she felt nothing but anticipation. Her paces became sharper, until the pain came again yet this time she did not flinch. With this, instinct took over and she found herself inside the den, retreating as the pains came coursing closer together until she knew it was time.

A dark one came first, (@Atshen) and through her pain she brought it close to her, licking away the access goop that had followed it on the way out. Never had she looked upon another being with the love she displayed at that moment, nor had she ever thought herself capable of feeling that way. She loved Kove, Xan and Qil; there was something in that moment that caused her to feel more, unlike she had ever had. But it was short lived, pain racking her body as another shot out, this time, the opposite it's older brother in colour (@Keelut). "Boys .. oh dear," She managed to sigh, for her experience with little boy children still managed to produce her a headache.

Yet, she hardly felt it as the next one came, it being so small and deformed she felt she could hardly lift it without breaking it's bones. It gave but one tiny, miserable breath of life before nothing; she pushed it away from the others.

Without a second thought to it's presence, pain came again, perhaps the biggest trouble of them all. With this one, the pain did not stop and she found herself elated, exhausted as she struggled to free it from her. Worry set in, fearing that it had become stuck and without oxygen it would surely suffocate. Tears fell as the struggle waged on, and with a groan did the next soul-sucking being come free from her body and she pulled it close (@Astrid). A girl. "of course," she managed a scoff, if it was anything like her it would have given her the trouble on purpose yet she did not stop to notice that the blood had not stopped flowing.

It was only when pain racked her body again, a different kind this time, did she look down to see the crimson liquid leak at an odd rate from her body. Uneducated, she could not decide if it was normal or not, and with that she assumed the birth was over.

Lightning cracked in the distance.

But it was not, while the pain was still prominent, the familiar jolt of agony cracked through her body, clenching her teeth harmfully together in the process. No, this was not right. A glutteral scream came from within her, exhausted, for with the blood loss she had little energy to push another. Yet, she felt it come. I can't, she cried from within her mind, the blood soaked into her fur. I have to. A crack of lightning in the distance and her next son broke free, feeling the emptiness of her abdomen with a long awaited sigh (@Abraxas). Leaning downwards, she lifted the last child from it's place in the puddle of blood, through the horror dawned on her as it was unmoving. The storm brewed, thunder filling her ears as she looked upon it’s form. It looked peaceful, but she would not have it, "no, no no no .." she ran her tongue over the small being, nosing it's chest with her snout where she could; any attempt to bring it life. Her heart faltered. She prepared to nudge it away with it's other dead sibling before she froze, the small almost non-existent thump of it's tiny heartbeat ringing in her ears. She blinked, watching as it's tiny figure heaved with struggled breaths. It lived.

Pulling her children close, she lay her head down. More blood had been shed than normal for a birth, leaving her in a state of utter fatigue; she dared not close her eyes. Instead, they wandered to child that did not live, it's body cast aside in the shadows of the bloodied den. Anna. It would be Anna. While name would always stay with her, her attention was for the living and she nudged the remaining children to the overflowing teats they struggled to locate.

The storm did not cease yet inside the den was a contagious warmth that could not be found anywhere else at that moment in time. Her head collapsed in exhaustion as the stormborn children wriggled about themselves; listening to the rain from the heavens crash to the darkened ground below.

There was darkness, and then there was the cold. He shivered as he came into the world but was not sooner later swept up into a comfort he had not felt before. Tiny paws struggled against the overpowering force, searching instinctively for a source of nourishment. But the feeling of other wriggling beside him came sooner than the liquid substance, only when he felt toppled by the weight of other's did the overpowering force bring them close to that was her teats. He latched on to his own, holding it down in his teeth as he suckled without a caution of haste. His appetite was unquenchable, even and the overpowering force shifted and moved, he did not let go. Perhaps his determination was a foretelling of his later character, none would know. 

At long last, his hunger slowed and so did the rate at which he was taking in. Elated, he pressed himself in the crook of the overpowering force, drawing in the warmth it brought. Atshen paid no mind to the other's that surrounded him. All that mattered was what he would soon recognize as his Mother. He cared not for anything else.

Birth was no miracle. Birth was an inconvenience.

Gone were the siblings he had shared his spot with, it was just him, alone. But then he was forced from his position, out into a world that radiated uncomfortableness and was really quite upsetting. He wasn't ready to take his first breath just yet. Perhaps it had to do with his unwillingness to leave the dark, comfy world that had been his, perhaps it was just him, just laziness. 

Then he was aware. Of a horrible thing touching him, prodding him, and the touch was so uncomfortable that he just couldn't stay dead. So he breathed, his first breath, and was catapulted with that tiny action into the world of the living. He struggled, heaved, but then he got control of this breathing and autopilot set in.

But he was not at all happy with this world, and made it known. He opened his jaws, and instinct drove him to force air out of it, and constrict his throat and mouth until-

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

A tiny, high-pitched sound, made time and time again as he expressed his discontent. He rolled around, jerking legs propelling him in the direction of the hot, fuzzy lump that was the closest semblance to comfort that he knew now. Finally, his little maw latched onto a teat, which he gnawed at quite a bit before understanding it's use and falling into place beside his siblings, being quite the little hog as he shoved at whatever(whoever) was beside him.

Floating in a belly was quite relaxing. She was sure the moist, like, EVERYWHERE was very good for her pelt as well. But dreams couldn't always last as the gaping hole at the end of the tunnel was popping out other forms like some sort of puppy gun. After some time, 2 of her siblings shot out of the bloody meat ravine, it was her time to finally be alive. It was a mess outside, she could feel it, icky stuff everywhere as she was stuffed inside some weird bubble that was making her struggle to breath. She was sure she'd swallowed some before the being that would later be known as "mother" cleaned her up, but luckily it wasn't stuck. 

She coughed, if one could even call it that, before being shoved with her siblings. Blind and deaf, she climbed on top of one of them -sort of-, burying her cute face in her mother's belly fur. Her mouth was wide open as she tried to claim a teat, and after some struggling, the girl had finally done it. She felt mighty powerful as the milk poured inside of her little mouth to later be swallowed down-fueling her greatness. 

She suckled, not knowing if she had pushed one of her siblings away from HER teat, but even if she had- she didn't really care. The world around her disappeared as she almost grew in size of all the milk. When she was done, she took one of her paws in her mouth, and drifted away in deep slumber. She dearly hoped the world was ready for a being as awesome as she- if she even knew what that meant.

For weeks, an eternity to him, Keelut floated in the warmth. Side by side, he and four others grew each day, getting the nourishment they needed from the vessel. But Keelut's space was different, it wasn't only his sac he occupied, there was someone else there, always, like one with him. But she was not destined to survive.

Nature did what nature had to do. And Keelut did what nature told him to do. His instincts were strong, even before born. Something in his soul told him to break free at last, and he would have done it first if it wasn't for the favorable size of his firstborn brother. He pushed his way past the lump that was never Anna, and followed his brother's trail down mother's body into the world.

The cold made him flinch, took away the breath that never came to him, and for a moment Keelut lied still. His heart was beating, a miraculous result of having drawn the life out of the other, Anna, and when he finally got himself to take in the first breath, it went back out the same way with a distressing whine. It only stopped when he was helped into mother's warmth once more. There, he clung to a teat and fed fiercely from it until he drifted into sleep.

Not much more was known about Keelut that day, but how at peace he looked while sleeping.

At some point during the day, Kove had awoken and departed from the den, set on getting a patrol in before his lover was to wake. He knew the day of his children's birth was nearing, as could be concluded by anyone able to see Nemesis' swelling stomach. Still, he'd not assumed it would happen then, and so he'd given little thought before leaving. The patrol had turned into something longer, what was meant to be quick having taken several hours. Still, he'd managed to check in on the mother and daughter every now and again, up until storm clouds had started shuffling around overhead. At that point, he was ready to retire for the night, only to notice that his den was empty by the time he'd returned to it. It was with a troubled mind that he'd started his search, needing not check many places before the Glen came to mind.

After that, his trek to it had been a quick one, arriving prior to the birth but having dared not enter. He'd remained outside, listening to each and every struggled breath until crying was heard. For as bad as he'd wanted to peek in, he'd held off until everything had turned silent. Only then had he inserted his head through the entrance of the den, ears falling back in response to the heavy stench of blood. "Nemesis?" he'd called, voice hardly above a whisper as his eyes sought out the wriggling forms. Kove did not wish to disturb them, but he also couldn't keep himself from advancing any longer, which had quickly resulted in him passing through the mouth of the den. It was spacious enough within that he didn't think his being there would be an issue. Being in there was enough for him for the time being, and so he hadn't moved past that point, body being used as a shield to prevent any rain from spilling in.

"Nemesis, are you okay?" the Inuit had called again. He wanted to approach, the metallic scent in the air threatening to lure him closer, but he'd resisted. Though they were his children, too, he'd chosen to keep from approaching until invited to do so.

No post order from here on out! <3

The little ones did not settle as she'd hoped, causing her brow to crinkle with a slight irritation. She had just done them the great deed of pushing them out her, during a storm and what did they do? Fuss. One screeched a cry she did not know earthly possible, the others battled their way to one single teat while many more were at their disposal. She leaned down, sighing in the process as she nudged them to their own part of her. The girl was particularly ferocious, but then again, it was her daughter. However, in no time, they all settled down into their first slumber and she could not help but to watch their tiny forms intake and exhale like clockwork; partially paranoid one would simply stop. Curling them into her side, she nosed each one with a particular affection, the first emotion of it's kind. In that instant, however sappy it was, she could not imagine a life without them. While they did not amount to anything right then, she was sure each one would make her proud, and carry on a legacy born for them. 

Her ears perked up as Kove's voice found it's way through the storm and into the den, her eyes searching outside for his figure that paced back and forth. It did not seem right to keep him away any longer, and she beckoned him inside with a call of his name. She did not need to speak, but simply awaited his expression as he laid his gaze upon a family that would not leave him. 

"This is Astrid .. Astrid Nyx Apaata," Her gaze flickered to the only daughter, yet not a moment later did her expression turn somber. Anna. A dull pain filled her heart, and her head softly turned to the still form of the un-surviving daughter. "One did not live," Her voice threatened to break as she spoke the words, yet tears did not spill. It would not have lived a full life anyways, it'd deformities too extensive to carry out the basic functions of life. Her soul would rest with Mephala, if one believed in such a thing, for at that moment she wished the child to be in a place of better comfort. Her gaze returned to the sleeping forms of her remaining children, such beauty placed in each. They would achieve great things, she was sure of it. Great things, indeed.

The moment his name had been called, he'd approached, each step having been carefully placed. Though he strongly doubted that any had been strong enough to wander away just yet, that did not stop him from worrying, wishing not to risk stepping on any of them. It'd taken longer for him to settle down next to Nemesis because of that, but he'd figured it was well worth it. Especially, so, when he'd laid his eyes upon the four nursing children. Each seemed to have a certain type of fight within them already, much to his joy. They were healthy, and they would live out their lives with both parents there to look out for them; this he was certain of, for never would he leave.

When his wife had spoken, he'd followed her gaze so that his own could rest upon their daughter. He'd smiled, though it was not only for her, but all of them. It was his—their—family, and he couldn't be prouder. The expression had, however, faltered upon hearing not only the bad news, but the tone in which it'd been voiced. In a matter of seconds, he'd reached out to her, gently pressing his nose against his lover's cheek in order to offer her some comfort. "The one that didn't survive is surely with Meldresi right now," was his response, nudging her again before drawing his tongue across her cheek. "She will watch out for our child, Nemesis. She'll take care of the one we've lost." It was another thing that he was certain of, as could probably be heard in the way that he spoke. Though the deformed girl would not be able to grow old with them, she would be able to carry on through life within the Void, guided by the great queen herself. Whether or not it was true, perhaps no one could be certain, but he'd believe it to be so anyways.

After having comforted her, he'd looked towards the darkest of the boys and watched him for a lingering second. He'd been considering names ever since their last conversation revolving around them, and as he'd looked at the boy, one seemed to jump out from the rest. "Atshen," said the Inuit, turning to Nemesis directly after it'd been uttered so that he might gauge her reaction. The meaning of the name, the creature for which he'd named their eldest son after, had not been offered just yet—and with good reason.

His other siblings settled down quickly, when they were all rounded with milk did they sleep. Being alive was an exhausting thing, and already Abraxas found himself drowsy and tired, snuggling closer to his mother's side. He yawned one, showing nought but pink gums, and let out a certainly more subdued shriek. "Eeeeee-" He trailed off quickly as sleep took him, and he slept for the first time beneath the tumultuous sky above, safe within this den.

She nodded as Kove soon soothed her heartache, claiming that the dead child now rested with Meldresi. No matter the fact she was not entirely hooked on the Void, she was certain the priestess was now looking after her child in the absence of life. It was enough to have her move on and never shed another tear over it again; to focus on the living rather than fret on the dead. As a name was announced, she nudged the eldest boy once more as if her touch would deem his title until the end of time. "Yes," She murmered, for it fit the boy like armour. The next, she would name Abaraxas, seeking Kove's approval though she knew he would not disagree. It was a greek name, a throwback to a youth-long heriatge she never would have revisited except for the fact she felt drawn to the title like a charm, and would not ignore the certian ring to it that made her boy sound all the more regal. 

The boy that came closest in comparision to his father's pale coat was named Keelut, though Nemesis did not have time to ask of its meaning before the exhaustion of birth could not keep her awake any longer and she settled down in a deep slumber she deserved after the torment of pushing five children out of her body. With the warmth of her family, she could not feel any warmer yet as she drifted, she knew the peace would not last. It never did, despite her wishes. They would grow and they would live and they would do great things, but a sinking feeling of what was to come forboded by the crashing storm outside sent a chill down her spine. And then she was asleep.