Moonspear hush

please let @Maggak, @Elentari, @Towhee, and @Kukutux post this first round. <3

The first wave of pain rippled through the woman, and Sialuk cried out. Run, she ordered Phox, as he happened to be the first wolf she encountered. Tell the women to come to my ulaq, and Kukutux from Moonglow, Samani from Moontide. He could split up the message however she wished, but she wanted her mother and sisters here, now.

The second wave of pain as she climbed the well-worn path to her ulaq, causing her to pause and call out again, eyes tight, voice harsh against the lilting summer breeze through the pine trees. Anang, she croaked, willing the strength of her mother's spirit to her. She panted madly, regaining her mobility as she continued the upward odyssey.

The third wave of pain hit Sialuk mere steps from the ulaq, her eyesight blurring as she hunched over, cursing each man who had done this to her. Her breath came in rapid, desperate gasps, each one more urgent than the one preceding it. Now, she called upon the spirits of her ancestors to get her to the ulaq.

The fourth wave of pain coursed its way into her veins as her paws reached the doe pelt, a sense of relief that she would not have her children away from where they were meant to be. Outside, Sixsix circled wildly, croaking and cawing relentlessly, lulling Sialuk into a painful stupor where the bird pecked out her organs again and again.

The fifth wave of pain lasted for eternity, again and again her muscles tightening, pushing, forcing her into an anguished fever she had never thought possible. The skull of the goat taunted her. The pelt of the doe felt like fire on her skin. The feather of the pheasant dangled into her vision like a spirit turned demon. The bones came alive, clattering in her skull.

She saw braataa, taataa. But braataa's face was warped into something it was not, the smile twisting until his face became something hideous.

Sialuk screamed.

A babe came into the world.

impossibly small, maggak came into the world quietly, despite her mother's screams. she could not hear them, and she did not care. laid out in front of her was all she wished for. mother's skin kept her warm. mother's milk soothed her hunger.

she slept.

It may be noted that Sialuk & Elentari have been sharing the ulaq throughout their respective pregnancies. Welcome @Acrux! <3

Their time had come at last. They would be mothers, together. 

Sialuk's cry alerted her that she had begun her labor. Elentari had been feeling uncomfortable that day and did not stray more than a few yards of their shared dwelling. Instinct told her to keep close. As the hours stretched on, the discomfort in her belly turned into a deep cramping.

As the first stab of hot pain nearly tore her in half, she gasped aloud, dark legs buckling. Clenching her teeth, she slid inside the recesses of the ulaq, taking up a space of her own, before Sialuk arrived a short time later. Her labor seemed to progress more slowly than the Ostrega's. The waves of contractions came and went. Her groans of agony resonating in the background, while the experienced Towhee lent support for Sialuk.

Her child born without incident, the Archer would have marveled. Would have reached out to stroke and dote on her lover and friend. But she was too wrought with pain. Something ripped inside her and she screamed. Bearing down, she pushed. And then it was over, as a single child entered the world. In earnest, she reached down to clean him, freeing her son from the binding sac. Willing air into his lungs, smoothing and drying his coat with motherly kisses. A dark, storm cloud like child, but dappled with white. 

A new star glimmered to life.

Towhee was wearing Batman as a hat when Phox suddenly appeared with the good news. He rushed off to deliver messages to others, leaving her to climb the mountain with only the small bat for company. He moved to roost in the thick fur growing around her neck while Towhee peered skyward, noting Sixsix frantically circling.

The blackbird’s panicky movements hastened Towhee’s step. She reached the door of Sialuk’s ulaq and peered inside. The head wasn’t alone in either her den or her labor, it seemed. Aside from that, everything appeared normal to Towhee, who crept just inside and slung her belly to the dirt floor.

You’ve got this. Trust your instincts, she advised, folding her forepaws and focusing primarily on Sialuk, but I’ll be right here if you need anything.

She felt Batman crawling back out of hiding again, coming to perch on her jawbone like some adorable growth. Together, they witnessed the nearly simultaneous births, then watched as the exhausted new mothers tended to their newborns.

Congrats, both of you, Towhee said, wondering if this was it—an only child to each mother, like Meerkat—or if there were more to come.

his entrance to the world was damp and dark. he'd known only of warmth before he felt the chill of air and earth. as soon as his lungs were able he let out a wail of life and retaliation.

he calmed as mother's tongue swept over him, her touch soothing and one he instinctively knew as safe. he felt the comfort of her skin and latched to nurse. here he would remain until milk pooled from his lips and slumber enveloped him.

YEEEE <3333 please lmk if anything about this post isnt good! <3

to be anaa was to be the blessed of sedna.

to be anânsiak was another of these things.

inside her, motherheart stirred and kukutux woke that morning with a quiet sense of anticipation that did not stem from her own flesh. a stirring in the blood; a latent knowing that perhaps all mothers experience when their daughters bring forth new life.

the call roused. she rose on slender limbs and gathered the first of the bundles she had made for her three daughters. sialuk, first; star woman. moon daughter. mountain walker. and now she called down the moonwoman herself, from mother's village into that of her own.

kukutux did not stop her steps; she hurried to find her eldest, following sialuk's scent with a sharp eye and mouth muted by her burden of teas and good pelts, leather items and fruited offering.

the third moment of pain brought moonwoman to her daughter's side. "ask tooteega for strength," she murmured into sialuk's ear, helping to hold the young woman upright as the pains grew in their charging ferocity.

there was another woman here, elentari, and kukutux laid out her herbs inside the den, smiling softly to see towhee among them. "we will both be grandmothers today," she told the redhawk, before she turned back to the laboring mothers and began a birthing chant, low old words designed to hold back the creeping monsters who would prey upon the newborn souls.

their cries mingled with her steadying voice, the touches offered to both those who were agonized in childbirth. kukutux was filled with understanding sympathy, watching sides tighten with the birthing pains, their eyes dilated with the anguish of it.

she began to rip small leaves for a milk-tea, administered soon after birth.

sialuk's shriek pierced the mountainside air, and kukutux leaned forward to see the tiny girl, grinning with wet eyes and a low, shuddering inhale. "a daughter, sialuk," moonwoman murmured, completely enthralled by the sight of her first grandchild. soft fawnskin leather to wipe blood from the tiny muzzle, and she helped to guide the pup toward sialuk's breast.

though she could scarcely look away, kukutux too turned toward elentari, murmurming the low-sung words of encouragement as the younger wolf crossed the arduous threshold from woman to mother. a boy-child, loud as his age-mate was quiet. moonwoman would offer the same to elentari, adding her assistance to settle both of them before she retreated back to divide out her medicines.

with towhee here, and with more villages nearby, kukutux was not so worried for the awfulness of bloodloss, nor the fevers. they had much care here, eternal devotion.

softly she kissed sialuk's brow; "you will be a strong anaa for this one."

like the redhawk, she too wondered if there were more children to be born, and meant to stay close until it seemed as if both sialuk and elentari would be able to avoid the claws of the evil ones without her.

now all welcome! ^__^

The scream eventually did cease, and Sialuk found herself with a solitary child in the midst, Towhee and Kukutux there to coach her through the last of her labor. The child was impossibly small, or seemed to be, and the wave of exhaustion did not stop the new mother from pulling her child close and pressing her tongue against her. A perfect child for Moonspear. Her child.

Elentari brought into the world a boy, and Sialuk smiled at him, then at Elentari, then at Argent, who had come to be there with them, too. Two of her lovers, and yet more who were not here for the birth of their child. Glaukos gone on his mission to bring good tidings to the woman who Sialuk had nursed to health. Chakliux, gone away to Moontide. She sent Phox to bring @Whip so that he might see his child, too.

Wordlessly, Sialuk shifted herself so that she might be closer to Elentari, making a small barricade around the two new sleeping children and letting them find comfort in one another. The starwoman could feel no more pull at her stomach, and she knew her work was done.

maggak felt the love surrounding her on all sides, even as she slept. two mothers, two fathers, two grandmothers. the number two shone in so many things that day. and while she and the little boy who slept next to each other may or may not have shared blood, they would share so much more. they would share a childhood unique among many. they would both be loved. today, the words that were once heard by maggak's birth mother came true: sons and daughters were born upon this mountain to her, if not by her own body, than by her love.

There were already many gathered in the head’s ulaq, so Meerkat didn’t try to enter. She did stop by and leave some fresh meat for the new mothers, poking her head inside just long enough to grin at the assembly gathered around the newborns. Then she withdrew and retreated to look after the rest of the mount while its members were rightfully preoccupied with its newest additions.

Just a vague post.

A certain awe has taken him—while he is ushered away by the women of the village who tend to both his lovers, the silver man stalks quietly outside, until a quiet croon beckons him once more. There—pale and dark are Sialuk and Elentari—and nursing at them—pale and dark. The perfect ying and yang—family.

He does what he can to assist—when nourishment is needed, the tall man turns, out to seek something to bolster the energy of the new mothers.

Njord orbited the ulaq like the moon circled the sun – far enough away that he does not disturb the womens’ circle, but close enough to hear of Sialuk and Elentari’s successful birth. @Meerkat returned with news – a girl, Maggak, and a boy, Acrux.

Njord sends off a howl of joy and congratulations. Then, he departs to hunt with @Argent for the new family.

“The babies are here! The babies are here!” @Meerkat needed to physically restrain Seal from running toward the den. The art of patience was a skill yet to be mastered by the juvenile.

Undeterred, Seal settled on busying herself by following her Da and @Argent on a hunt. Maybe, if they were successful, she could practice tanning a piece of the hide as a gift!

A wave of great exhaustion came crashing over her. The pains eased away and she no longer felt the urge to push. An easy pregnancy and an smooth delivery. Her son and daughter (though not by blood) were both healthy. Content blue eyes marveled at the pristine new form of the white babe, perfect in every way. A splendid sister for her own son.

Tears pricked at her eyes while she nudged Sialuk under her chin lovingly. As she laid her head down across her partners paws, she looked from each warm, encouraging face to the next. Towhee. Kukutux. Even Argent, Seal and Njord, whom she caught glimpses of. She sent them all a fond smile of gratitude. So appreciative of their guidance, presence or simple enthusiasm. 

She felt very much a part of one big, tight knit family. More than she had ever asked for.

Into a deep slumber she fell with happy thoughts leading the way.

he slept soundly throughout the exhaustion and cheer around him. tucked into mother's side, he knew of warmth and love. he would know of mothers and sister, of father and friends — of family. it was in this that the babe rest, happy, healthy, and surrounded by love.

wanted to squeak this in here before i archived it! i'll leave it open for another week or so in case anyone else wants to respond. <3

Quiet settled in, and Sialuk preened the fur of the newborn girl. Maggak, she whispered, the name chosen for the girl easily. She was silvery-white just like her mother, with the dappled features of a great-grandfather she would never know. Sialuk would not speak his name, but it had been he who had claimed this mountain many years ago. She had learned of him from some wolf or another as a child, and she revered him as an ancestor.
Even quieter now, she breathed her daughter's spirit name.

Taupek. It would be spoken only twice to her. Once today, and the second time when she was ready to hear it. Sialuk held her own spirit name close to her chest, remembering the day when she had been given purpose by her own mother.