Horizon Ridge A son's howl tears the sky asunder [birthing]

Alright this is a few hours shy of the 24th of May, but I wanted to get it up so that we can post with the children without them going inactive and because I don't know what I am getting into tomorrow. So this thread is for the 24th of May.

Please Allow @Ragnar, EIRÍKR II , and @Gunnar to post first.

Thistle was outside for her mid morning nap as she always was when she suddenly woke up on a pant. She began to pace back and forth and whine. The pups were coming and she was scared stiff. Lifting her nose to the sky she howled for Ragnar letting him know that it was time. He was never very far anymore. Shifting her weight she paced back and forth back and forth panting as the pains rippled up one side and down the other of her abdomen and they were painful, but she bit hard down on the inside of her cheek tasting the metallic taste of blood as it flowed down her throat, she would not scream. Her son's had to be strong and unafraid. Finally with a swift movement for one so large she slid down into her den and again took up her pacing, but all too soon a wave of pain hit her and she lay down.

She gripped hard at the earth, hard as she could and as the ripples began instinct took over and she pushed when she needed too and the first pup came. She groaned after he was born at the small measure of relief, and she contorted her body around to lick at the sac that covered his fur a pretty boy he was. As she nipped the umbilical cord, and pushed him closer to her belly for warmth she studied him. She knew it would be a little while before the next one came. He was a large smoky black boy with sandy toes and silver markings beneath his eyes. She smiled to herself at his sweetness.

As time passed she tried not to move to bother the little one suckling there. All too soon though in 40 minutes time the second pup began his descent. She again kept her whines to herself and rather tore up the earth, but soon enough he was born. Smaller than his brother but still large. She again nipped at the sac and got it off of her little brown boy with the sandy colored legs and mask. Biting the umbilical cord and pushing him as well towards her teats. She watched as they already began to tumble over each vying for the mother's milk that would keep them alive.

She thought perhaps she was done, but it was not to be so, not that she would complain, but all too soon the pains seized her again and with a silent sigh she pushed the final puppy into the world. A silver kissed little viking maid. Thistle sighed in relief as she cleaned the little girl up and disposed of the umbilical cord and pushed the maiden to her teats. She smiled down at her three little ones as they shuffled and snuffed searching without sight or sound for mothers milk.