Arrow Lake Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

Birth thread! Set for just before dawn on 4/3
@Stigmata @Mahler
I assume Stig and Mahler would be close by and/or checking on her often in the few days before she goes into labor, so feel free to pp whatever in that regard.

The grouping of large rocks near the base of the mountain had proven to be the perfect place for a temporary den. Taki had only needed to do some moderate digging to make it big enough to allow for her to share the space comfortably with her children and the few wolves she would allow to visit them over the next few weeks. She was grateful there had not been too much work needed to prepare the den; she was very round and very uncomfortable, and energy hadn't come in very large amounts for the northerner lately. She already felt fiercely territorial over the spot and her children, and she knew she wouldn't be very eager to let many inside the den with her aside from the two men she trusted more than most wolves in her life. 

She hadn't wandered far from her dug out space over the last few days, instinct telling her that it was almost time. Along with instinct, the cramps that had been only occasional throughout the later stages of her pregnancy had started to increase in frequency and intensity, making her feel like her body was getting ready for the arrival of the pups. So when she woke in the darkness of the den to the most awful pain she had ever felt in her life, she wasn't really surprised. There was a vast difference in knowing that something will be painful and actually feeling the pain, and she was honestly not as prepared for the feeling as she thought she would be; that didn't surprise her either, and if she weren't so busy focusing on breathing through the intense cramping, she would have rolled her eyes at herself for being so naive. 

The pain subsided after what felt like hours but was probably only a minute or two, and she sank to the ground, panting and waiting for the pain to return. She was only allowed a few minutes of relief before the hurting began again. She felt the tightening creep down the sides of her abdomen and squeeze painfully. Taki got back to her feet and started to pace back and forth; the movement didn't make her feel any better, but she couldn't be still while she hurt so much, and at least the walking helped give her something to focus on as she waited for the contraction to pass. This pattern continued until there was really no time between each session of painful cramping, and then came the urge to push. At this point everything hurt, and with one more hard push, came the passage of her first born into the world. Taki immediately pushed any residual discomfort from her mind to tend to the newborn. Within seconds, she had the pup cleaned, his squeaking cries echoing out from the den as she gently picked him up and set him next to her abdomen. She felt him rooting around before finally latching on, his cries quickly replaced by the soft nursing sounds. She watched him, amazed that he was here and alive and that she had made him. She knew there was more pain to come but for now, she rested and protectively watched over her son while she waited.