Stavanger Bay told you not to worry

where her fears before were malleable -- as in they could change their children's fate -- now, a much more terrifying reality was taking hold. if they were all born like this... then there was nothing she could do. it would all be for nothing. she didn't know what to do -- she couldn't change this. she didn't have a midwife as good as portia here to help... and while she was good enough on her own, it didn't even seem to matter. maybe portia would've been able to save the little white pup at her breast. 

she cried as the wave hit, thankful velen was at least here. this time, however, when the pup came, and she moved to lick the sac from its body... it cried. he! he cried! (@Fletcher) dalia let out a sob as she looked at the healthy, if not a bit small, tan pup before her -- a little boy with a little patch of russet on his face. she looked from him to velen, her tail tapping against the floor as she felt a wave of relief rush over here. they had one. he was alive. he looked healthy. he was moving. 

but the momentary happiness was just that -- momentary. as another wave of contractions hit, dalia was forced to abandoned her expression to focus on pushing out another pup. she had hope now. the first pup was a tragedy but... the second a miracle. and the third was too. a little girl, russet like her father with white stockings on her hind legs! dalia could cry, she was almost too small to be real. and as she licked the sack from her the pup wiggled and squirmed, wailing like any healthy pup should. 

and so no more contractions came. dalia huddled the three pups to her breast, somewhere in her hoping that the first would suddenly spring to life. she stared at them, mesmerized, before looking up to velen with a wide grin (though she looked exhausted). ours, she purred gently, her tail waving. but, her expression faltered, and she took a staggered breath. we can't... stay here, velen. we can't support them on our own.