Sawtooth Spire I bow to no law made by men who never bore a child.

Set for May 4th - @Mahler, @Elke and @Ciri.

Nyx laboured long into the night. After hours of gritted fangs and eyes squeezed shut, of pushing and pushing and pushing, her tired gaze found the porcelain figure of the first child to come.

She was not expecting the earthquake of emotion that rocked her to simply look upon this tiny creature, nor the tsunami of immeasurable love that was swift to follow. From Nyx came a sob that she did not even bother to make attempt at stifling and, eagerly, she shifted to reach for the cub so that she could gather her close.

Unlike last time, no hatred or resentment drew her away. Instead she could not take her eyes off of her baby, and from her muzzle came soft little whimpers of unbridled affection as she cleaned her newborn with careful sweeps of her tongue. When she was sure that airways were clear, Nyx at last tore her stare away to glance in the General's direction, keen to present to him this most precious gift.

He will take her, the anxiety taunted at once, and her guard hairs responded. Mahler would face a far worse fate that teeth marks on his face should he decide to remove this youngster from Nyx' breast, but she had trusted him this far. He'd given her no reason not to. Still the worry nipped at her but she had requested his assistance and, as possessive as she felt, she was sure to remind herself that this pup would be nothing but a faraway dream had it not been for him.

The arrival of a second child that came soon afterward was equally welcomed, and Nyx crooned lovingly to her as she pressed her lips to dark, downy fur. Tears brimmed in the tawny Ostrega's eyes as she offered her freshly-cleaned daughter to her guardian for further inspection, raven-tipped lobes pricked forward in anticipation to hear that all was well.