Sawtooth Spire i want to hold you in my arms

She knew the signs when they came, despite having never been a mother- years of being surrounded by young mothers each spring in their packs. Many a time she had served as guard for pregnant women, but now she had no guard- and yet she knew she would not need a messenger, nor a protector. And if she died here, now, her old age causing weakness- then she knew that Wylla or Nyx would take the weight of whatever few children might survive the first day of their life. She wanted to raise them- but she would die for their sakes too, and she was ready to do so. 

A howl was sent up to all, but particularly the midwife @Mahler , I am going into labor... I will be in my den. The old den Wylla had given to her in an uncharacteristic show of kindness. She settled into place, unsure if @Howl might show then... she could only hope he had found his way in, or perhaps stayed as a guest there with the permission of the Eisens... but her thoughts of him were broken off by the first pains. It was a churning deep in her abdomen and pelvis, and she winced, feeling her water break (do wolves have that?) on the floor of the den. 

But Star was not one to freak out over the pain, she endured much before; would endure now, a warrior in battle, a warrior in birth. It was not easy for the old woman, though she could not bear to admit that to herself. She would fight. Fight against the odds, that could kill her in childbirth... and though she knew it was s great and honorable way for a woman to die, she was determined to stick around. For their sake. 

The first puppy was the most difficult. Painful as all hell, worse than any torture she had endured by far- at some points Star felt she might rip from the lower end up, and all her guts spill out her side. It didn't happen, of course- but there was blood, and lots of it. God, why did Howl have to be so much bigger than her? Would both of her children have his massive size? She was a tiny little thing, and although muscular, it was like pushing out a log. 

And then, he was there. 

A little thing wiggling at the base of her tail, she moved her haunches to lift him- clean away the birth sac with the gentle lapping of her tongue. For now, like most newborns, his patterning was not clear yet- he was largely dark, with eyes sealed shut and ears that were not yet perked. He looked more alien than wolf, and yet her heart was swelling. 

They said a woman became a mother the moment she became pregnant; a man becoming a father after seeing his child. 

But Star could've sworn that her love, already infinite- deeper than the sea, wider than the ocean- it somehow grew even more. Never in her life had she felt such a joy. Romance, nor battle, nor hunting nor serving a leader- none had ever brought her such pure happiness. 

As she moved to place him beside her stomach, nudging him to latch on, she noticed suddenly that he was... a huge baby. No wonder he hurt so much coming out. Already she could tell he would take after his father's figure more than her, certainly- @Calcifer was going to be a big baby, a big child, perhaps a big man too. 

There was little time to dote on him for now, though, as she sucked in a sharp breath and unintentionally released a groan. Was another one coming? Her answer came in the form of more pain, and though she thought Calcifer might've... widened the birthing canal, this child was only slightly less painful. More blood, more sweat. Sacrifices had to be made to bring these children into the world, but she would keep going- brows furrowing together, eyes clenching tightly shut.

And then there were two. 

@Marble was also born covered by strange birth guts and encased in a sac. Star knew what was to be done, and split it open, licking away the nastiness from Marble's pelt. And though for now she was sort of... temporarily stained by the stuff, Star could see she was paler. Smaller. Like a little tiny Star. The old mother gazed upon the child with such adoration, and moved her to be placed alongside her literally big brother who was likely already suckling.

Alien faces, tiny noses, closed eyes. She loved them more than anything in the world. Tears gathered in Star's eyes then, and though she felt light-headed, a tired smile grew on her maw. She did not have the energy to check whether Mahler, or Howl, or any other had come, nor to invite them inside if they wished- and in fact with that second birth, she blacked out momentarily then, head falling to the ground in front of her as the pain overwhelmed her.