Broken Antler Fen So I give you ten thousand reasons to not let me go

Luckily Eljay seemed perfectly calm, and Maia tried to inject some of that calm into her own. It kind of worked, and she followed him as he led her into the den, arriving just in time for a big, rippling stab of it to clench at her. They said it would hurt, but she didn't know it was going to hurt.

Maia didn't have great tolerance for pain and her breath quickly changed to sobs between the involuntary cries from her contractions. She clung to Eljay like a life raft when she could, though as she got closer to the actual time, she laid down instinctually. Likely anyone nearby would hear her, especially now, as she tried to bring their first child into the world. After what felt like forever (but was in reality not terribly long), Maia felt an overwhelming sense of relief as they (she) finally arrived. @Hymnal. They were little more than a dark blob right now but Maia loved them immediately, and she leaned over to pick them up just as another wave hit and had her in a vice. She wasn't done yet.

The second round was slightly easier, maybe because of the effect of seeing them. Thankfully Eljay had been there to help her with them once they were born, and by the time it was all done she was exhausted. She picked up @Sylvie gently and began to gently groom some warmth into her. Then she couldn't help it - she laughed, quietly, and finally relaxed against the ground as she set pup two next to the first.

They're amazing. She could barely believe it. The look she gave Eljay next was pure adoration. And so're you.