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

Getting into the den was easy enough, but now they were getting to the hard parts. Eljay grimaced as Maia cried with the pain; if only he could have taken some of her burden, lifted some of her pain onto his own shoulders. Eljay did what he could; he let Maia hold onto him and he nuzzled her face and reassured her that she was doing amazing through the process.

Relief washed over him when the first pup arrived, a darker one. Eljay assisted in getting the pup to the right place and watched to make sure she was doing well while Maia worked on the next pup. This one was lighter, and Eljay let Maia place her by the first one's side. There was a breathless moment where Eljay waited to see if there'd be more, but it seemed that it was two. And they were perfect.

Maia said that were amazing and that he was, too. Eljay smiled and he nuzzled Maia's face again and licked her cheek. You did so well. I'm so proud of you, he said softly. They're perfect.