Redtail Rise poetry

mmmm, she grumbles to Masque's question, taking the chin lick as best she could before pulling away. she can't stand to be touched right now. her body's going to be violated enough in the coming hours.

Ashlar's here, too, and she gives him a glance before continuing to walk, breathing heavily through her nostrils, balancing the pain.

'round and 'round. . .

---

hours later, she's situated in the den, sprawled out, contractions relentless and endless and rippling across her form. a steady groan escapes her muzzle, but not much more; she's borne this pain before and knows it well. she won't dignify it even with a cry.

first out is a jet-black boy (@Redsky), already darker than any of her three children. she scarcely has time to glance back at him and help with breaking his sac before the next comes, and then—oh, god, one after the other.

two twin lumps of dark brown (one of them @Mulherin), almost connected in their haste to exit. indistinguishable.

and then the last, another dark pup—really, all of them are shadowy hues, and she knows she'll struggle to tell them apart before they gain their tell-tale attributes. storm-clouds at her breast; she thinks of her mother, suddenly, and her heart swells to capacity.

she'd be proud. a quartet, healthy and sound.

tagging for reference for your babies: @River and @Prophet!