Ocean's Breath Plateau Black

It happened faster than she could prepare for. The puppies pushed from within, seeking their first taste of air. 

Samani had been resting. Her eyes fluttered in dream-filled sleep. The faces of their children beamed up at her. Their features were so small, so delicate. She feared for them. Even in her dreams, she feared what the world might do to her sweet babies. 

And when the contractions startled her from her slumber, she knew that something was wrong. 

The peachy woman called out for @Rodyn. Her cries could be heard across the plateau. Pain crept along her midsection, spiking dramatically as she attempted to push their children out. It wasn’t working. She was struggling. Each push was a new spike of pain. Each attempt to bring their sweet babies into the world was brutal. Black gripped at the corners of her vision. She pushed again and @Rolayne emerged. 

Samani could see the blood that had come out with the first pup. She could feel it. An internal pooling of her life source. 

She did not think that she could do anymore. She licked the boy clean and attempted to nudge him close to her. Were they supposed to be that quiet? Weren’t they supposed to move? She whimpered fearfully. 

Another attempt at pushing only produced more blood. Samani sobbed at the sight of it. She could feel the weakness gripping her. She could feel the life slip from her. And her eyes grew heavy as she tried to hold her head up, to push again. 

Another puppy emerged. White as snowfall and cold. Samani licked her clean but Tootega did not move. Her small body remained bloody and lifeless. The new mother could not contain her grief. She knew that this wasn’t right. She knew that something had gone wrong. Their daughter was dead. Their daughter was dead and their son had not moved. She wailed, nudging at the dark boy. 

Another wave of pain crashed against her. 

A final push produced a small chocolate boy. His fur was slicked with blood. Samani lapped at him, pushing her nose into his tiny body. Her eyes were distant. Her spirit faded faster than she had expected. 

The peachy woman saw the stirring of life in the two baby boys. Their arms moved! They were alive. They were safe. 

And they were beautiful. 

Samani could feel her head grow heavy. She could not stop the darkness from sweeping across her vision. The final image she saw was the worried expression of her beloved Rodyn and the fragile babies that were tucked against her. 

I love you, her hollow voice filled the den. And her jadestone eyes remained fixed open. Her body became still.