Redtail Rise third,

@mountain Boulder first pls! SHE IN LABOR

 

This pregnancy was different than the others. She was heavier, hungrier, and far more prone to being tired than she was her first two. But these things felt natural, and she would contentedly rumble to Mountain Boulder about her estimation of the size of these new cubs. There were either very many of them, or two more mountainous boulders were to come! 

It was Monday, and the pains had begun. New Snow had secluded herself for some time now, and the den she had selected was her favorite with the stream bed and cavern that she and Mountain Boulder had claimed. It felt fitting—perhaps it was where these cubs had been conceived! 

And now the pacing began. She whined for Mountain Boulder, but did not call—she didn’t want outsiders of the Rise to know where her whelping den was positioned, nor other predators. Wave after wave struck New Snow, and the pain was significant—the same in its sharpness, but different in its frequency. She began to pant but did not yet retire to the den, the instinct within her telling her to move around more.

his mate's third pregnancy concluded with a smooth transition into labor pains. mountain boulder kept close, following at new snow's heels, nosing her with soft snuffling, and bringing freshkilled meat to satisfy any cravings she might have.

he was away when she came to the den, and whuffed gently upon his return. new snow had communicated that she felt they would have round large pups, and more than one.

mountain boulder was expectant than, for the same or for change. her tongue lolled, perhaps with the pain and anxiousness of this first stage.

to his belly he reclined, near enough to touch his mate; his vigil began in part now, as he would not rise when she sought the darkness of this chosen whelping place.

There he was!

She whimpered and she whined as she paced, but as she saw him, her pain ebbed for a moment and she knew relief. When he lay, she moved to press her nose to him—and then it seemed her body knew that it was near time, after several hours of continued pacing and snacking upon the things he had wisely brought. 

New Snow informed him with the flashing of teeth—true pain, now, and this gesture directed toward this unseen thing that tore her apart from within—and a hasty retreat into the caverns. 

Monday gave way to Tuesday—and the ordeal lasted the entirety of the day. @Tuesday’s Twilight came swiftly, but the push required much effort and plenty of snarling. As she cleaned the birthing sac and guided them toward sustenance, New Snow saw the size of the cub and rumbled to her mate of their stature and sex—and they were healthy!

Tuesday’s Twilight slid into the world unremarkable for a cub. Small, for now, wet silvers muddled to greys. She stirred at the tongue over her small, stubby body, flinging out her legs in all directions in response.

Then, once her mouth was free of primordial goo, when her nostrils sucked down their first breath of air, her little maw opened. First a whimper, then a whine, then a squall rose from her tiny lungs, perhaps a protest, or perhaps a reaction to the world around her as she touched and tasted for the first time. All of her nerves on fire, her lungs adjusting to the art of breathing.

A nose nudged her forward, and Twilight went with no small amount of complaint. She was swift to settle when she actually got milk into her mouth, and slipped into sleep with a teat still held possessively in her small mouth.

as before, mountain boulder settled himself placidly outside, gentle in his warning away of even @Moon Runner or flame stalker (@Saturdays Sunrise) if they came near the den. gifts of food were welcome and passed on to new snow as the day wore into its next realm.

he did not leave for patrol, depending now on the devoted nature of the pack; he sat or lay or dozed outside the door, ears flicking at every sound which came from inside the den.

at last new snow signalled the first child, a healthy female, and mountain boulder growled back his delight and pride in her efforts. he expected at least one more, and soon lay down where he had been, though this now he was actively listening, nostrils twitching from time to time.

As she cleansed the cub, New Snow found there was something else to relay—a girl! 

Another daughter. She was proud as she thought of the girls older sisters—and knew she would be well loved, as fiercely as she already was! And then the pains began again. 

@Tuesdays Dawn came some time after Tuesdays Twilight, and the pains of birth were such that New Snow could only relay to her mate that they, a male, lived—and after removing the sac, New Snow fell asleep for a brief time thinking it may be over, as in her experience it always had been. 

Idly, she thought of @Bobcat. He had dispersed, but he had always been strong and sure. New Snow did not doubt he thrived where he was now, and for that, felt a surety that this son too would thrive in life.

tuesday's dawn was, as perhaps some ancient prophecy or old spirit foretold, the middle child, and he certainly seemed to fit the idea of one. rather easy to overlook beyond the ruddy streaks of gunpowder that would one day make up adult guard hairs, he came into the world with a mighty squawk and instinctively curled back up into the fetal position. cranky already, decidedly.
as his mother cleans the birth from his face, he chokes out a garbled sound of disapproval and swats a tiny, wet forepaw toward her face. her breath is warm and the air he himself inhales for the first time is oh so cold in his tiny lungs. he's not sure where he gets the power to do so, but he begins to settle into steady breaths — a soft pattern as his cries wind down.
much like his older sister, however, he truly seeks one thing — food. except he's not quite sure how to find it, and, being cranky and stubborn as he is, does not feel like moving around to do so! and thus, with a chitter, he rolls over and waits for his mother's guidance.

a second! a boy! he too thought of their first litter, but considered their girl this time, and where she might have gone. had the world taken her or had she found a life somewhere else? all this mused over as he looked toward the darkness of the den and the warm maternal world beyond it.

the children whimpered and cried aloud, proof of their health.

because he did not expect more children, mountain boulder rose after a time and sniffed tentatively toward the mouth of the shelter, wondering if new snow wished for more food or to have their oldest daughters gather.

The grunting of the second born caused New Snow to gather they had not latched, too tired to have felt the lack of his mouth where it needed to be. She rose to nudge him nearer, and guide him to where he needed to go—and just as she pushed him toward the teat, the same pains tore through her body. New Snow froze, uncertain for only the span of a long five minutes. For when the next contraction came, the mother knew as all would that these pains were not new but familiar. 

But they would last a good stretch of the day. New Snow barked to Mountain Boulder, a demand to hold off—another would join them this day! And the one that took the longest was also the largest of them at birth. Expelling them was uncomfortable, and exhausting, but as New Snow looked upon the bloodied cub and tore them free from the sac all of those things faded to nothing as they always did when she looked upon the work of herself and her man. 

Her tongue lapped over @Tuesday Afternoon and cleansed him of blood and birthwater, and tiredly, she drew him toward his siblings and a teat as well. More tired than she had ever been, New Snow weakly set her head down after observing each suckled or slept, and called Mountain Boulder to look upon the three cubs she had bore this year. She was not yet ready for more company than him, though maybe after a nap...

Tuesday Afternoon's birth was a textbook event; things went accordingly, and he entered the world with a cry. Once the initial shock of the chilly air subsided, the newest child's instinct came in and urged him to find food. With some help from New Snow, he squirmed and adjusted himself to easily nurse. His table manners were shoddy at best, and he messily ate as he attempted to fill himself with his mother's breast milk; the liquid somehow managed to get all over his face!

With his mouth full, he squirmed in reverse and let out a large yawn, causing the remainder of his meal to spill all over him! He cried at this; discomfort was something he'd yet to experience. Thankfully, New Snow was quick to remedy the situation, and soon enough, he was cleaned, picked up, and placed closer to his siblings.

Sleep soon overtook the babe, and the incident of crying over spilled milk was long forgotten.

a third? mountain boulder retreated from the den as not to stress new snow, but was intrigued and perhaps even worried, for this had not happened before.

yet he trusted in his mate's ability and also her willingness to communicate if something was amiss.

three!

the sweet perfume of milk stirred from the den, and the ulfhedinn purled a low note to new snow, tail thumping on the ground behind him.

he did not approach again, but sat tense and waiting to be invited closer.

She slept for a time after, not knowing Mountain Boulder had not come inside. The extent of her exhaustion was clear enough from her loud snores, though she woke when one of the cubs fussed. Pushing them again to her belly to latch, she observed them for a moment to be sure this was the answer to that particular cry before looking around her. 

New Snow could smell Mountain Boulder, and her tail beat the earth gently. A little louder now, thanks to some rest, New Snow called for him to come inside to be the first to look upon their brood. Looking down again, she counted the cubs once more and indeed, there were three. It seemed a good thing, though still surprising! But she was not displeased. Two sons and a daughter, she happily noted, and her gaze shifted to find that of her mates.

two sons. a daughter.

three!!

he called out his pleasure to the rise, to the owls, the foxes, the elk, the eagle.

he called out his pleasure to the land.