Ouroboros Spine Welcome to our world

Welcome to the world babies! <333 It will start out with Valiant and Raindrop, and then I will tag each one of you as you are born.

Raindrop knew the pains when they hit. Late last night, she could feel the tightness in her belly, the ache in her hips and back. Sleep didn’t come easy, and when it did, it didn’t last long. As the morning drew on, and the first light lit up the sky, her labor began in earnest. 

She decided to try and move around. Heaving herself to her feet, she exited the den, but didn’t move far from the entrance. She paced, and paced, gritting her teeth each time a contraction squeezed her insides. 

The pups within shifted and kicked, protesting that they be let out this instant. 

She was nervous, and she talked herself through the pain, “It’s going to be okay. You can do this. You’ve done it before. This is the day you’ve been waiting for.”

And, the moment she felt wet between her back legs, she knew it was time. So she called for @Valiant, “Val, it’s time.” Then returned to the dark of the den.

Valiant had not strayed far in these past several days, leaving only long enough to hunt for them both, and then not at all as the hours grew short. The changes in her scent and behavior were familiar to him, even if he'd only ever gone through it once as a father himself.

He rose to his paws as he heard her emerge from the den, so that he was already standing when she called for him.

"I'm right here," he assured her, following her hesitantly into the den. He'd been barred from all but one of the births he'd been around for, and he was not certain he would truly be wanted. But he was as present as he was allowed to be, murmuring quiet encouragement and praise.

He only thought of Raindrop, right then. That their children were coming, that he would meet them today, was a concept he was rationally aware of, but completely dismissing while he attended his wife.

As the cramps grew closer and closer, she began to feel nervous, and her stomach tightened its grip even more. She allowed Valiant come as close as he was comfortable. She wanted him here; beside her, helping her through this.

Lying down on her side in the back of the den, she tried her best to breathe through the pain. The contractions grew closer and closer together, and she knew what was to come.

In this time, she thought of @Ippiksaut. She would like a woman here, especially one with such a skilled healing background. And, her presence has brought so much comfort just a couple of days before. “Valiant, can you call for Ippiksaut?” She spoke quickly between contractions. “She’s a healer. I trust her.”

And just then, a strong contraction hit, and she couldn’t help but let out a desperate whine.

sorry tagging u again just in case

Valiant was glad when Raindrop asked for @Ippiksaut instead of the stranger little healer that'd come visiting with his apprentice. This was women's work, he thought, and there ought to be a woman present to support his wife. He voiced his assent and stepped briefly from the den to howl for the woman before returning to her side.

"You're got this, baby," he said in a low voice, pressing his nose to her forehead. "You're so strong. You've done it before."

He breathed in her scent, comforted by it, and by the lack of lifeblood in the air. He knew that some women bleed too much, and that was where most lost their lives — but Raindrop was strong. She would get through this.

"Anything you need, you just tell me," he said, his voice hushed. "I'm right here all through it, alright?"

But he trusted her. He trusted in a woman's magic. He trusted in the strength of her body.

!!!! ippi is jumping for joy!

the call reached her in a single clear note, and everything in her stilled. a heartbeat later she was moving— swift and sure, gathering every herb and salve she had prepared over the last days: willowbark, sea-lavender, chamomile, soft moss for warmth.

the smaller badger pelt— cleaned, smoked, lined with down— she swept across her shoulders. it would swaddle the babes the moment breath met air.

a tender happiness rose in her chest as she ran. raindrop had been ready for days; now the time had come.

she slipped into the denmouth with practiced grace, breath warm in the cold air.

i am here, she murmured, voice steady but full. her eyes softened at the sight of raindrop curling through the pain, valiant pressed tight beside her.

she set her herbs down, already gauging the rhythm of raindrop’s breathing, the closeness of each contraction.

raindrop, ippiksaut said gently, moving to her side, you are doing well. the little ones are close now.

she brushed her nose along the expectant mother’s cheek, a grounding touch.

to valiant, she gave a brief nod— approving, grateful.

stay just as you are, she told him. she draws strength from you.

then she turned fully to her work, voice low and sure, a calm center in the storm of birth.

breathe with me, raindrop. i am here for every moment.

Editing to include and acknowledge Ippiksaut.

 

Even though the pain of labor ripped through her body, just Valiant’s touch and presence helped give her strength. “I know.” She breathed, “I know.”

And when Ippiksaut arrived, she felt even more at ease. She talked her through it, speaking encouraging words, and breathing with her. She brought herbs to help with the pain, and to calm her mind and body.

Valiant and Ippiksaut’s presence was strong, it gave her courage. So when one of the strongest contraction hit, she pushed with all her might. She whimpered, but didn’t scream. Instinct told her to stay quiet. After a couple of rounds of pushing, she felt the first pup leave her body. It was a big one. 

She took a big breath in after having held her breath. She reached back instinctively and cut the umbilical cord on the pup, and thoroughly licked the pup until it took its first breath! He let out a squeal, but quieted as soon as he was out to her breast. 

“Val, we have a son!” She happily exclaimed, her voice raspy. The pup who would be known as @Valor Morningside was white with his father’s grey points on his face and back, and a hint of her own russet on his ears. She could only gaze at him lovingly.

Valiant tensed when Ippiksaut arrived, holding back a wary growl as she pushed into the den. Even though she'd been called for, and even though he was grateful for her presence, it was still nerve-wracking to have a near-stranger so close at hand in this vulnerable time.

Still. He dipped his head in respectful greeting, and tried to keep out of the way even as he remained close at Raindrop's side.

The labor passed swiftly, but interminably as well. Valiant didn't know if it had been minutes or hours before a the pale figure emerged, and was brought forth to be cleaned by his mother. He breathed in the puppyish musk, mixed so strongly with blood and birth in the musty air of the den. His heart throbbed with uncomfortable strength, and his eyes began to water.

"Look at him," he cooed, touching his nose to the pup as Raindrop finished cleaning him. "He's perfect, darlin'. You're doin' so good."

Received permission to skip Ippiksaut. Welcome Skyfall!

She wanted to thank Valiant for his encouragement, for his support, but she was tired, out of breath. She simply looked to him and nodded, but despite the fatigue, managed to give him a warm smile in response.

Everything else around her had become fuzzy, and would remain that way till the end of this ordeal.

It had been about half an hour of rest before the next set of productive contractions hit. They hit her hard, and fast. With each contraction, she whimpered, but never shouted. With strength only a mother could harness she beared down, until another pup was brought earthside. @Skyfall. This one wasn't as tricky as the first. She reached back to clean and rustle the second boy. Once he cried his first breath, she brought him to her breast, nestled alongside his eldest brother. As the blood was cleaned away, he too wore a pelt of white, with patches of grey and more of her warm tones.

For the time being, she was able to rest, and gather her strength. She proudly looked to Valiant, "Another son." 

She then laid her head down, taking advantage of this moment of internal stillness.

We can skip Valiant, too!

He came into the world with a worrying gurgle and then two quiet pips of displeasure. It was cold and loud out here, and his mother's tongue was overstimulating on his already stressed little body. The discomfort he felt then was the most profound thing he'd ever experienced — and he'd been ramping up to a proper scream right up until he was moved to his mother's teat. Another squeak of disapproval was all that escaped before his first (instinctive) taste of milk.

The memory of his birth would fade rather quickly. The memory of that perfect warmth and floating comfort would disappear. Already, blissful content had begun to seep through his exhausted body.

The last thing he felt before he slept was the swipe of his father's tongue over his back.

Valor came into the world like a main protagonist! He announced his arrival with a cry, as his mother then cleaned him with her rough yet warm tongue. It was almost calming, reassuring, and he glad quieted once he was put to his mother's breast. He instinctually reached for a tit, and began suckling his first taste of colostrum. 

Not long after his birth, he felt something be placed beside him. It was small and warm, squirming like him. This would be his brother, Skyfall.

She managed to get rest and catch her breath after the birth of the second pup. But, all too soon, one of the strongest contractions swept over her. It was stronger than the others, as if her body was working overtime to squeeze the next puppy out. 

"Here we go...." she breathed, then began to push. She strained hard, too hard. This third puppy was not easy to get to budge. After several attempts, she stopped, even as the contraction kept going. The pain was almost unbearable, and she began to panic.

"Valiant, somethings wrong." She fretted. Her breath was hard and labored, her eyes desperate for reassurance. She looked to @Ippiksaut, "What do I do?" If anyone would know, she would know. Or, Raindrop hoped she would.

skippable after this post!

 
ippiksaut was at raindrop’s side the instant her breath hitched, herbs forgotten, the badger pelt still half-folded behind her. the scent in the den shifted — not danger yet, but strain, too much strain. a third babe. tight-shouldered, slow to turn.

her mismatched eyes sharpened.

raindrop, she said, steady but firm, listen to me. there is another. they are stuck, but they are coming.

she moved closer, pressing her shoulder lightly to raindrop’s flank, grounding her, anchoring her to the earth beneath them.

your body knows this work. you have done it before. her voice was low, controlled. i need one strong push with the next breath. i will take him when he crowns.

raindrop’s panic trembled in the air, but ippiksaut leaned in, touching her forehead to the laboring woman’s cheek in a rare moment of shared warmth.

you are not alone, she murmured. look at me. breathe.

the next contraction tightened through raindrop’s belly like a gripping tide. ippiksaut braced, paws already moving to where the babe would appear.

push now, she urged, voice firm as stone. push through it— i have them. i will pull when they break through.

She was scared, and Ippiksaut’s diagnosis didn’t help. But, she knew that freaking out wouldn’t help anything, so she listened to the healer’s words.

“I will. Thank you….” She whimpered, her voice cracking.

When the next contraction hit, she obeyed the healer and pushed as hard as she could, until the pup had finally made headway. It hurt, badly, but she persisted, for her pup's sake. She couldn't help but let out a yelp when the pup finally came earthside. She gasped for air, then quickly looked back at her hip, where Ippiksaut was holding the pup. He was all white, except for blonde points.

She licked the pup clean, and until he began squealing. She then moved him to her breast, cuddled beside his brothers.

“They’re beautiful.” She was exhausted, but made sure to thank her husband and her midwife. “Thank you, Ippiksaut.” She breathed, a tired smile on her maw. “And Valiant, thank you… for everything.” And she reached to touch her forehead to his.

His heart stopped at the pained sound that escaped his wife's muzzle. Something had changed for this last pup, and Valiant didn't know how to help her. He remained close, murmuring quiet encouragement after Ippiksaut said her piece. He felt so small despite being larger than both women. Mother's magic was something he only half believed in, but in that moment, he prayed to the black bear, and to whatever forces had carried her through each of her births on her own.

And, when the last boy finally came, Valiant found himself devout.

He spent a moment speechless, wordlessly comforting his wife. Her face was strained and exhausted, but it was clear that she would live. The three boys, too, were in perfect health. Valiant's eyes drifted to them, and then he couldn't look away.

"@White Bear," he said of the last boy, pale in color as he was. "After his grandmother."

They'd already come up with names for the other two — and he could see it already, which was which. They'd discuss it more fully later, when Raindrop had time to rest. For now, he set aside such thoughts and bathed his wife's face in gentle kisses.