Blacktail Deer Plateau One With The Dirt

Heartha laid down in the den as the surges of pain surged through her. She knew this was time. She knew not where @Howl was, and could not summon the strength to howl for her mate, the one who gave her this gift. She was left on the ground, on her side as she attempted her third birth, enduring through the pain.

A pained cry sounded out. Something she was getting used to, just a bit used to it from the other two pregnancies she had been through. Still, she never get fully over it all. "Ho...Howl" she groaned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a glimpse of something, and for a moment she believed that her mind was playing tricks on her, like it had before. She thought she saw someone, and when she looked there was nothing. This was putting a lot of stress on her.

Howl knew that the day was comming where his children would come into the world. Heartha had spent her days within the den and Howl had made sure that he wasn't away for more then a minutes at a time. He didn't want to miss the birth of his children. 

As he returned to their den her could hear moans and groans comming from within the den. Standing outside the entrance to the den, as not to disturb her if she wanted her own space at this time. "Heartha is it time?! Are you ok?!" he asked both nerviously and excitedly. He had never witnessed a child birth and so the noises iminating from within the den sounded even more painful as they meet his ears. His tail wagged and his heart pounded.

Heartha lifted her head, or at least attempted her. The act was tiring her out, and she tried to continually push the little ones in her out. "Howl...Howl...I'm fine" she panted. She was glad to see him there, and groaned again when another surge of pain came over her. She had to get them out soon.

She continued to moan as she attepted to puch the pups out, but still told Howl she was fine. Howl decided to trust Heartha seeing as how she had done this multiple times before. He also thought that if something were wrong she would tell him. She didn't sound angry or hostile at all so Howl decided, for the time being, to test out his chances of entering the den. If she told him to leave he would rush out and continue to lay outside the den with his ears listening to everything that was going on. 

But for now he entered the den and sat a few feet away from her, giving her some space while she struggled to being their children into the world.

"Howl, they're coming...they're coming!" She pushed hard, and felt one coming. She squeezed and squeezed, pushing the little one out. It fell onto the ground, and she glanced back for a moment, wanting to nose at it before more contractions began. She did not see that it was not moving...

As the second was coming, she felt her breath becoming labored. This was unusually harder than the last two times. She was in so much more pain, and began coughing.

She didn't protest his entrance into the den and so he sat beside her with his tag wagging in excitement. Yelling out their soon arrival Heartha pushed out the first pup. Howl had never seen a new born pup before, since they were usually hordeed within the birthing den for the first months of their first few months. But even without having seen a new born before, he scenced something was wrong. Looking at their first pup it was silent and motionless. No screams for it's mother who would have milk waiting for it once it reached her belly. Not even the faintest increase and depression of it's chest if had been taking it's first breaths.

Howl went up to them, sniffing and lightly licking their face, but still nothing. "Heartha something's wrong! They're not moving!" he said with sheer terror in his voice and eyes. His attention was then captured by Heartha as she began to cough. He rushed over to her, standing over her with concern, "Heartha what's wrong!?" he hadn't expected this, all these complications and how much it seemed that Heartha was pushing and struggling. This was wrong, this isn't how it was meant to be and in the heat of the moment he didn't know what he could do for her.

The second began to come out, and this time looked back as Howl moved over ot the first. She went to nose the second as Howl examined the first, and it barely wriggled, before stopping. Her heart skipped a beat. All thoughts went tothe past births, how well they went. 

"No...Howl, they have to move! They have t-" A flurry of coughs hit her, and she couldn't stop. Her chest and throat hurt, and she for once noticed a spatter of blood from the coughing. Seeing it, as the third set of contractions sent in enclosed her heart in painful fear. She was growing weaker.

As the second came out Howl's hopes were slightly lifted but only for a second as their second only moved one twitch. All his attention was on Heatha now and how she was doing. If they weren't going to get any pups he at least wanted her to be safe and well. His wishes seemed to fade away from him as her coughing continued and blood came from her thoat. Something was wrong and he wasn't sure what it was, but he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything for her, he needed to call for help.

"Heartha I'll be right back. Hang in there." he said hurredly before ducking his head out of the den entrance and howling for @Grayday and Pema. The two people he could think of in this moment that could help them. Grayday had been threw child birth before and Pema was the closest thing the pack had to a medic. If there was anything that could be done they were his best bets. Assuming they could get there in time. He rushed back into the den to Heartha's side. "Help is on the way Heartha just hang in there." her pleaded with her and the world around him.

Grayday had been hanging around the rendezvous site, not wanting to stray too far in the strangely charged atmosphere. No one had told him, but the male was canny enough to have a sense for these sort of things. Heartha's time had come, and Grayday was gripped with fear and excitement in equal measures. He knew that the pups might not all survive the birth, but he couldn't help but be eager all the same. Soon enough, there would be new pups for the kids to play with, and new life to add a bit of joy to their ranks - they could certainly use it.

But the howl had his blood freezing in his veins. He turned to Moonstone and Kieran and silently asked them to stay with the pups as he loped off to see what was the matter. He arrived at Howl's side in under a minute, and felt a piece of his heart shrivel at the look on his face. "What's happening?" he croaked, thoughts flying.

Heartha tried to shake her head, she did not want Howl to leave her behind, except she could not stop coughing, and the contractions kept on coming. "Ho-Howl" she finally managed to whisper out before another hard cough. A third, and what seemed to be last finally came out. At least, it was the last to come out, if any more were left inside, they were trapped.

She felt weak, weaker than ever. Howl returned, yet she did not catch a glimpse of Grayday around. Her breathing was getting shallow, and her contractions stopped. "Howl...Howl." She reached out a paw for him.

She had heard the howl from her den and could hear the terror in Howl's voice. She rushed past the rendevous site, and the pups, to where Grayday stood outside the entrance of a Heartha's den. She heard Grayday ask the same question she had. Looking into the den and seeing Heartha laying there, Howl infront of her, a small pool of blood beside her, blood dripping from her jaws and still puppies on her other end. Something was very wrong and she didn't know if she would be able to help. Everything seemed internal and she didn't think she would have time to grab and prepare what ever herbs might be able to help in this situation.

"I'm right here Heartha. Like I vowed, I'm right here." she reached out a paw to him and he brushed it against his face. "Heartha stay with me. Please!" he hadn't considered this. This had never gone through his mind as a possible way this day would unfold. Everything mad been going so great, they were in love. This couldn't be happening it just couldn't. "Heartha. Please. Don't go. Your so strong, you can fight this." Everything was happening so fast, he didn't even realize that Grayday and Pema were outside waiting for his answer. She was slipping away from him and there wasn't anything of her he could hang onto.

Grayday lingered near the den's entrance, stone-faced and wary. His ears were pressed forward atop his skull, waiting for a run-down of the situation, but more and more, simply waiting for Heartha to die. The wet sound of the woman's cough and the desperate edge to her mate's voice were all the clues he needed.

This was it.

Suddenly, he did not feel guilty for keeping Heartha from his pups. Suddenly, he was glad that they'd never known the woman, and that her loss would sting of injustice, but not with this terrible, heart-wrenching sorrow that creeping quickly through the leader's chest.

The old wolf felt more and more weak, only just barely strong enough to speak. "H...Howl...I...I love you..." She couldn't feel her eyes tearing up, her vision getting dark. Only Howl was in her view, no one else. "I'm s...sorry...I'm...I'm..." The words were stuck in her throat.

Heartha's own gaze shifted slowly behind Howl, and the last face she saw, she knew wasn't truly there. The face of a long lost child, and then her breathing, shallow as it was, stopped. Her chest no longer moved. Nor her tail, and the last of her bloodline lay behind her, unmoving just as she was. The Heartha they knew was gone, her time finally was up. And she had almost gotten the one thing she wanted from life.

Sad face. Gives self permission to swap post order.

---

Her voice had been so weak delivering her last words. Words of love and apology to the one she loved the most. Her eyes had faded shut and she now layed there still, along with their three life less puppies. He had shoved his head into her scruff, tears now falling down his face. His legs and muscles shook from the shock of it all, making his whole body shiver. This hadn't just happened. Not to them, not to her. Not to the one he loved more then anything in the world. Even now he when he looked at her he saw beauty.

No. She wasn't gone, she was still in there. She could be brough back! Brought back. His attentioned turned to Grayday and Pema who had seen the last of everything. "What are you doing just standing there!? Help her!" he shouted to the two of them, but focued his attention to Pema when he asked for help. She was the medic after all she would make everything better.

And that was it she was gone. She had taken her last breathe and now lay there by Howl's side. Her heart sank into her chest. An emence weight came down on her and she felt as though she couldn't move a muscle. But then Howl shouted at them to help her.

What could they do. No one had the power to bring back someone from the dead. Not even the most experienced medics. None the less Pema entered the den, he tail low and ears back with sadness as she walked past Howl and to Heartha's side. She passed by the pup giving them a quick glance thinking of how short their lives had been lived. Kneeling down beside her she could smell the blood she had caughed up and rested her head on the old females side. She heard nothing. No heart beat of breathing. Standing up and nudging her face slightly to try and see if there would be any kind of reaction. Nothing. 

Reluctantly she looked back to Howl "I'm sorry Howl, but there's nothing we can do. She's gone."

Grayday's limbs felt leaden. The curse is real, he thought to himself. It's real, and it killed her. Part of him couldn't believe that his daughter had been right, but standing there, the smell of fresh death in his nares, Grayday knew that he'd believed for some time, now. He just hadn't wanted it to be true.

"Come out, Pema," said the leader, his voice weary and his tone harsher than he'd meant it to be. But she was young, and the silvery male didn't want her to see more death than she needed to - didn't want it to fester away at her youth.

Howl's weakened muscles now turned stiff, hearing what their young medic had to say. She hadn't even tried to help her. She had arrived late, stood outside the entrance of then den and watched her die. Now she said she couldn't do anything, what good was she. 

At Grayday's words Pema began to walk towards the entrance, but Howl stepped unfront of her. "No! She's not going anywhere! This is all her fault, she should have been her from the start! Now your too late and she's gone! What kind of a medic are you!?" her yelled loudly growing at her. He stood over her with his teeth bared.

She had been pushed into a corner of the den as Howl stood over her growing and yelling, teeth almost ready to strike. She had tried to get words in to calm him down, but he yelled over her. Lower and lower to the ground her body got as he stood over her. Her tail tucked under herself and her ears held back. Howl was much larger then her. There was no way with her amature fighting skills she could take him on if it came to that. His mind was clouded with a false truth. Something he could hold onto to explain this unexpected event. She hoped that seeing her this low, he would let her leave. But it didn't seem like that was going to happen.

Seeing that things were going quickly south, the male did what he had to do. There wasn't time to try and talk the other male down - not when Pema was trapped in the den with him. Grayday darted forward and grabbed Howl's leg high up on his thigh, doing his best not to hurt the other male while also keeping a tight grip. Although it probably hurt him, there would be no serious damage - just superficial puncture wounds and some light bruising.

Keeping his grip gentle but unyielding, the leader pulled on Howl's leg, hoping the male would turn around and face him instead. If Howl went for Grayday's face, he'd heal. If he went for Pema's, they might soon have two blind wolves in their ranks.

She thought Howl was about to strike when Grayday lunged into the den and grabbed hold of Howl's leg. Shocked for a moment she didn't know what was happening when Howl turned his head around towards Grayday. She saw this as her opening and made a run for the entrance of the den. Continuing out of the den for some yards before turning back around to see what would happen next. She felt bad leaving Grayday alone in the den with Howl, but she wouldn't be of much use to him if the two did end up fighting eachother. Hoping for the best she listened from the side lines waiting to see who would emerge from the den.

Feeling something latch onto his lead he turned to find that Grayday had lunged into the den for Pema's rescue. When he saw that she was running away he attempted to reach over and grab a hold of her but his reach was too short. His attemtion back on Grayday he went to strike his muzzle. Deep down he didn't want to hurt Grayday, he mainly wanted him to just let go now that Pema was out of his sights. Pushing him off Howl yelled "Just get out!" he wanted to be alone with her.

As soon as Pema shot past him, Grayday released Howl's leg and took a few quick steps back - but not before a flash of fangs raked white-hot over his muzzle. In the moment, the leader hardly noticed this as he looked at his friend. The man's grief was palpable, and the last thing Day wanted to do was leave him on his own. But he understood the need to be alone with his family, dead as it was.

The male retreated, licking blood from his muzzle as he did. Later on, he'd talk to Howl and tell him that he would need to apologize to Pema. For now, though, Grayday knew he simply needed to mourn.

The leader approached the shaken medic and placed a pacifying lick across her muzzle, not noticing that he'd left a streak of his own blood along the path of his tongue. "Come on," he urged, nudging her along until they were out of sight of the burrow. Howl didn't need anyone to witness his pain. "Are you alright?" he asked her, keeping his voice low. His eyes swept over her smaller frame, looking for injuries as well as signs of distress.

Pema didn't have to wait long as Grayday came out of the den shortly after her. Her eyes stayed on the den for a few moments making sure that Howl hadn't decided to follow him out. Grayday's licks on her face clamed her down enough to realize he was motioning them to head off alittle ways further away from the den. 

She listened to what he said, still shaken from everything had had just happened with Heartha and Howl's outbreak. He asked if she was alright to which she replied "Y...Ya I'm good. What about you?" Now looking at him she could see the blood tearing down his muzzle from a bite. "Oh Grayday. Did he bite you?" she asked a somewhat rhetorical question as she licked his wound, cleaning it and wiping the blood that was sticking to his fur away.

He had bitten Grayday on the muzzle and he had ran out of the den like Howl had asked. Now that the others were gone he was left with the huffs of his breathe. Little streaks of blood ran down his leg, but the adrenaline going threw his veins made it hurt less. The pain her was feeling over Heartha's death made him feel nothing. 

He looked back over to them. To here and the pups. Walking over to the pups he could see theri individuality. One that was white like Heartha, another chocolate like him and the last one black. They were three more lives lost today. To think they had been alive and well only a few hours prior and now Heartha and them had been ripped from Howl's arms.

He picked each one up and brought it to Heartha side. Where they would have been nursing had they still been alive. Then he turned to Hearhta. His dear Heartha, who had made him change how he saw everything in the world. He licked the blood off of her muzzle and tilted her head towards the pups so she could be curled up next to them. They were together, here and else where, he had just been left behind. He kissed her before curling up behind her and resting his head on her side, between her head the the pups. Slow tears running down his face was whines escaped him.

Howl out