She took it all back. The whole pregnancy had been a walk through a meadow compared to whatever this was. At first, she had been able to distract herself by moving about the bedding in the den. Shifting furs about back and forth pretending that would fix anything that was going on. Then she began to pace about outside of the den. Her paws frantic to move but it was tiring trying to deal with whatever was happening. How long could she distract herself?

And the answer was not long enough.

Soon she slipped off to hide in the depths of the den. The pains that ran through her body were rigid but honestly? They were terrifying and confusing. What if something was wrong? What if she had already messed up? She tried to stay steady through deep breaths with hopes that Kajika wouldn't be far from the den. He had never been very far lately, she couldn't imagine why he would be now. But she used this time alone to try and center her thoughts.

He'd stayed close by the den or just inside to give Birtie all the space she might need. He was always close by knowing that any day now he would become a father and her a mother. When he'd entered the den that morning to find Birtie moving around he'd stepped outside. From outside he watched her movements inside the den, she was antsier than normal. He wondered if the time had come.

Then she was outside the den pacing and still he hadn't gone far instead he watched as she moved back and forth in front if the den. Her anxiety was starting to infect him as he eventually rise to his paws and started pacing with her. Then when she finally seemed to settle and go back into the den he settled down to resting just outside the den. His ears flicked between the den to hear what was inside and then at each little sound he heard outside the den.
When things seemed to be too quiet in the den he grew worried and was soon poking his head in. “Birtie, is everything okay? Are you okay?” Deep in his stomach he felt that it was time which lead to his last question knowing how some females could get about these things. “Do you want me to come in there?”

Her ears leaned forward at the sound of Kajika's voice as her gaze seemed to widen. "Stay out there." She said with nervous breaths. Birtie needed to know that no one would come disrupt her, she needed Kajika to play the dutiful role of guardian for her. Perhaps he body was tricking her but she had a feeling that maybe this was how this pregnancy thing wrapped up. Weeks and weeks of pain and misery only to be topped off with the worst of the worst.

The Parlow tried to focus on herself but occasionally her grungy gaze flickered to look at the bright entrance of the den. She expected it to be well guarded by the lead male but she was still anxious that someone unwanted would stick their nose in.

It was wave after wave of pain until they grew closer together. From here on out she relied on her instinct mainly. She had no idea how much time had passed until there was the first one. Birtie cleaned off the first one and examined for anything that might be out of place. From what the now mother could tell, everything seemed just fine. So swiftly Birtie moved the small child to nurse.

There wasn't too much time until there was another. This one seemed relatively easier but perhaps it was due to having already gone through the first. She repeated the check over process she had done before with this one as well. While this one seemed more active and a bit nosier, she could not complain about that.

Two children nestled and nursed. Although she knew they would need names and that the father would need to see them, she needed a moment to catch her breath. The tiredness told her to settle her head on the den floor and rest but her gaze was glued to the newborn duo.

A son and a daughter.

In past weeks she'd been rather receptive to his closeness but as the last question slipped past his lips she was not so receptive. A clear order to stay outside the den, “Very well but please call if you need anything. I mean that Birtie.” He called back into her. He didn't have to be told that it was time, the pups were coming. He also knew better than to disobey a mother in the process of giving birth.

His anxiety of course had skyrocketed since he couldn't see what was going on in the den despite his multiple attempts. He didn't know if it Birtie was okay or if the pups were okay. His pacing resumed right in front of the den entrance. No one was getting past him unless Birtie specifically said they could.

Each time he passed the den entrance he would lean an ear in to see if he could hear anything. At one point he thought he heard some tiny squeaks that maybe could he puppies. He was sure since erhy we're so small or he was having a bout of wishful thinking.

Finally when his paws grew tired he sat down right in front if the den entrance looking out into the forest. It was a clear sign for anyone who might be drawn by the scent that was now coming from the den they shouldn't pass. His ears lay flat against his skull listening for Birtie's voice. He hoped she would call for him when she was ready and the pups were out.

She could have watched them forever. For hours, days, weeks. It was hard to process that the nursing children were her own at first. It all felt...so surreal. One moment she had felt them squirming inside her but now they were actually here.

It was with a tiredness in her voice that she called out softly. "Kajika." Her eyes struggling to look away from the squirming children. "Kajika, come. Look." Her voice reaching out from the den again. He deserved to see them too. For as much as she wanted to hoard them and be alone, it would do her no good. Her partner needed to know what had transpired and that everything was okay.

Her gaze drifted from them tentatively as she looked for the earth-toned man. While she was not sure he wanted him to make physical contact just yet, she was content to allow him to stick his head in if he wished. The Parlow would have no issues making that known too.

"There's two of them." Her tones stayed mostly hushed so as to not disrupt the newborns as she looked back to them. "One son and one daughter." It was only once she spoke the words out loud and not in her head that a smile settled on her tired face.

The alpha stood guard outside the den ready to let anyone who dare get too close know they had. The wait to find out was almost unbearable but he waited as patiently as one could in such a situation. As the time passed he knew yet wondered at the same time if it would ever end.

Then finally it did as he heard his name in a very tired voice from the depths of the den. She was beckoning to him to come inside. They had yet to have any visitors from their packmates and he was thankful for that, for this moment alone with his children and their mother.

Slowly and quietly he turned and entered the den careful of where he stepped though knowing the pups would be nestled against their mother. As he moved closer and his eyes adjusted he couldn't yet see them. It wasn't until he was right next to Birtie that he saw the tiny bundles of fur. A smiled so wide spread across his maw as his chest swelled with pride. “You did well Birtie,” he said placing a lick to her crown.

Curled against the cream fur of their mothers abdomen was a bundle of cream fur like their mother and next to it a bundle of dark fur like himself. “A son and a daughter,” he breathed as the it started to settle in that they were finally there in front of him and he was now a father.

He pulled his amber gaze from the pups to Birtie and was happy to see the smile on her face. “How are you feeling?” He asked though he was sure she was tired he wanted to make sure that she was comfortable and nothing was wrong.

The small peel back of her lips was a silent warning to mind his space. He may have been the father but she called him in to look for now. There would be more chances to get a better look at the children in the coming days. Before she could answer his question a sound outside caught her off guard, the fur along her neck and back rising.

Surely it was a packmate and while she did not know which one it may be she looked to Kajika intently. "Go, tell them the news." She spoke as her gaze traveled back to look at the children. "Spread the word of their arrival. Please." It was all she could ask for, a grand entrance into the world for the life at her side.

The children would need names, that much she knew, but she figured that could wait just a bit longer. Perhaps they could discuss it after the word was spread and she gathered some rest.

Even though he still felt a fog of wonder around him as he looked upon his children he also took note of Birtie's warning. He didn't question it or reprimand her for it, being a new mother he understood her desire for space after what she'd been through. He was appreciative that she'd even let him stick his head into see them.

His ear flicked at the sound outside the den indicating someone had arrived. His Amber eyes fell on her features as she told him to go and tell the rest of the pack. “Okay, but I won't be far just fall out if you need me for anything.” She was in no condition to be doing much of anything so he would stay close in case she needed his help.

Careful to not get too close he gave her a quick kiss on the muzzle before backing out of the den. When he turned he found Moonshadow not far from the den. His tail wagged happily and a wide smile was in his face as he moved toward her. “A boy and a girl and they are healthy,” he told her that note of wonder still in his tone.

He then sat back on his haunches and raised his muzzle toward the sky to sing a song to his packmates to let them know his children had been born.