She had been minding her own business, keeping near the den, and looking around to look for any places that herbs would start growing. Unfortunately just as soon as she had started, a pain shot through her abdomen, something she had grown use to for the passing days, for her pups had been kicking quite often recently. Little did she know, that today would be different and that the pain in her stomach was not just from her children kicking within her. The next time the wave flowed through her stomach, she had to keep back a grunt of pain, one that ended up being muffled. Quickly, the Woodland’s alpha realized that she was going into labor and that she was about to give birth. Stubbornly biting her tongue, she pushed her way towards the rocky den, knowing that she needed to be careful. As she made her way towards the den, she could feel the liquid slowly dripping down her hind leg, causing her to grit her teeth. She soon made it to her den, a lay down, ready for the pain she was about to put herself through.

With the next wave of pain hit, she let out a painful groan, her head raising to call for her mate. It screamed, ”@Koda!” She knew he would come, and she knew he would keep them out. At least for the time being, her pack mates could see the younger generation at another time when the alpha was not delivering. For many minutes she lay there, panting and trying to calm her breathing, when the pain hit once again. Pushing, she felt someone slid out of her back side, and quickly, Nina bent over to the pup, biting what connected him to his mother and licking fur back before prodding the dark male towards her stomach, offering up what she could offer to the small pup.

For hours she lay there, knowing that Koda was outside of the den, protecting and looking over her. The pain was bearable, but she knew that it was the worst pain she had ever felt in her life, physically or mentally. By now she should have known that instinct was the only thing driving her through this birth. When another searing pain shot through her, she pushed once again, feeling another being slip from her. Repeating the same process she had done with her first son, she looked over the second male, his even darker pelt too hard to determine from within the darkness. None the less, she pushed the small male towards her offering him something to suck on and to keep him busy while she waited. She kind of wished it was already over, but from the way she was feeling, she knew quite well, that it wasn’t.

Luckily, the last pup to arrive did not seem to take as long as the other had. After long moments of pain, and surely some sign of release from her, she gave one last final push. Small growls escaped her as she pushed; glad to feel relief once the final pup was out of her. Panting, she bent back and quickly repeated the same process with the final pup, her golden brown muzzle pushing the small, creamy pup towards her stomach. With a relieved sigh, she waited for any other sign of pain, for the need to push out once more. After several moments, she found herself happy that the pain was over and overjoyed that she had been blessed with pups. Her job was not done yet. Quietly, she called for her mate, ”Koda….Koda….come see….we need….to name them.” The woman was working hard to keep her strength up now, fitting to keep her eye open. She did not want the father near their children yet, though she was sure he knew that. She just wanted him to see them, help her name them. A small crack in the rocks allowed sunlight to pour over her pups, allowing her a better look at them. With the sight a small smile played on Nina lips. Looking over the pups, she glanced over to her mate’s face and quietly whispered, mentioning to their second born, ”He looks like my brother, Koda…do you think the name Ashton fits?” With a content sigh, she allowed herself to glance back towards her love, awaiting his perception.