Stonewatch Timbers after all we've been through

May 5th, 8:55pm, Clear skies 44F/6C
All members of RSC welcome to post but only @Kova, @Bane, @Gent and @Raela will be allowed close enough to see inside/come inside.

As the days grew warmer the skies stayed lighter longer into the evening, the orb just now sitting low on the horizon. It cast the world about them in a bath of warm orange and pink, some of the light even filtering into the den the mother occupied. All day she had been within the dugout, not that this was atypical since the discovery of her mate's body. Even so she was extra irritable, sending even those close to her away when she might typically let them come sit with her. The pain had begun as the sun reached its highest point, not practice cramps as she had been experiencing all week but full labour pains.

Eight hours later Minka's body shuddered as her final pup entered the world, her whole body aching and exhausted. Panting in exertion her tawny eyelids felt heavy but she knew she would be unable to sleep, her heart was too full at the sight of her children. Licking each of them clean the mother nudged them into her belly until she felt them all beginning to suckle. It was then with the three squirming bundles pressed against her that she truly scrutinized them, noting their sex as well as their appearance. The first born and largest cub a plump female covered in a pelt of brown, cream and tan, "Little Marianna, with any luck you will grow to be as feisty and strong as the aunt your father loved so much, my own little Ari." Then she looked to her last born who had crawled over his sister to the front of the pile, stark black in contrast he was already squeaking for attention. Chuckling she licked his crown until his noises ceased, it seemed she would have her paws full with this one, "Draven, for your pelt is as dark as any raven I have ever seen."

It was then her golden eyes fell on the middle born and she couldn't help the gasp that fell from her maw. Tears burned at her eyes as she pressed her muzzle against his tiny form, then they began to fall freely, splashing onto the unsuspecting child below. The boy called out in protest and Minka quickly soothed him with her tongue, tasting the salt from her tears upon his pelt. "Oh my little Kino hush now, Momma is here and she'll never let you go."

Minka had understandably began to grow more irritable and reclusive, and Gent had respected her wishes to be let alone, however he could not bring himself to wander far. He felt even more immensely protective of his alpha since discovering her fallen mate, to the point that he despised allowing her to escape the scope of his senses. Several emotions about all the occurrences, past and present both, stirred about within him and he cared not to name them. All he knew was that he wanted nothing more to happen to Minka, and that he wanted to be there as Tokino couldn't for her children. When the labor began, Gent closed in, orbiting even closer around her though still out of her way and sight. She would be utterly vulnerable now, but also, a part of him couldn't wait to see the cubs. Each excruciatingly long hour he waited, alert to both what might be approaching and each soft sound emanating from her birthing den. It wasn't until the land was bathed in dull salmon light and he heard Minka speak for the first time in what felt like days that he stepped forward from his cover. He heard each name, each blessing she bestowed upon them. The soft shocked gasp, the christening of Tokino's namesake, her tears. They all pushed him closer than he might've originally dared. "Minka, how are they?" he asked, voice warm and smooth so as not to startle either her or the newborns. Standing at the entrance, he peered in, blue eyes soaking up what little light filtered in to see each tubby, squirming body. Three remarkably different hues, they were all in his eyes absolutely stunning. All the feelings welling up within his chest were incredibly knew to him, but they were also swiftly becoming familiar. First it was Danica, then Minka, then Raela and now a new batch of beings that he knew without a doubt, despite the cold logic his father had pounded into his head, he would never, ever let any harm come to. His gaze flickered to the mother, to the tears freely flowing down her tawny cheeks. Gent hesitated there, nearly frozen by the sight, but something compelled him to slip forward, into the den to lay at Minka's side. Resting his head on her flank, he did not touch the children though he wished to, still aware that this was not where he belonged. This should have been Tokino's role. But the man wasn't here, and everything within Gent told him to step up to the plate and be whatever Minka needed him to be. Gent lifted his head and briefly touched his nose to the soft spot under Minka's ear. The silver tongued monster could not think of a single thing to say to her, but with this wordless gesture he wanted her know that he would be at her side through this.

(This post was last modified: May 05, 2015, 05:50 PM by Gent.)

-fixing my post cause I didn't see where Gent lay himself down-

Kova hadn't been back from his visit to Black Thorn Downs for long. A day or two had passed since his return, and luckily for him the youth had arrived just in time for his younger siblings births. Kova had spent the remainder of his time as close to Minka as she would allow.

Sometimes she pushed him away, and Kova figured that perhaps carrying his siblings inside her belly might be hurting her. That might have been why she was so irritable. Still, he accepted her irritable self without complaint and kept as close to the den as possible. Only when he needed a drink or food would he move from his place. It was just as she begun birthing that Kova had left to fill his aching belly. A couple of hours later he'd caught himself a rabbit and a few fish from the creek that wound its way around their mountain home. Kova only ate one of the two fish he'd caught; deciding to keep the other one to give it to Minka or to help fill the nonexistent caches. Then after a drink at the creek Kova had started climbing up the mountain again. He was headed straight for Minka's birthing den.

Upon reaching the scene, Kova spies Gent's rear end sticking out of the den's entrance. He watched it disappear into the den where Minka should be. A low growl escaped from between Kova's jaws, though it was muffled by the fish clenched in his teeth. The gray wolf forced himself to be silent as he approached the den. He knew that he should be totally fine with his pack mates being around Minka, however knowing that his little siblings might be born any day had Kova's protecting instincts going haywire. He felt the need to keep pretty much everybody spare for Lugh away from his mother.

Kova dropped his fish then as calmly as he could walked up to the entrance of the den. The smell of blood and birthing fluids hit his nose making the young wolf bristle. It was hard for him to keep from growling at the big black wolf who was now laying beside his mother.  “Gent, move away from the den...” The words came out of his mouth as a soft but assertive command at first. Something that was totally opposite from what Kova would normally do or say. “Please...” He added gritting his teeth and trying very much so to be a good boy. His body was in a neutral position, with his silver tail parallel to the ground. His dark blue orbs avoided Gent's lighter ones while his muzzle lowered. Any other time, whether it be at a meeting, hunting, guarding, or just hanging out Kova would have been fully submissive. It was only now, as he desperately longed to see his siblings for the first time to make sure that they were okay, that Kova ignored the regular rules. In order to protect his mother and his little siblings. The bad thing was that Kova knew that he was going to get in trouble for it. He just hoped that it was something that he could later make up to Gent and the rest of the pack.

(This post was last modified: May 07, 2015, 08:02 PM by Kova.)

I wanted to make a note to Tabs that Gent is actually IN the den, laying with Minka.

The moment had finally arrived and it was all Bane could think about. After Inali had left (who he wished to see but all the drama had kept him at bay) his attentions had been to Minka and Kova alone. After having a prospect of war, having to move the pack's location, Minka's pregnancy, Inali being kicked out, Tokino's death.... so much had happened so very quickly now. He could remember the last time he saw Tokino... at the pack meeting, threatening to kill his mother and that her children would be 'as good as dead' when they were done there. The thought made Bane quicker as he quickened his pace towards the den, though Bane did all he could to still see Tokino as the good man he was. Coming along the entrance now, hearing the delicate mew of pups, Bane came along Kova's side with a small smile. He touched his muzzle to the young wolf's nape and peered inside. A tightens swirled in his stomach suddenly, a lump in his throat to see that Gent was inside the den, laying next to Minka, pressing her furs with his muzzle. It should have been Tokino.... and Bane could not help but feel as though the man, who came in and rose through the ranks so quickly, was taking advantage of Tokino's death with a sense that he would wiggle his way into her affections with ease. There was also a pain in Bane, the same secret jealousy that he had felt when @Nina had given birth and Mirren was the one chosen to be at her side in that time. Bane had a knack for being bested during child-birth, yet perhaps it was his odd mannerisms which kept his unworthy. Taking a deep breath, Bane pulls his head away from the entrance after looking over the pups. He steps away, turning his back on the den and looking outward. If Kova and Gent would be inside, then it would be Bane to make sure everyone else didn't get too close that was not invited.

(This post was last modified: May 07, 2015, 01:11 PM by Bane.)

After her visit with the Round Stone Crest matriarch, Raela had found herself returning toward the den site again and again, but never getting too close. She didn't want Minka to know she was lurking; it was best for all of them if the poor woman felt safe and had privacy during what Rae knew was a very difficult ordeal. She had been around to hear her mother's strangled cries of pain as her younger siblings were brought into the world. While she could not say she pitied that woman, she absolutely felt bad knowing her Alphess and friend had to go through it. It was worry mixed with anticipation that beckoned the tawny girl again and again to check on Minka. Each time she would only draw close enough to listen for the faintest sounds before moving away. This kept her far out of eyesight, but hopefully offered the leader some form of reassurance that her subordinates were close by, making sure she was safe. Gent usually appeared nearby as well, clearly just as anxious. Rae offered him a nervous and knowing smile each time they met up. A wolf in labor was intensely vulnerable, and the responsibility of protecting her and Tokino's lasting legacy fell harder onto the girl than it would have others. She had something to protect now, someone relying on her, and the knowledge sent her jogging off to the perimeter each time her ears registered Minka's safety. Patrolling like this on high alert was exhausting, but the excitement had the slender woman practically twitching as she paced along; marking borders and examining scents. Nothing would get past the sentry today.  Hours came and went; the sun sliding steadily from the sky. Again the girl turned back for the birthing den. This time as she approached, the scents of her pack mates had all mixed in with that of the Alphess. Stronger, though, was the scent of birth. Raela broke into a steady lope, the cool night air filling her lungs and sending a splash of chilled energy through her whole body. It was time. She drew closer than before, bringing the other subordinate's forms into view under the moonlight. Her pace slowed; golden eyes taking in Bane's greeting to Kova, and orange ears picking up the boy's irritated speech. It was then she noticed that Gent must have been in the den. The girl had never heard Kova speak in such a way, but she understood immediately. Even she was a little unsure about the huge wolf's proximity to the babies. It didn't seem his place. It was definitely not his place to go in before Kova, the only actual blood relative in their presence. Rae paused a few feet from the gathering, feeling sorry for the silver-coated child who'd just lost his dear father. She hoped Gent would have the decency to move for him without a fuss. If he could understand her pain when there was no given source, he could understand Kova's.  Waiting for the situation to resolve itself, her eyes met with Bane. She wasn't feeling terribly warm toward the man for the way he acted when they'd claimed this territory, but she was willing to be civil if he was. As guardian, he was just doing his job right now in guarding the little ones. In light of this, the girl dipped her head respectfully despite her superior status. She wanted to make it clear that she would not intrude unless invited. Taking a few steps forward, she halted once again. A concern was the first thing to leave her mouth. ”Is everything alright Minka?” She wasn't close enough to see anything yet, but if Minka wanted her to be present she would wait for the summons.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Exit posts for everyone now :) Whoever is last feel free to fade out

Minka couldn't tear her eyes away from her three newborn children, especially Kino and his platinum coat. Even as Gent filled the doorway and his voice whispered in her ears she couldn't bring herself to look away from them. Blinking away the tears so the pups would be in clearer view rather than a blurry mess she murmured, "They're perfect, they're absolutely perfect." It was true, even Kino's lookalike coat that would always remind her of what she had lost, each and every one of them shone in their perfection. Suddenly his form moved from just blocking out the salmon light to by her side, filling her with his warmth. Her first instinct was to tense, but as soon as his snout touched her ear the woman could feel herself melt into his presence. The golden eyes fluttered shut and for just a moment she could pretend that this wasn't Gent, that Tokino had never left her.

The moment was quickly shattered when Kova's voice suddenly rocked through the den, his tone demanding until he remembered his manners. Normally she would have reprimanded him for using such a tone with a superior, he may be a prince but he still needed to respect the pack. However the second she heard her son's voice Minka was filled with guilt, guilt that she had enjoyed another man's embrace over Tokino's newborns. Blinking her eyes open the guilt was written clearly across her muzzle and her stomach churned uneasily, what had she done? Without turning to look towards the dark male she spoke, "Gent please... I think I need to be alone with all of my children now, Kova needs to meet his siblings privately. Tell the others everything is fine but we need our space." The new mother couldn't even bring herself to look at him, or Bane as he poked his head into the den. All she wanted was for Kova to forgive her and they could forget that this had ever happened, they could be a family, the five of them.

click!

The passing time only consisted of seconds, yet as each ticked by he felt a persistently deepening sense of contentment. Laying his muzzle back down upon Minka's side, his pale eyes gazed down at the newborns blindly tucked against her stomach. At first, he looked upon them without emotion. Each little hiccup, each blindly batted paw worked its innocent magic to completely enrapture him. Yet all too soon, the spell was broken. Kova's voice entered the den, vibrating with the strain of emotions desperately held back. Immediately, Gent was pulled from the illusion of belonging he had created for both himself and Minka. His ears swept back upon his skull, and he pushed himself up into a crouch, ready to dismiss himself as the prince requested. A healthy dose of shame entered his blood as he realized how utterly inappropriate his actions would be perceived as being by the pack, as well as the wedge he had just placed between himself and Minka's eldest son. His queen's voice then joined the air, and he knew irrevocably that he had made a mistake. Gent escaped the den, brushing past all who had gathered, and disappeared into the timbers. He would satellite the den, aware both of what was happening within the circle and without it. For the remainder of the night, he was their silent and distant guardian, and absolutely nothing more. As it should be. For now.

Kova continued to try and look past Gent as the male began to get up and pad out of the den. The silver boys head swung lower in submission to the male as he swept passed then Kova tentatively took a step closer to his mother. His hackles lay smoothly now while a short whine echoed out from his maw. His eyes traced the curve of her body around the pups while the sweet milky scent enveloped the area calming the youth further. He softly whimpered in apology while occasionally mixing whines of longing to get closer. That gray tail banged back and forth against the den wall as Kova finally looked over the little forms of his younger siblings. “Was I that small?” He asked mostly to himself while looking over Ari, Kino, and Draven's worm-like bodies.

The gray form stuck out just as equally as the black form did. However the little rusty ream pup seemed to melt into his mothers belly fur. Kova very gently touched his nose to her only to hear a little squeak come from her rounded mouth. Kova yanked backwards not knowing what to do in this situation. He thought he hurt her, but in reality his wet nose had only bothered the hungry girl. Then Kova looked over Kino and Draven wondering if they had looked a lot like how he and Noble did when he was little. His eyes scoured the dark pups coat wishing so much that Noble could be here with him.

Kova gulped as tears began to gather in his eyes. “Father... He's watching us now isn't he?” The words tumbled out his mouth as his tears began to fall on Minka's paws and upon Kino's little frame. The gray pup began to squirm as Kova sniffled then licked the tears off of Kino. “I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry...” How ironic that he say this to the deaf pup when he himself was the one crying. Kova wanted to lean into Minka and bask in her motherly love but he was ever so aware of how he had to share her now. He'd try to suck it up and just deal with it. The knowledge that he wasn't a pup anymore hit him like a train as Kova forced himself to calm down and dry his tears. Still he didn't feel like leaving Minka's den while the others were outside. He didn't want them to see that he was crying. (Fade for Kova?)

OOC: Shoving a really quick exit in here to help wrap this up. 

Her sensitive ears registered the queen's speech and instantly she felt herself taking a step back. Gent's departure was swift and he would have brushed up against her side had she not moved away. He retreated with an uncharacteristic posture; leaving the woman to stare after him with deflated ears. The whole situation was more than uncomfortable now. She would return to see the pups, but she could see and hear Kova as he slipped further into the darkness. It was no more her place to intrude than it was Gent's. She thought to seek him out; to try and comfort the new King but she hardly thought he'd want her around now. It was better to track down Aeus and Cessair, and to tell them that the children were all okay, and so was their queen. It was a joyous occasion, or at least, it was supposed to be.  She turned tail, padding silently into the woods without another word or a glance to anyone. Her chest was tight with feeling the absence of Tokino, or more accurately the effect she knew it was having on them. But the pups would not go without love; they would not want for anything. She passed the immediate area, scenting the cool night breeze for her pack mates. They would want to know too, what miraculous things had just transpired here. It was a new beginning for this new pack in this new place. The mountain air smelled of freedom and safety on this night, and it charged her muscles as she scampered back to the communal den. Everyone, they're here!  Exit Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

(This post was last modified: Aug 31, 2015, 04:49 PM by Raela.)