Oak Tree Bend the eye of the storm

May 1st, 8:54am, Patchy rain, 44F/6C

Aponi's birthing thread! @Serach and @Lila will be allowed to poke their heads in to see the pups and everyone else is welcome to come nearby but they'll get a swift bite to the nose should they try and stick it in the den. @Ice @Nalda @Arnaq

SERACH & APONI DONATA

 

Things had been going well for the Bend despite their numbers dwindling slightly. The snows had finally broken the previous week and with it spring had come flourishing with warmer weather and rains, washing as much of the ice and sleet away as possible. All of the open areas in their territory now showed the earth, but the denser forest still clung to its snow piles. Mud was constant, all over the pack's paws and legs and after the occasional back scratch their bodies as well. One wolf seemed to be missing from the relishing of the warmer weather, slinking back and forth as she paced near the birthing den.

Aponi had known for days that her time would be soon, and so she was never more than a few feet away from the entrance to the den. It was the same one she had given birth to Lila in last year, though Serach had widened the inside considerably so that they both may fit. The silver mother was still adjusting to having so much involvement from her mate, but given how her paws and legs ached recently she was more apt to give him a grateful smile than a snide comment about how she could do it herself.

This particular morning she had slipped into the den while the Donata man had been sleeping at her side, careful not to wake him. No matter how much she loved him, the wolf's instinct was to do the following act alone. Should he wake and come too near he would be met with a warning snarl and barred teeth, anyone else who tried would have a violent welcome. Aponi wasn't sure how long had passed since the start of her labour until the first child was born, enough time that the clear night had given way into rainy morning.

Sides heaving from exertion she nestled the pup against her belly, her and Serach's daughter. Blue eyes closed in pain and she knew what would come next, as in every year she would have a single daughter and all the rest would be deathly still. This was the first year the thought hurt almost as much as the physical pain and the Donata could do nothing to stop the tears that sprung to her eyes. A few minutes of pushing and another pup joined the first. Salmon tongue swept over it in desperation and the first time it moved Aponi was sure it was her imagination, until the wriggle was followed by a shrill cry. Pulling it close to her side she wept openly now, she had managed to carry more than one pup to term, and within a dozen minutes a third had joined them. All healthy and alive.

Wrapping her silver tail around the three brown bodies she could barely contain her joy. She had three more daughters! - Oh, but were they all female? So used to having daughters in the past and the first being born female the mother hadn't even checked to see the sex of the others. Nosing towards their bellies Aponi almost laughed in surprise. Two daughters and a son then, Aponi Donata had finally had a son.

love has a quiet voice

Arnaq stretched out her body as she woke with the morning. The energy feeling different today. She didn't see Aponi anywhere and the she-wolf looked heavy yesterday. Arnaq turned her ears up and heard the small sounds of cries. She sniff around the den. Pup's were here. She had never seen pups herself and was quite excited to see them but she knew better than to get any where near the opening. She paced around the area looking at the others wandering what she could do to help. 

Obviously there wasn't anything she could do in the area of helping the Alpha bring pups into the world but sh would more then likely be tired. At least she thought she would be. She figured her best route would be to stay out of the way and maybe go off on a hunt for some small critters now that the snow had left the landscape in most places. Spring brought forth plenty smaller meals. 

With that thought she bowed herself out of the area and tried to make it obvious that she was going to make herself scarce. Hunting the small woodland animals would keep her out of the way and busy when she wasn't going to be needed at that particular moment. She wasn't even sure when she would meet the newest additions and she wasn't holding her breath on meeting them until they came from the den. When do they come out? How long? She wondered as she drifted off into the landscape to find a few meals for the Alpha.

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

He had been around enough times—two, he realized, with a surprise, as it felt like more—to recognize the signs. The change in demeanor. The change in scent. The change in appearance, as the pups drew the last of their strength from Aponi. And thus, no matter how much heart, mind, and paws wanted to wander, Ice kept nearby. He patrolled the borders. He snarled at those who needed snarling at. He chased cougars, lynxes, and wolverines, just to keep himself busy. He hunted rabbits and hares and the occasional small doe, or slow bird, and left them as gifts for Aponi and his son, or in the caches.

But as the previous day had waned, Ice hadn't gone hunting. Instead, he had parked himself in the vicinity of Aponi's birthing den, far enough away not to disturb them as they slept, but close enough to wake when something was going to happen—as it did, when the long, cold hours of an early spring night turned towards a rainy morning. Aponi rose, and left Serach outside—Ice rose, and padded over to his son. His tongue lolled out between his silvered jaws, and he said nothing—just sat there.

The first mewling cries came from within, and Ice folded his ears back to listen to them, his eyes trained on the night. It was disturbed by Arnaq, their lowest, who came sniffing around before disappearing, shoulders hunched and tail low. Ice watched her go in silence. Of course the birth would draw the attention of the pack—anything else would just be..odd. He tipped his head to watch Serach, and whatever the male was doing by then. Ice wasn't interested in leaving his spot unless Serach made it absolutely clear he wanted him to, but this was where he thought he should be.. leaving the hunting to the youngsters, while keeping the newborns safe.

He made out at least one other distinct voice, shrill and fragile. So there would be more than one. He smiled to himself, and tipped his head back to let the rain wash over it.

until the ice breaks.

let the stars above shine in your soul

For days, Serach had stuck to Aponi's side like irritating, but loving, glue. With each passing day, he watched her stomach grow a little more, and her proud walk turn into a slow waddle. Together they had dug out the old den she had used to give birth to Lila, and Serach had taken pride in his attempts to make the den has comfortable as possible not only for Aponi, but for the new additions to his family. But despite his eagerness and excitement, he was still too inexperienced to recognize that something was different this time when Aponi moved from his side and slinked into the birthing den.

It was only after several minutes, longer than it should have taken if she was getting a drink or relieving herself, that he cracked open a single eye to survey the misty morning. A twitch of his ear caused him to lift his head and peer into the den behind him. Rolling over to his belly, he crawled into the entrance, his eyes adjusting to the light quick enough to make out her form laying in the back of the den - and the pale teeth that warned him away. Her growl only underscored the message, and he ducked out quickly, falling backwards onto his haunches outside the den entrance. It had taken only a moment for his wolf brain to make the connection of what was happening, and then his confusion and hurt at being growled away evaporated into happiness, and a sudden belief that every lurking shadow in the forest was a threat.

In an instant he was on his feet, pacing back and forth in front of the entrance, stopping every once in a while to listen to the noises coming from within. More than once he whined, offering her a quiet "I love you" before resuming his guarding. He was not the only one either - both Arnaq and Ice had sensed the change as well and had converged upon the den. Arnaq's curious sniffs were met with a raised tail and bared teeth, but the girl was harmless and retreated to a safe distance long before Serach felt compelled to drive her away by force. Ice was met with similar actions as well, because even though Serach knew in his heart that Ice was his father and would never harm anyone that Serach loved, his instinct to protect Aponi and his new pups was louder than his heart. But his father seemingly understood, and kept to a safe distance away from the den entrance that helped to set Serach's mind at ease.

He lost track of the time, but each time he heard the tiny yips and cries of a new being smaller and more fragile than his mate, Serach's tail beat furiously against the air. By the time the last pup had made an appearance, he was down on his elbows in front of the den, blocking the entrance with his body as he tried to peer in to take a look. He made no moves to go any closer - her earlier warning had been more than enough - but he was too excited to remain pacing. "Aponi? Are you alright? Are they...?" He cautioned after a while, when the sounds of labor had begun to subside.

"Don't go shouting out loud that you're claiming the crown" It wasn't like she had known it would be today, she had no previous experiences with this sort of thing; The Pines had been barren last spring, already starting to crumple apart. No, all the slate and russet girl had known about pregnancy before this spring had come from observing other animals, and they tended to hide themselves even better when carrying a brood. So this year she had watched Aponi with interest, studying how her body and behavior changed as the gestation progressed. It was a curious, frightening thing to think of, new life growing within her womb. Nalda couldn't blame her for being irritable, and only did her best to watch from a distance, bringing the queen scraps from her scavenging to try and help. This morning had felt no different than the previous, the tension of the night before seemingly the same as it had been for the past many; I can't wait for those pups to be born already! Foolishly she figured that would bring things back to normal, having no experience with raising a litter either. It was only as she made her usual pass, through the trees near the birthing den where Aponi and Serach slept that she realized something was amiss. The male leader was pacing outside the entrance, tail and hackles high in agitation, no sign of his mate, and the rest of the pack seemed to be converging on the spot. Nalda paused, watching from the trees with perked ears, seeing the alpha warn away first the cowering second, and then Ice too, her own curiosity rising. Then she heard the distant sounds, low and muffled, but put together with the other clues, their origin was clear. Not wanting to meet the same snapping teeth as he pack mates, Nalda remained where she was, sheltered by the trees, watching and listening quietly as events unfolded. Time passed slowly, everyone seeming suspended in the same positions, Serach pacing, Ice sitting guard, and the dark girl looking on, feeling an odd queasiness as the sounds from the den persisted. She couldn't help shuddering at the thought of what Aponi was going through, her own stomach feeling tight as she imagined herself in the leader's stead; Disgusting..! Then finally, it appeared to be over, the pale father worming his way into the, now almost silent, den, his hushed voice inaudible from her position. Yet for the moment she remained, waiting to see what would happen next. Word Count: 412 Thoughts "Speech"

Khalliysgraphy @DA

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile

@Lila @Ice @Nalda @Serach this round will end May 16th!

SERACH & APONI DONATA

 

From within the den the mother noted subconsciously that various other scents joined her mates outside the den but that didn't matter. None of them got within eyesight of her after she had warned Serach away and that was all the mattered. Throughout the entire birthing process whenever she glanced towards the entrance her mate's creamy pelt could be seen pacing to and fro and his voice would whisper in occasionally. It was different than both of her previous deliveries which she had done alone, but it felt safer and more secure and for that Aponi was grateful. Last year Serach had come after the birth of Lila and had stood guard over their den through the night but this year he had higher emotional investment. How much had changed in only a year.

When the children were born she wanted to call for her mate to come revel in their perfect little bodies as they crowded against her belly but she equally wanted rest. Pulling her silver tail protectively around them she laid her head upon her paws, eyelids flickering closed. Aponi could not have slept for more than half an hour when the sound of rustling from the entrance startled her awake. Muscles tensed and the pups squealed in protest at being jostled but the sight of Serach relaxed the mother. She wouldn't allow him all the way in the den, not yet, but his torso was acceptable and he was met with an exhausted smile. Within the next week or so she would allow the new father to come sleep with them, but for now this den was just for her and the children.

Unfurling her tail the blue eyes looked upon the three tiny brown bundles stark against the white of her belly. "Oh Serach they're perfect, two girls and a boy," The last word was said reverently, the first boy she had ever announced. Looking at the daughter closest to the entrance, their first born she murmured, "For the first girl I thought Mabel, for my father Mapplethorpe." Though she hated to do so Aponi turned her attention from the pups to her mate, waiting to see his reaction.

love has a quiet voice

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

He used Serach to gauge the distance by which to sit—he went a little too close at first, saw the tail rise and the teeth bare, and politely retreated until Serach paid him no more heed. There, he plonked himself down, and just sat. That was enough. He was observant enough, and close enough, and yet far enough away. It was a bit of a contradiction and a mess, but it all depended on the variables.

He smiled, a thin smile, content but focused. Serach paced as if their lives depended on it. Nalda showed up, and remained at a distance. Good. It was a great event—the apex of pack life—but it was also a tense, fragile thing. It was the culmination of months of tension and dominance displays and stress. A week, then two, and things would be almost back to normal. They'd have different duties. Serach and Aponi would be bursting with pride, infecting the pack with it.

As the dreary morning rolled on, things went quiet in the den. Ice kept up his lonely vigil, rain-wet and sodden, and did not turn to look when Serach grew stiller, stuck in the entrance of the den. Hearing it was enough—and he heard the hush of voices, but it was so indistinct he could not make the words out.

No matter. That wasn't why he was there, after all.

until the ice breaks.

let the stars above shine in your soul

I apparently forgot to subscribe to the most important thread of Serach's life. Oops >.<

Everything changed the moment that Serach got down onto his belly and crawled forward into the entrance of the den. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, peering intently into the shadows to gaze upon his new family. Aponi had never looked so exhausted, but he had also never seen her look so happy either. Even her pride at having won leadership of the Bend paled in comparison to now, and it made his heart swell with love and adoration. Outside the den, all his packmates could see was the rear-end of his body and a rapidly wagging tail. In time, he would withdraw and make his announcements, but for now it was all the signal they needed to know that this thing that they had all been working for, in one way or another, for the past few months had succeeded.

But as much as Serach wanted to look upon his mate's face, he was drawn to her stomach. Two girls and a boy, she had said, and his smile had grown so wide the corners of his lips hurt with the effort. "They're beautiful," he whispered, even his quiet voice sounding too loud for the confines of the sanctuary he and Aponi had created for precisely this moment. His heart was hammering faster than it ever had during a hunt, the seed of fatherly love that had been planted in him months ago already blooming. He had once stood guard for Aponi while she had given birth, but he had felt no real emotional attachment to the pups themselves until Lila had emerged from the den a few weeks later. But this was different, because those dark brown bundles of fur were his. They had done nothing in their short lives except eat and sleep, and already the Bend leader was smitten with them.

A dreamy expression on his face, he pulled his eyes away from his children and back to Aponi as she named the first. "Of course," he told her, more than happy to name one of his offspring after somebody who had clearly been an important figure in his mate's life. He had already told her once that he would want to do the same, and he took the opportunity now. "I'd like to do the same...perhaps Corsair, for the boy. For my mother and my father," he explained, but his tone a question. "For the second girl, perhaps a name to honor the Bend. It did bring us together, after all, and brought them into this world." Maybe it was a bit silly, but if Serach's first two loves were his mate and his new family, his third was his pack and the land of his birth. It would feel remiss to not honor that in someway too.

Okay leaving this open for @Serach to make one final post and anybody else who may want to do one more, I'll archive this on June 3rd. Feel fre to pp Aponi falling asleep.
@Ice @Lena @Nalda

SERACH & APONI DONATA

Aponi was practically ready to fall asleep where she lay with her head on her paws but she was willing to fight it off for a few minutes longer. This would be the closest that Serach would get to the pups for the next few weeks as he would only be allowed to settle his head in from now on. The mother and children would be spending the time sleeping and eating mostly and there wasn't enough room in the den for all of them. So instead of falling into the deep sleep that she wanted to she smiled back at his name suggestion, nodding her head in acceptance.

So they had Mabel and Corsair, which left one final daughter to be named. Something to signify the Bend.

Suddenly the mother remembered a story that her father had told her when she was just a pup herself. While mostly they had been tales of the yeth-hound there was one particular narrative that sprung into her mind that seemed perfect for this moment. Beaming down at the youngest of her litter she announced, "When I was just a child my father would tell me stories of a beautiful and strong wolf named Ayla of the Oak Trees. She went on all kinds of adventures and travelled farther than anyone ever had before and always returned home with tales of everything she had seen and done." Turning her attention away for one second she met her mate's greenish eyes, "If any name is going to symbolize everything that we stand for it's Ayla."

love has a quiet voice

you do not know who is your friend

and who is your enemy

There was a pale, fluffy, wriggling butt sticking out of the den. It belonged to his son. His son that was over the moon about ..Ice's grandchildren. The air slowly left him as he turned to look at the oak forest around them again. His..grandchildren. He had new grandchildren. Lena, the young she-wolf, had a sister, too, he knew that—but he hadn't met Lena until she was older, and.. her sister was just a story.. but sitting there, keeping quiet vigil, it felt different. Very different.

He loved Lena, because she was family. He loved Lena, because she was a little bit of Sceral. He loved Lena and he loved Serach and by extension, Aponi and Lila. He couldn't rank them or say I love you more than him or her, but knowing that a handful of wet, furry bundles were drying against their mother's stomach and that they were his wet, furry grandbabies was..special.

Likely, it had nothing on Serach's joy, but it was powerful and moving. New life was amazing, truly—two individuals met, did the thing, and new, unique life sprang from it. He wouldn't go so far a to call it a miracle, because it happened everywhere around them, all the time, but it was.. amazing. It was cool, and also a bit uncomfortable to think about the fact that he, too, had, left somebody's womb and nether region as a small, wet, mewling and useless creature.

And now, he was nine years old, had at least two litters of grandchildren, two sons, and.. could, tentatively, claim fathership of some kids in the north, if all went well for Kisla, but she clearly didn't want him to.

Kisla.. he steeled his heart, and chose not to think too much of his own part in it, but as he sat there, he couldn't help but wonder if she had some excited male sticking his head into the den, thinking they were his.

until the ice breaks.

let the stars above shine in your soul