Wild Rye Fields Contraction Ballet

05/23 - Jessie's Due Date. The pack is welcome. @Drestig  The weather is sunny.

She was enjoying the coolness of the night, a pleasant reprieve from the heat of the day prior. The swellness of her belly told her that it was only a matter of time before her children were born but it also made it harder for her to move around. The Tainn remained close to the pack den, unwilling to chance leaving the territory or travel too far within. Jessie was sure her temper wouldn't have been appreciated by any of her pack mates anyway. It was that night when her contractions began. The expectant mother released a sigh and pushed herself onto her feet. She made her way to the birthing den, making herself as comfortable as she could before the waiting game began. The contractions continued into the the late morning of the next day and it was then that Jessie called for her mate. They were coming in more rapidly now and they were certainly more painful. Despite the painful whimpers and convulsions that racked through her body she knew in the end that the life she was bringing into the world was worth it. The look of love that would pass across her lover's face would melt any pain she felt away and she would feel at peace for a little while. As morning passed into early evening, Jessie bore three beautiful children. Her first-born was their only girl, dark with hints of silver. The second a boy and the darkest, while the third was a beautiful mix of blacks and whites. They were quick to grab onto a teat and relieve any hunger pangs they felt. With their new children preoccupied, Jessie had no hesitations in calling out, "Drestig, you may come in now." She was tried and her body ached but she would not deny him the sight of their three children.

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de

This year was so different from the last: They had a proper pack now, borders and loyal members to help keep them. Yet his nervousness was exactly the same. Every day, the aging father-to-be would pace along the borders, ears and tail twitching nervously, waiting every moment, to hear the call, that the time had come. This morning was no different, he'd been up before the sun, determined to run the entire length of the border, tiring himself out enough to actually sleep at night; For once! But he didn't get that far. Finally the howl came, brief and sharp, alerting him that his mate was in labor, and he didn't hesitate to turn and run back to her, heart pounding in his ears. As her original birthing den had been widened to serve as shelter for the whole pack, Jessie had dug out a new one, more secluded from the rest of the group. It took her mate little time to find it though, following her fresh scent through the low pines. At the den opening, he whined lowly, alerting her to his presence and offering support. Then he settled down to wait. It took so long; Did it take this long with Percy? He was almost certain it hadn't. But finally her tired voice drifted out to him, a welcome change from the pained whimpers that he couldn't do anything to soothe. Tail wagging nervously and grey ears pinned, he crept to the den and slowly wiggled inside, casting his eyes for the first time on his youngest pups. "Three of them…" He whispered in awe, embers gaze moving constantly between the three bodies, not knowing where to settle. Finally they drifted up to his lover, a soft, loving smile on his lips; "They're beautiful. Are you… Are you all alright?" His voice trembled slightly at the question, even as he saw the tired, but happy expression on her face, he couldn't help but worry; Three..! What a work it must have been for her, and would surely become now, for them both.   Word count: 345 Thoughts ”Speech”

kuschelirmel-stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

These days Askan didn't make a habit of loitering around others. He much preferred to be alone and out of sight, preferably where it was safe and dark in his den. But with the birth of the next generation of Avalons drawing near, Askan figured the least he could do would be to show his face. He wouldn't stay for long, after all he didn't imagine that Jessie would even want him to. But he still had to make an effort, to prove that he still cared. He was feeling better, so it wasn't as momentous of a task as it would have been a few days ago...But still, Askan was far from 'cured '.

Following the Rye Kings scent, Askan trotted through the long grass. It was a pleasant day, the sort that would have been wasted if he just hid inside of the den. The sun was out and there was a soft breeze, making the long strands of grass tilt this way and that all around him. This was the sight that he had missed. Winter was beautiful in its own right, but when the field was golden and alive, everything just seemed right, as it should be. Like it was home.

The Selwyn knew that the Rye Queen had started using another den, but he didn't know where it was, not exactly anyway. So when he drew closer and saw Drestig loitering, surrounded by pines, Askan knew he'd found it. He huffed in greeting, but the old man seemed distracted, so much so that he even notice him. Rather than be offended, the Guardian merely rolled his eyes and stepped a little closer-still being mindful of giving Jessie her space- and took a tentative sniff to see what the fuss was all about.

Puppies! Askan tried to curb his enthusiasm- because come on, he was a grump for crying out loud- but what could he say? He had a soft spot for youngsters, especially Avalon pups, they were his ultimate weakness.

Settling down on the floor, a decent, respectful distance away from the dens entrance, Askan chuffed as his tail swished at the grassy ground beneath his paws.

"Congrats old man."

  

The year prior, Jessie had wallowed in self-doubt that she had not provided enough for Drestig. She had seen his eyes linger on the lone pup and she wondered if he had expected more from her. The couple had gotten through another year together and she could finally feel content with the love and happiness the Tainn saw in his eyes when he gazed upon their children, before finally turning his fiery orange gaze up on her. A small smile curved on her lips, pleased that she had brought him joy. His concern was unwarranted but it warmed her heart to know that he cared. Her voice was soft when she responded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just really sore...and tired." She offered him another smile before returning her gaze to her children, who seemed content to curl up against her warm and continue resting after the eventful day their mother endured. Movement outside of their den caused the mother's eyes to dialate. She greeted Askan with a warning flash of her canines, a reminder that she would not take kindly to anyone else approaching her. The young man remained gentlemanly, however, and congratulated Drestig on his accomplishment. Typical. She snorted, rolling her eyes before returning her gaze to her mate. She was the one who did all the work. None the less, she had heard what happened to Askan, even den-bound and kept it in her mind to seek him out at a later date to see how he was fairing. Clearly well enough to haul his ass all the way over here. A huff escaped her but she forced herself to focus back on Drestig. Her voice was tired when she spoke again, "Names."

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de

she says beauty is pain

Some nights it seemed it was just her in the communal den and she thought she should opt to use her own personal den that she had found and dug out deeper for her large frame. But one to always be about pack spirit, she tried to make sure she spent most nights within the pack den. Adelayde was normally joined by her alphas and Cottongrass, their newest member, but Askan and Reyes spent their nights within their personal den. Though, she figured Askan wanted to be alone and such to recover, they had begun that routine long before the attack. So it didn't come to a surprise when morning came that it was just her and Jessie within the den.

As first light gathering upon the horizon, she followed suit leisurely after Drestig as he went to patrol borders. Doing the same, but in the opposite directions, she made her way towards the boundaries of the Rye fields. The rye was growing taller with each day and she was eager to see them at their full height if they hadn't reach it as of yet. Before she get a full run in, a howl for Drestig from Jessie reached her tawny ears. Smiling from ear to ear, the beta knew exactly what that meant. Adelayde knew it had to be any day now that her alpha was to give birth and it seems like today was going to be the day!

Galloping towards the call, she tried to find her way to where Jessie's birthing den was. Finally finding it, she chuffed a greeting to Drestig and Askan, keeping a respectable distance away from the den alike to her male counterpart. Her tawny tail waging fiercely, she was so excited for cubs! As her smile widened, "Congratulations Jessie! And you too Drestig!", she couldn't help but say as she settled upon her haunches. She couldn't wait for the day she was able to meet them and see their little meatball bodies as they waddled about.

and there's beauty in everything

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He hardly noticed the company, all his focus on what was happening inside the den. Askan’s congratulations were met with only a quick twitch back of graying ears, before they returned forwards, perked at his mate’s words. A relieved smile flashed on his muzzle, tail wagging out in the open to signal his joy to the spectators. “I… Can’t even imagine,” he breathed, honestly, following her gaze to the three small bodies, happily nuzzling their mother’s belly. Three of them, beautiful, tiny things, each with a scruffy coat in its own nuance from grayish brown to black, flecked with hints of silver; Like her mother… Another girl, and two boys it would seem, promising to carry on his family name. His heart felt too big for his chest, eyes threatening to water, though he blinked back the tears. With Percy he had felt complete, satisfied that he had not failed his lost family, and happy beyond words that he had his own. But this, this was more than he could have ever dreamed of! Looking at his wife, his children, surrounded by their home, their family. This was bliss! Jessie’s weary voice called him back to the now, embarrassment in his fiery eyes as they met the tired emeralds. He could dream his dreams once they were all safely asleep, but first they had a task that he could actually help with. Not that it was an easy one. He’d been considering loosely for the past month, there were so many possibilities, names from his past, his parents, sisters. But all of it had been so insubstantial until now, there was no way to make decisions until he could actually see his children, and get an idea of the wolves they might grow up to be. Now he looked at them, speaking the thoughts as they came: “I’d like to name one of the boys after my father, Gwain.” It was a bit old fashioned perhaps, but it felt right; Perhaps… He thought of @Phoenix and smiled ruefully, wishing his daughter well, wherever she was. Then he blinked up at Jessie; “Griffin.” The winged lion, a fitting tribute to his heritage. Then ember eyes drifted to the girl, those few, silvery hairs on her back glistening in the light that slipped past Drestig into the den. Again he didn’t pause to consider, but spoke his thoughts as they popped into his head: “Sphinx,” his voice cracked on the word, and it was no more than a whisper as he looked up at his mate; “For Silver.” Though it was an old wound on his heart, it would never fully heal. But while he had left Oak Tree Bend to escape the memory of his first mate’s mangled body, the wolf herself, he never wanted to forget. Glancing down at his children, and then back up at their mother, the Rye king smiled shakily; “We could name the other boy after Hotei?” It was a fair suggestion, and it felt right. He knew the scarred man would always hold a place in his partner’s heart, just like Silver did in his. But he didn’t push it, waiting for her answer, if she felt differently he would understand, the memory might be too painful. In the end it was her choice, not his.   Word count: 551 Thoughts ”Speech”

kuschelirmel-stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

After she caught Drestig’s gaze, Jessie didn’t spare their visitors a glance. Not even when Adelayde arrived to congratulation the both of them. The Tainn only had eyes for her lover, his eyes filled with the very thing that filled her own heart. A small, tired smile curled onto her lips. The Avalon took his time in observing his new liter, the love radiating off him in waves. Jessie was glad she called out to him when she did. He was so caught up in his own world, he would have been happy to observe their children until something else called him away or he drifted off into slumber that called to him. The pepper-and-salt colored woman watched him, her eyes growing soft as he spoke. It was a strong name, Griffin, and Jessie nodded her acknowledgement. There children were strong and deserved such. While Jessie’s gaze had drifted to her children it soon redirected back to her mate when he spoke again, voice cracking on his words. Dark eyebrows drew together in concern, emerald eyes peering up at him, though it soon became evident the reason for his debacle. She felt no jealousy towards the other woman – who was long since dead – and had in the past caused her quite a headache. Jessie offered Drestig what was meant to be an accepting and encouraging smile but what quickly faltered into a deep frown when she heard what he had to say. She would have been a lie to tell him she hadn’t thought about it before. In fact, she had thought about it to the point that it physically hurt – the thought of having to say his name again but knowing that it wasn’t him – and that was where her plans of ever bringing it up ended. But now here he was, being so kind and thoughtful. It was only fitting that they named two of their children after their deceased lovers. Jessie’s emerald gaze drew away from her mate and to the far side of the den, swallowing her anxiety before looking down towards their last unnamed child. I don’t think I’d be able to handle saying your name. Because every time she did all she saw was a tree crushing the burnt form of the dead Tainn. After a prolonged silence, the woman cleared her throat once more, finally daring to meet Drestig’s gaze again. Her voice was soft when she spoke, “One of his alias was Kasai.” She was offering him something to work with and Jessie was sure that was all she could handle.

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de

(This post was last modified: Aug 12, 2017, 03:02 AM by Jessie.)

The beta had always loved the presence of cubs, they gave the pack new life and new added responsibility. The small, helpless bundles of fur would be their new future, the new generation that would eventually take over and continuing the pack's legacy. They would bring new ideas and new personality to the pack that she hoped would better the future of their little rag-tag family. And as the pack's betas, Askan and Adelayde had a big responsibility to ensure the cubs' safety and ensure the future of the pack. Ade was fully prepared to take on this new responsibility, she would be more than happy to devote herself to something that precious. 

After she congratulated the couple, the large beta decided it was best to let Drestig and Jessie have their private moment. The three newborn cubs seemed happy and healthy as well as Jessie, so there wasn't much worry from Adelayde to continue to hover over them. Nodding towards her partner and with one last lingering gaze towards the birthing den, the tawny woman turned and took her leave from the clearing to continue on with the rest of her duties of the day. Soon enough there would be three rambunctious cubs to look after.

 

Adelayde's Exit

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{ooc}@Jessie Feel free to wrap up <3

It was a tough balance, between remembering and mourning, between keeping around a shadow of what was lost or a healthy reminder of what had been. Drestig had made up his mind in that regard, but Jessie might feel differently. She was the only one who could know. He smiled back shakily, blinking thankfully at her silent acceptance. Their daughter had been named. Which just left one son, the last borne. With furrowed brows, the Rye king watched his mate process his suggestion. The pain was clear on her features as she looked away, and then down at their children, no doubt imagining what it would be like to call one of them by that same name. A dull ache throbbed in his chest, and he wondered if he had done right in making the proposal. Then her eyes met his, moist and heavy, but with clear resolution in their emerald depths. And she gave her answer. “Kasai…” The father whispered, almost reverently, tasting the name on his tongue. It was a good, strong name, and looking down at his wife, Drestig knew that she had found a way to remember that she could manage. So he smiled and nodded, reaching down to gently touch the side of his muzzle to hers. Then he turned his eyes on their pups again, turning the chosen names over in his mind, one by one. Each of their children had been given a name from the old Avalon legends, the only part of his family legacy he really remembered. Though he was no superstitious wolf, part of Drestig still hoped that the titles would mean protection for his brood; Their namesakes looking over them and their inheritance. Which brought him to Kasai, who deserved a protector just like his siblings. Maybe even doubly so, to make up for the misfortune of his namesake. “Chimera,” the king finally whispered, mouth still close to his queen’s ear; “The strength of many, in one.” Hopefully it would grant him all the protection he needed. The father thought it, almost like a prayer, then looked into his partner’s eyes, awaiting her approval, before they could all finally get the rest they needed.   Word count: 365 Thoughts ”Speech”

kuschelirmel-stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

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