Dead Empress Backwater [M] we were born splaying in the wreckage

Anyone is welcome to post, but she probably won't let anyone besides Viorel close to/in the den! (M) just in case.

Vanadis stood at the stone entrance, too afraid now to leave it for any length of time. There were enough herbs to last her, just in case, and the den had been carefully excavated to fit the swell of her stomach, a couple of cubs, and Viorel should he choose to enter. It wasn't much, but then again with everything they'd had to endure as a pack, she never found the time to do anything more.

Eventually, standing grew uncomfortable, so she sat. When sitting became unbearable, the woman paced. Unfortunately, movement was not enough to drown out her thoughts, her fears, or the anxiety that came from the unknown. Would she be a good mother? Was she too selfish? Too prone to flights of fancy and too drawn to excitement? They would look at her like she had all the answers, like she knew everything, but what if she didn't have the answers? It was terrifying.

The pain began just after nightfall, forcing her paws to still as she slipped inside of the den. It was different now than it had been before, moving more towards actual pain than discomfort, so Vana knew they were coming. She tried to focus, panting through each contraction and counting out her breaths so that she would know how frequent they were, but that quickly devolved into silent panic, so she took to tidying the piles of sweetgrass, ergot, and lavender as if giving herself a task might ease the shaking of her limbs. It was hard to resist the urge to call for Viorel because she didn't want to be alone, but some stubborn part of her refused the comfort that he would bring.

Tags to @Clover and @Sita for thoughts! If any of the pps aren't okay please tell me and I will change them

The night was giving him a strange sense of deja-vu, and it was getting to the point of being almost dreamlike. There was no call to alert him. Instead he had bid Clover goodnight, promised he would be back to check on her soon and bring her something to eat if she was hungry. Gave his mother’s den a wide berth (despite the fact that he dropped food off often, he purposely went when he thought she would be asleep). Then his tired paws carried him after Vanadis’ scent, ready to do whatever she was up to - though given how tired he was he hoped she was in the mood for something low-key for the night.

Instead, he came across the clear signs of pacing near the den, and the smell that had become so familiar to him this spring hit him like a tree branch to the face. What had originally been a tired pace phased instantly into a sprint, until the rocky entrance to the den was in sight. He had helped Vanadis dig it out when he could, but everytime he had to leave her for other responsibilities he had felt overwhelmingly guilty. That same sense of guilt took over him now, she had gone into labour and he had been with Clover.

Why hadn’t she called? Did she not want him here?

Slowly now, he crept up to the den cautiously. From this far it was too dark to see any stirring, but Vanadis’ scent was strong, as was the smell of labour. Hesitating, he dared not come any closer, ”Archer - Vanadis, is it time? Is everything okay?” How much had he missed? Are they already here? Was she doing okay? What if he had arrived too late?

Just Vayko being silently supportive

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko had been keeping tags on Clover, making sure that she had plenty because while he might gripe about the floozies, there was some part of him deep down that cared deeply for both of them, in a platonic and irritated kind of way, much like an older brother of sorts. He had been on his way to check on Vana, even if it was from a distance when he noticed the commotion. He settled down paces away from the den, keeping his distance because he knew how these sorts of things went. He was not a father, and he had no business being anywhere near her den as she delivered the next bunch of Valle children.

He did nothing other than offer silent support to both Viorel and Vanadis. He simply sat there and waited to hear news of the children being delivered, and how many there would be. Sita had a single child, and Clover had three which already put the total at four… if Vana had too many more, he feared they might have to ask his aunt to depart due to numbers, though they would cross that bridge when they got to it.

The night had started calmly which was how Sharlee preferred things to be. She'd checked on her aunt and Clover ensuring they were doing alright before starting for Vanadis's den. The young Valle girl had been keeping a closer eye on her since Clover'd had her pups. She knew they would be coming anytime now. She wanted to be there in case she was needed.

Coming closer to the den she found her brother and cousin outside. There were also the sights and scents that told Sharlee exactly what she needed to know. The pups were on the way and would be there soon. Not knowing how Vanadis would feel about her getting too close the young Valle settled down close by in case she might be needed. She was sure that if necessary Viorel would get her for Vanadis and her pups but Sharlee hoped that wouldn't be the case. She hoped it would all go off without a hitch just as the other two births had. 

The blood pounding against her eardrums was enough to drown out the symphony of crickets outside as panic continued weaving it's way through her system. Everything was happening so fast, too fast. Her world was about to change, but she wasn't ready. Could she set her own desires aside for her cubs? Would she be reliable enough for them? Could she be? Vanadis.. wasn't so sure.

When Viorel's scent finally poured into the den, moments before his voice touched her ears, she choked a sob. Shit. Taking a breath, the woman tried to calm herself, but the relief she felt at her boyfriend's presence made it hard. "It's.. yeah. It's time. Everything is fine." Then Vayko's scent wafted in, followed by Sharlee's perfume, and suddenly she didn't feel so alone.

Another contraction hit, but this time instinct told her to push. It didn't take long for the first cub to come, a mousy boy whom Vana cleaned dutifully and nudged toward her stomach. His birth did nothing to ease her anxiety, in fact, it seemed to heighten it. Every shift of fur, every scuff of dirt outside the den set off alarm bells ringing in her head. "A boy." Of course it would be.

Her voice did not do very much to calm his nerves, if he was being honest. "It's.. yeah. It's time. Everything is fine. A low whine worked its way up and out of his throat before he could do anything to stop it. Pressing down onto his belly, he inched forward, desperate to be close to her, to look in and see what was happening. He didn’t dare, not yet. From his position he could maybe see the outline of her silhouette, if he squinted and concentrated really hard.

When she called out that it was a boy, the only thing that Viorel could concentrate on was the stark contrast between the tone in her voice and what Clover’s had been. Inching forward on his belly, hoping she wouldn’t snap on him he just started talking. ”Vanadis, you’re doing great, you’ve been doing great since the day you showed up at that damned sinkhole.” He was starting to ramble now, unsure of how to stop, ”Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without you here, how I would do anything. You surprised me that night, and you’ve surprised me every moment of every day since then.”

He was close enough now he could see the dark bundle, the son, that she had brought into the world. Bolded by this sight, he looked Vanadis in the eye and suddenly knew how to finish his ramble, ”Archer, I love you. I swear on the Backwater that I do, on everything we’ve built, and everything that I ever will build. All of it is nothing without you.” Of course, none of this was what she was worried about, but Viorel didn’t know that.

There was... a lot happening. Pain, and fear, and heartache, and Vanadis was having trouble processing it all at once. She hated feeling vulnerable, hated looking it even more, and yet the woman had put herself in what had to be the most vulnerable position possible. Vayko and Sharlee would be here to witness it, but worst of all, so would Vi. Would this change.. how he saw her? Would the image of her squirming around in this den be replace whatever he had seen in her before?

Vanadis' own vanity might have caused her to lash out, to snap at the leader in a desperate attempt to keep him from seeing her like this, but Viorel remained one step ahead, allowing her to focus on the words falling from his tongue rather than the slow increase in proximity.

At first it was reassurance he offered, cementing his feelings as another contraction racked through her frame. Vana hadn't even realized how close Vi had come until her soft gaze met his, and those words echoed into her den. Three small, insignificant words on their own, but together they meant something. A choked sob fell from her throat, but whether it was the pain or the proclamation that caused it, neither mattered because he loved her.

Vana shifted forward, causing the cub to cry out as she jostled slightly, stretching until her nose pressed to his. "I love you too, Vi. I think I have for a while." But she hadn't had a word for it then, nor could she have known what the magnetism she'd felt would become.

The moment was cut short as another contraction passed over her, and another until a second bundle had been produced. This one was darker, smaller than the first, but his lungs were strong. Another boy, of course. She almost laughed. "Two sons."

(This post was last modified: Jun 10, 2021, 01:46 AM by Vanadis.)

Neither Sharlee or Vayko had said anything thus far, but, even if they had Viorel probably would not have heard them anyways. Certainly not since he had said those words. The moments before Vanadis answered seemed to stretch on for years, and all the leader could hear was the sound of his own blood rushing in his ears. It was an eternity, at least in his mind. And then it was broken with a choked out sob which was not exactly what he was hoping to hear.

Salt and pepper ears flattened back against his skull in an instant, tail outside the den drooping for just a moment. It felt crushing and his eyes blinked away, which meant he didn’t see her coming when she stretched out. The touch surprised him, but he pressed into it wholeheartedly, soaking up her affection, and realizing how ridiculous he was being. She was in labour and he was upset because she had made a crying sound, of course she was crying, she was having his children. Speaking of, the first son who had been at her belly had tumbled haphazardly when Vanadis had moved.

He hummed happily at her response, not sure what else to say now that everything was out in the open. So, he said the only thing that he could think of, ”I love you,” the words were quiet, and still new, but still felt very right. And with her last announcement, he nosed the dark bundles so stark against her cream coloured belly fur, ”And I love them, our sons.”

Suddenly Viorel’s heart pounded with anticipation again, licking his nose nervously as he looked back at Vanadis. Shifting on his paws he murmured, ”I’d like to call one of them Archer, a permanent piece of you, and… and then you’ll even have an Archer even if you choose to be a Valle.” Shifting again he hurried to add, ”If you want to be a Valle, I mean.”

She hadn't had the time nor the headspace to fixate on his reaction or how crushed he had seemed only moments before her nose bumped against his, but his hummed response had not been lost on her. If she'd had the strength for it, she might have even managed a slow wag.

He said it again, sending butterflies fluttering past the pain as he reached to nuzzle the cubs. "I love you too." Her smile was soft and tired now that the contractions were easing, but alas, the heaviness of her eyelids would have to wait.

Vana's head dipped at his proposition, just a hint of mischief flickering in her eyes while she spoke, "Are you trying to be my mate, Valle?" but his sentiment, and the onslaught of emotion, and the soreness racking her body, and well.. everything else made it impossible to keep him waiting. "The answer" though he hadn't exactly asked a question, "is yes." So Vanadis Valle it would be.

But just in case he thought he was naming both of their sons, she threw in a quick, "And we'll call the other one Eros." because it was a good, strong name for a son. For their son.

(This post was last modified: Jun 16, 2021, 07:35 PM by Vanadis.)

Even despite the fact that she had just gone through hours of pain and the exhaustion of delivering their children, Vanadis had that same cheeky sense of humour. Looking up from where he had been snuffling against their sons he grinned. Nipping at her chin he whispered in her ear, ”That depends Archer, are you trying to be mine?” He didn’t have to wait long for the answers, and to her response he had no words. Instead, he smothered Vanadis’ face with licks, a happy - although not very dignifying - whine in his throat, and his back end waived dramatically.

Looking back at their sons he smiled, ”Archer and Eros, the next generation of Valles.” What a day this was. Nuzzling them each, before pressing his nose into Vanadis’ plush neck fur one more time he murmured, ”You should get some rest, I’ll stand guard outside all night long.” He had seen her eyes droop, and knew she must be exhausted.

Backing gently out of the den, he announced to his cousins who had gathered, ”Two new sons, Archer and Eros Valle.” Settling down across the entrance Viorel was prepared to keep his word, he would sit here all night, and keep his family safe.

FADE