Paradise Falls I know, it's harder if she tries

Finley gives birth! Welcome to all pack members but she will only allow @Casipan @Ryder and @Jethro to poke their heads in the den.
Early afternoon, Overcast, 62F/17C

This time the Lennox woman recognized the signs that her labour would begin soon. The shift in mood, drop in her belly, the unmistakable urge to barely leave her den, rejecting even food and water and most company. She could never get comfortable, and at times she felt the overwhelming sense of dread that she would never actually get to be comfortable again. Finley knew logically this wasn’t true, but it didn’t stop a few tears from falling late into the night when she could not sleep.

When the pain began, sharp beneath her ribs and rippling down her sides it caused a sharp inhale and her eyes to close. Finley spent some time pacing, and then some time resting when she could, and then pacing again. Soon the urge to duck back into the safety of her birthing den became too strong to ignore and at that point she knew she needed someone to keep watch. Lifting her muzzle to the sky the woman gave a short blast to alert those who were near that it was time.

Then she ducked down into the safe little hole that would be the first home of her and Jethro’s children. Finley groaned and her eyes rolled back in her head for a moment, counting her breaths until the contraction wore down. It was painful, but so far manageable, and no pups were yet to join them.

Chan had been resting, taking a moment for himself and his thoughts to rebalance after a patch of spring blossoms reminded him of a specific moment with Auburn, shattering the fragile calm he collected for the sake of everyone else. The tears had dried and his heart rate returned to normal by the time he heard Finley call out, steadied enough to respond quickly. He jumped to his paws and found his way to where he knew her birthing den to be.

His nose worked the air while his ears pressed forward, each searching for clues as to how it was going for his friend. Being he was the first, he approached that divot in the ground where the entrance was long enough to chuff out. He was here for her if she needed him, and that was all he felt needed to be communicated in the moment. Chan then retraced his steps a yard or two before settling his haunches onto the ground, a silent sentinel.

As recent days had progressed, he’d known they were getting closer to that time. Could tell, based on last year. And given how that situation had unfolded, Jet was far less worried about this time. This time, they had a home. A den, a pack, water.

Finley would be safe, but it didn’t mean he was any less worried about her or the pain she’d go through. The very moment he heard that call, he was turning, racing, not a single thought in mind other than being there.

He’d been right beside her for Ryder. He’d be damned if he missed this.

As fast as he’d been going, though, Chan was somehow already there. Had it been anyone else, he might’ve been annoyed. Chan, though.. had been through so much. And he was still perhaps Jet’s closest friend, someone he trusted implicitly. Whom he was glad to have here.

Jet offered him a small smile and an appreciative nod upon passing by, before tentatively peeking into the den Fin had chosen to be the first home of their kids.

While he wished he could’ve eased or taken her pain entirely, that was not possible. The next best thing he could do was just offer support. A soft woof, that he’d be here, or outside. Whichever Finley wanted or needed.

Keeping this thread moving fairly quickly since it is important! All members of PF are still free to join but be warned everyone but Jethro may be skipped just to keep things going. There is no post order.

tw: Mention of stillbirth/unhealthy children

Finley was so focused on her contractions and the pain that came with it that she wasn’t sure how long had passed before the sound of approach came from outside. Panic flooded her for a moment, the woman pressed herself as far back into the den as she could, swollen side flattened against the wall. Breaths came quick and a growl lumbered from her throat, low and threatening. Teeth flashed for just a second before she registered who it was that was standing outside of the den and everything eased. She offered a chuff of apology but otherwise mostly ignored Chan.

With a sigh the Lennox woman practically collapsed back onto the ground as the fear let her go and she relaxed. It didn’t last long before another contraction came on strong, forcing a groan as Finley tried in vain to roll herself into a more comfortable position. Then Jethro was there, and for him she forced a painful smile, but still pushed herself a little deeper into the den so part of her would be shielded from view. Not that she wanted him to leave, but after giving birth in the dirt last year she wanted a little privacy.

Sometime later, at this point completely ignoring what was happening outside of the world of her birthing den, Finley welcomed a child to the world. A child who was not meant to stay, alive now, but quiet, weak, and small. The mother pulled the mousy body close to her belly, but even she knew by morning their little soul would be gone. She didn’t have time to mourn, until a second somehow even smaller than the first came, this one not even crying but breathing rapidly. Tears began to form in her eyes, ”Jethro….I think something is wrong….” Last year there had only been one but he was strong and healthy, these children were sickly and weak.

It was only moments after that Jethro arrived, small smile returned in like along with a few taps of his tail against the ground. No words and a subdued expression, but it still communicated that he was happy to see him, and happy for him. Only, the children weren't quite here yet, and being all too familiar with how quickly nature took lives Chan couldn't help but worry. Finley had appeared healthy throughout her entire pregnancy, the only incident he was aware of being that with the rogue bison. The possibility was there all the same.

He slipped down onto his stomach as time passed, remaining alert to both what was around them as well as what was occurring beneath the ground behind him. When Finley's voice at last rose up, all he could make out was the pitch, but it was enough to get him back on all fours and turned to face Jethro and the birthing den. Senses strained, limbs ready.

Chan was nothing next to professionals like @Aquene and @Clover, but he still had skills and a stockpile of medicinal plants he'd been collecting since arriving. If help was needed, he would do everything he could.

Finley shrunk back a little so that she was further shrouded in the darkness of her den, clearly seeking privacy, though the tiniest of smiles told Jet he was not going to be driven away. So he dared to venture in a little further, a couple of small steps to be closer, but respectful of the privacy his partner wanted and deserved after last year.

”You’ve got this. And I’mma be here. Just like last year.” The words, right now, were likely of little aid. But he hoped. Then he settled onto his stomach, gaze turning from Finley, to the outside world, and back again many times. Silently keeping watch outside, and waiting for nature to take its course.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard his name spoken. Only that it’d been a lot, that the sky outside had started to darken. A couple of blinks later he turned, putting together what’d been said.

Something wrong…

Tentatively he crawled forth to see two tiny bodies tucked against Finley. And though he didn’t have much experience in this, he knew they were too small. Barely crying, fighting simply to breathe. Much tinier than Ryder had been, weaker. Alive, but they wouldn't survive very long.

Emotions, raw like he’d never felt them - guilt and sadness, more potent and powerful than he’d ever felt before threatened to take root. For now, though, he tried to push that and the tears away. And to then lie beside Finley so that the children would be between them, and could share in their presence and warmth.

”S’gonna be alright, Fin. It will. Somehow.” He’d try to believe that, or at least to act it. However short a time they would have on the earth, these tiny babies still deserved to be as comfortable as possible. To feel warm, safe, and loved - because they were. Grief could come later.

The less time remained, the more torn Ryder was between caring for his mother and avoiding this new situation she'd created. He hated seeing her and Jethro together, he hated seeing how uncomfortable and even sick this whole pregnancy business made her, and he hated having to face all these changes. Ryder wanted the calm and simplicity of his childhood back, when everyone was more disconnected and the shores of the lake unbusied and all his to race along.

Still, he loved his mom, and he wanted to support her, even if anymore that only came in the form of gifts and brisk check-ins.

He carried a chunk of a fallen branch, having found the pulpy texture of it fun and interesting. Surely that meant Finley would too, and it'd help her pass the time while she waited. While they all waited.

As he approached the den however, something was different. Chan and Jethro were present, the scent of the latter almost enough to make Ryder turn right around and leave, but there was more in the air than them. Blood and something else, something that made him want to gag. He dropped the present and approached the den, anxiety coursing through him. Was it happening? Or was something wrong?

"Mom?"

No post order again!

Jethro moved closer, to connect a border around their struggling children and the labouring mother could no longer hold back her emotions. She began to sob, pressing her nose down into the delicate side of one of the cubs, nudging it gently as if that would help. She was overcome with more turmoil than she could name, and only realized that labour wasn’t done as one final contraction gripped her violently.

Gasping in surprise Finley shuffled her way backwards until she was practically standing on the wall and not the floor. Her face twisted in a grimace and she gave a short growl of warning to Jethro that his time to go was now, her labour wasn’t over. She wasn’t sure if he would fight her on it, but she would not not relent until her had given her the privacy required.

Some time later after the contractions continued to build she welcomed a healthy daughter into the world. Dark as her father, and bigger than even Ryder had been last year, and the wail that filled the den sounded like the sweetest sound in the world. Melting back onto the den in relief, Finley pulled all three children close to her belly encouraging them to latch despite one of them already fading beyond being able to.

The mother let out a series of short celebratory barks. They had done it, at least one would survive.

Jethro disappeared, and for a time he couldn't hear anything. Each moment that passed was agonizing to wait through, not able to know if Finley was alright or if the two were in there panicking as she slipped away- a low whine left him, paws wanting to pace but even that would be too much noise, if they needed help and he didn't hear, wasn't quick enough-

He wished @Flair was here, and that thought sent another wave of anxiety through him. This would be the first time he didn't have track of her, and this would be just the moment for the world to be even crueler than last year-

'Mom?'

Chan blinked, and turned his head to see Ryder. He would have been thankful for anyone else's company except either of Finley's sons.

"Ryder," he tried to call the child to him, was torn on what to do when they could both hear the faint sound of his mother's crying, on if it was his place or not to decide this wasn't something Ryder should be a part of, but the boy didn't exactly lurch forward either, clearly undecided himself on what was best.

Chan's ears fell, and he closed his eyes, feeling the familiar sting of tears, and then-

Something higher pitched, barely audible to him but followed by sounds of pure joy. His hindquarters hit the ground, and he let out a deep sigh. Everything had to be okay then. Right?

(This post was last modified: May 27, 2023, 03:01 AM by Chan.)

Soft sobs, in addition to all the pain and torment being in labor surely caused, escaped Finley. He knew her gentle nudge would do nothing, but it didn’t stop him from hoping it would do something. It was unfair that their lives should be stolen away before they’d even had a chance to live.

Chan and Flair... now he had a better idea of how they felt.

A sudden motion from his partner prevented the dark one from contemplating that any further, though. It was evident by her grimace and growl that the experience was not done. And though he loathed leaving Finley to be alone in her physical and mental anguish, Jet would turn and back away as wished.

Far enough back to almost be out. To see Chan, and to notice Ryder had arrived. ”She’s alright..” he’d murmur, hoping it could be of some small comfort to Finley’s son. Jethro could guess how he felt about this by his distance as of late. He hoped that would change, though.

The next cries to sound from the den were that of a child, along with Fin’s joyous cries. It was enough to draw him back in, a few more small steps closer. To try to catch a glimpse, but lingering far enough back in case it still wasn’t done.

He was pretty sure he could see a dark child, larger than the others, that would live. Meaning Finley’s hurt and discomfort now, and over the last couple of months hadn’t been for nothing.

With the dueling feelings of prideful love for the children and despair for those that’d be lost, words were beyond Jet, now. If it was done, he’d try as he had before, to lie next to Finley with the kids between them. For now, he just wanted to be right here.