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 Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:17 pm
They had been trying for a while to extend their family. Every failed attempt left the she-wolf depressed, and gods only knew how Hige felt about it, but this time had been a success. Loki had only grown more calm and more motherly over her gestation, as well as growing rather large around the midsection.
In the past week she had refrained from moving too far from the new den she had dug when she first knew for sure that she would give birth, and now it was time. No more creeping around in the lonely clearing she had picked rather far away from her and Hige's den.
Finally she let out a howl, calling her mate to wait for her at the mouth of her den, and proceeded down the narrow passage to wait out contractions and the forthcoming of new life.
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:11 pm
If you could have seen the look on Hige's face when he heard from his mate that they'd be having pups--! He'd shouted in jubilation and spent a good six minutes just howling their triumph to the rest of the pack, gave them a right good scare, he did. It was with that news that Hige felt more inspired than ever to see the packlands expanded. They not only had their litter on the way, but also Akamu and Lavena were expecting a second litter as well. The pack was nearing thirty members, and the land truely needed to give more for them to continue living comfortably within the territory.
He'd scouted with Thayne and Akamu for hours each day, but nothing was right. To the West the packlands grew into grasslands and sand, out of the shelter of much of the forest. To the North lay more frequented land that Hige dared not consider chancing his family's safety on. To the South was the sea, obviously, and for a long time it seemed the only two options were to divide the pack or to relocate.
Who knew that the answer would come to him in the form of his adventure-seeking niece and nephew? Through their discovery and the blessing-in-disquise, in form of a storm, the pack had discovered all new, rich lands to add onto their home.
Patrolling and scouting was now a much bigger task with all the territory to cover, but thanks to all the new faces it didn't take as long as it could have and the pack remained safe.
The male alpha was closing in quickly on the location of his mate, musing not for the first time on how ironic it was that upon her return they finally suceeded where they had so often failed. Creating new life together.
"Loki? I'm here!"
He padded into the open sunlight just to spot the shadowed tunnel that formed the den his companion had dug out. He stuck his head in the entrance and sent down a worried whine. He knew there wouldn't be anything he could do for the actual birthing, but wondered if she wanted him close or not. He could recall his father being kept out of the den during Selia's birthing.
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:53 pm
Trying not to concentrate on her body's shuddering, she thought back over the past few months. All the happy bragging, hearing of Lavena and Akuma's second pregnancy, searching for new land and finding it. Things were going amazing for the pack as a whole, and in the next few moments, things would get way better.
In the next few moments, her and Hige would be parents.. real parents.
His whine came as music to her ears. "Hige" she grunted, peering up into the light streaming into her cave, squinting until his bulk blocked the light. "It's time." she breathed hard as another wave hit her, a low whine elicited from her maw. There was no snapping, telling him to get away - Loki wasn't that type of mother. She wanted him to be near, to share in seeing them for the first time.
She had been aware that her den wouldn't easily fit her with her belly swolen, much less Hige's mountain form, and as such had wound herself around, back to the wall, stomach facing the cave entrance. She would have never done this if she had thought he wouldn't be there to guard the small opening.
Soon, one after another they came - and more than she had predicted! Tiny mewls came from each of them, a sign they were all healthy. At first the pups were large, the first three obviously taking after their father's side. The last two to come were smaller, the lastborn being small and very much unlike her siblings - in color and size, obviously taking after her mother more than any other pup.
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:59 pm
Hige felt his heart catch in his throat, muscles taunt with nervous anxiety. He couldn't do anything for her, as he saw it, nothing but be there, and watch over her from the entrance. Well: not a single wolf or any other creature was going to get past while Hige was on watch!
The pained noises continued, and the expecting father was pacing nervewrackingly to and fro, his shadow casting into the tunnel on and off a bit as he passed by. He hated the fact that he couldn't fit inside to be with her, but figured that may very well be for a reason. At least she was allowing him to stay close though, right? It wasn't until the first whimpers, not belonging to Loki, sounded that Hige finally haulted in his tracks. His ears were on point, alert, and his body was frozen on the spot. The first puppy was here!!
"Loki??" He called down, finding the den entrance again and trying to see inside where Loki was already cleaning off the first bundle. It seemed like it wasn't long after before the other four had followed-- Hige could barely make it out from here over the heavy scent of birth but-- two males and three females! The huge mountain wolf stumbled a bit and fell to his haunches in dumb-struck awe, eyes glued to the female and their offspring...
The first born gave an unhappy whine, feeling horribly cold and rather confused. Taking it upon himself to do something about it he began to claw and paw his way forward until he hit a wall of warmth, followed by a source of nourishment. His cries ceased and most of his squirming was stilled as he settled in to feed, eyes still glued shut from the world.
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:50 pm
After making sure every pup was clean, she gently nuzzled them all to her belly, allowing their first meal to be easier had. Her smile grew as she noticed the firstborn had already made his way there on his own.
The sunlight had been flashing on her, providing little comforting spots of warmth as her mate paced by the entrance. A small part of her was glad he could not fit through the tunnel to reach her. Sure, she trusted him, but she was extremely moody and feared she was not totally in control of her emotions and actions. She gave a gentle sigh as she counted over the pups again, making sure they weren't just a dream.
"Hige!" she spoke quietly, her tail flipping softly. "They're here, five of them. two boys and three girls." her glee was apparent. The markings and colors were amazing to her, their voices stuck in her ears as the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard. It was all the shepherd-pelted female could do not to weep for joy.
The youngest, smallest, and lightest of the brood came in one little package, instead of the different features being spread out over the five pups. Ceasing her suckling long enough for an almost inaudible mewl, the small albino pup, topheavy as newborn pups go, rolled over bumping into a brother. As she whined and grunted, a very large warmth came over her in the form of her mother's muzzle, to set her upright again in front of her foodsource.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 12:36 pm
Thayne had loped from his and Tony's den, with his mate on his heels, to the location of Loki's birthing den. The arrival of pups, a delight to be sure, but the first litter of his brother and sister--! His joy could only be described as something nearly-physical, ready to burst from his body, to be given new life as the pups he was anxious to see.
He made it there in record time, planting his haunches so that he slid to a sitting stop a few feet from the den opening. He could smell the scents of birth and sweat, of his brother and sister and combination new little scents. The mewling was soft, but he could hear. He didn't want to be too close -- if it were his first litter, he would be out of his mind -- but he couldn't be any farther away. He lay down with his head on his paws, intent on the den opening not far from him.
Their first litter!
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm
Hige could hear the other's approach, but he was far too dazed for it to register beyond that. It was as if he was listening to them from behind a glass wall, where their actions didn't matter, but they were still performing them. The alpha male's attention was souly on the den, and the sound of his mate's voice, and the small glimpse he was able to snatch of her and the squirming bundles gathered around her middle.
"Loki-" His voice sounded strained with emotion as he spoke, even to his ears. "-what do they look like? Are they all alright?"
He was just so damn proud! He didn't know what to do with the surmounting energy building up inside of him- he felt like he might burst with excitement! Their first litter, and of five! He'd been part of a litter of five himself, which made him suddenly realize-- where was Akamu? And was that Thayne? Well one of his brother's was already here then!
He just couldn't hold it in anymore! Hardly waiting for Loki's answer, Hige threw his head back and belted out a LOUD howl of jubilation.
------------
Tony's tail was beating the air excitedly as she ran at a comfortable, fast lope with her mate. Her smaller size and sleeker form made it easier for her to keep up with less physical excertion, so she spent the trip to the female alpha's birthing den with mind reeling. What would the pups look like? How many would there be? Boys? Girls? Any twins? Would they all be healthy?
She knew they were near by the scent filling the air, and she skidded to a stop on all fours before padding the short distance that remained to Thayne's side, whining excitedly. She'd only witnessed a few birthings in her life, and experienced one, but it still made her blood rush with the idea of welcoming new little ones into their large family. That they were her alphas' first litter just made the ocassion all the more joyus, and Thayne's delight was more than enough to get her tail wagging if nothing else.
Hige's howl broke the air not long after, and not surprisingly Tony felt compelled to join in his call, offering her congratulations and sharing in their prideful announcement to the rest of the pack. She shifted and craned her neck, ears flattening to her skull as she let forth her own, higher, softer voice.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:32 pm
"They are all fine, all perfect." She was extremely relieved that none of them seemed in bad health - it had previously been one of her fears. "We have been blessed with five healthy pups." She looked over them, their colors were light, hardly even there. "The only definite color I can make out is a dusky brown, one is completely white." she smiled, staring down at the obvious pink nosed pup. She had often wondered if any of her offspring would bear her parent's markings and color, now it had been affirmed for her. The size of the white pup caught her eye as well, being the smallest one of the litter.
Over the heavy scent of birth and her new brood, she finally smelled the two visitors. Thayne and Tony were just outside the den as well. "Hello you two!" she called gently, just loud enough for them to hear. In return she heard Hige's call, and soon after Tony joined in. If she hadn't been in the den she would have offered her own howl, but instead tucked her tail around to rest on her nose, encircling the pups in a protective 'nest'.
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Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 11:37 am
Hige's joy flowed through Thayne like a roaring river as his brother's howl floated out of the den mouth. Tony's broke the air not soon after, and Thayne didn't even try to stop his from breaking forth to join the deep voice of his brother and the soft soprano of his mate's. His tail slapped the ground with his excitement, his eyes trained on the den mouth.
He sat up rapidly, tail still wagging wildly, and leaned over to nuzzle Tony with all the warmth and love he had building in him. He barked his congratulations to his brother and sister in the den -- with his new nieces and nephews!
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Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:44 pm
Hige howled until he thought his eyes might cross-- even closed as they were. He recognized Tony, and then Thayne joining in, and another burst of energy coursed through his veins. By the time their chorus faded to a close Hige was panting in an attempt for his body to keep up with his mind's restless state. The adrenaline was still flowing strong, pumped quickly by his beating heart. He moved forward and stuck his nose into the den, eyes shining with pride as he settled onto his stomach and sent in a whine of delight and affection.
"Loki, you were amazing! Are you alright? Do you need anything??"
There. Amusingly enough Hige was back to his energetic doting, ready and one hundred-and-thirty nine percent willing to go brave even the waterfalls for a particular type of fish if that was what his mate so desired. He'd never known a rush like this before! When could he be near her again? ;__;
---------------
Tony smiled broadly, tail thumping the ground resolutely as she rested on her haunches beside her mate. A pleased whine emitted from her own throat, grooming at what fur of his she was able to reach in that moment. An amusing thought crossed her mind a bit randomly then as well.
If Thayne was this ecstatic over his brother and sister's litter, she couldn't imagine how he'd be if they had one of their own.
"Oh, Thayne, it's been so long! I can't wait to see what they all look like!"
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Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 11:54 am
The smallish femme heaved a sigh of relief and joy as the three wolves outside sang in unison, her tail fluffed gently over her nose. The pups had finished their meal and were, for the most part, asleep. Her ears pricked at Hige's voice, and she turned sleepy eyes to him.
"I'm wonderful, and thank you." she was thirsty and hungry, but it could wait. "I'll be fine for a while." She would most likely leave the den soon to get herself a drink and clean off. If she really needed food, she was sure Hige would bring her something - maybe even a fish. The thought of fish made her mouth water. When she had first come to the freelands she learned to catch fish, and ever since then it was love at first taste.
She gave him a wink before laying her head back down to tuck under her tail.
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