If thou openest not the gate to let me enter,
I will break the door, I will wrench the lock,
I will smash the door-posts, I will force the doors.
I will bring up the dead to eat the living.
And the dead will outnumber the living.

She had feasting for the last week. Around her den lay the bones and half-rotted carcasses of mostly alligators but the occasional early fawn, fish and whatever else crossed her ravenous path. It was so that she could save whatever energy she could muster and keep her fast going so that her babies this year would be strong. They would know sacrifice and they would know how much their mother cared for them. She looked more like a tick than a regal queen of Iromar. She no longer held that trim figure of a warrior, and instead looked much like her abdomen may explode from the size of the children inside. If her transformation was any indication, Haedes first (and only to her knowledge) litter was going to be filled with strong, healthy children.

Ishtar lifted her head from the carcass she had gotten last night, finishing the mouthful before feeling particularly odd. She knew her own body well enough that it was time to hole up in the den that was near covered in rotting, decaying carcasses. She picked through the bones and limbs carefully before bedding down and preparing herself for the pains of childbirth. She had three successful litters before this with few health problems. She had no doubt that this would go as smoothly. And so while she waited for the contractions to start she slept, peaceful and content for the first time in what seemed like months. Gone was the haze of not knowing just what Iromar had. Gone was her doubts about her being able to lead Iromar justly. Gone were her worries about the Angels. With time and growing numbers, Ishtar would take down Heyel's line with such violence that her name and those that joined her would be whispered to scare pups into staying in their dens.

When the first contraction came, Ishtar did not panic, rather she adjust her position and nudged her abdomen in an attempt to lessen it. Eventually they came more regular and her mind drifted into the more primal aspects of being a mother. She pushed, and pushed, and pushed. Her pink tongue hung out of her mouth from the effort of bringing in what felt like a large pup into the world. She got up, laid back down, and pushed some more. It made her nervous that she didn't even see a head yet which only increased her panting. Finally, a large contraction swept over her abdomen and Ishtar bore down to push. She growled in frustration and then screamed as her tissue gave way and she finally saw a head beneath her tail. The smell of blood evaded her nostrils, though she was in such pain that she could not distinguish if it was her own. She pushed again, ending it in a pain filled groan, and couldn't bear to figure out how much longer she had. Wave after wave of contractions came and went she wondered if this was what the weaker mothers felt. There had always been a few females that died in whelping and they had always been given noble burials. Ishtar wondered if they would do the same for her. Finally, another large contracted came and she pushed and the first pup dislodged, tearing more tissue with it and releasing her from the pain he brought. She managed to find it within her to shift, though as she did blood came out. She was too worried about her son than herself in that moment. She cleaned him, noting his markings of a dark liver nose like her father's, Spine of Hell and Flame of Hell. Good omens to be sure.

The blood slowly ebbed from her, and the contractions didn't help stay the flow. The next pup came easier, being smaller than his brother. It still felt like burning and then she couldn't tell if the warmth was blood or afterbirth. Would there only be two this year like the others? The younger, smaller male was equally well marked as the Heart of Hell and a Traveler of Hell. There was a break in the contractions and she sighed in between panting and cleaning the two boys who were already squealing in protest of being so rudely exposed to the cold and hungry. She felt as if her heart was going to burst out of her chest.

And then the contractions began again.

She panicked, wondering just how many she would be giving life to and wondering if she would be joining the females that died before her in the birthing den.She pushed, and pushed, and pushed. She pushed until she thought for sure that she could not push again. And then she pushed one last time. A pup slide halfway out and Ishtar only then noticed the large amount of blood that bathed the birthing den. The Blood Mouth was then thankful for the amount of dead carcasses that surrounded the den. She did not want Haedes to worry. They had just found each other and Ishtar would not allow Haedes to lose her just yet. Finally the little girl was born, though she was nearly as big as the middle child. She noticed that there was more blood oozing from her, and she felt a little faint. Ishtar brought her daughter towards her brothers, cleaning her and managing to inspecting her. She was beautifully marked as a creature Burned by Hell and with a Spine of Hell. Ishtar looked over her children, exhausted and allowed them to suckle. She wanted to do more, she wanted to call Haedes to her but the blood still trickled out of her and she felt weaker than she ever had. She decided to sleep, just for a little bit. Just to get her strength back.

ISHTAR.