her house sinks down to death and her course leads to the shades,
She had noticed the significant difference in her size compared to her last pregnancy. With only Elesor within the womb, she had retained a rather narrow physique for the majority of the pregnancy - however, this time she had swollen large, rounded, like a tick in truth. It had bothered her to no end, this sudden increase in bulk, for it had become even more difficult for her to procure food. It had been difficult merely surviving off the meals of others and scavenging from the marsh, but she had done well for herself. Compared to Ishtar's den, however, hers was almost bare of the usual feasts, a cause for agitation indeed. That summed up her pregnancy well: agitating. On top of it, Elesor had been most defiant, a cause for concern in itself but alas, she could not worry over such things for long. Spring had come for them and no sooner had she begun to feel the change in her body.
It had been some time in the early hours of darkness that her body had begun to roll with contractions. They were unlike her previous experience - harder hitting, more powerful as she was forced to the confines of her den. She growled low in her throat as she restlessly moved about the den in an attempt to find a more suitable position; it took some hour before she felt the pup's form begin to shift within her. It seemed too easy initially, the child coming free of her with only a stinging pain - still, she found the child's form in the dark, breaking it free of its confines and devouring the membrane that had coated it. The sinking moon shone just enough light for her to see the darkness of the girl's pelt and she began her inspection, roughly nudging at the child - girl's - legs and body, searching for weakness. It had been in the back of her mind that she would produce more faulted children. Elesor's weakness had not made it known until her eyes were opened and that is what concerned her - for now, though, the child was small but healthy enough. The girl had been Touched by Hell, and Marked so lightly by the Blaze of Hell. She smiled over the child, cleansing her, quite overjoyed by the girl's apparent health and promising future.
Such joy was fleeting for soon enough, the contractions begun to once more roll through her. They were more painful this time, causing her to release a hoarse snarl in protest as she attempted to shift her weight once more, avoiding her daughter in the process. The process took even longer than the first, a stinging sensation running over her entire body as the second child finally slipped free. With him came blood, dousing him within it as she attempted to clean him. Her own injury went ignored for the most part, the child much more important than her own health in those moments. He was large, broad and already more powerful than both her daughters had been. She smirked to herself as she once more prodded at the child - his Mark was clear as day. Not only had he been Marked by the Blaze but also for the Mouth of Hell. Yes, she was sure of it - he would grow to be the most favorable of them all. So strong, so flawlessly Marked. He would be something brilliant.
Again with the pain, however, a pain that continued for some hour or two - met by the rising sun - as she snarled and groaned in both agitation and pain. She could feel the blood exiting her and yet, no child was born. For some time she panicked, thinking that perhaps she had been too weak to bare such children and that her time had come. Soon enough, however, there was a sudden pain that signaled the eventual exit of her last child. She screamed out in pain as she felt the flesh tear, giving way not only to him but to a slow trickle of blood that crept over the den's floor. Pain remained ever present in her even as she shifted so many times in an effort to get comfortable, finally twisting back enough to drag the child to her paws. If she had thought the second born had been large than surely the third came as a surprise - he was broad, a heavyweight even so small as she dragged his wiggling form towards her. Healthy. Three healthy children. Two sons, too, a joyous occasion. It seemed so many of the males had become weak but she would be sure that her and Andras' sons were not as Dante and Saqr.
Like the second born, his entire chest was Marked and yet, it was but the Heart of Hell. She stared almost baffled for a moment as she groomed over him, still shifting from time to time in an attempt to alleviate the ebbing pain. His Marks were strange, not quite so easily isolated into one. His entire neck was but a russet hue, his elbows Marked just so faintly too. His tail, too, had been Marked as the Flame of Hell. Yes, he would need to be deliberated over to truly understand what his future held. For now, however, she was glad to have birthed three healthy children.
With a final effort, she nudged the three close to her, curling somewhat around them as she panted in both pain and exhaustion. With the last of her energy, she released a sharp howl for Andras or whomever else. She had done her job and for now, she would rest.
all who go to her cannot return and find again the paths of life |
