The colder months had come and gone, the snow melting and leaving everything a fresh shade of green in it's wake. Usually I would be up and about, saying hello to the bugs and the budding flowers, but for now I was den-bound. My bloated stomach had gotten no easier to deal with (nor smaller, as I had secretly hoped) and with each passing day I felt more and more like a prisoner in my own body. As much as I wanted the pups to come, I was terrified of giving birth. I had never gotten a chance to talk to my sister about it- mostly because I had holed myself up in my den since the first few weeks of my pregnancy.

I laid my muzzle down on my front paws, letting out a huff through my nostrils. I just wanted this all to be over. Sure, making the puppies had been fun, but if this was the retribution for fooling around in bushes perhaps we'd just have to find another way to have fun. My ears pressed back as I felt an unfamiliar pain in my abdomen, and I lifted my head up and nosed at my side. The puppies had moved and kicked at times, but that didn't feel anything like that. Naturally, I had no idea of the signs, so I chalked it up to a particularly rowdy puppy and laid my head back down.

So it could have been that, if another hadn't come a few minutes later. I let out a yelp, not expecting it, and this time it was more painful than the last. With a grunt I lifted myself to my feet, turning my head to stare at my round stomach with a pointed stare. I began to pace around the den, my heart beating quickly and my mouth dry with nervousness. I think, instinctively, I knew what was happening, but I hadn't quite come to terms with it yet. Another contraction came and I whined, high-pitched and loud. If Hollowpoint hadn't come running in at my first yelp, he would surely come now. I took a little solace in the fact that he would be at my side through all of this.

I continued like that for a while, laying down and getting up and pacing and whining, until the contractions were too close together and I was forced to lay down for good, my breath heavy and my eyes half-lidded. Who would have known it would have been this painful, this strenuous? And the puppies hadn't even come out yet! I huffed as I felt the primal urge to push, and so I did, our first-born slipping out onto the den floor. I twisted around to pick him up, cleaning him and placing next to my stomach. I had to admit that there was something incredibly fulfilling about seeing the product of Hollowpoint and I's love, our son, something that we created out of nothing.

"It's a boy, Hollow." I glanced up at him, my eyes glittering, a small but tired smile pulling at my maw. I opened my maw as if to say something else, but another shot of pain rippled through my small body. I whined, pushing again, the instinct seeming to come easier to me this time.I repeated the process with the next puppy, taking her and cleaning her and setting her down next to my side.

"And a little girl. She looks like you." I murmured, nosing her blue-black body and seeing the white splotch across her eyes that was reminiscent of her father's. I still felt as though I was not done, and I laid my head down on the dirt floor as another contraction hit. I was even losing the energy to whimper, but I felt safe with Hollowpoint by my side.

Again there was an urge to push, and as the final pup entered the world I could feel that I was done. Breathing heavily, I reached around to pick her up and clean her off as I had done with her brother and sister, putting her next to my side so she could be warm with her siblings. Even though I had never learned any of these skills, they seemed to have come to me naturally. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

"Two girls and a boy. What do we name them? Or can we just let them pick for themselves, because I am exhausted." I flopped my head down dramatically, though I couldn't help a smile from tugging at my lips. "I like Moonstone. For the last puppy. After my mother." I murmured, lifting my head up once more and gazing at the unique little girl. I wished my parents were here to see this... and Dany's litters too for that matter. They never got to see their children grow up. A low whine emanated from my throat and I reached down to nose and lick our children. I wouldn't let our family be torn apart, whether it be through tragedy or something else.

"I don't have any other good ideas, so you can name the other two." I said with a yawn, curling up around the pups and leaving a space for Hollowpoint behind me if he wanted to lay against my back. "I love you. And thank you, for being here with me." I said sleepily, my tail thumping against the floor. No, I didn't think I would have to worry about our family breaking apart.

haven.
but i couldn't read his handwriting so i burnt 'em last night