Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2015 19:35:41 GMT -5
Note: The birth took place on the litter's due date, 5/13/15.
In the early morning, the world seemed at peace. The beach was empty, and Summit’s attempt to catch fish had been a failure. He couldn’t focus, as Katari had woken early that day to pains that grew worse. He tried to give her space, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side for long. It had been months since the pair had last encountered another of their species, and mercifully so. Summit had always enjoyed the company of others, had even aspired to joining a pack at one time, but everything was different now. Now, he had Katari. And, he anticipated, before the sun set, he would have a few more to love. Maybe they were getting themselves in over their heads. Raising pups would be hard enough, but to do so without support, without certainty would be even more difficult. He couldn’t voice his concerns, though, unwilling to put more stress on Katari’s shoulders. Her burden was enough to carry without Summit’s lingering sense of nervousness. The conversation still swirled in his mind, the very day he found out that soon, he would be a father.
It had hurt him then to see his love, eyes downcast and voice uneven as she spoke: "I'm scared I'm not going to be enough. Not smart enough, not strong enough, not careful enough, not something enough. I just... I just don't want to fail. I couldn't handle it. I don't know what to do." He had smiled then, in spite of gnawing fear that surfaced – not because of her doubts, but because a sneaking feeling of powerlessness clouded his joy. ”It’ll be great. You’ll be great. And our pups are going to be beautiful, like their mom. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you weren’t strong and smart. Besides,” He had leaned closer to softly nuzzle her cheek, speaking in his usual calm, soothing tones. ”You have me, and Ren.” Feeling terrified and happy were just a part of becoming parents for the first time, he figured. He was happy he wouldn’t have to do it alone.
It was all too real now, as the months had passed and Katari became rounder and less able to travel freely. He had watched her belly sometimes as the pups she carried squirmed around inside, amazed by it all – how one night could make whoever was in there, getting bigger and ready to see the world for themselves. In a few short hours, perhaps even less, the pups would be there… And there was nothing, absolutely nothing in the world, that Summit could do to ease his mate’s inevitable suffering. It seemed unfair that the females should have to suffer so much to give birth. If it had been an option, Summit would have gladly chosen to be the one who was uncomfortable all the time. As for the birth itself… Summit had spent countless hours worrying internally that something would go awry. What if the pups were too big? Katari could easily lose her life, and Summit would be utterly helpless. What if the pups were too small? How would they be able to sustain all those little lives without a territory or pack?
There was no turning back, and while Summit was undeniably freaked out about what was to come, he was also excited. He hoped they all came out looking like Katari, because the idea of a litter of tiny Kataris made him inexplicably ecstatic. Maybe they would even look like his kin, white as the snow, but larger than Katari’s lineage. He sighed aloud, abandoning his hunt. She probably wasn’t hungry now, anyway.
Silently, he crept back to the place Katari had chosen to nest – a small cave, safely situated away from the coastline so that they need not worry about high tide, with a freshwater stream only a few steps away from the cozy den. He didn’t hear any pups yet, so he had not missed anything yet.
It had hurt him then to see his love, eyes downcast and voice uneven as she spoke: "I'm scared I'm not going to be enough. Not smart enough, not strong enough, not careful enough, not something enough. I just... I just don't want to fail. I couldn't handle it. I don't know what to do." He had smiled then, in spite of gnawing fear that surfaced – not because of her doubts, but because a sneaking feeling of powerlessness clouded his joy. ”It’ll be great. You’ll be great. And our pups are going to be beautiful, like their mom. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you weren’t strong and smart. Besides,” He had leaned closer to softly nuzzle her cheek, speaking in his usual calm, soothing tones. ”You have me, and Ren.” Feeling terrified and happy were just a part of becoming parents for the first time, he figured. He was happy he wouldn’t have to do it alone.
It was all too real now, as the months had passed and Katari became rounder and less able to travel freely. He had watched her belly sometimes as the pups she carried squirmed around inside, amazed by it all – how one night could make whoever was in there, getting bigger and ready to see the world for themselves. In a few short hours, perhaps even less, the pups would be there… And there was nothing, absolutely nothing in the world, that Summit could do to ease his mate’s inevitable suffering. It seemed unfair that the females should have to suffer so much to give birth. If it had been an option, Summit would have gladly chosen to be the one who was uncomfortable all the time. As for the birth itself… Summit had spent countless hours worrying internally that something would go awry. What if the pups were too big? Katari could easily lose her life, and Summit would be utterly helpless. What if the pups were too small? How would they be able to sustain all those little lives without a territory or pack?
There was no turning back, and while Summit was undeniably freaked out about what was to come, he was also excited. He hoped they all came out looking like Katari, because the idea of a litter of tiny Kataris made him inexplicably ecstatic. Maybe they would even look like his kin, white as the snow, but larger than Katari’s lineage. He sighed aloud, abandoning his hunt. She probably wasn’t hungry now, anyway.
Silently, he crept back to the place Katari had chosen to nest – a small cave, safely situated away from the coastline so that they need not worry about high tide, with a freshwater stream only a few steps away from the cozy den. He didn’t hear any pups yet, so he had not missed anything yet.
words: 691
tags: @katari + @ren + Arete + @everest