Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2015 20:27:33 GMT -5
The sun was setting, the clouds above reflecting the vivid warm hues of auburn and hold in the western sky. It was the first day of spring. Flowers were beginning to bloom throughout the jungle, and new pups would soon arrive. Winter was over now, along with Athena’s agonizing wait. Watching the sunset from the cozy den within a hollowed tree, Athena had just settled down for the night when the pains began. Her uncomfortably swollen belly felt heavier than usual. She knew tonight would be the night. She was close enough to her pack sisters for protection, but no one would hear her as the night wore on, hidden away from the prying eyes of the others. Athena was alone once more – but she did not call out for her pack sisters to come to her aid as the contractions worsened. This was something she had to do on her own.
The months had dragged on and on. As her body changed, Athena had avoided the others. In the first month, she had been ashamed of her condition, embarrassed by her weak moment. Now she knew she was not the only one. Most of Valyn’s members were no better than she – whatever the excuse or reason, many of her pack mates had found a partner to conceive a litter of her own. Athena was still stunned by the widespread conduct of her pack mates. So many had been claimed, much like Athena herself, with no inkling of who had sired their young. Even Valeria had given in to her urges. As an alpha, it was her right to breed, but Athena still had conflicting emotions, still shocked that their alpha had sought out a mate so soon, when Valyn itself was still in its infancy. The pack was only months old and by no means safe from the world beyond their feminist haven. With Kairos lurking so nearby – Goliath himself, the terrifying alpha, had taken lands close to their own – Athena remained wary.
As the suffering became worse, Athena grew more frightened. She looked to the night sky and the appearing stars for comfort. The impending night was eerily still, absent of sounds. No birds… no insects... Only the stars to keep her company. The pain was wrenching but she did not cry out or scream. It did not some real. She was creating new life… It could not be such a terrible thing…
Instinct directed Athena as the first pup made its arrival in the world. She cleaned off her firstborn with her tongue, amazed and stunned as the infant uttered a tiny cry before taking its first breath. The fur was darker than Athena’s, but she did not think of the newborn’s father as she stared, in awe of the tiny, perfectly formed little wolf. Topaz eyes fell to examine the pup’s gender. A girl. She could hardly believe it. She had a daughter of her own, something she did not have to share. Instantly, she fell in love with the squirmy little girl.
Minutes passed before the contractions began anew. The next pup came with less struggle and suffering. So small and delicate, Athena was afraid she would damage the tiny newborn as she cleaned it off, taking extra care not to hurt the pup. This, she assumed, was the litter’s runt – and it was another girl. In spite of her size, the little female was alive and well, and her fur was the same pale color as Athena's silvery pelt. The tiny pup sighed softly, offering only a tiny whimper before Athena nudged her closer to her belly and the warmth of her barely-older sister.
The third pup to arrive was as small as the sister who came before, but her colors were as dark as the eldest of the litter. The pain faded away as she cleaned the last pup, its miniature legs pawing at the air as the newborn squeaked out her first cries – one more female. She had never expected to become a mother. She had never experienced unconditional love, and had not been certain she could give it until that moment. Gazing down at the newborns, Athena felt… too much. She loved them immediately, but they were so fragile, so vulnerable. In that moment, Athena was determined to be better than her own mother, to provide her daughters with a real family, something that Athena herself had never had before. Today it was different. She had a family all to herself now.
Athena was beginning to drift to sleep with her girls nursing at her side when the suffering began once more. Horrified, she began to push for a fourth time. The unexpected final pup was the darkest of the litter, splashed colors even darker than its absent father. Athena noticed, crestfallen, the final one was a boy. A male in Valyn – the thought of his murky future stirred sympathy within his mother’s chest. Her heart began to race as she stared at the boy, a reminder of his father’s sins. Athena hoped he would never meet his terrible sire, and the thought of the nameless stranger made the silvery fur along the ridge of her spine raise.
Finally, the ordeal was over. Still, Athena could not bring herself to name her puppies. She would not name them until she was convinced each would survive the first few difficult months of life, too fearful that she would become attached, only to lose them. All of her own siblings had succumbed to an early death. Until then, she would do her best to keep each of the new lives thriving. She would do it alone.
The months had dragged on and on. As her body changed, Athena had avoided the others. In the first month, she had been ashamed of her condition, embarrassed by her weak moment. Now she knew she was not the only one. Most of Valyn’s members were no better than she – whatever the excuse or reason, many of her pack mates had found a partner to conceive a litter of her own. Athena was still stunned by the widespread conduct of her pack mates. So many had been claimed, much like Athena herself, with no inkling of who had sired their young. Even Valeria had given in to her urges. As an alpha, it was her right to breed, but Athena still had conflicting emotions, still shocked that their alpha had sought out a mate so soon, when Valyn itself was still in its infancy. The pack was only months old and by no means safe from the world beyond their feminist haven. With Kairos lurking so nearby – Goliath himself, the terrifying alpha, had taken lands close to their own – Athena remained wary.
As the suffering became worse, Athena grew more frightened. She looked to the night sky and the appearing stars for comfort. The impending night was eerily still, absent of sounds. No birds… no insects... Only the stars to keep her company. The pain was wrenching but she did not cry out or scream. It did not some real. She was creating new life… It could not be such a terrible thing…
Instinct directed Athena as the first pup made its arrival in the world. She cleaned off her firstborn with her tongue, amazed and stunned as the infant uttered a tiny cry before taking its first breath. The fur was darker than Athena’s, but she did not think of the newborn’s father as she stared, in awe of the tiny, perfectly formed little wolf. Topaz eyes fell to examine the pup’s gender. A girl. She could hardly believe it. She had a daughter of her own, something she did not have to share. Instantly, she fell in love with the squirmy little girl.
Minutes passed before the contractions began anew. The next pup came with less struggle and suffering. So small and delicate, Athena was afraid she would damage the tiny newborn as she cleaned it off, taking extra care not to hurt the pup. This, she assumed, was the litter’s runt – and it was another girl. In spite of her size, the little female was alive and well, and her fur was the same pale color as Athena's silvery pelt. The tiny pup sighed softly, offering only a tiny whimper before Athena nudged her closer to her belly and the warmth of her barely-older sister.
The third pup to arrive was as small as the sister who came before, but her colors were as dark as the eldest of the litter. The pain faded away as she cleaned the last pup, its miniature legs pawing at the air as the newborn squeaked out her first cries – one more female. She had never expected to become a mother. She had never experienced unconditional love, and had not been certain she could give it until that moment. Gazing down at the newborns, Athena felt… too much. She loved them immediately, but they were so fragile, so vulnerable. In that moment, Athena was determined to be better than her own mother, to provide her daughters with a real family, something that Athena herself had never had before. Today it was different. She had a family all to herself now.
Athena was beginning to drift to sleep with her girls nursing at her side when the suffering began once more. Horrified, she began to push for a fourth time. The unexpected final pup was the darkest of the litter, splashed colors even darker than its absent father. Athena noticed, crestfallen, the final one was a boy. A male in Valyn – the thought of his murky future stirred sympathy within his mother’s chest. Her heart began to race as she stared at the boy, a reminder of his father’s sins. Athena hoped he would never meet his terrible sire, and the thought of the nameless stranger made the silvery fur along the ridge of her spine raise.
Finally, the ordeal was over. Still, Athena could not bring herself to name her puppies. She would not name them until she was convinced each would survive the first few difficult months of life, too fearful that she would become attached, only to lose them. All of her own siblings had succumbed to an early death. Until then, she would do her best to keep each of the new lives thriving. She would do it alone.
ex nihilo nihil fit (Latin)
- out of nothing comes nothing -
- out of nothing comes nothing -
Words: 963
Tags: Closed.
ooc: Note- They were born 3/20,
the post was just a bit late!
Tags: Closed.
ooc: Note- They were born 3/20,
the post was just a bit late!