"@Erevu..."

it started with an unfamiliar sensation. Willoughby suddenly gasps, doubling over in pain. shock crosses her features. It's time she thinks. luckily she had been moved to the birthing den he prepared, else she would be forced to wherever she stood. her mate was close by, she could tell, but she still yelled when another sharp pain entered her system.

"Erevu!" she cries out, shuffling from her sitting position to the ground. she huffs quietly, closing her eyes in pain. "i-it's time... they're coming..." she could do no more than instructed by her medic husband. and ride the contractions as they came. and push when the time came. she was scared and frightened, but she knew someone would be there for her.

"she talks"

willoughby lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

no break codes needed

He'd been outside of the den, not too far, gathering some food for him and Willoughby to dine on for the night. The food storages weren't far, and he had made sure to pluck out a few plump, good looking hares to bring back to their den. Perhaps he'd been trying to feed his mate too much, always offering her food, always showing up with snacks or asking if she was hungry; but with their children growing inside of her, he wanted her the healthiest she could be.

She was swollen large now, and he knew labor could come at any day. It was why he was showing less of himself around the pride, for Willoughby was his first priority, and her and their cubs would always come first. Starting to trail back to the den, with the food in his maw, he found his muscles tensing with alarm as he heard her usually soft voice crying out for him. Jaws clamped down harder around the hares, and he found his paws digging through the dirt and darting him in her direction, making his arrival swift as he found himself at the entrance of her birthing den. He set the hares to the side, right outside the den, and found his eyes widening as he realized what was happening.

They were coming.

It was surreal in a sense, almost as if he hadn't really grasped the concept that they actually had children on the way. But now, their cubs were ready to be in this world. Were he and his mate ready to care for them? Erevu gulped, doing his best to push his nerves and thoughts to the side. This was his mate, his wife, the one who had his whole heart captured- and she needed him now more than ever.

"Okay, okay, we've got this. You've got this my love." He started to speak, deep voice rumbling out in a way he hoped was comforting. "I have some herbs- it'll help subside the pain and loosen your muscles to help speed the birth along. Do you want them?" He asked, not wanting to force her to take medicine, but also knowing how useful it could be in this moment.

+5 Attend a birth 1/2
+5 Tend to an expectant mother 1/2
+5 Bring a mother or cub some food 1/2
"he talks"

erevu lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

"w-with you here, yes... I got this" she smiles through her pain as another contraction sent shudders of it through her system. Willoughby didn't know what would happen if she was alone. if she had to raise the children alone. she couldn't take the sadness, knowing Erevu could've not been in the picture. but he was - and that's what mattered to her.

biting back her cry, she moaned instead. her body seemed to heave as an unfamiliar sensation shuddered again. this time, she felt a warm slip of something come from her. it was a child. one of their children - because she felt more on the way. it was pain like she had never felt, but she was strong for this. Jewel said so herself; lionesses had given birth for ages.

she was no different. "a-are they okay?" she cried out this time after her question, feeling another she had to push out.

"she talks"

willoughby lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

@Erevu, @Chamomile

As his eyes gazed to her, he was reminded just how strong this woman before him was. She smiled through her pain to him, her words sending assurance to him, comfort, and he found his gaze swelling with admiration to her. He nodded, taking a few steps closer but not getting to close, not wanting to intrude on her space in case she wanted some privacy during this intimate time.

His ears heard her moans of pain, and his heart went out to her- he wished she didn't have to feel this pain, but so long as labor was the only pain she felt in her life, Erevu would be content with himself. He licked at his lips, gaze moving from her face and down to where one little body slipped from her own. He held his his breath, eyes watching, and when he saw a few of the muscles twitch in the little cub did he let out a large breath of relief. "It is," He assured, nuzzling her softly along her spine before he stopped at where the cub was, observing it with tender eyes. He gently used his tongue to lick away the remainder of birth from it's pelt, all while ensuring it was breathing just fine- and that was confirmed by the mewls that left its mouth. "A girl. This one is a girl, oh, she's beautiful Willoughby..." He watched over her squirming body for a few more moments, merely admiring her, before he helped to gently guide her to his mate's stomach, where he knew the cub would find where to latch on to nurse.

He turned his attention back to Willoughby, seeing that she wasn't quite done. "Take deep breaths, my love. You're almost there." He turned his attention back to where the next cub would come, anticipating their arrival.

+5 Attend a birth 2/2
+5 Tend to an expectant mother 2/2
+5 Bring a mother or cub some food 1/2
"he talks"

erevu lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

mewls from their children made Willoughby's eyes gloss over with tears. she knew they weren't suffering - no, she wasn't suffering for it was a girl - and Erevu moved the cub to her side to nurse. it felt so natural, something she had missed out on until now... a purr left her chest, until it became strangled as she pushed again. the contraction passed through and another cub was born into their world.

she tried to breathe normally, properly but another yelp escaped. another? she pants, closing her eyes shut. two beautiful children, yes, she would be happy with that. another child for their daughter to play with. she focused on that, near tears at her emotions. the pregnancy hadn't been emotional. she had accepted it as fact, as a product of their love. she had no regrets.

"I-I think another..." her lithe body felt on fire, the feeling not waning. she didn't feel over. there was another, she knew it. three children. three beautiful children.

"she talks"

willoughby lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

@Erevu, @Chamomile, @Foxglove

Just like Willoughby, his own eyes had glossed over. He'd never been emotional during births before; always aiding and assisting where he could, but it was different when they were your own. When it was your family being brought to life. He smiled warmly at her, despite the yelps and moans that left her lips, he kept her reassured and made sure to monitor her well; but everything was going perfectly.

The second one came, and just like with the first did he cleanse and observe the little cub, making sure it was healthy, looking for any deformities or issues that could effect their life. He found done. "Another girl..." He breathed the words out in awe, shaking his head slightly as he nuzzled the soft, newborn cub to where her sister and mother were. "Both healthy, both beautiful." This time a tear did slip from his eyes as he heard both of them mewling, latching onto WIlloughby to nurse. He thought it was done, his heart was complete with these two girls, feeling fulfilled, but Willoughby's words brought his ears to perk and his gaze to widen a bit with surprise- "Another?" He whispered in repeat, eagerly looking to where the third would come. Three children... they were beyond blessed.

+5 Attend a birth 2/2
+5 Tend to an expectant mother 2/2
+5 Bring a mother or cub some food 1/2
"he talks"

erevu lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

a moaning cry shook her body as the last one revealed itself. being born into the world. the tiny little thing mewled at once, warming her heart again. it didn't wait to be cleaned. a little fighter from the get-go. she twisted this time, knowing it was over. the birth was easy and safe, for all of them. she looked at the final cub and her nursing ones with pride. one the color of gold - that was the final. one with pink and white patches. the first was a peachy color like Willoughby, but darker.

"they're perfect" who could ask for more? and from what she could tell from their familiar smell - all girls. "we should name them." her heart swelled at the thought, having given some of it. Walthari had assured her the names were fine - but she wanted Erevu to name at least two of them. feeling strength return, she nudged the golden girl to herself, cleaning her off quickly and guiding her to nurse. her eyes gazed at her daughters a moment further before she nodded.

"I... I thought of one. w-well, two but" she'd look to Erevu, sheepish "Chamomile - for at least one of them..." her voice grew emotional as she recalled their first meeting. gathering the herb and later on, being gifted it at the beach event by him. would h be proud of the meaning behind it?

"she talks"

willoughby lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

@Erevu, @Chamomile, @Foxglove, @Wisteria

The last one came, another beautiful girl from what Erevu saw- and his heart swelled. Three daughters, all healthy, what more could he of wished for? They had been blessed beyond belief, and unlike some males, Erevu didn't mind that there weren't any boys. He would cherish his daughters like no else and make sure they never knew pain or suffering.

He inched closer, lowering to his stomach as he watched the three of them nurse at Willoughby's stomach. He rumbled happily, hearing her suggest they name them, and he chuckled lowly to himself. "I've been admiring them and you so much, names completely slipped my mind." He confessed with a small smile, his heart and mind feeling elated. Her name suggestion caused a bright look to his eyes, falling in love with it instantly. "Chamomile for the first girl, she's been so relaxed at your stomach..." He observed with a loving tilt of his head.

"What's the other name you've thought of?" He questioned, wanting to know what she had prepared before offering his own ideas. He looked at the three of them, humming to himself lightly. "They look like the perfect mix of us, don't they?"

+5 Attend a birth 2/2
+5 Tend to an expectant mother 2/2
+5 Bring a mother or cub some food 1/2
"he talks"

erevu lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

"hehe, then I guess it's up to me to name them?"

she teased him gently, lifting a paw from her position to place on his larger limb. though Erevu agreed with Chamomile, nodding to the honey-peach hued girl. she agreed, having seen her mother boil the herb (though at the time she didn't know what it was called) in a hot spring once. the clear liquid faded to reveal a honey-pink.

"Foxglove" she says, her attention to the little pink-white girl. her fur was a reminder of the beautiful flower she had seen at the Gardens "they are a perfect blend of us, especially the golden one - she looks like you and me combined" the little stripe on her skull with Erevu's coloring. she wanted to call her Sunflower, but another came to mind. "Wisteria."

the creeping plant that hung like ivy. it had a golden hue rarely, and she considered it rare that Erevu's coloring only focused on this small girl. she was a bright little sunshine. "are those okay? I know we wanted... nature names."

"she talks"

willoughby lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart

@Erevu, @Chamomile, @Foxglove, @Wisteria

He gave a laugh in response to her gentle teasing, before he felt the warmth of her paw covering over his large one. His head dipped down, and he pressed a few long, affectionate licks to her forelimb, before nuzzling it and lifting his head back up.

"Foxglove, Wisteria... I love them." All herbal names he was familiar with, and each one of them he adored; his little girls were perfect fits for them, and she was right. They were the perfect combination of them, especially the golden girl.

Remembering the hares he had brought, Erevu used one of his limbs to drag them further into the den, and nudging one of them towards his mate. "If you're hungry, you should eat." He advised, but he also knew she might be too exhausted, and that would be just fine. He only wanted her to know the option of food was near, especially since their little girls would be sucking the energy right out of her- literally. "I can see Jewel's face already when she sees these three girls- just wait till their older, running around Caladan's land." He spoke, happily imagining the future where the cubs were grown up some and could move around independently.

+5 Attend a birth 2/2
+5 Tend to an expectant mother 2/2
+5 Bring a mother or cub some food 2/2
"he talks"

erevu lovelace

code by corvus, edited by daisy, art by PSYCHOACIID of deviantart