Oh boy, what was all the yelling about? Who were they yelling at? Oh shit, they were yelling at him. He was up in a flash, padding out of the den and trying to respond as calls began to overlap for him. Okay, I'm com- Alright I- OKAY I heard y'all the first time! he replied with amusement and not irritation, though he was a bit concerned about why so many were calling for him so urgently. It wasn't until the youthful voice so helpfully clarified that he both flushed in embarrassment and picked up the pace.

Good job little one, he said, pausing only briefly to give @Lyla a little pat on the head before he ducked past @Isildur, just barely tamping down a warning growl that wanted to escape. @Storm certainly wasn't his, she'd made that clear and he'd agreed because he certainly wasn't going to try to argue with a woman who had her mind made up. If the most she would allow him was being in the cub's lives, he would accept that gratefully, especially given the potential alternatives.

Sorry, I'm here, he said, realizing a beat later that his apology could be taken not as an apology for his tardiness as intended but as an apology for his presence. Which, judging by how Storm seemed to be in pain, he had a feeling the grey woman might be wishing he wasn't. He didn't envy women having to be in labor.

He aimed to settle himself beside her, unless she snarled at him for it, offering his muscled forearm and shoulder, In case you need something to bite on. He'd heard that made things easier, and it only seemed fair that if she was in pain, he would be too.

Despite her nerves and the gravity of the task at hand, somehow Genesis had been articulate enough to direct her companions, with relief--and maybe even a bit of amazement--washing over her as she watched each of them spring into action. Even @Storm seemed a little more at ease with the situation outwardly under control, which in turn brought her own mind to center as they made their way to her quarters, @Lyla's voice echoing through the hall all the while.

Her luck with cubs had been so poor before that girl, but every encounter with her left her feeling more and more redeemed and capable of handling others. And not a moment too soon, as even more were about to enter the world on her floor.

Upon their arrival, @Isildur greeted them with nothing short of exactly what had been requested of him--a feat that could not have been achieved by just any other medic. Perhaps they shared the same wit in that way, but today, it was their deeper knowledge of each other that would make their collaboration seamless. At the end of the day, it was their ability to work together that mattered above all else.

Or so she tried to tell herself.

She smiled at him in thanks as she helped Storm to her bed, but her features quickly dimmed as she watched him slip past them to settle outside. It occurred to her, then, what she had uttered to Storm out in the hall. Did he really think she did not want him here? Her attention shifted shamefully from the entryway to the herbs lined up near Storm's front. She had only meant to joke, to lighten any potential pressures brought on by the audience that new life so clearly seemed to stir. Yet even the laboring mother, understandably, seemed entirely unfazed by the doting, which left Genesis scolding herself even more harshly for her comment. Words meant to help one had only caused another more hurt.

Her peripherals saw more gathering outside with Isildur, but her focus was entirely on Storm as she asked her for guidance. Genesis almost felt like a fraud, having never mothered her own children, but she allowed her sense as a healer to carry the meager weight of her confidence as she passed Storm a piece of devil's claw root. "Here. This should help speed things along. Just keep breathing and focusing on your body. Your cubs will tell you when you need to push," she said. "Judging by what they're already putting you through, I don't think they're very shy."

At last, another male came barreling into the den. No doubt this was @Angelo. Genesis nodded to him with flattened ears and stepped aside, giving him her space so that his larger form might fit more comfortably beside her. Despite what Storm had told her about the circumstances of her cubs' parentage, she was warmed by the diligence with which he offered his support and his paw. The sight coaxed her attention briefly back toward the entryway, where she knew her own support to be lingering. Sucking in a breath through jaws ajar, the pale woman turned back toward the pair and looked between them pleadingly. "Give me...just a moment."

"Does she need any help?"

Genesis excused herself just in time to hear the words whispered to Isildur, only to find that it was the Queen sitting with him outside. Gasping audibly, the other woman dipped her skull. "Queen @Thella ♔. I apologize. I...didn't know you were here." Her words came hushed as she observed the concern wrought between her monotone brows. "She's progressing, but...this is new to her. To all of us, I think. Isildur and I have already been working on her, but she might appreciate another lioness with her...for comfort." Lyla was searching for her mother, but Thella was here now, and truth be told, she felt the cubs' arrival was imminent.

If or when Thella took her leave, Genesis peered up at Isildur, her eyes screaming silently with desperation. "All I meant was for Storm to tell me if there was too much fussing, but...we're both learning how to do...this"--she looked vaguely around her to indicate the current situation--"and you've been so much help already. And regardless of anything you're my...." Her rambling finally trailed off as she stumbled over the right words to find. Eventually, not knowing what else to say, she reached out with a paw in an attempt to reach his chest.

"I need you." Said with finality, in totality--not merely in the context of this moment, although the same was also true. After a short pause she inhaled deeply and continued. "Come back in and learn with me. If you choose to, I need someone at her head in case she needs to be fed medicine."

She had pleaded with him and given him some sort of direction, whether she would end up needing him or not. But Storm needed her now. So, if he had allowed her to press her paw to his chest, she retracted it now, practically peeling it away in hesitation before retreating back inside. There, she settled again at Storm's rear, centering herself with another deep breath as she addressed her friend again. "Storm...I think they're ready. Are you?"

text. "speech."

Art by Drifty | Table code by Zodiac

At first, he's certain he's made the right choice.

The screeching girl calls to attention likely any within the borders of the pride would be able to hear, echoing off the walls of the Hollow with a shrill summons. He remains a vigilant sentinel posted just outside the den, watching first as the queen timidly makes her way toward him. Isildur, who has always had one paw in the Hollow and the other in the wanderlust-sating wilds, has not made as much an effort as he should have to get to know Thella better. Now, with his face burning hot with embarrassment and his heart lurching with anxiety, he wishes she was a beacon of familiarity. At the very least, her presence is comforting—and her own nervousness grounding.

Is she doing okay? she asks, Does she need any help?

He quickly bows his head. Moja królova.

But before he can continue, the towering and familiar shape of Angelo bursts through with all the urgency of an expecting father. But when he locks eyes with the noble, however momentary a glance it is, there is a twist in his expression that hints at something only just held back. Isildur pales, the color draining from his face. Last he remembers, Angelo has never been anything less than friendly.

Is this what fatherhood does to a man?

She's doing fine, he continues answering Thella's question, now markedly more distracted, she—

Queen Thella. I apologize.

He blinks, whirring around until he could see Genesis standing in the mouth of her den. Inside, he could hear moans of pain and whispered reassurances, the panic settling in the room with a decipherable tenor. He watches in bewildered silence as she once more exercises a level of decorum he is incapable, though he appears more stunned and starstruck than ignorant or afraid. It is as if his breath has been stolen from his lungs.

Which feels cheap, considering the circumstances.

He finds relief, however small, stepping outside of that crowded den. But when Genesis sends the queen to Storm's side and leaves nothing but the two of them, he suddenly finds himself pining for the din of the labor bed. He expects to find anger, dejection, despondence. Anything but the near-pleading look in her eyes.

Guilt claws up his back, wrapping around his throat and suffocating him into silence. He had practically been looking for any excuse to leave, not out of concern for Storm or his desire to help Genesis but out of his sheer lack of focus. Grand and novel things usually exhilarated Isildur, so his inability to keep a single thought contained feels crippling.

I need you.

He blinks. Once. Twice.

Come back in and learn with me, she says, and there's a desperate plead in her tone that duets with something else, something deeper. More than anything, it's the voice of the girl he first met in the tunnels—curious and wonderful and eager for knowledge.

The very girl he's fallen in love with.

Okay, he breathes, the weight of her paw on his chest equally comforting and electrifying. Then, he manages a soft smile, placing his hand unto her own. I'll come.

He could set aside his fears if only for a moment, if only to be there for Genesis and their shared friend and the step brothers and sisters that would soon make their grand arrival. Isildur trails into the den behind her, pardoning himself around the growing collection of bodies until he comes to sit near Storm's head. Though the space is cramped, he gives her plenty of room to breathe. To his back, the herb stores are mercifully accessible.

He watches, now, with wide and expectant eyes. If the time is not now, then it is swiftly approaching, and he swears he can hear them all take a collective breath.

Mati, vedť nas něžnu a dôkladnu rukou, he manages with a small smile, We're here for you, Storm.

---

@Storm @Genesis @Lyla @Thella ♔ @Angelo
¹ My queen.
² Mother guide us with a gentle and thorough hand.

Table by cala, art by abigailds

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of childbirth.

@Genesis brought her a root to take and she took it quickly, listening to the healer's explanation. The pain reduced briefly. Not time yet, then. Storm wasn't sure if she wanted the cubs to hurry up or go slower. It didn't matter.

Storm heard @Thella ♔ outside the den, even now her ears attuned to the woman's voice. She was quickly distracted from processing this, however, when @Angelo finally showed up, causing a wave of relief to spread through her body. It didn't help the pain, but it does soothe some of her panic.

"It's alright, you're here." She breathed out with a pained smile. She welcomed his comforting presence beside her as he settled and offered her his shoulder to bite. She smiled at him again warmly, hoping she wouldn't need it.

@Isildur back came in after Genesis returned inside the den, Storm had hardly noticed the white lioness had left. There was a lot going on, but she did not feel overwhelmed by it. Rather, she appreciated the amount of support she was receiving. It truly showed that she'd made a place for herself here.

If Thella came in after speaking with Genesis, Storm would try to show her that she was grateful for her presence with a smile. A healer's presence was important, but there were some things only a mother would know. However, even if the sovereign did not enter, Storm's smile would soon fade.

A pained cry ripped from her throat and she did not hesitate to bite into Angelo's shoulder as she was wracked with the strains of labor. She could tell, this was the real thing. She pushed with all her might, tightening and loosening her vice grip on Angelo as she gathered her strength back to push again and again, until the head of a cub and soon it's whole body were set free.

It was a bluish cub, reflecting the hues of it's father. The birth fluids made it hard to tell much more. Storm released Angelo and curled around to reach the cub, to begin cleaning it. She had hardly severed the umbilical cord before another decided that it must join its sibling, its brother, out in the wide open world.

She yelled out in pain, half-heartedly trying to cover the ears of the cub as she screamed. This one hurt more and took much more effort to push out. It felt like an eternity had passed before a brown cub emerged, larger than its brother. She didn't try to begin cleaning this one yet, heaving as she waited to see if another would come.

She sat with a tense patience, blind and deaf to all else but herself and her cubs. A third wave passed through her and she turned back to Angelo, if he was still beside her, and bit hard enough that she could have drawn blood. She couldn't tell, only aware of the way it felt as if she was being ripped apart of the inside. If the previous one was an eternity, then this one was twice that. She felt almost as if she was dying. Finally, a cub red-brown in color was lying beside her on the floor, practically as large as its two siblings combined.

Was it over? Three was not an uncommon number and she had not known exactly how many she was carrying. She waited on a bated breath, one moment, then two. It seemed to be over. She once again released Angelo. This time, she silently invited him to help her with the cubs, now going to cut the cords of the others and begin to clean them if the others had not already.

Slowly, she felt another wave build up. Not nearly as strong as the two larger cubs. Was she passing remaining materials or was this another cub? Storm wasn't sure, only that she definitely needed to push. Now.

She pushed with all her might, grunting rather than screaming this time. It was difficult, as worn out as she was from the other three, but she managed to deliver the final cub. A grey one, about the size of the first. She knew this time that it was over. A mother's intuition one might call it.

She returned to trying to clean and take care of the cubs, only laying back down to rest if told to do so by one of the others.

Her cubs were here. Her cubs. Storm's eyes slide to look at Angelo. Their cubs.

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY LARS

ooc: so sorry for the wait!

---

Angelo's arrival came swift on the heels of the little one's echoing yells, his stride urgent as he rushed past @Isildur and Thella without hesitation, issuing apologies as he went. He disappeared into the warmth of the den and, in his new absence, Thella's attention was drawn to the unfamiliar lioness joining them in the hall—a petite young woman with striking blue eyes.


Thella brushed aside the pleasantries, focus narrowing on the woman's explanation. The moment permission was given, she jumped into action. "Thank you dears," she whispered, stepping into the den with purpose, missing the subsequent exchange between the pair she left behind. Her gaze fell upon @Storm immediately. The Baroness managed a brief, strained smile, which Thella returned just before another contraction wrenched a cry of pain from her.

@Angelo was there at her side, helping to divert the pain and Thella had a moment of realization. Until then, she wasn't sure what part he had to play in all of this, but now, it was much more clear. Leaving space for the medics to perform their duties, she positioned herself near Storm's head, offering a paw for support and her voice softened into a fervent whisper of encouragement as each wave passed through and, eventually, each cub. Words she didn't have when it had been her turn.

"You're doing great, Storm.

We're all so proud of you, dear.

Hang in there.

They're all so strong and beautiful.

Congratulations."

The last came for both the happy parents, gaze flicking between the two with a smile and down to the four newest members of Obsidian. She quickly retreated to the edges of the den, wanting to continue watching over them but give them the space they needed.

@Genesis @Lyla

art by drifter | code by me

Angelo let out an appreciative rumble as @Isildur joined them and offered a prayer to the Mother. None of the others here knew of their traditions, and while he wouldn't force the cubs to be buried or to go through conversion, he still wanted them to have knowledge of the Savante beliefs. So it was good that there was one who knew what to do, a Savante by birthright.

He didn't have much time to think about it, as the labor promptly started and he almost regretted his choice of offering himself to be a chew toy. Ow. He grimaced through the worst of it but uttered no complaint, because whatever he felt it seemed like @Storm felt much, much worse. It was good that @Thella ♔ was there as well, able to lend comfort and having the knowledge and experience of a mother. He'd seen other births, but what was his knowledge in comparison to that of someone who had actually been through the experience.

He helped as best he could with the little ones, pointed ears tipped all the way forward as he studied the cubs, the air from his nose ruffling their drying fur as he snuffled them. Four of them, one no doubt going to be as large as him one day. He didn't envy Storm having to go through that labor. It seemed mating with a Savante male produced some big babies, to no surprise. Two boys, two girls. Perfectly balanced.

Names? he asked Storm. She'd been the one to carry them, and then to go through all of this to bring them into the world, so naturally she'd get first pick of names in his mind.

Finding Angelo had been easy enough, and the girl was rather proud of herself for that fact, thank you very much, but finding her mother seemed to be an impossible task at the moment. The cub scouted all the usual places she might have found the medic only to come up empty pawed. Eventually she gave up - it seemed mama was harder and harder to find these days, almost has hard to find as papa in the suffocating tunnels.

It was a madhouse when she finally made it back to the den, so many lions had flooded into the one small den space. The girl could do little more than stick her head inside and murmur, "Aww, are there babies now?" the idea of fresh babies fascinated her, and as much as she wanted to creep forward to see them she instead kept herself back, just watching with the curiosity of a growing child.

Nursemaid
+5 attend a birth (2/2)

art

Suddenly, knowing that the young Savante had followed her inside, Genesis' purpose and duties here felt inexplicably clearer and her mind more sound. Her gaze involuntarily found @Isildur's form as he slipped back through the entrance and made his way to @Storm's front, where she attempted (and failed) to read his lips in tandem with his prayer. Uttered with hushed baritones, she felt her own muscles loosening with growing confidence; hopefully her friend, surrounded by them all, was beginning to feel the same effects. She thought she saw his nervous eyes glaze over hers, to which she responded with a faint smile and a nod. A deafeningly silent, Thank you.

Things progressed quickly from there, and the healer tried her best to swallow the unease brought on by Storm's screams--as well as by her privileged first looks at each of her cubs as each one fought its way into the world. One might have read her flattened ears and creased brow as concentration. To some extent, it was, namely whenever it came time to rescue a cub from the cold, dirty and wet to be cleaned and warmed by its mother. However, there was no denying that there was something to be feared and respected about the process as a whole. The mess, the pain, and the transformation that came with it. Especially as another female of Storm's age--and as a female who was a fraction of Storm's size.

She gulped but said nothing as she worked, suddenly too aware that her companion was sitting directly across from her.

When it was finally done, Genesis could not help marveling at the little bundles. One closely resembled her friend, another @Angelo. Where had the reds and browns come from? she wondered curiously. If there was any innocent part of this milestone to look forward to, it was the grand reveal of all the colors, markings, eyes and toes that had been inherited from generations past. She hoped, if she ever had children, that hers would have more to flaunt of themselves than she did. And that their grand entrance would go as smoothly as these.

The pale woman began to clean herself as her eyes drifted idly about the den in search of ideas for how to tidy it. Perhaps now was not the time to worry herself about it. Attempting to reel herself in, she turned her attention back onto the family with a wide smile meant for both new parents. "You both did wonderfully," she said, before eyeing Storm specifically with a wry look that seemed to say, See? Not alone.

"Try to take some ashanti pepper every day for the next few days. It should help hasten your overall recovery. The aloe can be applied whenever and wherever you're experiencing soreness. It might be nice in a few weeks, too...once their teeth come in." Genesis tried to hint at the herbs' uses without speaking too explicitly for all the ears around her to hear. A nervous giggle as she finally rose to step back from the new family and give them their space, placing herself somewhere between Isildur and @Thella ♔.

She even managed a shy look to the Queen, to whom she uttered sincerely: "Thank you." Though she did not know Thella was a mother, she sounded as if she had known all the right things to say.

It was then that @Lyla returned, much to Genesis' surprise and regret that she had missed the main event. Ah, but maybe it was for the best. She did not imagine that childbirth was something someone her age would have liked to see. Genesis smiled at her curiosity before addressing the new parents once again.

"You're welcome to stay here tonight and rest." And now, with her eyes upon Angelo's chewed-on shoulder: "At the very least...maybe one of us can help you with that."

(exit to shuffle around for herbs for Angelo because she's anxious and can't sit still)

text. "speech."

Art by Drifty | Table code by Zodiac

There was so much support coming from each of those gathered around her, Storm felt so loved. So much at home. In this moment, surrounded by her friends and holding her cubs, she was glad that she had not tried to return after she'd washed up on the shores of Amaryllis. This was well and truly her home now.

@Thella ♔'s reassurance was appreciated, and Storm realized that even though her senses still honed in on the lioness whenever they were in the same room, her heart hurt less when the woman was around than it did before. She had begun to fill that void with her cubs and with her love for her friends. Storm felt sure that someday, maybe not soon but someday, she could be satisfied with just calling the grey woman her friend.

"Thank you." She said in an exhausted voice to the Queen before the lioness retreated to give space to the new parents.

@Angelo asked for their names and Storm smiled. She looked over her four beautiful cubs and tried to call names to mind. It was such an important decision, she didn't want to use just any names.

The second one's name came to her first. She placed a paw on the forehead of the wriggling brown cub and stated. "This one can be Sloop, a name from my birth pride. May she always find her way through the raging seas of life."

Storm looked over the other three, carefully evaluating. The third cub's name came to her next and she mimicked what she had done for Sloop. "This one is Shanoa, a name that calls to grace and beauty. May she always be received with love and kindness."

Storm paused then to accept @Genesis' advice, doing her best to remember the herb that her friend referred to and catalog the instructions in her mind. She noted that the young @Lyla had returned, but she merely nodded in response to the cub's question, letting the other adults handle the cub's curiosity. Storm was much too tired.

The eldest and youngest cubs' names still escaped her, nothing seeming to quite fit. She turned to look at Angelo. "Would you like to name the other two?"

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY LARS

Goodness gracious, now he had four more little ones to give him heart attacks when they disappeared out of the den. Not that he was complaining! He guessed he could say they kept him young. He saw @Lyla hanging out in the entrance and shuffled back enough to make space, gesturing with a paw for her to come forward and look if she wished. And then his attention was drawn by @Storm, naming two of the little ones. He nodded in acceptance, committing their names to memory. Hmm, two more names... He thought back to his Valentine upbringing, rather far from his mind at this point since he'd spent so many years with the Savante, just enough coming back to him to give an answer.

How about... Nereo, which means water, kinda goes with Sloop yeah? he said, also thinking of how she had told him about her birth pride dipping the cubs in water, And... oh, Aniello. Means lamb.

Huh? What about his shoulder? Oh right, ow. He'd actually briefly forgotten about it in all the excitement and bustle, and now that he did remember it stung a bit. Okay maybe more than a bit, but he wasn't going to complain about it or anything. Sounds good, thanks, he agreed, moving over with her to get patched up. It wasn't like he didn't have a good view still, and Storm probably wanted to start getting some rest, he figured. He could only imagine how tiring that whole ordeal was. Welcome to parenting!

-exit angelo-