This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of [Birth, Blood]

For days now the Queen had been getting dull aches to little shots of lightening shooting through her pelvic area as the little ones rearranged themselves and prepared for their birth. Today though, the dull aches were gone, she was alternating between standing and pacing to laying down and panting, her sides were shaking with every breath, and she waited until the was sure it was true labor to call out to @Ryker. Though it was strained, she chuffed, before moving inside of their den, with a groan, she let her head lay down on the soft moss shed gathered.

It wasn't too long after that the first was born, a large female with chartreux fur and Levanas leucism, the mother cleaned her off and nosed her to her stomach, before wincing as another painful shock entered her pelvis. This time a beautiful boy bathed in darkness made its way into the world, she gently cleaned the blood from him and smiled once his tiny mouth opened and he let out a war cry, "Hush now darling, you're safe."She murmured to her son before he too joined his sisters side, the mother watched the two cub with a deep love for them already, her vision was blurring again as pain began its way through her body, and she prepared for another cub.

It only took about an hour and a half for the last two cubs to be born, another beautiful Chartreux girl of medium size, and a large lilac male, they both clambered over their siblings, Al four strong, healthy, and now fast asleep after they had fed, Levana had for the moment took the time for a much needed nap, but she was only half asleep, her head laid down beside the little bundles, a smile still on her lips.


(ANYONE IS WELCOME)

She'd been restless lately, and he'd kept close, not venturing too far from the rainforest if he didn't have to. Having never spent so much time around an expectant mother, he wasn't all that certain what to expect at any stage, but supposed the main event must be approaching. So he was nearby when she called, and stationed himself at then entrance to the den. Firnen was (frustratingly) small, so he didn't expect a crowd, but he still felt he had the right to be the first, aside from their mother, to see what they'd created.

Two was what she'd predicted, and the first was similar to his own color, followed by a shadow. Black did run in his family, so that was no surprise, but the next was a brighter color than expected (though he knew his own fur had a greenish cast in the right light). It was the last one that might have raised more uncomfortable questions in his mind if it didn't share his own markings. Purple, as far as he knew, had never popped up in his own line, so he could only assume it existed in hers somewhere.

Four was what they ended up with. Four tiny, squirming, bundles of fur, and he was suddenly very aware he was a father. It hadn't been quite real before, and now it was a bit surreal - something he'd never exactly planned, but found intriguing all the same.

When all seemed accounted for, he would move inside. First, to touch his nose to his queen's forehead, then to sniff and nudge and inspect each little newborn, regardless of any indignant squeaks at the interruption of their first meal, or first nap. Satisfied they all seemed whole and healthy, he'd shift around to lay himself out behind @Levana, resting his chin on her shoulder where he could watch both the cubs and the den entrance. She'd earned a rest, they could discuss names and such in a bit.

The total number of children surprised her, but not only that, she had two girls, girls were a rarity in her line, it's why her and Lilliana had been such a welcomed surprise, when @Ryker came into the front of the den, she lifts her had, watching as he inspects the children. She can see the sudden realization of reality, and she recognizes it so well because as the labor had started, it had hit her like a water buffalo, the realization of being a parent was strong and it was strong once face to face with her children.

The ache in her pelvic area was subsiding but hadn't totally went away, and when she tried to reposition so he could squeeze inside she inhaled a bit, but any bit of pain disappeared as soon as his muzzle touches her forehead. She closes her eyes and her body relaxes, releasing any tension it had built up, her eyes open as he removes his muzzle, watching as he sniffs and turns over each cub, their squeaks of protest bringing a smile to her lips. "My family was cursed..its extremely rare to have even one Cub, but four..and males are more common. "

She nudges the children back to her stomach, letting them start suckling once again, her attentions stas on the cubs, until she feels his head snake over her shoulder, this causing her to turn and kiss his cheek softly before pulling away to lay her head down. "Theyre perfect.."

Cursed, she said, but this didn't seem to be evidence toward the idea. Ryker wasn't sure he believed in curses, anyway, but he did have a meanly funny thought. Maybe breaking away from the family broke this bloodline curse. Realistically, it was far more likely to be natural fertility issues in the family for whatever reason, but he couldn't help being amused by the thought that by disowning her, they'd improved her chances in this area.

Didn't seem the right moment to voice that thought though.

The amused smirk on his face came before, "Well, maybe the secret is just trying a lot," instead. His own family was a pretty good mix, as far as he knew, but he'd never really investigated it much. He knew he had several aunts and uncles, and a couple siblings, and that was as far as he'd ever really looked on purpose. All other knowledge had come from bits and pieces collected from listening to his father talk about the family.

"We're gonna have our paws full once they start learning to walk." There were probably plenty of other things living in the rainforest that would love to make a quick meal of a tiny cub, so things were about to get very interesting for a while. Nevermind the fact he was well aware of what he and his siblings had been like while small. Getting into everything, terrorizing their parents, fighting each other (mostly play but sometimes very serious).

@Levana

Though she was not looking at him, she could hear the smirk on his lips as he spoke, she nodded gently and watched as their lilac son clambered over his siblings, all four now squirming and hissing, their daughters pushing at him and giving squeaks of protests. She snorted and gave each one gentle licks before lifting her head up and turning slightly to nuzzle him. "Well, we didn't exactly try but there was a lot of trying involved." She giggled and gently teased him, unable to not smirk at her own playfulness.

He goes on to say how they'll have full paws once the cubs can walk and she nods gently, "They will definitely need to be watched often. I can see them being trouble makers." She gestures to the squabbling siblings, each angrily hissing and spitting blindly at each other, "Cant keep calling them 'they' though, any ideas for names?" She asks softly, thinking to herself on what to name the four bundles, "They will be obviously taking your last name." She had decided after coming to the conclusion she was technically nameless in surname categories.

Ah, the smell of birth weighed heavily on the air that filled the rainforest. She had been infatuated with the young lioness that had welcomed her into her pride. Even more so with the thought of the young that would be at their paws. The Black often raised their cubs with their family as support. Blood may not tie the two, but there is something that does and that is what urged the lioness from her dark den and into the open.

Her pace had been set to slow as her figure would slink about the heavy foliage. Her nose lead a trail toward the cover in which she was sure the birth had taken place. Along the way, she'd pause only long enough to snag a freshly stored rabbit from the cache.

She didn't want to arrive empty-handed after all. When she was sure the most private of parts was over, she'd approach, then hare dropped softly at the den opening. "Congratulations." Her voice was soft as she was careful to not wake any newborn cub. "Is there anything I can do?"

@Levana @Ryker

CODE • BG

Trying but not trying. Yeah, that covered it pretty well. The possibility had always lingered in the back of his mind, because he wasn't so foolish as to think they'd carry on like that forever without cubs.

"Well, they do come from a long line of trouble makers." At least on his side. Though arguments could be made for the trouble-maker-ness of her own. They were already starting, it seemed. Jostling and squirming and hissing at each other, he could imagine the sibling squabbles they had ahead of them as the cubs grew. "No toes or ankles will be safe for a while."

Names, though, those were difficult. He definitely didn't want to be one of those parents that saddled their kid with something stupid for life. Ryker hummed in thought, watching the newborns, "Haider, for the black one." A good strong name, so the boy might grow up strong. "The other boy...Lucifer, for my grandfather." A man who, by his father's account, had struck out on his own and built a family for himself, and laid the foundations for their semi-nomadic life. A hope for strength and independence.

The sound of someone else approaching, and the hint of the unique scent he'd caught around the territory, distracted him from thinking about names for the girls. But, then, @Levana should have a say, as well. At least the new arrival had the sense to remain outside the den, and she'd even brought a snack. "You wouldn't happen to be a healer or know any good recovery herbs, would you?" Probably not, their luck wasn't often that good, but there was little harm in asking.

@Ruin

She giggles as he speaks of the suffering of limbs that lay ahead as the cubs grow, her head leans back to rest against his neck, soon enough the cubs would quiet down again, their silence followed by the sound of suckling.

Haider, for the black one. She nods gently, agreeing to his suggestion, it was only right he name the boys after all, they would be his heirs if things kept the way they were. Her attention went down to the little chartreux girls, a gentle hum in her throat as she thought. The other boy...Lucifer, for my grandfather. Again she would nod, "I like those names." She gently spoke, not wanting to disrupt the children again, her attention was slowly taken from naming her newborns when the scent of @Ruin slowly made its way near the entrance, along with the scent of food, in the midst of labor, shed not even thought of food, but now she was ravenous, her stomach growling only further proved this.

The voice at the entrance was familiar and she smiled, glad I went someone masking a scent, "You can come in, if you would like to see them." She gently offered the woman, she would go and get herself herbs later on.

It was in that moment when the attention had turned to her and the brute's question hung in the air- that she felt foolish for an approach with only a meal. Eyes dropped to the rabbit she had brought as toes wiggled against the hard ground. "Only enough to dull an ache." She had learned it from an early age due to her disease. She suffered from headaches and the occasional blackout. Certain plants kept the migraines at bay.

However, the urge to fetch would be stilled as the offer to see the cubs was given. A smile tipped her lips upward as she ducked into the entrance- bringing the carcass in with her to leave at the new mother's side. Her gaze quickly melted over each wiggling body. "They are perfect." It seemed a distant, cruel, dream to have a litter of her own.


@Levana @Ryker

CODE • BG

A quiet hum came at her approval, "Only fair for you to name the girls, I think." Two and two was an even split, though he hadn't really meant to make it between the boys and the girls.

As for their visitor, he sighed lightly - not in disappointment at her, but a wry sort of sound more at their luck than anything else. "Well, it was a nice thought." He watched as she moved forward, invited to see and to bring the food closer. She belonged to Firnen, but he knew nothing about her, and so he wasn't able to fully relax like @Levana. Pride member or not, it was still effectively a stranger very close to his very fresh newborns.

She seemed excited over them, though. Soft. The sharp edge of his gaze dulled after a moment, smoothing back out into something more neutral. If she hurt any of them, he'd surely spread that pretty pelt out on the floor of their den, but she seemed harmless enough so far.

@Ruin