Heart Of The Woods

Cian had been out hunting… again. It had become nearly impossible now to satisfy his wife’s endless appetite and varying cravings so characteristic of pregnancy. Was it any wonder that she was insatiable when she carried four pups? So when the fiery brute heard the urgent howl for assistance, Cian was not surprised. And while this was not the first time, the father’s heart jumped in his throat. He abandoned the scent trail he had been following to run back to the cabin, just in time to see Summit and Clover’s arrival. He was only seconds behind them. ”Clove! I’m coming!”

He was by her side in a flash, ready to support her weight. With no time for pleasantries, Cian looked to Willow, who was as calm as could be, along with little Rowan. The midwife spoke: ”Let’s go inside and meet some new pups!” She had already prepared a bed inside for Clover. Willow knew intimately what it was like to give birth in earthen dens, and was glad she could provide her dear friend this comfort as she lead them inside. Upon the bed waited a bowl of herbs that would help to soothe Clover’s agony. ”When the contractions get bad, feel free to munch on some of these. It’ll help to relax the muscles.” Willow would be there to assist, but Clover was practically a professional when it came to giving birth. The healer knew she wouldn’t have to do much to support, not like the first litter that had nearly killed Clover.

Clover’s harrowing first birth still lingered in Cian’s memories, too. He had nearly lost the love of his life and their newborns two years ago. As before, he would silently worry that it would be another batch of giants. His genetic contribution tended to be oversized infants, just as he had been, and Summit and Soraya, too. Summit remained outside, having no interest in seeing anything more until his new baby siblings were born. As the rest of them entered the cabin, the youth called out to Clover, ”Good luck, Mama.”

A comfortable bed was already waiting, and Cian ushered his suffering spouse to it, assisting her to climb in. "You got this, Clove," he whispered reassuringly into her ear, standing beside the bed with excited - albeit nervous - garnet sights. "I love you. I'm here."



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

It was like a whirlwind all over again, everything happening in slow-motion yet all at once. Summit raised his voice into a howl to alert the family of the emergency. Clover was struggling to move and her son quickly stepped on saying he had to carry her. She nodded in agreement, which was all she could do before she was lifted off of her feet. One of the best advantages of having extra large sized babies was that they became extra large sized adults and Summit was able to move her hardly without any effort. In what felt like the blink of an eye they were in front of the cabin and a sea of faces was there to greet them as she was helped off of her grand chariot.

Clover felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet as the pain only worsened. She could only think of how lucky she was to have so many surrounding her and ready to help as she needed. “Cian, hi. Fancy meeting you like this." She honed in on her crimson-eyed mate, smiling at him through the agony, knowing that on the other side of it all would be the precious four additions that her dreams had promised. She leaned on Willow slightly as well as they guided her to a plush bed that had been prepared just for her. “Oh, this...this is so lovely...you're the best, Willow..." She panted as she lowered herself into it, like resting up on a sea of clouds.

There was more movement out of the corner of her eye and she looked over to see Rowan there as well. “Hello there, Rowan. Aghh! Ouch...ah, thank you for...for being here." Her mind went back to the day the eldest twins were born...then it had been Nephele and Willow at her age. It was so strange how time had slipped by all of them with the new generation taking the roles that were once theirs. She looked up as she heard a voice at the doorway and spied Summit as he called out to her. “Love you, Sum-...oof!" These pups were wasting no time, it seemed and she was already feeling the need to push. Clover lapped up the herbs from the bowl and turned her gaze up towards Cian, pressing one last kiss to his muzzle before she started to brace herself, closing her eyes tight. She drew in a deep breath and then strained as hard as she possibly could as she felt a contraction.

The firstborn of this litter was a difficult start, yet nothing she hadn't done before. It came quickly, cries filling the room and Clover started to lift herself to be able to clean and tend to the infant, but a wave of gut wrenching pain forced her back down. She gritted her teeth and screamed behind them, not realizing how quickly the second pup would be arriving after the first. By the time she laid eyes upon either of them, there were two and she tended to each of them swiftly cleaning each of them with the precision of an experienced mother. She then lifted her head, a broad smile brightening her face as she faced Cian while drawing the first ginger-golden colored pup in closer to her. “Meet your son...and another beautiful baby girl..." She settled the second pup fur the color of autumn next to the first, their cries hushed by the presentation of an opportunity to nurse.

After the smallest of breaks, there came another round of pressure, that horrible familiar feeling that made her think her body split her body in two. The third pup was the most painful and she might make the joke in later years that this one was fighting to stay in the comfort of her womb now that the other two had been evicted. After several pushes and much her her energy exhausted, a pup arrived that was unlike any other of theirs that she had seen. Mostly white with splotchy golden-red coloring, the pup was so very unique and Clover felt her heart swell with pride at just how gorgeous all of their children truly were.

“A girl..." She announced, weariness obvious in her tone before she lay herself down on her side, trying to catch her breath after such a physically intense ordeal. After a while, she breathed in deep and let it go...no other pups had arrived and she herself up, confusion knitting her brows together. There were currently three of them...and she didn't feel as though she were done with her labor...she also didn't feel her body making any moves to continue expelling aside from the occasional twinge of her inner muscles.

Clover lifted her front half slightly, gripping onto the pillows as she decided to conjure up all of her strength to push again. Suddenly, another pup, the last one came tumbling into the world, but...there was not a peep from the tiny bundle. "Cian...?" Her voice trembled as she dared look at the babe and saw that this was the little one that looked the closest to Daisy. She started to lick at it and try to warm its little body and wasn't seeing any signs of life. “W-what do I-?" Her pink gaze turned into Willow and Rowan helplessly. “What do I do? I don't know what to do!" The mother's voice rose, clearly starting to panic over the newborn that seemed to be perfectly still.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Cian and Clover had come a long way. Two years ago, the pair found themselves accidental parents. New life arrived to humble beginnings in earthen dens for both previous litters. Now, they were protected from the elements, safe and warm. Clover deserved a rare moment of luxury. As before, Cian couldn’t help but worry internally. His genetic contribution tended to be oversized newborns, just as he had been, and Summit and Soraya, too. But it was his job to be calm – or at least to appear calm for Clover’s sake as she writhed and suffered for the sake of their family. There was nothing more he could do as she began to push.

After agonizing minutes, a child was born and another swiftly followed. The first pups looked like their parents, one with a soft sandstone coat and the other dressed in ember hues. Yet, they looked distinctly different from Clover and Cian, and not exactly like their older siblings, either. Clover announced proudly: a son and a daughter. ”A boy and a girl,” he murmured, surprised. There hadn’t been a son since Summit… not that the boy was any more or less precious than his sisters. Each was precious to their father, who give each a soft nuzzle as they nestled in close together. ”They’re beautiful, Clove. Just like their Mama.”

A third pup soon arrived, and as Clover cleaned the infant, an unusual coat was revealed. Cian had never seen anything like her pelt before, certainly not in his own family that he knew of. For a moment, he was speechless. She was mostly white, with patches of color like a sunset sky. Cian greeted this daughter the same way, with gentle affection. “She’s magical.” Cian was relieved to see that while these infants were big, they weren’t giants. It meant only one remained, and it was destined to be petite.

It seemed that Clover’s labor had ended, and like his wife, Cian was puzzled. Maternal instinct would prevail, and she pushed again to deliver the last pup, their tenth. It was a runt, tiny just as Clover had described - even smaller than Fern had been when they found her. Willow was astonished. Four! She had never seen a litter so big. Clover had known all along.

But… Unlike the many siblings that had preceded the last of the litter, this one hadn’t made a peep, none of the usual complaints of newborns. This pup didn’t squirm and wriggle around like rest. Understandably, Clover began to panic, and it felt like his heart stopped beating for a few seconds that felt like hours as he watched his wife attend to the tiny pup. The last born of the litter didn’t make a single sound. Willow began to rush forward to assist, but before she could get there, Cian leaned his face down to nuzzle the seemingly lifeless pup. A girl. And she was still warm. The father noticed the gentle rise and fall of the newborn’s chest, barely perceptible at all. ”Wait…” Cian’s large muzzle gave the silent pup a nudge — not hard enough to hurt the infant, but with force meant to rouse, which caused the runt to chirp like a summer bug. A deep sigh of relief parted his lips as he led the pup to her mother’s side alongside her siblings. ”She’s alright, see? So tiny, just like in your dreams. She chirps just like a little cricket.”

Willow smiled with relief. The midwife came over to check on Clover. Finding nothing concerning, she regarded her friend with a grin. ”No more surprise babies in there, right?” Her attention turned to the four newborns as she looked them over. ”Everyone looks good and healthy! Congratulations! I’ll be by again this evening to check in. Howl if you need anything.” With a final smile, Willow would usher Rowan out of the cottage to give the parents their privacy.

The room grew quiet, save for the gentle noises the pups made, the sweetest whines and squeaks that Cian loved so much. He laid his cheek against Clover's delicate facade to whisper: "You're amazing, Clove."



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

She couldn't lose another child, she just couldn't! All she could feel was the bone-chilling dread finding a grip on her, tears springing forth as her panicked eyes flickered around to someone, anyone to help. She saw movement of a golden pelt, but Cian suddenly stepped forward, lowering his snout and giving the pup one strong nudge. The sound of the newborn's chirp caused Clover to choke on a sob that had been caught in her throat. It was the sweetest little cry she had ever heard and she immediately bent her neck to nuzzle into the wee bundle. “Ohhhhoho...ohhh, oh dear, just like a little cricket! Yes, exactly like one! Precious girl..." She sniffled, trying to reign herself in after the emotional outburst.

The mother looked up at first to Cian and then to Willow with gratitude touching her features. She offered a small smile to Rowan as well, hoping that she hadn't given the girl a fright. As always, it seemed that her births were quite eventful. When Willow asked if there were anymore surprise babies, Clover chuckled softly and shook her head. “No, this is it." She nodded with certainty, given that the four infants were the spitting image of the ones she'd dreamed of. Loving orbs of soft pink admired the litter as they all found their place to nurse. Or course, Cricket seemed to need some additional help, but they were soon all settled. She smiled to herself, realizing she'd already chosen a name for one of them, thanks to her husband.

Clover looked back over to Willow as she gathered herself and Rowan to leave them. “Thank you, Willow, truly." She emphasized, holding the other woman's green gaze as long as she would allow her to. Eventually she wished to have a moment alone with her friend again...it felt like ages since they'd last spoken. Soon enough, it was herself, her mate, and the newest additions to their family. Cian nestled his face against hers and she tilted her head to give the side of his muzzle a few slow tender kisses. “Thank you...for staying with me through it all." Clover murmured softly, her words of appreciation holding a far deeper meaning to them beyond the birthing of a new generation.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A tremendous sigh of relief escaped his lungs, relieved to see Clover’s panic subsiding as each of the litter found their place at her side. “Thank you...for staying with me through it all." ”There’s nowhere else in the world I would rather be.” Not for the first time, Cian understood: this was as close to heaven as any wolf could reach. ”I’m proud of you, Clove. You’re the most amazing…” Ah, those happy emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He didn’t know if these would be the last of their gigantic brood – three litters in as many years would have likely overwhelmed most parents, but despite how unexpected their new roles had been, they had both risen to the occasion.

For a lingering moment, Cian gazed down upon their newest offspring. The difference in size from the largest to littlest was remarkable, and though the more robust of the newborns were certainly big, they didn’t quite match the absurd size that Summit and Soraya had been upon arrival. Funny how their firstborn was the biggest of their brood, while the last was by far the smallest.Their pelts were a beautiful mixture of embers and sand – with one little oddball dressed in merle patterns. She was a little bigger than her three littermates, but her coat caused her to stick out dramatically among her siblings. He mused aloud, ”I wonder where that came from.” No one in his family looked like that, nor Clover’s. Perhaps she really was as magical as she seemed, another blessing of the Fae. The only boy of the litter looked a great deal like Clover, which Cian noted with a smile. ”And another little Clover. But in boy form.”

The third girl was the spitting image of Cian – and one of her big sisters. ”She looks a lot like Raya.” Whether Soraya would be pleased or upset was yet to be seen. As before, the older ones would be given the opportunity to name their new siblings. But there was one infant who had already named herself, and both parents had already decided: ”We should call our tiny girl Cricket.”

After blissful moments had passed, the giant would inquire: ”Are you ready to introduce our littles to our not-so-littles?” Once Clover was in agreement, Cian would move away carefully and to the cabin’s front door. He pushed it open and took a few steps out. Still smiling, he tilted his head back to call out, howling for the rest of the Eithne clan to join. He was a little apprehensive how some of the children would respond… The news of impending pups had not been well received by all. But it had been just the same the year before, when their eldest met the second litter, some of them had misgivings. And now they were all close. So the father wolf had no doubt it would be the same this time around.

As the younger Eithnes began to arrive, Cian would return to the warmth of the cabin to stand beside his wife’s bed, proud.



@Clover @Journey @Fern @Summit @Soraya

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck