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Post by Mystic on Nov 22, 2009 23:22:23 GMT -5
Inside Myst was laying down. Had the pain been this intense last time? She didn't remember. They were away from camp, so she couldn't focus on the quiet anticipating voices of her packmates. She focused on a mockingbird's song, oblivious of what was taking place near his nest. The first pup was coming. How could she forget the pain? She couldn't stand it!
You're ok. she told herself. Just like last time.
Mystic felt herself getting light-headed. She snorted, trying to rid herself of the sensation. The laboring she-wolf had to focus! As she took in a fresh breath of air she smelled blood-too much blood. The first pup was birthed, but the pain only increased. Myst screamed, then smothered it by clamping her muzzle shut. No! She couldn't make Romeo worry!
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Post by Phantom on Nov 22, 2009 23:27:58 GMT -5
Even had she not made a sound, the smell of blood was unmistakable to one who had lived in for so long. Romeo froze, horrified as his morbid images came to life. He thrust his way into the den forcefully and instantly curled around her. Dammit! He drew his ears back tight and licked her feircely, comforting. "It's gonna be okay, Myst. Just stay calm." He breath. He could feel the unusual calm drape over him. He could feel himself just relaxing. It was a force of habit, from needing to force himself into the calm so many times before. Now was a perfect time to use it. "I'm here for you."
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Post by Mystic on Nov 22, 2009 23:35:34 GMT -5
Mystic leaned against Romeo, eyes closed tightly and fangs bared. She looked like she was fighting the hardest battle in her life. "The...pup..." She managed to rasp out. Their first born was covered in blood and squealing helplessly. At least it was breathing. Mystic pressed herself into Romeo's fur as the next pup came. And with it more pain and more blood. She began to whimper and whine almost as pitifully as her newborn pup. Romeo's mate was fighting through a hazy fog of blood loss and pain to get her pups delivered. Instinct had taken over and that was all that mattered: the pups.
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Post by Phantom on Nov 22, 2009 23:53:48 GMT -5
Romeo snarled. "They don't matter." was his cold response, ears drawn back tight. But despite his reluctance, he leaned down and licked the pups clean. He hated the taste of blood asit came to his tongue, and many times pulled back in disgust. For the first time since he'd left his pack, he wanted to kill one of his own kind. He would rather slaughter the pups coming than have Mystic killed for them. But he accepted her wishes and pushed the helpless bundles towards her, fur standing on end and fangs bared. He resisted the temptation to lash out, and yanked back, keeping himself a ways away to resist the integrated instinct.
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 0:05:39 GMT -5
The next two were born like the first, covered in blood and squealing for milk. The first, even when his fur was licked clean, was red. Red like Mystic's Uncle Jasper, in fact. Another looked a bit like Sunstorm, and the third looked exactly like his father. The next pup came squealing as well, though she was very quiet. As if she could sense her father's rage and was trying to make herself as little known as possible. She was the spitting image of her mother.
That was when Myst's strength began to fail. Her breathing became heavy, more labored. The pups were coming on their own accord now. Three more came. All were silent, still, and unmoving. They would never open their mouths and cry with their littermates.
Mystic opened her eyes half-way. They were clouded with pain. Yet, all the same, a sparkle of happiness appeared in them. "So...beauti..." She didn't have the strength to finish her setence. She collapsed against Romeo again. "Get...Sol..." She knew she was in trouble. And for all she knew, her pups could be in trouble as well.
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Post by Phantom on Nov 23, 2009 0:14:55 GMT -5
A snarl ripped from Romeo's throat, body tense with extreme hatred. Seeing the stillborns, he leapt for one, grabbing it in his jaws, holding one half down by its tail as he butchered the never-live body. Shaking, he stood over the remnants, fur standing so much on end, he looked like he'd gotten struck by lightning. Had it not been in this situation, nor so threatening, it might look funny. Turning back to glare coldly at her, his blood-stained jaws rippled with such an intense snarl, he almost resembled his old Alpha. "No more pups. Not ever." He forbid, before turning right around and racing from the den to find Sol. He could never hate Mystic, but those... those horrid little things that were killing her... he could not return back to the den after getting Sol. He would kill more than those already dead.
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 0:30:48 GMT -5
Mystic let out a weak, alarmed yelp. She could do much, just try to nudge her pups closer to protect them from their own father. She was too weak to do even that, sadly. Mystic just set her head down against the den floor and tried to focus on staying awake. Staying alive. For her pups, and for Romeo. She told herself that Romeo was just upset. As soon as she was better he'd snap out of it. Hopefully. Mystic didn't want to have to keep her own mate from seeing his pups, but she would if he proved to be a danger to them.
It'll be ok. Mystic told herself. She looked at her pups through blurred, half-closed eyes. It'll be ok.
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Post by Phantom on Nov 23, 2009 0:40:37 GMT -5
Sol slipped into the den not long after, panting. He jolted at the sight and quickly lay down behind Mystic, pressing his snout against her fur and instantly spreading a soothing, warm feeling through her. As he healed her, he glanced over at the three dead pups. He curled them towards him with his tail, thoughtful. "Do you want these ones too?" He asked softly. Even if she said no, he would probably take them to adopt himself. Like he did with most stillborn pups hefound abandoned.
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 0:47:18 GMT -5
"Yes." Mystic said as her strength began to return to her. Thank the stars for Sol! She raised her head to look at her pups. The ones that had been born fully alive seemed healthy and were suckling nicely. Six pups in all, counting the still-borns. She'd be busy for quite some time. Especially if they were as lively as her last litter.
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Post by Phantom on Nov 23, 2009 0:52:44 GMT -5
In a few more seconds, two of the three still-borns would join their siblings. But Sol was still studying the last one. The one that had been shredded in half. He was sitting with his tail curled around his paws, looking at the mutilated body. He let out a sad sigh and finally brought his muzzle to it and it was brought to its siblings, completely alive and happy. Sol glanced up at Mystic, frowning. "Romeo asked to stay back at his old pack for a while." He informed her, moving to a stand.
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 1:04:33 GMT -5
Mystic's eyes clouded with sadness. "That's fine." She pushed the other pups towards her. They began suckling as well, ignorant to the fact that just a few moments before there wasn't a breath of life in their bodies. The former still-borns looked healthy otherwise. One looked a bit like Hemitite, yet it seemed Romeo had dominanted the pup's features otherwise. The other two seemed to be exactly alike. They both looked like a mix of herself and Sunstorm. Mystic's gene pool was starting to show through. Yet at the moment she really didn't care. They were healthy. "I wish he would have stayed to at least get a good look at all of them.."
Mystic sighed and laid her head down. She'd be returning to the dens a bit early, she decided. Though it couldn't hurt to spend one day with her pups. At least long enough for her to give them names.
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Post by Phantom on Nov 23, 2009 1:15:34 GMT -5
Sol frowned softly. "He... migh not come back." He whimpered softly, drawing his ears back tight. "He was all bloody... said he didn't want to hurt you or anything... Bleaknight... he wants to kill him for coming back." Sol sighed, ducking his head in shame. He didn't like the idea of telling the still-young mother something like this.
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 1:22:38 GMT -5
"W-What?! That...that MORONIC BASTARD!" Mystic snarled. It wasn't too clear who the bastard was. Romeo or Bleaknight. She reluctantly nudged her pups away. They all began squealing again, mouths open and wanting milk. "Can you help me get them back to the dens? They'll be safe there." She was going after her mate. Of course. Yet Myst couldn't help but think about her little ones. What if she never came back? Well...the pack would care for them, at least. "I've got to go after him." Myst flattened her ears. She couldn't bring herself to blame this on her little pups. Why couldn't she just have been stronger? "Stupid, stupid..."
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Post by Phantom on Nov 23, 2009 1:26:33 GMT -5
Sol growled softly, aiming to gently push her back. Of course his growl wasn't all too threatening, but it wasn't meant to be. He just wanted her to stay put. "Stay here. I'll push him back here. Don't worry. Just don't leave your pups." He whimpered, ears back tight. "Just... calm down." He moved to slink off, hoping she wouldn't follow. This was just gonna be greeaat...
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Post by Mystic on Nov 23, 2009 1:39:41 GMT -5
If Sol thought he could keep Mystic, who was mad as hell and had just birthed six pups, in the den away from her mate he had another thing coming. She snarled after him and picked up the Hemitite-Romeo mix, the one that Romeo had ripped in half, and carried him towards the dens.
"Mother! Where have y...what is that?" Magic's eyes widened as he stared at the pup.
Mystic set the pup down. "His name is Dandre. There are more. Come help me and I'll explain on the way back."
Magic enlisted Juliet's help. Mystic explained everything to her pups and they helped her carry them back to the dens. Each one was given their name when they reached the dens. The Romeo look-a-like was named Shadow; the Myst look-a-like, Dove; the Sunstorm look-a-like was named Sunleaf in honor of her grandmother; the twin pups were named Rosedew and Lilyfrost. The first born was the last to be set down and the last to be given his name.
"Starblood." Mystic said. Then she and her two pups took off towards the Blackshadow border.
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