Next puppy in next post.
All the noise and the increasing number of wolves was beginning to stress Hotaru out. Her instincts screamed for her to drive them out. She was vulnerable, her pups were vulnerable. It almost didn't matter that Levent was their father or that Dalgina was her friend. They were a danger to the pups, or so her instincts claimed. Deep in her mind, Hotaru knew it was silly and felt bad about growling at both of them, especially Dalgina. Dalgina was a puppy, she probably didn't understand why Hotaru had rejected her so.
Fawkes's refusal to help take Dalgina out of the room irritated Hotaru, but Levent's gentle words helped calm Hotaru down. At least one had left, if only partially. The males soothing gestures and messaging hands really did help though. Giving birth was a painful and agonizing experience. It would have been downright frightening if it weren't for the darkness. The blind female found it strange that the darkness she had once cursed gave her a sense of comfort. However, she didn't have time to ponder the strange feeling.
With the birth of her first puppy, Hotaru felt both relieved and exhausted. She lay still on the furs as she listened to Levent describe her daughter. Pure white. The sound of something scratching drifted into the room and one of the mother's ears flicked towards Dalgina. She could hear the chirping of the birds as they conversed in low speech. Fawkes said something to Dalgina, but Hotaru was too tired to try and translate. Another spasm hit her body, but it wasn't as bad as before.
Hotaru couldn't be happier when her daughter was handed back to her. She brought the pup close to her chest so it could nurse while they waited for the next pup to arrive. Hotaru licked the tiny wolf again and listened as she cried out in response. Hotaru whined, letting her daughter know everything would be fine, telling her who her mother was. "A name. She needs a name." Hotaru had picked out a name, several in fact that she liked, but none she could recall. The new mother lay with her suckling puppy, unable to think of a name to give her.
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