The Light Shines Through
#1
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skye's having puppies, yay! all welcome! dated the in the afternoon.

Skye had known that her pups were due soon; she knew for the past week, so she had retired for a moment or so from doing the work that she would normally do. She could only hope that the pack could help itself for a few days - she had felt horrible about it, and made sure to do the tasks that she could in the meantime, but what was done was done. Shawchert had left the pack to go on a journey, and Skye knew that with the upcoming birth and the mingling members of the pack, she'd have to work harder afterwards to -

"Oh!" the female gasped, clutching her stomach. It felt like something was tightening in her body - not her stomach, although that was the closest thing to it. She thought she remembered what this was called; a contraction? Whatever it was, it hurt, it brought pain. Skye tried to fight it, but it grew worse; finally, after what seemed like an eternity, it stopped. She, now kneeling, tried to pick herself up and managed to drag herself to her room, where she collapsed on her bed. She could feel that another spasm of pain was going to wrack her body, soon, and she felt herself begin to panic. She'd never had pups before, ever; this was her first time, and she felt that now she suddenly wasn't ready.

"Bangle!" she cried, hoping it was enough to send her mate to her.

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#2
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+3. MOVE OUTTA THE WAY, I'MA FATHER.


The morning filled the former gypsy with doubt, so much so that he awoke before the sun did and watch it rise with his troubling thoughts. Crickets still chirped their melody, which seemed almost empty in the coywolf's large and goofy ears. What bothered Bangle more, though, were his thoughts of leaving forever, like many others in Cercatori had done recently. A part of him, however, felt the tug of responsibility to the pack - a certain dedication he had never felt prior to being accepted into the pack. He supposed the other members felt the same, in the loyal sense, to see potential to grow. Like a seed in the ground, when nurtured would bloom into something big and beautiful and bright - in due time.

Cercatori d'Arte was much like a flower yet to bloom, in a sense, and as Bangle found himself in his oak tree early that day, he chuckled. Perhaps the analogy wasn't as beautiful or poetic as he imagined it... chances are he was watching Skye in the garden one too many times. If their goat hadn't been munching on the woman's budding fruits and vegetables, the coywolf wouldn't have had need to take time out of his day to babysit the creature.

No matter what went through Bangle's mind, though, he knew he'd have to face it someday. As he watched, almost waited, for the light to come, the male found himself rather anxious. It would be any day, anytime, now. He was glad to have returned from his trip to AniWaya just in time, with gifts he kept well hidden from the orange-haired woman. His only hope was that she would like them as much as he thought she would: Plush animal furs for bedding and warmth, beautiful beaded necklaces, cooking bowls and writing utensils a-plenty. But most importantly, there was an item Bangle had been working on, and fear of her discovering it led him to keep it under his skirt folds at all times. For a moment, his hand drifted over the spot he hid the object, idly tracing its round outline. The male hoped she would like it the most, eyes focusing straight ahead of him. Soon, the light would come.

And then he heard the call, not just of his mate needing him... but his call to a new life. With a rustle of leaves, his shadowy form disappeared from the branches, as if being carried off by the wind. And, as he burst open the door to her abode in a frenzy and crossed the house to find her form on the bed, he knew.

He was finally ready.


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#3
(wc: 5+)
The white male had known the female was near giving birth. He'd been there when his mother had birthed Willow, he himself had been there with Kira when she'd given birth to their pups. Shawchert had said there as a healer in the pack already, but Tal wanted to check on the leader anyways. He wasn't the healer his mother had been, but he kept learning. Maybe one of these days, he'd make his way to the other packs and learn what he could from their leaders. He shifted his pack on his shoulders and continued down the way to Skye's house.

A cry rang out, and Tal froze. She'd called for Bangle, her mate. He mentally shook himself. bangle was nice, but Tal didn't know if he had any experience with this. And from the sound of it, she needed some kind of help. He let himself in the front door, making his way to where Skye and bangle were. Tal smiled uneasily, unsure of how the father-to-be would take his presence. "I...uh...came to see if I could help." He lifted his pack straps. "I have some herbs and stuff...."

He glanced at the woman on the bed who's distended belly looked uncomfortable. His uncomfortable posture changed just slightly into something more decisive. He set the bag on the floor, kneeling and removing the tincture of willow bark he'd made. He knew he wouldn't have the time to make tea, but this would do as well. He stood again, holding it out to Bangle. "Help her drink this. It's a tincture of willow bark and lemon grass. It will help with the pain."

He began rummaging through his pack again, looking for the sweet smelling herbs he'd brought. He lifted his gaze to the leader. "You need to relax, ma'am. I know it's hard, what with the pain and all... but I have some different things here to help with that." He gave a self-conscious smile. "I've helped with birthings a few times. Been present at them more than I've helped in them, but I helped deliver Liam and his sisters into this world. I hope you can trust me to help you. I'm not trying to take Bangle's place here...I'm just helping make this easier for you."

He set a handful of sage and lavender of the floor, then glanced at Bangle. "I'd like to burn these while she's in labour...the smells will keep her relaxed. Do you have a stone or glass bowl I could use?" Without waiting for an answer, he reached into his pack again, removing a few small stones, one of which was on a string. He laid them out in reach and view of Skye. "Malachite, rose quartz, and amythest. Mom always told me they were good energy for women in labour. And this one," he held up the pendant, "is moonstone. She helps with feminine energy, and keeps a person calm. May I put it around your neck?"

He had asked if anyone would be offended by his religious practices, some of which were directly tied into his healing skills. He had learned from his mother, who had been the shaman and one of the founding leaders of Phoenix valley. She had learned some skills from Fatin, and learned many others from books and the like.
#4
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Skye breathed a small breath of relief when she saw that her mate had come to her by her side when she had called. She looked up to him, her eyes bright with both fear and excitement - today was the day, the day that she would be a mother. "They're coming," she whispered.

She was cut off by another wave of wracking pain, sending shivers down her abdomen and causing her to wince once more. She closed her eyes and dug her claws into the sheets of the bed that she lay on; she hadn't worn clothes that day, and now she was glad. She didn't think about that, however, and tried to hide the pain, but the look on her face would clearly give it away. The pain lasted longer than the last had - she thought it would never end. Finally, however, it passed, and when she opened her eyes, there was a white wolf in front of her.

She thought that she had seen him around a few times; she knew his name, Taliesin dir Rhiannon. To her surprise, the man brought out several things that he said would help; she hadn't known that he was a healer of sorts, only that he was a friend of Shawchert's and came into the pack. She was grateful for this miracle, however - Sky, their other healer, was out looking for Orin, and Skye would have had no one to help her with the birthing then than Bangle, who undoubtedly knew just about as much as having pups as she did.

"You may," she said in response to the man asking if he could put the pendant around her neck. "Thank you for your help," she said earnestly; before she could say much more, however, she felt another spasm of pain about to come.

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#5
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+5. Tal might have to examine Bangle's rapid mood swings later :x


Though he stood frozen in the doorway, there were a mix of emotions running through the coywolf. An uneasy mix of fear and uncertainty kept him rooted at the spot in the room, as he listened to Skye's strained words: 'They're coming'.

What if he wasn't ready for this? He couldn't just disappear now, when she needed him the most. He advanced towards her side on the bed as her body contorted with waves of pain, taking hold of one of her hands that clutched desperately onto the sheets. It seems as if both their prayers were answered as a familiar white wolf came into the house, as Bangle had left the door open in his flurry to get in. A small grin was offered as he recognized the male, though Bangle wasn't sure if the mother-to-be knew of him and his knowledge of herbs. Even if she didn't, as Taliesin offered his medical expertise, she would have let the newcomer help her if it meant she could be rid of her pain.

Bangle unknowingly clenched his teeth together, though he was relieved to see the herbalist there. "Thank ye-" His speech was cut short by the decisive actions of Tal, who had handed him a vial of dark liquid and gave the coywolf instructions. Though he had messed with strange concoctions before, Bangle was not about to ask how the liquid's properties would help, and simply complied. With one hand he grasped the small vial, and with the other he gently lifted Skye's head from where it lay on the bed. The craftsman set the female's head back down after he helped her down the liquid, and though he hadn't an idea of the taste, he could smell its strong odor.

He set the vial at the bedside in time to hear the herbalist speak some comforting words to his own mate. Orange-yellow eyes flit from Tal to Skye and back again, and a heavy sigh of relief swept over the coywolf as he heard the herbalist speak. Though the brief relief wouldn't fully settle his nerves; at present, it seemed as if it was he who was delivering the pups instead of Skye. Bangle's eyes settled onto her form: exposed and vulnerable, yet still full of life and light. Bangle had hoped Shawchert would be there to see this day, or the other members of Cercatori, for that matter. Today, though, she was no headstrong leader making decisions for her pack. Today, she was just another female in need of assistance to bring her pups into the world and experience the joys of motherhood.

The coywolf's line of thought was cut off, however, as Taliesin asked a question in Bangle's general direction. "Hwha-? Oh, yeh.." Bangle felt torn to part from Skye in her time of need, but knew his brief departure from the room to fetch a wooden bowl would not be disastrous. Bangle came back as quickly as he could, though he felt as if he was walking on air the moment he stepped foot into the house. Setting the bowl onto the ground with the other male's items, Bangle watched as Skye reacted towards another contraction. He nearly leapt to her side again, clutching onto her hand. "Wh-what should I do?" He asked to no one in particular, his voice matching his frightened expression.

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#6
((*nodding sagely, studies Bangles post* I say...bangle is paranoid and schizophrenic, and need prozac and zoloft. LOL JK PS: Don't mind Tal...his mother taught him some strange things. :/ Though I'll tell you...after three kids....they worked for me. LOL wc: 4+))

Tal smiled at Skye as he slipped the pendant around her neck, murmuring something softly. It was a prayer in Irish his mother had taught him to help with pain. When Bangle returned with the bowl, Tal turned his attention to the sweet smelling herbs he'd brought to use as incense. He lit the charcoal he placed in the bottom of the bowl, then blew it out until it was embers only. He sprinkled the dried sage and lavender on top of it, letting the sweet smoke drift up. He turned, wafting the smoke over the laboring mother and her mate. He spoke softly, but clearly, to the pups, not to the parents as the smoke drifted upwards. "May Rhiannon herself guide you into this world. May your birth be easy and successful. May you bring only joy to your parents." He closed his eyes, visualizing a white light filling the room, surrounding the other two wolves.

He opened his eyes, lifting a hand and letting the smoke roll over it, then running his hand over Skye's forehead and touching her belly. He spoke to her, to her spirit. "Skye, imagine a white light running through you, from your head to your toes. It radiates warmth and comfort. Each contraction you feel, the pain is taken from you, replaced by strength. Let the strength fill you..."

He glanced up at Bangle, who seemed to be clutching at Skye's hand desperately. He remembered being the anxious father, feeling helpless in the face of her pain. He knelt, reaching into his pack after setting the bowl down. He pulled out a small bottle of amber liquid. Something his mother had used, she called it self medicating. He crossed to Bangle's side, handing him the bottle with the black label. "Bangle, take a drink. Not a lot, you don't want to pass out or get drunk...but enough to calm you. You look more scared than Skye does." There was the hint of a laugh in his voice, the hint of a smile on his face.

He returned his gaze to the laboring mother. "Between the ritual and the visualization, and the tincture...well, all we can do now is wait. I need you to tell me when your body tells you it's time to push. Mother said it feels like pressure starting from your breasts and pushing downwards to your tail. Given how close and how strong your contractions seem to be...it shouldn't be too long now."
#7
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sorry for the delay, guys!

Skye barely felt it as Taliesin the ivory healer slipped his pendant around her neck; another convulsion came, stronger than the last. She squeezed her eyes shut as he said his prayer to his god - she had never been very religious at all, thinking that what existed existed and what didn't didn't; no need to worry. But now, she put her faith with Taliesin's; she heard of mothers who gave birth to dead pups, and hoped against hope that this litter would be healthy and live a long, wonderful life.

She felt another pain come, but this time it was accompanied by a sort of movement from her abdomen; she felt something slide from her inside down, accompanied by an excruciating wave of pain that went from the top of her all the way down to the bottom. She let out a slight whimper, attempting to contain her pain; she hadn't been sure what Tal had meant when he said 'push', but she did now - she did so with all her might, and felt something wet slip onto the bed beneath her.

Lifting her head, she saw that there was a tiny white puppy dotted with blood there on the bedsheets, tiny mouth slavering and neck too weak to hold its head up; she felt elated, although she knew that that puppy was the first out of what seemed to be at least two more. She let her head flop back down onto the bed, her body feeling lighter already, although she knew that more were on the way.

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