Number of words: 528
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She'd been cloistered in her cabin for days. The pressure was building, making her jumpy. Any day now the pups would come. The light was hours away yet, leaving her alone and anxious in her cabin, in front of her fireplace. She took a breath, the contractions were getting stronger. She placed a few drops of valerian into a glass of water, drinking it. She wished she could have something strong, with more bite, but she knew she couldn't. Not if she wanted these pups to be healthy.
She grunted as the contractions intensified, leaving her lower half with the mounting pressure. She could feel the pup in the birth canal, and she pushed, groaning. A small brownish pup slid out, squeaking indignantly. She took care of it, cleaning off the afterbirth, stroking the pup gently. The pressure mounted again, and she strained and struggled. This one was rougher. There was something wrong, she could feel it. Bi-colored eyes widened in panic as waves of ain began racking her body. This wasn't right. This was all wrong, there was something wrong with this one. She continued to push, her energy focused on making her body expell the next pup. She could smell blood, hot and tangy in her nostrils.
She slumped to the floor, leaning against a wall, still straining. Outside the indow, the snow continued to fall in the dark of the moonless night. Deuce felt panicked. The pup still hadn't moved, was still in her birth canal. The small borwn female pup had squirmed it's way closer to the mother, using Deuce to keep warm. Deuce barely noticed. She whimpered, wanting to call out, wanting to call for help from someone. But she didn't. Instead, she grunted, straining harder. Finally, something gave, and the second, and final, pup slid out of her body accompanied by a gush of blood.
Deuce could see the boy's tiny movments as she cleaned him off. His fur was a soft ash grey, and his body was tinyer than even galen's had been. She lifted him, holding him close as his sporadic movements slowed, and then ceased. She felt her heart drop. Two pups, and one dead shortly after birth. She set the boy down, just as her body's lack of energy caused her to involuntarilly shift down to her normal wolf form. She could smell her blood, and it made her gag. She lifted the small, frail girl and moved her away from the birthing scene. Names for the two pups whirled in her mind. She settled on Willow and Ash Soul. Even if Haku wanted nothing to do with the pups, the would still bear his name. She had no reason to hide the truth; she was not ashamed, it was he who was ashamed.
She yawned as she nuzzled Willow to her teats. Her tail wagged breifly as Willow latched on and began nursing contentedly. Even though Ash hadn't lived, Deuce was pleased with the way things had turned out. She didn't call for anyone to come and see. If they wanted to visit, they could. Otherwise, she would be content to be left alone with her pup.
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WC: 363
He hated it here, yes his father was here and that really was all he had begged for, but Iskata had never treated him like he was a welcomed packed member since day one. The male sighed, it was getting to him, but he would stay here just as long as Deuce was here, which he assumed it would be the rest of her life. The male closed his eyes trying to sleep, he tossed in his lone room side to side looking up out of the window as he sniffed the air, and there was a metal like smell to the air, the black male knew too well who that scent belonged to. He jumped up running as fast as his four legs would take him, he did love her, despite that it was clear that she would sleep with whom ever. The male didn’t even bother asking her if it was okay if he could come in. Looking at the bloody mess the male was taken back as he took a step back away from shock, he had seen her, a bloody mess before though never did it get any easier seeing her in that state. ”Deuce…You okay?” He tip toes though the mess walking over to her licking at her face. He saw the limp pup, he knew deep in his heart it wasn’t alive; he took a paw and push it into Deuce hoping that her body would warm him up enough to start his little heart, and give him that will to live again. Though part of him was glad it had passed but he wouldn’t let her know, nor would he show it. He didn’t want her to get an idea that he killed him. He didn’t say a word about the pup, and he wouldn’t, they were not his so why should he fuss over them, beside he could not love any pup more then what he did with the boys that he got, Jazper, Noah, Taliesin, Sirius, and Apollo. He would make the effort to try to act kind toward the spawn of Haku Soul but there was never going to be a promise muttered.
Deuce looked wearilly at the dark male as he came into her cabin. She gave him a wan smile, her gaze drifting down to the ash grey male he'd pushed towards her. She lowered her head, licking at the tiny male, knowing he'd already left her, then gently licked Willow. Her bi-colored gaze returned to Lucifer. "I'm okay...and Willow is strong." She glanced to the small boy, a deep sadness in her eyes. She'd done everyting right this time, and he still hadn't lived. But it wasn't her fault, it was nature. Let the weak die to make room for the strong.
She returned her gaze to Lucifer, studying him. She reached her neck out, nuzzling him, licking gently at his maw. It was her way of apologizing for everything that had gone wrong between them. So many of their porblems had been bacause of her, she knew. She had so much in her mind that sometimes she didn't know what she was doing. She wasn't crazy, though. not like she had been. She didn't hear Erik or Shadown anymore, didn't hear the miscarried pups whimpering, didn't hear them blaming her anymore. That had eneded when the homelands had ended. And now this was home...but it wasn't at the same time.
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