The Life of Tomorrow

[Firefly]

The Deor lands were still lost in the dark of night, though the horizon was cracked with a thin orange glow that told of the sunrise.The wind was calm that day and the cold weather had warmed a bit but the darkness of the sunless skies still chilled the land as a light pickering of frost coated the forest landscape.

Amist the shadows and brush strolled a tan coloured canine. Her paws were working fast as she hurried through the underbrush, though her quickened pace was heavy and the canine made it difficult to be soundless as twigs snapped and leaves rustled with her motion. The sounds were mixed with soft whines as the femme moved through the forest. The canine hybrid stopping, her pink tongue hanging out from her mouth as she panted. She was unproportional in size as her stomach was abnormally large and fit to burst.

Firefly coughed and shook her head. The sharp stabs of pain fluttering at her abdomen with every step she took. She knew her time was here now. The reason why she had awaken from her sleep. She had needed to take a walk, have a wisp of fresh air. Little did she know that she had wandered so far from the whelping den. The walk was not tiring as she concentrated on her steps, her heavy belly weighing her down, but she winced every so often with each pinch of pain that flourished.

Firefly shook her muzzle, cyan orbs wide and alert, looking around. She had not been here long enough to know every nook and cranny of the Deor territory but at least she knew her way back to the den. Face brightened when she saw the familiar place and with quickening steps and sharp yelps Firefly made her way to the den site. Her feet dragging heavily as she made her way to the den entrance. But she stopped, her tail arced into the wind as she threw up her muzzle and let out a deafening song into the cold dawn light. Waking the members of Deor and her mate, and echoing as far as her high pitched song could echo. Firefly's time had come.

Shaking her fur out she padded into the deep cool shelter and disappeared into the shadows. She would let no one bother her now, not until she was ready to show herself and to be shown.

((not the best!))

[Draeg]

Draeg had awoken when Firefly had wandered out of the den for her midnight stroll, after uttering a slight warning to the tan femme he had watched his mate exit the den through hooded eyes before curling himself up into a tight ball and drifting off to sleep. Part of Draeg was reluctant to let Firefly out of his sight and keep her close to den at all times for fear something might happen to her or their unborn children, but at the same time the amber varg knew that he couldn’t keep his mate contained under constant supervision. If she wanted to go for a walked fine, she needed her space and so long as the tan femme remained within the boundaries of Deor nothing could go wrong.

Or so he though.

It wasn’t until nearly an hour later that Firefly’s pained howl cut through the air, at the sound of his mate’s agonized cry booming through the spacious cavern Draeg woke with a start. Surprised and confused he quickly rose to his feet, giving out a pained yelp as his head slammed against the roof of the den. His eyes widening in fear the amber varg rocketed out of the den, fearing something had decided to attack his mate. He emerged from the burrow to find Firefly staggering toward the den, her paws dragging the ground as another contraction hit her body causing her to yelp in pain. Draeg gave out a terrified gasp as the realization of what was transpiring dawned on him like the morning sun in the horizon, recalling that he had seen these same symptoms several weeks before during his escape from Sarnes with Cwen. Firefly was going into labor.

Giving out a low whine he wordlessly stepped to the side, allowing the tan femme to pass and enter the den so that she might be able to make herself more comfortable for the coming hours. Draeg was tempted to follow after the wolf hybrid and stay by her side throughout the course of her term but decided against it, recalling how fiercely Cwen had driven him from the den when she had entered her time. Instead the amber varg merely placed himself at the mouth of the den and began his silent vigil, he would do as he had done when Cwen’s time had come and guard the den from any that might dare try to enter without his mate’s permission. He would drive away, possibly kill, any intruder regardless of who they were or how strong they might be, even if they were from his own pack.

[okamiwolf]

Bt’s auditives twitched fiercely at the penetrating howl brought forth by Firefly. She had only met the fae once, a long while back when she’d been younger, but was familiar enough with the she-wolf that she wasn’t at all annoyed at how little she’d visited. She hastily stood and scrambled toward the exit of the Deor den, where she didn’t usually sleep, but none the less she was curious as to why Firefly was making a ruckus.

Spying the form of Draeg as Fly vanished from sight she knew that it was a time of much joy, not only that but much nervousness. She could vaguely remember being with Aztec, the former Drappa, and Thunder when they were having their pups and how much trouble it had been. Of course it was spring then, and a little later in the day than this morn. With sleepy, dragged steps she moved as fast as her body would take her. “Draeg?” she questioned, not needing to say more, he could guess what she was about to ask easily.

Her gloomy eyes flickered to the entrance, which she was shying away from, knowing all too well what happened to those that would stray too close. Mothers naturally didn’t like it when their time came and their mate waltzes into the cave. However those eyes soon returned to the form of Draeg in a questioning, half- annoyance at being woken from much needed rest.

[Lufian]

*The skies darkness was already lifting into an orangey red glow along the tree line as Fenris was rising or a new dawn. The morning chorus had not yet started, and the beautiful song that was sang every morning now seemed fainter than usual...now because of autumn's arrival and the need to migrate. But knowing as the light would spread over the forest and weave it's way sleepily through the trees of early morn - their song would rise again like the morning sun and fill the forest of Transylvania with joy.
The sleeping, long legged sikla lay within the darkest, deepest part of the Deor den. Her skinny, unproportional body was curled into a tight ball, almsot hiding the fact that she was taller than msot varg simply from her long legs and skinny frame. She tended to sleep away from the others - apart from Rokk who sometimes lay by her side, only to tease her before sleep or simply to rest in silence. He was strange. For though he was not much of a cub anymore, he still enjoyed making Lufian's life hell...or so he thought at least.

But the song of another managed to awaken the near deaf female as she stirred in a restless sleep. Twitching one of her auds, Lufian perked her head up and looked out of the den's entrance. A fleeting figure, a mere blurr to her terrible eye sight, passed into nothingness. Scenting the air carefully, Lufian registered the varg to be B.T and she sighed thankfully, fearing it were a varg who was unfamiliar or one who looked down on her as les than a sikla...or jsut what they thought a sikla was and is - something worth beating.
Though as a cold breeze rushed through the den's mouth, the sikla whined and shivered, pushing herself up onto her stilts and passing by the other sleeping bodies - the few that were Deor - and exited the cave into the very early morning.
Looking in the general direction B.T had travelled, Lufian couldn't help but follow, and so she did - taking a silent route some ditance behind the nurse and making sure to keep low and out of sight.

For a time she stalked the scent of her fellow pack mate, until finally the distant, odd whines or whimpers reached her ever alert but near useless auds. Scenting the air tenderly she could determine the faint aroma of blood, and the distinct scent of anxiety and apprehension.
Creeping to the edge of the bracken, Lufian kept as low to the ground as possible. Draeg - the male who had joined Deor a while back and who had now allowed his mate into the packlands to bare her young - seemed stressed and incredibly angry. Lufian winced as B.T gained ground on him and hoped to Tor she knew what she was doing. If he discovered the sikla within the brush...Fenris only knows what he might do to the worthles sikla..*

[Firefly]

Firefly sank into the darkness, her cyan orbs had fallen on the amber coloring of her mate and she had quickly flashed him a reassuring smile before disappearing into the ebony depths of the den. There the downy of fur and leaves rustled and cracked under the paws of Firefly as she side stepped carefully to the back of the den and her legs buckled as she fell gently onto the den floor. Ears pulled back as Firefly laid her head on her paws, feeling the pinches of pain that reeled through her abdomen.

She let out a whimper, her breathing heavy as her chest rose and fell drastically. Can orbs that glowed yellow-green in the darkness tried to swim to the entrance of the den, where her ears, as if ten times more acute could hear the rust lings and talk of the life outside.

Firefly turned her muzzle away from the entrance, blocking the life outside and reality away from her and letting herself sink into her own world.Fly turned her body around so her back was facing the entrance and her belly facing the back wall, her tail curling as she let out a high pitched whine, pain elapsing her whole body for what was only a few seconds but seemed much longer then it was. Firefly panted as she felt he pain momentarily fade away.

Breathing still deep Firefly lifted her head and turned, bending low as she examined a small form of light tan and amber. Instinct took over as Firefly ran her pink tongue over the small creature. So delicate it was, yet so powerful in such ways only a mother could know. Firefly watched with warm eyes as the small form wriggled and crawled toward her belly, the mother smiling as she snuggled the newest soul to be brought into the world.

As Fenris began to rise and separate from the horizon, The young she wolf had brought four wolflings into the world. But as Tor and Fenris had made this world to be joyous and prosperous, they had also made theirs opposites. And out of the four wolflings two had survived as they wriggled and snuggled by their mothers side

[Draeg]

Catching Firefly’s reassuring gesture Draeg brushed himself against her side as she entered into the dark depths of the den, seating himself just outside guarding the entrance as he waited for her to bring their pups into the world. It wasn’t long before Draeg spotted the familiar form of BT, the pack nurse, slowly making her way toward the birthing den, her feet dragging along the ground as she padded over to him sleepily. He could tell that she was tired by the way she moved, guessing that she had probably awoken a short while ago as a result of Firefly’s pained cry and come to investigate like he had only moments before. Giving out a slight yawn the amber varg offered his friend a slight nod, confirming her suspicions about what was transpiring within the sanctity of the den. “Yes BT, here time has arrived. The pups are coming.” He growled calmly, though a hint of apprehension was hung around him.

Draeg watched as BT’s eyes gaze past him and flickered over to the den for a moment, he could see that she was making sure to keep well clear of the burrow less she accidentally invoke Firefly’s wrath. Though he was pleased by this Draeg couldn’t help but chuckle at the look of annoyance on the elder varg’s face, it was perfectly clear that she hadn’t been expecting Firefly to go into labor so early and would rather have been asleep than up and about at the moment. Before he could say anything there was a sudden rustling in bracken, in an instant Draeg was on his feet snarling menacingly at the intruder and arching his back in a show of aggression. However he stopped upon seeing Lufian emerge from the brush a moment later, blowing out a sigh of relief the amber varg seated himself once again and allowed himself to relax. “Quit hiding and come over here Lufian, figured you’d known I won’t hurt you by now.” He growled quietly, still a bit tired from having been woken up so early. Positioning himself so that he was facing both femme, the copper furred healer beckoned them both forward. “Make yourself comfortable and get some rest, you both may remain with me provided you don’t try to enter the den until this has all passed.” He jumped at the sounds of a pained whine echoing from within the opening in the ground, padding closer to the edge of the hollowed log that made up the entrance and letting out a worried whine. Though he appeared relatively calm Draeg was terrified beyond belief, the same fears that had come with Cwen’s labor had resurfaced and although Firefly hadn’t gone through any of the ordeals the gray femora had Draeg couldn’t help but worry about the tan femme.

Hours passed and still Draeg continued his silent vigil, making sure no one strayed too close to the den and disturbed his mate until she had completed the duration of her labor. By the time Firefly finally called him it was sun high and Fenris could be seen shining down upon the land, excitement surging through him he rushed into the den to check on his mate. He found her curled up in farthest corner of the small burrow amidst the bedding of shed fur and assorted vegetation he had gathered for her, a low whine escaped his muzzle as he saw noticed the still forms of two of his brood two tiny forms lying a few feet away from their mother. “Oh Ketama.” He whispered, knowing they were dead. Though it pained him to see yet that two more of his children had brought into the world as stillborns Draeg knew that there was nothing he could do about it, it was simply nature’s way of keeping the balance. Turning his head away he resolved that he would bury them later when Firefly was asleep like he had with Cwen, but first he wished to see if his mate had bore any live offspring for her sake as much as his. A warm smile formed on his muzzle as he gaze down upon the forms of two pups snuggled by their mother’s side, their tiny mouths latched on to her teats as they greedily suckled her milk. Slowly padding over to them Draeg lowered his head and tenderly ran his tongue along both of them before turning his attention over to Firefly. “They’re beautiful Ketama.” He growled, laying down beside her and sliding his chin over her muzzle. “I’m so proud of you.”

[okamiwolf]

BT chuckled lightly, though his yawn had traveled to her and she gave a hefty one herself. She shook her head, both a no and to rid herself of her sleepy appearance. “I believe that you are the one we need to worry about.” BT smiled gently to Draeg, and it endeared her that he became so worried about his mate, even if he was concealing it, she knew fairly well that all males got a little nervous when birthing came into play. “Firefly will be fine, so long as we don’t hear utter silence we haven’t much to worry about.”

However, BT relinquished her load by laying down on the ground, if it would at least appease his ‘get some rest’. She wouldn’t dare tell him that her health was depleting slowly, and that her body was becoming less and less cooperative with her mind. But she would honor the healers words while she still had a life to live, she didn’t, after all, want to die and leave Fantome to mourn, not for a while anyway.

Her crania turned to Lufian and smile nodded to the lovely she-wolf. She envied Lufian’s good health, but BT couldn’t rightly blame anything for her bodies’ slowing down. She was getting old after all. “Good morning Lufian, did I wake you?” she seemed genuinely concerned, and in truth she was, for in this pack the sikla was a sister. Just as Draeg was a brother and Firefly another sister.

As the hours went by BT caught herself about to fall into blissful sleep, however, she noted that Draeg had gone inside the den, and that the pups must have finally been born. She smiled lightly, relived that all seemed to have gone as planned, and that she would finally have pups to spoil again. At long last, she thought.

[Firefly]

Firefly's eyelids fluttered open, she felt tired and everywhere ached as she lifted her head slowly. The den was still dark and cool but the entrance was glowing bright from the warm sunlight of afternoon. Firefly had been in the den all morning.
The tan femme let out a long yawn and her cyan gaze fell onto the two bundles of fur snuggled at her belly. Fly smiled as she saw them. The pups, almost fur less, blind and deaf as she watched them. But Fly's eyes could not help but wander over to the farthest corner away from her, where two forms lay. Firefly let out a mournful cry for her still born, but the whining and yapping of life tear her away from the grief that laid on the young mother's chest.

Firefly looked down and layed her head on her paws, her eyelids still heavy as she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position. Reaching toward her belly, she ran her pink tongue over the newborn pups, now clean and healthy as Firefly laid her head down and yawned. To tired to move anymore, for the birthing had taken her energy away.

Firefly then remembered her mate and smiled, her lips parted and she sent out a bark to call him, knowing that he was right outside the den. She then felt a sense of resentment and a mother's overprotective guard when she had remembered the little pup from the river,Shayla. She had not yet spoken to Draeg about Cwen or his other pups. Perhaps she was waiting for him to tell her. Firefly couldn't bring up the subject to talk about it. But when the whines and the sound of soft paws echoing through the den were heard, they brought Fly back to reality and away from her thoughts.

Firefly to tired to turn her head fully growled protectively, the bridge of her nose wrinkling as she let out a menacing snarl as the varg got closer to the back of the den and whined. Firefly turned her head slowly to look at the amber varg and smiled instantly. All troubles and worries forgotten at that point.
Firefly's eyes burned with a warm love and pain when she administered his saddened whines. Firefly nodded, her ears pulled back, "I know Draeg,I'm sorry" she smiled but motioned to the two small forms pulling at her teats and smiled, feeling pride wash over her.

She lifted her head higher as she watched Draeg lick the two whelps. Firefly reaching over as far as she could and licking the amber male on the nose and let out a soft laugh.
She sighed with content and shuffled into a comfortable position as Draeg lay down beside her. Firefly let out a low loving whine and nuzzled him and layed her head on his paws. "We still have to name them" Firefly grinned, looking up at the amber males eyes.

[Zenith]

It was dark, and the temperature had drastically dropped. Paws moved and scraped something hard, yet soft at the same time. Feeling helpless and confused as the creature lay there. It's ears glued to the side of its head and its eyelids locked shut.

It's paws moved as it tried to crawl somewhere, when suddenly something cold and wet attacked the small creature. It let out a whine and a sharp whimper as it stopped. It's tiny jaws began to open and it began to cry. whines and yaps coming from it.

At once it could feel that it was being picked up and then placed down gently, now by a softer and warmer place. it squeaked as it felt something pushing it and then he fell forward and into something soft and warm. He fell into his mother's belly fur, as her tongue continued to wash him clean. the newborn let out a sharp cry before nestling in by his mother's teats and instinctively began to drink the nourishing mother's milk that she offered. Cold no more the newborn now clean, warm and hungry let out some more whimpers as he settled down

If he had his hearing or his sight, he could have heard the footsteps of his father and his low but gentle voice. Or see his face as he nuzzled the newborn.

[goldmoon]

GoldMoon's nose was stuck to the ground as he followed his mother's sent, right into Deor territory. He felt alein in this country but he continued, he some how knew it was her time and he wanted to see his newly born brothers and sisters. The gold dragga saw a den with Dreag and Bent TIme at the entrence, concluding that FireFly must be inside. He lowered his head to just above the ground and his shaggy golden tail touched the underside of his belly. GoldMoon stepped closer not knowing how any one would react to his presence in their lands.

[Draeg]

As Draeg stared down at the lifeless forms of his two stillborn children he couldn’t help but think back to the day Cwen had bore his first litter, recalling how half of his brood had been lost due to complications of being born prematurely. Despite the intense amount of pain Draeg had felt over the loss of his children the amber wolf knew that it had hurt Cwen a great deal more than it had him and that she still blamed herself for their loss, and as such he wasn’t surprised when he heard Firefly apologize to him. “Don’t apologize, this wasn’t your fault. You did your best, I know that would never had done anything for this to happen.” He said softly, knowing that she felt the same way Cwen had and sliding his muzzle beneath his mate’s chin comfortingly. “It’s simple natures way, there’s nothing we can do about it except look to the future.” Draeg felt a deep feeling of pride as he stared down at down at the tiny forms of his two children, an amused chuckle escaping his muzzle as he watched one of them whine and squeak at his touch his fear. Taking a moment to examine his newborn children and see what they were, Draeg felt his chest swell with pride upon learning Firefly had sired a pair of healthy Dragga. Shifting his weight in an attempt to make his mate more comfortable, returning her nuzzle and licking her forehead lovingly as she laid her head over his paws with a sigh. Resting his head atop the tan femmes and draping his tail carefully over hers he pressed himself closer to against his mate, cocking a brow thoughtfully as he thought of a reply to the tan hybrid’s statement. Lifting his head and turning his attention over to the hybrid pups suckling greedily at their mothers side Draeg quickly looked them both over, his amber orbs eventually settling on the one that had whined a moment earlier. “How about Zenith?”

((Hey Rai, you're post looks disturbingly similiar to Lycaon's first post. You know that right.

[Raikan]

This pup had no name or identity, he was just suspended inside his mother's womb. He knew nothing of the outside world, it was like a long and warm dream that would never end. Though he could feel the rhythmic beating of his mother's heart. Tiny body still flowing inside the fluid. Eyes and ears still shut, nostrils closed and only the cord connected to Firefly supplied him with all the nutrients that he needs.

Lately, this peaceful dream was beginning to change. The heart had sped up and he was beginning to swing violently. Besides the beating of his mother's heart the cub could actually hear voices from outside faint and distant. Unable to process this in his mind but he was still hearing it. Terrified and struggling blindly, fluid was beginning to spill out. He felt himself getting expelled from his mother's womb. Finally, feeling the ground for the first time and cold air greeted this cub to the world. He felt something warm and tender stroke his little form. Tiny maw now opened and letting out high pitch squeals and squeaks like a normal pup would. Taking great effort he crawled and finally felt the warmth of his mother's belly. Acomplishing his goal as he found the teat and began sucking greedily having his fill. He was deepily hungry and he felt another ball of fur right beside him. When he was finished, he pulled away and sleep was catching up to him. He wriggled beside his mother and curled up, perfectly happy. The cub didnt' even notice when his father entered the den, but his mind was starting to go blank as he drifted off to sleep

(Sorry dad, I am you won't mind if I post a bit before you do )

[Firefly]

((woops sorry didnt see that you had posted draeg.wacks self))

Firefly looked down at the two wriggling whelps. A surge of pride swelling through her as she lowered her muzzle and licked them gently. She then looked to Draeg and smiled, "That is a wonderful name" she whispered,as if she spoke any louder it would disturb their resting pups.

Firefly smiled and sighed happily leaning onto Draeg's shoulder. Her cyan eyes falling onto the smaller pup. She thought for a moment still unsure. But she nodded, "Raikan" she said with a determined smile, "Raikan was my father's name. I don't know much of him, and i dont remember anything at all, really" Firefly said. She really should have taken Draeg's advice earlier and visit the Seer,Mayan, perhaps then she could remember her past. "I remember bits though, I remember my mother telling me that my father was a strong and brave dragga"

She sighed with content and looked down her pink tongue washing over the soft form of Raikan. "You will both grow strong and healthy Draggas, and perhaps walk in the footsteps of your father." Firefly smiled and nuzzled Draeg, resting her head on his paws now.

"Zenith and Raikan" Firefly whispered and let out a small yawn. "What do you think of the name Raikan?" Firefly asked Draeg, her tail swishing gently and found the amber varg's, and entwined as they rested in the deor den.

((sorry sucky post!)

[Lufian]

*Giving out a sharp yelp in fright of being found by the more than frustrated male, Lufian whined and crawled out from the brush to join B.T by the den's entrance, giving her Nurse a light smile before seating herself at a short distance from the two, making sure not to disturb anyone. Laying down and curling her brushy tail round her longer than hoped for limbs, the sikla lay her head apon the ground and sighed lightly, flattening her auds across her scalp and peering to the side with her beautiful cyan eyes; though only one could see but anything at all...even if it were just a mere blur.
The sounds of a yelp from inside the den perked her auds and Lufian brought her head up sharply, giving a glance to Draeg who began to growl with worry. But B.T was calm - she was a nurse, of course she knew everything would be alright. Smiling to the friendly Deor delta, Lufian shook her head and gave out a placid whine. "No you never B.T - just the usual cold breeze of an on-coming winter," she spoke with soft, tender words.

Time passed until Fenris had finally risen to greet the new dawn with warm, golden rays that broke through the chilled air and allowed the forest to glow with a tremendous beauty. At last Firefly called apon Draeg to enter the den and show him the cubs she'd given birth to throughout the morning. Watching as the more dominant male decended the narrow entrance, Lufian crawled across the leaf litter, ignoring the debris that gathered in the pearly white fur which covered hr underbelly, and let ehr head drop before B.T, her tassel swaying slightly at the tip. "When do you think we'll get to see the cubs miss?" she asked in a light-hearted tenor. Her best friend Shato had once had cubs with the previous First of the Balkar, and still never had the timid sikla met them, or at least not to her knowledge. To see new born cubs was a great interest in the sikla's heart.*

[Gryffin]

Gryffin awoke that morning, her back was stiff as she stretched and shook out her fur. Her emerald eyes pierced the dawn filled sky from the entrance of the den. She looked around but there was no sign of her alphas. Perhaps they had already awoken. She then turned around to see Sudak her ivory mate and the pups of List fast asleep. Gryffin smiled letting out a small yawn before padding out into the morning. The air was crisp and dauntingly cold. a sign that winter was nearby. The blades of grasses were glazed with frost.

Gryffin began to pad towards the borders of List by herself. She was going to visit Firefly and see how she was doing. Little did she know that the wolf hybrid had already given birth that morning. She stopped to look at her mate but decided that it was best not to wake him at these early hours. So with a hop,skip and a jump the Listern Beta began to make ehr way towards the Deor territory.


The morning was now bright when Gryffin reached the Deor borders. Her paws felt tired but she went on. The sent of another's pack dawned on her and she felt like an outsider, which in truth she was. Her nose wrinkled at the foreign scent as she crossed the borders slowly and unsure. Her emerald eyes darting and looking around as she moved swiftly through the copse. She stopped though, when she saw several vargs near Firefly's den. She cocked her head in wonder. Had her friend already given birth? Gryffin looked about but their was no sign of the dragga or the Draeg. Gryffin threw her head up and sent a chilling howl through the air. A greeting of tratto's blessing. Her tail flickered to the side and she padded forward toward's Lufian and B.T.

Her eyes darted to Lufian, her poise spoke of the pack sikla. Gryffin nodded to her, but little did she know that this varg was her mother's closest friend, as close as a sister.

The Tri hued wolf then looked to the pack Nurse, "Where is Draeg, and Firefly?" she asked and sat down. "Has Firefly whelped her pups?"she asked looking over to the den to see a gold coloured he varg peering into the den.