Life

[Tsukikage]

It had been quite some time since the boys had gone into stasis to starve out the parasite that had been living off of their psycho-emotional power, and as Dawn got closer and closer to delivering her litter, Mar would check on the boys more and more frequently.

Finally, it was time. Neo had reported that any signs of the parasite that he could detect were gone completely, and the only thing left to do was to wake them and see what happens. The other concern was that Neo didn't know if the magic feild they'd created suspended their bodies completely, or if it just put them to sleep. The latter would mean they would be in desperate need of food right now. Mar and Shimo rushed to the room in the grotto where they'd moved the boys to, each carrying a pair of rabbits.

"Well?" Mar asked as he entered, "What are you waiting for, Neo? Wake them up, I want to see my sons again."
Neo nodded, took some mud on one paw, and smeared it over a section of the circle. With the circuit broken, the feild dissipated, and the boys dropped out of the air. It took a few moments for them to wake, but the brothers finally opened their eyes.

"Where's Hitoban?" Tsuki asked as soon as he was on his feet. Without waiting for an answer, he dashed out of the room, only to stumble and slide across the ground into a nearby wall.
"Y'know, Tsuki," Kage grinned as he rose. "You might want to take it slow. Remember, we've been out cold for a while." he turned very calmly to Mar and looked him in one eye. "I didn't miss it, did I?" He asked.
Mar shook his head, "If my nose is right, you just made it."
Kage nodded, "Then take me to Dawn, Dad." Then he turned to Neo and chuckled, "Neo, make sure my brother's not too beat-up, okay?"
Neo nodded as Mar took Shimo and Kage away, and then turned his attention to Tsuki. "Well, based on your reaction, I'd say your heart is in tact, and the parasite is gone." he grinned as the alpha picked himself up again. "I can find Lady Hitoban for you -- you should stay here and get your bearings."
Neo smiled sympathetically at the perturbed expression on Tsuki's face. "Remember, your brother's body isn't real like yours is; you need time to readjust."
Tsuki nodded and paced slowly across the floor, while Neo turned to find Hitoban.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Hitoban woke just after a very detailed dream. She'd heard Mar and Neo talking about Tsuki and Kage, and food. She flicked her ear back toward the back entrance to the den, and heard a faint thud. She tilted her head to the side, straining to listen now, and faintly heard voices she didn't dare to guess at. Her hope was building now, and it was very dangerous. If she was wrong, she would be crushed; but if she was right, she should be there. She looked down at Dawn, lying by her side, and smiled. She was asleep, a little smile on her face.

Hitoban inched as stealthily away from Dawn as she could to keep from waking her, and stood. Maname looked at her, expecting some kind of order, and Hitoban just gestured to Dawn with her head. They had been on "labor watch" for the past few hours. Maname padded silently to where Hitoban had been and took her place. Hitoban slipped quietly up the tunnel into the den.

She didn't go all the way in at first, just poked her head around the corner, peeking like a guilty child. She opened one eye a slit and saw a smallish cinnamon figure pacing slowly, and she dared to open her eyes all the way. It was Tsuki. It was really Tsuki.

She could hardly contain her emotions as she flew at him like a bullet, knocking them both to the ground. She licked him all over his face, nuzzling him happily. Tears streamed down her face and she couldn't help laughing in joy.

"I missed you so much...I missed you...so...so much!" She reigned herself in and pulled her face back to look in his eyes. "Oh my god...you don't know how happy I am."

[Tsukikage]

Tsuki laughed and glowed that soft red light of his. "No, I suppose I can't guess, can I?" He said, "I know it's been longer, but it feels like I only went to sleep an hour ago."
He gazed into her eyes for a long while, then rested his head on hers and wrapped one paw around her. "The important thing now is that we're back."

Meanwhile, Kage crept silently to Dawn's side and lay down next to her. He took a deep breath, smelling her scent again, feeling her fur against his. He was a little surprised at how big she'd gotten. It must be any time now... He thought to himself.

[hitobannofokkusu]

HItoban took a deep breath, calming herself down, and nuzzled her face deeper into his chest. She'd been avoiding looking at him as long as he'd been asleep, and she'd missed everything about him. It was good she had a lasting memory, or she might have even forgotten his face. But no, she remembered. She remembered his smell, his eyes, the feel of his fur on hers. It was all very pleasant to have back. She closed her eyes, relishing in the essence of her love.

Dawn woke to the familiar feeling of another wolf near her. They'd been uncomfortably close lately, watching her, waiting for it to happen. It was probably either Hitoban or Maname, and she didn't give much thought to it. That is until her other senses woke up. The breathing was different-not as light as their careful, almost silent breath. It was heavier-like quiet sniffing. Her eyes popped open when she sniffed the air. It couldn't be-but it was. It was Kage, awake and beside her. She turned her head to look him in the face-really look at him, and blink a few times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. When she realized he really was there, she showed her affection as much as a ready-to-burst mother could. She wagged her tail like a puppy and scooched closer to him, nuzzling and licking him happily. She'd missed him, yes, but she couldn't bounce around like any other wolfess.

"Oh Kage I'm so glad you're back. I would have killed you if you missed it. You know that of course, and I'm just so glad you;re awake. Everything will be all right now...and it seems you've come just in time. I'm sure everyone's told you that already though." She laid back on her side, leaning on Kage's shoulder. She just wanted to be with him a few moments before she had to go into the stressful yet ultimately rewarding process of birthing pups.

[Tsukikage]

Kage smiled nervously. "How close are they?" He asked. The very thought of being a father frightened him, but he was certain the pups would be beautiful, and he had Dawn. Together, they'd figure out how to raise them. Mar and the others would help, too, he was sure. Then he remembered it... he looked around a moment, and didn't see the flower Dawn had carried. "Oh, and about that flower. Is everything alright?"

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn smiled at his questions, thinking up the right words to answer them. "Any time now I guess," she said. He wanted to know about the flower, and how everything had went. The angel's commands were still fresh in her mind, even now. How to tell Kage, she wasn't exactly sure. She didn't know how he would react.

"Well, I went to see the angel that gave it to me. He said his name was Phoebus, and that he was the angel of Hitoban's half brother, that Ryuu guy. He said that he was there to help and and he told me what I had to do. He said that one of them-a girl-would be stillborn if I didn't do exactly what he said. He said that since one of the petals was missing, there would still be something wrong with her, and that I had to accept whatever it was. I did. We have to name her the name he's given her-Kazuko-and we have to protect her at all times. If she ever wants to leave the pack, we can't let her." This was the part Dawn wasn't too sure of. She didn't know how Kage would react to the idea of his daughter being taken away. "And when he...comes to...get her...we have to let her go without worry."

[Tsukikage]

Kage's expression was blank as he absorbed the information, then he simply nodded and said, "Excuse me..."
He rose and pulled Mar aside to another room, to talk.
"You here that?" He asked.
Mar nodded.
"So what do I do? Some self-proclaimed 'angel' comes out of nowhere, and decides what our baby girl is going to be named? And he's going to come back to take her away?" He fumed, "Protect her, he says... oh, I'll protect her; if he lays so much as a paw on any of my pups, I'll kill him. I will tear his throat out and watch that bastard bleed to death!"
Mar nodded solemnly, "Now, Kage, your mate accepted the consequences to save her litter. Your litter. What about me, huh? I sacrificed everything for you and your brother. Everything... my mate, my family... you and Tsuki are my only flesh and blood left. Trust me, I know what it means to sacrifice for those you love. Let Kazuko grow up, like any normal girl, and then --"
"Kazuko? That's not her name, dad." Kage snarled.
"It's a lovely name. So what if you have to sacrifice one to save the rest? To save your mate for Pete's sake! Just... the decision has already been made, Kage. You need to support her in this now, don't be against her."
Kage sighed, "I'm not against her... I just... I should've been there..."
Mar nodded yet again, "Yes, you should have. But you're here now, so go make the best of it."

Kage grunted his acknowledgment, left Mar, and rejoined his mate.
"Kazuko, huh?" He muttered...

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn watched Kage walk away, a grim expression on her face. He was angry. She knew he'd be angry. But, was it really such a price? Naming her differently than what she normally would have been named, protecting her all her life until an angel comes to take her somewhere? What did she know, he might bring her back-it might only be temporary or something. She was glad for such a gift-life over death. Even if part of the life had to be spent away from her parents, so it would have been even if this hadn't been the case. She would have grown up like any normal wolf pup in her pack, then she probably would have left to go somewhere else anyway, another pack at the very least.

So when Kage came back, she was relieved to see that he wasn't going to argue about it. It was clear that he still wasn't happy about it, but he knew there was nothing doing about it now, and he was willing to cooperate. She smiled that sweet smile of hers and nodded very subtly. "I think it means something like "one harmony" or something. I kind of like it. It's pretty. At least the name wasn't...oh...Doofenshnorf." She shrugged, a teasing smile on her lips. "It actually sounds like something I might have picked, you know, Kazuko."

All at once, a dull pain bludgeoned Dawn in the stomach, and she yelped in shock and pain. It hit her again and her eyes rolled back in her head, and she growled. God how it hurt! She wanted it to stop, and she laid her head on the cool rock, whimpering softly. And then, it did. It stopped, and she was just like she'd been before. Except now, Maname was standing over her. She looked between Dawn and Kage, contemplating something. Finally she sighed.

"I suppose you would want to be with her, right? If so, help me, if not, help me anyway." She nosed under Dawn's chin, making her stand, and walked close beside her toward the Healer's wing. Dawn looked back at Kage, a mixture of emotions on her face. Fear, anxiety, excitement, and pain as another contraction hit her. She had to lie down again and wait for them to end before she could continue.

[Tsukikage]

Kage freaked out as the realization hit him. Oh God, it's time?!? His single jade eye darted back and forth, and a concerned expression captured his face. He took a few deep breaths and followed at Dawn's side. Not sure quite what else to do...

[hitobannofokkusu]

The group went to one of the unoccupied rooms in the Healer's Wing and Dawn laid down again. Maname looked around a second, not entirely experienced with this sort of thing. She smiled at the two nervously before turning tail and getting out of there. She went to the other side of the grotto, just in case something went really wrong. Otherwise, she'd be no help. It was really something Dawn had to do by herself. Kage could be there for moral support, but there was nothing else she needed.

*Do-do-do-do do-do-do-do do-do-do-do.....*

Finally over! I can just feel it; somehow I know for sure that it's over. And thank god for that-it had to be the worst experience of my entire life. But I can't dwell on things like that. Every time I look down at my beautiful pups, my heart swells. They're so tiny and helpless, and so beautiful and cute. They're everything I could ever have wished for...

Dawn lay wither her pups by her side, pulling them closer with her nose whenever they wandered too far. She'd fallen into motherhood like she'd done it all her life. They were her babies, and she felt the need to protect them. She felt the need to have them near-a deep, nagging urge to pull them closer time and time again. They were all perfect of course, even Kazuko who she'd recognized at once. Something in her soul told her that it was Kazuko as soon as she saw her. She had a missing paw, but that was hardly a hindrance compared to being born d- She shook her head, not thinking about what could have been, but what was. Six perfect pups, all hers and Kage's.

The first pup had looked just like her. The strange coloring down to the white flecks. Though this one was a boy, and he had no moon. None of the pups had moons, though both of their parents did. She supposed that it was because their moons were forms of magic, and magic hadn't touched any of the pups besides Kazuko.

The second pup had been less spectacular in his coloring-simply black with white ears, nose, and paws. The third, the start to the flood of girls, was black like Dawn, but she had Kage's cinnamon and golden marks. The fourth was the exact opposite. She was mainly cinnamon colored, with Dawn's marks; a yellow tail tip, a purple underbelly, a white nose, and white ears. The fifth was Kazuko. She was mostly cinnamon with white ears, a white tail tip, and white paws-the ones she had, anyway.

The last one looked the most like Kage, just slightly different. She actually looked more like Tsuki than Kage. She was cinnamon with a golden underbelly and face, but the white only went to Kage's chin, white this one's white went all the way to her forehead. She also had little white patches on her shoulders.

They were all beautiful, and she couldn't wait to see their little eyes. For now though, she would be in the den for most of her time. In a little while, they would have to transport the pups to the nursery in the den, and there they would stay until they got old enough to move around freely without running into anything. She smiled and leaned back into Kage.

[Tsukikage]

Kage was scared out of his whits during the birth, but now that they were all here, in front of his very eyes -- er, eye... he was so happy he could burst. And he did so. He gasped for air, like he'd forgotten to breathe while his mate was in so much pain, and then he laughed. He laughed and cried and nuzzled Dawn and then sat for just a moment, just to take it all in.
"They're beautiful." He said, laughing again, "they're absolutely beautiful! I mean -- I -- just look at them!"
Kage had never been so happy in all his life, and for the first time, his moon crest began to glow... or perhaps it was Tsuki's light shining from the other room...
The alpha peeked his head around the corner and smiled, the tips of his fur lit up like they were on fire. He quickly turned back and called to Hitoban. "Heets! They're here! They're here! Come quick!"

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn laughed just a little, suddenly very tired. But she didn't fall asleep. She stayed awake, keeping her babies close to her and just watching them be pups. Then Tsuki poked his head in and she smiled at him. He called to Hitoban, and she appeared a split second later. She laughed a little more and sat up for her company.

Hitoban padded over closer to Dawn and sat down. She smiled at her, all sign of her past jealousy disappearing when she saw the pups. They were all so cute and wonderful and...they had a kind of...new smell about them... New pups smell, she guessed. She couldn't contain her happiness for Dawn, but at the same time she was just a little sad that it wasn't her. She didn't let it show though, and just kept staring in wonder at the little miracles.

"Oh they're so cute. You guys must be so proud."

[Tsukikage]

"Proud?" Kage echoed. He mulled the word over a bit, then nodded, "Yeah, I guess that is a good word for it, eh, babe?" he nuzzled Dawn and sighed happily. Then his eye met with his brother's, and he suddenly remembered something...
"Oh my gosh, what are we going to name them all? We never had a chance to talk about it before..." Kage's eye fell on Kazuko, and his smile grew stale. The smile was still there, but there was something bittersweet about it. "I suppose that one's our little Kazoku, huh?"
Whatever thoughts were passing through his head, he apparently decided they were a waste of brain power. He just shook it off, and the smile came back to life. "She's perfect." He said proudly.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn watched her pups stumble over their tiny legs, and she almost fell into a trance-like state. She snapped out of it when Kage startled her with his exclamation. It was true, they hadn't talked about what to name them. She figured it would be cheating just to call them all Dawn Jr and Kage Jr... As she pondered over it, the...fourth born pup-the one that was a mixture of both her and Kage-touched her nose to Dawn's and made a little airy yipping sound. She smiled and spoke as she nosed the pup back with the others.

This one is as beautiful as a flower. Hmm...What about...Yuuka?

[Tsukikage]

Kage couldn't seem to connect the name Yuuka with a flower, but he shrugged that little detail off. It was a good name, after all. He nodded. "Yuuka is a pretty name."
He blushed a little, feeling as though he hadn't contributed yet, so he took a look at his pups. Kage walked around to his pups and lowered his face to their level. He stared at the first pup for a good while with his one eye, musing to himself thoughtfully. "So... a name..." He said, "Um... what about Dusk for this little guy? I'm not so good at names, but he looks like you, kinda, and he um... dusk is kinda like dawn, but not quite, right? Ehehe..." He chuckled nervously, then sighed. "I fail at naming..."
Tsuki giggled a little, "Well, hold on. Dusk is a good name -- or at least not horrible. Cut yourself some slack."