Sihiri:
Sihiri moved slowly through Atticus' territory. She was still so very weak and she worried for her cubs, but she needed to see Atticus. She was so late coming back to him, what must he think? He needed to know that she was okay, but most of all that she loved him and needed him. Would he think she had abandoned him? Never, she would never have done that. But the trust he had for her was so new, so fragile...
She needed to find him.
"Atticus? Atticus?" she called, though her voice was soft. Everything about her seemed to suggest that she should be resting. Her posture was low, her steps slow, her head held low.
Atticus:
He had placed the pelt back over his features, and he stared into the darkness of his den from the outside. It was odd, he was sure, seeing him standing there as he was. He was sure that Sihiri had run off her first chance she had got and it had filled him with a numbing feeling.
His blue eyes stared hard into the darkness, and all he knew was the anger he felt inside. He hated that he had given himself to her. That he had allowed himself to love her..
She had left again, and he was alone..
The voice came to his ears, and he turned to see the source. He was in a fighting mode, and was ready to rip into whatever it was. But the it knew his name, and that made him uncomfortable.
"Who is there?" He asked, his voice deep and threatening.
Sihiri:
Her heart leapt and fell when she heard his voice and her ears sunk. He sounded so... No, maybe he just sounded like that because he didn't recognize her voice.
"Atticus, it's me, Sihiri," she replied, looking around for him, trying to sound like her usual self. Needless to say, she was equal parts excited and afraid. What if he didn't want cubs, what if he didn't believe that she loved him, what if, what if, what if?
"I'm so sorry I'm late. Something happened..."
Atticus:
He leapt from his sitting position and his eyes locked on the female that he had given his heart to. He felt overwhelming emotions but he did his best to push them aside.
"You left me. That is what happened. I knew you would, deep down I think." He said, lowering his eyes.
Sihiri:
Sihiri's eyes widened when she saw him, he was wearing the pelt again and, and what he said, her heart was breaking. She shook her head, no, it wasn't true!
"No! No, that's not true! I couldn't leave, I was too weak... I couldn't..." She wasn't feeling well, her heart was aching, her body was starting to tremble for fear of losing him, the father of her cubs. Her cubs, no she needed to stay calm, she couldn't get worked up again. She did her absolute best to calm her nerves as her head dipped down.
Atticus:
He sighed, shrugging. It was obvious that he was past the anger, and now it was pain that ailed him. He narrowed his eyes, and looked her over. Why did she look so..hurt? What had happened?
"Are you okay?" He asked, though he didnt step closer. He wanted to cry, now that she was back, but that just wasnt plausible.
Sihiri:
Pain. The stress of coming here, the strain of her emotions, it was too much and all her mother had tried to prevent or at least stall came breaking through and there was nothing she could do about it. Her body was hurt and they couldn't stay in there any longer.
"No," Sihiri replied with a strained shake of her head, taking a shaky step towards him.
"They're coming and my mama's not here to stop it again- ah!" Her words ended in a low, sharp cry, her head falling even further as pain shot out through her body. She needed to lie down, she needed somewhere safe.
Atticus:
He noticed her distress, and without thinking he rushed to her side and helped nudge her into the comfort and security of his den. A place she had been allowed very little before. He was confused, and merely thought her sick and dellusional.
"Whats happened to you, Sihiri? What did your mother do?" He was so skeptical of averyone, and he would kill her mother if she had done something to hurt her.
Sihiri:
He led her into the den where she picked a spot and curled up, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as a spasm went through her again.
"Stopped... the babies coming too soon," she replied through clenched teeth. She was so scared. It was too soon, they needed more time. Would they be okay? Would she? No, she didn't matter. All that mattered was the safety of her, their babies. She couldn't stop them, she didn't know how, there hadn't been time.
Atticus:
"What do you mean, babies?" He felt his head spinning and the confusion just grew. Surely they hadn't done anything enough to get pregnant right? But then again it only took once, and he had been affectionate with her a few times.
"Sihiri. Sihiri breathe.. Are you okay? Are the cubs.. are they okay?" He had only just learned that she was pregnant, and .. and here she was, in front of him, and he was possibly losing her.
Sihiri:
There were tears in her eyes when she looked up to him taking slow deep breaths, but there was nothing but love there. Love for him. Sihiri's paws reached out lightly wrapping around one of his. A light tug. She needed him close, to feel him with her through this.
Her face fell into a small frown, then a look of pain which slowly passed.
"I... don't know. They're too soon," she replied softly, closing her eyes as she tried to feel them moving within her. She wished her mama was here, but she was so very glad for Atticus being there. She needed him for this just as much as she needed her mother, maybe even more.
Atticus:
He felt like his world was being turned upside down. On one paw, he wasnt sure why he was so stupid. On the other hand.. this was something he had never dreamed would happen. He felt a gulp in his throat before he realized he was doing it.
"Why .. Why didnt you tell me, Sihiri?" But he was more interested in comforting her. He could feel the tension in her body.
"I'm here, sweetheart.." He whispered.
Sihiri:
"I didn't know. I got in a- a fight, I was okay, he hit my belly, and the cubs.... They t-tried to come. M-Mama stopped-" She stopped there, scrunching up again. Her eyes snapped wide when she felt something different and she knew deep down in her female instincts that her first cub was coming.
She did what instinct told her and focused all of her efforts on the safety of her baby. It didn't take long for the cub to come, and when she looked, she let out a little sob. It was so tiny, she couldn't even tell if it was alive. The cub squirmed weakly, but through her tear-stained vision she couldn't see it.
"A-Atticus?" Was it alive? Was their baby alive? She feared asking her question with words would break her.
Atticus:
He watched the baby be born, and he was wide eyed. What had he gotten himself into? He nosed the cub, sniffing it and licking at it. It made a few squeaks, and pushed itself against her.
"Yes, yes Sihiri." He was almost near tears, and he couldnt help but smile. His heart was so full of love watching the wriggling little body. Had he ever thought he could love so deeply?
"Its safe, and alive."
Sihiri:
A happy sob left her and she raised her head and twisted so that she could get her baby. It hurt, but this was for them, they were the ones that mattered. She got the firstborn to her side, her first son, and focused on the birth of the others.
There were five in all, each and every one of them so very small. She was terrified for them and a part of her felt like she was as weak as they were. Only when they were all at her side, either feeding or curled up in tiny balls of fur, did she let her head fall to the den's floor and her eyes to close.
"That's all of them..." she said, her words a bare whisper. She was so tired... She needed to rest so badly.
Atticus:
He had been there for her, coaching her on and helping her with the babies as they emerged. She was in a lot of pain, and given the weakness of Sihiri, he knew that she had had a hard time.. He nuzzled into her, listening to the squeaks and squeals of the little bodies pushing against her. The sound was music to his ears.
"I..I never knew it would be possible for me..Ever.."
Sihiri:
Sihiri smiled and motioned for him to come close, to lie with her, the cubs between them. Her eyes were fluttering now, she couldn't keep them open.
"You... hadn't met... me," she replied.
Atticus:
He snuggled up against her, nuzzling his nose into her throat. He was so in love, adn so happy, and he wasnt sure that he would ever feel this happy again.
"You're right.. Isnt that the truth." With that, he closed his eyes against her, and listened to her breathing, and the chirping of the newborns at her belly.
