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Post by Nako on May 29, 2008 20:18:38 GMT -5
"Oh...." There was a moment of disappointment in Ashta's voice despite herself, but it was quick to disappear when the child was set in her arms. It was a sickly looking thing, but Ashta only felt adoration for the dear thing as she ran a paw over the thick, wet mane of black hair. She paused though, when she saw his long claws. "Goodness.." Of course, she was worried for the wellbeing of her child, and immediately fretted for the life he'd have to face. Hopefully the Czar would approve.
Cautiously, she checked the babe over, bringing it to her to nurse. The claws on both sets of paws were still butter soft, but Ashta knew better than to think they would stay that way.. and she noticed another thing as well. "What a cruel world to be born male, this one is..."
~~~
Of course, the mewling babe wouldn't give much notice to words he didn't understand, much too interested in the nourishment being offered to his emaciated looking body at that time. He did not seem weak though, for he moved about vigorously enough and did not seem ill other than outward appearance.
~~~~
At the news Heike had given her though, she'd smiled... if not a bit wearily. "That is acceptable, Heike." Hah.. as if saying it wasn't would make much of a difference. "I find it a bit easier to face now that I realize... what I had been waiting for." Out of maternal reflex, she stroked back the damp, proudly marked Highlander marked ears.
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Post by Kari Muffin on May 30, 2008 19:29:55 GMT -5
Heike completely agreed that it was cruel to be born male in such a society. You either had to be on top... or on the bottom running for your life. If it weren't for Heike's sister... well he wouldn't be alive to this day.
"I promise you, Miss Ashta, I'll raise him to be a proper Leveret." It was an offer. It was the best he could do, and from his understanding that was his new job according to the Czar. The man wasn't prone to changing his mind when things were set.
He was happy that Miss Ashta had no regrets about this whole child thing. He wouldn't have been able to deal with a crying Doe. He glanced back at the door. Apparently no one was coming to help him. Fantastic.
"Do you have a name in mind Miss Ashta?" Heike asked as he walked to the door. Someone had left the water outside... wow. His ears flopped back as he pulled the water inside so he could properly wash his paws. He was listening and waiting for the next contraction.
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Post by Nako on Jun 2, 2008 23:30:00 GMT -5
Ashta's lips gave the slightest of a twitch when he mentioned teaching her son how to be a 'good leveret'. She said nothing of it, but privately, her mind was reeling. This was no ordinary leveret in her eyes. He could... become so much more. She'd certainly have to plant ideas in his youthful mind to better himself. She could hardly consider a male leveret, especially one that had most likely inherited her Jack's Highlander pride, could live with himself if he stayed what he was his whole life. These were the hopes of the mother, of course. If they reflected what the young one would form as he grew could only be speculated until he grew older.
Brushing the dark lock from the young leveret's face, she considered him for a few moments before responding. "Aleah, I believe. Feminine, I know, but it is custom to name all non-Jack males as such... In case.. but.. anyways, I feel the name suits him."
~~~
The young one's ears, though firmly pinned back against his head as they would stay until they grew more mobility with age, wiggled slightly at the name. Had he heard it and acknowledged it as his? That of course, was subject to interpretation as the young one certainly wasn't able to tell anyone. Instead, he went on about his business nursing, his suckling noises breaking the silence in the room.
~~~
Ashta quivered a bit, her belly rippling with contraction. They were not too terribly strong yet, but it was a sign that labor had begun anew. As the contraction passed, she sighed. "They are starting again.. but they are not bad yet.. it isn't time for another just yet." She sounded terribly wizened. One wouldn't doubt that she thought herself quite the expert after having birthed just one. Silly Ashta...
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 5, 2008 19:45:35 GMT -5
"It's a lovely name," Heike said with a smile. He flicked the water off of his paws. Everything should be fine, right? Probably just one more kid to go and he wouldn't have to deal with this ever again. That and he wouldn't think about sex for a very long time.
Okay, she was having another set of contractions. It wouldn't be long before she was in quite a bit of pain again. This was going to be a nightmare. He took a deep breath before walking over to Miss Ashta. "I think it's probably a good idea to put Aleah down for this. I can't imagine he'll enjoy this little experience."
Where was everyone? Seriously this was starting to get ridiculous. Hadn't they had a specific plan for all of this. Everyone was supposed to take their places and nothing was going that way. The Czar was going to be furious... hopefully he wouldn't have to suffer as well.
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Post by Nako on Jun 7, 2008 10:42:30 GMT -5
Nodding faintly with compliance, she carefully placed the young, protesting creature to the other side of the nicely sized bed. carefully swathed, he wouldn't be going anywhere, and he was quite a ways from the edge of the large bed. Bleating softly, Aleah nosed around blindly to find the warmth of his mother again, but soon settled down.
Another contraction hit her. Things were happening much faster now. This time she pushed without needing any encouragement, and whether or not the leveret was ready. A sound of surprise escaped her when the newborn slid out of her with relative ease. This little bundle was a confusion of Hisstor and Highlander colors, with a blanket of highlander pride running along her prominent, and exposed spine. Two distinct ribs were exposed from her body much like her mother, and both forelegs were nothing but bone, though they seemed to function normally as the newborn flailed about, disoriented in the strange new world it had been thrust into.
The Doe though, didn't seem appeased. In fact, she was a bit perplexed as she breathed heavily, fighting against another contraction. "The.. the contractions aren't stopping! There's another one?" She seemed surprised, but she didn't seem too upset about it either. She relaxed a bit as the contraction eased, looking wistfully toward the door."The Czar will not be coming? I would have thought he would want to be here.."
((Phew, almost done XD where the heck -is- everyone? If a Doe has any power to make a Jack feel guilty without getting backhanded, Ashta might do it. XD ))
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jun 8, 2008 0:14:38 GMT -5
The infant was a squirming mass, emitting soft cries as she found herself forced into a strange new world. Her tightly shut eyes left her blind to the world and she simply clung to whatever was closest - in this case, the silky fur of her mother, nuzzling and bleating as she searched for some form of nourishment. ~~~ When the Jack opened his eyes, he was immediately stunned by the silence that filled his warren. By the light that was streaming in through his window he knew that it would be morning soon, and in his Warren that meant that the Leverets should be very, very busy. Whenever he woke at this time, he wanted to hear the scuffling of busy feet, not this loathesome... silence. The man's lip curled slightly as he rose from his bed, eyes narrowed to mere slits as he resisted the urge to call his weapon to hand. When he emerged from his room, his anger only continued to swell, and he began to stalk through the halls, quickly opening doors and seeking out his servants. Where the hell was everyone?! Then he came to the room where Ashta and Heike waited with his newborn children. As before, he opened the door rather abruptly, the expression on his face seething as his eyes fell on the leveret, still crouched between the legs of HIS Doe -- And he froze as he watched the mixed-realm infant come into view, his rage melting somewhat at the sight of her. Oh. Oh, well, this was certainly something... magical. Rage continued to boil white-hot inside of him, but for an entirely different reason now. Why, for the love of the White Rabbit, had no one woken him?! This matter would be delt with, to be sure, but for now... His Ashta needed him more than anything else, and he pocketed his anger with a full smile. " My beautiful lady...[/b]" he murmured as he stepped to her side, giving Heike a small glance that would imply that the Leveret should take great haste to clean up the infant, kneeling to plant a kiss on the Doe's forehead. " You have given me the greatest of gifts this morning, and all I have given you is a tardy entrance. Please forgive me.[/b]" |
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 8, 2008 23:03:57 GMT -5
Heike hadn't expected that so terribly soon. He managed to grab a sheet as quickly as possible and wrap the newborn mix in it. She was still having contractions though, which meant there was another one. Oh boy. And the Czar and finally made his entrance. Could this day get any better?
The rabbit properly adjusted the little bundle and presented her to her parents. "It's a girl, Miss Ashta and.... and..." He did a double take as he looked at the female leverets front legs. "She has an interesting Hisstor mutation..."
What a terribly surprising morning. A baby with claws and a black mane, now a baby with skeletal arms. Was this last child going to be as interesting as the first two? One could only hope. Once the baby was settled he waited for the last set of contractions.
"You're almost there Miss Ashta, you have one more to go it seems." Unless there were any other surprises. Please no more surprises.
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Post by Nako on Jun 28, 2008 18:13:05 GMT -5
"You've come!" Ashta sighed with relief at the sight of her Jack. How... poignant it was for him to show up right as she was losing hope that he would show up. Never mind that though, for he was now here, and a sort of calm settled over her as she reached out wearily with a paw to stroke back the dark hair along his cheeks. She glanced down at the child that had recently been placed onto her belly, smiling with delight as she took note of the half Hisstor lineage. "A bold, gorgeous trait, she has."Plucking the protesting infant from her breast, she placed it to her side next to the other thin, wailing Highlander. "The highlander leveret... I wish to name him Aleah.."Another contraction halted whatever else she might have been about to say, and this time she cried out. This child did not slip out as easily as the last one had, the the sheer size of the head told that this was not a leveret. What met the world was a stone cold face of bone, eyes whirling wildly beneath sealed lids, the child struggling with the mother to be born into the world. Her paws slipped out next, flexing and showing the tips of what would be retractable claws. Then, the little thing cried out, even before it was fully born. This child would certainly have a will to live, a will to thrive. Finally, one last push delivered her into the arms of the leveret 'midwife', thrashing wildly in protest.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 28, 2008 18:52:16 GMT -5
Heike stared wide eyed at who landed in his arms. That was completely unexpected. His eyes widened as he shifted so he wouldn't drop the squirming bundle. Grabbing another sheet he wrapped it around the baby and offered her to her father and mother.
"It's a Doe." He said cheerfully looking up at the Czar and Ashta. He was terribly confused as to why what seemed to be a pure Highlander was born with a mask, but that wasn't his place. Really, she could always be a mix and he just couldn't tell. He was never an expert.
"The Greatest Congratulations," he added quietly when one of the parents accepted the baby. If there wasn't a celebration tonight, there would be sometime.
Heike would depart as soon as he was told. He had to do several things--like prepare actual beds for the children, see if things were cleaned up, actually start breakfast or get someone else to do it. Things were going beginning, and he didn't want to intrude on anyone else's special occasion.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jul 24, 2008 23:10:49 GMT -5
Wished to name... him? Vikenti's brow furrowed slightly as he looked down on the squirming bundle, reaching a large hand down slowly and hesitating over the head of the small, black-haired Leveret. A male. Vikenti himself had been born a Leveret, a fact which many were unaware of. One large finger gently stroked the black fur out of the infant's face, and a small smile crossed the large Jack's muzzle. He would be strong, one day. He would make his father proud. There was much potential in this one. "A good, strong name.[/b]" he replied, kneeling to kiss his Doe's sweat-covered forehead softly.
He looked over his first daughter carefully. Her mane was an incredible addition, he had to remark - the curious touch of red was quick to draw his eye, as were the cuts of Highland coat that appeared in her Hisstor brown. A curious mix, far more handsome than he had ever imagined it could be. She would do him proud one day, he was sure, especially if she were to become a Doe. The tiny girl squirmed and opened her mouth wide, making a soft noise as her bone-paws worked, seeking out her mother's warmth.
And then, greatest of all joys, a Doe. Even in her infancy, Vikenti could see the flame in her, Highland pride sparking beneath her still-lidded eyes. A gorgeous Doe, she was... She would do his Warren proud when she was finally grown, and almost certainly bring him something... lovely. It was a crude way to think, but it was the way the world worked. These children... His fatherly pride was marked by occasional thoughts of what he could get by trading with the other Jacks. The male would stay until he was good and ready to go into the world, though. "You have done me proud today, my love.[/b]" the man said softly in his deep and rumbling voice, sitting beside Ashta. "What will you name the others?[/b]"
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