Damnation -Ahote/Cypress-

[Xiomara]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/xback-7.jpg] Speech | Think | Walk Deep within the dimly lit caverns a monstrous looking creature was hidden away, tucked in the gaping tunnels and dwelling beneath the light of day from all that might see her. She was a hungry beast, swollen with her brood and lusting for the taste of vengeful blood on her fangs as the hours of daylight withered away. The black yagi was waiting for the coming of night, the only time when she would make the laborious trek to the surface to hunt for sustenance and howl out her disdain into the sky. Her womb had grown with life since leaving the Taiga, swelling with the weight it now carried and she had been forced to steal underground to hide the reality from any eyes that might report to the Enclave's Alpha wolf that he would once again be a father. The bitter female refused to let that happen, she hated having to be a mother, hating having fallen prey to her desire for the feel of the impressive male upon her. But she would be damned before she let Ahote know what the product of their desire had created, she would keep the pup away and raise it as a rogue and on her own. Cold and steely metal eyes glinted in wait as the last of the light faded with the falling sun, drawing her out of the cavern in which she had made her den. Keeping her head low to not grate the ceiling with her tall silvery antler, she moved slowly into the fresh air, pausing in the shadows of the entrance to scent for any other's presence. She did not find any and so Xiomara proceed to move out into the night, panting from the added weight on her body but stubbornly refusing to rest. As the night drew on the clouds came to cover the heavens and cast the Plains in a sinister darkness, thick and boiling then finally unleashed fat raindrops upon the earth, gathering into a torrential curtain of water upon the land. The rain, terribly unexpected, was followed by thunderous claps that echoed deftly along the plains. The skies ignited with rays of burning lightning as they fell angrily to the ground and Xiomara was forced to once again seek shelter in the caverns; without having caught a meal. Growling from being soaked through and with hunger gnawing relentlessly at her sides, she moved to lap up the cold water running in the underground river, shaking her body out to wring some of the water away. Suddenly, as though awoken from the loud thunder outside and the vigorous shaking, her body was taken by a violent spasm and she collapse upon the hard ground with a snarling yelp of surprised pain. For a moment she could do nothing but remain in the earth as it matted onto her fur, paralyzed by the intense sensation until the rush of hot liquid upon her back legs drew her head up sharply. This was it, she had known her time was near, but she hadn't been prepared for the harsh assault of the pain. Trembling she heaved herself up and partially dragged her body to the crevice that was her den. The ground was a bit softer, lined with long blades of dried grass and topped with soft fur, it was a reprieve the the rocks that had been digging into her flesh by the river. Shuddering she lay down, another fresh wave of blinding pain tearing up her spine and causing her body to clench in defiance. Now her growls sounded partial to a whimper, a scary thought when one considered the source never whimpered, and her breathing became pained with her efforts to battle through the pain. Xio had secluded herself from the world, so she'd battle this one out alone, and she'd win it on her own. | X i o m a r a 's . S o n g |

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[Cypress]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][atrb=background,http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/Eldarwen5/Wonder%20Why/Gifts/Cypress1Mid.png] Lightening streaked across the sky as a small yagi female trotted quickly through the surprise deluge. She kept a wary on the horizon as the sun melted away and the ink of night spread. She had seen evidence of brush fires in this area, she did not want to be caught up in one of the vengeful power of the Great Spirit struck the ground. She moved to where she expected to find one of her companions, her matted fur glistened in the failing light. In her jaws she carried a brace of conies, plump from the summer grasses. She had caught them each in two different locations, but she was happy to have sweet meat for dinner. Even in her aging state she still had her prowess as a huntress. A crack of thunder made her pace quicken. She needed shelter. She hoped Xiomara and her daughter, Juniper had success in hiding from this weather. It made her happy to have her child back, and the idea that Xio was pregnant made her feel like they were all going to be a family together. Though she knew deep down that Xio loathed the idea of motherhood, and that she spat on the thought of the male that so afflicted her. Cypress enjoyed being a mother, and Xiomara had almost been a daughter to her at this point. They had helped each other survive since the pack had splintered. Her own womb had seemed to swell, just by being in close proximity of the other female. She knew that she herself was without pup, but the hormones had tricked her body into thinking it. She never thought she would have a false pregnancy, she was an alpha for most of her life so she was almost always the one with a litter. It had taken a while for her to grasp what was happening to her. Finally she chalked it up to sympathy pains. Not that Xiomara needed any sympathy. Maybe Cypress would be like a grandmother to the new pups. She slowed her canter when she came to a gaping hole in the ground. Yagis were not meant for burrowing, however the pair had happened upon these abandoned dens, most likely created by lyxxus. With a little negotiation and strength, at least one hole was widened and dug out enough to fit a large yagi through. Lucky for her, she was smaller than the large yagi that currently hid in the murky depths. She slipped through the entrance easily enough. Since they had widened the entrance, more light was allowed in for the non-nocturnal wolves to navigate through with little difficulty. Her nose was accosted with the smells of birth. She dropped the rabbits near the entrance and quickly moved to where the smell was strongest. Her lithe horns glinted as another flash of lightening illuminated part of the den. She saw the great silver antlers and called quietly, "Xiomara...It's me." She did not need to speak her name, the small brown and green yagi moved to the mouth of the chamber and stood. "What do you need me to do?" She knew that she would most likely be turned away, whelping mothers were not usually keen on assistance.

Table by Eldarwen · Image

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] The alpha of the north was irritated at best, he had very little clue he would be searching for a female that wasn't even in his own pack! Here he was having left his own territory to chase after two females who belonged to a pack he had been in direct competition with, then he had allowed them to stay in his territory, even mating with one and then they disappear. If he were a different wolf he would have said good riddance, as it was seeming that all the empire wolves were finding their way into different directions, outside of his pack lands which was just fine with him. Between his own pack, theirs, or what was left of their's and the Cadre wolves, who didn't care much for them or the Mafia wolves, it had been tense and slightly over-crowded. But he would not kick them out, nor would he force them to stay, it just wasn't in his nature. Plus all the Empire wolves were females, and though after his encounter with Xiomara he was quite sure they could handle things for himself but Ahote just couldn't leave it at that. Their encounter was too passionate for her to just wander off and leave, he knew she was unhappy but damn, not even a good bye taunt of the backside of her body would have been better than nothing. Plus she had gone with her Alphess and Ahote felt a pressing need to know they had left of their own volition and not someone pressing them. With that he had made his way out of the Taiga lands, not really remembering the last time he had left beyond to tell Rhiannon goodbye in the Cadre lands and then to come home to see his own pups birthed and left in the entrance of the Home Tree like a sick gift for him to stumble upon. His heart and stomach twisted at the memory and he could only thank the Great Spirit they had lived and grown into the wonderful wolves they were today. He was following their scent as best he could considering the tracks and such were a few days old, and he had to back track several times over rivers and other things they had crossed. His annoyance grew as he traced them all over the place until he finally ended up in the Dteria Plains. It was not that it was so far from his lands but curiosity was getting the better of him. Why exactly where they going here, there was no pack here to join, he hardly knew any wolves that used the plains other than a temporary day escape on their way to somewhere else. His nose hit the ground and he snorted slightly, it was obvious someone had been hunting around here, and he could only assume it was Xiomara after all, her alphess was not nearly as big as she was, he assumed the larger of the females would have taken care of her. He was around in the area as the storm started and he groaned inwardly. “Of course, I come looking for females and I will get drenched as a water rat and anything I could give will say even if I find them I'll still be the one sitting out in the rain..” His eyes rolled up into his head as he moved through the tall grasses, getting wetter and wetter, trying to remain on the higher land so that if the plains flooded he would not get caught, and he avoided the trees in the area, sparse as they were they were indeed lightning rods. He moved to the left and right still trying to catch the scents around him before the water washed them away. Lucky for him, a fresh scent both Xiomara and Cypress were mingled and headed right back to what looked like a series of tunnels, or dens or something...as a Yagi he never understood why some wolves would want to be underground...especially any Yagi. He shook his head slightly, but knew he was close, it was big enough for the two females, and he might be able to get in slightly..it would be getting out that would essentially be the problem. How much did he care about what was happening to the two females? Enough to possibly damage his pride and get stuck in a series of underground nests made for the lyxxus kind? Or prey, essentially they could be the same thing. He sighed, when his nose began to quiver even in the storm that was causing him to look like the largest drowned rat in history. The scent that had caused his shoulders to hunch was the scent of birth and blood, was Cypress pregnant? He certainly had not noticed the female bulging with the growing of youth within her......His mind suddenly snapped: Xiomara. Xiomara was pregnant and she hadn't even bothered to tell him! He doubted in her pickiness that she had mated with any other male in his pack and the timeline only worked with their mating unless the day or two after she had run off to another territory and taken another male, which was not likely with how they had mated. How was it possible that he was having another litter, was he doomed to impregnate every female he had ever been with? He spared a quick thought to Diamanta but his mind rested at ease of her being a hybrid if nothing else, he would always have her without the commitment of pups. There was now no thought to his pride, he shoved his way into the entrance...”Xiomara, Cypress? What is going on!” He didn't yell or scream, he spoke simply, but the area stank of birthing fluids and if he had any doubts before he couldn't now. He didn't get much further past the entrance, wiggling his shoulders and horns as best he could, but also not going any further because two possibly very temperamental females were inside, one obviously giving birth to what would be another pup to raise. His eyebrows raisetd as he tried to see everything around him, seeing if he could get close enough to see Xiomara in the shadows, though he heard her whimpers and cries of pain. They sent chills of ice through his bones, this was a female who had challenged him, bitten him, and given him so much pleasure, he could not see her doubled over in pain. He wasn't sure what to do, in other births he had been just as useless..and he had hated it. But now he waited for the females response, if nothing else he would wait until the pups were born, then he would convince Xiomara to return to the Enclave's lands where it was safe.

[Xiomara]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/xback-7.jpg] Speech | Think | Walk Scraping her antlers against the wall angrily, Xiomara closed her eyes and secretly willed the whole mess away, she didn't want to be a mother, really she sincerely wouldn't know what to do with a pup. However the distinct smell of birthing fluids and the sensation of something moving within her tore that fantasy gruffly from her mind. Opening her eyes she flicked her ears forward as she heard the familiar sound of Cypress' approaching steps along the earth. The cavern was small, which had suited the birthing mother's natural instincts to find a safe spot to bring into the world her litter. Oddly enough Cypress seemed to have been afflicted with what looked like pregnancy herself, but yet the Empress had assured it was not the case. She knew her Alphess had given birth to a couple litters in her time, so she had graciously enough accepted any advice but promptly refused to divulge who the brood's sire happened to be. Xiomara knew the Empress might have guessed, it wasn't terribly hard to tell and Cypress had been around Xiomara long enough to know she'd not mate with just any male. Lifting her head her silver eyes fell upon the smaller female yagi, and despite her temperament and current condition there was relief in the pregnant mother's eyes. She didn't like admitting weakness, but she had grown to trust the Empress as not only the one to whom she had pledged her loyalty but also as a friend and confident. That in itself was a magnanimous affair for the charcoal pelted wolf, one who had gone long without company or the formation of an alliance. The tip of her tail wagged meekly to show that Cypress's presence was welcome, it was the most she could do at the moment. The yagi wasn't frail, but in this instance she felt immobilized by the consistent pressure within her body and the strain around her eyes was testimony enough to that. Speaking up through partially clenched fangs she said, "Cypress, why the hell didn't you warn about this part of it?" Her tone, although pained, was more teasing than anything and she took another breath of air. Letting the air woosh out of her lungs she added, "Wish this process would just hurry up, I don't see why it must last so long." The corner of her maw wrinkled into a semblance of a smile, though a grimace might have better fit the picture. "Just, don't let anyone else in here..." Frankly she had no idea what she needed or didn't need, all she knew was that she literally ached to get these pups out of her body. Another fresh wave intensified the pain and vibrated without empathy through her body, bringing a sharp snarling gasp from Xiomara as her head snapped back. Claws scratched restless at the ground, waiting for it to dull down into something tolerable, which it did, but barely. Suddenly the sound of heavy footfall echoed in the cavern and a voice she'd rather have died before hearing traveled to her ears. Raging with the urge to blame the pain on some poor sap, she half heartedly made the attempt to get up, wanting to draw blood. "Son of a bitch," she raged through clenched fangs, "Nobody called you to the party! She hadn't wanted Ahote to know about this brood, hadn't wanted him to see her in the prime of vulnerability, imprisoned by her own body and wallowing in a state of weakness only experienced by newborns. If he just came close enough she'd be able to sink her sabers into his hide; just let him feel a smidgen of the hell her body was being subjected to right now. Almost having made it up, she took a step and sheering pain lacerated its way from her womb all the way up her spine and yelping sharply she fell again, feeling the stabbing pressure latch onto her body. Partially curling into herself she retreated back into the far corner of the nook she called a den, letting the shadows cover her as shame, humiliation and, for the first time, fear, shaded her vision. Something sticky now coated her lower limbs, and the smell of blood filled the small space. Shuddering, Xiomara realized that although she did not want to be mother, nor did she want her pups to die. Whimpering she spoke in a barely audible voice, "Cy, I don't understand, what is going on? Is it supposed to happen like this?" For now Ahote's presence was pushed back in her mind as a very new and real fear gripped her; the possible lost of her pups. | X i o m a r a 's . S o n g |

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[Cypress]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][tr][atrb=background,http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/Eldarwen5/Wonder%20Why/Gifts/Cypress1Mid.png] She tried to offer a smile to the first remark Xiomara greeted her with. It was a painful process, but the fog settled in soon after that made one forget about the trying ordeal. She stood a few feet away, attempting to assess how long the process would take. "You forget the pain soon enough..." Her voice was soft, serious but gentle. She did not want to give her a false pretense, nor did she want to make the new mother worry. At the request to guard Cupressus nodded and turned to leave her to her task. However, the scent on an intruder came in the den just as she agreed to keep them out. Her ears flattened and her hackles rose, preparing to fend off the unwanted guest. The scent was familiar enough, yet why was he so far from his pack? She put herself in between the laboring female and the large male. Her green eyes flashed in the lightening that crashed outside. "I suggest you leave, Ahote." She did not need to hide the warning that was in her throat. She heard Xiomara scrabbling around, was she going to attempt to throw him out? That wasn't wise, but Cypress did not give him any ground to come closer. It wasn't until the stubborn matron heard a racking cry from her companion. She turned, snarl still on her face just as the scent of blood hit her olfactories. The plaintive words that followed made her expression melt to worry. Forgetting Ahote, she ran a few paces be beside Xiomara. Blood. That was normal, but so much was not. She looked over the heaving body in the dim light. What was happening? "Set still...just a moment, let me see." She squinted in the darkness, trying to see if a pup was crowning. It was so hard to tell with the thick blackness that seemed to be oozing. Had she lost the litter? Things were looking bleak, she suspected to have a stillborn slide out at any moment. The scent of fear was thick, and now it was being mingled with her own dread. All she could do was talk her through it, "Just breathe, Xiomara. Let your instincts take over. " They needed to get through the labor quickly if they wanted to have the pups survive. there was a deep nagging in the back of her mind, though, there may be a chance that Xiomara could succumb to the process herself. They needed a healer, but being rouges, their allies were far spread across the land. Even if they knew one, there was no way they could make it here in time.

Table by Eldarwen · Image

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] Ahote had to wonder how he got into those scenarios and why he refused to learn from them. He could chalk it up to being a male but that might just get him into more trouble with anyone who heard him voice his theory out loud. He could also institute a “hybrids only” policy but frankly Ahote loved every kind of female, and even though hybrids came in all different sizes and shapes, he just wasn't willing to limit himself that way. Plus, he kept picking females who would rather slam their head into a rock than to let a male do anything nice for them, it was working on the alpha's already strained nerves. Some males would think he was crazy to have the pack that he had, having to put up with several females who were just fulled of temper, but Ahote was slowly learning to deal with it. Except in this case. Xiomara had to be the most stubborn female he had encountered yet, and she wasn't stupid, just irritatingly stubborn. She made him want to go and rub his own horns into several trees until they fell down, the only female that came close to this level of irritation was Avalon and that was purely because of her lack of intelligence. He was a long way from his wonderful Taiga lands, his pups, his pack, he was half way down a hole, attempting to help a female who would rather spear him than to look at him. Although it was the exact act of spearing that got them all into this scenario to begin with! Ahote grunted in agreement with his own thoughts. He heard Xiomara scrambling to get up and he then saw her form, huddled into the corner of the underground lair, and he harrumped softly. There was no way of getting her out of here and by the sound of her grunts and complaints she was already in labor. He would have told her to lay her ass back down but that might have been more incentive for her to get up and attempt to kill him. He like any male knew a female was at her most dangerous during labor and he half way groaned as she began to berate him. In his mind he imagined himself telling her that what exactly did she think was going to happen after mating? But his common sense sealed his lips tighter than anything else could. But he was going to respond to his comments in kind, “I know no one invited me that's the whole issue here!” “You come to my lands and I offer protection, shelter, food, and even healers, you entice me to mate and then disappear without even a word. Did you think I was just going to assume you left and tralalala'ed into the freaking sunset?” No male would call him a coward for staying away from her sabers and antlers that would not doubt try to inflict the most pain possible but he couldn't just leave, not knowing she was about to bring his pups into the world, yet another brood to add to the many already. She had almost made it to him when she fell and he tried to lean forward to help her, but the way was guarded by the smaller female Cypress, and his eyes narrowed as she blocked his path. “Are YOU going to help her or stay here glaring at me as I try to?” His voice hammered down into the cavern, his anger and irritation evident and pushing out onto the smaller yagi female. He snorted and remained where he was, assuming his comments would push her into action, he could smell the blood and his heart rate began to race, if only she had stayed in the Taiga he could have helped her, provided a healer, adequate food, and shelter, soft furs anything to keep her and the pups safe...now what would happen? He could only sit and watch like a male with his first bunch of pups on the way, he had not been there for the first group but he had been there for Avalon and she had almost died, giving birth to three hybrids and then four of her own breed, luckily for them they had had a healer to save her life. Ahote had never had to watch someone he even nominally cared about die before his very eyes, except his brother and parents. Xiomara may have been a stubborn female, but he could still smell the scent of her on his fur, and the tingle where she had bit him and roughed him up, she was a being of passion, and without her the world would lose one more powerful female. He feared the worse, she would die, and with her, the pups she had carried. “Xiomara...just hold on...it will end soon..” That he did not know for a fact, but he was trying to make things easier, not harder, he lay down in the entrance to the cavern, his backside pelted by rain, but his voice, soft and gentle, but with it's underlying firmness that he could never hide, “You're powerful, strong, and willful, you can do this.”