The time had finally come. After what seemed like forever, waiting and worrying, the time had finally come. For some time now he had eagerly awaited the arrival of his pups. He had dutifully cared for his beloved, always ensuring that she had just what she needed, and that she was never in harms way. He had found himself away from her more often than he would have liked with his newfound promotion, but in every spare moment he was by her side. The alpha's litter had already blessed the pack with their presence, but his own pups seemed to be taking their time. He has almost begun to worry that perhaps something was wrong, but the caretakers had assured him that everything was as it should be. The night soon came that his pups would enter the world, and that night, he had been truly more worried than he had ever been before. Even in the heat of battle and in the face of death, he could never remember a time when his heart had raced so quickly, or when his nerves were more rattled than they had been that night. The worst part about it had been that he was helpless. Unable to do anything but sit and wait for it all to be over, and for Nnlya and the pups to be ok. He had nearly worn blisters on his pads from the eratic pacing that had taken place outside the caretakers den as his mate endured the pain of birth. But none of that mattered now. Now, heer in front of him, laying peacefully asleep was the most precious sight he had ever laid his eyes upon. His den now held a different air about it. And air of happiness and completeness. He sat silently watching his beautiful mate and their three pups. Two boys, and one girl. All he could ever dream of.

His fiery orange eyes watched them intently while they slept. The occasional wriggle or squirm would prompt an even larger smile to spread across his face. He wondered what such small and innocent minds could possibly be dreaming of. He wasn't certain just how long he had been awake, watching closely over them, but he did so unmoving, and entirely content to do so. It wasn't until he had heard the chirps of a few early morning birds did he realize that he hadn't slept a wink that night. He glanced over his shoulder to the entrance of the den, where the pink lights of sunrise were beginning to trickle inwards. Shifting his gaze back to his family, he found the smallest of the three, his little girl crawling towards him, still half asleep. He gently lowered himself to the ground, and she crawled up close to him, nestling herself between his front legs and up against his chest before quickly falling back asleep. His heart melted. These tiny young wolves, whom had only just entered this world, already held his heart in a way he had never felt before. Sure he loved Nnlya, and he would do anything for her, but this was ever so slightly different. He held a sense of pride about himself. This was his beautiful family. And he would do whatever it took to protect them, and to ensure only the best for their future.

After the pups came, Nnlya was finally able to have a good nights sleep. She'd laboured in the Caretakers Den for a day and a night to bring them into the world. She hadn't worried, she had Crystal by her side and she trusted her friend to be honest if anything were to go amiss. When she'd licked their fur clean and taken her first look upon her children, she couldn't be more in love with anyone. Her two sons and her beautiful little daughter. She could see elements of both their parents in their visage, more so when the weeks passed and their eyes darkened to their true colours. Only their eldest son had his mothers eyes, while their younger two had eyes of flame to match their fathers. She would have loved them the same no matter their eye colour or fur pattern. They were hers, they were of her flesh and blood and she would love them to the ends of the earth and back. Even though through her pregnancy they'd given her no end of grief and sleepless nights, it had all been worth it to see their sweet little faces.

The first few nights of course were not the most restful. The pups were often hungry and nosed their way about the den until she could direct them correctly. But in the weeks that passed, their eyes and ears opened so now they could sleepily nose their way to her belly without waking their tired mother. Despite her previous instincts, she now slept with her back to the dens entrance, her body curled slightly around the pups in a physical barrier from any would-be attackers. Drogo slept at her side, always protective of his family. She was glad for his comfort and warmth on the cooler nights, although she was unaware of the sleep he lost watching over them. Blissfully unaware, she slept soundly with her children. It was very early morning when her own body stirred, woken by the loss of a warm body near her belly. Her body tensed in an awkward stretch, not wishing to wake her family. Her head found the soft fur of a large shoulder and she nuzzled into it with a smile. She hummed softly as she did so, eyes closed while her body slowly woke. She sighed as her multihued head rose, jaws splitting in a great morning yawn. A salmon tongue darted between her teeth as she yawned, licking her jowls that had dried through the night. Laid on her side, her head turned, seeking the sleeping form of her mate, only to find him well awake with their daughter sleeping between his paws. Her positioning was awkward and uncomfortable now she was awake, so she rolled herself gently onto her belly without waking the two boys. She smiled at the little brutes before turning her bright eyes on her wonderful mate, she smiled softly. "I didn't realise she'd woken you." Nnlya said quietly.