Things were getting better for Snowdrop and Adonis; Adonis's leg had nearly healed which meant he could help his mate bring prey down. When they hunted they were usually successful, just like old times. Snowdrops belly was getting nice and round, it wouldn't be long now. All they had to do was find a decent spot to raise their cubs, preferably somewhere sheltered.
Snowdrop was getting a little bit more anxious everyday she couldn't help but remember her first litter which was born during the snows and she didn't want to give birth to her cubs before they'd found a den. After a few weeks of hunting and searching Adonis growled, they managed to find a clearing and Adonis didn't waste time in digging out a den. He was surprised to see Snowdrop helping him, it also concerned him he didn't want to lose any cubs because she over exerted herself. After a few minutes he growled at her, a warning to back off. She was rather taken aback since it had been her who had growled and snapped at him before. She snarled in reply and her hackles raised, yes they were mates but she had been the more dominant one for months now and she wasn't about to let that power go without a fight
She couldn't risk harming her cubs if she actually fought him, which no pregnant wolf would do, they would be foolish to try. It was more like a staring contest similar to the one Adonis had attempted with the young male, who blinks first wins. She slunk off to rest under a tree while her mate worked, her golden eyes narrowed, she hadn't been defeated just yet
The couple spent the next two suns hunting, well Adonis hunted, and guarding the den site. It would be just their luck if a family of bears decided to move in while they were away on a hunt. After the third sun Snowdrop felt a twinge in her belly. She backed away from her mate into the den and Adonis took the hint, males weren't really allowed to witness a birth or see their mate until it was over
He sat outside guarding the den, his ears twitched every now and then when he picked up yelps of pain from Snowdrop. Waiting for his cubs to come was agony, twice he'd tried to enter the den and twice he'd been snarled at. The thought of protecting newborns also made him a little jumpy, the shadows of the trees looked like animals moving and he'd growled at each one. It was a little like 'Cry Wolf' when you keep getting false alarms you are unprepared for when the actual danger arrives. Fortunately for them nothing decided to disturb them
After a couple of hours Snowdrop emerged from the den looking rather exhausted, she licked Adonis's nose. He had begun to drift off after the first hour and he jerked awake expecting to see a bear. His wide amber eyes softened when he saw his mate and nuzzled her cheek then they went to see their new family. Snowdrop returned to the den and curled up around her little ones, Adonis just poked his head in to look
Snowdrop had given birth to five tiny cubs, he'd never known she could carry so many and for all of them to survive the birth due to their month of starvation. However Adonis could see that two of his cubs were too small, it pained him to think it but he doubted they would survive their first week or maybe if they were lucky month. He shook that thought out of his head and gazed at his little family for a while longer before Snowdrop got irritated and pushed him outside
Snowdrop licked her cubs clean and allowed them to suckle from her, every second she thought about names. All cubs still had their dark coats and blue eyes, once they'd opened them, so Snowdrop decided to do what her mother did and name them once their pelts and eyes change. Snowdrops thoughts strayed too often on how her other cubs were doing. They would be classed as adults now and hopefully using the lessons she taught them, she wondered if the siblings were still together. She shook and growled at herself, that was her past and these newborns were her future. She watched with soft golden eyes as they climbed over each other and opened their mouths to squeak quietly in protest. She loved this part of being a parent, shame it didn't last longer