Three hours. Three miserable hours of screaming, cursing, and pushing.
Yeyinde was beside himself with worry and concern as he sat there next to his mate with his one arm around her shoulders and the other holding her hand as she continued giving birth.
She would go back and forth between crying and threatening him due to all the pain coursing through her. Apparently, the yautja didn't believe in epidurals.
It wasn't just her in there either.
Larja-Thwei's mate, Da'dtou-di was also giving birth. And same as Kv'var-de's mate Adilgashii. Only difference was, their mates weren't present with them during the delivery.
It was not a male's place to be in the delivery room as their mates were giving birth.
But Natalie insisted and wouldn't have it either way. This was quite scary for her, and she wanted her mate right there with her for comfort and support. Just like the human fathers on Earth would be with the expectant mothers.
At first, Yeyinde was a little uncomfortable with the idea of being in the same room as a female giving birth. But when he sat here with her gently coaxing her through the birthing process and seeing everything transpire, he started to like the idea and the experience.
He would also get to meet their pup right away once they are born.
It wasn't long before Da'dtou-di and Adilgashii had pushed their pups out. Both of them gave birth to strong healthy male pups.
Natalie was the last of the three to finally push out her baby. Her body went slack in Yeyinde's arms with exhaustion after the last push. He continued to hold her up in sitting position, while Nei'hman cleaned off the tiny whimpering pup.
"Congratulations you two, it's a female." Nei'hman announced proudly.
The couple sported huge smiles as he handed them the swaddled, squirmy little bundle.
Natalie couldn't stop her tears as she looked down at her newborn baby girl.
Yeyinde leaned in and nuzzled her forehead affectionately as he wrapped his arms around both of them. His eyes strayed from his mate's sweaty face down to his daughter.
She was beautiful.
She had his greenish skin tone, only a couple shades lighter, with a cream-colored belly. She also had claws on her hands and feet. Black dread lock-like tresses which were little nubs at this point were sticking out of her very ooman shaped head.
She also had a very ooman face. No mandibles were present. Instead, she had a cute little button nose and full pouty lips. She also had ooman ears.
And when she opened her eyes, Yeyinde was looking into the same bluish grey ocean-colored eyes as his mate, Natalie's.
"Natalie, she's beautiful. Just like you." He said.
Natalie gave him a tired smile and leaned up to lightly kiss his lower right mandible, which made him purr.
"So, you going to tell me this special name you said you had picked out for her, if we had a little girl?" She inquired.
Yeyinde smiled and went to open his mouth. When he saw three yautja enter the room.
It was Kv'var-de, Larja-Thwei, and Yeyinde's father, Setg-in.
The two young hunters went over to their mates to greet them and see their newborn pups. While his father walked over to them with a soft smile.
A smile that widened when he caught sight of the newest addition to their family.
"Con'gratu'laaations, you twoo. Is it a male or fe'male?"Setg-in inquired.
"We have a beautiful daughter, father." Yeyinde announced proudly.
Setg-in reached out and placed his hand on his son's shoulder and gave it a firm shake. Then gently placed his hand on Natalie's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.
She smiled back and nodded.
"I'm glad you're here, father. Because I think you'll really appreciate the name we have picked out for her." Yeyinde said.
The older male tilted his head slightly, "Aand it is?"
"Hashori, after mother." Yeyinde replied.
Setg-in couldn't help his smile stretching even bigger. His son had honored his mother, by naming his daughter after her. He couldn't be more happy or proud.
"Youu ho'nor your moth'er by giv'ing your pup her na'me. Thhank you, my ssson." The older male said.
Yeyinde bowed his head slightly to his father.
"I always thought that was a pretty name. But I never mentioned it to you, because it did remind you of her." Natalie said, as she cradled the tiny girl to her chest.
"I thought it would be fitting. Our daughter's strong. Like her mother and grandmother." The younger hunter replied.
Hashori made some soft cooing sounds as her eyes went back and forth over the three adults hovering over her.
The soft sounds got their attention as their gaze went back to her. She then gave them all a small, toothless smile. One that made her parents' hearts melt.
Yeyinde purred and ran the pad of his fingers over her soft cheek. While Natalie leaned in and kissed her tiny forehead.
Everyone couldn't have been happier right now as the mated pairs doted over their newborns. They all exchanged words and congratulated each other on the birth of their kids.
Adilgashii and Kv'var-de named their son, Ka'Torag. While Larja-Thwei and Da'dtoud-di named their son, R'ka-Thwei.
The three newborns were then laid out in small open padded cubicles where they were weighed and evaluated. All three little cubicles were right next to each other.
Natalie noticed Larja's son kept staring at her daughter Hashori. The tiny girl smiled at him and let out what sounded like a cute little giggle. Little R'ka-Thwei responded by kicking his legs, and swinging his fist, while making cute little chirping and clicking sounds.
Yeyinde noticed this too and found it to be cute.
Larja has yet to notice because he was talking with Kv'var-de.
Natalie smirked and couldn't resist screwing with him.
"Oh, Larja? Better take a look at your son. I think he really likes our daughter." She teased.
Larja stiffened and looked at Natalie, then to the two newborns that were lying next to each other in their cubicles. He could see the two were clearly interacting with each other.
And he swore he heard his newborn son let out a tiny purr to the infant female next to him.
"Karma? Why do you hate me right now?" He groaned.
Everyone else just laughed. Figures, the one who isn't fond of humans, has a son who may in fact fancy a yautja/human Halfbreed. It may as well be instant karma for the reddish colored yautja.
"Can't fault your son for having good taste, Larja-Thwei." Kv'var-de knocked him.
Yeyinde may have found it a little funny. But it was also spurring his protective nature too. He didn't like to think about males chasing his daughter.
Must be a father/daughter protective thing. Perhaps, he could inquire his father about it and asked the older male if he felt the same way after Sakana and Minikui were born.
After their assessments, the three pups were taken out of the small cubicles and handed back to their parents.
Hashori and R'ka-Thwei started to cry when they were separated. But at least their mothers were able to calm them down. Yeyinde's father found it pretty cute and funny.
"Loooksss liike thhossse two alreadyy haave a bo'nd ffform'ing." He teased.
Yeyinde started to choke a little on his own spit and gave his father an incredulous look.
"Father please, don't joke about that." The young hunter blurted out.
Setg-in just trilled at his son's reaction.
"No joke, just stating a fact. I have an eye for these things you know." He stated.
Natalie watched them talk back and forth. And noted the surprised look on Yeyinde's face. She can only begin to wonder what they were talking about.
"Everything good you two?" She asks.
Both the males' gaze shifted back to the young mother and child.
Yeyinde's startled look formed back into a smile as he gazed at them.
"Everything is fine, love. Father just feels the need to throw jokes right now." He assured her.
Setg-in snorted, at his son's response.
'Jokes my ass. I'm betting my best trophy right now that those two pups end up being life mates when their older.' The older male thought.
Setg-in didn't say anymore on the matter though. It was clear his son and his mate wanted bonding time with their new daughter.
The same went for the other mated pairs in the room. And he had to actually head back to the council chambers. They were going over some important documents when he left.
He snuck out for a short break to see his newest grandchild. But the break's over now and he had to get back.
"I haave too gget baaack too coun'cil now. Con'gra'tu'laaationsss a'gain." The older yautja told them.
"Thank you for stopping by father." Yeyinde said.
"Yeah, nice seeing you." Natalie added.
Setg-in nodded at both of them then left the delivery room.
The pair continued gazing down at their daughter. She stared back up at them. Making some more cooing sounds, while wiggling her arms and legs.
It was like she couldn't wait to get up and go.
"I think someone is in a hurry to get home." Natalie teased.
"And we will. We just have to wait for Nei'hman to clear the both of you. And one of the female healers is supposed to come in shortly and coach you through breastfeeding. Afterwards, we can leave." Yeyinde told her.
It was another fifteen minutes before said female healer came in to do so. But not before she ushered out all the males to give the females privacy.
Hashori had a little trouble latching on at first. But eventually, she got it. And she must've been quite hungry, because she went to town once she got the gist of it.
Another ten minutes went by, before her daughter became drowsy and fell asleep while nursing. Natalie then fixed her top and pulled her daughter in closer for warmth.
Yeyinde and his friends were allowed to come back in after their mates were done nursing their sucklings.
They were all cleared and allowed to leave shortly after. And the pair were more than happy to bring their baby home. It marked the beginning of the start of their new lives as parents.
Until Next Time ;)