Tikia Calling - The Story So Far . . .

The Betas of the Evergreen Clan, Harrow and Flicker, are expecting their next litter of pups . . . one of which, as prophesized by the Clan Elder, will be the one wolf chosen by their Clan deity, Tikia, to lead the wolves to salvation. However, Harrow agreed to give the chosen pup to Riko and Sherry, the Clan Alphas, who are unfortunate because they are unable to bear pups of their own.

Moments after the deal has been sealed, Flicker realizes that she is carrying more than one pup within her . . .

Part TWO – One Remained

Birth – the beginning of a new life. Every creature, each different species in our world has its own way of bringing their young into the world.

For our kind, we are born in seclusion – our dams separate from the pack without warning, only following their natural maternal instincts that seem to take effect once the spirits choose to allow their litter to be born. Preparing for birthing a litter can be quite risky and dangerous, especially since the time between the initial contractions and the slipping out of the final pup are the most crucial for any mother-to-be. After finding their den that they have prepared for this very special moment, a mother suddenly becomes vulnerable and helpless as she undergoes the most difficult task in their young lives: a long and hard labor in the dark solitude of their den, only to emerge in the next few weeks for self-nourishment and fresh air until the time comes to return to her home with her litter in tow. 

This is the usual way my kind has its children. Of course, my birth was anything but usual – it was unlike any other birth that has ever been, for destiny awaited me and my brother.

- - - - - - - - 

The midnight air was cool now, a total opposite of the blazing summer sun of the daytime hours. From a small cavern against the mountains, a four-legged figure with its round belly nearly stroking the rocks below the shadow-cloaked creature’s paws carefully scurried down the four feet of rocky hill until it reached the ground level. Once its feet were all on the forest ground, the moonlight shone on its coat, it was revealed as a young she-wolf, her silver wisps glowing amongst the rest of her brown coat. Her belly seemed to slow her down once she reached the solid ground, but it didn’t stop her from leaving the Evergreen territory.

“Harrow,” she stopped for a brief moment to murmur a soft farewell that she knew he couldn’t hear. A thin stream of tears fell down her cheeks. “They’ll be fine. I’ll return to you in a moon’s time, I promise.” 

A sudden force shot through her body, causing her to buckle underneath, almost landing hard on her pregnant belly; fortunately, her feet remained steadfast and strong, allowing her to maintain her balance. She panted quickly, knowing that the time of her delivery was nearing.

“Oh, I must hurry,” Flicker groaned, still whispering to herself aloud. “I feel them pressing against the door of life! Ohh!” Another groan slipped from her lips as she faced the entrance of the woods at the border of her Clan’s land. “The den isn’t far; I’m sure . . . ohh . . . I’m sure they can wait until then to . . . ah . . . to be born . . .” While walking carefully into the coolness of the shadowed forest, she continued to groan, feeling her litter pushing against her cervix underneath the protection of her tail and hind legs.  

After five minutes of traversing through the grassy and dirt floor of the woods, she stopped, lifting her nose into the air to sniff out her personal scent surrounding the den that she had dug only days prior. Another groan signaled another contraction, but a thin stream of clear fluid dripped from her tail-end.

“The sac . . . oh! It’s breaking!” Flicker whispered in a gasp as she took the final steps to arrive at her destination. “Ah-ah-ahh . . .” Once inside the den, she collapsed onto her side, her belly of pup heaving with each breath she took. Her tail flicked away from her body, allowing her cervix to begin to stretch open, becoming a gateway into life for the litter that Flicker had been protecting for almost two moons now. The she-wolf groaned in agony as she allowed her body to push, but this pain was not unfamiliar to Flicker: she had birthed twice before, and each litter had always been the same. 

Breathing steadily, the laboring Flicker rested from the contraction, although her hind legs burned in pain. With each push, more fluid slipped from her cervix as it began to widen. A tiny, glossy skin could slightly be seen as Flicker began to sit up, lifting her forelegs to allow the sac to slip from her and land into the safety of the den floor. With another groan and a push, the sac, followed by a flood of embryonic fluid and blood, entered the world of the Evergreen. Immediately, Flicker moved her elegant brown head towards the bloody and wet sac, licking the filmy skin away from the tiny pup that lay inside. Her teeth gently clipped the umbilical cord that connected her to the new life and quickly groomed the wet baby’s coat with a look of love and wonder, inspecting what the Elder had prophesized.

The first puppy was a stunning shade of brownish-red with a stretch of white on its chest and the tips of its feet. Flicker smiled at the sound of the pup’s first squeaky whimper of life, then quickly licked it some more. 

“Oh, he’s a beautiful child . . .” Flicker commented on the tiny pup. “So tiny, yet this one holds the key to the future of our Clan when he becomes Alpha . . .” She let out a sigh, watching the pup squirm to her belly and begin to suckle on the pink teats that held warm milk for growth.

Moments later, another contraction hit the she-wolf, causing her body to shutter and shake at the force of the laboring push. Again her cervix stretched wide, revealing another glossy sac of pup and more fluid as she struggled to deliver the second pup while not disturbing the other one, who was still nursing on the she-wolf’s belly. 

“Uhh!” With one last push, the second pup was born, surrounded by its birth sac and the fluid it once grew in prior to being born. Again, Flicker broke the thin cord of life and removed the wet skin of gloss from the newborn, showing its brownish-red coat and white markings on its chest, paws and tiny nub of a tail. She felt happy to have two beautiful children by her side as she licked them together, nuzzling them with affection and love. Her contractions had ceased, and the birth was over at last; Flicker let out a breath of relief as she admired the results of her hard work.

“Ah, at last . . .” Flicker sighed softly, using her tail to protect her pups from the cold summer night around them. “My children are by my side . . .” She closed her eyes and grinned, nuzzling them as they drank from her breast. “and the Great Tikia has entrusted me with this honor of birthing them into our world. One of them destined to save us all . . . oh, may Tikia be praised!” 

Her happiness and joy made her completely oblivious of the approaching intruder that was entering her den.

One of her pups, the first-born, squeaked out a shrill howl, then quietly went back to its whimpering. Flicker giggled at the pup, licking it as she gave it a name. “My first-born child, Tikia . . . that is what I shall christen you, after the spirit that gave you to me.” She looked at the other pup, observing its actions as it also let a howl come from its tiny voice. “And you, Tikio . . . I shall christen you, my child –” 

Quickly, a shadowed figure stole one of the pups from the safety of her teats, allowing it to dangle from its mouth. Flicker gasped, but began to growl in anger as the dark intruder made its way to the den’s exit.

“Give me back my pup, you thief!” Flicker growled. “I’ll attack you if you resist my orders!” 

The dark wolf laughed airily, sounding like someone the she-wolf knew. “Gee, Flicker. I’m surprised you have forgotten our deal already!” The lupine clicked her tongue a couple of times, shaking its head back and forth. “You know, Riko won’t be pleased with your disobedience.” It laughed again, this time with more fervor; it walked into the dim stream of light, allowing the new mother to recognize the puppy thief.

“Oh! It’s you!” Flicker gasped, tears beginning to form under her eyes. “Sherry . . . Oh, I had forgotten all about that.” She lowered her head in shame as she allowed the Alpha Female to take one of her newborns away. Flicker noticed the pup that in Sherry’s jaws was her first-born child. “Oh, that one’s Tikia, the first-born. Please . . .” she began to sniffle. “please take good care of him.” 

Sherry’s white nose sniffed around at the scent of the pup in her mouth, then quickly turned back to the other pup, still safely nursing at its mother’s side. “I can’t bring this pup to Riko, Flicker!” The dark-gray she-wolf snorted, placing Tikia back by Flicker’s nipples and after sniffing the other pup, she grabbed it with her jaws and walked to the den’s exit. “Your first-born is a she-wolf! We asked for a male pup, not a female, you dolt!” She snorted. “Only a male pup was mentioned in the prophecy, so your Tikia will destined for a life of worthlessness, while this one,” Sherry lifted her mouth up, emphasizing the second-born puppy in her jaws, “ah, he will be blessed with the strength to rise to Alpha Male! He will save our Clan and our world once he grows stronger and wiser with our teachings and training!” She laughed as she left the den and the sobbing Beta Female.

“No!” Flicker wept loudly. “My Tikio! Not my Tikio . . .” Her tears fell on her tiny daughter’s coat as she lapped up her tears from Tikia’s fur. “My son . . . oh, my son . . .” 

As much as she wished that the deal was never made, it was too