pretty hard, but Balto’s got him,” Timbre lowered his head grimly. “The birth just seems to be really difficult for Aleu, based on what I’ve heard from her cries and Melody’s commands.” His ears lowered. “It’s a shame the first two pups were still-born . . .”

 

Both Dash and Jenna gasped, but without thinking, Jenna leapt forward. “Where is she? I have to help my daughter!”

 

“She’s in the birthing den, near the highest shelf,” Timbre told her in the fewest amount of words.

 

“Be careful, Mom,” Dash nuzzled her before she flew inside. “I’ll stay here and complete the rest of my sentry duty here. Give Aleu all my love, okay?”

 

“I will,” Jenna tried to be strong in front of her son with a warm grin and a nod, but it only cloaked her real emotions of worry, sorrow and sheer grief for her family. “Be safe, Dash.”

 

The son nodded and Jenna ran past him and Timbre, heading towards where her daughter needed her most.

 

 

 

Another one dead, Melody removed the pup from her presence, placing it near the other two pups that was born first. She had already cleaned it – unlike the other two, it was a boy-pup. More like the second-born, he had very similar markings to his mother but like the first-born, he was donning his father’s dark-red colors. This is a tragedy for us all . . . not just for Aleu and Shadow. She sighed, turning to see the laid form of Aleu, still heaving with a swollen belly with more pups to be born. Oh Aniu . . . please watch over us now . . .

 

Suddenly, Aleu’s head rose, signaling a new contraction surging through her. “Ah . . . another one!”

 

“Aleu, calm down!” Melody ran to her panting sister. “Remember how to breathe? One-two, one-two . . .” Aleu repeated the breathing pattern for a few seconds until her head lowered back onto the ground. “Good . . . good . . . Take it easy now, sis . . . Shh . . .”

 

Although Aleu was calmer now despite losing three pups at birth, she felt ready to push. “Oh! I . . . I feel it coming . . .”

 

“Okay, okay . . .” Melody, joined with the other she-wolves, continued to ready Aleu to push the pup out. “Easy now . . . keep her steady, girls . . . okay, Aleu – push down now . . . Push . . .”

 

“Uhh . . .” Aleu tightly squeezed her eyes shut, using all of her strength and inner force to release the pup from her body. Guide this pup from me, Aniu . . . Please give me strength . . . she prayed to herself as she felt the sac bubble from her, and after another push, it soon glided out onto the ground covered in watery fluid and blood. “Ah . . .” Aleu’s head collapsed in exhaustion, landing hard on the ground.

 

By this time, Jenna arrived at the scene, panting rapidly as she tried to catch her breath at the den entranceway. “Aleu . . . Melody . . .” she turned to each of her daughters, her face was obviously filled with worry and distress.

 

“Mom . . .” Melody lifted her head after licking the fourth pup that had just been born. She tone was again sorrowful as she lifted the pup – a gray male – with her jaws and placed it with the other dead. Jenna followed her to the four pups where Melody just wept on her shoulder uncontrollably. “I . . . I couldn’t . . . I’ve failed them, Mom . . .”

 

This is just . . . Oh my God . . . Jenna was near to tears herself at the sight of four still-born pups lying all near each other as if they were merely sleeping close to each other for warmth. I wonder how Aleu’s handling all of this . . . She turned to her other daughter, hoping for the best. She’s probably taking this pretty hard . . . I know I’d feel awful if this happened to me . . .

 

Aleu was barely awake and still contracting, but she had tears in her eyes. “Mom . . .?” She saw Jenna standing with Melody and spoke a bit louder, lifting herself up to sit up. “Mom . . . oh!”

 

“Aleu!” Jenna and Melody ran to her, watching her collapse back under her weight. She wasn’t strong enough to even stand, but thankfully, the two females were able to catch Aleu before she hurt herself.

 

“Easy, easy . . .” Melody helped to gently lower Aleu back onto the ground, calming her with hushing and comforting nuzzles.

 

“You shouldn’t be moving so quickly, Aleu,” Jenna scolded her daughter with a gentle tone.

 

“I know, Mom . . .” Aleu panted out in a quiet voice, allowing her mother to lick the tears off from under her eyes. “. . . but the pups . . . they – OH!” She shut her eyes tight, feeling pressure hit her hard at her stomach. “Aah . . .”

 

“Calm down, Aleu,” Jenna tried to calm her daughter down with a few whispered coos and nuzzles on the cheek. “You’ve just given birth . . . and—” She was interrupted by the sound of her daughter’s latest contraction and grunting; however, Aleu’s noises were louder and more severe than ever – they didn’t seem natural at all.

 

“Huh? Another pup?” Melody gasped as she made sure that everything went smoothly with her sister’s labor. “Whoa, hey! Take it easy, Aleu!”

 

But taking it easy was something that Aleu could not do. She had to finish this . . . she had to have a pup that would survive being born, and there was no way that she wasn’t going to stop doing what she had to do. The light brown-gray angrily shooed away and growled at any assistance that came to help her – this was something she had to face alone.

 

I promised Shadow another litter . . . I must do whatever it takes to give him a live pup . . . Oh, it hurts so much . . . but I must . . . I must get this last pup out . . .

 

Be with me, Aniu . . . I have faith in you . . .

 

“Oh God . . .” Jenna murmured in a voice that made Melody gasp lightly. “She’s forcing herself to push . . .”

 

“What?” Melody whispered back in shock. “No way! Why would Aleu want to do that?” She looked back at the form of her eldest sister pressing her claws deep into the earth as she strained to deliver. “It sounds dangerous . . . She could hurt herself!”

 

“By forcing the pup out against its will, she ishurting herself,” The husky turned to her daughter with a look of worry. “If she keeps this strenuous activity up, there’s a chance that she’ll . . .”

 

Before Jenna could finish, Aleu’s head lifted up with a final groaning cry coming out of her mouth. One big push and the process was done – a pup emerged from her, zapping Aleu’s remaining energy and strength.

 

It’s done . . . It is finished, Shadow . . . The last of her strength was used to smile with relief. This is your will, Aniu . . .

 

The she-wolf’s head and neck fell to the ground with her jaws opened a little and her eyes rolling backwards. Suddenly, her belly was flatter than it was before, but it was still.

 

She wasn’t breathing.

 

“Aleu?” Jenna ran to her daughter’s side as Melody took care of the last pup. “Aleu! Oh God – ALEU!”

 

 

Chapter III

 

One of Shadow’s ears pricked up at Jenna’s sudden scream. Something’s wrong, . . . something’s just doesn’t sound right at all . . . “Aleu!” He lifted his head up from the ground, much to Balto’s surprise.

 

“Huh . . . Shadow?” The wolf-dog had heard it too, but he was not fast enough to stop the red wolf from rising to his paws and darting out of the den. “Shadow! Wait for me!” Within moments, Balto followed behind him, knowing that something must have happened to his beloved daughter . . . and it didn’t sound good at all.

 

Within moments, the two males arrived at the den where Jenna, Melody and the small group of she-wolves were trying to resuscitate their fallen friend. Shadow was the first to ask any questions.

 

“Jenna, Melody . . . what happened?” He asked frantically. “What’s wrong with Aleu?”

 

“Shadow, . . . I’m so sorry,” the gray she-wolf lowered her ears. “Aleu’s . . . she’s . . . gone . . .”

 

“WHAT?” Balto stepped up beside Shadow, turning his focus on his mate. “Jen, what – how . . . how could this happen?”

 

Jenna was afraid to actually tell the males what she told Melody, but everyone staring at her made her pulse race nervously. I can’t tell them that she forced herself . . . They might think that she meant to do this . . . Oh God, what should I do?

 

“The last pup was born . . . and . . . and Aleu . . .” Jenna burst into tears, collapsing to the ground. Balto swiftly went to her side, helping her up to her feet, but the husky had to finish. “Oh, . . . she fell to the ground and . . . and she didn’t get up . . .”

 

“She wasn’t breathing, Dad,” Melody concluded, now tearing up in her eyes. “The pup didn’t make it either . . .” She turned to the red wolf with streams of salty water dripping down her face. “I’m sorry . . . I . . . I tried my best to help them, Shadow . . .” She went up to nuzzle him, offering her condolences, but Shadow jerked his head away, immediately running to his mate’s side.

 

“No . . . NO!” was all he could cry out, letting his muzzle rise to howl mournfully.

 

Everyone lowered their ears solemnly, showing respect for what had just been revealed to them. The she-wolves left silently to go inform the rest of the Clan of this tragedy, but Melody felt that it was her duty to break the news to her other older sister, who also happened to rise to the title of Alpha.

 

“Saba?” The gray arrived at the den where a guard stopped her in her tracks with a gasp.

 

“State your request, please,” the guard – a large brown and white wolf – stood in front of her at the entrance.

 

“I will but to my sister herself,” Melody replied urgently, almost to the point of crying. “I’m sorry, but this is a family emergency, and I wish to be

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