Author's note:

This story is dedicated to my two wolf characters, Tikanni and Suka. These two wolves never knew the real story behind their mothers death, so this story is written to them and to you. This is their story...

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"...Come on, Raven you can do it!"

Siku was cheering his mate on. Raven, was giving birth. She was having her first cub of her first litter.

The pure black wolf pushed, suddenly a little head appeared. Finally, the little male pup fell to the cave floor. The little yelping pup was picked up by its scruff, and had a quick clean. Raven pushed the little one towards her teats, and the pup sucked furiously.

"He is gorgeous." Raven said excitedly.

"I wonder what we will name him" Siku asked his mate. They both thought for a moment...

"How about Suka?" The snowy, white wolf asked.

"I think its a great name, he did come out quite fast." Raven replied.

"Thats why I thought of the name!" Siku said happily.

Suddenly, another little pup come out. This time, it was a girl. The little cub got the same treatment as her brother, born before her. Raven and Siku aggreed to call the little girl pup Tikanni, meaning 'wolf.' Both pups looked healthy, but the third pup died after birth. Raven cried a little, while Siku buried the little female outside the dark cave, and laid a little daisy over its grave in rememberance. Siku muzzled his upset mate.

"Siku, i'm tired I wanna go to sleep" the pure black wolf yawned and fell asleep quickly.

'Goodnight baby' Siku whispered to Raven. He licked his mate's cheek and watched over the pups for a few hours.

3 hours later...

Raven woke up to find her mate nearly falling over from tiredness.

"Siku, won't dont you go to sleep while I watch over Suka and Tikanni, you look tired."

"Are you sure?" Siku asked, nearly dozing off.

"I'll be fine, you go to sleep."

The pure white wolf laid down by his mate's side and fell alseep, Raven chuckled. She gave her pups a quick clean, then groomed herself. 

Siku woke up about an hour later. He had a quick yawn, stretched and stood up, only to find his mate and the newborn pups asleep. He sat down and watched the pups for a few minutes. Siku heard someone entering the den, it was Raven's sister, Nicole.

"Hello every..." "Ssssshhhhh" Siku replied.

"Whats going on?" She asked with a puzzled look.

She and Siku walked over to Raven, she and the pups were fast asleep.

"Awwwwwwwwww" She replied quietly.

"Ones a male, Suka and the other Tikanni, a little girl. Sadly, the third one died." Siku explained, he had a sad look on his face.

"It happens sometimes Siku." She replied.

Raven woke up, as did the pups.

"Hello sister." She said happlily, the two sisters muzzled each other.

Suka was whining, but Tikanni remained quiet.

"At least we know who's the whiner," Nicole replied with a chuckle.

All wolves laughed.

"Well, I've gotta go. See ya later." She said happily.

"Bye" Raven and Siku said in unison. Nicole left the den.

"Well, I think its time to get to bed," Said Siku yawning.

Siku laid down next to Raven, both said goodnight and went to sleep.

The next morning, Siku was the first to awake. He yawned and stretched, looked at the pups and smiled. 

"Good morning," He whispered, Raven didn't move.

Siku then muzzled his mate, she still didn't move. 'She probably sleeps heavily' he thought to himself. He licked her eye, and she still didn't budge. Siku started to panic and put his ear against her chest, and realised her heart wasn't beating. He checked her nose; she wasn't breathing.

Siku gasped then ran to the entrance of the den, and howled!

Nicole woke up, and reconized his howl. "Something's wrong," she told herself, she ran out the entrance of her den and sprinted to Siku and her sister's den. Her den was a kilometer away, but she got there in five minutes.

"Whats wrong?" She asked, panting.

Siku was crying, and he couldn't stop crying.

"Raven is d-d-ead!" He slipped out.

Nicole gasped, she quickly ran to her sister.

"S-she isn't breathing, her heart isn't beating and she won't m-move!" Siku wailed.

Nicole put her ear against her chest, then she put her paw in front of her nose, Nicole feared what her brother in - law explained - the black wolf had perished.

Tears started rushing down Nicole's cheeks, Siku sat next to his upset sister in - law. Nicole stopped crying.

"Any reason why?" Nicole asked with a sigh.

"She did bleed alot when Tikanni was born, maybe that could've caused it." Siku explained.

Making him think of the cubs made him cry more, they had no milk which included nutrients, and was the only life source for them. Untill they could learn to hunt, but their chance of living was slim, but his crying settled.

"The pups have no milk, their chance of living is low." Replied Siku.

Siku started to cry again, he didn't know what to do. The pups started whining, and Nicole was about to cry, but crying wasn't going to help the newborn pups, they needed milk - and soon.

"Siku, I know its sad, but crying isn't an option. We must find a way to care for these cubs." Nicole eplained.

Siku's crying settled.

"...Wait a minute, my mother has newborn pups, she could take care of Suka and Tikanni." said Nicole, sounding hopeful.

"If your mother excepts the offer." Replied Siku. Nicole could tell Siku was worried, but Nicole was confident.

"Don't worry, she will do this; for Raven and for you."

Finished: 12th December 2008

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