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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/15/2015 2:21 PM

Orion sat on the floor with Saya as he talked on the phone, absently stroking her back with the hand unoccupied by the phone. It had taken him three calls before someone didn't just hang up on him - he was visibly relieved at the voice on the other end of the line.

"Yes. I don't want to assume she'll need a c-section, and I would prefer for her not to be spayed, I don't know how she'll handle anesthetic." Not to mention that wasn't his choice, but the vet didn't need to know that. "Thank you so much. I think she may be in the early stages of labor now, but I'm not sure. I'm getting some food and water in her before I bring her in... Can I stay? I... I don't want her to be alone. She'd pretty skiddish." He hoped he didn't sound like too much of a fool on the phone, but at least most vets loved animals enough to understand.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/15/2015 2:37 PM

Saya's eyes darted up towards Orion and the phone at the mention of spaying. She'd already thought she was sterile once...she didn't really want to go through a process she'd assumed had already been done. Te pregnancy itself had taken enough toll on her without adding the insult of taking organs from her as well. When Orion declined she did her best to show a smile in her canine form, though it wasn't an easy task.

"Alright, we can always give her a shot of drugs to help speed things along and go from there. As for staying with her...it's not really something we usually do but we're kinda slow today, so I think we can let you hang out in one of the exam rooms with her while we wait to see what the medication is going to do for her. Just be aware that if she goes into distress we can't let you follow us beyond that room. You'll just have to wait until everything is finished. But if there's nothing else to settle over the phone, we'll get your room ready and see you soon!"
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/15/2015 2:42 PM

"Thank you ma'am." Orion seemed much more relieved, nodding to Saya. "We'll be there soon." He hung up then and moved to softly rub her ears before starting on his lukewarm dinner.

"She sounds like a good person who is going to help us. I think they're going to do everything they can for you and the pups." He just hoped it didn't come down to having to do a c-section. Major surgery may not go well for the already-weak Saya, and he had no idea how to bottle feed half-shifter puppies. Would they have the same nutrition requirements as puppies? It would be a curious thing if he weren't already freaking out about having to do this.

All that mattered right now though was that Saya was safe and they had a plan for helping her and the puppies.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/15/2015 3:00 PM

Finishing her meal, Saya rested her head on Orion's lap to enjoy the gentle massage on her ears. It was still an odd feeling but she had come to associate it with him and his comforting personality. "Good." There was too much on her mind to think of much else to say. What if the infants were half-shifted already? What if they had human features that would make the staff want to put them in a medical journal? She could still be putting Orion at great risk...but there was nothing she could do about that now. One way or another, these babies had to be born.

~*~
When they arrived, Saya loped along slowly at Orion's side. At her request for making it look more realistic they'd taken one of the stage crews extra ropes and fashioned a collar and leash out of it. The clinic was small but cozy feeling and the smiling face of a woman in a white lab coat peeked out of a door which read "Exam 3" above the frame.

Image


"Well hello there good Samaritan!" she called out as soon as she saw the swollen and weak Saya. "And hello there mama! Come on in, let's have some puppies today!"

The room had a single chair off to the side of the exam table, a small sink and even smaller counter top that held a few syringes on it. The floors were lined with newspapers and bedding which Saya happily flopped down onto as soon as they were fully inside.

"Alright sir, I'm Dr. Sheila and like I said on the phone you're welcome to stay in this room for now. We're going to give her a few shots--one to help speed up the process and the other is a rabies. She has to have it by law, so we might as well get it out of the way before she gets fully focused on having her pups. Are you squeamish at all? Birth can be a messy business and there's not going to be anyone in here to catch you if you pass out..."
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/15/2015 3:08 PM

All they could do now was hope for the best. Orion surely hoped the pups looked... Well, puppy-like, and that no one would be any wiser. Especially if someone came looking for Saya... He was unsure he could protect her against a well-trained military.

------

At least the illusion was there, and the slip-knot meant that Saya could escape it if anything went awry. Smiling at the nurse as she lead them into the exam room he took the rope off of her so she could flop on the floor. "Thank you again ma'am. I'm Orion, and I've been calling her Saya." He shook his head a little though at her questioning, eyeing Saya for a moment before looking back to the tech. "No, I was a nurse in the ER for some time, I'm not squeamish. I've delivered babies before, but... Puppies are something I'm afraid I have no experience with."

For now he was just hoping it all went well. The thought of losing Saya or the puppies was rather devastating.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/15/2015 6:26 PM

Sheila smiled brightly, prepping both needles to give Saya her injections. She seemed perplexed by the extremely large canine, however, and finally spoke about it. "She's a very unusual color and size...and a stray you said? Amazing she didn't get scooped up by someone before now."

Saya suppressed the urge to smile, simply laying on the floor with her belly writhing around full of cramped pups. Sheila injected her quickly, seeming equally shocked that Saya made no more to retaliate...and at the large scars that snaked through her fur. "Poor girl has had a hard life, aren't you just the luckiest thing to find a new dad? Maybe once your babies are older he'll make sure you don't have to be bothered by any more boys." Sheila said jokingly as she tussled the fur on top of Saya's head, unaware the very boy she was talking about was sitting right there in the room.

"The injection might take a while to get started, just open this door and yell if you need something. I'll poke my head in every few minutes until it's showtime."

As Sheila took her leave, Saya stood and began to pace around, glancing to Orion every now and again to convey her desire to talk to him but her knowing she couldn't. For a solid half hour nothing happened, Sheila would look in, smile and say something encouraging then leave again. Finally Saya began panting, pacing faster and acting more agitated--moving around blankets and finally grabbing Orion's sleeve gently in her teeth to pull him beside her on the floor.

It's time. She tried to tell him with her eyes. Stay by me.

Sheila poked her head in just in time to witness the gush of fluid and the howl of the massive canine as she rested her head against Orion.

"Melody, we have puppies! Bring the equipment!"
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/15/2015 11:51 PM

"She didn't let anyone near her except me." Orion shrugged it off, smiling at Saya. "I was lucky she let me close, but she needed help. I've seen her a few times in the last few months." There needed to be a reason he wanted to help - and becoming attached wasn't such an odd thing. Many people adopted strays that they  had seen around.

Nodding a little he resisted the urge to reach out and hold Saya as she was given the injections. "I noticed, I wanted to give her a bath earlier. I'll be happy to make sure she has a good life though, and the puppies." He sounded like a dork, and he knew it.

As Saya grew more agitated Orion knew it was getting closer. He relented and sat on the floor with her, briefly wrapping his arms around her before the nurse came back. "I'll keep you safe." He whispered softly, stroking her ears again. The fluid didn't bother him - he remained put, hoping that the nurses wouldn't make him move.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/16/2015 1:51 PM

The nurses, as a matter of fact, seemed to completely ignore Orion altogether for the time being. The tech (one could assume her name was Melody) came rushing in with towels and blue suction bulbs and a wrapped pack. Sheila gloved up as Melody opened the pack and got down on the floor with the both of them. There were a few heads poking around the doorframe every now and then, trying to see if it was their turn to grab a puppy.

Saya leaned her head against Orion, whimpering and digging her claws into the blankets as labor came into full swing. There was a squeak, and if Orion looked up closely enough he would catch a glimpse of a black pup being handed off and brought out the door.

"Hurry back, they're coming fast! Get their airways cleared and get them cleaned up!" Sheila instructed as she focused on her job of tying off umbilical cords. A white pup was handed off, and another with a strange reddish head and white body. Saya slumped more heavily onto Orion's side, panting heavier now and seeming to struggle more. Sheila frowned--a look not gauges by her mask-covered face but rather her eyes.

"Melody, grab an ultrasound machine. I want to see how many more we're dealing with." As if three children at once wasn't already enough to give Orion a heart attack. Saya thumped her tail once, rolling her eyes up to Orion. She knew--one more life. She only needed to make it through this one more time...
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/16/2015 10:45 PM

"I've got you." Orion whispered softly to Saya as he sat with her, just trying to keep himself calm as much as he was helping her. He rubbed her ears as everything went on, watching her and catching little glimpses of what else was going on. So far it looked like three little healthy puppies... It was enough to give him a heart attack, knowing that there were even more. How was he going to handle helping raise more children than he'd ever been around before?

"I hope not too many more." He gave a nervous chuckle as he looked down to Saya, pressing a soft, quick kiss to her nose. "This is a little much for a new daddy." He could only hope they stayed puppies for a little while. The concert was tomorrow, and then home... He could get Itzal to help with the preparations for the new little lives, and that house next to his was for sale... It was smaller, but hopefully it was enough for them.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/16/2015 11:18 PM

The ultrasound was wheeled in, and a small area of fur shaved off Saya's side. The probe was pushed against her skin and on the screen came a little pulsing spot of black and white. After looking a bit longer, Sheila nodded. "One last heartbeat. You're almost done momma!"

Saya heaved a sigh, still heavy against Orion. She was starting to doubt her ability to make it through one more pup. She looked up to Orion, exhausted and just about out of give. Another contraction hit her and the shifter tensed immediately and let out a howl as her back arched. The doctor jumped back a bit, motioning to the techs. "Towel! Towel!" She cried.

The final pup, a blaze of dark auburn fur that mirrored her mothers, came to the world and was quickly whisked away like the others. The doctor place the probe on Saya's side once more to find no signs of heartbeats left. "Alright, looks like that's it. We'll get her hooked up to some fluids to help her recover while we get the pups cleaned and warm."

~*~

Saya was a sorry sight with her shaved side, shaved front leg taped and a rapid IV drip. She lay otherwise motionless on the floor--unable and unwilling to give anything else. She didn't even seem to mind that Orion was there, faced with the fact he was now a father of four. She couldn't speak with him here besides, it was best to just sleep and recover. She had to be as ready as possible to defend her new family if needed.

There was a small tap on the door, Dr. Sheila poked her head back in with a box complete with heating pad cords sticking out from the top of the box.

"Alright! Here you go dad, two little boys and two girls!" She said happily as she placed the box carefully on the ground and plugged the heating pad back in. "Whenever mom is awake and ready, someone will be in to take her catheter out and we'll send you on your way. In the meantime it'll be good for babies and mom to be able to smell each other and start getting acquainted."

The box was alive with four small pups all wriggling for dominance in their little heap. Their squeaks drew Saya out of her sleep and she pulled her head across the blankets to look at the box and then to Orion.
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/16/2015 11:33 PM

"You've got this Saya, you can do it." Orion whispered encouragingly as he stroked her fur, taking  little when she arched her back to see the last little blaze of auburn fur whisked away. Four... Four little loves, that would depend on him. It was more than a little overwhelming to be honest.

With the few moments of peace and then the doctor coming back in Orion nodded, looking into the heated box with wide eyes. Watching the doctor for a moment he turned to the pups, very gently picking up each one and placing them at Saya's side. It was quite obvious all of his emotions were all over the place - he was tearing up, blinking rapidly to try and stop the tears from falling. Would it be too weird to cry over the puppies? He didn't want the nurse to suspect anything.

"They're so beautiful Saya." He whispered as he hovered a little, not wanting to touch the delicate little things more than necessary. "Hello little ones." He murmured, gently rubbing her ears once more. "We'll go home soon, and I'll make sure you have everything you need."
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/17/2015 6:49 PM

The vet laughed a little, reaching out to pat Orion on the shoulder. "Bet you didn't get a lot of the happy ending stuff from the ER, huh? Don't feel bad, Just take your time, your girl needs some time to rest and get those fluids in her. If we can get you anything just let us know." She paused for a moment in case he had immediate needs, then turned and made her exit again.

Alone again with the new infants, Saya looked to Orion and nudged one of the pups his way that was already travelling there. The last born girl--blazing auburn fur that seemed very unnatural for a pup. The little one squeaked, nosing around in the air until she bumped into her father's leg.

The others had found their mother and were taking in their first meal, but the little female seemed uninterested at the moment. Saya's IV fluids were running in fast--the bag only a quarter full now. It wouldn't be much longer before the family was released to leave. Then Saya could finally speak with Orion again, though she doubted she could shift just yet. She'd been through worse trauma before but shifting after so much blood loss was never easy. She'd have to recover like this, at least for a day, before she could be her 'normal' self around Orion again.
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/17/2015 9:49 PM

"N-no, not many." Orion stuttered a little as he tried to calm himself down, taking a deep breath and wiping a sleeve across his eyes. It all was still overwhelming, especially when he thought about how dependent these little lives would be on him, and Saya would surely need him for a little while. He could provide for them, he hoped.

"No, thank you... I'm good. I just want to be here with her." Grateful when the nurse left he relaxed a little, still stroking Saya's fur as he watched the little auburn girl with interest. "Don't you want your mommy?" He didn't mind though, softly picking up the little girl and delicately rubbing his fingers through her baby-soft fuzz. "You must be hungry." He continued to talk softly, cradling her for a few moments before settling her beside her siblings to push her to nurse. She would need to before they left, otherwise they may want to keep her and make sure she was doing well. Even as the 'runt' all the pups were about the same size at least, and it gave him hope that they were all going to be okay.
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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Kallile » 11/18/2015 6:13 PM

Saya watched Orion interact with the runt, giving him a canine smile that was probably becoming fairly recognizable to him by now. The little runt did give in and once pushed against Saya she too began nursing. The bag ran empty at long last, and within minutes a nurse was in removing Saya's catheter and bandaging her up. Papers were brought in to be signed, and afterward the new family was released.

Once outside and back to the car, Saya heaved a sigh as she settled into her seat. The vet office had given Orion some puppy pads, just to keep his car clean. Once all the doors were closed and the voices muffled, Saya looked to Orion and then to the floorboard where the box full of puppies was.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?" she mused quietly. "Thank you...for staying."

She'd never known a man to be as in love with his children when they were born as puppies. She'd fully expected Orion to run from the start or worse--call her in and get reward money for not only her, but her children. He could have retired a wealthy man, not had to lift a finger for the rest of his life. Yet he stayed with her and watched not one but four children be born as a different species than his own.
"I have been hidden, scorned, adored, worshiped, forsaken, coveted and banished more times than I care to count. But the one thing all those experiences cannot steal from me is the gentle soul I was born with, the kind heart I have molded, and the bright ideals for the future that have lit my way through the darkness of the past."




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Re: Unraveling [Cita and I] [E]

Postby Citanul » 11/19/2015 1:57 PM

Orion was a little calmer with the entire process. Discharge paperwork he could do, and taking Saya and the puppies out to the car was an easy enough task. He double-checked to make sure that their box was secure before starting up the car, reaching over to softly ruffle her fur.

"They're wonderful, Saya. You did such a good job with them." He smiled as he drove them carefully back to the hotel, managing to smuggle the puppies and Saya to the back without being harassed too much. He'd have to have a chat with Itzal later, and perhaps the hotel management to leave his room alone while he was gone.

Rummaging for a few moments Orion settled blankets wrapped around a few pillows to keep the pups into a small nest - big enough for Saya to climb into as well, but so they couldn't get out. He motioned Saya over with a smile, sitting down to gently set the puppies into the den as well. "There we go." He murmured, briefly stroking each pup as they settled into their new surroundings. At the very least his blankets would still smell like them, and hopefully be comforting.

"I... I don't know what you planned, or what you wanted when you found me Saya, but... I want to buy a house, and keep you and them safe, even if they stay puppies." No matter what these were still his kids, and he wanted to help with them.
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