[PRP] Here we go again [The Sea is My Love/Brother Shark]

[Beejoux]

It felt like time had flown by, like it had been merely days sense running into Sea Love again after years and reconnecting, then finding out very soon after that that he was going to be father. Yet again. But Winter Market was coming to a close. More and more booths were being cleared out, closed up. The large clearing was, well, clear again.

It had been quite the fruitful season between expanding his social circle, and attracting some new...pets.

Now, finally, it was going to be his family expanding again. Sea Love had sent word to let him know the sacs we're stirring restlessly, and Shark didn't want to miss seeing the new babies emerging into the world. He made his way back to the bay, where Sea Love and the sacs had been staying.

[Nashawryn]

The Sea is My Love was restless. The sacs would open soon. Word had been sent to Shark, but she wasn't sure how long it would take him to get back. The winter market this year had been very busy, she'd been told. Some of her siblings had stopped by to tell her tales of how her mother had been getting everyone to help her gather fish back up again. That hungry oddbody pet that was Tears' had managed to eat all her mother's winter food stores. She knew Shark had helped gather some fish, as well as others. There were also tales of a horrible maze connected to a stump. Something about kin finding bass fish randomly around the market as well. It sounded very exciting, and perhaps next year she'd go.

This year, however, all of her focus was on the sacs. She knew the time was coming when the sacs would open and reveal their newest children. She nudged one of the green sacs, encouraging the doe inside to break free soon. She was excited to learn their names, and learn of their personalities. She knew Shark wanted to be here for that time as well.

[Beejoux]

The path from the Market to the Cres was well warn and familiar at this point, but it wasn't short. It took a couple of hours for the buck to make his way back to outcropping of stone and falling trees he'd made his home. "Sea Love, anyone make it out yet?" He hoped not.

The den he walked into wasn't the most spacious, but it was sheltered from the wind, and he'd gathered up lots of fresh moss and soft grasses for both the doe and the babes. He might have a been a major instigator and a pain in the ass, but there was a certain undeniable duty that came with providing for his family and the does that shared his company, a certain amount of care. He bumped his nose against her cheek as he walked around the mare, bright eyes focused down on the sacs she was settled beside and the babies he could see moving around inside them.

Five sacs, still intact. He'd missed nothing yet. "Very lively," he murmured quietly, agreeing with the assessment the messenger had given him.

[Nashawryn]

Sea Love nodded at Shark in greeting to return his nose bump. "All still there. I keep nudging the sacs, encouraging them to come out but it seems they're not quite there yet." She'd been monitoring the sacs very closely looking for any small changes but the children inside were only moving a bit restlessly, not impatiently to get out yet. She knew it was coming soon.

"How was the market? Did you catch a lot of fish for mother?" She worried that Tears would perhaps not have enough fish, even with the effort everyone had put forward over the winter market. She didn't regret missing the market though, the need to be with the sacs was more important to her. She hoped to see every one of her children born. This was an important time for her. As if to point in this very direction, one of the sacs containing a male child seemed to bulge unnaturally, showing a hoof clearly. "Someone is getting impatient."

[Beejoux]

Shark stood for a long moment watching the foals moving inside their sacs, willing them to break free, but none were struggling or straining yet.

"I think so, though I don't think I was much help at the end. Lots of acorns the last few days," he snorted, annoyed. In his defense though, he'd been a bit preoccupied since the sacs had started squirming in earnest.

A leg pushed against the side of one of the sacs and Shark edged in closer, watching keenly.bhe didn't know how Sea Love knew which were boys and which were girls, but he trusted her judgement on it. "Come out little minnow." As he spoke another sac wiggled and strained, a head pushing hard against the dude to show pale head with pink nubs for horns. "We can't just rip the sacs open?"

[Nashawryn]

Sea Love shook her head at the question. "They have to do it themselves. We might hurt them if we try to help." She nudged another sac in encouragement, smiling as it responded by shoving a hoof at her. "Come on little ones, come out here." She was grateful that they were in a sheltered area so that the children could come out in a very safe area.

The sac that had just shoved a hoof out bulged before tearing a little bit, just a small section but he had progressed over his siblings. "Shark, see how these two sacs are green? Those are girls. And these bluish sacs are boys. My mother showed me that.", she said to him in passing, letting him know how to tell them apart as she could. She'd not realized there was a way to tell them apart until her mother mentioned it. If only her mother made more sense in other areas.

She watched as more of the sacs started struggling harder as if to pass their brother's progress in getting his sac torn just a bit open. This excited her greatly and she bounced a bit in place and smiled at Shark.

[Beejoux]

Shark grumbled under his breath, impatient to see the foals but not so impatient he was willing to risk hurting them.instead he stood restlessly beside the doe, that long tail of his whipping against both their backsides as it flicked quicky back and forth.

A foot broke free if one and he tensed, waiting, but the foal inside paused there, for now, and Shark frowned. Sea Love said his name it caught his attention, and an ear flicking towards her voice, and he blinked as he looked between the sacs at her urging, the colors on the membranes. Then nodded his understanding, now that knew what to look for it was obvious. "Two girls and three boys," he murmured, the crooked hint of a smile on his toothy maw.

"Oh." They were really restless now, and 5he foal he'd seen trying to headbutt their way out was making another fo of it. She, he now knew, got a leg up, was pushing hard at the skin of the sac u til finally it tore as well, and a dainty hoof emerged. "That's right, you can do it." On the other side of her another sac was bulging, starting to tear under the stress.

[Nashawryn]

All the foals were struggling now, as if they were competing to be the first to be born. Hooves were tearing at sacs, making small holes that were slowly widening. The first foal freed from a sac was a girl with purple hair. A minute after her came a boy with glowing pink eyes and a big tail that seemed to be sticking a bit to the sac he’d come from.

Sea Love smiled encouragement at the other three sacs. “Come on children, you can do it! You’re so close, follow your brother and sister.” She bumped her hip against Shark.

[Beejoux]

Two of the babies had broken free and Shark was practically buzzing with excitement. He'd never been around for this part, never stayed with the mothers long enough to see the fruits of his...not labors. He'd checked in, had a few of his children join him back at the bay, and though he was loyal and protective he was not exactly a good father.

Still, he was here now, watching avidly as Sea Love bumped his side. A third babe managed to push their head free and split the sac enough to slip free, a pale doe with pastel fins on her back and tail. Shark grinned, dipped his head to touch his nose to the foal. This one looked like her mama. "Two more." Then the nervous knot in his chest could loosen. What was he even nervous about?

[Nashawryn]

Sea Love nuzzled the newest doe, then went back to encouraging the last two sacs. "You can do it! You're almost there."

One of the sacs started moving more energetically as if to challenge the other that was still not out, which caused a response in the other sac to vigorously start moving and stretching the sac lining. Soon a hoof popped through and a boy came tumbling out. This one had light pinks and blues and a long tail as well. The tail didn't stick to the sac for this one at least.

There was one lone sac left still struggling to free itself. Sea Love gently tapped it with her nose, hoping he would emerge soon. He was the last one left of the group, and their family would be complete once he was out.

[Beejoux]

The last boy hoofed his way out of the sac with a grunt, long little legs flailing in the air before he managed to twist himself around onto his side, giving a whining little cry up at his parents before falling quiet, taking in his siblings, the cave.

Shark chuckled, nosing at the unsteady little goal to help him get his legs folded up underneath him. "Hush now, you're alright," he said softly, finally sinking down to lay on the mossy floor, the worrisome part was over. He tested his chin on his legs, glowing eyes flicking from babe to babe. Making sure they were whole, healthy. "They look a lot like you," he mused, nothing the fin frills on a few small back.

[Nashawryn]

Sea Love nods at his words, some do indeed look like her. But she also points out to him, "Some have your tail, and your mouth shape. I'm not sure where that boy's tail came from though. Must be from someone in your family." Sea Love looks over at the boy with dark purple legs and bright pink fin frills. She also slowly lowers herself to the floor of the cave next to him, watching as the children slowly look around their new home and look at each other. The boy with coral horns looks especially curious about everything around them, the wide mouth he's gotten from Shark hanging open a bit.

[Beejoux]

As she settled down beside him Shark tipped his head to bump his nose against her cheek, grinning toothily at the mention of his mouth being passed along to some of their babes. He wasn't sure about the tail though, he'd not seen another like it on any of his other kids. "It could be." He shrugged, long tail flicking, lengths are dark hair settling around his hip and across his back.

The pale doe with the pink fins was working to get her legs beneath her, wobbling unsteadily as she held herself up with her front legs. "You can do it," he urged, watching her keenly.

The darker lad, the last to emerge, gave another soft whine.

I'm so sorry, I didn't realize I never tagged this!