Stardust

Summit Hiram Eithne


Summit didn’t need to be told twice to skidaddle when it came time for Mama to give birth. Clover had shared with him once the story of his own arrival, one that had nearly killed both pup and mother in a scary and bloody way. As soon as their father told them to go and to wait, Summit went – as fast as possible, and far away enough that he would hear Cian’s call to return, and hopefully nothing else…

It felt like hours had passed with Summit waiting nervously. He couldn’t seem to keep still as he waited and waited, moving around aimlessly. But all he could think of was Mama – would she be okay? She had seemed confident, but what if… Finally his father’s howl caught his attention, and Summit wasted no time. He sprinted with long, awkward limbs back to Mama’s “hiding place,” where Journey was already waiting.

Summit nudged his smaller “twin” gently as he passed by. Seeing their father’s smile made Summit smile big, for it must have gone well! Without wasting another second, the yearling plodded closer to peek inside at Clover and her new pups. He gasped aloud as he saw them, so tiny and squirmy and cute. ”Mama! You did it! Are they brothers? Or sisters?” And, of course, the most important question: ”Which one can we call Wiggles?"



@Fern @Clover @Journey

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Fern Haven Eithne

The small girl had found the perfect hiding spot under a bush with bright red berries hanging from the branches. She loved the way they seemed to glisten in the sun, how shiny and tight their skin was. Fern wondered if these were edible. Green eyes narrowed slightly as she weighed down her options. Before a decision could be made, a heart-tearing scream ripped through the forest, one that Fern knew instantly as her mother's voice. She waited a moment, certain it was a devious tactic to coax the pup out of her hiding place, and she smirked to herself, proud that she had hidden so well that her mother had to resort to such tactics. Within seconds, that smirk fell off her face to be replaced with wide, panicked eyes as the sound was repeated and the black pup scooped up her slimy companion, depositing him gently on her back before wriggling back out from under the bush.

Small black paws carried her at the speed of the wind, her tiny body slipping easily between the trees as she raced towards where the sound originated from. She found the rest of her family gathered around a tree, Summit by the edges, Journey in closer, not far from the entrance to the hollow where she could see just a glimpse of her father's fiery fur, and beyond that, the silvery hues of her mother.

She passed Summit, running her nose gently along his side and came to a stop a few paces ahead of him, placing herself somewhere between the two siblings. After some time of hearing the sounds of pain from within the hollow, watching the vaguely familiar wolfess move around the tree, speaking to the new mother and father to be. A lifetime of wincing and lip-biting later, Cian called for the three yearlings and Fern cast a glance over her shoulder at her brother as he sprinted past her, his long legs taking him further than hers could ever hope. Without hesitation, she rushed after him, stopping to watch from a few paces away as he nuzzled his sister, voicing his excitement to the gathering. Catching a peek at the tiny bodies inside the hollow, nestled up against the pale form of Clover, Fern couldn't help but feel the wave of jealousy, of not belonging to this pale, fiery family wash over her. The seven of them looked like a beautiful collection of pieces to one puzzle. She looked down at her paws, the silken black fur that covered her body and felt a lump rising in her throat.

For many moments she stayed there, a little ways back from the family before she stepped forward, plastering a smile on her face and swallowing down the feelings that had attached themselves to her chest. "Omigosh!" Look how tiny they are!" She squealed, poking her nose around her father to peer at the pups copying Journey and Summit's reactions. She supposed she could get used to having the new siblings... maybe.

And no, I won't give you a little twirl

@Clover @Cian @Journey

template © bean, art credit claerie

C

ian's affections made every difficult trial in her life worth while. And even though childbirth was a feat she'd experienced before, her mate still seemed as in awe at her resilience through it all with their second litter. As he showered her in compliments and nuzzled her she closed her eyes and leaned into the contact, giving his muzzle a few licks. “And don't forget ...they have an incredible Papa too..." She panted, giving his nose one last kiss before returning her attention to the pups.

When Willow returned with the water, she sought to lock eyes with her, gratitude emanating from her. She immediately lapped up all of the water quickly, taking a moment to catch her breath. “Thank you for being here, Willow, I'm not sure how I can even repay you." Clover smiled at the other expectant mother, promising herself that she would try to be there as best she could for her friend when the time came for her pups to arrive as well.

After getting her fill of water, Clover reclined herself until she was laying on her side, head resting on the ground as she continued to pant softly. She closed her eyes, doing her best to stay awake as she listened to Cian excitedly gather their other children to meet their new siblings. At the sound of Summits voice, her eyelids fluttered open and she lifted her head, greeting him with a smile. “They're all sweet little girls, Summit. Here, you can come closer if you want." She beckoned all three of her curious pups forward to investigate the newborns.

“You know, you were about this small once. And goodness, Wiggles? What a name! Let's see...why don't we go ahead and name them. Journey? Fern? Do you want to help also?" She then looked to Cian longingly, wanting him closer to her if he was able to squeeze himself next to her. “What about you, Papa? Do you have any name ideas to add?" She leaned down to groom the infants as they started making a fuss, arguing for space even though there was plenty. She chuckled softly and readjusted them, before leaning back into a comfortable position, peering over at her family expectantly.


@Cian @Fern @Journey

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Summit Hiram Eithne


Soon, the whole family was together, from parents to yearlings to the Eithne clan's youngest members. As Clover invited him closer to see his brand new little sisters, Summit scooted nearer little by little, unmatching eyes filling with happy tears as they moved from one newborn to the next. ”They’re all so lovely.” There was a brief moment of disappointment when Clover declined to call one of her new daughters Wiggles, but at the suggestion that the family could name them, together, Summit was nearly wild with enthusiasm. "Good idea, Mama! All together."

He made a thoughtful hm sound as he tried to decide which of the pups to name first. Finally, he focus fell upon the one that wasn’t the biggest or the littlest, whose fur was a soft ginger hue, like sand. ”This one! She looks like the beach where Mama and Papa got married,” he declared. Another second of consideration before Summit gasped excitedly. ”Oh! What about this name? Cuz she looks like the beach, we could call her Sandpiper. Middle name…” Another pause before he offered with a proud grin: "Joyful! Sandpiper Joyful!" He looked between his family to see what they thought of this suggestion.



@Journey @Fern @Clover

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C

ian’s heart felt so full that it could burst, the sight of his eldest offspring meeting their little sisters, as their mother looked on… well, in usual Cian fashion, he was speechless with indescribably contentment. That is, until the subject of names came up, and the father wolf cleared his throat to recapture his emotions.

Summit was the first to offer an idea for a moniker, and it was decidedly less absurd that Wiggles. But it was still a mouthful, and Cian repeated the long name with amusement in his deep voice. ”Sandpiper Joyful. That is a very creative name,” Cian acknowledged his son with a laugh. Summit’s positive energy always brought a lightness and ease to any place he went. ”What if we pick something like that. What about… Piper Joy?”

Cian looked at the smallest pup in the lighter, a girl who looked as delicate as glass as she was nestled amongst her much larger sisters, with their much brighter pelts. With a soft smile, Cian leaned closer to gently nuzzle the tiniest newborn, earning a cute little peep from the pup. ”I – I want her middle name to be Imogen. After my mother.” He said no more on the subject, instead looking at Fern with an inviting nod. ”What should your little sister’s first name be?”



@Fern @Journey @Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Fern Haven Eithne

The excitement about naming the new pups felt lost on Fern... Instead she felt the pressure of giving these beings their monikers to be a bit too much for someone her age. Summit burst forth with his suggestions, Fern remembered the beach and smiled, thinking that the pup sure did remind her of the way the golden sand glittered in the sunset. And the joy the family felt that day. However, something about it sat wrong with Fern and she frowned lightly, this pup had not been there for the wedding, so why would they name one after the wedding? Before she could even voice this tiny concern, her mother and father agreed, shortening the name to Piper Joy. With a short, sharp exhalation, Fern decided she could live with that one.

Imogen? Fern thought long and hard trying to remember a wolf named Imogen but nothing came to mind, she logged the thought to bring up with Cian later, something she would need to ask him about. With all eyes on her, Fern shrunk just a little, green eyes avoiding those that stared back at her eagery, her paws kneading the dirt nervously. "Uhm... Well... She looked hard at the pup, thinking about names that just might do the little girl some justice. "Her fur is very... light... and she is... delicate. Kinda like flowers. And she smells sweet too. Fern cast a glance over her shoulder toward the wild expanse beyond the safety of the hollow and her eyes fell on a cluster of white and yellow flowers that danced playfully in the breeze. Returning her gaze to her family, Fern smiled. "What about Daisy? I think she looks like a daisy, all small and soft. So... So... That would make her Daisy Imogen... Right? Green orbs turned up to Cian's warm red, looking for his approval of her suggestion.

And no, I won't give you a little twirl

@Clover @Cian @Journey

template © bean, art credit claerie

C

ian watched eagerly as Fern carefully considered a fitting moniker for the tiny newborn. The darkest of the Eithne brood thought aloud and the giant wolf nodded encouragingly. It was no secret that the family had a fondness for the natural world, and names that could be found within it. So when Fern finally settled on a moniker for the girl, it came as no surprise to Cian that it was a choice that fit right in with the others. ”Daisy Imogen. It’s perfect. Thank you, Little One.” And though his mother would never get to meet her grandchildren, he hoped the kindly woman would have been proud, had she lived to see them with her own eyes.

He turned to find Journey, who had not ventured far away during the birth out of concern for her mother. ”That’s two out of three babies with brand new names. Last but not least.” The fiery-hued brute looked to his eldest daughter with a reassuring smile, accompanied by a nodding gesture toward the trio of infants. ”Journey Fae, what do you think? Do you have any ideas for a name for your youngest sister?” Cian had to stop himself from describing the fiery pup as littlest because she was anything but; in comparison to her litter mates, this one looked comically larger than the others, just as Summit had similarly stood out with his size.


@Clover @Journey @Fern

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

J.F.E
The Rainstorm and…

Journey listened as her siblings each named one of the new babies. Cian had offered up a funny name that had a giggle echoing past her lips. Little Wiggles. Would make for an interesting name for the small girl. But eventually it was decided that she would be Named Piper Joy, technically short for; Sandpiper Joyful.

And then it was fern’s turn to name a sister. She stayed quiet at her sister's side. Feeling her hesitation she leaned near to her, hoping to help her feel more comfortable while everyone waited for her answer. Her sister talked about the pale color of their little sister and decided that her name would be; Daisy, Daisy Imogen. It was lovely.

She felt that both Summit and Fern’s choice in names represented a part of themselves as much as it would represent their family and their sisters. So when papa finally turned to her, she knew exactly which name she was going to bestow upon her last little sister.

She nodded her head as she looked at her mamma and then made eye contact with her papa. ”Soraya. I want to Name her Soraya so that she grows up to be strong, brave,and have adventures” she beamed at her suggestion. She hadn’t necessarily had to think much about it. She’d loved that character from the moment her papa had told her that story. It was only fitting that her little sister would now bring honor to that legacy.

speech here
@Cian @Clover @Summit @Fern @Soraya

The River, Are my Brothers

code by claerie

N

among the pups with her mate and children was one of the most heartwarming moments of her life. Clover would forever cherish the memory, the feeling of love overflowing for all of them present with her. The build of emotion was almost too much, tears forming in her eyes as she simply observed and listened to the beautiful, wonderful names that were gifted to the newborns. It made the entire family somehow feel closer, knit together tightly in this fine weave of the fabric of life.

Clover blinked tears back when it came to the naming of the final pup, the name 'Soraya' both surprised her as much as it excited her. Those stories had been her favorite as a child, so to discover that her children loved the tales themselves brought her so much joy. “Why don't we call her...Soraya Vale...since the Vale is where our storybook Soraya had all of her adventures. How does that sound?" She would await approval from everyone, before she lowered her muzzle to kiss the tops of each baby girl's head, whispering their names softly to them.

The mother hummed softly to them and then eventually lowered her own head, peering up at her older children and husband through a sleepy gaze. “Thank you for helping, my loves. I think I might try to rest now..." Exhaustion claimed her swiftly and Clover dozed off, curled around her newborn pups, a soft smile appearing along her maw as she dreamed.

Exit Clover

@Cian @Fern @Journey

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck