The Blue Eyes of Sparrow

Chapter 11: Miracle Pup

Fleck jerked his head toward him; his eyes were wide with horror. He must be Aprika's mate. She realized.

Fleck nodded briskly. "I'm the closest thing we have to a Healer, I've helped at births before. Lead the way."

The red-and-white wolf looked uncertain, and he looked at Streaker, who grunted. "It's true, she lived so long in Finch's den that she's bound to have picked some things up."

The male nodded. "Alright, follow me, we've made our den near River Oak." He sped away, and, without hesitating, Fleck followed. River Oak, not far from here, close to Lilac's den.

Soon the three came to River Oak, and Lilac was bending over a pale gray-and-brown wolf, who was panting heavily. Alda was nearby with Bee, Crow, and Moonrise, who were playing hide-and-seek.

Fleck turned to Lilac, relief washing her pelt. "Can you please get some water for Aprika? She's exhausted already, and she needs something to wet her throat."

The pure white wolf was already heading towards the river before Fleck had finished speaking, and Fleck was almost proud of her skills to help with the process. She turned to Aprika, who was struggling to keep consciousness, and spoke in a low, soothing voice. "It's alright, it will all be over soon, and then you'll be a mother. Now," she saw Lilac returning with a bark with a pool of water at the corner of her eye.

Fleck quickly took the bark from Lilac's jaws, dripping some of the water into Aprika's open jaws, and she swallowed and then groaned and a ripple passed through her body.

Fleck jerked her head at Lilac. "Get ready, when the pups come, I need you to warm them and make them breathe so that they can take their first feed. Quickly now." she turned back to Aprika, who's head was now in her nest. "Alright," said Fleck, placing a ready paw on the gray-and-brown wolf's belly. "When the nest wave comes, I'll help you, just try to stay awake and push."

When Aprika let out a growl of acknowledgment, and let out a groan of pain, and Fleck felt her tighten her muscles, and, using the method that Finch had used on a wolf, pressed where the most tension was, and with a wrench, the pup was born.

"A male! A fine one too." charmed Lilac, and Fleck could her tongue rasping over the tiny pup, who let out a tiny squeak. "Let him feed." murmured Fleck, and she licked Aprika between her ears. "You have a son." she said. "But there's at least two more to go, so stay awake."

Aprika's head jerked up at the mention of her son, and she pricked her ears Lilac placed the male, who was red and gray, at Aprika's belly, and Aprika's eyes grew wide as he let out a squeak. "Rockey." said Aprika in amazement. "Look, he has your ears."

The red-and-white male came to his mate's side, who looked down on the pup, eyes softening. "He's beautiful." he assured Aprika, who let out an approving murmured before gasping.

Lilac shifted at her end, and a moment later she spoke, her voice filled with determination. "Come on, Aprika! It's almost here, keep pushing!" For a moment, nothing happened, except Aprika let out a low moan, then a triumphant howl came from Lilac. "You did it again, a female this time!" Lilac licked the female pup, and she nudged it towards Aprika, who sensed the milk and crawled toward her, and fell silent as she latched on and began to suckle.

Rockey leaned down to sniff the female, who's red and brown fur was mottled with faint spots of white, and murmured. "The white spots on her look like snowflakes on the forest floor."

Aprika craned her neck to see then murmured in agreement. "That's what we should call her: Snowflake."

Fleck noticed that Aprika's ears where drooping, and her eyes were misting with exhaustion. Come on pups, thought Fleck, your mother is getting tired, get a move on so she can have a rest. A whimper came from Rockey, and suddenly, Fleck had an idea. She jerked her head toward Rockey. "Can you give her some more water, and then whenever it seems like she's about to sleep, tap her head with your paw, it should keep her awake."

There was a grunt as Rockey scooped up the bark, there was a pause, and a sigh came from Aprika as she drank the water, and a low howl of happiness from Lilac as another pup was born, a brown and gray male. By now, Fleck was amazed about how many pups there was. There's already three, and there's a fourth on the way. I remember Finch saying that a female giving birth to four pups was rare, and it's happening to Aprika!

A howl of agony cut though Fleck's thoughts, Aprika was shaking with the effort of pushing, and the empty, hollow look in her eyes scared her. Lilac noticed it too, and she started to lick her hip. "Aprika!" she barked. "Don't fall asleep now! There's still one more pup to be born, you can't... Aprika?" her voice grew urgent. "Aprika?"

She's just so tired, she can't help it, realized Fleck, she can't do this on her own.

But there's no way I'm leaving her to do this alone.

With a twist of her head, Fleck snatched put the bark with the water, and dumped it on Aprika's head, who seemed to be startled awake. "Aprika, push! There's still a pup to come, you have to be strong your pups."

Aprika slowly nodded, and she let out a final, long groan. Lilac gasped. "You did it Aprika! It's a female... Fleck, get over here, quickly."

Fleck squeezed her way to Lilac, there was an orange and white pup, but it was lying motionless on the floor. No! Fleck almost yowled the word out loud, and yet she held it in. "Give her to me." Lilac picked up the pup and dropped it at Fleck's paws, who licked it fiercely, as if it would warm the life into the tiny pup. It remained motionless, but she didn't give up she continued to lick it, and after a few moments, there was a murmur from Lilac. "Let her go, Fleck."

Fire burning in her bones, Fleck growled. "She will wake up; I know she will."

There was a sad noise from Lilac, and Fleck was just about ready to give up when the pup stirred and squeaked. With relief melting her heart, Fleck continued to lick her, until she squealed.

Gently, she carried her to Aprika, who was panting, stopping when Fleck brought Aprika her last pup. "Oh, Fleck, thank you! She's so beautiful!" Aprika exclaimed, when Rockey took the pup from her jaws, lying her with the other pups, and murmured something in Aprika's ear. When she nodded, Rockey turned back to Fleck. "We've named all of the pups. The oldest male is Patch, the oldest female is Snowflake, as you already know. The other male is Clouds, and this perfect little miracle," he looked back at the orange and white pup. "is Finch." 

Fleck felt her heart crack. "That's... that's beautiful, Aprika." her mouth was dry, and she almost whimpered with grief. Streaker nodded at her. "Thank you, Fleck. You saved the little miracle."

Fleck dipped her head. "It was nothing." she murmured. "It was the least I could do."

Streaker raised his tail. "I'll hunt for these guys, then I'll come back and we can find something to eat."

Fleck licked her lips. "Sounds good." she agreed.

Streaker was about to head off when there was a howl of fear from the woods and a black and white wolf burst from the woods.

"We are being raided!"