[PRP] A Quiet Surprise (Njeve, Eppie, Jozo)

[hibi-tea]

Njeve was on a mission. Her steps carried purpose as she made her way to the den in which Jozo shared with his mate, Gerda. She had not felt comfortable about what Eppie had asked her to do, but at the moment there was no time for her to make her frustrations about it known. Eppie was in the beginning stages of delivery and had begged Njeve to bring Jozo there. She was scared and crying.

The previous days before she went into delivery she had not been feeling well. The disease that had popped up only months ago was aggravated and made her feel ill and weak. She hadn't eaten much in the past few days, and whatever she did would not stay down. Because of this, Njeve agreed to fetch Jozo for Eppie, if only to help her through the process and ease her fears.

Pacing frantically outside of Jozo's den, she tried to calm herself down before she called for him. He may be with Gerda, and if she shows panic, he will panic, and Gerda will know what is going on. Njeve took a deep breath before shakily calling into the den, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

-----

Eppie was left in her den, panic coursing through her veins. She felt the labour pains, and she knew they were labour pains, but her water had not broken and she was concerned that Njeve may have to do it for her when she began to push. Birthing was a messy job, but some things needed do- Oh! Pain! So much pain!

Eppie cringed for a moment before feeling a warmth run onto the den floor. Her water had broken, she was beginning to push and no one was there with her.  

[bipolar bee]

Jozo had been taking a small respite from his cubs and Gerda; they were off with the other cubs getting to know their pridemembers. He deeply loved each of his little daughters. He was proud of Gerda, and thankful to her for providing him with four little bundles of love that were happy despite not being completely healthy. His eldest daughter, Orla, worried him the most, but he could only hope that she live the best life that she could.

Ears perked as he heard the now familiar voice of Njeve. "I'm here, Njeve," he called, moving forward to greet the small hyena. "Is there trouble?" He looked utterly relaxed, though he tensed as he saw the panic that laced Njeve's expression though she was obviously trying her hardest to compose herself. "Eppie?!"  

[hibi-tea]

Njeve nodded her head to Jozo quietly while she peaked into the open mouth of the den. She was hoping he wouldn't have done that in the off chance that Gerda was nearby. The last thing Njeve wanted was to be a part of a domestic dispute and shame Queen Nawiri in such a way. She shifted her weight nervously and addressed him, "Eppie's gone into labour. She wants you there."

Njeve got up from her spot and began to head towards Eppie's den when she looked back, forgetting that she should probably reassure him in some way. He was a stranger and she wasn't exactly good at this, but she didn't want him to feel like there was something wrong when there wasn't.

"She's nervous and scared, you know, but she's ok. Everything's ok," Njeve said. She tried, man, she tried.

-----

Eppie was regretting quickly her decision to carry Jozo's children. Well, she really wasn't regretting it, but every woman who has gone into labour at least once tends to blame all the pain and discomfort on the man. If they hadn't knocked her up, than she wouldn't feel like she was on fire right now. Fire crotch.

Cringing once again, Eppie felt a push coming on and a lot of pressure with a twinge of pain. She could feel the first little body coming into this world, and no one was around. Who was going to tell her what it was?! Was she having a boy or a girl? Was it healthy? WHERE THE HELL WAS JOZO?!

She let out a roar, an obvious indicator of labour. Babies were coming now.  

[bipolar bee]

Jozo was frozen for a moment. He wasn't ready for this, not so soon after Gerda had given birth. What if they were stillborn? That was something he could never forget. It would forever be etched into his mind, the dead cubs he lost. He still mourned for them even though he had four bright and expressive daughters that were causing a ruckus even at their young age.

"Let's hurry," he said. "The cubs are active and so Gerda has taken them to visit the other cubs in the pride. Let's go now." His voice was low but frantic, worry evident in his tone. He wanted to be there for Eppie while she gave birth the same way he'd been there for Gerda, but he couldn't help but feeling that this time, it would mean something different.  

[hibi-tea]

Njeve nodded and made her way quickly, Jozo in tow, to Eppie's den. She could smell the stench of the birth liquid and her hackles went up quickly. She had already started giving birth?! No one had been there and she already started giving birth. This worried Njeve and she rushed in, letting out a hyena's cackle as a forewarning of who was entering, "Eppie?! Eppie are you ok?"

Eppie was laying on the ground of her den, panting fiercely. Childbirth was hard. Sure, she knew this, but she never realized how hard it truly was. Now that she was going through it she couldn't help but understand exactly why the mothers were either so snappy or melodramatic when they went through their births. It hurt. It was painful. Pain was bad.

"Njeve?" Eppie asked, already feeling tired from her first couple pushes, "Is Jozo heerrrAAGGHHHH."

Another contraction came and she pushed with all her might, an unladylike expression unfolding over her face as she did so. Njeve couldn't help but find it a little funny looking, like she had to use the bathroom, but was clogged. When Eppie finished pushing, something plopped onto the ground, all mucky and screaming with loud little shrills.

It was a baby. A light colored little boy, with dark eyes.  

[bipolar bee]

"I'm here," he called, rushing forward to rest by her side. His eyes widened as he spotted the cub she'd already birthed; it must've happened so fast! "A son!" He had a son! A perfectly perfect little boy with Jozo's dark eyes and his mama's spots. Jozo nuzzled close to Eppie's head, whispering encouragingly, "He's perfect, Eppie. My first son!" He had four beautiful daughters that he cherished with all of his heart and soul, and now a strong, active son!

He couldn't help but feel giddy and rather proud of himself. Knowing there wasn't much that he could do for Eppie, he merely was close and supported her as much as he could.  

[hibi-tea]

Eppie laughed tiredly at Jozo's excitement and smiled for him, her eye lids half-closed from the initial waves of labour. This was so tiring, she wasn't sure how other mothers could have possibly withstood this slow process. Some births she attended had taken hours in between cubs, she hoped that would be the type of labour she was currently going through.

"He was impatient," Eppie said quietly as Njeve brought her first born son to her to be cleaned.

He was beautiful. Her coat, Jozo's eyes, a mixture of their markings. He was perfect. A good sized little boy, full of life and energy. Did this mean he would be healthy? Did he have his father's immunity? Eppie sure hoped so. She didn't want any of her children to be ill. She didn't want them to know they'd one day die.

As Eppie cleaned off her first born son, she felt another sharp pain resonate through her. Was a second coming? A second cub! Eppie eyed Njeve nervously, sending the young Hyena to the other end of Eppie to make sure things were progressing along smoothly. Half-way through cleaning of her very vocal son, she felt another sharp pain. It was another cub, and they were coming shortly.

"Jozo," Eppie said with a sigh, "We're having another cub soon. Tell me what it is."

With another unladylike push, another cub popped out from Eppie's body. It was another boy, holding the eyes of his mother, and little stripes on his legs.  

[bipolar bee]

"Another son," Jozo breathed reverently, beaming with pride. Two sons, both of them strong and seemingly healthy.Vibrant and alive! It was beautiful, watching his cubs be brought into the world. Four lovely daughters, and now two strong, handsome sons. He couldn't stop smiling; both of his sons were very vocal in their demands for mama, and Jozo stifled the pang of worry that ate at him. Would they be immune? His oldest daughter had shown signs of the disease immediately after Gerda had birthed her, but these two boys seemed to be thriving.

"You're doing so great, Eppie. They're pure perfection."  

[hibi-tea]

She had sons, beautiful sons. Eppie was so incredibly happy at this moment that it seemed like nothing could bring her down. Gerda could have come storming in with Queen Nawiri at that point and time and it wouldn't have made Eppie flinch in the slightest. She quickly motioned for Njeve to bring her second son to her for cleaning. They were both so beautiful. Natural markings, little fighters. Maybe one day they'd be warriors? Or guards like their father. Oh the possibilities that would arise were exciting.

"Jozo, they're so beautiful. We have sons. Healthy looking sons," She smiled, sighing pleasantly.

Eppie did not feel any more sharp contractions for a couple minutes and concluded that for now, birthing was over. She'd pass the after birth sometime soon, but till than she took the time to finish cleaning her squawky little sons and let them begin nursing. Healthy little baby boys, that as of yet showed no sign of infection. She hoped it stayed this way.

Njeve had taken this short reprieve to go grab the water she had gotten for Eppie earlier in the day. She was sure Eppie was thirsty right now, considering the strain it took for her to give birth. It was actually rather magical to be apart of someone else's birth and happiness. She could see why Eppie chose this path.  

[bipolar bee]

Jozo nuzzled his boys, raspy tongue flicking out to brush against their little heads. He turned to Eppie, grooming her face and ears in gratitude and appreciation for all she'd done. Gerda had given him daughters, and Eppie had given him sons. Jozo wasn't expecting Eppie to deliver more cubs, and so he relaxed and merely took the time to admire his sons.

"Have you thought of names?" He'd not thought of names for any of his daughters; Gerda had taken care of that, giving his daughters beautiful and feminine names that suited them all. Jozo wasn't a very creative lion, and he figured that since the ladies had done all the serious work, they should be able to name the cubs whatever they desired.  

[hibi-tea]

Eppie hadn't actually though of names for their children. She was so preoccupied with keeping herself from boredom, and overwhelmed with the excitement that stemmed from the fact she would be giving birth to her one and only love's children, that the concept of naming them escaped her. Oh how embarrassing, being blessed with such beautiful boys and not having names for them.

"I'm not sure," She admitted, laughing a little as she looked at her sons. She wanted to name one Jozo Jr., but she felt that was a little drab, because she certainly couldn't name one of her daughters Eppie Jr. That just didn't work out in any means, and she wanted at least one of her children named after her.

Eppie leaned over towards her nursing sons and licked her first born on the head, "He will be Josepi, because he is a perfect combination of us both. What do you want to name our second beautiful so-HNNNGG."

And there was the afterbirth, or at least Eppie had thought so. The pain was not as bad as when she pushed out her sons, so she figured that she was delivering the little nest in which they had grown in while living inside of her, but to her surprise, it wasn't. Instead of the afterbirth two little girls plopped out of her, one after the other.

The first was of her father's base coat and eyes, another healthy and vocal little cub. Eppie could have jumped out of her skin with joy at the fact she had daughters now. She would have been very pleased with only her two sons, even if it meant Gerda had given birth to more children than her. After all, she had the sons. Every male wanted sons, even if they didn't outwardly admit it.

It took Eppie a moment to realize she was not hearing two vocal cubs but one. She looked over to her second daughter, who was all stripes and spots with a white base coat. She wondered if the white came from Jozo's side, as it was not from hers. That's when she realized the second daughter was not moving, was not crying. She was silent. This realization caused Eppie to jumped up onto her feet quickly, the already suckling boys being ripped from their mother and starting to cry out of the sudden suprise. She wasn't still born was she? Oh gods, please say she wasn't still born.

She nudged the baby harshly with her nose, and licked her head to toe. Anything to make the baby cry. Please let the baby cry. Eppie could feel the tears and fear welling up inside her. She was healthy, the others were healthy. Why would this one be dead? Please say this one was not dead. She wasn't Gerda! She didn't give birth to dead children!  

[bipolar bee]

Jozo hadn't been expecting anything but the afterbirth, so when Eppie delivered two more cubs in quick succession, he had no idea what was going on. It wasn't until he heard the soft mewling of another cub, a much quieter sound, that he peered around Eppie to see not but two little female cubs. One seemed remarkably smaller than the other, and the smaller one... well, she wasn't moving.

Jozo's eyes widened. Eppie jumped up, leaving their three cubs to writhe around mewling for mama's milk. Jozo was frozen to the spot; had it been too much to expect that they wouldn't be forced to deal with a dead cub? Watching Eppie lick his youngest daughter helplessly, he moved forward and nosed his baby daughter. Silently he plead to the Gods; couldn't they take pity on this seemingly lifeless babe? Hadn't they already taken enough from Jozo?

Grief struck Jozo as the large male began to lick and nose his daughter. She was beautiful and perfect aside from the fact that she didn't move or make any noise that would affirm life. "No, no, no," Jozo whispered, begging, "You have to live, little one!"

In the next instant, as swiftly as she'd been born, the little cub took a jerky breath inward, and then exhaled weakly. It was obvious the cub had little strength, but despite that the next sound she made filled Jozo's heart with relief. His youngest daughter let out a cry that could shame her older brothers, one that peaked and ended with a weak cough.

"She's alive!" Jozo's expression was a mix of laughter and tears, but he couldn't help it.  

[hibi-tea]

She was alive. Praise the Gods she was alive! Eppie felt every ounce of adrenaline and strength she just had seep out of her when she heard her youngest daughter's very loud cry. Relief over came Eppie and she literally flopped onto the ground and onto her side from the stress of the birth and the moments in which she thought she had lost a daughter. She needed rest. Jozo could clean their youngest, couldn't he? It wasn't hard. You cleaned the baby, you push the baby towards mommy's milk and baby will eat and sleep.

"I think.... it's nap time," Eppie said quietly as she passed out where she lay after the afterbirth had been expelled. She'd take care of that later.

Njeve was all small smiles as she went over and pushed the two boys and other girl slowly towards their mothers stomach. This was rather eventful. She'd have to tell Timur. Looking from Eppie to Jozo, she gave him a small smile, "Congrats..."