He vaguely heard the cry of the first. Strong, and loud, it cried for its mother. He felt Siira’s concern, and gently brushed it aside. Soon, he sent. She could tend to them soon. He felt he presence from behind him leave, and knew, somehow, that Turuk was going to tend the first pup. Another female, Aurem could almost see through Siira’s eyes. Silver like herself, and strong. He saw an image of the two, perhaps Siira’s hopes for the little girl. The two of them in the snow, the pup older. Aurem felt his lip twitch in a smile, unable to help himself. Her joy was infectious, in spite of the history their countries shared.

The second pup came more easily than the first. A male, tawny brown and grey in color. Aurem felt another surge of pride as the wolf wailed loudly. Turuk cleaned this one as well, and settled him beside his sister. Aurem focused mainly on keeping Siira strong, and stable, but he caught bits of what happened from the wolf’s consciousness.

The third was a female, and colored a bit darker than the boy, though similar in marking. She was a bit smaller than the first female, but larger than the grey male. Siira knew all three would be big and strong, and make fine hunters. She could see their future beside their human family- to protect, and provide. Aurem had known the wolves were important to Undari- but hadn’t realized how much so. Though Siira, he saw how the wolves chose their humans, and only those they deemed worthy. Births were rare, and each life was important. He didn’t miss the pouring of gratitude from her heart, as he continued to push magic into her frame. How could he have, even for a moment, considered letting this creature die?

A pang of pain took his breath away, though, as the little life left inside of Siira suddenly flickered out, for more than a moment. He sucked in a sharp breath, after it passed, and tightened his fingers in Siira’s fur. “No!” he felt her tense, and let out a whined growl in reaction, trying to calm himself. He cursed under his breath, and urged more magic, trying to coax the little pulse back. For a moment, nothing happened, and then he felt a flicker, and the heartbeat returned. It was weak, unsteady. It needed to come out now, if the last one was going to survive.

Now completely involved in this, Aurem, pressed himself down against Siira’s fur, hearing a soft rumble from the wolf’s chest. Not so much a growl, as he might have thought before. He kept his eyes closed. Now that Siira was healed, he focused his magic on gently moving the last pup along. It was weak, and so very close to flickering out once more, and Aurem found himself desperate to save it. Pushed partly by Siira’s desire for her pup to survive, and his own need to see this through, Aurem continued to let his magic trickle through their contact.

Siira gave a final whine, and another push, and Aurem held his breath, hearing only silence as the last one was birthed. Unlike the others, no cry came from its mouth. Siira’s hope flickered, and an anguish flooded through her. She wasn’t able to feel that small life struggling, as he was.

Aurem cut off contact with the wolf immediately, sitting up abruptly, as he felt Siira whimper at Turuk grabbing the little black shape from the ground.

As Aurem’s vision swam, he let out a faint croak of protest, as he watched Turuk carrying the little pup towards the edge of the woods. In a moment, he realized what he meant to do. “Don’t!”

The little pup was so still, so silent. Aurem couldn’t blame Turuk for thinking it dead. “No,” he hissed, and struggled to stand. The Undari closest to him reached out towards his collar, and Aurem hissed, stumbling forward. “Turuk!”

His voice cracked, and he flopped down to his knees, palms landing in the cold snow below. He could still feel that faint, flickering pulse of life from the little pup. He heard Siira whine, and then caught the sound of crunching snow. Blinking rapidly, Aurem felt his heart surge with hope, as Turuk stood in front of him. His expression was solemn, and Aurem saw no hope in his features.

Still, Aurem held his arms out, his lips set in a thin line. He couldn’t let this happen. It was possible that the pup would still die. Even with his magic, he was so small, and frail. Half the size of his siblings. Even disconnected from Siira, he could feel the anguish, and concern she had for the little pup. Male. Dark as the night around them. “Give him to me,” he heard himself stay. Turuk muttered something, and an Undari nearby protested, but Turuk seemed to ignore them, and only knelt in front of Aurem.

Their eyes met for a long moment, and then Turuk slowly handed over the still frame of the pup. Eyes widening, Aurem reached out, and carefully lifted the cub from Turuk. He cradled the poor thing to his chest, and then leaned back, his back finding Siira’s warmth. He heard her chest rumble softly, and then closed his eyes, resting his palm, over the pup’s dark fur. Afterbirth and blood still clung to its frame, but Aurem didn’t care how filthy he got. His magic latched onto that feeble sign of life from the pup, and continued to push it.

Behind him, he felt Siira press in closer, felt her breath on his hands. A rough tongue slid over his hand, as Siira licked the little runt. Some might not find this life worth it, he was sure. He was small, and could die even with his help. He might never grow to be as big as his kind usually got. He might even suffer some other form of defects. He was so small, there was no telling what had happened, during his growth. But for Aurem, he didn’t want to give up on this little light.

He threaded his magic into the wolf’s blood, not having gone so far before in healing anything before. What he could find that was damaged, he healed, made stronger. With access to most of his magic, it was almost an easy thing for Aurem to center all of his available magic into the little bundle in his arms. He felt something shift within the pup, and his magic was more readily accepted into its body. The healing sped, and Aurem felt the pulse of life strengthen, and grow.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the pup gave out a squeal so loud, that he felt Undari warriors nearby grab their weapons. A weak laugh lifted the corner of his lips up, and his eyelids fluttered open, staring down at the wriggling figure in his arms. Pushed past the point of exhaustion, Aurem’s vision darkened, and then was swallowed completely. He felt rough hands grab him, and heard a snarl among the cries of the pup in his arms.

Not for the first time, Aurem felt himself lost to the darkness, quicker than he could realize what was happening.