Sage was exhausted.

He had been walking nonstop for multiple weeks, so much so that his paw pads had been rubbed raw and were now bleeding continuously. Fortunately, he could just make out the quiet murmur of a river current ahead of him. The cold water would help cool the ache and the cuts on his paws tremendously. Sage could also root around the banks of the river for fish or small snakes since being so far along in his pregnancy left his hunting options extremely limited. The last time he could even chase a hare or a larger rodent was over three weeks ago.

After spending a few hours wading in and out of the shallow parts of the river, looking for something to eat and drinking his fill, Sage decided he had better move on. He had no destination in mind, but for the last four days his instincts had been telling him he better find shelter. He intrinsically knew that meant he would be giving birth soon.

It wasn’t long before he stumbled upon an abandoned den a brief distance from the river he had been following. He could not tell if it had been dug by a fox or some sort of badger since no scents remained inside or in the surrounding area. It was located at the top of a short incline with a small band of grass overhanging the entrance. A short downwards dirt ramp separated the opening from the inside and although it was narrow there was enough room for Sage to stand and turn around in. With him being heavily pregnant all he really cared about was being close enough to a source of water.

Comforted by the fact that he could not smell any other large predator animals in the perimeter he had walked around the den, he claimed it for himself. Safely tucked inside the abandoned den he decided to rest for the remainder of the afternoon, licking at his paws to speed up the healing process. Once he was recovered he would begin to build up a nest of dried grass and leaves to comfortably have his pups on. He could feel it was only a matter of days before they came and not having a mate or pack to help provide for them left him with very little options. 

The close proximity to a water source would keep him hydrated long enough for him to recuperate from giving birth to be able to find food for himself once again. 

The next morning Sage slowly worked on digging a wider entrance to squeeze himself through, just enough so his round stomach no longer caused discomfort where it dragged over the dirt opening. He stopped frequently to take breaks out of the hot summer sun and trudge down to the river to keep himself from panting. Once his mini project was complete, he did a walk around the small border he created around his den, just to double check that he was the only one in the area. The last thing he needed was to unknowingly be in another creature's territory, like a mountain lion, when he had limited mobility. His top priority was the undetermined number of lives currently inside of him. 

Satisfied that there was nothing he could find to be concerned about, Sage returned to his den to rest until the evening before going out to hunt for something to eat. He would eventually need to create another, smaller, tunnel to store food once his pup’s were old enough to consume solid meals. For right now he could put it off while they nursed on the milk he produced. Sage may not have been educated, but he new enough about his anatomy to know how he was expected to keep newborn pups alive. His instinct had also been super strong during his entire pregnancy and he saw no harm in letting them guide him if it would ensure their survival. 

It was that second night when Sage heard the beast. He had just returned from foraging in the brush for mice and rodents when a loud growl cut through the night air. It was ferocious sounding, and it certainly did not come from something small statured. Sage scampered out of the underbrush and into the mouth of his den as fast as he could. The ear-piercing snarls continued for a few heart-wrenching moments, they echoed in the surrounding forest that Sage could not pinpoint their direction of origin from the entrance of his den. Suddenly, just as the noise came, the growling cut off and silence reigned over the blackened forest once more. Sage paced nervously in the cramped space, unable to lay down and not daring to leave the security of his newfound shelter. The ears on top of his head swiveled constantly, trying desperately to pick up the sound of movement - to determine his level of safety in remaining where he was. What could have made such a frighteningly, horrible noise? It sounded unlike anything Sage had ever heard. He had grown up in forests his whole life and never in all twenty summers he had existed had he been witness to the extreme power and viciousness in that one call. Whatever it was, was it territorial enough to want to hunt Sage for trespassing, surely it had picked up his recent scent in the area and realized he was not just passing through? Did he make a mistake is choosing here of all places to take up temporary residence?

‘Please let it not be after me… I just want to have my babies in peace!’ Sage prayed to himself

Upon not hearing anything for what felt like ages, Sage let the muscles in his body relax. That is until he felt a sharp twinge in his abdomen. The following pain struck him so suddenly, he was forced to the ground in a heap. 

‘Oh fuck.’ his babies were coming now. He twisted onto his side, facing the den’s entrance, and looking out to the night sky filled with stars. Another painful contraction hit and he let out a short bark at the feeling ripping through him. ‘I’m not going to survive this, am I?’ he thought to himself, a long, high-pitched whine bubbling out of his throat. His lower half convulsed and he felt his pups squirm inside him as he pushed down on the feeling. His tail beat anxiously in the earth behind him. Minutes ticked away as Sage was struck with constant contractions, his instincts screaming at him to take over. His vision became hazy and his throat became tight. Just as he felt the first pup breach he looked up to the night sky, but instead of stars his eyes clashed with the most vibrant set of red eyes he’d ever seen.

They gleamed in the pale moonlight. Sage could make nothing else out about the thing in front of his den between the encroaching blackness in his vision - but he simply knew the red eyes belonged to the same thing that made that terrifying sound only a short while ago. ‘Whatever you are, please don’t hurt them!’ Sage screamed in his mind before darkness overtook him, the last thing he saw was the glimmer of long black claws reaching down into the den.