The wolf had been exhausted by the day's events, and now there were five puppies nursing at her belly...a new sensation, one that made her feel waves of warmth inside of her. It had been hours since her labor started and the sun was nearly set, the moon waiting to rise. It sounded chilly outside the warm den.
She raised her head from the ground, the sixth pup had still not moved nor made a sound; it distressed her...she tenderly licked it's limp body, no life yet. More urgently she nosed at it and licked again, rolling the pup onto its back. Whining, she vigorously licked its neck and nosed at its chest, her tongue returned to the pups mouth and with a tiny wheeze it let out a cry and squirmed. The mother's tail wagged as she watched it's tiny nose searching for her breast and she lay her head down again as she felt the pup latch onto her at last.
His mother used to say his eyes are the link between the waking world and the dreaming world. His dreams were often prophetic and had saved his pack from impending disasters like flash floods and predicted mass prey migrations. His demeanor was not so dire, his nature was to be a bit goofy or playful to raise his pack's spirits or settle fitful moods. He loved spending time with any puppies in the pack, and taught them to cherish and respect life. He made a fair and merciful hunt leader.
