Nutmeg had been very restless the last several hours and Gus had figured she was close to having some foxlets.  He had know idea how long it had been been, the days were a jumble.  She had gotten quite large the last several days.  Sometimes she got irritable and he would try to comfort her.  He would nibble her neck fluff, she really seemed to love that and would curl her little toes.  
	Gus noticed bloody liquid leaking from Nutmegs backside. Oh dear it's time now, he thought, worried about her.  She was not just some random fox or wild animal. If anything went south during this process she and the little pups would be shit outta luck, he would be devastated.   He couldn't really do much to help her though other than comfort her when she would yelp and screech.  When the little foxes started to finally pop out, he knew enough to keep a bit of distance during this part.  He still watched though with his heart racing.  He watched her bite the sack that the first pup came in.  He felt a little gaggy when she proceeded to eat the sack and placenta though he fully expected that.  He was amazed she seemed to know exactly what to do.  
	The first little pup was done.  The tiny little very dark gray fox was attached to a nipple.  He looked at it in amazement wondering how many were left inside.  He was hoping for no more than six.  He had actually counted her nipples during his boredom a previous day. He had been expecting like ten or something.  Mini fox number two, three, and four came out over the next couple hours just fine.  Gus could tell she was getting pretty exhausted at this point.  When number 5 came out he could tell something was wrong with the little pup.  She was licking it furiously.  He knew that meant the little fox wasn't breathing and was probably deceased.  He felt really sick in the pit of his stomach.  He knew this was a high probability of that happening though it still hurt him. 
	"This little guy didn't make it" Nutmeg said with a bit of sadness in her eye though she didn't seem surprised.  "Could you take care of him?"
	Gus took the tiny little fox in his mouth and hopped away looking for a temporary place to put the little pup.  He would give the little guy a proper burial later when he was a little more composed.  He hoped the little fox was in fox heaven, wondering whatever that was and if he would go to fox heaven or human heaven or neither.  
	He came back to check on Nutmeg, she seemed fine though tired. The four little foxes seemed quite content. 
	"I think that is all, though I can't guarantee it" Nutmeg said.  "There is two each of girl and boy foxes". 
	Gus looked at her, she looked all ragged and rough sawn and he thought she looked absolutely beautiful and he couldn't possibly love her anymore than he did right now.  
	He would have too get her lots of munchies later though right now she wouldn't be too interested in food. All those placentas, gulp, quit thinking about that. He looked at the little pups.  They were mostly dried off now, cute little things with their tiny little noses and little feet and little folded over ears.  Of course they didn't have their eyes open yet,  they would become little monsters once they could see.  Now they had to figure out some names for the little foxes.  How do you even tell them apart? he wondered.