((im a dumb idiot who let the forum eat the first half of this post with all the rising tension and prokaryote metaphors.. sweats))
Discomfort. Tension. It wasn't rising fast enough to feel. The inside of the chrysalis was stagnant but tense. The tiny wolf pressed against walls of quartz shifted, finally, as if fed up with the pressure, and a CRACK! bled out from the web of fractures on the chrysalis' front. It wouldn't take much pressure to part the entire face, now.
Restless. As a thick, clear liquid oozed out from the cracks, the pup began to squirm--his sleeping time was about to come to an end, it seemed. It was not a pleasant process; were someone to have peeked into his chrysalis, the tiny puppy might have appeared quite distressed with all that wriggling.
Paws scrambling sluggishly against the back of the chrysalis, the neonate finally applied enough direct pressure to break open the web of cracks, creating an audible crack and feeling ever more disoriented as he took the first steps to consciousness. And, my, were they not very pleasant ones. The young canine was made immediately aware of the fluid surrounding his respiratory system, of the ill-feeling half-consciousness resulting from an only half-cracked chrysalis, of the only dull sense of cold air flowing through the cracks against his back.
A few more pushes--this time, with purpose--and out tumbling backwards came a very small, very pale brown puppy. It wasn't a very far fall, and lucky, he'd managed to roll onto his side instead of knocking himself in the head.
Blind and deaf, there wasn't much for the infant to do but squirm for a little bit. He'd grow rapidly even within his first day of life, and would likely begin to open his eyes before the end of the day (and make use of his nose even sooner). But for now, for a few moments.. the pup was rather helpless, squirming in the cooling liquid of the chrysalis with a few quiet squeals before quieting down to wiggle in silence.