06-01-2021, 06:43 PM
Being born was rough business. She had been warm before, tightly wrapped beside her twin. Their hearts beat a tandem rhythm that played in double time compared to the slow and steady pulse they were shrouded by; 1-2-3-4 THUMP, 1-2-3-4 THUD.
That was all their world was, a dreamscape that stretched on and on. Until it didn't. Until it hurt, and hurt more, and her lungs stuttered on their first breaths and she blinked blearily into a tapestry sky. A shiver ran the length of her, and for the first time in her brief life, she was cold.
A mutter of complaint bubbled from her chest. Her first sound! It was met by a deeper, louder sound. Mother? Her velveteen nose turned to meet the dark one that landed on her face. She went from wet and sticky to wet and (mostly) clean, before another sound rattled her fresh ears. Mother again? But that seemed wrong.
A tiny experimental whicker fluted from her throat, confusion playing on her soft features. Where was Mother? Spindly thin legs struck out at the leaves. Blood and birth made the surface hard to grip, and it took a moment for her to swing upright. To hold that position long enough to see Mother's shuddering form, and Brother slick on the ground beside her.
She knew very little, almost nothing, really. But the sky was bright enough to make her golden eyes water, and Brother knew her as she knew him. That made her happy. The ground was wet and Mother had not risen again to clean him as she had her, and that seemed... wrong.
The newborn wobbled, and took a step, then realized she didn't know where she was going. Back to Brother, then. Maybe to curl up again as they had so recently done, and sleep off this odd dream. Maybe to wake up again embraced and warm and dark.
She hardly noticed the new one when he came. It was the ball of light that drew her attention, bright and cheerful. Exaggerated baby steps brought her within reach of the thing, unaware of the life hanging in the balance behind her, within her. For if there was no Mother, would there be any her?
@[Shadowmere]
That was all their world was, a dreamscape that stretched on and on. Until it didn't. Until it hurt, and hurt more, and her lungs stuttered on their first breaths and she blinked blearily into a tapestry sky. A shiver ran the length of her, and for the first time in her brief life, she was cold.
A mutter of complaint bubbled from her chest. Her first sound! It was met by a deeper, louder sound. Mother? Her velveteen nose turned to meet the dark one that landed on her face. She went from wet and sticky to wet and (mostly) clean, before another sound rattled her fresh ears. Mother again? But that seemed wrong.
A tiny experimental whicker fluted from her throat, confusion playing on her soft features. Where was Mother? Spindly thin legs struck out at the leaves. Blood and birth made the surface hard to grip, and it took a moment for her to swing upright. To hold that position long enough to see Mother's shuddering form, and Brother slick on the ground beside her.
She knew very little, almost nothing, really. But the sky was bright enough to make her golden eyes water, and Brother knew her as she knew him. That made her happy. The ground was wet and Mother had not risen again to clean him as she had her, and that seemed... wrong.
The newborn wobbled, and took a step, then realized she didn't know where she was going. Back to Brother, then. Maybe to curl up again as they had so recently done, and sleep off this odd dream. Maybe to wake up again embraced and warm and dark.
She hardly noticed the new one when he came. It was the ball of light that drew her attention, bright and cheerful. Exaggerated baby steps brought her within reach of the thing, unaware of the life hanging in the balance behind her, within her. For if there was no Mother, would there be any her?
@[Shadowmere]