The exhausted female awoke from a sleepless slumber only to find sunshine beaming into the den on an early summer's morning. Her stomach twisted and churned as she felt the movements of the fairly large pups inside her womb. She couldn't tell how many there were, but all she knew was that she was about to become a mother. That was the most terrifying thing she could ever imagine herself becoming, boosting her stress entirely. She wasn't ready for motherhood or children entirely. When had she grown up so soon? In a matter of seconds, the uncomfortable writhing in her belly unfolded into painful contractions, gradually increasing in size. It was happening. Forget gashes, this was real pain. Through gritted teeth, she released a groan as her movements turned to spasms. Her breathing pattern became short and quick, almost as if she was hyperventilating. The feeling was unbearable, so unfamiliar and strange. What was she doing? Was she doing it right? Her mind screamed for it to be over but it had only just begun. Without her usual herbs and healing knowledge to guide her, all she had was her own instinct to trust with the new agonising process known as childbirth. "Speech" Thoughts

Yup, she was coming out today. She decided that this would be the day she let herself join the world. Or maybe it was just the way science and anatomy worked but whatever. It was happening, and she would have picked today if she could. She was actually unaware of how the sun was coming to her, or that she was traveling towards it and once she was out and on the ground she barely realized the difference from the cozy womb compared to the hot but possibly dry summer morning. She made tiny and few whines as she swam with her little legs trying to make her way to wherever. The desire for milk gently creeping in on her. If it was that her mother didn't want her, she would probably be oblivious her whole life but maybe her mother wouldn't feel so much failure or whatever. The two could be best friends.

A shudder rippled through body as she slowly heaved out the first and only pup to be born, not that she was expecting any more. The strain she had been through was too great and she'd hate to have another repeat of it with more children. One was painful enough. Her raspy breaths soon slowed, dry and crisp from dehydration. For a moment she laid there, wheezing, not daring to rest her gaze upon the pup. This was it, she was now a mother. Soft whines called from behind, making her eyes prick with forming tears. A skull spun around to find a wet heap of black fur, searching for the comfort of her stomach. White marked the pup's body, reminding her of the child's father and the guilty moment that caused her motherhood. At the beautiful sight, she re-positioned herself and nudged closer to the sightless pup so she could find the milk she craved for. Whether they were tears of joy, relief or anguish, she would sob loudly and weakly. The pup she couldn't take her eyes off was her daughter. No-one else wanted it and no-one else cared for it. The responsibility to look after a child was now hers. There was always the chance to abandon the pup and forget such a memory ever existed, but the more she contemplated that plan, the sense of protectiveness swallowed her emotions. It was love that kept her from committing such a crime. "Azula." A feeble whisper slipped from her lips as she delivered her daughter an identity, a name she would use her whole life. It was a name she created on the spot, joining random sounds to form an elegant and smooth flow. In the corner of her vision, a silver twinkle allured her interest. She outstretched a paw, reaching out for the strange sparkling object that was buried in the earth. Brushing away the remains of soil, she gently pulled two fine chains closer to her chest, lifting her paw to reveal leaf pendants hanging from each chains. Maybe it was luck that allowed her to possess such jewellery, and two for that matter. A smile began to form on her expression as her mind lit with an amazing idea. Perhaps this new life wasn't so bad after all. "Speech" Thoughts

Her mother would hand her a name, something she wouldn't understand until much later. But it would stick and she wouldn't have a problem with it. She would see it as beautiful as her mother had. Feeling the sense of Titania's emotions but not understanding them, the pup grew quiet and pointed her nose in that direction. But not for long would she lay still until she wiggled her body closer to her mother just as her mother had done to her and she would start her search for a teat. difficult at first but it would be natural at some point. Titania would dig up a couple treasures, that of which were too large for her daughter to wear now but one day they would have the matching jewels. One day her mother would hand one off to her and they could truly be as close as they could get.