away in a manger

Her time had come. Although she had never assisted with a birth before, she had been trained in the arts. It had seemed so simple in theory but nothing could prepare her for the strange undulations of muscles that she rarely used. Eris was blowing hard by the time she felt like she'd found a safe place to bear down. She settled down behind a large rock by a small rushing waterfall. The water moved quickly enough that it hadn't frozen despite the low temperatures; it became a pleasant song.

Eris focused on the sound of the water as her contractions began. There was no telling how long this would take. It was the way of nature for a female to separate herself from the group for this private experience, but she was certain Oxide would follow her. They were tethered beyond the laws of instinct.