away in a manger

The second puppy was taking much, much longer than the first. A sick, worrying thought worked its way into her brain: was there something wrong? It didn't feel right. She closed her eyes and focused intently on her body. Eris focused in on her heartbeat and then the undulations of her muscles. Dear Tor, guide me through this labor. Show me and my children mercy. Moments passed and then moments stretched into the better part of two hours. Finally, soaked in sweat and shaking with effort, the next puppy passed into the world.

It was a large, hardy thing. No wonder it had taken so long to arrive - it was much bigger than its white-and-brown sibling. Eris marveled at it before cleaning it off and guiding it to nurse. The puppy was a bit slow and took some time to find a place to suckle but she mistakenly attributed it to the babe's size. Being big was terribly unfamiliar to her; in fact, she'd spent her whole life being smaller than everyone around her.

"It is finished," she called to Ballad, her voice low and weary. Eris closed her eyes and laid prone on her side, knowing that her sister would allow anyone who wanted to visit as she saw fit. Although she'd slipped away wordlessly, she hoped Oxide would come to marvel at the incredible things she'd created. He was her partner, after all. Whether he liked it or not, these little babes were extensions of herself. She hoped he could bring himself to love them, if only because they were part of her. Eris knew he wasn't quite keen on staying in one place and the little ones would root her to the surrounding area for some time - but they both knew what had happened the last time he'd left her side.