Anzuru yori umu ga yasushi

The bamboo hut was hastily constructed on the very edge of the maze, and she supposed it would eventually be pulled down and relocated further in, it would be a good size for storing her medicinal herbs when the time was right. Right now though, it would do. She had helped to steady spars in place while Otis deftly scrambled about lashing lengths of bamboo together. It was dry, which was more than she could say for the weather, and it was warm.

The maze itself had been too claustrophobic in her current state, and what she really wanted was to be close to running water this close to her due date. As if on cue, a ripple of pain passed down her flanks and she took a deep breath. It was so much worse than she ever anticipated and all those times she had told others it wasn’t so bad and to toughen up and just push was coming back to bite her in the ass. She had Otis to hiss and grumble at her instead.

The first to be born was a white faced daughter, sunset shades speckling her deep chocolate base. She already had a name picked out after some cobbled together language lessons on her way down. “Himawari,” she whispered as she tucked the newborn child close to her chest.

There was no denying her mother’s genetic influence in the next to be born, and she rolled her eyes, already foreseeing a miniature version of her brother Odin running around, ruining plans and causing chaos. ”Burūberu,” she tucked him up against his sister, hoping her oldest daughter would have the wherewithal to keep her siblings in line.

The next to come was closer to her own new colouring, with rhubarb flecks smattered through her coat. Well at least there would be two girls to keep the boys in line, and three tended to be about where her family stopped, but she didn’t feel any relief yet and worry painted her face as something tiny and pink made it’s way into the world.

Her heart leapt into her throat as Otis snatched up the tiny body and began to vigorously rub its form with a scrap of hide. A tooth flashed at the opossum in warning, a low growl issued forth until a tiny cough could be heard and her companion rapidly pressed the tiny body between the much larger bodies that had been sharing the womb with her. Sedna nosed the child with worry, but a high pitched growl of indignation set her heart at ease. Another girl. “Fuji,” she settled on with a smile, grateful she had an extra name to fall back on in her exhaustion.

But still more came, first a coal coated child that could very well might be the spitting image of her mother if the light was a little better in here. She couldn’t keep the relief out of her chuckle when it was revealed to be yet another boy. She looked to Raijin with exasperation and awe as another contraction rippled down her side. The flecks of barely there orange settled it for her. “Tachibana.” She barely managed to manoeuvre the boy to his siblings when the next wave overtook her.

The last child was another earthen coated child, and with his little flecks of white and in her delirium she laughed, the relief of her organs finally shifting back into place and the ability to draw in a full breath of air overwhelming her as tears pricked the corner of her eyes and she looked on her youngest. Another boy. “He looks like a little Potato.” Her laugh was tinged with a hint of hysteria as she nudged the small brown boy back amongst his siblings and collapsed down on the ground breathless.

There were six of them. SIX! She was never going to sleep again. ”We’re really gonna need a bigger home.” She was still laughing, breathless. It was over with, and for the first time in what felt like an age, she thought she might even be able to keep food down.