Stay with Me [birthing]

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.