by Trinity
Ayla lay down, sweat condensing on her forehead as she bore down on her stomach. Her hands gripped the fur she was lying on in an attempt to will the pain of giving birth away.
The birthing was at it's peak and Ayla was feeling it, especially since the root decoction she had taken was wearing off. Although it was not nearly as painful as giving birth to Durc, it still hurt and Ayla expected it to.
Zelandoni noticed Ayla's muscles stiffen for another contraction, and told Ayla to push.
"Push harder, i can almost see it's head."
Ayla pushed as hard as she could, wanting it to be over so she could hold her baby in her arms.
"Good, just another push Ayla, and it's over."Zelandoni said.
Ayla pushed again, her cry of pain cut short by the sound of her baby screaming defiantly, upset to have pushed out of the womb into the cold world.
Another push forced the afterbirth out.
Ayla sat up to see her baby, watching Zelandoni wrap a soft rabbit skin around the infant, Wondering if the baby was girl or a boy.
Zelandoni gave to baby to Ayla, and started to dispose of the afterbirth.
Ayla unwrapped the rabbit skin to see the gender of her baby.
"It's a girl!" Ayla said with delight.
She looked her daughter over, and was relieved to find her daughter was normal like she hoped she would be.
She had worried that her baby would'nt be acceptable, she didn't want to go through the same thing she had to go through when she gave birth to Durc.
"May i hold her?" Jondalar asked.
Without answering, Ayla looked into his eyes, seeing all the love and concern they contained. Satisfied, she placed their daughter in his arms.
"She's so tiny..." Jondalar said, emotion choking his voice as he held her miniature hand in his fingers.
Jondalar had worried about Ayla throughout her delivery, he had clenched his fists each time she had cried out in pain, wanting to come to her aid, knowing he would just get in the way. He was relieved when Zelandoni finally told him that Ayla was fine, and had given birth to a healthy, baby girl.
He looked over their daughter noticing the baby had the same heart-shaped face as Ayla.
You are going to be as beautiful as your mother when you're older, he thought as he put the baby back into the arms of her sleeping Mother.