Gifted Pelt

Chapter 41

Astrila ducks into Tonraq's iglu. The space is warmly lit, but she can see that the flickering flames of the fire are dying, losing access to fuel.

"Your fire is dying, Tonraq."

He turns to look at her and gives her a small smile. "So it is."

He grabs something to the right of his position and walks towards the flames. He bends over them and dumps the contents of the bowl into the fire. It surges merrily, crackling in delight.

"There we go, now it is hungry no more."

Astrila stifles a giggle and falls into silence when his gaze on her shifts entirely to a healer's analyzing look.

"How are you today?"

"When I woke up it hurt to move, and the pain didn't start to fade until I had an ice coat on the wounds."

"Did you forget to do the ice coat last night?"

Astrila shakes her head. "No, I did the coat while we were researching."

"Did you do something you shouldn't have?"

"No, I-" She pauses and looks down at the skin-covered floor. "I carried Kōri back to the iglu."

Tonraq's assessing gaze shoots past her to look at Kōri. She can hear him shift nervously in Tonraq's stare. "Why did she have to carry you back?"

"I fell asleep."

"Why?"

Astrila responds to that. "We were researching long past sundown and Kōri isn't very good at staying up late."

"Do I have to order your father to not keep you two so late?"

Astrila's cheeks darken slightly. "No. He didn't mean to, we all lost track of time."

His dark eyes continue to stare into her own gray eyes for a long moment. "Let me see the wounds. Sit."

As Astrila sinks to the floor, she folds her left leg beneath herself and stretches out her right leg slightly, making it easier to see the wound. He doesn't look at her leg first though, he instead examines the slashes across her face. He prods gently at one, much like he had the day before. Astrila can feel the bluish venom trickling out, burning her skin in its wake. Tonraq hums.

"Based on how much venom we got out yesterday, I would have expected it to not be sliding out like this. It's as if the venom is multiplying itself inside your wound."

"How bad is it?"

He glances down at her. "There is almost as much venom as there was yesterday. I'm going to increase how many ice coats you dress the wounds with today and then we'll see how that works. But Astrila, the wounds might heal with the venom still inside."

"So the pain might remain for the rest of my life?"

"Yes, it would likely be far less painful than it is now, but it could remain."

Astrila sighs. "All right. What now?"

His lips quirk up slightly in an attempt at a smile. "Another snow coat and then our rounds."

~~~

Astrila murmurs to the woman, her face contorted in pain.

"You're doing wonderfully, Nuvua. It won't be much longer."

Nuvia gasps. "I . . . can't."

Astrila gives Nuvua a warm smile. "Yes you can, Nuvua. You can do it. You're almost done." She looks over at Tonraq, kneeling at the woman's knees. "How close is she?"

"Just a few more minutes. The baby is almost ready for her to push."

Astrila beams at Nuvua as she grimaces in pain at the labor. "Did you hear that? Your baby is almost ready to meet you."

Nuvia manages to give Astrila a weak smile. "Really?"

"Yes. What do the spirits tell you? Boy or girl?"

"Girl."

Tonraq calls from Nuvua's knees. "It's time to push now."

Astrila smiles at Nuvua. "Are you ready? I need you to push in three, two, one, now!"

Nuvua lets out a hoarse scream as her body strains. Her breath rattles as she pants. "Again?"

"Yes, Again. One more, Nuvua!"

Nuvua screams again as her abdominal muscles clench. Astrila quickly glances at Tonraq as she hears him hum.

"Tonraq?"

"One more until the baby is out."

Astrila places a comforting hand on Nuvua's arm. "One last time, and then your baby is here. Push!"

A cry pierces through the world and Astrila beams down at Nuvua, just as a ray of sunlight darts inside the tent. "Your baby is here, Nuvua. You can meet them in a moment, but you need to push one last time. You have to deliver the afterbirth."

Nuvua nods, gasping, and strains again. Tonraq nods to Astrila and she smiles down at Nuvua. "You're all done. I'm just going to step away for a moment so I can bring your baby over for you to meet."

Nuvua nods again and smiles up at Astrila, her hair plastered to her face with sweat. The infant Tonraq places in Astrila's arms is warm and soft, despite the remnants of the birth still clinging to her skin. Astrila coos down at the baby in her arms.

"Aren't you lovely, little one. Are you ready to meet your Anaana?"

Astrila steps back over to Nuvua's side and carefully places the baby in her arms. "The spirits spoke true, Nuvua. You have a daughter."

Nuvua beams wearily at her daughter, her eyes lit with adoration. "Hello, little one."

Astrila smiles at the pair. "What are you going to name her?"

Nuvua barely tears her attention away from her daughter to answer. "Osha. She was born as the sun lit the world, so her name shall be Osha."

Astrila inclines her head. "I'll leave you two alone."

She steps outside the iglu and tilts her head up to look up towards the sun, smiling warmly to herself. Kōri steps up to her side and pulls her into a hug.

"How did it go?"

"Nuvua has a lovely little daughter now. This birth was harder than most, I'm glad it all turned out well in the end."

He rests his chin on her head and stares up to the sky with her, silent as the wind swirls around them.
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Why do you think the venom came back? What did you think of the birth description? Please keep in mind, I have no reference of this so if you think something was wrong or have suggestions, please tell me. And above all else, tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.