As night fell over Rushwater Holt and the elves began to emerge from their den, Moonblur quietly rolled out from her lifemate's arm and stepped outside their own. It would be a warm night, but the elf maiden could feel a breeze blow through her bold-coloured hair. Being an incredibly clear night, not a single cloud blocked the path the two moons took rising high into the sky. It was beautiful.
Moonblur gently rubbed her belly with a soft, small smile on her face. It would not be long now, no more than a moon, until she gave birth to what would be her and Woodsmoke's cub. She could feel the excitement growing in both her lifemate and herself as the time approached. The holt's chatter of a new cub - for new life was always welcomed with warm, open arms from all the elves - and especially the excitement of her little 'sister', Brightmoss, who could not wait to see the cub.
However, Moonblur had spent several nights now crawling out of the den before Woodsmoke could awake. She became oblivious to the sites and sounds around her, gently stroking her belly and sending to her child, enjoying their final moments alone, and as one.
**My precious cubling, what will you be?** Moonblur sent to her unborn child as she settled down to sit. The moons rising higher in the sky sparkled over her hair and left the fisher with a feeling of comfort and warmth. **Will you be quiet and gentle, like your sire, or stubborn like me? Will you have shimmering red hair that has been passed down in my family, or a gray the shade of the storm?**
Still higher, she could feel the moons rise, but continued to sit and gently stroke her belly, ominous to the elves around her - to the howl of the wolves and the gathering for the hunt. She could still hear her lifemate asleep in their den, but knew he would rise soon.
**Perhaps you will be as wild and care-free as Hailcloud once was - take after your grandsire with his careless games!** Moonblur laughed out loud gently to herself. Her deep blue eyes gazed up for a minute, long enough to catch sight of and smile at her brother, Timberdust. Another cool breeze ran through her hair, and for a moment, Moonblur longed for the cool edge of the river she loved so much - a place she had scarcely been in the last moons of her pregnancy. But a slight movement from the cubling in her womb and her thoughts instantly returned to her child.
**Our time together grows short, my little one. But even when we are two, I will love you with all my heart and soul. I am not sure how you will look, how you will act, or what you will grow to do.** A small smile crossed over Moonblur's face as she stroked her belly once more. **But I do know this - you will be beautiful, you will be wonderful and you will be talented. And you will always be my precious cub.**
"Lifemate?"
Moonblur tilted her head over her shoulder to smile at her gentle Woodsmoke. His silver-gray hair shimmered in the moonlight, reminding her of the waves and gentle rapids of the river. Moonblur slowly reached out a hand to her lifemate, pulling him beside her.
"Yes, beloved?"
"What are you doing out here, all by yourself?" he said with a smile and a wink. It was now custom for Woodsmoke to ask Moonblur the same question every morning, although he knew the response.
**Just spending time with our child, Rhir,** she lock sent to her lifemate, resting her head on his shoulder. **Our cub will be here soon, our beautiful, talented cub. I cannot wait to see. I cannot wait to bring our little miracle into the world.**
Moonblur nodded knowingly, mostly to herself, but felt Woodsmoke put a gentle arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "She will be perfect."