Skyfire is my own character. All others belong to their creators, Wendy and Richard Pini.
All words contained within # # are mental speech.
Begins 8 months after Fire and Flight.
Skyfire sighed as she stared down at her belly and the open ties of her breeches. Over the past few eight-of-days, her stomach had been slowly expanding... breasts and backside, too, come to think of it, but not as much as her belly. Now she could barely close the ties to her breeches.
Not doubt about it now - for some unexplained reason, she was getting fat.
She smoothed her hands down over her ribs to cup her belly as she continued to contemplate the changes in ehr body. Her mind searched for an answer, any kind of explanation, but could come up with nothing.
Eyes High entered her daughter's cave den and saw her standing near the far wall, looking down with her hands cupped over her belly. Eyes High frowned when Skyfire failed to acknowledge her presence. Had Skyfire even noticed she was there?
"Skyfire?" When Skyfire's head whipped up to look at her, wearing a surprised expression, Eyes High realized then that she had been totally unaware of her presence.
Skyfire quickly averted her gaze. She was embarassed to feel tears flood her eyes and she sniffed loudly, trying to hold them back.
Eyes High went to Skyfire and placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping a firm grip even when Skyfire initially flinched. Eyes High placed a hand on Skyfire's chin and turned her wet gaze back to hers. Suddenly Skyfire embraced her, burying her face in her neck. She began to sob, shaking both of them with the force of her cries.
#Oh, mother, I'm scared!# Skyfire's mind voice wailed. #I don't know what's happening to my body! and Leetah senses nothing...#
"Hush, my pretty cub," Eyes High soothed, stroking Skyfire's hair. "I'm sure it will turn out to be not as bad as you think."
#You really believe that?#
"I do," Eyes High replied, nodding.
#How... how do we find out what's going on with my body?# Skyfire sniffed. Her tears began to slow.
"We'll go talk to Savah. She is the oldest elf we know. With the knowledge she possesses, I'm sure that she will know what's happening to you." Eyes High wiped the tears from Skyfire's face. Skyfire gave a few hiccoughing sobs, then managed a weak smile.
"Let's go see her now," Eyes High said, smiling back at Skyfire.
#But... but what about the gathering?# Skyfire asked, surprised at her mother's suggestion.
"They can wait, or begin without us. But I'm sure you wouldn't be able to enjoy tonight in the state you're in right now."
Eyes High helped Skyfire with her ties. Not that Skyfire really minded. In her precarious emotional state, she wanted comfort and there was no one better than her mother to give it to her.
Hand in hand, they went together to Savah's hut. The sun was setting, the sky already half-darkened by the coming night. When they reached Savah's hut, the windows were lit up by candles.
Eyes High entered through the beaded curtain first, pulling Skyfire gently through behind her by the grip she held on her daughter's hand.
"Savah?" Eyes High called softly.
"I am here," came the reply. Savah appeared from another room, gliding regally into their presence. "How may I help you two?"
Skyfire lowered her eyes.
"It is my daughter," Eyes High replied, since Skyfire could not. "She is worried about something that is happening to her body, but Leetah can sense nothing wrong."
Savah approached slowly, stopping in front of Skyfire. She tilted the much-younger elf's head up to meet her steady gaze and smiled reassuringly. "Come," she said gently. "Come and sit for a while so that we can learn what is going on within you."
Eyes High and Skyfire followed Savah over to a bench situated close to her throne. Skyfire sat on it while Eyes High stood behind her and placed her hands on Skyfire's shoulders. Savah sat on Skyfire's left side and placed her hands on Skyfire's forehead and over her heart. All three elves closed their eyes as Savah began to probe gently with her mind.
At some point, the hand Savah held over Skyfire's heart moved lower to cup the slight swell of her belly. Savah smiled serenely, the expression gone unnoticed by the other two.
Skyfire felt Savah's calming energy flow into her and fill her up, offering vast amounts of reassurance to her poor soul. Her fears drifted away into the back of her mind, hopefully not to return. It took her some moments to realize that Savah's hands had left her. She opened her eyes.
Savah smiled down at her, as if she held the secret to the stars in that one look. "You are with cub, child."
The only way to describe what those words caused Skyfire to feel was complete shock. #But...# She started to send, but switched to speaking instead. "But... Savah, how can that be? I haven't Recognized anyone."
"Your body is special," Savah replied. "It can bear many cubs without the need for Recognition. This particular trait seems to have been shared among all the maidens of your birth tribe, from what I have been able to gather from your memories. How this came to be doesn't seem to be held within your mind, though."
The details mattered not to Skyfire - at that moment and probably not any of the many others to come. She cradled her hands tenderly around her belly and looked down, trying to envision it growing to the size of a large, ripe melon. She giggled unexpectedly. "Oh, Savah, this is wonderful! Thank you so much!" She threw her arms around Savah and hugged her enthusiastically. After a moment she quickly pulled back, blushing. She had just hugged an elf that was the closest being to a High One that any of the Wolfriders had ever seen!
"I-" Skyfire began.
Savah raised a hand, effectively cutting her off. "It is quite alright, child. Too many elves treat me as if I were made of glass. It is nice to be around those who occasionally remember that I am not." So saying, she brought Skyfire back to her and gave her a hug, albeit a more gentle one that what she had received.
Eyes High, unable to resist the temptation, hugged them both.
"So tell me..." Savah said a short time later, once the three-way hug had ended. she took Skyfire's hands in both of hers. "Who is the sire of this surprise cub?"
Skyfire's expression went suddenly blank. The news of the cub was still so fresh in her mind that she hadn't given a thought toward its sire. "I... I'm not sure," she said. She frowned thoughtfully. "The sire could be any one of three, I think."
"You think?" Savah asked gently and not unkindly.
Skyfire nodded. "Cutter and I were lovemates before we came to Sorrow's End. But we haven't joined since he Recognized Leetah."
"I think we can count him out as a possible sire," Savah said. "I believe that Leetah's healing of you in the desert triggered your body to... start a breeding cycle," she finished as tactfully as she could.
"Then two..." Skyfire said slowly. Truthfully, she was a little relieved that Cutter was not the cub's sire. He and Leetah, lifemated through the bonds of Recognition, were still having their occasional difficulties as they settled into their life together. She wouldn't want to add any additional stress to their lives.
"Redlance?" Eyes High guessed. She knew her daughter and Redlance had always remained close, even after his lifemating to Nightfall. That friendship had soon grown to include Nightfall, and the three would occasionally join in sharing pleasure.
Skyfire nodded. She had an invitation to join Nightfall and Redlance for a wrestle in the furs pretty much any time she wanted to. It was an invitation she had taken them up on occasionally, even in Sorrow's end.
"Which leaves only one other to be revealed," Savah said, prodding gently. She raised an eyebrow in question.
Skyfire looked from Savah to Eyes High, down to the floor, then back up to Savah again. She took a deep breath and uttered one word - a name.
"Rayek."
To say that Savah and Eyes High were surprised by the admission was something of an understatement.
"It wasn't long after his loss of challenge to Cutter that we happened to find each other. I wanted to help him and... well, becoming lovemates - even if just for a short time - was the only thing I could think of. I'd like to think I helped him, if only a little." Skyfire looked at Sava and Eyes High several times in turn, wondering what their thoughts were on the matter.
"Well, once the cub arrives, the answer of who the sire is should be answered then," eyes High said. "But for now we'd best be getting to the gathering and let the tribe know that there will be two cubs arriving late next turn."
Skyfire gasped. "The gathering! I completely forgot!" She jumped to her feet. "Thank you, Savah. You've made me very happy." She hugged Savah impulsively then reached for Eyes High's hand. "Come, Mother! I want to get there before Pike gets into the dreamberries. Otherwise he'll probably forget!"
Laughing, Eyes High allowed Skyfire to drag her along as she ran out of Savah's hut. "If Pike actually forgets such news, the sight of your growing belly over the coming moon cycles is sure to remind him!"
Savah smiled with gentle amusement as she watched the pair leave her home. For a moment, Skyfire had become a cub again, showing childish delight over a precious give unexpectedly bestowed for no reason.
Savah had been surprised at Skyfire's admission that Rayek was a possible sire for her cub. She had not expected that Rayek would willingly mix with any of the Wolfriders. Oh well, even the Mother of Memory could still be surprised upon occasion. She found herself hoping - just a little - that the cub would have Rayek's blood. Rayek was missed by a few of the Sun Folk - herself included - and having a little piece of him still around would be a comfort to those that he'd left behind.
Skyfire and Eyes High arrived at the howl-place a little out of breath, drawing curious stares from those already assembled.
"Please forgive us if we've made you all wait for our arrival," Eyes High said when she'd managed to catch her breath. "But Skyfire and I had to to see Savah and... well, its really for my daughter to say what we learned there." Smiling widely, knowing the shock the others were all about to receive, Eyes High tugged Skyfire forward.
"I am with cub!" Skyfire blurted out. She laughed delightedly.
Everyone seemed to start talking all at once, offering Skyfire their congradulations.
"My sister, the lifebearer!" Skywise exclaimed with joy. Although he had no wish for Recognition and cubs of his own, he was honestly happy for Skyfire and the new life that was blossoming within her. He put his hands at her waist, lifted her above his head, and twirled them both around in a small circle. When he lowered her, she was a little dizzy and clung to him for support.
"So which of the villagers did you Recognize?" Skywise asked. He reasoned that if the cub's sire had been a Wolfrider, he would have been standing next to Skyfire when the announcement of the cub had been made.
"That's just it, my brother. I am not sure who the cub's sire is. It was conceived outside of Recognition." Skyfire looked to Eyes High for help with this part of the explanation.
So Eyes High told the tribe of Savah's revelations - Skyfire's gift of many cubs, Leetah's role in triggering a breeding cycle, everything.
As Eyes High talked, everyone listened growing amazement. Because of this, no one appeared to notice the troubled silence of two of their tribe members.
Redlance and Nightfall both knew what Skyfire's newly-discovered cub meant. Neither was aware of Skyfire having taken other lovemates besides themselves since coming to Sorrow's End so their natural assumption was that the unexpected cub had been sired by Redlance, despite Skyfire's assertion that she didn't know who the cub's sire was. Redlance had at first been delighted by the idea that he would be a father. But one look at Nightfall's pained expression quickly dampened his enthusiasm.
#Nightfall?# Redlance sent. He took her hand in his.
Nightfall looked at Redlance and managed a weak smile. #I'm sorry. I should be happy for you and Skyfire about this cub, but all I can think of is how much I wish it was me who would be the cub's mother.#
Redlance cupped his other hand over Nightfall's cheek. #Everything will work out. You'll see.#
Nightfall's smile was a little more genuine this time, if still a little sad.
"So who is the cub's sire?"
The question, though a natural-enough one to be asked under such circumstances, still came as a bit of a surprise. Redlance and Nightfall separated and stood together.
"I'm sure that most - if not all - of you are aware that Redlance," Skyfire paused long enough to glance at Redlance and away before she continued, "is the most likely sire, but there is another - a villager - who could also have sired the cub I carry."
Skywise burst out laughing. "Surely you jest, sister! Was it not you who claimed just a few moon cycles ago that taking one of the Sun Folk males for a lovemate was like putting a wolf with a zwoot fawn? After all, the only one clearly not similar to that group is Rayek, and -" He stopped speaking when a sickly-looking smile appeared on Skyfire's face.
"You didn't!" Skywise exclaimed in surprise. His jaw dropped in shock a moment later when Skyfire nodded slowly. "You did!"
"Well, whether Wolfrider or Sunfolk lad turns out to be the sire," Cutter said as he got up and walked toward Skyfire, "your cub will be welcome in this tribe and its birth will be celebrated just like any other cub's." He laid a hand on Skyfire's belly and she covered it with one of her own.
"Thank you, Cutter. Your words are most welcome to my ears."
They would continue with the howl that night as planned. Skyfire deliberately ignored Redlance and Nightfall - as they did her - knowing that they needed time to deal with the idea of a cub that had one of two chances to be carrying Redlance's blood.
When the howl slowly came to an end and the Wolfriders began to leave the howl-place for their sleeping furs, Skyfire looked over at Redlance and Nightfall. Once they met her gaze, she nodded once at them. Redlance returned the single nod with one of his own while Nightfall looked away. Skyfire left for her solitary den, determined in that moment that she would let Redlance and Nightfall approach her when they were ready so that the three of them would discuss the future of the cub she carried. After all, as Redlance's lifemate, Nightfall was automatically involved in his decisions regading the unborn cub in Skyfire's womb.
But Skyfire wouldn't wait forever for that talk which she considered to be so necessary. She wanted to hear directly from Redlance and Nightfall, the choices they had decided upon before she birthed this cub.
Unknown at the moment, it would be with a small sense of uncertainty and emotional discomfort that Skyfire, Redlance, and Nightfall met several days later to talk about their cub.
In the days following Skyfire's announcement regarding the cub, relations between Skyfire and her lifemated friends had been regrettably strained.
"Oh, Moonshade, this is beautiful! Thank you so much!" Skyfire exclaimed as she examined the new clothing that Moonshade had just presented her with.
Moonshade smiled with pleasure at the compliment. As always, she was filled with a sense of pride and self-worth to see such joy in the faces of her tribemates whenever she made them new clothing.
"What are these for?" Skyfre asked. She was examining the top, which had been made from the hides of a litter of mountain lion cubs. Strongbow, who was Moonshade's own lifemate, had slain the mother, then sent her carcass back to the vilaage while he and a few others had gone in search of the mother's litter to give the young animals a swift death rather than letting them suffer slowly. When Nightfall had taken charge of the pelts, she had instantly decided to keep the short, golden-brown and black-spotted fur rather than scraping it off - what she normally would have done when preparing hides meant for warm weather clothing.
The things that Skyfire was currently asking about were two long strips of hide that sprouted from where the wearer's hips would be when the garment was worn and dangled down past the shirt's bottom hem.
"Those are something I recently thought of. I made the tunic in anticipation of the size you will be in the last few months of your pregnancy rather than waiting to add in strips of leather as it becomes necessary to do so. These straps will help mould the tunic to fit the shape of your body. I got the idea from watching one of the village maidens donning what the Sun Folk call an 'apron' before she went to bake bread."
Skyfire was eager to try the tunic on. She handed it back to Moonshade so that she could remove her current top - which covered her breasts, shoulders, and part of her back. Moonshade helped Skyfire slide the top on corrently, then moved behind the pregnant elf to tie the long strips together. She knotted them once and tied a bow on top. That way Skyfire could easily undo it berself if she wanted to.
Skyfire smoothed her hands down her belly, admiring the softness of the hide and the comfortable fit. "Very clever," she complimented.
The breeches were made from the hide of the mother mountain lion and should hopefully last for several moon cycles. Skyfire sighed happily once she'd tried the lacings at her front and lowered the shirt back into place.
"Skyfire?"
Skyfire's gaze shot toward the entrance of her den upon hearing the unmistakable sound of Redlance's voice calling her name. Sure enough, he was standing there at the entrance, with Nightfall standing by his side.
Moonshade gathered up Skyfire's discarded clothing - there was very little wear in the leathers and they could still be put to good use elsewhere - and left quickly, nodding politely to Redlance and Nightfall on her way out.
"Come in," Skyfire said once the three of them were alone. They joined hands briefly in greeting and Skyfire found it somewhat reassuring despite the fact the both of her friends looked unsure of themselves.
"So... how have you been these last few days?" Nightfall asked.
"I've been good, though I've been missing both of you," Skyfire admitted honestly. "I'm sorry that this," she cupped her belly with both hands, "has come between us."
"No, it is I who should be sorry," Nightfall was quick to say. She moved forward and placed her hands over Skyfire's. "I let envy come between us, envy over your gift of many cubs and that the first cub would... could be sired by my own lifemate, when I could not do the same. We would have come to you sooner but..."
"But you needed time to come to terms with this new life. I understand, truly," Skyfire said honestly. "And I don't think its just envy. Your love bond with Redlance is already so strong that the only way it could be made stronger is for you to give him a cub of your blood and his." Skyfire pulled her hands from beneath Nightfall's, then laid them over top, trapping Nightfall's hands lightly against her belly. "You can't change how you feel, nor should you. Now that this cub is coming, I wouldn't wish it away even if I had the power to do so. But if it was within my powers, I would have you carrying Redlance's cub right now."
"High Ones save me from that fate! Imagine having to look after two strong-willed pregnant maidens at the same time!" Redlance exclaimed in jest, trying to lighten the mood.
Skyfire and Nightfall both turned and punched him, wearing similar frowns.
Redlance held his hands up in mock defense and started to laugh. Skyfire and Nightfall cracked a smile.
"So what do you want to do?" Skyfire asked a short time later.
"We want you to come live with us in our cave den," Redlance said. Nightfall nodded, backing up her lifemate's statement.
Skyfire looked like she was considering it for a moment before she answered. "That is easy enough to agree to, but what I speak of concerns the roles you want to fill in this cub's life."
"I want to be a father to this cub," Redlance said, his eyes trained on Skyfire's. "It is of my blood-"
"Could be," Skyfire interrupted, speaking gently. "Could be," she repeated. "Remember, Rayek has an equal chance of being the sire."
Redlance nodded slowly, recognizing Skyfire's words as truth.
"What would you do if this cub comes out with brown skin and yellow eyes?"
"Rayek is not here to be a father to this cub... if he is the sire. I... I would be a father to this cub whether or not it carries my blood... If that is also your wish."
"Good," Skyfire said, nodding approvingly. She smiled. "I had hoped you would. But the cub will know of Rayek if it is of his blood. He or she will be made to think of you both as 'father.' Is that acceptable to you?"
"It is," Redlance replied with the briefest of hesitations.
"And Nightfall..." Skyfire returned her attention to the other elf maiden. "What place do you see yourself taking in this cub's life?"
Nightfall was caught unawares by the question. "I... had not given it much thought. But I would like to help you care for your cub, if you'll let me."
Skyfire took Nightfall's hand within one of hers. "I will. In fact, I would like this cub to consider you a second mother."
"A second... m-mother?" Nightfall stammered. Her expression clearly stated her stunned surprise over Skyfire's announcement more clearly than her words.
Skyfire nodded. She turned to Redlance and reached for his hand with her free one. "We three are in this together now. I can't ask for anything less than to share this cub's life equally with both of you."
Author's Note: I had planned on writing a story about Rayek and Skyfire's brief romance and another containing the cub's conception, but every time I tried to start it, it just never seemed right. Besides, this way I figured there'd be some shock value when Skyfire revealed Rayek as a possible father to her cub.