3/14/2262
Alyen and L'Naym's Quarters
7:30 AM

Alyen felt his lifemate stirring and snapped alert out of a light sleep. L'Naym was withdrawing from
their bed, slightly awkwardly due to her large stomach.

"Beloved," Alyen said, reaching at once to support her.

L'Naym moved determinedly toward her closet. "I need to prepare," she announced in a quiet
but firm voice

Alyen looked at his lifemate with understanding and withdrew from the bed as well. Their unborn child
was due, and for the past two nights, she had grown increasingly quiet and remote.

L'Naym moved over to the closet and began to pull out the blankets and pillows within. Some of them
she had acquired over the past few months, some of them D'Ray had brought with her from Nlia and a
few were gifts from close friends on the Saratoga.

She brought them over to the bed and began to arrange them. Some she spread out flat on the surface,
others she arranged in a circular manner. Some of the pillows, feather pillows, she ripped open and
scattered the feathers around the bed. She even scattered some strands of hair that she had collected;
hers, her lifemate's and from others close to her. At one point she briefly left the room then returned
with some special scented flowers and herbs. Some she scattered in the nest while others she arranged nearby.

Through it all Alyen watched silently. The task of creating a Birthing nest was the mother's alone. Her mate's
task was simply to stay close protect and support. This was as it had been for thousands of years, since
the Time Before, long before even the ancient Days of Wandering.

Just before she gave birth, a mother would withdraw from her band and prepare a sheltered nest to give
birth. For the week after the child was born she would allow no one near either of them but her mate.

But as millennia passed, small tribes began to form and females gradually came to recognize that sometimes
they might need more help than their mate could provide. So gradually females began to give birth in places
closer to their tribe.

By the time the Days of Wandering began 17,000 years before, females still prepared nests, but consented
to give birth in a birthing tent, assisted by a midwife, who would check to make certain that all was well.
Only then did the Mothering fully awaken and the new mother retreat to her nest with her baby. During this time
the new mother still wanted no one else near, but would permit those whose soul she knew.

Alyen picked up a medical tricorder and as his lifemate worked, he took scans. All of them reported that
the vascular link between mother and unborn was disconnecting as where the various umbilical cords.
Soon very soon it would he time.

When he brushed against his lifemate's soul he felt her focused inward attention. The Mothering instincts
were awakening and would grow ever stronger as the birth approached. They would culminate after the birth
and last for seven days as she and newborn bonded.

It had been different with L'Naym's mother, Kalii. The doctors had removed her baby from her womb
few weeks earlier than was normal. And at the time she was greatly weakened from her illness…dying.
She had been too weak to make a nest and in her the Mothering hadn't flared beyond protectiveness
of her baby and being loath not to have her in arms.

By L'Naym was strong and healthy, her baby had been carried the appropriate length of time and the
Mothering was fully flared.

Alyen picked up his comm. "Alyen to McCoy."

"What is it, Alyen?"

"Doctor. Shylea's starting building her nest."

"Almost time, huh? How are her readings?"

"The deconnection's started. I'd say that her contractions should start sometime tomorrow."

"And the baby?"

"All readings are normal." The Nlian smiled. "I've touched his soul and he's eager to be born."

"I prefer to rely on medical readings, but as far as his soul goes I'll take your word for it.
Well, you're off for today. Stay close to her and bring her to sickbay when it's time."

"Understood, Doctor."

L'Naym had finished her nest and as Alyen closed the communication, she carefully crawled in to it ,
then lay down, silently communing with her unborn.

Alyen got in beside her and drew her close.

The female Joined Soul clung to her Other tightly. *It won't be long now. Stay with me. I need your strength.
Your love.*

*I'm here, my beloved.* He welcomed her to take from him whatever she needed. *I'm here.*

The Joined Souls silently communed with each other and their unborn.

*Come to us, little one. We're waiting. We long to hold you in our arms.*