Hideaway Strath there was a star riding through clouds one night,

for @Nyra

With Vein's tutelage, Aerin felt assured in the practice of brewing tea, enough to prepare a concoction of her own making. The healer had been lucky enough to procure and dry some stinging nettles recently, though her pawpads didn't seem to be of the same opinion -- pricked with small, red pocks where she had not been able to completely avoid the sharp hairs of the leaves. It was worth it to the midwife and hopeful mother-to-be for the herbs were known to prevent miscarriage and strengthen the womb. Arlette and Derg appeared to have secluded themselves away, which could only mean that the Strath had welcomed their second litter or would very soon. That left The Priestess and  The Overseer as the only ones yet to whelp, which meant it was only natural that Aerin hoped to seek out Nyra and offer the shieldmaiden some of the beneficial drink. 

The healer had borrowed one of Vein's skulls for a bowl, steeping the nettle leaves with an even mixture of raspberry leaves (since raspberry also helped to strengthen the uterus and happened to be as abundant as nettles) and even crushing a few of the berries into the makeshift container. After straining out the damp leaves and berries as best she could, the sighthound was left with a satisfactory beverage -- palatable and tangy with the fruit's influences while still enhancing the effects of the medicine. 

It was not such a concern for the Battle Phoenix, Aerin knew, who appeared to be nearing the end of her second trimester. Nearly out of the woods. By the beginning of her third, Nyra's pups should be safe from the threat of miscarrying. Still, the midwife figured it was better safe than sorry, seeking after her superior with a 'mug' of  nettle-raspberry tea carried in her jaws.

The battle phoenix was currently scouting out for a more suitable den. 
She was in the higher reaching parts of the Strath, looking for a big enough cave-type space to whelp and overlook her kingdom.
The kingdom she shared with Kynareth and his wife. 
The thought wasn't as bitter as it used to be for the warmaiden, and she absently had many thoughts as she stared into a decent sized cave-like hole in the slopes high above the trees, where she would have more than enough room for her and her children and still keep warm while overlooking the Strath like a Monarch on her throne. 

Distantly, she heard Aerin approaching, and turned her head to watch the Seelie enclose. 
With a welcoming smile, Nyra entered her new den and turned her body to face the Priestess, eyes inquisitive to the liquid the waif carried.

A verbal greeting was practically impossible but the midwife did manage to rumble a low growl of friendliness around the homemade mug, tail wagging as her eyes lit up upon landing on the Overseer's impressive white form. She trotted after the other she-wolf, wordlessly following her into the den -- ears pinning lightly as she hoped she hadn't mistaken Nyra's unspoken invitation to enter. She knew how territorial some pregnant women could get, especially as they neared their delivery and began nesting in preparation for that time. Nyra seemed to have chosen this location for that very reason, though she didn't seem too bothered by the medic's presence -- which the once-druid took as a good sign. 

Settling the cup of lukewarm tea down carefully, so as not to spill and/or waste the goodness inside, the halfling straightened to meet Nyra's goldcoin gaze with a bright grin. "'ello! I 'ope everything is going vell, yes? I just came because I thought ye might like to 'ave some tea vith me -- it is very good for mothers. 'elps to prevent miscarriage an' makes ye strong fer ze pushing in labour," she explained lightly. 

By the time Aerin had joined her inside, Nyra was already easing herself onto the ground when the seelie spoke, explained why she was here today. 

Looking briefly to the makeshift mug, the Overseer smiled warmly and offered a nod. "I'd love to have a drink with you. It's not often we get to just relax around here." She chuckled, starting to rise again so she could sit beside the Priestess despite her swollen belly.

The milkmother smiled again, tail wagging gently -- glad she could count the Overseer as a friend. It had been so long since she had been settled with an established pack, as a free woman no less, and had the option of making friends. Longer still since she had found a measure of respect and standing amongst the she-wolves of her pack. "Nae, I suppose not. It 'as been a busy spring," the fae agreed in a soft murmur, a tinkling laugh escaping beneath her breath to punctuate the words. Her mind wandered to all that had happened since she'd come back to the Strath with Kynareth and Simmik: Whrist's attack, meeting Vein and falling in love with him, starting her training as a warrior, helping the various women with their pregnancies, therapy with Patroclus, getting married and trying to conceive herself, her promotion. Busy seemed like it might be a bit of an overstatement.

"'ow 'ave ye been feeling?" The midwife asked conversationally as she nudged the bowl towards Nyra a bit, gesturing that the shieldmaiden draped in snow should help herself first. Here to support her superior as both physician and confidant. "Vould zis be yer first pregnancy -- if'n ye don't mind my asking?" 

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The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: mention of rape and rape-induced pregnancy

The Battle Phoenix nodded agreeably as Aerin noted how busy the warm seasons were as of current. 
As the Fae nudged the mug to her, Nyra smiled with gratitude and took a few large laps at the tea. 

Holy fuck, this tasted better than she was expecting! All hail tea!! 

And then a Well-meaning question rang that made the War-queen stiffen with vile memories. 

"No, it's...it's not." She started at a whisper. 

"In my birth pack, my father was the leader of a large cult...he...when I was around 9 months old, I had done something to upset him and he..." By this point, Nyra had tears rolling down her muzzle. She hated reliving her past, and yet she trusted Aerin with her traumas. 
"He held me down and...he took me. Again, and again, and again...he did it so often, just to ensure I would end up carrying his seed as a reminder of the power he held...and when I delivered, none of those pups survived. They came out mangled and unrecognizable..." Nyra's ears flattened and she eased herself into lying down. Looking to Aerin, it was clear that the War-queen didn't blame the midwife for her memories coming to haunt her.

Sometimes it just happens. 

With a few deep breaths, Nyra was able to calm herself down and become stable again.

Aerin could only listen as the tale unfolded, feeling a stab of concern pierce her heart to see the proud and victorious Overseer reduced to lying on the ground in defeat -- head curled forlornly over her paws. She couldn't stand it; the midwife moved to sit next to her higher-up -- slowly, with great care not to spook the shieldmaiden after she'd shared something so traumatic. "It vas nae yer fault," she promised, much as she had once reassured Arlette. "Ye vere too young and ze stress of it all...it vould 'ave been impossible for anyone to give birth in such conditions. I'm just grateful zat ye are 'ere vith us now an' don't ever 'ave to vorry about such awfulness again," Aerin murmured, hoping it might make the Nightwish feel better to hear such affirmations aloud. 

"I 'ad a 'usband once who did much ze same to me...'e forced me to carry 'is young an' trained me so ruthlessly zat I lost most of ze babes before zey vere born. 'e forsook ze one daughter I gave 'im, saying she vas deformed because she looked like me, an' 'e killed 'er," the medic revealed in a hollow wisp, brushing her muzzle idly over Nyra's head in a comforting manner from where she sat perched aside of the prone Amazonian. 

"Perhaps we cannae save ze pups we lost but...yer father 'as nae more power. An' neither does my 'usband. We 'ave ze power -- us, ze Saints. We can try again an' zis time no one vill 'urt ye or yer children," the Priestess nodded, pale eyes hard with determination as she looked out of the cave -- beyond to the Strath and the haven she had found there.

The Seelie's comforts and encouragement did not fall on deaf ears. 
Nyra leaned into Aerin slightly as the midwife shared her own story, glancing to the fae-warrior with empathy and sorrow. 
They had both experienced bad things from evil individuals, been the unfortunate souls at the mercy of monsters. 

But, Aerin was right. They hold the power now. Not their monsters, them. 

"Thank you, Aerin." Nyra whispered, rising slowly into a sit and giving the Seelie a brief lick of gratitude to her cheek.

we can try and wrap up soon if you'd like? <3

"Anytime," the waif responded, bumping her muzzle against the warrior's pale cheek in return, smiling a bit to try and lighten the mood. Realizing then that she'd forgotten to drink her half of the tea, having gotten swept up in the conversation, the fae moved back to the mug and quickly lapped up her share. 

With that out of the way, she returned to Nyra and stretched comfortably upon the ground, grateful again for the opportunity to take a break and simply spend some time with a packmate. Hoping to steer them towards happier topics, she glanced at Nyra's belly with an excited grin and asked: "So, 'ave ye given any thoughts to names? Any guesses on vhether zey vill be girls or boys?" 

Sounds good! <3

Smiling warmly, Nyra took in the warmth of the sun while Aerin drank her share of the tea. 
An easy opening of eyes as the Seelie inquired to the identity of the Overseer's children. 

"In my heart, I feel at least one will be a girl. I'm thinking of naming her...Lotus. Like the flower." She replied, glancing to her swollen sides with some form of fondness

"Ooo," the sound was drawn out, the hart's brow rising as a broad grin spread over her rosy lips -- tail beating an agreeable tempo upon the dirt floor of the cavern. "I like zat," she commented honestly, head tipping in a tiny nod as if to give her approval though she knew well that Nyra didn't need it. "Very pretty." Her mind wandered then to her own pups and what they might be like. What names would they bear? 

A companionable silence filled the air between them, allowing Aerin to notice then the muted melody of birds singing in the forest beyond the cave's walls and the faint shush of the wind scraping along the peaks of the Strath. Feeling that it was entirely too nice of a day, and too energetic to laze about for long, the Saluki soon rose to her paws and cast an inviting glance in the Nightwish's direction. "I zink I fancy patrolling ze borders an' getting some fresh air. Vould ye care to join me?" 

She wouldn't have put it past the mother-to-be if she would prefer to stay and rest. The Overseer was further along than Aerin, her stomach looking almost uncomfortably swollen at this point. The Priestess would probably desire nothing more than to sleep as much as possible once she was in her third trimester as Nyra was.

Sorry for shortness, phone posts suck ;w;

The supportive noise from Aerin made Nyra smile wider, but ultimately the Overseer remained quiet as the silence filled the air, save for wind and birdsong.

Perking her ears in slight alert, Nyra watched Aerin stand, speaking of doing a patrol and getting some exercise in. The invitation made, the Queen nodded once and eased herself to her paws, following the Seelie down the steep rise.