Dragoncrest Cliffs Our hearts beat as one, butterfly

In the starlit hours following the birth, there was a sense of wonder and fulfillment, in spite of Antler's loss. Wildfire fought to keep her eyes open despite her exhaustion, smiling down at her sons and daughter, marveling at these new lives she had brought into the world. Every so often, she glanced at her mate, her chest feeling like it might explode with the sense of pure, unbridled love she felt for their young family. They were perfect. Everything was perfect. And nothing hurt.

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The sound of birds chirping woke the new mother from a deep sleep. Before her eyes opened, Wildfire unleashed an involuntary groan. Her whole body ached and burned, specifically her nether regions. Gingerly, she lifted her head and sat up, accidentally dislodging several of the pups who had been feeding. The Bandrona blinked owlishly as they tumbled, then began to fuss. Her ears flattened and she winced. Automatically, she dropped back onto her elbows and began nudging the crying cubs toward her belly.

She bit the inside of her cheek as she watched them root around in search of teats. She could have helped them but Wildfire just sat there and stared, feeling oddly disconnected. The pups finally latched and the den went quiet, though the weird hollowness Wildfire felt did not abate. In fact, the out-of-place sense of dismay only worsened with each passing second, as her chestnut eyes roved over the litter and she suddenly felt a strong impulse to drop them off with Portia and then run toward the nearest horizon.

The Bandrona fidgeted, drawing in and letting out a deep, shaky breath. The pregnancy had gone smoothly and even the labor and delivery had been a dream. Wildfire had everything she'd ever wanted. So why did she suddenly feel so sad and overwhelmed?