Moonspear quaking forest

Everybody—every woman—is different, Meerkat replied. Your grandma didn’t think she could have children at all, so if she had any symptoms, she likely dismissed them as something else. When babies move, for instance, it can feel sort of like gas, she explained with a laugh.

When Seal asked about motherhood, of course she wanted to reply with a resounding “yes!” But, of course, that was entirely up to her. Meerkat thought the girl would make a very fine mother indeed someday, though of course it would be another year or more before it was even possible.

If you want them, then yes, she said, eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled. Noticing the slight disquiet on her daughter’s face, she thought to add, There’s plenty of time to figure out what you want. You won’t reach maturity until your second year. And of course you’ll want to find a suitable man…

Her eyebrows raised a little, a chuckle rippling in her throat. Did Seal have any interest in boys? Did she picture herself taking a husband someday? Meerkat supposed it was possible that Sialuk’s influence on her children might lead to more unconventional arrangements. Meerkat herself was the product of just such a thing. Her words still stood, she supposed, seeing as any approach to children would require a man’s involvement.