Pain. That was all she felt, absolute, all consuming pain. It had come in the dark of night, taking hold of her so fully that she could barely even breathe. She’d started to think it was never gonna happen, that she would just remain like this forever, bloated and useless. Maybe that would have been better, at least she would have been free of this terrible pain.

All she could manage to do was creep slowly into the very corner of her shallowly dug den, pressing against the wall and closing her eyes against the convulsions. On and on it went, for what seemed like days with no result, yet the sun never rose to light up the darkness surrounding her. Never in her life could she remember feeling so alone, even as a pup abandoned by both her parents, she had had others to look out for her. But nothing and no one could protect her from this agony. And yet, as she twisted wearily, forcing herself to listen to the instinct telling her to push, she gritted her teeth, swearing silently that no child of hers would ever be alone.

Eventually, after a small eternity, light began to filter into the den, golden rays reflecting in the slate fur of a heaving flank. The small room was ripe with the stench of blood and birth, the only sounds heard those of heavy breathing, and an ever so tiny mewling, confirming the arrival of new life.

Word count: 247

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