cozy winter days.
Orysia had gained weight. Which was natural, when you're expecting. Her cheeks had puffed up, her ankles were swollen, and her hands were likened to sausages. However, she wasn't the only one who had ballooned up. Everyone was fattening up for the winter. Food was hard to come by and the days were so cold and harsh that no one wanted to go out.
That night, Orysia woke herself up with the feeling of soaked sheets. Everyone in the family turned into panic mode. No one expected Orysia to give birth so soon. Thankfully, they were already in the Stork House to begin with but she wasn't due for another couple of weeks.
Her family huddled around her as she lay there in her bedding, legs spread apart. Everyone yawned in turns, some expectantly and others out of pure exhaustion. Usually most families would be asleep at this hour but they couldn't miss such an event. She didn't expect this so soon and not tonight of all nights.
"Do you think you can get this over by midnight?" Petro grumbled from the corner, scratching at his cheek.
Orysia huffed in Petro's direction, her eyebrows scrunched up in pain. Or maybe it was annoyance, Petro couldn't tell the difference. Everyone else just shot him dark looks and then turned back to Orysia.
"I'm just saying," Petro yawned. The yawning was so contagious and everyone kept doing. "It is a quarter to midnight after all. It could be easier for you. We don't really know what happens after midnight."
"Oh no," Orysia interrupted, gasping.
Everyone huddled closer around Orysia. Petro just stood there and looked at his watch. The clock was ticking. It would be good to observe scientifically, at least. The first birth to happen right at winter solstice.
Speaking of winter solstice… He looked over to the opening of their temporary home for the winter. Bernadette was peeking her head in, her dark eyes shining in the dim light of the lanterns. She had been there this whole time. No one directly regarded her but everyone knew she was watching. Even she was curious about such an event.
Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion at once and Orysia's groans turned into cries. A baby's scream pierced the air. Petro slipped off his watch. There was no time left.
When he looked back up, he saw that everyone had gotten up and slowly went back to their beds. Yawning and sleepy, they all stretched out and nestled their heads down. Orysia was still awake and she nudged at her newborn. He was screeching and wriggling at his mother's touch.
"Ah," a voice whispered quietly.
Petro turned to look at Bernadette. She had slipped inside and tiptoed around the sleeping family. She bent down to pick up a lantern that was lying on the floor.
"The child will be beautiful," she mused, looking down at Orysia and the newborn cuddling together.
Petro nodded sleepily. The urge was strong now. His eyelids drooped farther and farther each second. He used to be able to fight off the night so easily when he was younger. Not so much anymore.
Bernadette sighed. "Get some sleep, you need it."
Petro couldn't argue with that. His lumbering mass slumped down into the floor and he fell straight into a deep sleep. Bernadette didn't blame him. The previous solstice, the sleep took over her instantly as well.
She reached out to pat the newborn. It's fur was thin and coated in afterbirth which Orysia licked at in an attempt to clean him. Bernadette had never witnessed a human birth before. It seemed so chaotic compared to a regular birth. Orysia was in so much pain. However, there was comfort in the fact that a regular human baby screamed just like a cub. Bernadette thanked the stars that she didn't get a glimpse of the cub in it's human form. She shuddered. Some things weren't meant to be imagined.
Bernadette took the time to slip on her thick winter coat. It was slightly damp from holding it in her mouth on the way to the Stork House but there was no way she was going out in the cold without a thing on her. Lantern in hand, she emerged slowly from the cave and into the cold winter night.
This was Bernadette's first time taking care of the Stork House. While her family moved down to the village to settle in, she had to stay behind and watch over the bears. It was a shock to her when Orysia chose her.
Orysia had been watching Bernadette closely as a human could during the summer months. That's what Orysia told her. But Bernadette wasn't exactly sure what Orysia saw in her. Maybe it was her obvious disdain for the sire, Petro.
Every time Petro wandered into the village, Bernadette would keep watch at the village walls. The humans would be startled but Orysia appreciated the gesture. It wasn't uncommon for males to drift in and out of the village but there was something about Petro's so called boyish charm that never sat well with Bernadette. It was never easy accepting a male into the family for the birthing in general. Once Petro wakes up from his hibernation, he would take off anyway. No males ever stay for long.
Bernadette turned back to look at the sleeping family. Somehow she felt a sense of protectiveness over them. It was a strange feeling to Bernadette. Bears were large animals who could definitely hold their own during the winter, especially with all their sleeping. Watching them, she couldn't help but attribute their human personalities to their furry bear faces. It made them seem so much more vulnerable that way.
The newborn cub kept crying as he tossed and turned. Orysia nuzzled her snout into his stomach from time to time but he wouldn't stop. Bernadette grimaced. Children were annoying in all species. She walked over to the parent and child and sat there, stroking the cub's head. Oh well. She would have to bear it until the next winter solstice.