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[Naiya]

10th day of Fall, 516 AV
Third bell

Gentle fussing woke her as Shai squirmed in the crook of her arm. The sound was quiet, likely unheard by all but perhaps Khida who slept close beside her. Naiya was desperately tired, but every nerve in her body responded to his call, even the gentle sounds that whispered past his little lips.

Hungry she imagined was his intent as his little grasping hands dragged her from the heavy web of sleep. She pulled him closer, careful to keep his head supported as everyone often reminded her.

She made breathy shushing sounds at him, reassurance in the shape of her body and the soft tone of her voice. She lifted him onto her chest, turning her body to meet him on the bedding. She sought his pale face in the dark tent, trying to recall what others had told her to get him to connect well. Chin down in the breast, nose high so he could breathe. He was a willing participant, accepting the offering of milk fairly well. She waited, but after a moment when he did not settle into drinking, she knew it was wrong. She had to try again, pulling him back to reposition before he settled into drinking.

He was settled now, and would likely fall back into sleeping when he was done. Shai would wake her if he needed other attention, and she would stir once more as easily as she had now. Her eyes grew heavy as she watched him nurse, although she tried to fight the dozing.

Khida was close, too, Naiya reminded herself, she would be able to lend help should it be needed. Shai had everything he could need snuggled into the furs around him.

These reassurances Naiya promised herself as Shai nursed and she drifted back to sleep.

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Fifth bell

Distantly Naiya became aware once more, of what it took longer to process. Absence, a cool spot in the crook of her arm and against her side. Shai had moved.

Instantly she was more awake, panic in her heart lasting only ticks as she found him snuggled lower down her chest, having wiggled and arched his way down just enough to be displaced. He was fine, safe, and close, feeling as natural there as he had at her breast. She reached out to touch him, tracing her fingers gently across his cheek. She watched his chest rise and fall, reassuring herself of his safety.

After awhile she readjusted, letting her beating heart calm and her eyes drift back down. Tired her body told her, begging her to rest more. It was early enough now, or rather late enough that her day would normally begin, or it would have in the not distant chimes of the morning. So she dozed beside her little one. True sleep did not return, yet the weighted fingers of weariness would not release her limbs despite her wakeful mind.

She lay, waiting for sleep to return, until the baby woke, the stirrings of the pavilion enough to disturb his slumber. Naiya watched as the pavilion awoke, signing a greeting to her wife and calling softly to her sister as she caught sight of her form moving about.

Simple greetings, not necessarily any more than that. She sat up, forcing her body to obey despite lingering pain and growing discomforts as her body adjusted to the changes it had undergone. Naiya was finding her body was taking less well to after birth now that she had managed the first days.

She was tired, her body hurt all over, and her belly cramped unexpectedly with pain nearly as bad as labor. Or perhaps her over tired mind exaggerated that.

Still, Shai's little face peering up at her was worth every moment. She scooped him up, supporting his head and neck with one hand, the other lifting his little body to lay across her arm against her chest.

The dogs stirred with their people, coming excitedly to attention. They were learning well, the teaching of proper behavior, but their excitement made Naiya nervous, her fear that they might bump into the baby drawing her into stillness.

"Steady, woah." Her words were a mix of commands, both horse and dog, but the message was clear and the canines calmed at least outwardly. She walked them out of the pavilion, letting them roam freely around their grounds with another command, "Guard."

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Naiya]

They were giant beasts of dogs compared to Khal, Baluke was simply still too playful, her energy and size coming together into a dog that needed space. Still, they were fairly smart dogs, with good instincts and no doubt of who led their pack.

So Baluke glanced at her and Shai with another expectant question, but Naiya's firm stance sent the giant beast to run off her energy patrolling their territory first, a fawn colored, pony sized blur in the grass. More reluctant was Ashette, the larger dark male who hovered with more calm at her feet. His idea of guarding was different, Naiya knew. He was a different dog with different instincts.

He hovered. Here it was already safe, but he made sure it stayed that way. He picked spots to lay that were near to his humans, but open, where he could see in many directions. His guard was closer, more watchful, while Baluke was clearly more for making it known that this place was under her protection.

So despite the continued proximity of male, who was nearly nine hands at the shoulder, Naiya was more comfortable with the situation right away. That did not mean she was more comfortable physically, and she knew it was discomfort that would not leave her soon.

She moved to the fire, hovering for a while as she decided the best way to get the flames going with Shai bundled in her arms. She fussed about with the cradle of her arms until she was sure he was securely tucked in to a single arm, then she crouched at the fire's edge, finding that it was painful but manageable. She used her legs and body to hold her little boy in place, leaving one hand free to add dung to the fire and let the heat beneath the ash pick the fire back into life. She prodded the pile until it caught with force, adding fuel before scooping Shai comfortably into both her arms once more.

Breakfast. Her goal was simple. Porridge only needed hot water and grains, it hardly got easier than that, and yet...

One step at a time, she reminded herself, taking a deep calming breath. She moved across the short distance to the travois, stacking two cook pots, two wetskins, and the kettle together before lifting the gear out of the cart. The short walk back was easy enough, if a staunch reminder that she was unendingly sore.

Shai's little eyes watched her as she worked, his calm regard a solemn reminder of her missing husband and new responsibility. "Food for me, food for you." She murmured to him, brushing the back of her hand gently against his little cheek. He blinked at the touch, still surprised by each experience.

Food, she reminded herself, pulling the supplies apart so that she could add water to one of the pots. She placed it in the fire, letting the flames warm the water. She fetched grains next, setting them beside her as she settled in to let the water boil.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant