If Baer had really known what the whole meaning of motherhood meant, and that certainly also meant carrying a child and birthing it, she would have wanted an adoption instead of having to carry a child in her much-abused womb. The past few nights she’d been unable to sleep properly, and by past ‘few’ nights, she meant for the past month or so. She’d toss and turn, but her back did not forgive her. The numbweed, sparsely given because of her pregnancy, helped a little, but even the weed wore off. Soon she was back to tossing and turning throughout the night. Chryssenth, bless her fragile and forgetful mind, didn’t mind much when the pain wore through their link. Not caring was probably the best thing for Chryssenth to be doing.

Tonight was different, though. She’d had a faint unnerving sensation in her lower back, a sort of tingling, for most of the night. It was irregular, this tingling, and at first, Baer could almost sleep through them. Then, slowly, they grew closer together. She was well-versed in pregnancy, and well-versed in the contractions women had when it was time to give birth to children. She just couldn’t understand that these that she was feeling could be classified as contractions. She decided not to tell X’hic, at least not yet. She wasn’t sure, and throwing a false-alarm was not on her to-do list.

The tingling grew more and more apparent, but she never truly felt the pain women talked about. After a while of feeling her body begin to push for itself (and giving in a few times), she finally decided to send Anatolia, her wherry, on a simple task to get a Healer. When the Healer, a Journeywoman, arrived with the singing multi-colored wherry in tow, she pronounced Baer ready to give birth to her child. Baer, at this time sitting uncomfortably but not in incredible pain, was not as shocked to hear the news as she thought she should have been. She, after all, had felt the pain in her womb and she felt her body push instinctively.

“How much time do I have?” She asked after the contraction passed.

The Journeywoman cringed as if she’d taken an actual physical fit, “Any moment now.”

I shall call Tonouth. Chryssenth mused from her couch as if she had contemplated it instead of just come up with it on the spot. The green was remarkably calm for something so life-changing… but then again, Baer was remarkably calm as well. She had yet to feel any real measure of pain. ‘Please, do that. And tell Tonouth to tell X’hic that the baby might be here by the time he arrives.’ Baer added. Chryssenth, being attuned to Baer, had not even begun humming, as female dragons did if their bonded gave birth [This is assumed, because of occurrences in Dragonsdawn]. She wondered, as another stunningly-not-pain-filled contraction forced her to push again. Tonouth! Mine’s hatching; she needs you and Yours. She might hatch before you come. Be quick.

After only five minutes further of pushing, the head passed from her body, and in a quick rush of fluids and baby body, the child was out. It landed wetly in the Journeywoman’s hands, and began squalling with fervor. She panted with exertion, but besides the pain in her nethers, she felt… happy. “Is it healthy? Where is—where is X’hic?”

“It’s a boy; your baby is a boy.” The Journeywoman sounded about as relieved as Baer felt. She lay back, relishing the emptiness in her stomach, the loud squalling of her son, who now lay on her breasts. Relieved, she let out a sigh and wondered where X’hic was… and if he’d be angry that she didn’t call him earlier. In honesty, it wasn’t her fault that she hadn’t called him; she hadn’t known until it was too late. And she hadn’t even come up with a name!

((Zen’s first birth post~ It’s probably a fail… but we’re going to go with it.))

"You're doing a great job, girl. Just a little bit more and we're almost done!" X'hic grinned up at the grey he was now tending to whom had rundown with some jaded rocks nearby where her wing was having drills. The moderately sized cut wasn't enough to truly worry about, so thankfully this wouldn't take much longer. Her rider's paranoid babbling, however... He wished he could sew people's mouths shut. Quinteth says that it doesn't hurt much anymore. The man patted the grey hide under his hands in acknowledgement.

Things were going more smoothly as the needlethorn and thread went though the dragon hide in an ever repetitive motion. Tonouth had been quiet for most of the procedure, just relaxing and speaking to Quinteth whenever necessary.

X'hic nearly lost his grip on the needle in his palm when Tonouth suddenly awoke from his almost sleepy state, startling the dragonhealer and causing a rumble from Quniteth's throat. "Hey I thought you were a professional! What do you think you're doing hurting my grey!" Seems like some things wouldn't change, however. "She's fine. You're only going to make it worse for me," he grumbled out in irritation, going back to task on hand.

Chryssenth's bonded is Hatching.

Wait... what?

Your Hatchling is coming, X'hic! You're going to be a clutchfather now! Tonouth's excitement at this news was more evident as he stood up on all fours, waiting for his rider to come with him to the weyr by the entryway and tail swishing back and forth with impatience.

It took another moment for X'hic's thought process to get back into gear, when he then noticed how shaky his hands were becoming that he dropped his supplies to the floor. "Now what is it?" the greyrider humphed out. X'hic didn't hear the accusation sent his way. No. He was now scared and paranoid beyond belief when he fully realized the situation at hand.

"Feck, feck, feck, Feck!" X'hic shouted, making the grey and her bonded take a step back from the cursing dragonhealer. "Son of a... Gina! GINA!" "What in Faranth is going-!" X'hic cut his patient off, "Sorry, my friend. But right now I have a baby to see. Gina! Take over for me! I need to head out!" He quickly washed the ichor and numbweed from his hands, then made headway to his dragon and unceremoniously leaped onto the blue's back. We are coming, Chryssenth!

It had not taken much time for the pair to arrive at Baer's weyr, sweat already forming on the back on X'hic's neck and only becoming worse as he raced to her weyr. He had nearly collided with the Journeywoman near the entrance. "Is.. is she okay? Is the baby..." A hand raised to console him, smiling gently before saying, "Your weyrmate and son are just fine."

His son...

He entered quietly so as not to awaken Baer, but the crying said otherwise. "Baer?" he asked, "Baer..." There he saw the little human she held, eyes squeezed shut and face scrunched. He's beautiful, X'hic... the blue crooned. X'hic nodded, stepping forward and placed a hand on Baer's shoulder. "You... He's absolutely perfect, Baer." The bluerider could only stare at the babe, still not believing it was his.

Because zen is fail and hasn't really posted the name anywhere, before she forgets: Xalaer.