Here's the next part, guys! Thanks to anyone who left a review!

The Lightning in Me

Eira ignored the whispers that followed her as she walked through town, head held high.

Her stomach was just beginning to swell and was still easily concealed by her thick dresses, but people had begun to wonder. It had been months since her parents' deaths, and still she showed no interest in courtship of any kind. It was causing quite a stir among the townsfolk. They began to wonder if something was off with her, so insistent was she that she did not have any need for a husband. The men were baffled at best and disinterested at worse while the women gossiped their little hearts away.

She was content with that.

Let them talk as they pleased and she alone would know the truth of things.

Because while Nibelheim made people hard, they could still be quite backwards.

Standing before her mirror topless, Eira could clearly see the growing bump.

She ran her hand over the shallow curve of her belly feeling firm, taunt skin under her palm. No longer could the thickening of her waist be brushed off as simple weight gain. This was real. She was pregnant.

A laugh built up in her throat even as her eyes stung with tears, both hands coming up to wrap around her stomach.

"Little cub," she whispered, "My little cub. I love you, dear one."

Eira glared at Ylva, arms crossed over her chest.

"I am perfectly capable of hunting," she said.

The white wolf huffed at her and looked entirely unimpressed.

Eira groaned. "At least let me check my traps."

Ylva narrowed her bright eyes before giving a sharp nod.

Eira rolled her eyes. "Thank you, your majesty," she drawled. Ylva nipped at her fingers as she trotted alongside her. Eira glared down at her, but scratched her behind the wolf's ears regardless. "You're lucky you're the alpha," she grumbled.

Ylva just looked smug.

"Yeah, yeah," Eira muttered as she went about checking her traps.

She caught three rabbits and two turkeys, all in all not a bad collection, but not enough for the pack.

"Sorry, Ylva," she said, as she stared back to the house, "Looks like we only have a small bounty tonight."

Ylva gave what she had decided was the equivalent of a shrug before marching off. Eira followed, confused at the disregard, but content to let it pass.

She saw the reason why when she reached her backyard. She's started entering the back way when she headed into the woods because Ylva and her pack often accompanied and she didn't want to alarm any of her neighbors with the sight of Nibel wolves trailing after her like ducklings.

Said wolves were currently looking at her expectantly, jaws painted red with blood, a buck sprawled out in the yard behind them.

She blinked. "That works too, I suppose," she said before turning stern eyes on Ylva, "I can hunt for my own food, you know."

Ylva gave her a look before pointedly dropping her eyes to Eira's swollen belly. Eira huffed, muttering about how she was pregnant, not crippled, and she could still function, thank you very much. Ylva ignored her and trotted over to the buck, inspecting the pack's kill.

"Wolves," Eira grumbled, trudging inside to gather the tools she would need to butcher the animal, absently patting Einar's head as the young male took up Ylva's place beside her.

"Oh!"

The pack jerked up at her exclamation and Eira was too stunned to wave them off. The baby kicked. A grin spread over her face as she rubbed the spot on her belly.

"That's a strong kick, little cub," she murmured.

She looked up as Ragna settled next to her. "I'm fine," she said, scratching behind the female wolf's ears, "The baby's just moving around is all."

Ragna's ears flicked up at that and she began nosing along Eira's stomach – only to jerk away as the baby kicked again.

Eira laughed at Ragna's put out expression. Ylva huffed as she trotted over, inspecting Eira's baby bump for herself. The baby kicked again, hitting the exact spot Ylva's nose was pressed against her stomach. The alpha gave an approving rumble and pulled away to press her nose to Eira's forehead instead.

Eira smiled. "Thank you, Ylva. They'll be a good cub."

Ylva yipped in agreement.

"I've told you before, Mrs. Bennett, there is no father," Eira said for what felt like the thousandth time in the past twelve minutes.

Six months into her pregnancy, it was obvious to everyone that she was with child. It was also glaringly obvious that she was unwed and no one was stepping forward to claim the child. Bafflement and confusion had turned to disapproval and scorn almost overnight when the town realized her condition.

Eira refused to let it bother her.

Men were no longer vying for her hand and women no longer spoke to her about settling down, so she counted it as a plus.

Upon visiting the midwife however, Eira was faced with a more through interrogation as to the origins of her present state than she had anticipated. Most of the townspeople said that she was loose with her body in a way that would have made her parents roll in their graves. Mrs. Bennett on the other hand, was quietly asking her if she had been forced.

While touched by the woman's concern for her, Eira had quickly grown tired of that line of questioning.

"I only want to know if the babe is healthy," she said, exasperated, "The parentage is rather moot at this point, don't you think?"

Mrs. Bennett pressed her lips into a thin line before giving in with a sigh. "I just worry, dear. And Gaia knows the fools in this town know nothing about women - including the women!"

Eira smiled at the old woman. "I really am alright," she said, "I promise, I am. Thank you for caring enough to ask."

Mrs. Bennett sniffed. "People should be asking more often instead of turning up their noses behind your back," she huffed, "The way we treat people in this town - honestly!"

Eira took Mrs. Bennett's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The older woman had lost her husband shortly after they were married only to discover herself to be pregnant shortly after. The townspeople were appalled by the idea that she was unwed and pregnant - the fact that she was recently widowed meant next to nothing other than the fact that her child was legitimate. People still tried to force her into a marriage and Mrs. Bennett refused to this day. Her daughter was a beautiful, polite, kind woman, married with a family of her own now, and Mrs. Bennett was to thank for that. She raised her daughter on her own, scorn or no, and she did wonderfully.

"It's alright, Mrs. Bennett," she said, "A town of backwards people isn't going to stop me from loving the gift I have been given."

Mrs. Bennett pat her hand, eyes shining with approval. "Atta girl," she said, "And if you need any help, you just holler - I'd be more than happy to knock a few heads for you, my dear."

Eira laughed.

Wolves were very tactile creatures, she learned, especially with pack.

She was sitting on her back porch, reading, propped up against Einar with Freja and Frey sprawled across her legs. Einar had grown in the months she'd known him – the little pup growing into a hulking, wolf larger than even Ylva with fur as black as the night sky. Freja and Frey were from the same litter, both gray like storm clouds, though Frey was a shade or two lighter. They were the youngest of the pack and also the most curious about her pregnancy.

Frey nosed along her stomach and Eira reached down to stroke his head. "Soon, Frey," she said, "We'll meet the cub soon."

Ylva glanced over at them from where the rest of the pack was play fighting in the yard, glowing eyes lingering for a moment, before Helka tackled her from behind, sending them both sprawling into the dirt.

Eira snickered at the sight, even as Ylva rose to the challenge and tackled Helka right back. Ingolf yowled as they rolled right over him and he retreated to lounge at her feet. She nudged him with her toes and he licked her in retaliation, pointedly settling his head across her ankles.

"Alright, alright, no poking Ingolf," she teased, settling back against Einar and returning to her book, smiling at the older wolf's rumble of agreement.

"Should be any day now, dear," Mrs. Bennett said with a smile.

Eira nodded a thrill of excitement curling in her stomach. Her pack had started watching her much more closely. Ylva didn't let her check her traps anymore and more often than not, she would find her alpha or one of the others on her back porch with their latest kill still cooling in their jaws. Einar kept trying to go into town with her and it took both Kustaa and Ingolf sitting on him to prevent him from following her. Frey and Freja both tried as well, but one look from Ylva was enough to stop them in their tracks.

Around the house though, she had ten furry shadows following at her heels.

It was a little unnerving to be under their eyes all the time, but Eira knew it was because they felt what was coming. Animals had a sixth sense about this kind of thing and if they thought the baby was coming, the baby was coming.

She was large enough now that her back ached if she stood too long and walks were becoming more and more difficult. Her feet and ankles started swelling, but Mrs. Bennett assured her that was normal.

"I think I should start making house visits," the old midwife said, "Walking through town isn't getting any easier for you. Lyllanna and I can take care of your errands in the meantime."

"I don't want to put you out," Eira said with a slight frown on her face.

Mrs. Bennett just waved a hand in dismissal. "It's no trouble," she replied, "We're perfectly capable of walking to you for a change."

And that was how Eira found herself sitting before her pack, a pair of Mrs. Bennett's gloves in her hand.

"Mrs. Bennett is a friend," she explained, "She and her daughter are helping make sure the baby is healthy, so you have to let them in when they come here, okay?"

Raoul sniffed at one of the gloves before snatching it up and presenting it to his mate. Ylva nosed the worn fabric, the rest of the pack watching. When she gave a low bark, the others moved forward to smell the gloves. Eira ended up having to take them back when Ragna and Oydis tried to play tug-o-war with one glove.

"I have to give these back, you know," she said sternly.

Oydis pouted and made to take the glove back, but Eira held it out of reach.

"No," she said, glaring.

The female grumbled but subsided. Eira shook her head in exasperation, turning to look at Ylva. "Puppies. Our entire pack is made of puppies."

Ylva just laughed at her.

Labor was not at all what Eira expected.

It was slow to start, just small contractions every now and again. But her little cub was strong, and the contractions felt very much like kicks so she thought nothing of them. Her pack came to the house early, watching her restlessly and she had simply rolled her eyes at their motherhenning. Then she felt something warm and wet start dripping down her legs a few hours later.

"Oh," she said, eyes wide.

Ylva and Raoul scowled at her, while Einar shifted restlessly, whimpering. He had practically been glued to her side these past nine months, becoming her shadow for all intents and purposes. She was hardly allowed to go anywhere without him these days.

"I don't suppose you'll let me walk down to Mrs. Bennett's?" she asked.

Einar gave her a dry look.

"Didn't think so," she muttered before curling in on herself as another contraction hit. "Okay, that one was definitely longer," she said breathlessly.

Ragna walked up to her and snagged her skirts between her teeth and tugged, pulling Eira with her. Eira huffed in exasperation but followed, Einar pressed against her side. Good thing to because another contraction hit, making her stagger, Einar's bulk was the only thing keeping her up.

"That was really close together," she said, "Guys, I really need to go see Mrs. Benne – "

Ragna growled low in her throat and tugged harder at her skirts. Frey and Freja joined Einar in pushing her towards the bedroom. She groaned, knowing that at this point she was not going to be winning this argument, and let the wolves lead her towards her bed.

Einar climbed up onto the bed, lying down against the headboard and gave her an expectant look that made her grin despite herself.

"So that's how it's gonna be?" she asked.

Ragna huffed and butt her head against her thigh impatiently.

"Alright, alright," she grumbled, carefully maneuvering so that she was propped up against Einar.

Wolves ran hot and Einar's heat at her back was soothing even as another contraction hit, making her tense. The pack crowded around her bed, Frey and Freja going so far as to try and climb up. Ragna growled at them and they backed down, ears pressed flat against their heads.

Kustaa nudged her side and huffed when she didn't breathe out with the contraction.

"Right, breathing," she gasped out, "Breathing is a thing."

She was trying very not to panic. Labor hurt and the birthing hadn't even started yet. She was only eighteen and she had no idea what she was doing. She suddenly missed her mother with an intensity that made her ache. Her eyes burned with tears and her breath hitched even as she struggled to keep it steady.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Raoul licked her hand and she twined her fingers through his fur, griping as another contraction hit. She gasped out an apology, but Raoul didn't make a sound and made no move to pull away. His eyes were steady and he exuded the same endless patience he always did when dealing with the pack.

"Remember, little cub," her mother had said, "Women are built for pain. We were made to give birth, to bring new life into the world – and there is nothing more painful than life."

She remembered frowning up at her mother, confusion plain on her face. "Then why do it?"

Her mother had smiled and took her face between her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Because dear one," she said, "Anything worth having is something you have to fight for."

Eira took a breath and released it slowly.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

She gasped as another contraction hit, but she managed not to yank on Raoul's fur this time. They were getting closer together.

The door flew open and the entire pack, Eira included, whipped around to stare at the person entering the bedroom. Mrs. Bennett stood in the doorway, eyes wide in surprise, her daughter's pale face hovering over her shoulder and Ylva at her side.

"Eira," Mrs. Bennett said breathlessly, "What in the name of the Goddess…?"

Eira just stared at her, jaw hanging open, unable to respond. Mrs. Bennett seemed to be taking the sight of an entire pack of Nibel wolves stuffed into her bedroom rather well and she apparently followed one to the house it Ylva's please look was anything to go by, but Lyllanna looked like she was about to faint. Or scream.

Luckly, another contraction hit and that sent everyone into motion. Mrs. Bennett pushed her way through the pack to the bed, shooing them out of the way with that no nonsense steel tone she used on everyone.

"No, you are crowding her and I can't work with all of you in here," she said firmly, hands on her hips, "Out."

Ylva barked at them when the pack remained stubbornly rooted in place and reluctantly, they shuffled out of the room. The alpha had to growl at Einar to get him off the bed and then Raoul had to bodily shove him out of the room. Ylva huffed after them before taking Einar's place and glaring at Mrs. Bennett, daring the woman to try and move her.

"Someone's made some friends," Mrs. Bennett said pointedly as she helped Eira pull off her skirts.

Eira gave her a helpless smile and shrugged before wincing, head falling back against Ylva's bulk, as another contraction hit.

"Another already?" Lyllanna asked with a frown from where she stood at the foot of the bed.

The woman was six years Eira's senior with two children of her own and she had learned her mother's trade well. Though she eyed Ylva warily, she helped her mother pull a clean, thick sheet under Eira's legs and moved to follow the instructions her mother gave without hesitation – including leaving the room to boil some water in a house full of wolves.

"Brave," Eira murmured as she left.

Mrs. Bennett scoffed at her. "Of course she is. She's mine."

Eira breathed out a laugh. "You're not going to ask?"

"Dear heart, not is not the time to be worrying about the number of strays you've taken in," the old woman said, "They clearly mean you no harm and you've a little one on the way. We've more important things to worry about at the moment."

Eira was surprised but let the matter drop. This wouldn't be the end of it, she knew that, but Mrs. Bennett was right. The contractions were getting closer and closer together; the baby would be here any minute now.

It was painful.

Probably the most painful thing she had ever endured. Even worse than that time when she was eleven and broke her leg after falling out of a tree.

She was vaguely aware for Mrs. Bennett talking about crowning and Lyllanna saying something in response. And then Lyllanna was at her shoulder reminding her to breathe, she had to breathe through the contractions. Breathe in between them and out during them, but she had to breathe. She pressed into Ylva's warmth at her back and forced herself to breathe.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

"Push, Eira. You have to push now," came Mrs. Bennett's calm, but firm voice. There was steel in her tone and that steel always meant 'listen or else' so Eira pushed.

She was wrong before. This was painful.

The pain from the contractions was still there but now there was pressure in addition to it and Eira decided that she very much did not like the sensation. She'd know though. She'd known going into this that labor would be painful – she had no idea how much but she knew that it wasn't going to be easy. Anything worth having was something she was going to have to fight for, after all, and so far, she would very much consider childbirth to be a fight.

Time blurred together and all she remained aware of was Lyllanna's reminders to breathe and Mrs. Bennett's commands to push.

A sharp cry cut through the air and Eira stared up at the ceiling, panting, eyes burning with tears as a helpless smile stretched across her lips.

"It's a boy," Lyllanna informed her softly, a small smile on her face, "Ma's just cleaning him up a bit and then you can meet him, alright?"

"Okay," she croaked, exhausted beyond belief.

Lyllanna gave her hand a squeeze, her expression knowing. "Don't worry," she said, "He's fine and you'll love him. Don't be afraid to show it."

Eira laughed and let her tears fall. "Okay," she said again, too tired to think of anything else.

"Here we are," Mrs. Bennett said, grinning, placing a bundle on her chest, "One perfectly healthy baby boy."

Eira cradled him close, pulling the blanket away to get a better look at him. He had her chin and nose and she could see her mother in the curve of his cheeks and her father in the slope of his jaw. The downy hair on his head was bright gold and shined in the dim light of the room – far, far brighter than her own dark blond hair. His coloring was like nothing anyone in Nibelheim had. It was something he'd gotten from his other Mother it seemed.

"Hello, little cub," she whispered, "I've been waiting a long time to meet you."

Bright, blue eyes that seemed to glow flickered open for a moment before his face scrunched up in a yawn, lips smacking together.

She smiled; yes, his coloring was definitely from his other Mother.

He was perfect.

"Ylva," she whispered, "Look."

She felt the alpha wolf shift behind her, shifting so that her head rested on Eira's arm. She peered down at the little cub her Goddess had made with this human, pressing her nose into soft hair. Ylva huffed, an approving rumble sounding from her chest.

"Any thoughts on a name?" Mrs. Bennett asked from where she was gathering the soiled sheets.

Eira hummed, tracing a finger across her son's cheek, thinking of eyes that were the color of the sky. "Cloud," she said softly, "His name is Cloud."

The Strife family runs with wolves. Literally. Mama Strife hunting with the pack. The Pack babysitting Baby Cloud. Just. Wolves. Everywhere. Fight me.

Until next time,

~Elri