[Bless] Return to the Sea [Sleeps Beneath/The Killing Moon]

[Ruriska]

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright] As her pregnancy progressed, Sleeps Beneath returned to the ocean. No matter how far a wave flows up the shore, eventually it always returns to the embrace of the sea.

It was a long trip, far more arduous than anything she liked to do. Each day that her belly rounded, her discomfit increased and all she longed for was the gentle buoyancy of salt water and the sun on her back. Each day she marched, alone, missing her daily baths in order to make progress, her hair oily and plastered to her neck, her hooves and legs splattered with dirt and mud.

During the trip she cursed him, the charming buck who had smiled at her and found a passion within her that she hadn’t known she possessed. As with all things, she eventually flowed away from him and he from her and she wondered if he still loved her in the same way he had spoken of the first doe who had given him children.

Now it was her turn and she vowed to herself that never again would she put her body through such turmoil. There was nothing beautiful about being pregnant.

Slowly, so slowly, the terrain shifted from swamp to dirt and sand with desperate trees clinging to life and tough sawgrass. For the first time in so very long she could take a deep breath and taste the salt. It pushed her onwards even faster, her belly swaying and legs aching.

Until finally she crested the last sand dune and half-walked, half-slid down the other side, desperate on this grey and cloudy day (hardly ideal weather but she didn’t care) to reach the ocean.

Sleeps Beneath nearly cried out from joy but did not as such emotions would be quite unbecoming, even without an audience. As she stepped into the water the frothy waves lapped greedily at her, pulling her deeper. She allowed it, letting herself bob in the waves, the dirt and exhaustion finally lifting.

Later when she returned to the sand, dragging herself out of the waves tired but refreshed, there was somebody waiting for her.

The buck was standing patiently, a stunning creature with long hair that draped like fire around his face, tall and majestic, eyes aglow. She felt suddenly very underwhelming, bedraggled and not having primped or preened for days on end. ‘Just give me a moment’, she wanted to say, to at least fix her hair or pop out these sacs so she wasn’t so very large.

But she kept her head high and her gaze steady as she asked,

“May I help you?”

The buck smiled and oh how charming a smile it was.

“Actually,” he said, “I’m here to help you.”

She arched a brow and tilted her head in question.

“I’m here to bless your children,” he explained.

Sleeps Beneath blinked thoughtfully, suddenly and very keenly felt the weight of them inside her. Bless her children? That hardly seemed necessary. She wasn’t quite so attached. They were to be left here on the shore, with the ocean as company and she would return to either the Swamp or wander far away so she wouldn’t have to even think about them again.

Or maybe that wasn’t quite so true.

Because she’d had a feeling that she would find him here somewhere, or he would find her. That she would leave him with the results of their passion and walk away with her conscience clear.

“Very well,” she deigned to say and the stag laughed merrily.

“Very well,” he echoed, though the tone did not seem mocking, instead it seemed respectful and that pleased her immensely. “May they have the wild strength and beauty of the ocean with the steadfastness of the earth the waves break upon.”

With his words she felt lighter and breathed slightly easier. She allowed a small sigh of pleasure.

“Thank you,” she said. “You are most gracious.”

The stag dipped his head in polite gratitude for the compliment.

“I will take my leave.” His blue gaze, past that overwhelming glow, seemed quite amused, and she watched as he turned away, walked up the sand dune and shifted into the body of a wolf. The beast looked back at her once with that same gaze and then was gone and away, leaving her alone on the beach.

The sun was sinking and a cold wind blew, making her shiver.

Her belly felt heavy.

It was time to find somewhere safe to rest.