OOC: ©table code and image to jacoby: I'll probably make more than this post.
Word count: 389. Worth 2 points
Hanna was standing in relative comfort, despite the chill in the air. Her Arctic ancestry gave her the same advantage as it did a large number of the wolves around the area, but she knew that would mean nothing once the water had soaked thoroughly into her undercoat. She had come to the river in her best clothes, acknowledging the special occasion. But the trousers and peasant top were now laying just near enough to the fire to warm up, without singeing them. They would be warm for her once her pelt had dried sufficiently.
The ebony medic stepped reluctantly into Adagio Creek, the icy cold water swirling around her feet. She waded in to the center, listening to Dawali's words, and then with a nod to herself, Hanna knelt. Wrapping her arms around her belly, Hanna leaned forward. Once, twice, and again, she felt the water close over her back, seeping into her fur. She stood quickly after the seventh submersion and clambered out of the creek, schooling herself into a hurried walk toward the fire. Every few steps or so, her entire body would tremble with the slight breeze, uncomfortable now she was soaked to the bone.
A kick in her midsection reminded her of what would be occurring within just a few days, and the Fire Maker closed her eyes. She was and was not looking forward to having the child. The idea of labor frankly scared her, and yet she could not help but want to hold her baby in her arms. Hanna took a deep breath, calming herself. She would take it as things came.Gathering a blanket from the pile, she bowed to the Kalona and then took a seat near her clothes, taking care not to drip on them. She sat quietly, cross-legged, waiting for him to speak. She was not sure if this part of the ceremony was done individually or as a generalized group, but she would wait her turn. She could be patient.
A nudge to her back announced Cian's arrival, the great striped cat laying behind and leaning against her, a warming and soothing presence. The tiger had been almost grandfatherly about Hanna's pregnancy, looking forward to being a protector for the coming child. Hanna often found herself rolling her eyes at him, but she'd go with it.
Speak, think, act