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ooc: And I hereby declare that Catherine's pregnancy plot shall be started! Private for Dawali!
Catherine had been feeling very strange lately. Even though she had no idea what was wrong, she knew there was something fishy going on with her. She had many headaches, and strong ones, and some dizzyness. Nausea almost all the time during the morning, and some times more the whole day, and she had puked three times in that week. And many other things had happened to her, that she wasn't counting.
But, right now, that subject and its causing was far from her mind. She was more concentrated on the flames that lingered not higher than her knees, dancing in the middle of her underground house, the grayish smoke scaping through the holes in the middle of the roots on the ceiling of the giant den. Just how it was supposed to be.
Bluma was probably grazing inside the range of the rope tied around her neck. Seymour was taking a nap, sitting in one of the roots of the ceiling, using them as his perchs. Saw was coiled, with the neck sticking straight besides Catherine, his bright, shiny yellow eyes glittering with the reflexion of the flames in them. The grayish woman was sitting on her knees, her hands resting on her lap, one of her thumbs rubbing the back of the other hand. Nervous.
She hadn't shown up in the Green Corn Ceremony, thouh she knew what had happened there. So, Dawali was the new Kalona, and Ember was their new sub-leader. That she could take. But she couldn't take knowing she hadnt been there. Even though she had kept to her faste to mule deer to the very end, eating just smaller animals, when she would find them. She had also fed much more in fish and bird meat during that time, not wishing to break that, to show herself weak.
Thinking of that, she asked forgiveness for the Spirits, but even now, she couldn't stop of feeling guilty. A small, but meaningful tear lingered from the corner of her eye and down her cheek. The female didn't bother to wipe it out, but she felt Saw's piercing eyes dig a hole in that tear. "You know, you had been crying a lot lately...", the snake's hissy, pitch voice said, trying to chat, probably. Catherine glanced at him, sighed and shrugged, shaking her head slowly. That was another thing that was part of that weird things.
Tired of that masoquism thing, she got up awkwardly because of that stupid dizzyness. Kicking some dirt to the fire, she extinguished it, and she darted to the exit with heavy steps, followed by the wary and curious mamba.
As soon as she found Bluma, she grabbed her equipament and started to put it on her, her willingness quickly fading. Her movements grew less aggressive, and turned more lazy. Tear went down her cheeks like waterfalls, but she didn't care the confused eyes of the snake. Neither of them had any idea of what was going on. And now, she wanted to more than anything. When she was done with the preparings, the femme mounted and rode to Dawali's place. She needed to know what was wrong with her, more than for apologizes from not being in the ceremony. A pitch cry from the sky warned her that Seymour was going with them.
After a few minutes, the girl dismounted in front of Dawali's house, hesitating for a few seconds before knocking the wooden door.Dawali was a doctor, He would knew what was wrong.
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Word Count: 343
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Inside his den, Dawali sat tending his ceremonial suit, making sure the seams were good and not rotting. He would have to find a better way to store it, because during the summer some of the thread had had to be redone, probably because of a too humid keeping-place. It was hard to find somewhere dry with the late weather, however. Outside, the water fell heavy and rapidly, causing a loud, thunder-like sound when it hit the roofing of his hut. In fact, it gave such a strong sound it practically drowned out every other sound he could hear, or at least that was what he thought. In addition the moving water sealed away scents, and so he sat in perfect isolation - sometimes the way he preferred.
Sitting bent over his leather suit, Gvihita peering at it from his shoulder, he thought he could hear the sound of hooves from outside. His head moved and his gaze was raised, ears pointing up and out to catch any sound. His eyes moved in this direction and that as he focused his attention on his hearing sense. It led to no conclusion, and again he bent over his suit to find its weak seams. However a nudge from his friend the eagle send his gaze upwards again, and when he now heard the knocking on his door, he put his suit away and got up, walking to his doorway. And, surely enough, outside stood Catherine. Smiling (and trying not to think about their encounter with the checkers board), he made a gesture with his hand that invited her inside. No matter how short an amount of time spent outside of shelter these days, you'd always end up soggy with rain. But, the inside of his den was warm and comfortable, his hearth glowing faintly in a corner and providing him with raw and sheer heat. Drawing up a chair as they came in, he sat down in his other chair and directed his attention at her. "So, Catherine. What can I do for you?"
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ooc: --
Quicker than she hoped, the door got open, and she saw the face she expected to see. Dawali smiled and gestured for her to get inside. The woman smiled rather stupidily and went inside, her steps slightly hesitating. Her normal reaction when in stress. As the Kalona said nothing, she kept quiet, and sat in the chair he showed her. The warmth of the room was comforting, drowning part of her anxiety. It was good, and her umid pelt would dry up quicker, and the minor shivers would stop sooner.
He finally spoke, and she already knew what to say. Almost. I'm... I'm here mostly because I wanted to apologize for not being in the ceremony. She started, bending her head down so she would only see her knees. Knowing Dawali as she did, she could hope to get her And... She continued, finally looking up, feeling the dizzyness of the sudden movement. Because I hadn't been feeling well lately... It's been a while since it started, and I'm getting a bit nervous. You are a doctor, so I came here... She explained, feeling it looked more like her primal reason to be there. I had been feeling dizzy, lots of nausea, tired all the time, don't matter how long I sleep, headaches, and other minors things like crying for anything... She listed, losing it in the end, shaking her head in disbelief. She knew it was normal to fear things one can't understand, but she didn't like that sensation. Do you think you can help me? She asked, not able to control the pleading tone in her voice. The grayish woman needed help, and she knew she would get it from him.
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Word Count: 427
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
As the female apologized for her absence in the ceremony, Dawali nodded. He had informed her before the ceremony happened, what it involved. He might be lenient with the children, but the adults should hear it when he was not pleased. His face was grave as he spoke, but still something told him that this was not why she had come. "Your lack of presence was disappointing, but I trust you did not break the faste? You can conduct the little ceremony in your home if you wish, but remember for next time that these are collective happenings." He did not like this part of his job, but he knew the importance of having strong spiritual bonds within their community. The demands were the same for everyone, and those who failed at meeting them should be reminded of their importance. But he had no doubt Catherine would make up for it - he could see how troubled she was.
As she started to explain the real reason for her presence in his den, he was at first surprised, then puzzled. It wasn't that often that anyone came to him with medical issues, and he saw that as a positive sign. One day he hoped medics would be redundant in their society, but for now he was still needed, even if it was not so often. His gaze wandered and lost its focus as he thought, going through a series of possible solutions. She could have weak blood, which was quite easy to solve. And she could be allergic to something as well, perhaps something she ate. But that would not account for her moods, although maybe that was nothing but an effect of her fatigue. A series of questions poured out of him - she would have to supply him with more information before he could solve this riddle. "This nausea, does it occur after you've eaten or all the time? And the dizziness - is it always there or only in particular situations?" He paused and took her hand, feeling her pulse on her wrist as he continued; "What about other things, have you noticed any changes? Is your appetite good?" Pausing again, he concluded that her heartbeats were steady enough, and they were strong. "Let me see your tongue". His mentor had said once, that looking at the tongue was the best way to see if there was something fundamentally wrong with the parts of a creature. It was in every way an organ, and if the tongue looked unhealthy, chances were the rest of the organs were not happy either.
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ooc: --
Catherine heard his speech about the ceremony, and she felt the guilty stagger her again. No, I didn't break the faste. And I swear I'll be there in the next one. She said, making an "X" in her chest, a symbol of promise. She then started to plan the ceremony at home, and the guilt vanished quickly, letting relieve take its place.
Then, his eyes seemed to be elsewhere, and she didn't interupt his line of thought. And he darted with some questions. Well, the nausea is stronger in the morning, when I wake up, but it continues more dull during the rest of the day, and I usually puke whenever I eat. And the dizzyness is always there. Then, he grabbed her pulse, checking it. She stared at it while answering the next question. She hadn't realized it yet, but she had ate a lot lately. Well, I... I feel like I'm eating more than normal... Like, much more than normal. Almost twice as much. She said, trying to count how much exactly. 'Hmm...' She thought, before being sure. Yes, mostly twice as much. Why was that?
He asked to show her tongue, and she stuck it out, half-opening her mouth. She wasn't sure why was that, but it ough to have a reason. She didn't say anything, and let him do his job.
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Word Count: 487
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Nodding, Dawali let the issue of the ceremony go - obviously she was dedicated enough. Perhaps she had been hindered by something important. Certainly, there were more important things than feasting and symbolism, but he liked to make sure that there was a good turnout on those events, to ensure their bonds to each other. Nothing was more important than that, one big family as they were.
Catherine gave him more details on her health, and each was weighed and considered in his mind. The second the femme mentioned that the nausea was more prominent in the mornings, however, his facial expression changed from one in heavy thought to a become a mien of knowing. The answers she gave did not surprise him, and he stopped examining the female. So, another litter, perhaps? And none of these females had mates. Perhaps it was not so common in these lands to have mates, but it was a disgrace by AniWayan standards. Had his father been here, he would certainly made a comment on the loosely-minded females of this place, and how he sheltered them in this tribe. Still, this was not the original tribe, and Dawali had come to know and appreciate the females in question. The small families should not be punished for males that did not follow an honorable enough life to accept the paternity.
Even if he was now fairly certain of her condition, he would not worry her needlessly. He had to be absolutely certain before he said anything to her - he knew how females could go on and on about this subject. "I'm going to ask some more questions, and they will probably be felt as quite private in nature, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Pausing, he simply looked at her face a moment before carrying on. He did not want to impose, but it was necessary to be certain of what was happening. "Your chest, the breasts, are they sore? Do you pee and crave drink more often than usual?" His face was as serious as before, maintaining a professional attitude. The questions could be uncomfortable, but they were two important clues. Lastly, there was scent - or perhaps a sample of urine would do the trick. The urine of pregnant females smelled differently, and also when poured on grain it encouraged growth better. The female herself probably smelled differently, too, but he would not go as far as to ask her to let him smell her. Looking at her genitalia would also give it away, but that, too, was too personal - for him as well in that case. If the answer to his questions were yes on both he was almost certain of her situation anyway, and none of those methods would be necessary. If the answers were not conclusive, he would just wait instead of invading her privacy. He hated doing that.
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ooc: --
Catherine noticed he let go of the subject of the ceremony, and she didn't think of bringing it up again. As it was forgiven, she felt a bit lighter, the guilty vanishing.
She waited for him to look at her tongue, but as he stoped, she brought it in again, noticing that the Kalona made a different face from the serious mask he had wore from the beginning. Then, he said he would ask for private things, and the grayish woman felt a bit nervous. Even though she trusted completely in Dawali as a friend, she still didn't feel confortable of trying to get that friendship further tighter. Still, if he seemed to have a grasp of what was wrong with her, than it was fine.
A second of shock before searching if it was something close to that... Yes... She muttered lowly, more to herself than to the red male. Then, she looked at him with hard eyes, something rare for her, but just to control the tears that would probably come in this situation. So, do you know what is wrong with me? She asked, her voice breaking with the effort.
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Word Count: 355
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
He nodded as she confirmed his suspicions. The female in front of him was worried and troubled, and not without reason, either. She seemed to be unfamiliar with the symptoms of pregnancy. If she hadn't been pregnant, these symptoms could point towards more lethal things, and illnesses of a sort that one normally prayed to avoid. But, she was merely carrying a litter. He thought merely because of the nature of pregnancy - a sign of good health and a strong body. Weaker individuals were often infertile, and Dawali was glad that Catherine was not one of them. He was also pleased at the prospect of more puppies, especially now that Auréle had taken her litter and left them. He hoped that when Catherine had she would stay among them, because their tribe was a good place for children - he'd ensured that himself. Still, just because he thought this was a good thing didn't mean she did.
His face was serious as he got up to get something from the back of his den, and his voice remained its calm as he answered her question.
"I do believe I know what's happening to you. But, just to be certain..." The last sentence was spoken almost as if to himself as his eyes searched through the contents of a container. Pausing, he saw what he was looking for and bent down to get it. Now, he returned to the seat by the table, showing her a little piece of cloth, and when opened: wheat and barley seeds. "These are seeds, and what I'm going to tell you is going to sound strange. I want you to go home, and urinate on them. If they shoot in a few days, then... I believe you are carrying a litter, Catherine."
He was prepared for a negative reaction - he had received them before. But he could offer no consolation; he did not know her story and he doubted she would share her story with him now. He could merely be honest with her, and if there was anything she needed, he would bring it to her.
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ooc: Done!
Catherine waited, anxious, feeling the nausea get stronger each second as Dawali spoke but started to look for something. When his search was over, he opened a piece of cloth, inside some tiny and yellowed specks. Seeds?
The medic spoke again, and what he asked her to do was really strange and disgusting. She even felt her breakfast coming back up, but how could that day get weirder? She slowly reached to them with rather hesitating hands to them while her eyes were locked on the red male in front of her, that continued to speak. Luckly, she was already sitting.
Litter?! What, did he meant she was pregnant?!? NO! She couldn't be! Her whole body went numb, they wouldn't move. Her eyes couldn't get wider, or they would pop out of her face. Her mouth fell open nearly like a cartoon character. Her heart pumped in her ribs like a giant hammer.
Oh, God... She whispered with the weakest voice. Supporting her face with one hand, the elbow in the table. She cried, not very sure if it was from happiness pr sadness. Or just because of the pregnancy.
She felt the shivering and sweating in her hands and that warm chills down her spine, the growls building up inside her chest. Oh, no. The berseker. Taking deep breaths, to calm herself down before that monster would harm Dawali or whatever was near them. After all, having babies couldn't be that bad, could it? Even, what if she wasn't pregnant at all? It should be okay, as the image of Leland-like pups running around the den filled her head.
Realizing she wasn't alone, she looked up, the eyes still red, and stared at Dawali with a confident face. Oh, well... I guess its all up to these seeds... She said, holding the piece of clothes with the seeds tightly in shaken hands. Thanks, Dawali. She said simply, attempting to get up, but it seemed her legs were still numb.
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Maybe you post again and we finish? 
Word Count: 405
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
Her reaction could hardly be called positive. Her eyes grew large in a split second as she realized what he was talking about (as if they hadn't been surprised when he asked her to pee on something in the first place), and soon her face was held by her hands, emitting small and strange, incomprehensible sounds. His heart went out to her that moment, and his left hand moved on its own accord, settling on her shoulder. It was as much consolidation as he could give. The two sat for a while in that position, and his hand did not move. He had to wonder, though, who the father was and why she had risked this in the first place, but given that she knew so little about the symptoms of pregnancy (most females were fiercely interested in these things, and most knew the symptoms), perhaps she had simply been naïve. Perhaps she had not been the cause of this herself, and if so he would eagerly pursue the culprit. He hoped, for her sake, that it was not so, and that the male whose litter this was would step up, but now was not the time to ask questions. Certainly, she would tell him in time. Everyone in the tribe knew that he was trustworthy - as a leader should be.
Catherine attempted to get up, but she seemed unsteady. No wonder, the news seemed to have been unsettling. Alert, Dawali sprung to his feet and went to her side of the table, holding her shoulders in case she should fall. "Sit a while Catherine, recover. Don't worry, I have time." Gently, his hands guided her back onto her chair. It would be better if she sat a little extra - some pregnant women experienced dizziness, and she probably didn't want to faint. One long arm reached out for his own chair, pulling it towards him, and he sat down on it right by him. "I realize you hadn't expected this." His voice was soft as he spoke, and his face was earnest. She could stay as long as she needed to - company was perhaps preferred over solitude in a situation such as this. He did not know, but if she needed it, he would offer his friendship and his companionship for as long as she might need it. He was only here to take care of his tribe's members, after all.
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ooc: Fine^^
Catherine felt disconnected from her body, as she couldn't make it obey her orders. Dawali's hand on her shoulder was the only thing that made her sit back. She was strong, but wasn't prepared for that. A litter. Gee, that sure was overwhelming.
Not sure if she should be happy or depressed, she started to sob, tears falling down her eyes like waterfalls. The grayish female felt like falling down to one side and down to the floor. But no, that would hurt. Instead, she leaned to Dawali, resting her head in his shoulder. She needed that more than anything now, and the female knew he wouldn't pull her away. He was kind enough for that.
She felt like, even if she could control her muscles, she wouldn't move away. It felt too good, reminded her of her first meeting with Leland. Comforting, somehow. What would she do know? Her mother had never talked about that, and she was completely off the subject. What now? What do I do now? She asked with a dry throath, making the question barely audible.
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Post again if you like
Word Count: 414
come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops
She seemed to feel as put off as she looked, and soon she was crying, soon needing his support. He did not mind giving her that shoulder, but he worried he could not do more. And no one could in fact help her; there were those that depended on her, now, more than herself. Those whose lives grew within her, and whose existence relied completely on her actions. If she wished, there were ways to rid oneself of the burden of children, but Dawali would not tell her. It was devilry, to rid the world of children, unless the mother faced death should she keep the litter. He knew of those who had rid themselves of the burden, who had died with their children, so he knew it was dangerous. He could, perhaps, understand it if it was rape, but he thought that if it had been, Catherine would have reacted differently. With disgust, perhaps. And he would have noticed otherwise - or so he believed.
His voice made sounds to soothe her mind, wordless utterances as he put his arm around her. There was nothing awkward about it for him, perhaps if anything it was was a feeling of a father-to-child experience. She had daughters of his own, he knew they needed the embrace more than the male child. After all, Catherine had no relatives in this pack, and he did not know if she had any steady friends, either. Finally, after sitting in this position for some time, he moved so she would get up, and calmly pulled his arm back, but let it rest on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Catherine. You are not alone in any of this, because this tribe is your family, and we will help you in any way possible." He paused, now taking his hand from her shoulder and letting it rest in his own lap. "If there is anything you need or worry about, you promise to come see me, ok?" He rose from the chair, signalizing she should leave. This was not because he wanted her to - in fact he was quite worried about her - but he knew that one should get time alone to consider the things that happened in one's life. For a female, this could be something she had looked forward to one day, or not at all. Either way, she had to come to terms with what was happening to her, and no one could do that for her.
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