Last one. I hope I make you proud!

As the leaves began to fall, spreading various shades of red, orange and yellow fire along the ground, the elders led the troop south to warmer weather and their winter feeding grounds. Caruna was grumpy from so much walking, but only because her ankles had started to swell and she couldn't seem to keep anything in her stomach after she ate it.

But still, the warmer climate helped her settle down in the group's nesting ground, were the nearly hatched young scampered on stubby, pudgy limbs and rolled around with each other in the sun. Caruna could admit the pups were cute, until they started biting and snarling, playing giving way to play fighting. Then she could only shake her head and rubbed a hand over her growing stomach in reassurance.

She had no idea what her child would look like -she hadn't even known her union with Guardian would bear fruit- but she hoped the young one loved her as much as she was growing to love it. The child inside her belly radiated a sense of power that slowly coursed through her like warm honey, much like Guardian did when he held her close and licked her all over and rumbled his possession in her ears.

The elders looked upon her pregnancy with fascination and disbelief. While some of the younger females had panicked when Caruna never birthed like the rest of them during the summer, Mother only stood and silenced them. Caruna's special position had been reasserted when Mother knelt in front of her, held her belly with both hands, and gently pressed her forehead to the baby's place in her belly.

Whatever that display meant, it helped her immensely. No one bothered her, everyone doted on her, and she was not shunned as she had once feared. Demons were oddly accepting, in contrast to humans who would probably have her and her child burned for witchcraft or other such nonsense. She had no idea why she had come to love the cat like demons so, but she accepted it.

She knew she would have difficulties raising a child in a community of non-human creatures. She wanted her child to be able to read and write, two things she herself could not, being a poor farmers daughter. She didn't want her child being taken advantage of in the world, and while she was thankful of the protection and support the demon troop would provide in terms of safety and nourishment and familial love, she was wary of the seclusion such things brought.

After a few months, the day came. The morning began with a seizing pain in her abdomen, her whole body convulsing where she stood until she was forced to kneel. Mother reacted immediately, scenting the liquid that ran fresh down her legs. She had suffered through contractions for the past few hours, but these reduced her to screams. Guardian had freaked, of course, but the other females scared him away. He seemed reluctant to go, which Caruna would appreciate later, right then she screamed again and held her stomach.

The day seemed to drag on forever, and at the end she wasn't even sure she wanted to feel anything in her body because her nerves were fried and her head was pounding, her limbs felt like pudding and her throat was dry because demons didn't understand the concept of bringing her water.

But it was all worth it when they gently washed her down and laid her against Guardian's chest, which was rumbling soft and powerful against her back, and handed her the newborn. Caruna was exhausted, but she needed to see the small thing. Pressed close to her side and radiating heat much like Guardian, the little girl produced her own little rumble and opened a mouth to reveal the beginnings of little teeth. Pointed teeth.

Caruna choked back a happy sob, tears lining her eyes as she smiled down at the little girl whose short tail curled around her own, fat little legs and hands reached to hold her mother's finger. Her skin was rich, mouse gray and on her forehead rested the start of horns peeking out from skull.

She was beautiful.

Caruna sniffed, still smiling and holding her baby girl as Guardian looked down over her shoulder at the small bundle that smelled distinctly like young and Caruna at the same time. He huffed in confusion, reaching around Caruna to touch, curious. Caruna moved as if to protect the child, and Guardian assumed a much more submissive posture. He licked her shoulder a few times, resuming his rumbling, and tried again.

His tail twitched happily when his fingertips made contact with the little female. He knew she was his, and he was proud. She was a bit on the small side compared to other offspring he had sired, but what Caruna could realize and Guardian could not was the girl should be small, given her parentage.

Caruna knew the troop would label the girl a click that suited her as she grew older, but it was a human custom to name children and she knew exactly what to choose.

"Sias," she whispered, smiling up at Guardian before looking down. And what she saw, to her surprise, was a pair of the deepest, richest brown eyes she had ever seen, much more like her own than Guardian's.

The baby blinked once, twice, and slivers of red appeared in her eyes as her slit pupils dilated. Caruna laughed softly, amazed, and could only lean forward to kiss her new daughter on the nose.

Well there you are. I hope you enjoyed this short but unorthodox storyline :) It is the first I have written for my own universe, and Sias, the daughter, actually meets my main character sometime in her life, fyi.

Yes, I am considering writing a sequel but first I have to figure out what said sequel would entail... Maybe following the young life of Sias, a half human- half demon hybrid. I imagine such a life would be quite chaotic and adventure filled, yes? XD

Till next time~

Cad