But somebody told me that your nephew was born
Oh, a beautiful baby, so smart and so sure of his little self
And in a wonderful way he was making me feel so small
Was making me feel so small, was making me feel so small.
And I don't think I've felt this before.

In all the reasons to come, well they override my body and,
I point to the sun, cause where it's warm is where the wilderness grows
And it grows, and it grows 'till it all becomes nothing
And nothing is left as you know.
Big man- Bear & Boy

"So, you're sure this is okay, Ellen?"

The wolf before him turned her head with a smile and slight eye roll.
The sunlight glimmered over her multicolored fur and dazzled among the bright spring leaves and blue sky of the forest trail the long time friend's were set off on. However, the sun, the trees, the streams; no natural element around them could outshine the motherly glow of the expectant parent.
"Arrow, if you ask me that once more," she sighed patiently, her hand stroking over the dome of her belly, "I will make you clean the first diaper- how's that?"
The duck toller paused on the trail. "Seriously?"
She beamed back at him. "Seriously." And continued, crunching over branches and fallen leaves. Arrow briskly trotted to her side.
"I'm more concerned what Darren will do to me if you suddenly go into labor on this trail,"He added worriedly, stabbing at the ground with a stick, "I know you wanted to walk to get contractions started but, it couldn't be around the block or something?"
She shook her head, her golden hair catching the flecks of sunlight scattered by the trees above. "Nope. I just really wanted to be in the woods. Kinda' something that happens during nesting- it means I'm close." Ellen turned her gaze, a serious expression set on her face.
Arrow gulped pausing again. "Awh geeze."
The wolf's stoney demeanor quickly melted giving away to laughter. "Oh, Arrow! If you could see your face!" She wiped her eyes settling down on a sturdy stump along the trail, "you're worse than Darren! We'll turn back soon I promise."
"Ah, aheh eheh..yeah..g-good one, Ellen!" He was relieved to hear her say those words. He fished out a water bottle from his baggy short's pocket and handed it to his pregnant canine friend. "Good t'stay hydrated!"
Ellen gave an appreciative smile and took a big gulp. Suddenly, midway through her drink she jolted forward with a cough putting a paw over her stomach. Arrow's ears fluffed up, then relaxed and he gave her a wry smile.
"Nice try, missy." He scoffed with a smirk, but Ellen shook her head.
"N-no, that was genuinely the peak of a small contraction..." She furrowed her brow a bit, slightly bending forward and gripping the sides of the fallen tree for support. Arrow quickly dropped a knee before her with frantic eyes, unsure where to go or what to do. "What! The peak! You didn't say anything about them starting!"
"I k-know, "she gritted her fangs but looked up to smile reassuringly, "t-they're small. Promise. These can come and go any time." Sitting up, Ellen took a few deep breaths before looking a bit more restored- the woods seemed to hold their breath in that moment along with her duck toller companion.
"Ellen, as soon as you're able let's get back."He stated urgently, clasping his walking stick, "I really don't want night to catch up with us or something unexpected happens on the way back."
"Oh, for pete's sake. It's 12:30!" She chuckled lightly letting her dark furred paw rove about her swollen belly. She quietly let her hands drift about her protrusion in syncopated peace with the hum of the forest. "Hmm, there's his head. Right there." She pushed gently on the left side of her lower abdomen," I've been feeling him position himself all morning."
Arrow's large eyes watched where she pressed and poked, fascinated and a little scared at the same time. Ellen's paw came forward and took one of Arrow's paws from where it'd be grasping the stick and placed it gently over the crown of her stomach. A flush immediately darkened the dog's reddish fur.
"Feel that? His feet?"
Arrow's face lit up. "Wow, y-yeah!" His concern over the urgency of the situation seemed to evaporate as a bird would change it's tune. "There he is! Really on the move, in't he?"
Ellen gave a small nod, smiling, watching her friend's amazement. They sat in the quiet of an afternoon in a divided wood where creatures were either settling into burrows to escape the heat, or out enjoying the warmth before winter pounced again as it tends to quickly do. The wolf squeezed her friend's hands that rested flat over the curve.
"What? Another one?" Arrow's body tensed.
"No," she calmly answered with another wide smile, "just glad you're here for me."
He grinned in return. "No place I'd rather be. Especially for one of my best friends."

Again, silence draped over the two canines maws, as a calm would before the storm, and it was most welcome between them. The towering pines, the quiet cool wind drifting off the mountains, it embraced them and the momentous moment in a peaceful insignificance. Small, making them feel so small.


Ellen  tsuhara <3