It had not been one of her finer moments, Wake Up thought - she'd been sleep deprived, exhausted to delirium, and everything had seemed like a fine idea. No doubt the conversation she'd had with that kiokote buck was, in actuality, dull and stilted and awful -- but in the dark, wee hours of the night, after many, many other nights spent wide awake, the conversation had been completely enthralling and then, well, one thing had led to another.
And now here she was, moving stiffly and awkwardly, helping Water Runs Red and Clean Break try to dig up a carcass of something-or-other. After some time moving bones from one pile to another, she took a break, wandering off into the underbrush to rest and spend some time alone. She was so tired, and being this heavily pregnant took its toll on other things, as well; she hadn't needed to pee this bad, this often, ever before. After completing her necessaries, she found a small clearing (presumably made by another kimeti to sleep in, or maybe even herself) underneath a bush, and managed to fit herself in it, legs folded under, tail tucked underneath, and head resting on the ground. It was nice enough, even though it would have been nicer had she been, well, not pregnant. It was cool, and the mud wasn't so damp, and there was a nice carpet of leaves underneath. In the shady spot, Wake Up finally felt like maybe -- maybe, bad choices aside -- she could rest.
Wood Spider saw to it that she could. It was a simple matter, really, to find some burdock leaves, and a raspberry, and the skull of a mouse. Nimble foxbun feet helped her gather the things; nimble foxbun hands helped her set them in a pile just in front of Wake Up's nose. A touch of breath -- Wake Up's own, mixed with Wood Spider's legendary exhale -- meant that the kimeti drifted off into much-needed sleep almost immediately.
Scuttling backwards, the foxbun shifts, its form dissolving on the wind to become the petite form of a mare, with long tangled hair. Wood Spider looks down at the tired, pregnant form of Wake Up and can't help but smile. "Your babies will grow up strong and healthy," she says, as if she is having a mild conversation with an awake audience, "but they'll also learn when to stop and rest and let go."