Mama Fox

<Zuri>

Something was terribly wrong.

Suddenly awoken from a deep sleep, Zuri couldn’t shake the deep sense of foreboding assaulting him. After struggling for a minute to push himself up, he scanned the room. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Everything was in the exact same place it was yesterday, except, of course, that idiot. Going off from the fact she was absent and the pleasant aroma filling the room, Zuri could easily deduce that she was out preparing breakfast. Which must mean it's morning, early morning. A time Zuri had typically reserved for sleep after Cleodora took over breakfast duty.

‘Is that it…?’

Was waking abnormally early the cause of this feeling?

Closing his eyes, Zuri fell into deep thought.

No, that didn’t feel like the right explanation.

…It was almost like something light was sitting on his chest.

‘Shit!’

Moving slightly in bed, Zuri suddenly felt a wet spot in the sheets.

…It appeared he had another involuntary late-night emission.

Pulling the sheets off, he briefly studied the extent of the damage before covering the mess once more. Despite logically understanding it was normal due to his current condition, Zuri couldn’t help but be deeply embarrassed. At his great big age, he had wet the bed like a little child. The result of which was him now having to call Cleodora to clean up his mess. An action that required her not only to replace the sheets but also to aid him in the bathroom afterward. Cleodora always acted like it wasn’t a big deal, but it certainly was for Zuri! He was so reliant on her right now it wasn’t even funny—not that it ever had been.

‘Damn it’

Pulling back the covers once more, he sighed tiredly.

He really, really didn’t want to call that idiot for this first thing in the morning….

While debating on whether or not to yell for her, Zuri noticed something rather odd about his mess.

‘No smell?’

Staring down at the mess, the oddities about the mess grew.

Zuri had had a fair number of accidents. Enough so that he unconsciously started to note how far it typically spread.

Looking at the stain, he pursed his lips. Wasn’t that far too much for a regular incident?

‘Ah!?’

Abruptly, Zuri felt the slight pressure pressing down on his chest lower to his pelvis.

There, it steadily increased until it became uncomfortable to maintain his fully upright position.

‘No… No way!’

A dark premonition took Zuri. It had only been three days since he last met with that healer.

There was no way that thing could possibly be happening. She had given him two weeks! Two weeks!! He still had time before that happened!

“C-Cleo!!” (Z)

At his call, hurried footsteps arrived in mere moments.

“Good morning, Zuri! I didn’t expect you to wake up so soon.” (C)

A beauty entered the room. Wearing a smile capable of halting armies in their wake.

Seeing her, Zuri felt his raising panic subside a little.

“Something… uhm… this…” (Z)

Gesturing to the mess before him, Zuri looked away as Cleodora walked over to his bedside.

She kneeled by him, took his hand and then started speaking softly.

“Don’t worry. It happens. I’ll take care of it.” (C)

Cleodora gave a disarming smile as she began gently petting Zuri’s hand. Soon interlocking their fingers in an intimate grip. Her voice had adopted a calm, almost sweet cadence. Ripely fit for a tender mother. As she drew close, nearly getting on the bed herself, an alluring scent overtook Zuri. It combined with her all-too-soft touch, lovely smile and attractive smell to create a figure he couldn’t possibly turn away—

‘No, no!’

Aggressively shaking his head and withdrawing his hands, Zuri successfully freed himself of the mental contamination.

That reaction wasn’t right, but he couldn’t allow that fact to distract him right now!

He had a much more pressing issue at the moment!!

“C-Call the healer… it’s, it’s not right!” (Z)

Unable to properly articulate, Zuri tugged at Cleodora’s sleeve and pleaded.

He was supposed to be due in two weeks. There was no way this could be happening now!

Something was seriously wrong!!

“D-Don’t tell me—!” (C)

“It’s not!” (Z)

A flustered Cleodora got up at Zuri’s panicked plea.

All her calm and confidence disappeared as if it had been a mere figment of the imagination.

“I-Isn’t it a bit too soon?” (C)

“I just said it wasn’t that! Go get the healer!!” (Z)

At that shout, Zuri felt pain flare from his pelvis as the muscles located there seemed to twist in on themselves. A small cry escaped his lips, prompting Cleodora to rush and console him. To which he turned and again yelled for her to get the healer. The steep consequence being another dose of pain. After that final cycle, Cleodora got the message and swiftly departed from the house. Leaving Zuri sitting alone in his own mess while writhing in pain. As he stared at the wide-open door, regret was quick to set in.

…He shouldn’t have sent her away.

A fate worse than death.

In popular media, you often see the phrase applied in direct relation to villains, enemies of the protagonist. Wherein, instead of simply dying after being defeated, they are subject to a punishment of such great horror that man shuddered merely from thinking about. Since the day Zuri realised he couldn’t escape this pregnancy, he knew, at least subconsciously, he was doomed to be one of that crowd. Defeated by the great Hero, he was forced to carry and give birth to her children. A fate worse than death.

Yet.

Despite understanding this, he struggled to internalise what it truly meant.

He struggled to fully grasp the horrors of the situation.

The pain he would feel.

“You’re doing great, Princess!” (L)

“K-Keep it up!” (C)

Gripping the bedsheets for dear life, Zuri felt a pain like never before assault his body.

“N-No, I can’t!” (Z)

It’s been about two hours since the healer arrived. In that time, the slight pressure Zuri felt in his pelvis had transformed into an intense throbbing pain. A pain that travelled throughout his lower body, causing not only his thighs but his entire legs to feel like they’ve gone numb. Every muscle below the waist spasmed erratically. And despite Zuri's earnest tries, there was nothing he could do to make them stop. The outcome of which was the spreading of his suffering.

It felt like his guts were slowly being churned.

“Be brave, Princess! The next step is always the hardest, but I know you’ll make it!!" (L)

“I-I can’t, please! Stop it! I-I’m not ready….” (Z)

“…I’m sorry, Princess, but you must endure!” (L)

At those words, Zuri just started crying uncontrollable. Releasing the sobs he no longer could contain.

Was there really no escaping this?

Everything already hurt so much, and birthing hadn’t even started in earnest.

…He, he really couldn’t do this.

Two hours was already too much.

Any more of this and he’ll just die pathetically on this bed in the middle of nowhere!

At that thought, Zuri redoubled his efforts. Pushing with all his might to rid his body of the burdens it could no longer bare. Sadly, it was all for naught. His years of inactivity reared their ugly head around. Zuri’s stamina wasn’t just terrible; it was atrocious. In the span of a couple minutes, he rapidly exhausted what little energy he had remaining. Resulting in a complete cease of movement from him. Silence descended into the once nosy room filled with yelling as Zuri caught his breath.

Luwn, the healer, sat in front of Zuri’s open legs looking encouragingly towards him.

A hopeful air surrounded her.

Yet, seeing this, Zuri slid deeper into despair. He had made no progress at all with that last, final push. Channelling everything he had did absolutely nothing to save him. The truth of the matter was clear. Zuri was going to die in this wretched bed. Giving birth to children he never wanted with a partner he also never wanted. An odd melancholy took Zuri at that realisation. Closing his eyes, he briefly reflected upon this life… All things considered, it was a pretty great life. Up until the past year, he pretty much got everything he ever wanted. A cushy life, kind family and a couple of nice memories he could cherish.

It was a damn shame he was going to lose it all like this.

‘A bird, perhaps?’

Thinking about his next life, Zuri made a silent request to no one in particular.

He had always been curious what it would be like to soar with wings in the sky.

“…Zuzu.” (C)

A soft, low voice called.

“Please don’t give up…. I believe in you!” (C)

Feeling a pair of hands support his back, Zuri felt an abrupt spark of anger ignite in him.

How dare the cause of his suffering utter those words to him?

This was all her fault, and she dares speak like this in his last moments.

“W-Who said I’m giving up… I was just resting my eyes.” (Z)

Peeking through his closed eyes, Zuri eyed the face that was much too close to him than it should be.

‘She’s really got too comfortable’

Luwn tapped Zuri’s leg lightly and then smiled.

“Let’s continue then. And, Princess, make sure you breath while you push.” (L)

‘Fucking hell’