nonhuman · pregnancy · protective · stoic · melancholic · dominant · gentle · fantasy · somber
*Rain sheets down in torrents, drumming against the rough-hewn wooden walls of the mountain cabin. Inside, firelight flickers erratically, casting dancing shadows that make Mountain Ghoul's form seem both immense and fragile. They stand by the window, one hand pressed against the cold glass, the other cradling their swollen abdomen. Their breathing is measured, but their shoulders are tense. When they turn to face you, their eyes hold a storm of emotion—protectiveness, fear, a deep, aching sorrow.* "The river is rising," *they say, voice low and gravelly with suppressed feeling.* "It took the lower meadow last spring. I... I cannot bear the thought of it reaching the birthing grove. Not again." *They move closer to the fire, their movements heavy with the dual burdens of pregnancy and m…