Chapter Twenty Four

                                    

                                          
This text has been translated to a language you can understand 
She was a girl; Ezra had been right. 
As soon as I felt her coming, my family sent Moon to the Mound as fast as possible to send word to Ezra. 
She returned with him in tow, and he was by my side immediately. 
Did you fly? I asked him incredulously as he clasped his hand in my talons. He'd gotten there far quicker than I had anticipated. 
I tried to. I'm getting better. He looked me over worriedly; I was laying in a shallow hole in the back of our den meant for sleeping in. Are you okay? Are you in pain? 
I'm okay, Ezra. I nuzzled the side of his face. I just want you here. 
Well, here I am. I'll stay by your side the whole time. 
My mother and Ezra stood over me for the whole birth, my mother giving me advice and Ezra giving me comfort. It took a long time, and it did hurt, I remember that, but they supported me through it. 
When she finally came into the world, I know we were all holding our breath. What would she look like? Did she look like either of us? 
It's a girl, Raven announced. ...at least, I think so. 
I was huffing, laying on my side with my eyes closed. I felt Ezra push his nose against my forehead though, his antennae brushing against my horns. 
You did it, he told me kindly. You did it, and you did so good. 
I slowly pushed myself up, letting my eyes open. 
I saw my family across the room, all peering anxiously over to look at us, and to look at the baby. 
I saw Ezra sitting next to me, tail twitching with excitement. 
I saw my mother huddled behind me, something small and wet held gingerly in her talons. 
And I saw my daughter. 
She was small, and mostly brown. And she had wings already, which meant she was like me and wouldn't have a wingless stage like Ezra did. But there were four wings, a pale cream color compared to the light brown of the rest of her body. Two sets of wings, and two sets of little antennae that poked from her head. She also had six legs, though, like a Ca'lav - her legs were a dark grey color, like me. Her little ears protruded from each side of her head, and she had dark fins on the top of her head like other Chiros. 
Along her wings and the backside of her stubby little tail were squared splotches the color of jade, which was strange to me because female Chiros were usually colorless. Of course, I realized, she wasn't just a Chiro, she was also a Lepidopteran, and they were the most colorful species on Beix Apo. 
Ezra tentatively approached Raven and held out his hands, his wings fluttering as she gently put the baby into his arms. Ezra clutched her close, crooning softly as he looked at her. 
Then he glanced at me and shuffled over. She's beautiful. 
I smiled tiredly at her sleeping face. Yes, she is. 
Moon bounded over just then, poking her nose over Ezra's shoulder to look at the baby. 
She looks more like a Chiro, she announced, smiling widely at the baby. Oh H'aze, wow, she's got so many legs. And so many wings! What are you going to name her?? 
Ezra and I looked at each other; we'd been brainstorming names together, but we hadn't decided on anything because we'd wanted to see her first. 
I'm thinking-