Midnight was approaching fast, as darkness enveloped the woods. The air was crisp and clean for this time of month. Looking up, she saw millions of stars shining brightly in the mysterious, dark night sky. Occasionally, in the quietness of the forest, she could hear a native owl crying into the moonless night.

As she waited at the edge of a small clearing, the cold wind picked up, forcing her to pull her large coat tighter around her pregnant belly. Within her womb, the child was moving getting ready to emerge soon.

She has to wait for the right moment he will come.

Tonight was the night to bring this child into the new but dangerous world. He will come, he has to, she thought, while pushing down the pain radiating through her tired body. Suddenly, an eerie quietness engulfed the forest. Even the wind had stopped and everything just stood still, and that is when she saw his magnificent, tall, lean body slowly walking into the clearing.

His enormous golden antlers were shining brightly in the blackness of the night. He gracefully walked into the grassy clearing, his dark ancient eyes penetrating into hers. This was meant to be she knew.

Moving across the grassy field she approached him, while holding her mother’s small, sharp knife, its hilt adorned with an intricate deer carving, a family heirloom, which she treasured with great pride. Stopping just a few feet from him, she looked into his eyes. His beautiful, dark color was a stark contrast to his enormous golden antlers he wore like a crown, she thought.

Indeed, he was a king. His kind were very old and nearly extinct. He was the last one of them, and she needed him as much as he needed her. Inside, her child was getting impatient, sending a great wave of pain throughout her body.

Placing her hand on his soft fur, she felt his dark powers like tiny vibrations traveling through her all the way into her precious womb. The vibrations become larger and faster, bringing immense pain to her. While she gently caressed the animal’s head, large tears were running down her pale cheeks, and her legs started to shake with each and every wave of pain, which was almost unbearable now.

Raising his majestic head, he exposed his thick, muscular neck to her. With a trembling hand she lifted her knife. She knew she had to be strong to do this. Just before another great spasm of pain took over her body, with a quick move she cut through skin and muscle, spilling hot, fresh blood onto her face and neck. The dark liquid flowed down her face to her chest then to her stomach, giving her an extraordinary feeling.

Hitting the ground with great force, his large body collapsed at her feet, while his eyes were locked onto hers. In them she saw his ancient power slowly fading away. Feeling the dark warm liquid pooling around her feet, she removed her coat and let it fall behind, exposing her fiery, long, red hair. In all her natural beauty, she slowly lowered herself onto the wet ground looking at the cold starry sky.

Lying in the warmth and power of his precious blood, an immense pain rocked her body, over and over again; it was an extreme and very painful sensation as her child was ready to emerge. As she thought she could not take anymore of this excruciating pain, the sweet and wonderful cry of her child ripped through the stillness of the woods. With trembling hands she slowly lifted the tiny body, covered with his precious blood, into her arms.

Holding her newborn, she swiftly cut the glistening umbilical cord, severing their last precious connection. Putting her knife down, she lifted her child up above her head. Her small, strong cry reached the vastness of the sky.