FIRE & BLOOD

I smile gazing up at the blue clear sky, we haven't had a sunny day like this in days. I used the opportunity to wash the laundries, humming as I pegged them. The birds and trees humming with me. Winter is coming, the wind grows colder every day, the crops and animals were dying slowly. The town people were panicking we wouldn't have enough to last us this winter, but I had fate in our goddess. She has always provided for us. Wiping my wet hands on my skirt, I picked up the basket and headed back inside the house. I need to start on supper soon, my father will be home soon. It has always been the two of us since he found me in the woods. I've always wanted to know how I ended up there, the last human on earth. No one had an explanation, not even the town elders. Not only was my blood different from everyone's but my hair and eyes made me more different. Every shifter was born with dark hair and dark eyes, the witches and demons with bright red hair and eyes like the sun god they worship. Then there was me with bright golden hair and the colour of a storm for eyes, maybe every human before me looked like this.

Bring out the vegetables we grew on our farm, I will make soup for dinner. Just as I start cutting up the carrots the door of our small cottage slams opens shaking the walls. Deya, my best friend stands in the doorway eyes wide, her brown hair all over the place letting me know she ran here. She wasn't out of breathe, of course. It would take a lot to make a shifter out of breathe.

"The baby is coming!" Deya says "Rose is giving birth." Rose was our other friend, she found her mate last year and got pregnant right away with a baby. We have been waiting for weeks to meet the baby.

"I will get my horse." I drop the knife and carrots, we only had one healer in our town and I've been training to be one for years. I've been told I have a gentle touch and a way with herbs.

"I will meet you there," I climb onto my brown standardbred horse. I couldn't run unlike Deya, my legs would give out halfway. "Go on boy," I yank on the rein. Our cottage was further out of town, my father prefer the quiet woods. My head snaps to the right when light fur flashes past my eyes, Deya had shifted. In their form werewolves, they stood at almost five feet. And faster than anything I have ever seen. Slowly down my horse when we approach the healer's house, I could hear Rose screaming from out here. The sun was at its highest, the town people going on with their day. Some still looked at me with disgust but most have accepted me as their own.

Opening the doors, I see Roses mother and sister holding her hands as she lays on the bed. Her mate was nowhere to be seen, that wasn't usual. With all the shifters that I have helped come into this world, the father was never in the room, they always go hunting at this time and come back with a gift for their beloved mate. Mostly a stag or mountain lion.

"Thank god, Lyanna your here." Rose gasp in pain when she sees me.

"Your baby is gonna be fine Rose," I walk over to the bowl of water to wash my hands. The healer was heating the clothes. Deya walks in, heading over to Roses side.

"How long have you been like this?" I press my hands against Rose's wet sweaty head. She was very warm and that wasn't a good sign.

"An hour," Rose's mother says wiping her face with a cloth.

"The baby is coming feet first," the healer says putting her hands inside Rose as she screams.

"That's not good is it," Rose says in a panic

"Just breathe and push when I tell you too," I hand over the blade to the healer knowing she needs to cut Rose.

"Push!" The healer yells over Rose screams as she pushes the blade down, blood came out. I quickly soak it up with the clothes.

"I can see the legs," I tell Rose, her face was so scrunched up in pain. Her mother and sister praying to the goddess. Changing the blood-soaked cloth, the healers tell her to push once more. There was no blood than usual, not wanting to worry them more I didn't show my fear. Not reminding the water pot was on the fire I dumped the cloth in with my hands, bracing myself for the pain but nothing came. I just put my hands in boiling water, glancing around the room. No one saw, I stare down at my hands. My skin should have been on fire and blistering already. But nothing happened, there was no irritation or pain.

"Lyanna, the cloth." The healer calls for me, I rush over to her not thinking anything of it when a loud cry fills the room.

"It's a boy!" The healer cries out in joy, wrapping the baby with a fabric. I smile as she hands him over to the mother, everyone was beaming with joy.

"Clean up Lyanna," the healer tells me. Crouching down beside Rose, I clean in between her legs. Glancing at the family, this is the closest I will get to childbirth. I can never have children of my own. There was no one to marry me, I can't have a mate. The mixing of shifter blood and humans has been forbidden for hundreds of years. I won't get to have a child of my own, I've already come to peace with it.

"Take this for the pain," the healer gives Rose a cup of fennel that helps with pain. I start sewing her back together when she finishes the cup.

"What will you call him Rose," Deya asks

"Peter. After my father," she smiles looking at her mother.

"His beautiful," I tell her, finishing up. "I will draw a bath for both of you," I pick up the basket of the bloody clothes, nodding at them before heading out. Going outback, staring down at my hands again. Filling up the bucket of water, I wash the clothes. Unpinning my skirt that had blood stain, soak it. Leaving me in my undergarment skirt. Hanging the washes clothes on the line, they should be dry by sundown. I head back inside to draw Rose the bath, making sure the water was warm. I go back inside.

"Let me wash him," I move to collect Peter from her. She smiles softly handing me her baby.

"Hello," I smile down at him. He had raven black hair like Rose, his eyes dark brown. Kneeling by the bucket, I clean his hair getting all the dirt out.

"Your so perfect," I whisper kissing his head. Peter blink slowly, stretching his hands. Humming as I bath Roses baby, I couldn't help but wish he was mine.

"Are you done?" Deya knock on the door coming in,

"Yes, he's so cute," I say wrapping him up again, his skin a healthy red now. "Rose mate is here." She informs me. Making our way back to the room, Roses make Dan sat beside her holding her hands. She smiles at me as I hand Peter over to her.

"Thank you so much Lyanna," she beams up at me. Dan not paying me any attention, nothing new. I knew he wasn't fond of me.

"No need to thank me, Rose, I must head home now. My father should be back," I nod at them. "I will come to check on you and the baby tomorrow morning, I will bring you some bun cake." I know how much she loves my baking.

"I don't know what I would do without you Lyanna," she squeezed my hands.