I see the three looking at me. How did my life get to this point?

This morning, I had no problems. I woke and greeted the sun. A few stretches to start the day. My stomach annoyingly announced that it was empty so I started rummaging for whatever I could find.

After breakfast, I went for a walk. It felt so good using my muscles that I wandered most of the morning. That was when I felt eyes on me.

Dangerous eyes. Eyes desiring to hurt. To hurt me. I couldn’t tell exactly where they were or how many, but I had a feeling I was in trouble. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was, but I bolted. I went as fast as I could, but pregnancy really slows a soon-to-be mother.

The eyes were following me.

I heard it, then. A waterfall. I had heard that sound a thousand times and knew how to get to safety.

The eyes were still following me. Somehow they felt even closer. I waddled as fast as my belly would let me when I got to a clearing.

And now here I am. Two are looking at me and the third is sniffing out something behind a tree. I look over my shoulder and breathe a sigh of relief. The dangerous eyes are gone. I feel safe. I step forward and nuzzle my mate as the rest of the pack come loping in to join us. My stomach demands food again. A mother’s work is never done.