snowmelt2

For her daughter, a name came so easily to Hina, and it came to her within hours of her banishment from Hyouga. Yukina. It was perfect. Was it an easy, simple name? Perhaps, but the moment Hina had thought of it, her core had felt so very warm, and she couldn't imagine her little girl being named anything else. For her son, though... Hina struggled to find any name that suited him. For the briefest moment, she considered naming him after his father- and just as quickly decided against it. He is his own being, not merely his father's son. It cut too close to the way the other ice maidens, the Elders, felt about his creation. No, he must have a name all his own, something special.

Hina just had to come up with it... however long that may take. Her little boy, at least, seemed rather patient about receiving his name. She told him her thoughts, how she struggled, why she was taking so long, and she could see the understanding in those big, clever eyes. In fact, she felt like he seemed... satisfied. As though glad the time was being taken to ensure his name was worthy of him. Hina couldn't resist answering those prideful looks with a tap of her finger against his tiny nose, laughing when he would look so surprised and confounded, eyes crossing to peer at her fingertip.

What a perfect darling! His name must be as perfect as his sister's.

***

The first home Hina and her children found was under the gnarled roots of a great tree, a dusty little burrow full of old, decaying leaves. It was dirty, but there could be far worse options- it was enclosed to the elements, and just out of sight. It was, most likely, safe. And that was what mattered.

It was there that her children had their first meals, after how hectic the day of their birth had been, keeping her from feeding them properly until now. It was a wonder they hadn't been more fussy, they must've been starving! Yukina, of course, fed at Hina's breast like a typical baby ought. Hina's son, on the other hand... Well, Hina would've gladly endured nursing him if needed, no matter if his mouth would've been a red-hot brand full of razor blades.

But that was just the thing- unlike his sister's gummy little mouth, the boy's was full of sharp teeth straight out of the womb. Hina supposed that may simply be normal for other breeds of demon. It also gave a pretty clear hint as to what he was ready to feed on in infancy... red meat.

It was a simple thing to kill a small animal, no matter if it hurt Hina's heart to do so- anything for her son. A small icicle shot through the heart as the creature's feet were frozen in place kills any small thing in one go. Harder than killing it was butchering it. Sure, Hina could just give the thing to her boy, and she was quite certain he would've have little issue devouring it himself, the clever little thing. But she was his mother, it was the least she can do to feed him properly, to strip the fur and flesh from the meat, to cook it over a small fire outside their burrow into little on-bone morsels.

It was all worth it, of course, when she was able to hold him in her arms and feed him. Yukina slept nearby, all swaddled up and laid to rest upon the softest leaves. Hina couldn't keep the smile from her face as she held the morsels to her boy's mouth, watching him nibble little bites off with his adorably sharp teeth. He ate half the creature in one sitting, before he decided he was full, refusing the next piece and yawning- oh! And how precious a yawn it was! Full of sharp little baby teeth, stretching his sweet little face, eyes all scrunched up... Hina immedaitely felt he looked like a little sleepy kitten. And the way he blinked sleepily after, before closing his eyes to join his sister in dreamland...

Hina sighed as she set her son down on her other side, opposite Yukina, to rest, and immediately she collapsed into a heap. So exhausted... the first day of her childrens' lives had been quite eventful. She could feel hunger gnawing in her stomach, could feel the damage from her birthing still burning beneath her kimono, but all she wanted to do was sleep. Sleep beside her darling children, sleep to prepare herself for the day that will follow, and the day that would follow after that. She would have to find a more permanent shelter sooner rather than later, find a better food supply for herself- perhaps take her children with her as she goes foraging. Set some time aside to heal herself... Yukina and the boy are the priority, but she could hardly care for them if she passed away from malnourishment or untreated injury!

A glance to her right, then to her left, at both her sleeping children, put peace into Hina's heart, assuaging her growing worries and fears. She could do this... she had to do this. For them. For her family, the three of them, together as they should be. At ease, Hina smiled, and curled into the warmly leaf-covered compost to close her eyes, and join her children in rest. In some hours, Yukina would wake for another feeding, and again a few hours after that, but Hina's son slept soundly through the whole night.