Another one already! Art by Fortuna, story by me, and I really like this one. <3

"Hueroc... It's time."

He was at Ellora's side in an instant, offering his side to lean against for support--an offer she took readily, gritting her teeth and panting through them, hunched over and digging her foreclaws into the ground. "The eggs?" he asked, though he already knew the answer, and she tilted her head to acknowledge him a moment later. "Tell me what you need from me, my love. I'm here," he gave her a gentle nuzzle.

She grunted as an early contraction sent sharp pain through her belly, but after a moment purred quietly for him and smiled. "Thank you... Bring the nest here, and put it into position. It won't be long."

Hueroc was a little hesitant to leave her alone for even a moment in such a state, but he knew he had to go get it, and after giving her a little nudge with his forehead he turned and went into one of the side-chambers for the nest. It was something she'd used her magic to create, using some thin, tough vines for the structure with a bed of soft cave moss draped atop it. He scooped it up in his forepaws and returned to her on his hind legs, careful not to damage the nest now that they needed it! After glancing at her face for a moment--eyes closed, jaws clamped tight--he slid the nest into place beneath her rump, waiting to catch the eggs once they emerged.

"Ahhh--! Nnnng, my sweet, it's close..."

He moved to her side again, supporting her as she crouched over the nest, draping one of his wings across her back to hug her to him. "How else can I help?" he murmured, nosing at her cheek.

She panted and shivered in pain, and from her hips touching his he could feel the muscles in her hindquarters shifting, wound tight as her body tried to force the eggs in her belly out... "Just... be here with me, my mate," she gasped, breathing sharply as another contraction hit.

That made him growl softly, and he watched her face as it contorted against the pain, tail lashing a bit. She was suffering like this, and he couldn't help? He didn't want to see her in pain, but he couldn't prevent something like this...

But she heard him. "It's okay... Just support me... I couldn't do this without you."

Hueroc purred loudly and gave her a firm nuzzle. "I won't leave your side."

"I know..." She smiled, then groaned and lashed her tail and lowered her head nearly to the ground. "Nnh! It's close..."

"You can do it, my mate... Just push the eggs out, keep breathing, be strong like I know you are..."

If she heard him she didn't respond, but when her next contraction came she didn't cry out, just grunted and panted and lifted her tail... She went rigid for a moment, two, three... The moment seemed to stretch forever, but then she gasped and opened her eyes and something could be heard landing in the nest.

He risked a peek, looking beneath her belly at the nest and seeing a single marble-patterned egg lying there, a little hint of red mixed into the white shell. "That's one... You're doing great," he nuzzled her again. "How many more?"

"More..." she groaned, but said nothing else.

"Just keep pushing... You can do it."

A few minutes passed without much change, then her face tightened again, she moaned loudly, and after a few more moments a second egg, this one tinged with dark blue, joined the first in the nest. "That's two--"

"Ah!" She cried out again, and a third egg, accompanied by a rush of birthing fluid, followed the second into the nest. Finally she collapsed onto her belly, panting and groaning and, after a moment, smiling up at him. "It's over..."

"Three eggs," he purred, and gave her nose a little lick. "One reddish, one blueish, one orange. You did great."

"Three... We'll need to come up with some names," she purred, wearily lifting her head to return his nuzzle.

He chuckled. "Of course! But that can wait... How do you feel? Do you need anything?"

"Ohh... Rest," she said, trembling a little after the strain of laying the eggs. "And water... And food. And a mate to support me."

Hueroc purred, nuzzled her, and squeezed her with the wing he still had draped across her back. "I'll get you some water now, then let you rest, all right? I'll be right back." Taking the wooden bowl that he'd used to bring water from the lake since she grew too heavy to make the trip down herself, he flew down, filled it, then carefully returned, doing his best not to spill any. He walked in to find her curled up around the little nest, looking fondly down at their eggs and already looking like she'd begun to recover.

"They're so precious..." she murmured to him, tenderly nosing each one of the eggs in turn.

"They're beautiful... like you," he purred, setting down the bowl in front of her before looking over the trio of eggs himself. She drank eagerly, then nuzzled him before putting her head down, forming a protective circle around the nest and sighing happily.

"I'll hunt... You rest and recover, and I'll return soon."

She didn't respond: already asleep. Smiling and swishing his tail, he gave her neck a nuzzle, then flew off to find prey for the new mother.