[amanda784]

Delilah Cupids

Delilah had one end of a paintbrush between two teeth and the other end on a large canvas. Her paintings flowed with emotion. You see, Delilah was pregnant and with the pregnancy came a vast amount of hormones. It seemed the stronger her emotions got the more they showed in her work.

It was rare that Delilah create a happy painting. Painting was her way to relieve negative emotions, but with her pregnancy and soon-to-be motherhood, Delilah was bursting with happiness. On the canvas, was a mix of pink, red, and silver. The pink representing the fact she was having a girl, the red was the love Delilah already had for the child, and the silver, well, that represented magic. Yes, all this happiness Delilah was feeling was simply magically.

Although, those who looked at the painting would see a red sunset appearing pink on the oceans reflection, and silver clouds lining the sky. Ahh, Delilah had created a masterpiece and it was all thanks to the little bump inside her tummy.

[amanda784]

Laura scuffled across the wooden floor of the studio apartment. The little companion was surprised to see yet another happy painting. Lately, all of Delilah's paintings had been wonderfully optimistic. Laura cooed in delight.

"Oh!" Delilah jumped back from the canvas, "Laura, now I told you about sneaking up on me!"

Laura's eyes widened.

"Come her you!" Delilah called, patting Laura on the head with one paw. "Now, how do you like my latest painting?"

Laura let another coo and began to purr in delight.

"That good?" Delilah asked, "I suppose it should fetch us a pretty penny at the street fair tomorrow night."

Delilah would hold on to this painting, but she was sure the pup on the way would bring her even more happy inspiration.

[amanda784]

Delilah stood staring at her vast number of paintings. It was the next morning and Delilah was debating what to take to the street fair.

"Now Laura, I can fit ten paintings onto the cart to take, but I have twelve I planned on selling." Delilah said.

Laura let out a snore from the small carpet she had fallen asleep on.

"Yes, I do suppose you are right, I'm totally overthinking this. I'll just grab the first ten," Delilah smiled at the sleeping Leplora. Then, she gripped the back of each canvas between her teeth and carefully loaded them onto the cart.

"Well, are you going Laura?" Delilah asked.

Those words made Laura's head pop up and her flower-like tale wiggle in delight.

"Yes, I suppose you are. I don't need you frantically knocking down all my paints because I left you alone again." Delilah let out a giggle. "Well, let's get a move-on then!"

[amanda784]

Arty the random shopper
(a single-use character)

"That'll be 5 keystones," Delilah said to the younger-looking Fenling.

"Oooh," the Fenling hung his head, "I don't suppose you would take 3?"

It was her last painting to sell and Delilah was about ready to go home. She was lucky to have so many shopper at the street fairs. Everyone here was looking for art or amusement. Luckily, she had become quite popular.

"Sure," Delilah smiled, "Of course I'll take 3 key stones."

Delilah did the math in her head. 47 key stones total earned today. She smiled as the fenling struggled to drag the painting away. It was nice to find someone who truly appreciated her work, even if the little fenling didn't quite pay the price.

[amanda784]

It was late, but Delilah was not yet ready to go. Delilah slipped on the collar-like rope that was attached to the cart by a long rope. Laura drug her feet slowly behind Delilah, but Delilah  was determined to enjoy the street fair tonight.

Delilah giggled at the young Tali playing in the bubbles. A blue teenager Tali would blow them and a rainbow of Tali would dance beneath the falling bubbles.

One of them noticed Delilah and waved her over. Delilah slipped out of the collar and looked towards Laura, "Watch the cart!"

Exercise was good during pregnancy and Delilah loved to dance. She twisted and turned beneath the bubbles. Once, she raised up onto her two back paws and did a small spin before crashing back on all fours. She giggled and laughed until the tali's mothers called them to go home. She waved at group of tali as they walked off.

"Oh Laura I suppose it is time to..." just then Delilah's tummy cramped up.

Delilah immediately sat and put a paw to her tummy. She let out a yell as another contraction hit her.

"Oh no," she screamed. "Is anyone here a doctor?!? Please, anyone!"

The pain was too great to move. Different animals came to gather around her asking each other "are you a doctor?". So far, the replies all came back a no. Delilah's eyes started to flutter. The pain was so great she was beginning to feel dizzy.

"Oh please," she said, "please, someone help me."

[amanda784]

Dr. Theodore Goodrich

Dr. Goodrich heard the girl's cries from where he stood in front of a fry stand. However, he knew he had no tools and in some cases birth could be extremely dangerous to the mother or child.

What to do? What to do? Dr. Goodrich wondered. Why isn't she at my office?

He finally settled on the fact he couldn't just leave her. He ran over to the scene. "Clear the way. Everyone move!!! I AM a doctor."

The crowd slowly made a path for him. There he saw a patient of his, Delilah, on the ground in pain.

"Now Miss Delilah, It's Dr. Theodore. You just stay calm dear. Your going to be okay." he said.

"Oh, Dr. Theodore!" just then a wave of pain hit Delilah and she cried out in pain. "Dr. Theodore, what about my  pup? Will it be okay?"

"You just stay calm now. You were in perfect shape the last time I checked and although she's earlier then we expected, she is coming at a good time. I'm sure there will be no health complications." Dr. Theodore wasn't sure. However, he was more sure there would be health complications if he couldn't get this woman to calm down.

Oh, Delilah, thought Mr. Goodrich, Please, for the sake of this baby calm down!

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Dr. Goodrich had remained strong throughout the labor, or at least, he seemed to. The labor was short, but most lucain birthed easily. Although his hands moved without flaw throughout the process, which seemed long and tiresome, he was now shaking and breathing heavily. In his paws he held a beautiful pup.

Dr. Theodore Goodrich was astounded by this lucain pup's beautiful pink shimmers on its purple pelt. The  pup blinked at Dr. Goodrich as he studied her. Her eyes were a red, but not an angry or evil red, a red so deep they looked like love.

Love. thought Dr. Goodrich, Now that's something I haven't thought of since Medical School...I suppose...

A groan from Delilah interrupted his thoughts.

"My pup..." said Delilah, sounding exhausted and in pain, "is...is it okay?"

"Your beautiful baby girl looks perfectly healthy Miss Delilah," replied Dr. Goodrich. "Would you like to hold her?"

[amanda784]

Delilah's eyes teared up as she took the pup from Dr. Goodrich.

"Oh, oh my," said Delilah. "She's absolutely beautiful."

Dr. Goodrich smiled at Delilah, "I told you."

Holding this pup felt like warmth, happiness, and safety all at once. Delilah almost thought she small a smile on the pups face. The pup wiggled and Delilah sat it down. It struggled to it's feet and clumsily stumbled around.

"A smart little pup!" said Dr. Goodrich.

He had seen the pup trying to walk, but only out of the corner of his eye. His eyes were locked onto Delilah..

Had she always been this beautiful? he immediately shook the thought. He had other things to thing about. He had lives to save and things to do. There was no time for females.

"Oh, I'm going to be late to work," said Dr. Goodrich.

"Isn't delivering pups part of your job?" asked Delilah, with a smile on her face.

Dr. Goodrich smiled and found it humorous, but was in too much of a rush to reply or even laugh. He hated being late for any reason. He had to prove himself and how was he to do that if it was late all the time?

Delilah didn't mind though. She was smiling at her new born pup.

"I think I'll name you Amara. Yeah, Amara Lynn,"

[amanda784]

A few weeks past and Delilah found herself in front of a canvas. She should be sleeping. It always took forever to get little Amara to sleep and she never did sleep for long. However, Delilah was bursting with emotion so strong she had to paint.

She found herself painting a number of hearts in different shades of red, pink, and purple. When she was satisfied with the amount of hearts she had painted she stepped back and looked at it. It wasn't her usual painting of nature. No, it was a messy and beautiful work of art, but it was missing something.

She got it! She painted the words: "Love is Eternal" on the painting.

"You like it Laura?" she asked the Leplora next to her. "I think I'll be hanging this one in Amara's room."

The Leplora purred with delight.

[amanda784]

Amara, still a young pup, could hear her mother in the painting room. She slowly got up from the mat where she had slept and walked out of her room. She rubbed an eye and said, "Ma, I'm hungry."

Delilah turned to look at little Amara and just like every other time, Delilah smiled. "Come look at this painting I did for you and then I will get you some breakfast."

Amara's little paws padded across the wooden floor and then stopped, her nose almost touching the wet paint.

"I like pink!" said Amara, "and red! and purple!"

Delilah pondered a moment, wondering why her daughter had only seen colors and not the hearts. Was there something wrong with her? Delilah quickly moved the thought away. Her daughter was perfect.

"Now Amara," said Delilah, "How do chocolate chip pancakes sound to you?"

[amanda784]

The older Amara grew, the more she explored and the higher Delilah's anxiety got. One particular day Amara wandered all the way into town.

Amara was in the yard playing when she saw a pink butterfly land on one of Delilah's yellow tulips. Amara was amazed by the pink thing, because it was her favorite color, and decided she wanted to catch it.

She sank down to a crouch. Slowly she put one paw in front of the other, stalking towards the butterfly. When she got close enough to she reached out both paws and pushed them together with a SLAP. However, when she opened her paws she couldn't find the butterfly.

Amara turned her head from side to side searching, The butterfly had gotten away. She quickly found it on the sidewalk and ran after it. When she missed again, she had to cross the street to try again. Off she went trying to catch this butterfly.

[amanda784]

A timer went off inside the house. It was set every five minutes so Delilah could check on Amara. Delilah had never seen a pup wander as much as Amara. Although most said it was good for her pup to be curious and to give the pup space, Delilah was just worried about Amara's safety.

Delilah almost fainted when she looked out the window and saw Amara was no where to be found. She rushed to door and swung it open.

"Amara!" she yelled again and again.

Laura quickly awoke and jumped out the door, sniffing around the yard.

"Oh Laura," said Delilah, "Please find her."

It was only moment before Laura found the sent and was off. Laura was almost hit by a cart as she sniffed across the street, but Delilah had pulled her back.

"You just keep going," said Delilah, "I'll keep my head up and make sure we don't get run into or runt into anything.

[amanda784]

"There she is!" yelled Delilah. She ran towards Amara, calling her name.

Amara on the other hand, was still hot on the trail of the butterfly. In the background she heard her mothers voice and knew she was about to be in trouble. She had to act fast. She crouched pounced and SNAP her jaws slammed shut around the butterfly. She hadn't really expected to catch it which caused her to gulp and down went the butterfly.

Just then, Delilah caught up.

"Amara!" she yelled, "How many times have I told you to stay in the yard?"

"Mommy I don't feel so good..." said Amara.

Delilah went from angry to worried within seconds.

"You didn't take any food from a stranger did you?" asked Delilah, "Oh Amara, are you alright."

"No..." said Amara, "I accidentally ate the pretty butterfly."

A few tears slid down Amara's cheeks. Delilah sat down beside Amara and gently wiped away the tears with a paw, barely containing her laughter.

"Oh, a butterfly..." Delilah said. Just happy to have her daughter safe and sound.

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"Mommy," said Amara, "Do you think the butterfly is okay in my tummy?"

"Oh yes, Amara," said Delilah, "In fact I believe we should get some food in your tummy so the butterfly isn't hungry."

"Okay mommy," said Amara.

"How does the diner sound?" asked Delilah.

"Sounds good," said Amara, who was now tear-free.

Laura, Delilah, and Amara all walked towards the diner happily.

"Can I have pancakes?" asked Amara, "with chocolate chips?"

"Of course," said Delilah.

[amanda784]

Delilah, Amara, and Laura all slid into a booth.

"Now Amara," said Delilah, "Do I need to stop letting you play outside?"

"No mom," answered Amara, "I'll stay in the yard next time. I promise."

Amara hung her head. Delilah hadn't meant to upset the girl. She just wanted to make sure she was safe.

"I've got an idea," said Delilah, "How about we play a game? If you could wish for one thing what would you wish for?"