A Griffon Named Gilda

by Hodd

It's a Girl.

A Griffon Named Gilda
By Hodd

Shouts of pain erupt from room 203, echoing across the whitewashed hospital interiors. A griffon, sprawled in the hospital bed, legs spread wide, is the source of the commotion. "You're doing fine, Liza, just take deep breaths," the doctor told her. The delivery was creeping into it's fourth hour, and was taking its toll on the young griffon. "Push, Liza, push! The baby has to come now." the doctor commanded. Screams of agony followed by defeated sighs met his words. "You have to push, if you want the baby to live, now please, push!" Agony ripped through her body as each convulsion set her nerves ablaze. "Oh, Celestia! It hurts, it hurts! Make it stop!"
"The only way to make it stop is to push!" She complied, and pushed with all her might.

With one final effort, the pain dulled, and all at once, it happened. "It's a girl," the nurse announced. "What do you want to name her?"
The new mother smiled wearily at her newborn. "Gilda," she said. "Her name is Gilda."
"Congratulations," said the Doctor, "A healthy baby girl."
"She's beautiful," replied Liza, still in a dreamy state from the sudden cease in pain. "Welcome to the world, Gilda," she said, tears flowing from her face, emphasizing the wide grin she was wearing. For a moment, the entire world around her melted away, leaving just her and her baby. It was the best feeling she'd known, and put her soul at ease, even if only for a small while.

The child was beautiful. She had strong features, with inset eyes, and a wonderfully even coat. Everything about her had a sort of divine quality about it. Liza let tears flow, as she realized, this was the most proud moment of her life. She had never been so emotionally moved by a single event. Somehow, this small being humbled her to the point of tears, and yet, she'd rather be in no other place in the world.

"Isn't she beautiful?" she asked, looking at the other griffon standing nearby. He found no words, but simply approached the bedside, and cradled the newborn in his arms, marveling at how such a miniscule creature could change their lives so drastically. "Hey there, Gilda," he said in a near childlike tone. "I'm your daddy." A dopey grin formed on his face, as the child looked at him, and giggled. Tears formed in his eyes. "You're going to do great things, Gilda."