**Chapter 2: The Approaching Storm**

The moment of truth had finally arrived, and I could feel the weight of it settling upon me like a physical force. Hange's hands were gently stroking my hair, her voice soft and reassuring as she spoke to me, but I was beyond consolation. My body was on high alert, every sense heightened as I prepared to bring my children into the world. As the contractions began, I let out a low, rumbling growl, my titan instincts taking over. Hange's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes locked on mine with a fierce intensity. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, her voice a steady anchor in the midst of the storm. The pain was intense, waves of it washing over me like a relentless tide. I gritted my teeth, my claws digging deep into the earth as I rode out the contractions. Hange was by my side, her hands supporting me, her voice urging me on. The squad, alerted by Hange's earlier message, had set up a perimeter around our makeshift birthing site, their voices and movements a distant hum. As the labor pains grew stronger, I could feel the hatchlings stirring inside me, their tiny titan bodies squirming and twisting in response to the pressure. It was as if they too sensed the approaching storm, and were preparing themselves for the journey ahead. The air was thick with tension, the trees seeming to loom over us like sentinels. Suddenly, a loud cry pierced the air, and I felt a surge of relief wash over me. The first hatchling had arrived. Hange's hands guided me as I gently lifted my head, and I saw that she was holding our newborn child in her arms. The little titan was no bigger than a housecat, its skin a soft, downy gray, its eyes closed tight as it let out another loud wail. I smiled, a sense of exhaustion and elation washing over me. "It's beautiful," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat. Hange looked up at me, her eyes shining with tears. "You did it," she said, her voice trembling. "You're a mother." As I gazed at our child, I felt a sense of wonder and awe wash over me. I was a mother, and my world would never be the same again. The storm that had been brewing inside me had finally broken, and I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The next few hours were a blur of activity, as the rest of the hatchlings emerged, each one a unique and precious bundle of joy. Hange and I gazed at our children in wonder, our hearts overflowing with love and pride. The squad, who had been keeping watch, moved in to assist, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. As the night wore on, and the storm finally began to subside, I knew that our lives would never be the same. We had crossed a threshold, and there was no going back. The world beyond the walls would have to wait; for now, we had a new family to care for, and a new future to build. As I lay back in the nest, surrounded by my children and Hange, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. The approaching storm had brought chaos and upheaval, but it had also brought new life and new hope. And as I looked at Hange, I knew that together, we would face whatever challenges lay ahead, our love and our family strong enough to overcome anything.