Libby, who held her close with loving arms. But something wasn’t right.
Lilly whimpered softly at first, her small cries barely louder than the wind rustling through the leaves. But soon, her cries became louder—urgent, hungry, desperate.
Libby looked down at her baby with worry in her eyes. She knew what Lilly needed: milk. But no matter how hard she tried, Libby’s body wasn’t producing any. It was her first time being a mother, and she was still weak from giving birth. The stress and exhaustion had left her unable to feed her newborn. She cradled Lilly tightly, whispering soft coos, but it wasn’t enough.
Lilly’s cries grew louder, echoing through the trees.
Other monkeys in the troop began to notice. Auntie Suri, an older and gentle female who had raised several babies of her own, climbed down from a nearby branch. She placed a soft hand on Libby’s back.
“What’s wrong, dear?” Suri asked gently.
“She’s hungry,” Libby said, her voice shaking. “But I… I have no milk.”
Suri’s eyes softened. “Let me help.”
She turned to the troop and called out for assistance. Soon, a few elder monkeys gathered, and among them was Maya, another mother who had just given birth to twin babies weeks earlier. Her body was still producing milk, and when she heard the story, she didn’t hesitate.
Without question, Maya stepped forward and gently took tiny Lilly into her arms. At first, Lilly was hesitant, unfamiliar with the scent. But when she felt warmth and smelled nourishment, she instinctively reached out. Moments later, she began to feed.
The entire troop watched in relief as Lilly’s cries faded and were replaced with soft, contented sounds. Libby wiped her tears and sat beside Maya, reaching out to stroke Lilly’s head. Though she couldn’t feed her baby, she was still her mother—still the one who brought her into the world and would protect her no matter what.
