A New Home

[Omega]

"Well, that berry probably weighed more than you do. It looks like there's a lot more left on that bush. I'm sure you'll reach a healthy weight in no time," replied Sombra.

The sun had sank below the horizon. It was now dusk.

[wynnyelle]

"Yeah, those berries are amazing. It's amazing no one's come around to eat them already," said Luzia.

Now it was dark, and she started sniffing and looking about cautiously in the alcove created by the gargantuan tree roots. It was like a cavern, but made of wood, wood with smooth bark. Ratharah trees had smooth bark.

[Omega]

Sombra scanned the area. Strangely, no one was nearby. He curled up next to Luzia and went to sleep.

OOC: Can we skip to the conception?

[wynnyelle]

ooc: Yes, but no graphic roleplay if you know what I mean.

ic: A moon had passed since Luzia had come here with Sombra to this wondrous, larger-than-life land. She woke up feeling different this morning. Looking around at the spacious den they shared in the tree roots, she got up, and padded outside. She realised she was in heat.

[Omega]

OOC: Is she currently pregnant?

Sombra woke up and noticed Luzia seemed different. "Luzia, are you OK?"

[wynnyelle]

ooc: No, she's not, but she's about to be, lol.

ic: "I...I'm in heat, Sombra." Luzia turned around and walked back to him. She hadn't thought she would need to say that, but it couldn't hurt to clarify. "It's time." She nuzzled him.

[Omega]

Sombra smiled at the thought of his new children about to come into existence. Sombra motioned Luzia to lay down next to him.

OOC: OK, you know what happens next. For the sake of the younger members, let's skip to afterwards.

[wynnyelle]

A few days later Luzia woke up feeling sick. She couldn't shake the nausea turning her belly into a little sea of unrest. She headed out to eat from one of the huge red berries, which by now were far fewer on the tree. She used a psychic wave to bring one of them down.

She ate with much gusto from the berry...then, as she was padding back to the den, she suddenly crouched down and threw up.

[Omega]

Sombra rushed to Luzia, "Don't worry. You're just having pregnancy sickness. You need to ease down a bit when you eat from now on." said Sombra, "Remember, you're not the only one who's eating anymore," he continued, looking at Luzia's pregnant belly.

[wynnyelle]

Luzia spat out the last of the residue of vomit from her mouth. "Yeah...my mother told me about this, once. But--i'm not really even showing yet! I didn't know it came on so early."

[Omega]

"Soon enough, you'll be giving birth," said Sombra while smiling.

[wynnyelle]

Luzia looked at Sombra with love, and yet fear in her eyes. "I hope the birth goes okay. In the Horde...I've heard mothers screaming as they gave birth in agony down in the dungeons. And I've seen mothers who didn't survive it."

[Omega]

"I wouldn't worry," replied Sombra, "You're healthy now. Any mothers imprisoned long enough to give birth couldn't be any healthier than you were when I found you."

[wynnyelle]

"They feed the mothers more," said Luzia. "Sometimes. Depends on what male's claimed her. I...I just remember the bloody scenes of the births and kept wondering if that would be me one day."

[Omega]

"You're going to be fine," replied Sombra. In all honesty, Sombra didn't know if Luzia would survive. But he definitely hoped so.

[wynnyelle]

"I hope so. Even coming here's made me so nervous! I'm less nervous now than I was when we first got here, but...those tremors," said Luzia. She didn't realise that the tremors they had felt from time to time had been faint enough to mean that the giants that were making them were at least a few miles away.

[Omega]

"The giants wouldn't be able to fit into the forest," replied Sombra, "We're safe here."

[wynnyelle]

"Yes, you're right," said Luzia. And it had been a whole month and she had never seen any around. "You know me, though. I worry."

[Omega]

"Don't worry," replied Sombra, "You're not at that awful fortress anymore. You're safe now."

[wynnyelle]

"It's there in my mind...I'm there when I go to sleep," said Luzia. "I--I try in my waking hours to forget it. but i can't overcome the terror of my dreams and the guilt...that I left without even knowing what really became of my mother."

[Omega]

"I know," replied Sombra, "It happened. But you must remind yourself that it's over."

[wynnyelle]

"I can't let it go, not with my mother possibly alive back there," said Luzia. "Someday I'm going to have to go back to find out what became of her."

[Omega]

"I respect your decision," replied Sombra, "But it's too risky. They know you escaped. Next time, they'll kill you."

[wynnyelle]

"Yes. But--my poor mother, if she's not dead then she's probably pregnant again. That's what they do in the Horde to female prisoners--force breed them till they wear out, then when they can't have litters anymore they kill and eat them," said Luzia. "It's how they get such large armies. The kits don't know anything else, they're brainwashed to work for the Horde."

[Omega]

"I know you love your mother, but you can't go back for your sake," replied Sombra, "Plus, we have a family now."

[wynnyelle]

"Well...we will." Luzia looked down at herself. She was just starting to show and knew there would be no going back now.

[Omega]

"Our family is our top priority," said Sombra, "It's hard, but you must understand that."

[wynnyelle]

"Oh...it's what I want, definitely," said Luzia, knowing he was right. "The past is the past. Now we have a future."

A scent of absol caught her nose. She thought she smelled one in the area.

[Omega]

"I just fear one thing," replied Sombra, "I don't know if we can return to Erymire. The unown will surely be looking for me. And if they find me, we have to give our firstborn to them."

[wynnyelle]

"The...oh, no." Luzia gulped. "Then my mind's made up. I won't give up our babies!" She shivered. "Do you think Alcatraz's warning could come true? That they could come looking for us up here, even?"