Chapter 8

I stepped out of the grass area, ready to fight. A second after I stepped out, I was attacked by Jawz. I screamed and bashed him with the thick stick. He faltered for a moment, and I used that to my advantage. I ran for my life! I had to keep them busy long enough for Buck to get the message.

But running was no good! I tripped in the process as Zeri slashed my back. As they attacked me, I barely, but still, noticed we were in a different area. It was a barren place that I had been to before. I coughed and tried to get up, but Zugor pinned me down. I struggled to get up but couldn't. "Nice dress missy!" he said in a very low voice. I whimpered.

It was then that a new and familiar voice met my ears. "You really think you can beat them?" Angela laughed. I closed my eyes painfully and then reopened them. It was in fact Angela, Buck used-to-supposed-to-be mate. She looked down at me evilly. "Well, well! I'm definitely proud of you boys! You sure did it!" She laughed again.

"So," Zero, obviously the crazy one in the group, licked his lips. "Can we eat her?" I gasped. Angela shook my head. "Torture her as much as you can first! Once she's covered in her own guts, you can kill and eat her!" She laughed loudly and cruelly.

I gave several cries as they slashed at me. I felt wet all over and almost every area of my body hurt. I don't think any of them knew about the baby, but so far they hadn't touched my stomach, for some off reason. But I knew the end was coming…I could feel it…literally! I closed my eyes and waited. But instead of another laugh or the sound of angels and maybe harps, I heard a cry of rage that I knew all too well!

"Buck…" I whispered happily. I opened my eyes and saw the fight. I also saw and heard others trying to help me. Amelia and Emma tried to carry me together. They kept telling me it was going to be okay. I already knew that though. As long as Buck was around, it definitely would be.

.~.~.~.~.

I opened my eyes after a long deserved rest. Buck was holding my left hand and I could see big tears in his eyes. I smiled. "Thanks…" He looked up and smiled with relief. "I'm so sorry…I shouldn' 'ave left ya like that! I'm just stupid and–!" I shushed him. "It's fine…I've had experiences like this before. And I always come out alive because you're with me!" He smiled crookedly as another tear dropped. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"So are ya in any pain? Cus I'll slap myself again if ya are!" I smiled amusedly, my eyes still closed. "No…I'm fine! I'm just glad that the baby's okay too! And Marley! I take it she got to you on time!" He chuckled, "Aye! She was floatin' on some wood! I knew that was a sign! And she told us the story with hand-motions! I'm sure you taught her that! Very smart lil girl though!"

I nodded. "She's very smart…" I yawned. He chuckled again. "You need ta sleep some more…" I nodded and I drifted on into my sleep land. It was similar to the one where I usually met my parents, but it was off in the way things were arranged, and with some colors. But it was beautiful nonetheless…

.~.~.~.~.

When I woke up again, I ate very little. But as the days passed, I healed and soon returned to normal. In that time, the second baby developed. As it neared the due date, different family members including Manny's original herd, stayed up to make sure I'd be okay. It was really sweet and I really said it wasn't necessary, but they insisted.

The night of the deadline was near the night of a full moon. I remembered that Marley was an early Spring-girl. It was nearly her first birthday, so that would make it the middle of Winter, around January 10th.

And like before, I got up on that night/day, around 2:10 AM. I was feeling thirsty again! That had to be a sign! I looked around as Ellie walked over to me – she was the one to keep watch – and said quietly so as to not wake anyone up, "Hi Jade! You're up early…" I nodded. "It is exactly how it was with Marley. I went to get a drink and that's when I felt the pain and after that…"

Ellie nodded. "Be careful…" I nodded back and carefully got a cup of water and drank. With Marley, as I said earlier in the story, I had felt the pain during my drink. But it wasn't altogether the same. No, I got my water and then carefully sat on a rock next to Ellie.

I sighed. "It's weird…" I began. Ellie raised a brow. "What is?" I smiled and explained, "I remember when Buck's family hated me…but now they just want to protect me…it's kind of ironic, I guess you could call it. Y'know what I mean?" She nodded. I nodded with a smile up at the moon.

This night was not the deadline. It was four days after, the night of the full moon! I smiled at the moon and it seemed to smile back. I even thought I saw a wink or sparkle. But I had no time to ponder because a second later came the first pain.

I gasped. Ellie looked at me. "Time?" She asked with concern yet knowingness. I nodded, "I think so…" She nodded and got up to wake specific people up. Emma was the first and came to my aid. I was already on the ground, sweating a little and breathing heavily. Her voice was very calming and it did help me to relax.

The pain was just as bad as with Marley's birth. But I was stronger now so I didn't go out of it and see my parents like before. But I swear that I saw, as I looked up to the skies, heavens, and stars, my parents looking down at me smiling with assurance. They gave me the strength to get it done.

It had only taken two minutes of commotion for Buck to wake up and he was by my side less than twenty seconds after. He was just as helpful as Emma. It was like he had taken lessons for how to calm and help someone through childbirth. Were there classes on this or was he just special like that? Thinking about that last part made me giggle.

But the pain was gone about thirty minutes later, at 2:40 AM exactly, I was told. And when I looked up, I saw Amelia with a little bundle of leaves with a tiny little furry something within it. Amelia handed the bundle to me. "Good job with not fainting this time, sweetie!" She whispered. I nodded, holding back a laugh.

I gasped at the baby. "It's a boy!" I cried quietly yet happily. The little baby was a lot more like Buck than me, but had my colors. He had Buck's fur pattern and nose, my eyes and similar fur colors, but had no spots like Buck. And he had a mixture of our face-shapes. But he was just as cute as Marley.

The baby smiled a toothy smile. He had the same kind of lower fangs as Buck. I laughed quietly. At this sound, the baby boy turned to me and giggled. Then he turned to Buck, blinked, smiled, and giggled again. "Aw!" I cooed. "He knows his parents!" Buck nodded. "What're we gonna name 'im?"

I knew what name would fit him. It just seemed to fit him so well and I couldn't think of anything else. "Lucas!" I said happily as I let the baby suck on my finger. Buck nodded. "Lucas…I love it!" The baby, now called Lucas, seeing that he only had his mother's touch, reached out to Buck, who chuckled and gave him his pointer finger. Lucas took it and hugged it as he did with mine.

Yes, he definitely knew his parents~

*~*~*~*~*

(P.S. Chapter 9 is just a Conclusion! Don't expect anything special!)