Hmm here's the 10th chapter-thingy...same request as always ^-^
~*~*~*~*~
The whole pack fretted over Serenity once she was settled into the hay nest, even the males.
"Can I get you some more water?"
"Are you comfortable enough?"
"Are you hungry?"
Serenity was comforted by knowing that the pack cared for her in some way. Minoko (the cub...remember? ^_^) came and gave her beautiful bunches of wild flowers everyday, accompanied be hugs (Serenity's favorite)
Kouga never left her side during the time of her recovery. He laid with her through day and night, and the pack knew very well that he wouldn't budge unless he absolutely had to.
For two months, Serenity stayed in the cave with nobody but Kouga and the occasional healer to check up on her.
Kouga had to be constantly reassured that she was alright, and was practically good as new by the end of those two months.
~*~*~*~*~
Serenity jerked awake, trying to wipe the blood off her body.
Only there wasn't any blood. Only the curse of memory.
Damn nightmares.
When her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw that Kouga was lying behind and curled around her, his hand on her tummy.
She smiled and kissed him, causing him to twitch and mumble in his sleep. She lay awake for awhile, watching him sleep.
'He seems happier when he's asleep,' Serenity thought, stroking his hair.
After about 20 minutes or so, she felt drowsy enough to go back to sleep.
As soon as she closed her eyes, the baby kicked.
HARD.
Serenity gasped in surprise (and a little bit in pain). She became irked, since being deprived of sleep wasn't something she enjoyed.
She then realized that she craved some Rocky Road Ice Cream BAD.
But there wasn't Rocky Road Ice Cream in Feudal Japan.
Damn it all.
Getting more irritated by the second, Serenity removed Kouga's arms from around her and got up.
In the absence of the yumminess that is ice cream, a pear would have to do.
Serenity left the cave, ignoring how tense her back felt. She made her way to the basket of fruit she gathered (and raided) earlier that same day.
She found Ginta pawing through it and smiled.
"Well, hello there!" she said, causing him to jump.
"Oh! Hi, Sis," he said, relieved that it was just here.
She dug a pear out of the basket and stood while she ate. Ginta stood next to her and asked, "Why are you up at this time of night?"
Serenity shrugged. "I had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep because the baby's kicking." She sighed, leaning against a tree.
Ginta patted her belly. "Kicks, huh? Well, that's usually a good sign."
Serenity smiled at him before asking, "Will my children live longer with Kouga's demon blood in them?" She was anxious and worried at the same time.
Ginta thought for a moment, then replied, "Well, yes. They will live up to twice as long them if they were fully human." He paused before continuing with, "But you will live as long as you normally would. Kouga will outlive you AND your children."
Serenity nodded, somewhat pleased. "Well, alright. But will Kouga really live longer than his own offspring?"
"Sadly, yes," Ginta said, throwing his apple core to the side. He yawned loudly and hugged Serenity. "I'm going back to bed, Sis. Good night."
"Sleep well, hun," she said as she headed back into the cave.
~*~*~*~*~
Kouga woke up at sunrise, made sure that Serenity was still asleep and comfortable, and exited the cave.
He went to the waterfall and bathed quickly.
While he sun dried on a rock, he pulled out the Sacred Jewel Shard and examined it.
Serenity had taken it from the Birds of Paradise and gave it to him.
'She must have remembered all I said about the Sacred Jewel,' he thought, turning it over in his hands before stashing it away inside the sheath of his sword and stretching.
He still couldn't believe that Serenity went through the trouble of getting it for him.
On the way back home, he picked some wildflowers for her.
~*~*~*~*~
being 5 months pregnant during the summer was a nearly intolerable situation. Serenity spent her days panting in the shade and feeling useless.
The pack, however, went about their business as though the heat wasn't noticeable. Serenity didn't get it; she wasn't even the one with fur!
Kouga was exceptionally kind towards his mate, since it wasn't hard for him to see how much discomfort the pregnancy was causing her.
He felt delighted and horrified at the same time. He couldn't wait for the baby to arrive, but didn't want her to go through the pain. His personal judgment of her having problems was confirmed by the healers.
"If you think she's fatigued now, you just wait," they always said.
Comforting.
Serenity, on the other hand, was avoiding pity at all costs. She did not want to be treated differently just because she was carrying a baby. However, the pack held her in high regard and refused to let her work. At all.
Serenity knew that the next 4 months would be long.
~*~*~*~*~
The whole pack fretted over Serenity once she was settled into the hay nest, even the males.
"Can I get you some more water?"
"Are you comfortable enough?"
"Are you hungry?"
Serenity was comforted by knowing that the pack cared for her in some way. Minoko (the cub...remember? ^_^) came and gave her beautiful bunches of wild flowers everyday, accompanied be hugs (Serenity's favorite)
Kouga never left her side during the time of her recovery. He laid with her through day and night, and the pack knew very well that he wouldn't budge unless he absolutely had to.
For two months, Serenity stayed in the cave with nobody but Kouga and the occasional healer to check up on her.
Kouga had to be constantly reassured that she was alright, and was practically good as new by the end of those two months.
~*~*~*~*~
Serenity jerked awake, trying to wipe the blood off her body.
Only there wasn't any blood. Only the curse of memory.
Damn nightmares.
When her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw that Kouga was lying behind and curled around her, his hand on her tummy.
She smiled and kissed him, causing him to twitch and mumble in his sleep. She lay awake for awhile, watching him sleep.
'He seems happier when he's asleep,' Serenity thought, stroking his hair.
After about 20 minutes or so, she felt drowsy enough to go back to sleep.
As soon as she closed her eyes, the baby kicked.
HARD.
Serenity gasped in surprise (and a little bit in pain). She became irked, since being deprived of sleep wasn't something she enjoyed.
She then realized that she craved some Rocky Road Ice Cream BAD.
But there wasn't Rocky Road Ice Cream in Feudal Japan.
Damn it all.
Getting more irritated by the second, Serenity removed Kouga's arms from around her and got up.
In the absence of the yumminess that is ice cream, a pear would have to do.
Serenity left the cave, ignoring how tense her back felt. She made her way to the basket of fruit she gathered (and raided) earlier that same day.
She found Ginta pawing through it and smiled.
"Well, hello there!" she said, causing him to jump.
"Oh! Hi, Sis," he said, relieved that it was just here.
She dug a pear out of the basket and stood while she ate. Ginta stood next to her and asked, "Why are you up at this time of night?"
Serenity shrugged. "I had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep because the baby's kicking." She sighed, leaning against a tree.
Ginta patted her belly. "Kicks, huh? Well, that's usually a good sign."
Serenity smiled at him before asking, "Will my children live longer with Kouga's demon blood in them?" She was anxious and worried at the same time.
Ginta thought for a moment, then replied, "Well, yes. They will live up to twice as long them if they were fully human." He paused before continuing with, "But you will live as long as you normally would. Kouga will outlive you AND your children."
Serenity nodded, somewhat pleased. "Well, alright. But will Kouga really live longer than his own offspring?"
"Sadly, yes," Ginta said, throwing his apple core to the side. He yawned loudly and hugged Serenity. "I'm going back to bed, Sis. Good night."
"Sleep well, hun," she said as she headed back into the cave.
~*~*~*~*~
Kouga woke up at sunrise, made sure that Serenity was still asleep and comfortable, and exited the cave.
He went to the waterfall and bathed quickly.
While he sun dried on a rock, he pulled out the Sacred Jewel Shard and examined it.
Serenity had taken it from the Birds of Paradise and gave it to him.
'She must have remembered all I said about the Sacred Jewel,' he thought, turning it over in his hands before stashing it away inside the sheath of his sword and stretching.
He still couldn't believe that Serenity went through the trouble of getting it for him.
On the way back home, he picked some wildflowers for her.
~*~*~*~*~
being 5 months pregnant during the summer was a nearly intolerable situation. Serenity spent her days panting in the shade and feeling useless.
The pack, however, went about their business as though the heat wasn't noticeable. Serenity didn't get it; she wasn't even the one with fur!
Kouga was exceptionally kind towards his mate, since it wasn't hard for him to see how much discomfort the pregnancy was causing her.
He felt delighted and horrified at the same time. He couldn't wait for the baby to arrive, but didn't want her to go through the pain. His personal judgment of her having problems was confirmed by the healers.
"If you think she's fatigued now, you just wait," they always said.
Comforting.
Serenity, on the other hand, was avoiding pity at all costs. She did not want to be treated differently just because she was carrying a baby. However, the pack held her in high regard and refused to let her work. At all.
Serenity knew that the next 4 months would be long.