Disclaimer: I do not own The Croods, be it the movies, TV shows or that sweet series on Hulu. Ohh, but I wish I did.
Trigger: I don't know if there are any… cept maybe tears. Probably just mine.
Warning: My compulsions are still driving this. Again, I am so sorry!
Catch & Release II – The Journey Continues
By Juliette Lyst
Trekking
Evening
Comfortable.
Relaxed.
Dawn could use these words to describe herself in this moment. She was seated next to Ugga, the older woman putting herself intentionally between her and Guy. On her other side, oddly enough, was Grug.
The older man had no clue what exactly was going on, he had been pulled aside and informed of Dawn's delicate state. Now he was hovering over her too.
Some might have found themselves uncomfortable with the attention, but she didn't mind. In fact, she felt very safe. She knew that Grug was strong. He had already proved that several times already.
He was also hardheaded. He was so stubborn that it was a wonder he chose to come all this way. But… when his wife had spoken, he listened.
That's different… Guy didn't do that… then again, he had always decided where they went. Her brows twitched a little in thought while she bit into her food. They'd stumbled on a couple of duckdactyls and managed to catch the things. With the helpful addition of fresh fish, there was plenty of food to go around. Everyone was seated around the fire and conversation had taken a backseat to their meals.
A faint purr reached Dawn's ears as she finished eating. Glancing down, she saw Belt making his way over to her. As she lifted her head, her eyes met Guy's.
For an uncomfortable moment, they continued to stare at one another.
Frowning, Dawn redirected her gaze – away from him. When Belt reached her, she helped the sloth climb onto her shoulder. Inhaling deeply, she sighed and stood up, one hand resting on her belly.
Ugga looked up then.
"I'll be back soon," Dawn uttered, her voice soft. "Want to go for a walk."
Ugga nodded. "Make sure to let us know if you need help."
"Mm," Dawn replied, turning away from the fire and walking into the woods. As the days turned into weeks, she was faced with the physical manifestation of her condition – especially when she was able to take a brief swim.
Finding a stick, she fiddled with it while she strolled along. The silence was pleasant. After many summers with just Guy for company, she was finding it difficult to be around other people.
Sucking in another deep breath, she stopped walking to stare up at the moon. Where are we going to go? She wondered. How far?
She wasn't sure – and was aware that Guy didn't know. They all just kept ambling along.
Before everything had… changed, she had no problem traveling for the rest of their lives. Now though? She knew eventually their journey would come to an end. She recalled voicing regret for slowing them down. As time passed, the delays would only increase in duration and frequency.
Belt cooed softly.
I miss being home… Over the years, she had deeply missed her family. At first, after meeting up with Guy again, she thought her parents would be found swiftly. As the days dragged on… she realized that there was a strong possibility she would never see them again.
But… at least she wasn't so alone now.
Lightly patting her belly, she let her awareness drift back to her surroundings and resumed her little jaunt.
After half an hour, she realized she wasn't alone. Instead of speaking though, she continued to press forward.
Belt's focused on something behind her, and he let out a small gurgle, a sound he wouldn't make if he felt threatened.
"You don't need to do that," Guy declared, breaking his silence.
As their trek to Tomorrow progressed, he felt more and more uneasy. What he knew now… hurt. About the major mistakes he'd made… about Dawn and her feelings… and his child. He couldn't speak with her before, but he hoped to do so tonight.
How long did she know? He asked himself. Guilt gnawed at him. What would have happened if he knew all of this before Eep? I would have stayed… While he felt bad initially at the idea of straying from Dawn, that had been covered over by his excitement of the possibility – the chance of a life with someone else.
Someone distinctly different.
Someone new.
Eep was fearless and very strong, and this made her personality very different than Dawn's. She was also very affectionate and doted on him.
His feelings for her were mutual, and he found her wit intriguing.
Now though…
"Dawn," he spoke again, quickening his steps to keep up with her. "You don't have to walk away from me."
Irked at his words, Dawn slowed to a stop. Her countenance was one of fury. "What does it matter?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
Unsure of what to say, Guy bit his lip. He wasn't used to her being angry with him.
"It's not as if you'll be in our lives for long. Right… brother?" The last word, she hissed out, her temper boiling over. She was still reeling over the lie he'd told – of them being siblings of all things.
Recoiling as if struck, Guy's shoulders sagged. "I deserve that," he replied. A frown marred his features. "We don't need to be apart, Dawn."
Gritting her teeth, she shook her head. "We do," she pointed out. "That was of your choosing… not mine."
Frown deepening, Guy cleared his throat. "I know," he spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wish I'd known…" he muttered.
"Would it have changed anything?" she asked, some of the tension around her eyes easing.
"Yes," he replied without hesitation. He could read the bewilderment on her face. The fact she seemed so dumbfounded made him feel even worse.
Slowly, her expression grew sorrowful. "It shouldn't have taken a baby to keep you," she replied quietly, her shoulders drooping.
Absolute silence followed her words.
Soon after, they found themselves locked in a long stare. Again.
Feeling pressure behind her eyes, Dawn directed her attention elsewhere. She inhaled deeply, her bottom lip quivering. "I can't do this an –"
"Can I walk with you?" Guy interjected.
Sniffling, she focused on his face, one brow rising.
"It's… j—just…" straightening up, he looked around. "It's dark out – and I want you to be safe."
Eyes narrowing again, Dawn turned and resumed walking.
She hadn't told him no, so Guy hurriedly caught up with her.
"So," he began, wanting to fill the empty space between them. "You do this often?"
Confusion settled on her features. "What do you mean?" she asked, once again fiddling with the stick she'd picked up.
Relieved that at least she was willing to talk, Guy squared his shoulders. "Go for late walks," he noticed when she briefly glanced at him. "I don't remember you doing that before."
Ducking her head, acknowledging his words, she nodded. "I noticed it helped."
"Helped with what?" he asked.
Pausing, Dawn sighed and again turned her focus to him. "I thought I wouldn't feel as sick if I got a nice walk in after dinner." So far, her theory had been proven correct.
Guy's thick brows furrowed, and he rubbed his chin – trying to understand. "So… that was why you've been so ill? The baby?" he questioned, beginning to feel goosebumps. How long has she been sick for? Strong mind or not, certain events were kicked to the wayside… and right now he wanted his memory to reach far back enough.
Unusually quiet after that, Dawn just swallowed hard and resumed walking.
"Dawn?" he spoke, catching up to her again.
"What does it matter?" she grumbled.
Stepping in front of her and effectively stopping her, Guy rested both hands on her upper arms. "Please," he begged, his eyes half closed. "Is the baby why you haven't been well?"
Scowling, Dawn averted her gaze. "… Yes."
Both of them were quiet after that.
Guy… because he was baffled and upset with himself. The entire time he was looking for some cause other than that.
But… how would he have known what to look for?
Dawn… because she was just tired of having to deal with him. Were the situation different, she'd enjoy his company. Now though?
Now she just wanted to be left in peace.
"… I'm sorry," Guy spoke softly.
Sighing, Dawn frowned. "I need to keep moving, Guy," she reminded him, but didn't tell him to back off.
Loosening his hold, he moved to the side and followed Dawn as she resumed her walk.
A half hour later, she was leaning back against a tree, reaching back, and struggling to hold on to the trunk. Dawn was sweating, and willing the ground to stop moving.
"You need to lay down," Guy spoke softly.
Feeling out of sorts, Dawn made serious effort to respond. "No, back at camp."
Guy blinked a little. "Do you want me to carry you back?"
Dawn shook her head in denial. The last thing she wanted was him touching her ever again.
Belt had long since left Dawn and was wrapped around Guy's shoulders.
"How's your stomach feeling?"
Here, she hesitated. The dizziness was acute this time, and she was worried she'd be sick if she moved at all. Before she could answer, her world spun abruptly, and she found herself staring up at the dark skies.
Guy peered down at her from where he was kneeling.
Though miffed – knowing that he had purposely forced her to lie down in the grass – she felt instantaneous relief.
"Since you don't want me to carry you back to camp," Guy spoke. "We'll have to wait until you can get up."
She began grinding her teeth together, not wanting to acknowledge his words.
It was true. She was being stubborn, but she really didn't want to be anywhere near him.
Could anyone blame her for that?
Yet he insisted on tagging along and had the nerve to repetitively stop her and ask all sorts of questions…
"I brought you some coconut too," he added, unaware of her internal monologue. "I know it helped you feel better." Here, he offered it to her.
Resigned, she accepted the offering and popped it in her mouth. She hummed, enjoying the slightly creamy and sweet snack.
After sitting down next to her, he sprawled out on his back.
Belt sat on the ground next to him.
"What are you doing?" she asked, not liking this at all.
"Stargazing," his response was a normal one between them. For quite some time, Guy had studied the stars and came up with a way to orient himself at night.
It wasn't always full proof though.
After a while, Dawn slowly rolled over to face him. "Tell me something…"
Guy glanced at her. "Sure."
"Why?" she asked.
"Why?" he parroted. "Why did –"
"Why did you leave?" she asked, her voice suddenly husky. "What did I do?"
Alarmed, Guy sat up. "No! No, Dawn," He shook his head. "It's nothing you did."
She was quiet, her eyes bright from tears.
"It," he paused, trying to find the right words. "I just… w-wasn't thinking," For a moment, he worried that his response would anger her. Instead, she looked so lost. "I've been self-centered," he added. "And senseless."
Dawn half closed her eyes.
"I was only thinking about myself. I… I never consider how much it would hurt you." When she didn't respond, he assumed she was asleep. Exhaling quickly, he ran his fingers through his hair… "I am an idiot," he said to no one in particular. He let the stillness of the night sink in. Hearing her voice made him jump.
"Did you ever care about me?" she asked in a small voice.
Guy turned his attention back to her, his mouth hanging open.
"You don't have to answer that," she added quickly, holding up a hand. She didn't want his answer, especially not if it was an affirmation of her fears.
Taking her hand, he kissed her wrist. "I always have… still do," he replied. "I just… I don't know how to fix this."
Biting her bottom lip, she sniffled. "You can't, Guy… This isn't a problem that one of your ideas can solve."
"I messed up," he paused, sucking in a deep breath. "But I plan on being there for you and our baby."
Lifting her eyes to him, she tried to understand. "You can't do that," she replied. He was still holding her hand, but she didn't bother pulling away from him. "You have a whole other life in the distance, Guy. You have a future… one that has no space for me. For us."
"You two are my family," he spoke.
His words gave her pause.
"I won't abandon my family," he added. "I can't."
Before she could say anything else, her features scrunched up in discomfort. Her stomach was upset… but thankfully it wasn't as severe as it had been. Or… maybe it was. Her eyes widened, as she felt a very familiar churning in her stomach. She groaned deeply, already hating what was about to happen.
"Dawn?" The young man watched, helpless, as his former mate began to shiver. "What's wrong?"
Shaking her head, she clamped a hand over her mouth.
He wrapped his arms around her in support. "If you're going to be sick, it's alright…" he murmured. He felt warmth rush through his veins as he thought of the reason they were out there in the first place… to avoid this very thing. He'd messed up… again. He quickly helped her sit up right as he heard her gag. "I'm sorry I interrupted your walk." And bothered you... he silently added.
Dawn was unable to respond, her body furiously ridding her of her prior meal. She was barely over the first bout – trying to catch her breath – before she retched and began vomiting again.
Guy continued to hold her steady, until he was certain she was done.
Dawn spat a few times into the grass once the sickness eased its grip. "I'm sorry," she murmured, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Why are you apologizing to me?" he asked. He saw the bemused expression she held. "Come on. Time to get up."
Belt reacted to Guy's words and climbed up his legs.
Eyes widening, Dawn let out a small yelp when he lifted her up into his arms. "Guy?"
He tightened his hold on her. "You need fresh water, and I remember just the spot." He walked swiftly in that direction.
The river was where Ugga found them a while later. Not wanting to shock them too much, she cleared her throat.
At the same time, they turned to look up at her.
It was cute in a way, but she was still annoyed with Guy. "Came out here so no one else would."
"T-Thank you," Dawn stuttered, understanding the significance of that.
"As for you Guy…" At this, Ugga's voice trailed off. She saw how close their hands were on the bank. Sitting side by side, they weren't holding hands… but their position was still very intimate. "… Uhh…"
Guy flushed just a little, realizing how everything must look.
"Don't take too long out here," Ugga added, needle-like focus on Guy.
"We'll be back once Dawn's feeling better," he replied, unwilling to move anytime soon.
Hearing that changed Ugga's entire stance. Concern flit across her face and she sat on the other side of Dawn. "Got sick again?"
"It was my fault," Guy spoke. "I kept distracting her from her walk."
"No. It's fine, Guy," Dawn replied. "We still have a few things to talk about… but not tonight."
Ugga frowned, not sure how she should feel about the direction their conversation was going. She was already conflicted with her desire to warn her daughter and her want to not interfere in her daughter's life and relationships.
A half hour more and all of them were heading back, at a more sedate speed.
Guy was carrying Dawn in his arms. "Apologies for walking so slow," he spoke. "I don't want to jostle her too much."
The young woman was already deeply asleep.
Ugga was quiet while they walked, but when they neared the camp, she glanced at him. "You need to make a decision,"
His brows rose curiously, but he had an idea of what she meant.
"Out of respect, I haven't told Eep about what's happening… but you need to say something to her."
Guy suddenly looked nervous.
"Soon."
Was it right for her to stay quiet? Knowing that someone would be hurt regardless, Ugga lowered her head and resumed walking to the camp.
Six Days Later – Morning
Yawning, Dawn stretched where she lay. She had been spared the family 'sleep pile' and was able to sleep in her normal bedding. Guy, she noticed, wasn't so fortunate and found himself squished under Chunky. A faint smile flit across her lips before she frowned slightly. An insistent pressure in her lower body had her away from the camp before anyone else had the chance to wake up.
When she returned a short while later, Dawn was holding a fat trout in her left hand. It was a once-in-a-while catch, and she looked forward to preparing and eating it. The thought of sharing it flickered in her mind briefly, but her growling stomach disagreed.
In the middle of rebuilding the fire before she scaled and gutted the fish, she was startled to feel a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, her eyes widened when she saw Eep.
"Need some help?" the redhead asked, offering a wide smile.
Numbly, Dawn nodded and the two young women soon had the fire relit and were dealing with the fish.
"This thing is huge!" Eep exclaimed, watching as Dawn finished carefully removing the scales. She'd seen the fish that Guy brought them, but never before it was cleaned and prepped to cook. This was a very new experience.
"I… guess?" Dawn queried, moving her knife to cut a slit in the fish's belly once she was done scaling it.
"Whoa…" Eep murmured, moving in closer to see what was happening. "What are you doing now?"
"Umm…" Dawn replied, trying to figure out what to even say. She wasn't used to having someone study what she was doing so closely. Instead of speaking further, she finished removing the fish's innards and worked to separate the head from it.
"I've never seen something like this before," Eep commented, sitting down finally.
Pausing a moment, Dawn glanced at her, an eyebrow rising. "Really?" Fishing was a normal part of her life. So was dressing and eating them. Feeling her stomach grumbling again, she resumed working.
"Never been close enough to water for long," the young redhead replied. She hugged her knees to her chest, watching with very attentive and wide eyes.
A faint smile curved Dawn's mouth. Eep wasn't so bad after all. I've been judging her too harshly, she realized. Truthfully, she hadn't taken any time to get to know Eep personally. The young brunette was letting herself be guided by her emotions too much.
There was nothing at all wrong with the oldest daughter of the Crood family. The hurt feelings were because of Guy, Not Eep…
Dawn's eyes narrowed faintly as she finished severing the head off the fish. She was grateful that she never leant voice to her feelings. It would have made things tense between them.
Twenty minutes later, both young women were sitting in front of the fire, watching the fish as it cooked.
Dawn yawned again, stretching.
Eep let her gaze drift to the flames, her eyes still wide. There were so many things she needed to learn if she was going to survive properly in this world.
Sighing heavily from lingering fatigue, Dawn rose to her feet and adjusted the fish again.
"Wow, is that breakfast?" Thunk's voice broke through the mostly silent atmosphere.
Dawn flinched, hearing the words. A muscle in her jaw jumped in irritation as she tried to figure out how best to answer. The whole point of her fishing was to get food for herself.
Eep frowned, noticing her new friend's reaction to the question. "Umm…" Swallowing hard when she noticed how quickly Dawn's gaze snapped to her, she stood and turned fully toward her family – waving at them. "No," she began. "It's um…" How do I word this? "It… uhh…"
"It's for her, Eep," Ugga offered, with a faint smile. "We figured." As she spoke, she nudged Thunk in a different direction. She already knew that the fish wouldn't be enough to feed all of them – and had noticed how agitated Dawn became at the idea of sharing any of it.
Dawn let out a quiet sigh and tried to calm herself down.
"Morning!" Guy called, sauntering over.
"Hey you!" Eep replied with a grin, her cheeks rosy.
Dawn merely grunted in reply. She really did not want to have to deal with him this morning.
"Ooh! What did you catch?" he asked, seeing the cooking fish. He was confused a split second later – seeing the alarm in Eep's eyes.
"It's her breakfast, that's all Guy!" the redhead explained.
Before Guy could say anything, Dawn spoke up.
"It's fine, Eep. Thanks," As she spoke, she looked over at them. "You know how overbearing and annoying brothers can be." Her lips curved up at the corners, but there was a tinge of sarcasm in her words. "Whatever I don't eat, I plan on drying out," she explained, turning her attention back to the fish. "I need to make sure I have something to chew on."
Guy nodded silently, though she didn't see it.
"How are you feeling today?" Eep asked, tuning her boyfriend out for the time being. She stepped closer to Dawn.
"Hungry," Dawn replied, already carefully picking off bits of the fish and popping them in her mouth.
"I'll go get some leaves." Guy said, leaving the camp.
A half hour later, everyone was back at camp. Since Dawn planned to smoke the rest of her fish, they needed to build a separate fire further away. The Croods had stumbled on a disoriented Ramu, wounded from butting heads with another one. Now, the animal was being prepared for roasting.
Sniffing deeply from where she sat, a genuine smile in place, Dawn closed her eyes and enjoyed the sounds and smells of their camp.
Eep cleared her throat before sitting down next to Dawn. Her mother kept stealing glances at Dawn, and she was more than a little puzzled. She understood some of what was happening with her friend, but…
"Hi Eep," Dawn spoke, half opening her eyes. She jumped a little as Guy placed a cracked coconut right in her lap.
He didn't say anything, heading back to the secondary fire.
Dawn's eyes followed him until she met Eep's befuddled stare. Offering a shrug in answer, she lifted the coconut and started drinking deeply.
Evening
Everyone was seated at the secondary fire now. The remainer of Dawn's fish was thoroughly smoked and packed away. There was laughter, as Grug attempted to share one of his 'new' stories.
"… ew, but – they did not die!"
Gran laughed. "Different than the rest!" She was right. Grug's stories had changed since they left their old home behind.
Dawn grinned before taking a final bite out her mango. Earlier, she and Eep decided to scout further out around their camp and had stumbled on a tree holding one of her favorite fruits.
Eep was right next to her, but she was still trying to navigate around the sticky fruit. "How are you suppose to eat this again?" There was a faint crunching noise as she tried to bite into it properly.
Dawn glanced over, offering a smile. Then… one of her brows rose curiously. "Uhh… You're not supposed to bite through it, Eep. That's not all fruit."
Eep grimaced. "No wonder this tastes funny," she muttered, carefully pulling hard pieces out her mouth.
Dawn winced. "How…"
"Never had it before," Eep replied. "It's so sweet though."
"That's true," Dawn agreed.
"But also hurts so badly."
"… That's the seed, Eep." Guy chimed in, sitting next to her.
"Yeah, you don't want to eat that part. Or the…" Dawn squinted closely. "Skin. Don't want to eat the skin either."
"You don't?" Eep asked, looking at the fruit again.
"No…" Dawn responded.
"Why do you eat this?" The redhead scowled at the mango, turning it around in her hands. It tasted good, but it wasn't worth the effort.
"It just… is good." Dawn replied.
Eep frowned and handed the one she was trying to eat over to Dawn. "Yah. You can have the rest of mine."
The young brunette eagerly accepted it. "Thanks." She bit into it without another word.
"Guy, you're up!" Grug called.
"Me?"
"Yep! Give us a story too!" Thunk cried.
"If you'r—"
"Story! Story! Story!"
Laughing and scratching behind his head, he took over the spot Grug had occupied. "I'll do my best."
"Tell us more about 'Tomorrow.'" Gran spoke. "You've seen it, we want to hear what it's like."
Later
Yawns were heard all around and almost everyone crept over and started getting ready for the sleep pile.
Except Dawn. While she was also yawning, she climbed to her feet, ready for her nighttime walk.
She hadn't cleared the camp before she heard another voice.
"You do this every night?"
Arms folded slightly as she walked, Dawn nodded. "Yeah, Eep. It helps."
Something had been nagging at the young redhead all day, but she didn't know what she could or even should say. She had so many questions...
Grateful for no interruptions, Dawn continued her walk. She wasn't sure why her stomach felt so much better after walking, just that it did.
"Hey Dawn?" Eep spoke softly, once they'd traveled quite some distance.
"Hmm?" she asked, further relaxed by the walk.
"Uhh… Mom told me a few… t-things."
Slowing down, Dawn tilted her head in Eep's direction. "Such as?"
"… Is… Ah…" Eep scratched the back of her neck, not sure how she would word this at all.
The brunette frowned. "Is something wrong?"
"I was just wondering, since you have the… um… the baby…" Eep kept stopping, wondering why she was asking anything at all.
"… Yes?" Dawn asked, a bit wary now.
"Are we going to run into the baby's dad on the road?"
Inhaling sharply, Dawn wondered how she was going to answer that question. Were she and Guy actual siblings, it would seem odd for just the two of them to be traveling on the road... without the baby's father along for the trip.
"Dawn?" Eep asked, catching her friend's attention. "Y–You don't have to answer. I shouldn't have asked at all."
"He left," Dawn spoke. Deception wasn't something she enjoyed, and from the start, being so misleading had been Guy's decision alone. She didn't want to outright lie to Eep, but… she didn't want to share too much either.
"Left?" Eep asked, not believing she'd heard right.
Dawn nodded. "We were mates. But he… chose to go elsewhere."
Eep frowned. "So, it's just been you and Guy on the road… Is Guy trying to find him?"
At a loss and blinking a little, Dawn glanced at her briefly. "Trying to find who?"
Green eyes narrowed just a little. Odd… "Your mate. You said he left you." She watched attentively as Dawn reacted to her question.
Though a bit tongue-tied at first, Dawn let out a bark of laughter, but it was bitter.
"No, Eep," she replied, rubbing at suddenly wet eyes. "No. There's no point." She lowered her eyes. "Even if we found him, he wouldn't take us back… nor would I be that willing to return to a man who left me," pausing for a moment… she tried to calm down. "Not with the way he left, no."
Eep stepped in front of Dawn and stopped her in her tracks. "That's awful Dawn," she said, tears in her eyes. She gently hugged her friend.
Dawn let out a whimper and returned the hug.
"We'll take care of you," Eep added, moving out of the way and ushering Dawn ahead of her. "All of us will."
Feeling warm all over, Dawn nodded, resuming her walk. "T… Thank you."
Eep offered a watery smile. She remembered how stunned she felt when she found out there even was a baby and didn't understand why Dawn always seemed so sad. She realized her friend was isolating herself from everyone else too.
Did she think no one noticed or cared?
"Hey Dawn," the redhead pipped up. She suddenly felt excited, having an idea to cheer up her friend.
Dawn arched a brow. "Hmm?"
"Come on and let's go find more of those mango trees," After speaking, she grabbed Dawn's hand and carefully pulled her friend along.
Dawn snorted, following gamely – as if she could really stop Eep. "Umm… I thought you hated those."
Eep grimaced in memory. "Uh, yeah… Eww." Still, she kept moving. "You like them though and maybe we can bring a few more with us when we pick up in the morning."
Dawn grinned at that.
Eight Days Later…
The day was rough ever since that morning. Guy pressed them to move faster, to put plenty of distance between themselves and one of the animals they'd heard the night before.
Whatever it was… it made Chunky nervous and they weren't used to the death cat acting like that. By mid-afternoon, everyone was dragging from the harried pace. Everyone… except Ugga and Dawn.
Ugga had opted to ride on Chunky's back with Dawn in front of her. The younger woman grew groggy from the gentle rocking sensation of the cat's movements and was leaning back against Ugga… asleep. Ugga held Dawn in place. Both of the sloths were up there with them as well.
Grug was muttering to himself as they walked. Teeth grinding together, he watched as Guy and his daughter walked closer to each other again. He stepped forward, 'accidentally' standing between them. The effort to keep them apart had been wearing on him lately.
A lot.
"Ugh!" Thunk cried. "My feet hurt!"
Sandy squealed from her perch on Gran's shoulders.
"How long do we have to keep going?" the young boy asked, hugging Douglas.
The crocopup had been wiggling his tail, curious about everything around them.
"That's a good question," Ugga chimed in from above. Looking down at Guy, she directed a question his way. "Just where do you think we can go to get away from that thing back there?"
"I…" Releasing a heavy sigh, Guy wrung his hands together. His problem was threefold.
There was some creature out there… one that they hadn't been able to see, but had certainly heard. Secondly, Chunky was terrified by the sound of it, but they had no idea why.
And… Guy was extremely worried about Dawn and their baby. There was no way for her slender frame to have hidden it for long, and he was starting to see a slight curve to her lower belly now. It made everything more real for him… and made the world around them more dangerous than ever before in his eyes.
His worry, in fact, had turned into a fear so intense that he couldn't think of anything other than getting them away from there. The only way he knew was to run. Nothing else would come to mind.
Not yet.
"You…?" Ugga supplied, curious over the blank expression on his face then. Then he began looking ashen… worse than she'd ever seen him. She wasn't sure what was happening to him, but it didn't look good.
"I don't… I don't know," he admitted, his voice getting high and wobbly. "I can't think," he uttered, grasping hair at the sides of his head, the words sounding strangled now as he struggled through the lump in his throat. Unexpectedly, a sob escaped his mouth and he smacked a hand over it, his features closed in.
Tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks as he continued to walk.
Ugga's eyes widened in complete shock.
So did Grug's.
And Eep's.
Gran looked unconcerned.
And Sandy and Thunk… well, they were too distracted by things flying overhead to notice or understand.
"We need to stop," Ugga spoke, tugging lightly on Chunky's fur.
The death cat obeyed and dropped down to the ground.
Ugga gently nudged Dawn awake and slid off the cat's back with the young woman in her arms.
"Mn," Dawn muttered, rubbing her eyes. "What's happening?" she asked.
Guy's eyes widened at Ugga's words and he waved his arms. "No!" he cried, frantic. "We have to – W-We have to keep going!" His breathing was becoming erratic. "We can't stop! We can't!" He felt the fear ratchet up several notches when he saw Dawn, pupils dilating.
Understanding lit Ugga's eyes as she glanced to the young woman in her arms. Looking around, she saw a forested spot that was mostly clear of trees. "We'll set up camp in that clearing," she declared, making eye contact with Guy. "I'll be back in a little bit."
Guy swallowed. The muscles in his jaw were quivering, and he was trembling.
"Come on, Guy," Ugga said, turning towards a direction away from the campsite and still holding Dawn. "Don't come with us, Eep!" she added.
Having prepared to do just that, the young redhead came up short. "But you're taking Dawn with you!" she called back.
Pausing momentarily, Ugga readjusted the hold she had on the young brunette. "Just stay and help with the camp!" She barked, tone brooking no argument.
Stiffening at the words and their delivery, Eep cleared her throat. "Okay mom!" Turning to the rest of her family, shoulders sagging, she silently moved to Chunky to collect their supplies.
Thunk hurried over to help.
Grug frowned in concern, his gaze meeting Gran's and seeing the same expression.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Whew! I did not expect the next chapter of anything I'd be writing… to be this.
I did promise a friend —and myself— that I would turn this into a saga if I got between 75-80 views on the short. I said that, knowing that "Catch & Release" only had maybe 40 views. "Perspectives" has around the same amount. "The Sweetest Treat" has a lot more, but it is based on an event that went unwritten in "Navigating the Curve."
For anyone wondering, I am actively working to edit "Open Arms," too and it's a bit slow going. The chapters are so bad that I'm rewriting each chapter from the ground up, with its previous incarnation in a side-by-side window.
The chapters are looking longer with the brand-new parts… to the extent that I might start splitting some of them into two chapters depending on their size.
Fortunately, the problem with "Navigating the Curve" isn't nearly as bad, but I'm also staring down the barrel of having to punch out a fresh 30K for additions… then manually re-number and rearrange the chapters. Right now, I'm spot editing with a red ink pen (when the mood strikes) and looking for inconsistencies. I know there are some major issues between chapter 10-17 that I need to look out for.
I've also made a decision. For the time being, I'm going to keep my stories, including the newest chapters on AO3. The revisions will still go up on and the additional one to NtC to even it out, but after that, I won't bother.
It's becoming tedious to keep both sites updated, especially since keeps claiming that my email is rejecting their messages. I don't even get notified of updating my own fanfics.
1/5/2023 - Additional Notes Below
Thanks for your patience!
XXO
~J. Lyst
Additional Note: This is a revised version of the original copy. Corrected errors, added in missing words. Removed segments to make story flow better. Date of it is November 30, 2023.
Addition To The Addition: I'm overjoyed that the stats feature on is back, because I honestly thought no one wanted to read my stuff. Date of this note is January 5, 2024.