Fall of the Forsaken

chapter 14

–Azriel– 

waking up my eyes quickly adjusted to the lighting of the hunting cave. the air around us was humid and smelt strongly of fresh rain. tree dwellers chirped loudly in the distance as Nezu huffed, stirring slightly in his sleep across from us.

Despite being wide awake and stiff after sleeping on my side all night, I did not move nor try to get up. Instead my gaze moved to the woman lying in my arms. 

closing my eyes I leaned in nuzzling the top of her head before taking in her scent with a quiet sigh. my tail flicked happily as I pulled myself closer so my chest was flush against her back. 

I listened to her breathing, relished In the warmth of her body, content with the feeling of having her in my arms. 

my hand moved over her stomach and I held it there waiting, just as I do every morning before I leave. It was a routine I had unknowingly created for myself shortly after alitas return. the first time it had happened I froze, something rare for a warrior, freezing during any fight or hunt could end one's life in the matter of seconds.

Since the day my father first taught me to hunt I was told I could never allow myself to freeze. I had to always stay aware, always cautious. If I were to freeze I could lose everything, my prey, my loved ones, my life. I had trained myself for years to keep myself from doing so, all for the sake of keeping the tribe safe and staying alive.

I put myself through numerous dangerous and life threatening situations in order to harden my resolve and make my father proud, but all that training and all the fighting was crushed by the smallest most feeble movement of all. 

the stirring of an unborn child. our child still safely stowed away in the warm cradle of her mother's womb. The smallest kick from this tiny creature managed to take my breath away and make me forgo all that.

I always knew starting a family and sireing a kit was one of life's greatest gifts. an event that would forever change one's world and possibly even one's beliefs. it was an honor and every creature's greatest achievement but to actually have it happen? to actually feel it and see it happening right before your very own eyes? 

nothing could have prepared me for what I would feel, no amount of training, no number of stories and tales. nothing.

Once more, just as I had every morning for the past few weeks– I held my breath and lay there frozen, feeling the smallest kick within Alita's belly. 

my tail curled gently around my mate's ankle as I continued to lay there with her in my arms. imagining what it would be like for us once the infant was born.

Alita groaned unformfortably in her sleep and I opened my eyes, removing my palm from over her belly. Humans tended to be sensitive to the simplest things, especially while carrying so I was constantly doing my best to care for her in any way I could. 

as much as I wanted to hold her against me and lay my head atop of her stomach to listen to their hearts beat I knew it might make her uncomfortable. 

deciding it was time to pull away and find food for her, I moved myself and pulled my arm from under her head, careful not to disrupt her peace. however when I saw her face twisted uncomfortably and a sheen of sweat on her brow, my stomach sank as worry’s ruthless grasp cradled my heart. 

I brought my hand to her face concerned only to flinch away at the heat radiating from her. Alita was pale, and burning up with a fever unlike any time before. I had seen her sickness of the morning plenty of times before to know that this was not a normality. how did I not notice her fever immediately?