Chapter 159: My babies are getting too heavy

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: My babies are getting too heavy

Soren’s tail slammed into the ground.

BOOM.

Dust jumped.

Everyone nearby went silent.

Raku slowly closed his mouth.

Too late.

Soren turned toward Druun.

The giant was still standing beside his offerings looking unbelievably pleased with himself.

Fruit tree.

Massive prey.

Salt-filled boulder.

Enough food to make half the settlement stare with open hunger.

Druun pointed at Swanly’s stomach again.

"Young."

Then at the mountain.

"Eat."

Soren’s expression became terrifying.

Kael’s was not much better.

Swanly looked from one male to the other.

Then at Druun.

"Oh, for fuck’s sake."

System.

The tiny fairy appeared immediately.

{Host.}

Is he courting me?

The system looked toward Druun.

Golden light flickered across its eyes.

{Scanning behavioral patterns.}

Swanly waited.

Druun smiled at her.

Soren looked increasingly murderous.

Kael’s tail lashed once.

The system finally answered.

{Negative.}

Swanly nearly sagged with relief.

Explain.

{Druun’s behavior does not currently match mating or courtship behavior.}

The fairy pointed toward the giant.

{His thought patterns are comparatively direct. Host is small. Host treated Druun kindly. Host protects cubs. Druun likes cubs. Host is now carrying additional young.}

Another little window appeared.

{Conclusion: Druun believes Host requires increased protection and food.}

Swanly stared.

So he basically thinks I’m a tiny pregnant creature that needs feeding.

{Correct.}

The system paused.

{A very tiny pregnant creature.}

Disappear.

It vanished.

Swanly looked toward Druun again.

Honestly?

That made perfect sense.

He was not flirting.

He did not hover around her.

Did not try touching her unnecessarily.

Did not look at her the way Nerin sometimes accidentally did before nearly dying of embarrassment.

Druun had simply discovered she was pregnant and apparently decided the proper response was to uproot half the fucking forest.

Swanly leaned closer to Kael.

"He isn’t courting me."

Kael’s golden eyes remained on Druun.

"How do you know?"

"My magic checked."

That finally got his attention.

She lowered her voice.

"He likes the cubs. He likes me because I’m kind to him. He realized I’m carrying babies and thinks I need more food."

Kael stared at the entire fruit tree.

"That is more food?"

"To him, apparently."

Kael’s shoulders loosened.

Slowly.

He looked at Druun again.

Then at Soren.

Soren was still glaring at the giant.

Kael’s eyes changed.

Swanly knew that look.

"No."

Kael glanced at her.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Whatever just entered your head, no."

"I have said nothing."

"That makes it worse."

Kael’s mouth twitched.

Then he looked toward Soren.

"Perhaps Raku is right."

Swanly’s mouth dropped open.

"Kael."

Soren turned.

Kael continued calmly.

"If he is courting your female, you should stop him."

Soren’s eyes narrowed.

Swanly slapped Kael’s arm.

"Do not encourage him!"

Kael ignored her.

"You are very powerful."

Soren stared.

Kael’s expression remained perfectly serious.

"Go."

Swanly stared at him.

This bastard.

Kael wanted Soren to attack Druun.

Not because he believed Druun was courting her.

Because there was an excellent chance Druun would swat Soren into a tree.

Petty.

Vindictive.

Completely fucking ridiculous.

Soren began moving forward.

Swanly grabbed his arm.

"Stop."

Kael immediately said:

"Do not stop."

Soren paused.

His head slowly turned toward Kael.

Kael looked innocent.

Too innocent.

Soren’s eyes narrowed.

Then realization entered them.

He stopped completely.

Kael frowned.

"Why did you stop?"

Soren stared.

Kael shrugged.

"Go on."

Nothing.

"Defend your dignity."

Soren’s face became colder.

Kael’s mouth finally curved.

"Or did you realize you would embarrass yourself?"

Soren moved.

Not toward Druun.

Toward Kael.

Kael’s eyes widened.

"Oh."

Soren lunged.

Kael turned and ran.

Swanly stared.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

Kael shot between two shelters.

Soren went after him.

"You wanted me to attack the giant!"

Kael laughed over his shoulder.

"I was offering advice!"

"I will offer you death!"

"You have to catch me first!"

A white tail nearly swept Kael’s legs.

He jumped.

Raku moved his timber bundle out of their path without even blinking.

"They have too much energy."

Swanly covered her face.

"These are grown males."

Thalara stood nearby.

Her central eye followed Kael and Soren disappearing around a storage cave.

"No."

Swanly looked at her.

Thalara’s expression did not change.

"Those are large cubs."

Swanly burst out laughing.

...

"Mama."

Swanly looked down.

Miko stood beside the dead animal.

Staring.

His mouth was open.

Very open.

A thin line of drool threatened the corner.

"No."

Miko looked at her.

"Mama..."

"No."

"Big meat."

"I can see that."

"Very big."

"Yes."

"Can taste?"

"It has not even been cleaned."

"Little taste?"

Swanly grabbed him before he could put his face anywhere near it.

"Oof."

Miko was getting heavy.

All three of them were.

She used to scoop them up without thinking.

Now her arms actually complained.

She adjusted him against her hip.

"When did you become this heavy?"

Miko gasped.

"Miko little."

"You are absolutely not little anymore."

"Little baby."

"You ate four pieces of meat this morning."

"Baby need grow."

"Apparently into a boulder."

Miko wrapped his arms around her neck.

Swanly covered his mouth before he could start negotiating.

He licked her palm.

She jerked back.

"Miko!"

He grinned.

"Free."

"You are disgusting."

"Love Mama."

Her entire face softened.

Damn him.

She tickled his stomach.

Miko shrieked.

"MAMA!"

His tiny legs kicked wildly.

Kairo immediately came running.

"What happen?!"

"Mama attack!"

"You deserved."

"Traitor!"

Nilo followed at a much calmer pace.

Swanly tickled Miko harder.

He screamed with laughter until his face turned pink.

Eventually she had to put him down.

Not because she wanted to.

Because her arms were dying.

She stared at him.

"My babies are getting too heavy."

Miko immediately hugged her leg.

"Still carry."

"I’m carrying enough babies already!"

He looked at her stomach.

Then nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay. Miko walk."

Magnanimous little tyrant.

Druun crouched nearby.

Swanly finally looked up at him.

"What am I supposed to do with all this?"

Druun pointed at her stomach.

"Small."

Then toward the mountain of food.

"Eat."

Silence.

Swanly stared.

Kairo nodded immediately.

"Mama eat."

Nilo nodded.

"Babies hungry."

Miko slapped her leg.

"Eat all."

"All?!"

He looked at the enormous carcass.

Then at her stomach.

"Maybe two day."

Raku laughed so hard he had to turn away.

Swanly pointed at him.

"Do not encourage them."

Raku looked at the mountain of supplies.

"I see no problem."

"Of course you don’t."

"The giant brought enough meat for the settlement, fruit, and salt."

He glanced toward where Soren was still trying to murder Kael between shelters.

"Your mates may dislike why he brought it."

A distant roar sounded.

Raku continued:

"But no one dislikes food."

Thalara looked at the salt boulder.

"A rare useful gift."

Swanly turned.

"You too?"

Thalara nodded.

Swanly stared at everyone surrounding her.

Children.

Crocodile.

Root-Eyed Mother.

Giant.

Two homicidal mates somewhere behind a shelter.

"I am surrounded by idiots."

Druun smiled.

Apparently he took that as praise.

...

Nerin arrived shortly after.

He stopped dead when he saw the animal.

His green eyes widened.

"That..."

"Yes," Swanly said.

He walked around it.

Then around the fruit tree.

Then stared at the split salt stone.

His ears rose.

"Where did he find this?"

Swanly pointed at Druun.

"Ask him."

Nerin looked up.

Far up.

Druun looked down.

Very down.

Nerin reconsidered.

"I will ask later."

Swanly laughed.

He crouched beside the carcass.

"We should cut this quickly."

That immediately changed everything.

Nerin became focused.

He pointed toward several hunters.

"You. Bring clean water."

Then another group.

"Fresh stone blades. Not the ones used earlier."

He looked toward the drying racks.

"We need another rack."

Tovan shouted from somewhere:

"I can build one!"

"Good."

Nerin glanced toward Swanly.

"You wanted to try different seasonings with the meat?"

Her ears rose.

"Yes."

"I can help gather the herbs from inside the basin."

Her mouth watered.

She was already imagining it.

Salted strips.

Herbs.

Dried meat.

Maybe roasted pieces with crushed tomatoes.

Maybe something sweet with fruit.

Maybe stew.

Maybe potato and meat cakes for the cubs.

Pregnancy had turned her into exactly the same glutton as her sons.

She nodded eagerly.

"Do it."