Sasquatch - Edge Of The Forest

29.

Abigail had woken up in their nest and immediately noticed that Pine was missing. Rowan was snoring hard, his chest still rumbled with mucus. Cypress hadn't been allowed in for some reason or another.

Pine had stopped him in his tracks at the threshold, his hand up and head shaking.

Abigail wished she knew what they were saying as they growled back and forth between one another. Cypress looked defeated after about a minute and as she went to stand up, Rowan wrapped a comforting hand around her middle. His kind eyes were soft and he shook his head, covering his mouth with his free hand as he coughed.

Urging her to lie down, Abigail submitted to Rowan and did her best to not overthink Pine's interaction with Cypress.

Before she had left, Cypress had been showing her a lack of interest in her. His lovemaking was quick and to the point, he was ready to leave before she even managed to clean herself of his sperm. He huffed when she asked to go outside. Cypress seemed annoyed the moment a sound left her throat.

Abigail hadn't failed to notice the little painted paths Rowan had made for her to find her way had been scrubbed in some places. Pieces of her heart came loose when she had realized.

As she got out of bed, a chill washed over her. Abigail found her fluffy socks and slipped them on. She had been worried that Pine wouldn't let her keep the stuff she brought from the human world but he hadn't seemed to mind. He looked it over with curiosity and studied each item in his hand one by one.

She was sure he was looking for anything that beeped or had a red light. Abigail blushed when he held up her sexy lingerie and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

Pine had said something to her. Rowan had agreed with him, his chest heaved and his erection hadn't gone unnoticed. When Abigail attempted to touch him, Rowan gripped her hands and kissed her wrists. He shook his head and patted his own chest, letting her know he was still sick. Abigail could see the worry plain on his face. Rowan didn't want her to catch it.

Abigail took the dying torch in her hand carefully and stepped into the cool corridor. She ran her fingers along the dried reddish-brown paint and decided to not linger on the scrubbed-away parts. Cypress had given up on her the moment she had been taken.

Finding her way to the front cavern, the light from the fire flickered through the threshold. Abigail quickened her pace, ready to feel the heat and warm her bones.

Pine sat with his back to her. His shoulders were slumped over and his right hand was buried into his thick hair and the other gripped his beard. The fire danced on his tan skin and beckoned Abigail to come closer.

It was times like these she hated and took a moment to beg whoever was listening to please grant her some form of understanding of their growls and grunts. Cypress knew more English than the others but they tried so hard to learn. The words just seem to fail right at the tips of their tongues. Abigail had attempted to growl/grunt, repeating whatever they said. Pine and Rowan would look at one another, humor written clearly across their faces.

His muscles were tense, this Abigail was sure of. Making her way over softly, Abigail ran her nails across Pine's back.

The fire flickered before Pine's eyes as he sat lost in thought.

He had heard the tiny feet of Abigail making their way down the corridor to him. His heart thumped hard in his chest as she lingered at the threshold, looking him over.

The way she touched him as she climbed into his lap. Her soft chirping words... Pine knew she asked if he was ok. He wasn't so sure but lied anyway, nodding his head and offering a forced smile. He watched in concern as Abigail put a hand on her chest, giving him a questioning look and speaking more chirps.

"No," Pine shook his head and took her hand, "it is not you that brings any troubles to my mind." He kissed her wrist softly, smiling at her high-pitched sigh. He focused on the fire once more as he pulled her even closer against his chest, hugging her gently. "I love you."

Abigail moved against him.

Pine shivered as her plump lips kissed his nipple. "Little Flower," he murmured against the top of her head, "the halfling has made you insatiable." He chuckled. He had mated with her twice already since her return. Rowan feared his sickness would enter her womb, causing their child and Abigail illness.

Pine was to tend to her needs, which he didn't mind. But he didn't want Rowan to feel left out. His red-headed brother had improved greatly tic-wise the moment Abigail returned. Her presence was enough to calm him. Pine was sure her mating parts would tame the rest of the unsettled beast Rowan had inside him.

His insides trembled as he thought about spilling what troubled him. Pine knew she would have no idea but still... Abigail was soft and fragile. Pine knew she would sense his discomfort and he worried she would immediately think it was her. He ran his hand back and forth across her smooth leg as he cradled her.

"I think Cypress doesn't really love me." Abigail blurted out and relaxed her head against his chest, watching the mesmerizing flames. The heat warmed her instantly. "I know he was the one that washed my painted path away. I just know it." She bit her lip.

Pine closed his eyes as he recognized Cypress' name. "I'm sorry, Little Flower. I should have never allowed him to touch you in the beginning." He took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Things have never been easy. I've raised myself and two younglings. I fear I'm tired now." He swallowed hard. "What if I can no longer be the father our child deserves because it was beaten out of me early in life? Cypress... He's drained everything I have. It's my fault he is the way he is but I didn't know what else to do." He shook his head as he desperately tried to come up with a valid reason why. "Guilt mostly."

Abigail shifted in his lap.

"You deserve so much. I hope between myself and Rowan we can give you what you need. Cypress," Pine took a deep breath, "may have to find somewhere else to go. I hate for your heart to hurt unnecessarily. Maybe with time, you'll grow used to no longer having his touch." He swallowed and closed his eyes.

He could see Cypress now. His brother. The child he raised. The one whom he had failed, begging for warmth in some wet hole in the ground after being forced out of the cave he had called home most of his life. Pine winced as his brother moved, exposing his protruding rib bones. The scars on his body seemed to be more pronounced and practically glowed in the moonlight.

He was starving to death.

Cypress was sick.

Worms threatened to eat him even though he was still alive.

Pine shook the images from his head and glanced down at Abigail. Her hand was stroking his arm.

Abigail felt the coarse hair under her fingers. "I'm sorry you're sad and I really wish I knew why." She couldn't think of any reason right off the bat. "I really hope it's nothing I have done." It felt like a thumbtack was running down her throat as the words left her. She knew it wasn't. Pine had done nothing to give her that idea. She knew it was just her projecting from her past. "You're going to be such a great daddy." Abigail closed her eyes as the thought of him holding a tiny baby came to her. She could just see the newborn fitting in his palm and Rowan was off to the side, wetting her a cloth and wiping her forehead. "You and Rowan are the best."

"I'm going to take you to the Tribe and you'll be accepted. Our halfling will be accepted. All will be right come summer. The cold... The cold brings sad feelings. Always have." Pine looked toward the stone that kept the winter out. It wouldn't be long before snow would come. Already the nights were chiller than the ones before. Fall seemed to have decided to come and go in a day. "We will go the day after tomorrow. I will make you a fur suit for the journey."

Abigail relaxed as Pine kissed her forehead. "I'm so happy here." 

Next update: Feb 8, 2024

Sending you love!

 ~Autumn ♥