Sasquatch - Edge Of The Forest

36.

Something was happening and Pine wasn't sure what it was.

River was falling behind, Cypress wasn't paying any attention and would have to stop miles ahead and wait for them when he noticed they were no longer with him. Pine and Rowan were staying close to River, it was the right thing to do.

At first, Pine didn't find it annoying but about the third time, he was ready to bite Cypress held off. He wanted to keep a cool demeanor for the benefit of the female in his arms who could understand him but he couldn't take another annoyed glance from Cypress.

Just as he watched Cypress disappear completely out of sight, Pine looked down at Azzalea. She had let out a whimper and at first, he had thought it was the child, Creek.

Her scent had changed a while back but Azzalea hadn't spoken a word. Pine had only assumed she was tired from being so swollen and making this journey so far along in her pregnancy. After asking her if was she ok and having received a quick, hard, "Yes!", Pine decided to not ask again. Females were complicated enough and adding pregnancy seemed to make it far worse.

Now panic was radiating from the female in his arms and then suddenly, Pine felt his entire front being soaked. He held his shock and looked down at her in understanding. She wasn't the first female to piss on him. Azzalea looked up at him in fear.

"It's ok." Pine tried to comfort the female who continued to shake her head.

"No."

"No?" Pine cocked his head as his running slowed down.

"No."

Rowan gave them both a side eye, sliding to a halt beside them. "What's the matter." His eldest brother had paled and looked at him with wide eyes.

"She's not ok." Pine said incredibly fast and placed the female on her feet.

River huffed and nearly lost his balance as he hobbled up. His soul left him as they all looked at him as if something horrible had happened. "What's the matter?" He grit his teeth as he neared his mate and child, who reached out for him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Fawn?"

Abigail watched as Azzalea stood there with her hands on her belly. The woman's face was twisted up and she had her eyes closed, murmuring something under her breath. "What's going on?" She looked up at Rowan as he carefully sat her down on her feet. She let out a sigh of relief as she was able to stretch.

"My water broke." Azzalea spoke calmly.

Pine looked down at his soaked fur. "The... The water that holds the halfling inside?" He shook his head. "We must repair it. We still have a while to run."

River shook his head. "There is no repairing the water when it breaks." He spoke, looking around them.

"I am so sorry." Pine felt the guilt fill his chest. "I tried to be gentle."

"Those trees," River pointed to the left of them, "they are arched. We are close to a traveling cave." He ignored the pain in his ankle and handed Creek to Pine. Plucking his laboring mate from the forest floor, River stared off in the direction they had to go. "We're not safe out here in the open."

Before Abigail knew what was happening, Rowan had her back in his arms and they were running fast. Probably faster than they had ever run before. She called out to Azzalea but all she could hear was her growling and grunting. It's like she couldn't get herself to speak English.