(Chapter cover: youtube/user: Ourworld)
Maxine POV
I remember during my pregnancy waking up was the hardest thing of the day. Waking up early or late leads to the same outcome to one of many emotions. Either waking up feeling lazy, angry, or worse bitchy.
From my past life, I remember how my aunt repeatedly talked about her pregnancy when she had my cousin Ronny. Who was two years older than me. My aunt would blabber it mostly to my grandma when visiting. Back then I thought her talk about pregnancy was interesting at first. Hearing what she described it to be and felt during her time was that of a "rollercoaster" she quoted. Being the youngster I am after hearing her blabbering multiple times it got repetitive and I was irritated hearing it over and over again.
But now, oh have the tables have turned...
From what my aunt described her pregnancy to be was the same thing I felt. I regret not listening to her talk since now I am experiencing what she has been through. It would have been nice for my mind to remember a single damn thing she said! Since I forgot most things about now.
I thought that pregnancy was a pretty easy thing to get by. But oh how I was proven wrong! Pregnancy has really taken a toll to my daily life both mentally and physically. In the mornings I always wished my sleep would never come to an end. So that I would remain bundled up in my fluffy bed without having earfuls of Sebastian's nags telling me to wake up again. When my belly grew bigger by the months it got harder to move and that above else made me not want to wake up in the mornings.
After four long months I finally gave birth to my bundles of joy. Change is change and I am now a morning person because of my cute jaguar cubs! Who would always come running with their small furry feet to my bedroom. I would giggle whenever seeing their little feet and body jump to get up on top of the bed.
After giving birth to my jaguar cubs in winter I spent most of my time inside with my mates and cubs. We would all bundle up inside a warm blanket next to a lighten up fireplace. Me and Ray would occasionally bake delicious desserts during the span of winter.
Sometimes Axel visits at random times during winter and being the good friend I would give him fresh hot food. So that he won't starve in such cold times. Axel was like a wandering cat venturing out. He would always come and go whenever meeting him. I tried to make him stay to warm up inside the castle but he instead went out.
I was his friend for about at least a year now. I knew things about him like how he loves chocolate and how he still hates celery in his soup. His deep hatred of Caius and raw stone fruit (potatoes) I knew long before gradually changed less and less. Though he still dislikes Caius and raw stone fruit.
From the fall banquet when seeing Willow that was the first and last time I saw her. None of my males ever told me what happened to her even when I asked about it. My males and even Axel who wasn't even there knew more than me! Axel kept his loud mouth shut whenever I tried integrating him for answers.
What I could guess is that she was banned from the leopard territory. Since Willow was not a part of the leopard clan or doesn't have feline mates, she couldn't be sold off because she was still a part of the ape clan.
" Sage! Over here. Come to mommy " I gleefully yelled in the distance.
Right now it has already passed winter and now it is spring. The green leaves and lush plants roamed the ground again. My three cubs that were small like a loaf of bread now were five months old. They have grown big and round but still smaller than other cubs.
I was in the garden that me, Ray and Sebastian made last season. Instead of searching in the forest we decided to grow our own produce at home. With my experience of having a garden in the past I knew how to grow and tend to plants. Gardening our own produce was easy and efficient especially when it is right nearby!
I sat down on the ground with my two cubs Sean and Sam in my arms. They were comfortably laying down on my arm while sipping for milk. When I was breastfeeding my two cubs I called my mischievous cub Sage to come but he ignored me once again. Raymond took a nap right beside me was in his wolf form while Caius who hung out earlier left for a meeting.
My cubs were five months old still in their jaguar form. Sebby told me they will eventually shift into their human form sooner or later. Since most cubs shift when they are five to six months old and that they no longer need to be breastfed. Despite him nagging me to stop breastfeeding my cubs since they have now teeth. It was a fighting battle and we came to an agreement that I will stop breastfeeding and my cubs will start eating solid food by the end of the month.
I watched my cub Sage sniff the leaves of the strawberry bush in the garden. He began playfully biting and sniffing the green fuzzy thing like it was something new he discovered. Multiple leaves fell when he plucked and bit it one by one. He saw the red strawberries but ignored it. He cared more for the green fuzzy leaves that he bit off.
When he walked around I squealed when I saw him tilt his head to the left when he saw a green bug on the leaf. It was too cute! I wish I had a camera so that I can capture this moment.
"Kkkkkyyyaaaaa! My baby is so cuteee!" I squealed.
His big pink eyes were filled with curiosity seeing the strange bug and that ultimately made his tail slowly swish in excitement. He used his small furry paw to touch it but he flinched when the bug moved. My cub slowly backed away but then tumbled tripping down, laying with his back on the ground.
When Sage was about to cry I distracted him from calling out to him.
" Sage! don't cry baby. Go to daddy, look he is right there" I said, using my finger to point to Sebastian in his jaguar form that was sleeping near the strawberry bushes.
Sage stood up laying on his side and turned his head around searching. Once Sage spotted his daddy nearby oh how I thought he would come running to him. But I have proven wrong again...
Like the rest of my two cubs Sean and Sam who love being by their daddy's side. Sage was something different. By different he was unique, my adorable cub who did the weirdest things just like me.
When my Sage spotted his daddy nearby he ran but then again tumbled falling to the ground. When he stood up in front of him was a wooden twig. I didn't know what was going through Sage's head. But I saw him repeatedly look between the twig and his daddy like he was planning something. When he was looking at his daddy I heard his adorable growl. There he picked up the twig in his mouth and his small fuzzy feet began moving at a fast pace.
"Sage" I called trying to stop him.
With the twig in his mouth I saw my cub running while pointing the twig right at his daddy. The crying cub who fell earlier was now charging into battle with a twig targeting his own father. I scolded him to stop but he went forward.
My god, it felt like when he acquired the twig he immediately chose violence.
When he prepared his attack I was concerned of him falling again. The twig in his mouth was small and light, not much harm he would do to Sebastian if he poked him with it. When Sage attacked he poked the twig right on Sebastian's back. He growled when that failed and dropped the twig to climb on his daddy's face with all four paws.
When I was watching them my two cubs were already done drinking. My youngest cub Sam was long asleep while my oldest Sean began playing with my hair. I gently dropped Sean down to play right beside me while my other cub was placed into a baby sling that was tied around me. Raymond beside me had woken up and is now observing the scene.
"What's happening?" He asked. I explained to him what he missed during his nap.
Raymond yawned, still feeling drowsy. When he felt a tug from his skirt there he saw my eldest cub Sean playing. Instead of watching he played tug with Sean using a wooden stick.
When I looked back at Sage he was pulling on Sebastian's necklace, tugging it left and right. He stopped once getting bored. Sage gave a side eye to his daddy as he laid his whole body down on his face. Sage's body covered Sebasitan's eyes and nose.
When Sebastian noticed something blocking his airflow through his nose, he turned, shaking it off. Ultimately, he soon woke up due to hearing Sage annoying loud repetitive yells through his ears. His small paws kept kicking his face repeatedly. Hearing his cub endlessly annoy him.
Sebastian stood up and gruffed at his son. He gently carried his yapping son by the scruff of the neck towards me. Sage held his twig in his mouth letting his daddy carry him. When I got a hold of Sage he immediately stopped growling.
"Awww! Is that for mommy, Sage? " I questioned when I saw my cub drop the twig right in front of my hands. He nodded, giving me a lick on the face.
I gave him nonstop kisses on the face and to that his body wiggled in excitement. He chuffed happily rubbing his face on my cheek. If he was in his beastcub form I think he would say the words "I love you mommy" since I heard his loud yappering in the air.
Behind me I felt Sebastian's hands on my hips hugging me from behind. His hands landed on Sage but was stopped once he growled, stopping Sebastian from petting him.
The fierce little cub showed his small teeth to his daddy. He let out an adorable growl try to intimidate him. To show him who is the boss.
" Sage, you're so mean. Waking daddy up and growling at me. Why won't you let me pet you. What did I do wrong?" Sebastian said with a pleading voice.
He tried petting Sage's head but he growled once more. Sage with his small little teeth bit and nibbled on Sebastian's hand. The little cub growled trying to intimidate his father to back off. But we were in awe of his cuteness.
Sebby instead used his finger to bop Sam's nose who was sleeping in my baby sling.
It was evident my middle cub Sage was one hundred percent a momma's boy!
My eyes wandered to Axel from the distance who helped me with my garden work. He was there with a basket in his hands delicately picking strawberries. Although I promised him a reward for picking strawberries to make desserts for him. I felt bad seeing him in the hot sun working hard while I laid back watching. I myself had to help collect since it was my garden after all.
"Sebby, can you hold on to Sam? I'm going to help Axel pick strawberries" I asked.
"Sure, bunny " Sebastian reached out his hand for Sam. He took Sam off of the baby sling onto his arm.
Sage who was in my arms had his pink eyes staring at his sleepy brother but turned away. From earlier I saw Sage give a petty side stare at his daddy while laying down sipping milk. Sean who was playing with Raymond earlier came towards his daddy's lap and also had his pink eyes staring at Sam.
"Can I help pick strawberries?" Raymond asked.
"Yea sure, Ray"
I left the baby sling with Sebastian as he watched the cubs. Especially the yapping Sage in Sebastian's arms. Both jaguars were having a father and son stare down.
Me and Raymond stood up and went towards Axel who was plucking ripe strawberries off the bushes. I came right beside him plucking the strawberries then placing them into his basket. While Raymond went to the opposite row of strawberry bushes and plucked with a basket in front of him.
" Why are you out here? Let me do the work! It is too hot for you to be out here. Just go take care of your cubs" Axel nagged
"What do you mean? I am fine. Sebastian is watching the cubs. This is my garden so I have to help harvest. I feel bad when seeing you do this all on your own."
" No. I appreciate your help but I want to do it alone. You promised me desserts in return so I will work to fulfill that promise!" Axel confidently said.
"Alright, but I am still helping because there are a lot of fruits still left to be harvested. So me and Ray will go pick in the other areas." I said.
I sighed seeing his confidence when working. He was so forced in picking strawberries I didn't want to interrupt that.
"Come on, Ray. Let's go pick the other fruits and veggies over there" I said, pointing to the other plants grown.
Once we managed to pick all of the ripe fruits and veggies in the garden. I will turn them into jarred preservatives like jam, sauce, pickled and more. The preservatives I gave out from last season helped a lot of orcs survive winter.
During the last winter there was an abundance of potatoes roaming around since no orc wanted them. I gathered every last bit and hosted a cooking event during the cold season to help out orcs in need by giving them something warm to eat. It was then that I discovered that potatoes or what orcs call "stone fruit" grow all season long. Which means I can create many dishes using potatoes like fries, noodles, pie and more.
A couple of hours have passed and me, Axel, and Ray were all done harvesting. There was a bunch of various fruits and vegetables in stacks of large boxes. Since it was only family and friends around inside my private garden. I decided to use my powers drawing in the mana and with one flick the huge crates of produce were gone. All went into my magical storage compartment aka inventory.
"Thanks so much Axel! And you too Ray you did great" I said with a smile.
"You're welcome but can you make the desserts you promised, please.." Axel said. When he said "please" it was in a low and shy tone.
"Alright! We can start baking now. Why don't you come with me? Ray, why don't you take a rest." I said.
To that Ray whimpered pleading to come with. He refused to let me go alone with Axel.
"Don't worry Ray. It will be quick and I will come right back so we can all enjoy some pie together"
When I saw Ray's tail wag when hearing the words dessert there I knew he would comply. In his mind it was a fighting war split into two. One side wanted to refused while the other wanted to say yes. In the end, when saying it again there he agreed with hesitation.
"Okay bye bye, Ray. I'll come back soon"
I stood up patting my body down to get rid of the dirt and grass that was on my dress. When me and Axel were about to go there, in the side of my eyes I saw a small basket filled with strawberries and other fruits behind. I quickly told Axel to wait so that I could give the leftover basket for my cubs to eat.
" Here, give it to me. I'll give it to him. I'll see you later, Maxine" Raymond said, smiling.
He quickly snatched it off my hands and waved goodbye. He went towards Sebastian with the small basket in his hand.
When walking with Axel to the kitchen there my mind was clogged up. Inside me I couldn't help but feel worried. Rowan who disappeared for over sometime now was getting on my nerves lately. I didn't want to imagine what would happen to him if the worst came to mind.
I admit I did miss him a lot. But I couldn't help but think about where he had gone.
Is he okay? Is he eating well? Is he sick?!
Just where is Rowan right now?
-thx for reading