Rivers of Gold

Part 2 - Chapter 1

I watched him sleep, calm and peaceful.

It was like watching an innocent puppy all curled up and napping from a long day of playing with its siblings.

Though this particular puppy had no siblings. And he was taken from his mother too early...

I watched his sleeping face, eyes closed and tusks softly knocking together as he breathed. His arms rose and fell as he slept, an arm constantly laying atop his large swell. Protecting our unborn.

I took in a deep, shaky breath, trying to be as quiet as I could manage. I closed my eyes, and the flashes began.

~*

Raining fire. Smoke and ash. Screams of the dying.

Flix lay atop the throne, gutted and sprawled over our dead pup.

Gold and brown, with green spray on each and every surface.

Ruins and rubble and mangled corpses of any and all, littered our city of changed souls.

Dark grey ships flying overhead, pummeling all that run below, with a hailstorm of bullets and fire made metal.

~*

I opened my eyes once again, a single tear running its path down my cheek, stopping to wait idly at my chin.

I let out another shaky breath.

These visions have become more and more common these past few nights. Each time, stronger and clearer. And I still have no sense as to when it shall happen.

Seers Law forbids I tell anyone. Only Seers can change the future to where it does not end in catastrophe. And I just happen to be cursed with such a gift. Such a tiresome and exhausting duty, that wears me down each and every day.

I looked back down at my sleeping mate.

Brushing his bare neck with gentle knuckles, my gaze flows steadily down to his round belly. A belly, soon to give our pup their first breath of air.

I smiled at the thought of being there, when it happens, and holding our newborn in my arms and muttering how much I already love them. How much love they have already stolen from my heart. A heart I thought once, that could never love nor be loved.

Oh, how I was wrong.

I leaned down and kissed the round belly with gentle tusks. Then I proceeded to kiss my Queen's forehead, before forcing my body to get up from the large nest.

Dragging my feet to the bathroom, I set to washing myself.

Once I was done with the shower, I turned it off, stepped out, and looked at myself in the mirror after the air dryer did its job.

A black Yautja with tired eyes and an aching heart stared back at me. And I didn't blame him. He already looks stupidly old, thanks to the scars that paint his body, but then again, he's too stubborn to do anything about it. What an idiot.

I shook my head, and hung it as I trudged out of the bathroom and back into the main room.

Hearing the soft breaths of my mate on the bed, I knew he was still deep asleep.

Thank god.

Moving around swiftly and quietly, I got dressed in my formal navy blue robes and made my wings into a cape again.

Then I left the room after glancing back at my Queen.

Walking down the hall, I barely passed another soul. It was very early and I didn't feel like talking to anyone yet. Too much to think about, even without the daily meetings and crap I must attend. ...for now.