𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 || 18+ 𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚡 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝙵𝙼𝙲

┉┈◈†𐐎𐌴𐍀†𐌸-𐍀𐍊𐍀𐌴◈┈┉

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Of all the challenges being on a whole new planet would bring, Charlie never thought walking would be one of them. She was holding onto Dekar's arm, breathing like she was breaking a sweat at the gym, though all she was doing was putting one foot in front of the other. Just the simple act of walking was enough to make her want to cry tears of frustration with how her unused muscles were screaming at her. Even with the special tea Dekar made, she still felt horribly weak.

The weight of her stomach had gotten worse over the relatively short time they'd been traveling and her belly felt more stretched, more itchy. To add onto it all, there were the Braxton Hicks contractions recently that set her—but especially her new mate—into panic mode, thinking the babies were on their way. It made traveling into unknown situations a little more stressful.

Charlie often tried not to think of what they would run into when they reached Stacy. They were heading straight into danger—an Etja hive cave, as the dark guard described it. The thought made her nauseous with worry. But she had to push through it because Stacy needed her help. No doubt the others assumed she was already dead.

But maybe they're looking for me.

Despite everything, hope wouldn't lose its grip on her. Maybe it was a gut feeling, the kind that turned out to be true. Even so, she wasn't sure she'd want to go back. Not with the way those Daki in the caves looked at her right after a part of her heart was suddenly ripped away. That jagged piece was at the bottom of a pit somewhere dark and void of life.

Though some days she could still feel it beating.

"We're close."

The low, rough voice brought her back into the present—back into short breaths and burning, shaky muscles wanting to collapse under the weight of both her and their babies. Yippee.

But then the words registered.

Her eyes snapped up to his and she had to stop, gripping his arm tighter. "How close?"

His orange gaze drifted ahead and he jerked his chin towards a jutting hillside beyond a group of trees and bushes. "Past the thicket ahead. The mouth of the Etja hive awaits."

There was a nervous edge to his words despite the lighthearted delivery of them. Her heart was racing at the realization they'd have to face those awful creatures again. The tremblings in her limbs became increasingly worse.

"Would you like me to carry you now?" Dekar asked, concern etched across his features. She saw the hope there that she would say yes.

She shook her head, giving a reassuring smile. "No, thanks. I can make it at least the distance to the, um... hive." She grimaced.

Oh God, are we really doing this?

She banished the thought of turning back from her head. Yes, they had to.

He noticed her distress. "I believe we won't be attacked, considering the original agreement set between Exodus and their kind on our behalf—to not harm you. As long as they think we're only here for a visit."

"That leaves a lot of room for things to go to shit." It was inevitable, really.

He couldn't say anything to that, nothing that would reassure her. She thought she'd have some time to mentally prepare as they walked, but too soon they came up to the yawning cave entrance. At least it wasn't too dark. There was some sort of soft purple glow in small sections of the walls, similar to that of the dagger she'd temporarily stolen some time ago.

Dekar looked down at her, expecting to lift her back up into his arms again. But with the adrenaline rush of what they were about to do, she found she had a bit more strength left. She shook her head at him, squeezing his arm. He reluctantly nodded and proceeded into the cave.