In Love with a Pirate

And Action!

Claire woke up in Silver's arms to him gently tickling her shoulder with the claws on his fingers while he kissed her neck. She took a deep breath as she soaked it all in, it felt so good to be with him and she never wanted to leave him again.

Claire rolled over until she was facing Silver, and she smiled as he pecked her lips.

"So, I'm a father, eh?" He asked, more as a way of bringing the topic up.

"Yup, I've got a little ursid inside of me." She said as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"How long have ya' known?"

"Only like four days. I found out when we took that shore leave on Tecra."

Silver rubbed Claire's abdomen, but seemed distracted.

"Hey, are you okay?" Her voice brought him back, and he looked into her eyes.

"Aye, lass, I'm okay. I just...never thought I'd be a father..."

"Really? Not even like a 'one day' sorta thing?" "

C-ster, I never let the thoughts go dat' far. I didn't want ta' get my hopes up...there's really no room for family in the pirating business."

"Ha! Business?! I don't know if I'd go that far." She laughed.

Silver just chuckled as he kissed her on the head again.

"So...How do you feel about it now that it's happening?" She asked cautiously.

"I'm thrilled, but a bit nervous at da' same time. I don't know much o'bout bein' a father...but I already love our pup, and wan'ta do right by him." He rested his chin on her belly and rubbed it with his thumbs.

"Oh, John. You are going to be such a good dad." She smiled as she ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

He looked up at her with furrowed brows. "Do ya' really t'ink so?"

"I know so." She had such a genuine look on her face as she stroked his jaw with the back of her fingers to comfort him.

"Wait, did you say him?" She backtracked.

"Aye."

"What makes you think it's a boy?" She questioned.

He smirked as he closed his eyes and nuzzled into her baby bump. "It's an old Ursid trick."

"Uh-please share!"

"Well on my home planet, we have a ritual called "Whispering Wombs". Unlike most species, Male Ursids get to 'ave a special bond with their pup after a certain point in 'da pregnancy. One of 'da t'ings we can do during dis ritual is listen to 'da heartbeat of our pup and determine 'da gender based on how it sounds."

"If the heartbeat tells you the gender, then couldn't anyone listen to it and know the gender?"

"Heh. No. The pups have some sorta spiritual connection to their pops, and the heartbeat will only whisper to him if he's the one 'dat's holding the mum's belly. Some'tin o'bout his hands bein' on both sides of her belly tells the pup that he's there."

"I wonder if it has something to do with the energy that travels from hand-to-hand."

Silver shrugged his shoulders as he pressed his ear up against the baby bump. 

"Oh yeah, no doubt o'bout it. Our pup is a boy for certain."

"That is so cool...and so not fair at the same time. What do these heartbeats... ...heartsongs? Sound like anyways?"

"Heartsong? I like it. Uh-male or female can come in different rhythms. Females tend to have a higher pitch to 'em, and are usually more melodic and soft. Males sound like a bass drum, and their hearts beat much harder than a female."