Hunting Games

19

*Yeyinde P.O.V./Several Months Later*

I paced around waiting for word on Mollie. Tarei'hsan had not let me enter the birthing room. I growled impatiently and slammed my fist into the wall. A shout behind me caused me to spin around.

Dhi'ki-de stood behind me. She glared up at me. I growled back and started pacing again. Luar-ke was sitting not too far away. Her denka focused on the door.

"Oh am I late?" Guan-thwei asked. "Has Mollie given birth?"

"M-di, Marcus is in there with her." Luar-ke replied. "It will be a while yet, she's having six sucklings after all."

"Wait why is your mate in there? Shouldn't Yeyinde be with her?"

"It's an honor among Ooman families. The father may have the honor of catching his grandchildren. That is what Marcus is doing."

Guan-thwei cocked her head. A look of bewilderment on her face. I shook my head and kept pacing. Luar-ke chittered at me and pointed to a chair. I grumbled and sat down. Halkrath came running in the stuffed animal Mollie gave him clutched to his chest. He scrambled up into a chair and swung his feet.

He stared at the wall a sad look on his face. He adjusted the stuffed bear several times. I could tell he wanted to ask something. But he looked nervous.

"Ask Yeyinde your question Halkrath." Bhu'ja-guan said.

"I want to ask momma." Halkrath said.

I nodded and gently shook his shoulder. He smiled and went back to playing with the stuffed toy. As he did the door opened again. Dhi'ki-des Engineer mate walked in. He sat beside her and looked around. His black dekna landed on Halkrath. I growled a warning, his head snapped in my direction.

"Yayinde stop that." Luar-ke scolded. "The birthing will be over soon, you don't want Mollie to stress anymore."

As she spoke the birthing room door opened. Marcus walked out, he had a small bundle in his arms. He looked at me and nodded. I stood up and walked into the room. I could hear someone telling Halkrath to stay back.

"Come Halkrath, Mollie wants you to meet the sucklings." I said.

He sprang to his feet and ran inside. I nodded at Bhu'ja-guan. He had a smile on his face. I turned back and walked to my mate's side. She smiled up at me and looked around. Marcus gently handed her the bundle he had been holding.

"He's so small." She muttered. "The others are much bigger."

I looked around for our other sucklings. Marcus nodded toward a small bed. I walked over and saw the other five inside. One of them opened its dekna and stared up at me. I picked it up and held it to my chest.

It squeaked and began to cry. I immediately began purring to calm it down. I heard Mollie shift around. I looked over and saw her staring at me. I walked over and gently placed our suckling in her arms. I frowned when I saw the difference in our suckling's sizes.

"I'll help you bring the others over." Marcus said.

We brought the other suckling over to Mollie and gently set them in her arms. Halkrath stared at them. Then he shifted his feet and chittered sadly. Mollie looked down at him. She motioned for him to climb up.

He shook his head. I grunted and lifted him up and onto the bed. He squealed and squirmed a bit. When I got him on the bed he froze. He clicked his mandibles and looked the sucklings over. He flared his mandibles and looked at Mollie.

"What do you think Halkrath?" She asked. "Can you help me train your mei'hsweis and mei-jadhis?"

"You still think of me as your pup?" Halkrath asked.