Hoshor Plains into the unknown

It was the middle of the night, and Ariadne was wide awake. Her stomach churned in a way that made her mouth water, and it reminded her of food poisoning. She laid at @Kigipigak's side, recounting what she'd eaten the day prior, and felt that nothing should've made her feel as sick as she did.

To add to her discomfort, she also had to relieve herself, so she gently rolled away from Kigi's side so that she could do that. It was rare for her to even be awake at this hour, let alone have to use the bathroom, and she wondered what was happening.

She slunk away from their makeshift den and to a tree a few yards from the camp. When she squatted, instead of peeing like she'd intended, she began to vomit the contents of the day's meals onto the ground in front of her. She made a horrible noise as she did so, and to make matters worse, as she threw up, she also began to pee.

Kigipigak was deep in the throes of dream, which rarely came to him but now had hooks so deep he could not claw his way out.

The shadow of Sedna his mother with teeth bared, but laughing! Her voice commanding like a winter gale.

Ariadne jostles him as she rises. The void left in her absence informs the dream.

Snow floods his vision and only Sedna's eyes glow through it. The cold sweeps across him. Kigipigak is trapped beneath ice! He kicks and paddles, pressing against the glass ceiling and when it cracks...

He wakes to the sound of retching. The dream recedes. He sees his wife is not there and seeks her out, finding her ripe with foulness; but he doesn't say anything, only settles near her and drapes himself across her lower back, to be present and to soothe.

While she is thankful for his presence, she is also embarrassed. When she is nearly empty of every bodily fluid, she tucks her tail and looks back at her husband with shame on her expression.

I-I am sorry I woke you up, she said, wiping vomit from her lips. And t-that you are seeing me like this. I do not know what is happening. Although she had an inkling, she didn't want to assume; if she were pregnant, she was still in her early days and knew that she could lose it as easily as it had happened.

His eyes are closed, more out of necessity as he is still quite sleepy, but when they open he sees the flash of yellow against the earth and thinks his mother watches him. Kigipigak breathes, rubbing at Ariadne's back a moment before he withdraws and gives her space.

It is alright. It was much the same with Sakhmet. This was one of the few moments that he had spoken the name of his ex-wife and his tone is nearly lifeless. But he does not carry on about it.

Kigipigak shares a small kiss to Ariadne's cheek and sits with her. Are you excited to be anaa?

Ariadne finds herself unbothered by the mention of Skahmet; Kigipigak is hers now. She nods, thankful that he has some experience in this department and thus will be able to guide her through these early and uncertain days.

She leans into him once he sits, needing his touch and support as she feels suddenly weak. I am, but she hesitates, looking down at her belly where her children presumably are. But I worry, piviuttaqqutiga for them. I want them to grow big and strong, but what if that doesn't happen? She looks up to him now, eyes brimming with tears as anxiety overcomes her. Although she has always been superstitious, this is an entirely new level.

Look to me, to Kivaluk! Look to your own father, Aiolos. You are bound to have strong children. Kigipigak wanted to ease her worries but he knew women fretted over these things. His only care right now was for the health of Ariadne; the attachment to their children would come. He saw no reason to be afraid of their future.

I remember being nervous when my sons were young. This was something he had never admitted before, and so it came crawling from him quietly. I remember... Working very hard for them. They seem so small at first, and quickly grow and become people! I am sure you have seen it with your nieces and nephews.

You have your Sedna on your side. I have my own faith, in you, that it will be alright.

Kigipigak was right—there were countless examples of successes of both of their lineages. You are right, Ariadne said, releasing the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It is just difficult not to think of it. My brain cannot think of anything else but them. It was only natural; this was all new, and their lives were delicate at this phase. She pressed against and breathed him in, hoping to calm herself with his scent.

What he admitted next brought a soft smile to her face, and she felt justified in her decision of who she'd chosen as her husband. You are right, she said, placing a paw upon his. As long as we have each other, we will be fine. Ultimately, they would ensure their children's safety.

Her stomach rolled uncomfortably, her mouth began to water, and the world spun under her paws. Quickly, she scrambled onto her paws, turned on her heel, and scurried away a few feet. Then, anticipating the inevitable, she braced for what was coming.