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 Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:41 pm
Setting
Soon after sunset, near the caves that Alucard and Khalidia call their own. The forest has broken out into it's evening chorus, and nearby, an owl solemnly calls into the growing night. A warm night, a soft, cooling breeze drifts through the trees, providing relief from the humidity caused by the close proximity to the waterfall.
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Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:48 pm
 Khalidia paced just outside of the cave entrance, waiting for Alucard to emerge. After several weeks of gaining weight and feeling unsettled, she'd finally realized why - she was pregnant. Inwardly, she wondered why she hadn't figured it out sooner. She'd watched birds build nests and lay eggs, after all, seen other creatures grow heavy with new life... she should have connected the dots sooner! Now she had to tell Alu, who had thus far been mercifully silent about her growing bulk. If only Silarial had been there to talk too, she would have felt more at ease... but the other female had gone missing. Khalidia had no one else to talk to, no one to discuss the method of revealing her state to the stallion with, and that did nothing to help her nerves. "Oh dear... should I just say it?" she wondered aloud. "Or try to make him guess? That... that might be better, if he realizes it on his own. Would he be able to? Oh, I hope so..."
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Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:26 pm
"Khalidia? What do you have to say to me? Is something the matter?" As if right on cue, the vampire stallion trotted out of the tunnel towards her, evidently worried.
Alucard hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but her voice echoed so well down the tunnel he couldn't help hearing everything.
At first he thought it was fat accumulating in one area, and was amused but not too worried - he didn't mind his beau chubby as long as she didn't change otherwise. Then he noticed while her belly was swelling, the rest of her remained comparatively lean, and wondered if she'd eaten something bad... her discomfort with the new weight did not help his observations. He'd looked for Silarial for counsel, but hadn't found her anywhere.
The stallion hoped very hard that her condition wasn't life threatening, and he gave her an anxious look.
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Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:46 pm
"Alu!" she gasped, head jerking up as she gazed at him with wide eyes. "I... didn't hear you coming. You startled me." she accused, trotting over to him nevertheless, rubbing her neck against his affectionately and giving his cheek a small lick. "I... it's nothing too terribly important." she hedged, then winced.
Not important? That had been a stupid thing to say! This was their offspring she was trying to tell him about! It was the most important thing in the world!
She gulped, shifting her weight anxiously from side to side. "I'm sure you've noticed I've been getting... bigger. Alu... there's something, well... growing. Inside. That's what's making me fat."
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Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:30 pm
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you like that." Alucard nuzzled her in return, still worried. If his mate was sick, sudden shocks wouldn't help. He hoped he hadn't made things worse.
"Something growing?" He mused, aloud. "Only living things grow, and that means..."
The stallion's eyes widened, and he drew back a little to face Khalidia, tail flicking in excitement.
"We're going to have foals, aren't we? Oh, Khalidia - how could that not be important? This is wonderful!"
As the idea really hit, though, he became more somber. It's not easy being a vampire... and one day these foals will be adults, and they'll want to head out on their own. They'll have a hard time fitting in if they meet others who aren't as forgiving.
Alucard cast his eyes towards the ground, hoping Khalidia hadn't misinterpreted his change of mood.
"We have to prepare for their arrival, somehow. We can't leave the eggs in the open, they have to be somewhere sheltered and easily watched."
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 2:54 pm
He'd seemed happy, and then his mood had darkened... Khalidia wondered what thoughts he hid from her, what secrets he kept - if only to make her happy. Still, she could only hold that thought for so long - she was going to be a mother!
She giggled shyly and looked to him, eyes shining with anticipation. "It can't be in the caves, either... it's too dark, too dank. I don't want our little ones to get sick right off. They might not be as tough as you were, after all." she teased, nudging him playfully.
Still... if they were like her mate, she wanted them to be well protected from daylight - her children wouldn't be burned by it's harsh rays! "I was thinking near the entrance, so we're always close by... protected by the trees. There's a group that grows close together. That would be a good place, don't you think?" she asked, anxious to have his approval - the time was almost upon her - she could feel it.
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 7:04 pm
The stallion cast about him to find the spot Khalidia was talking about, then trotted over to inspect it. He sniffed the ground, examined the trees, did the whole thing twice over; then gave a huff of approval.
"A good choice," he stated quietly, heading back to her. Alucard hesitated for a moment, then gently nuzzled his mate's belly. He still hoped very much they wouldn't be like him, and have an easier time mixing with normal Kirin... but even if they did turn out vampires, he figured as a parent it was his duty to love and cherish them anyway. Hopefully their mother would feel the same way too.
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