The Battle of Draconi Forest

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan couldn't stop smiling as he turned to regard the healer. "Thank you. We'll make a point of finding one." He gave River a supportive shoulder bump and took her hand as soon as she was done putting the medicine away.

After they left, he embraced her again. Chuckling, he asked, "The pack is going to just love this, aren't they?"

[DragonSong]

As they left the shop her expression was still a little dazed, but at his words she seemed to snap back to herself, laughing in an almost bewildered way. "Gods, they are, aren't they?"

She shook her head. "I—I'll have to post a letter home before we leave the city. Nora's pups are technically shifter hybrids, maybe she knows someone..."

Her eyes were getting progressively wider as they walked. "Oh gods. It's a half-dragon. The baby is half dragon."

[MadEmperor]

Kah suddenly barked a laugh. "It is, at that! A half frost dragon, no less. So... at least they won't be starting fires."

"Gods, this is going to be crazy. We're going to need to read up on how to raise a half-dragon or we'll go crazy. Assuming Ketra actually has books about that."

[DragonSong]

"I suppose if anywhere does it would be Ketra," River laughed, still a little disbelieving. She shook her head and said again quietly, "Gods."

A baby. A half-dragon baby. A half-dragon wolf shifter baby.

They were having a baby.

Quite abruptly, her eyes got very watery and her throat went a little tight.

"We—ahem—do we know where Hana and Thrax wound up?" she asked, trying to dab subtly at her eyes.

[MadEmperor]

"I think Hana said they'd meet us outside the Peach. I..." He paused, voice cracking a little bit. "Ahem. I wasn't paying much attention at that point."

"We probably have a little time to compose ourselves and procure a few supplies before they're done."

[DragonSong]

"Oh. Right. Good." River nodded, then suddenly paused. She looked around, spotted an appropriate alcove, shadowed and mostly out of sight from the main thoroughfare, and quickly dragged her mate into it.

Then she rocked up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him firmly but briefly before she turned her face into his shoulder and just held him, her own shoulders shaking gently with repressed sobs.

"We're having a baby..."

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan embraced her, holding her close and tight. "We are," he said with awe, his eyes moist. In spite of every bad thing that had ever happened to him, he felt like the luckiest man alive.


Once the party reunited and finished getting supplies, they spent the night in a decent inn. The next day, they set out by air for Zantaric.

[DragonSong]

[Continued here]