You're My Ugly Pineapple

Chapter sixteen

It was quiet, too quiet. Both Buck and I were sitting silently, across the fire from each other, roasting some insects on the fire. There was a small amount of tension between us, though neither of us spoke of it. We were both worried. Worried for our lives, the babies lives and the herds lives. I was praying with everything that was left in me that they were safe, that we'd be able to find them after this. I hadn't even had the time to go up and announce my pregnancy, what with preparing and the fact I didn't want to put myself under too much pressure.

Well here we are now, under more pressure than I could have ever imagined.

"So, what do we do now?" 

"Well, we can't exactly move just yet, so I say," Buck paused, leaning back against Ava slightly. "We stay here, until we can be sure that the earthquakes have stopped. After that, we head up above and find the mammals. From there, we can find a way back down 'ere. Hopefully, by then, you'll be ready and we'll have a couple 'a kits runnin around."

I gave him an unsure look and glanced down to my stomach, moving around the campfire to sit closer to him. 

"You're worried about them, aren't ya?"

"All of this stress, this worry. It can't be good for them Buck," I shook, taking a wary bite out of the thoroughly cooked beetle.

"They'll be fine, love. If anything hurts you, or puts you under pressure, I'll be there to protect ya," Buck smiled, pulling me close. I sighed and nuzzled into him, the fire sparkling quietly as it died down. 

"CRASH!"

I jumped up and looked around, Ava, Rudy and Buck doing the same. 5 Herrasaurus's sprang out of the undergrowth, surrounding us completely. Both Ava and Rudy instantly attacked them, Rudy sending two crashing into a wall with his tail and Ava sunk her teeth into one, the other 2 approaching us, hissing and making clicking noises. Buck instantly jumped in front of me, wielding his knife, and I shook in fear. I wasn't able to do anything, I was helpless. 

"Sky! Get behind Ava, I'll protect you!" Buck yelled waving me off as he ran towards the other Herrasaurus's. I froze in place, unable to process the situation. A rock above me, one that had become loose when Rudy knocked the two dinosaurs into the wall, fell and crashed down on my head. 

"SKY!"

I woke up with my head pounding, being cradled in Ava's wing. I groaned and held my head as my vision spun, nausea overwhelming my body. I leaned over the edge of Ava's wing and emptied my stomach onto the ground below me. 

"Sky!" I was enveloped by Buck's arms, and I felt tears splashing onto my fur. "I thought I'd lost you," He whispered, holding me even closer to him.

"I-I'm ok," I groaned, holding my head as he pulled away. 

"No hun, you're not. Lay down, rest. Please."

I sighed softly and laid back down and Buck knelt down beside me, not in the puke puddle of course, to hold my hand. I clutched my abdomen in pain, wincing as I did so. Something was wrong.

Very wrong. 

Tears pricked at the edge of my eyes, and I straightened back up. Ava moved her head over and nudged my side, as if she knew something had gone wrong. I shook my head, Ellie had warned me of this last time I'd visited. I didn't want it to be true, it couldn't be. 

"Love, what's wrong?" 

"I, I think it's the kits. Somethings not-" I was cut off by the pain becoming more intense, and I doubled over. Tears fell from my eyes onto my paws, and I clenched my teeth. Buck was silent, shocked. He fell to his knees once more and took my head in his paws, tears brimming at the edge of his eyes. 

"I'm so sorry."