After sparring, we relaxed just a little bit longer before finally heading out again. I eventually fell asleep on Emily's back, despite the trip being a bumpy ride, but soon woke when Charlie and Katrina agreed to camp for the night.

I ended up curling up to Emily's warm fur, resting on top of a sheet so that way I didn't stain my clothes against the slightly muddy ground.

It was a little difficult to sleep that night, however, since my stomach was acting up.

But it wasn't me needing to use the restroom this time. No, it was pains near my abdomen. They didn't last long, but I realized that I was going to be on my period again.

That in itself was confusing since it hasn't even both since I had my last one.

I simply shook my head and continued my fruitless attempt to get any rest.

When I woke, we took off immediately, only stopping to hunt a few rabbits and cook them. The trek was becoming steeper and steeper. I ended up having to practically cling for my life when we reached a rather large hill.

But, based on Charlie's map reading, we were close to our destination. I bit my lip, smiling in anticipation as we reached the top of the hill.

When I glanced over, I could see several different patches and trees still growing fruits, veggies, and different plants.

The view was practically breathtaking. The area was covered by the tallest trees I had ever seen, with half the land actually water. There was a little house sitting out of the way, but the area seemed all but magical.

Charlie shifted and grinned. "I told you, Katrina. This place does exist. And it looks like it's fully loaded too." Michelle had shifted and grinned, already making her way downhill to the thick trees.

I got off of Emily's back, captivated by the scenery. It was at that moment that I was grateful that I decided to come. The trip hadn't been so bad and the end game was worth it beyond words. Emily and Katrina had shifted back into humans, smiling at me before carefully making their way downhill as well.

I followed suit, my heart pounding wildly as I got closer and closer to the area.

Then, it started to rain lightly. Michelle groaned, but Emily giggled and twirled around. "Nature is wonderful!!"

Katrina pushed her down the small hill, laughing as the younger she-wolf rolled down the hill. "How about now?!" Emily simply laughed in response, crashing into Michelle and sending her tumbling as well. Charlie swiftly got out of the way, rolling her eyes but smiling regardless at the scene.

I giggled before making it to the bottom safely. My feet gingerly stepped on moss when I reached the end.

I sighed, looking around in awe before walking ahead in complete silence. When I came to the edge just before the land dipped into the water, I slipped my boots and socks off before tipping a few toes into the water.

Shivering, I found the water to be bearable enough to step inside. I opened my duffel bag and pulled out a basket that was flexible and shaped like a bag. It was my duty to gather any fruits I could find and put them in the basket.

Then it would be a race against the clock to get them back fresh to the village.

As I rolled my pants' sleeves up, Emily giggled and said, "Relax a little, Lyra. We aren't leaving until tomorrow and there's still daylight left."

I smiled a little before shaking my head. "I'll pass on relaxing. I want to get back to Xain."

Emily's grin softened as she shook her head. "You're addicted to those boys too much." I blushed and smiled a little. "Maybe I am. But I can't help it."

Katrina chuckled and ruffled Emily's hair. "We won't be here long, trust me on that. At the top of the hill, I could spot gray clouds approaching us, so we literally don't have time to goof around."

Michelle smirked and said, "Careful Lyra, wouldn't want you to get sick from stepping in the water."

I huffed and finished rolling my pants and shirt sleeves up, walking into the cold water. The ground was even softer below me. After a moment more, I walked further away from the damp ground, shading my eyes from the droplets as I walked towards several vines with grapes.

I then turned to look at the others, only to find them getting to work; a giggle here and there echoing in the rain and trees.

I simply smiled and turned, focusing on my own task.

~

It had been some time since we started when Katrina called out, "Hey Lyra, I think we have enough to refill! Come on back!"

I stood up straight, stretching a little before glancing over at Charlie. She wasn't exactly out of earshot, but she seemed distracted.

I bit my lip before approaching her carefully.

Charlie glanced up at me but didn't say anything. I hesitated before saying, "Um, she said we could stop now."

Charlie glanced up at me a little longer before quietly saying, "You have no idea how good you have it."

I blinked, confused as I stepped onto the dry land she was standing on. "What do you mean?" I asked. She smiled a little. "Connor and Xain. I've never seen Connor act affectionate with any woman. Not even me."

I held my breath, waiting for her to continue. I didn't care if it was her; at least someone was finally telling me what went on between the two.

She stood up and sighed. "Connor wasn't a lady lover. He... just had this emptiness about him after everything that happened. We were an item up until he left. And... well..." She sighed again, only more shaky this time.

"We... I was pregnant with his child."

I almost felt sick hearing those words. I should've expected someone might've had a child from him, but to even think about it still hurt.

"He knew I was," she continued. "I told him and for the first time, he gave me the sweetest smile. We became closer just by me having a child. His child. But it didn't work out like a fairytale."

She gritted her teeth before she spoke, and I knew I should've stopped her from saying more.

"I lost the child." I gulped, expecting as much. She looked to me, her eyes watery. I didn't see any lies. But I didn't want to believe her, not after everything she's done to harass me.

"Why do you think Connor won't talk to you about me? Or anyone?" She asked, her voice sounding rather broken. "No one wants to speak about one of the strongest werewolves who lost their child." She bit her lip to keep from crying before continuing.

"Connor became stone again. He withdrew from me and then left me. He left me for sex," she all but spat. "There's a reason I don't like you, Lyra. Her voice became hushed as she approached me. "I don't like you because you're everything to him. I could never be that. But I don't want to be."

She smiled bitterly. "I don't want to be, because he left me because I couldn't hold his child. I lost his child and he lost interest in me. He wanted my body. He wanted a child. But he didn't want me for who I was."

I could feel tears developing in my eyes but I willed myself not to cry.

Charlie, however, was crying freely this time. "If you ever get pregnant, Lyra, you can't tell him. Tell him when you're less likely to lose the child. Tell him when it's too obvious to hide anymore."

She took a deep breath. "But please. Please promise me something."

I barely nodded, afraid that if I did, the tears would spill.

Charlie's lips quivered as she wiped her eyes. "Promise me you won't tell him what I told you. You and I both know how Connor can be. He may be there for you, but he's cruel. He's cold inside and I don't want you to suffer the same fate I did."

I opened my mouth before closing it. Connor would've never told me this. Ever. If I told him that Charlie told me, only God knew what he would've done.

"I promise. Thank you for telling me, Charlie."

She nodded before standing tall, her cold gaze returning. "Don't think this changes anything, Lyra." I kept my mouth shut until she turned and stepped into the cold water. Then, I spoke in the same hushed manner that she did.

"This changes everything."

She barely glanced at me before snorting and creating distance between us.

~

We left the area with a silence that couldn't be explained. Emily and Katrina seemed content enough, but Charlie was deathly quiet, refusing to glance my way despite me looking at her. Michelle was... It was hard to tell.

She seemed content, but most likely not in the way Katrina and Emily were.

And myself... I didn't know how to process what I was told. I knew Connor was always cold but... It didn't sit well with my mind at all.

I left that area with a feeling that it had been stained with disaster and sorrow. A part of me hoped we'd never come back to that area again.

We had traveled some distance before stopping again to rest. Katrina took me to the side to train me further and took note of how better I had become in dodging and blocking. This time, I took my warm cloak off to use it as a pillow, since the area was quite warm, and slept beside Katrina.

Her golden eyes met mine with amusement and love you'd expect from an older sister.

But the staring contest didn't last long, and we both soon fell asleep with the rest.

I dreamed again. It was like the dream I had when I had gotten sick.

I was standing in the middle of the woods, a few feet from a woman who looked strangely like me.

She looked sad and lost in thought, only to gasp a little and turn around. She then smiled and asked, "What are you doing out, little one?"

A little girl had come into view, looking up at the woman as she said, "Where's daddy? Where are they?" The woman smiled, picking the little girl up and kissing her forehead. "They'll be back soon, my dear. We just have to wait a little longer."

The girl pouted before resting up against the woman. "Why are they always gone, mommy?"

She chuckled sweetly, rubbing the back of the little girl's head. "Oh love, they have to hunt for us and make sure we keep growing big and strong."

The little girl had pitch black hair just like mine, but the structure of her face was of mine, only younger.

I didn't know what to make of the dream, but if this was me dreaming about the possibility of having a child in the future, I couldn't help but to smile at the thought.

Her woman kissed her daughter's forehead. "Let's go back inside where's it's warm. The others are waiting for us." The little girl nodded, clinging to her mother as the woman once again gave one last glance into the woods before turning around and heading back towards what looked like a large cabin.

I swore I could see two small figures standing out on the porch, but my vision started to blur.

I was being tugged back into the world of the living. And the welcoming party was none the pleasant.

~

"....A!....Up!.. Ly...Lyra!"

I groaned, shivering and curling up, only to open my eyes as I started feeling pain in my abdomen and stomach again.

I looked up only to see Katrina and Emily stare down at me in worry. I looked up at them, confused, only for my eyes to widen as my whole body was covered in white.

We had overslept.

Shivering, I ignored the pain and quickly got up, slipping on my cloak as I asked, "H-How did we sleep this late?!"

"Like that matters," Michelle snapped, "We need to get out of here, like now!!"

"I can't believe the storm caught up to us!" Katrina exclaimed, slapping the snow off of me.

Emily grabbed my duffle bag and the basket containing the fruits. She then exhaled after looking in the basket. "The food is fine, let's go!" Charlie was already in her werewolf form. She beckoned me to her before turning her back to me.

I bit my lip in nervousness. Was she offering me a ride?

Katrina shouted, "There's no time to switch the bags around, just get on Charlie!" I nodded and got on her back, wrapping my arm around her neck.

Michelle, Katrina, and Emily quickly shifted and took off into the snowy storm.

What happened next was a blur. I could barely open my eyes as Charlie pawed and clawed her way through the ever-growing piles of snow.

She was running so wildly, I thought I'd slip off. I almost did a few times, but she would suddenly slow to let me cling onto her harder. I spared a glance at the others around me and found that I could barely see them through the blizzard.

When she slowed down for me to scoot up again, my grip faltered, causing me to slide off her back.

"No-!!"

I fell on the snow, attempting to get back up, but the pain in my stomach seemed to grow.

Charlie turned to me, but the gust of wind that burst towards her knocked her off her feet and sending her down the declining hill. I tried to get up, but the increasing pain in my lower areas kept me from doing so.

I didn't understand the pain, didn't realize where it was coming from or why.

I whimpered, realizing that I was in fact on my monthly. Grateful that I wouldn't be bleeding just yet, I tried to get up, only to pause and see blood on the ground.

A lot of it. Too much.

My head was spinning as I tried to comprehend what was happening. Shakily, I did the exact opposite of what I wanted to do; I pulled down my pants. I had to see, to make sure. None of it made any sense.

And then it all came together.

My breath caught in my throat as everything seemed to slow down. Tears prickled my eyes as I tried to breathe. But I couldn't.

So I screamed.

~~~

I AM SORRY, IF YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, THEN DON'T HATE ME FAM!

Until the next Update!

~Nimo