Pregnant With His Liger Baby

So far, the entire group of about twenty people, mostly males, had been forced to move only once, about a week ago, when it seemed like the collectors were getting too close to discovering where they were hiding. Here, they were a bit farther into the countryside, so hopefully they were less exposed.

Still, everyone was starting to grow restless. They all wanted to be able to hop into a boat and get away from all this trouble. The only thing that was holding them back was finding a way to pay for their passage. Reba had been steadily paying off a captain over the last six months, and now the last payment was finally about to be made, if only they could manage to come up with the cash with which to do it.

“A nearby farm has put out a call for migrant workers to come and help with the olive harvest,” Reba explained. “They were very willing to allow our men to participate, but they’re waiting about another week before they feel it’s time. So we need to lay low here for just a little while longer. I’d hate to lose out on that income.”

“I’m worried, though,” Sylvie sighed. “It’s getting difficult to keep Ilana inside. She snuck out just last night and shifted into her cat form. She doesn’t understand yet why she needs to refrain.”

“Yes, I know,” Reba agreed. “Fortunately the ship captain has no interest in your shifting abilities, and the group will have the boat to ourselves except for him. We should be amply able to send the message home to the little imp by the time we reach our destination.”

“Someplace far off, then?” Sylvie nodded.

“Yes, far enough,” she agreed. “You know I won’t tell you. It’s too big of a risk that someone else could somehow be listening.”

“I agree, totally,” Sylvie nodded. “Shall be start on the meal for the night?”

“Yes,” she said. “I believe the males brought down a few chital for us to cut up. I’ll have mine roasted, of course.”

“Wonderful,” Sylvie smiled. “I like chital meat. Let’s get started.”

*****

After the week had passed, the men were generally gone for most of the day during the two-week long job. Micah picked so many olives that his fingertips tasted of their juices. Sylvie loved to tease him by su*king on them, making him laugh.

“If you like olives so much, perhaps wherever we’re going we could plant an orchard of our own,” he teased her.

“Hm, I might actually like that,” she said thoughtfully.

“What are olives?” Ilana wanted to know.

“Here, I have one right here in my pocket, my love,” said Micah as he fished one out. “Of course, this is right off the plant, but people process these and flavor them sometimes as well.”

“Bitter!” she complained as she spit out the little bite she’d taken. “Do you have any meat instead?”

Sylvie watched them, marveling at how quickly Ilana had grasped the concept of speech. She was now only five weeks old, and she was already acting like a cub in her third month. She was almost as big as one, too. How much bigger than them was Ilana likely to grow?

Her human form would, of course, be of a larger woman, just as most of the other shifters. Even Leona’s bone structure was larger despite her incessant attempts to stay slim. But it was a known fact that ligers could grow quite a bit larger than their parents, and Sylvie wondered how that was going to affect Ilana’s human form.

Of course, since there was no other known shifting liger to compare Ilana to, there was no way of knowing the answer until about six to eight months from now. By then, it should be readily apparent—whether they wanted it to be or not.

“What are you frowning over, Sylvie?” Micah wanted to know.

“The future, I suppose,” she admitted. “I just hope Ilana’s size won’t be causing the group any trouble once she’s reached her full potential.”

“You worry too much, Sylvie,” he told her. “No matter what happens, we’re just going to have to take everything as it comes. You know that.”

“I’m a mother, of course I worry,” she scoffed. “It’s in the job description. Too bad my own mother isn’t going to get to see any of us again before we set sail.”

“Well, the money had already been wired, we’ve only three days more of picking to do, and then our biggest worry is going to be how to reach the boat,” said Micah as he ate an olive of his own. “I’d say your mother would be glad to know that much at least. If only there was a way we could let her know.”

“We can’t risk contacting Dr. O’Dell,” Sylvie reminded him. “At least, not using the phone at the Preserve. But I wonder, what if we sent in a note instead?”

“Do you think Reba would be willing to do a day’s work with the good doctor someday soon?” asked Micah. “We might even be able to inform her by word of mouth.”

“That’s a great idea,” Sylvie agreed. “I’ll have to ask her about it right away. I wonder if she could pass off a picture of Ilana to my parents so they can see what she looks like. It would be so great if they could at least see her one time!”

“Well, go talk to Reba then, my dear,” Micah suggested. “You’ll never stop worrying about all this until you at least try.”