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Zephyr was pacing like crazy! He was frantic with the idea of Niru having kips and he was worried that she'd go into labor at any minute. He'd never been a father before, he didn't have the first clue about how to take care of kids...


He heard a sound in the cave and rushed inside. "Niru! Honey, are you doing okay? How do you feel?" He hovered over her expectantly.

He let out a sigh of relief. "I know, I know," he leaned down and nuzzled her. "I just don't want anything to happen to you." He stared into her eyes. "I don't think I could handle that."

A thought suddenly struck him and he became alert again. "Which reminds me, are you hungry? Do you need anything?" He leaned down closer towards her tummy. "You're not in any kind of pain are you?" He seemed urgent for something to do.

He loved seeing her smile. "Okay, food I can do. What are you hungry for?"

Zeph looked around the cave. It was rather sparce, actually. He felt rather sheepish for not restocking, but he knew there were plenty of food sources nearby that he could gather from. Ripe fruit hung down from the trees around this time and berry bushes grew not far from the cave.

There was even a stream nearby for him to catch some fresh fish. The water would be freezing, but he didn't really care.

He'd do anything for Niru.

"Fresh fish, coming right up!" He nuzzled her quickly.

Then he left the cave in search of the river. Leaves crackled under his paws as he navigated the woods, pausing every now and then to get his bearings. If he remembered correctly, the river was just south of the cave and a left or two from the crooked black tree. He didn't like the sight of it, but it was a perfect landmark since it pointed to the perfect fishing spot along the riverbank. He wandered forward some more, eyes searching anxiously.

"There" he said with relief as he spotted it a little ways off. It was a bit disturbing, the prongs of the branches pointing strait up rather than out like most trees. It was also the only black thing in the different hues of red, yellow, and orange that painted the forest.

Curiously, he went towards it. The scent of smoke filled his nose suddenly and he snorted, his eyes watering. "Must have been struck by lighting or something." He said aloud, rubbing his nose with his paw. He hated the smell of smoke. Shaking it off, he turned left and kept going until he heard the sound of running water.

"Finally!" he sighed. The water was swift and crystal clear. He could barely make out the lengthy shapes of the river fish fighting the current with ease. His stomach grumbled hungrily and he couldn't help but grin. The hunter in him growled with anticipation.

"Time to catch some dinner." He said and stalked into the freezing water.

Zephyr cursed as yet another fish wriggled from his grasp. His fur was wet and he couldn't control an unexpectant shiver as the wind pushed against him, but he wasn't giving up. Niru needed nurishment in her current state and as the male, he was going to provide it one way or another. His nose twitched as the scent of smoke clung to it, but he paid it no mind.

"Probably from the tree earlier" he insisted, not even dwelling on the thought of there being a forest fire and the possibility of Niru being in danger...

"Don't think like that" he urged with a swipe as another fish swam just out of his reach. He was too distracted with his mate's pregnancy. Niru was fine, if just a little hungry. If he didn't catch something soon though, she'd be starved, which would be bad for the kips.

"Focus" He told himself. He positioned his body in a striking pose, fluid and motionless. "Come on fishy, come to papa" he silently coaxed.

The fish seemed to have forgotten his presence because after a few minutes, it swam closer, possibly in search of a meal itself. Whatever it's purpose, the fish no longer seemed worried about him. Still, Zephyr waited. No sense jumping too soon. His patience even paid off because not long after, two other fish swam forward, intent on the same thing the first one was. Zeph couldn't believe his luck!

Now all he had to do was wait a little more and then he'd nab all three in one swipe, securing a very nice meal for him and Niru.

"Just a little bit longer Niru" He thought.

As predicted, the fish gathered together to beat the others to the punch. He tensed his paw, just slightly, and in less than a blink his paw shot out, startling the fish. Almost in synchronization, all three fish landed on the bank of the river flopping and gasping for air. Zephyr waded out of the river to claim his prize. One fish seemed determined to live and twisted its body so it could flop back into the safety of running water.

Zeph wasn't about to lose any more fish and quickly snapped it up with his teeth. It shook wildly, struggling with everything it had, but that quickened it's demise. Zephyr swatted the other fish away from the bank just in case they too had any escape plans. Almost as if acknowloging their fates, the other two simply wiggled in place, their huge mouths gaping and sucking, eyes pleading for the rush of water on their gills.

While he did feel sorry for them, the survival of his family came first. The fish in his mouth only quivered now, energy spent and slowly sufficating. He laid it down next to the other ones, contemplating how he was going to carry all three of them.

"I could always eat mine now" he thought. He may have been hungry, but he would never leave Niru waiting anxiously back in the cave while he stuffed his face, even if it would lighten his load.

The fish were long, so he couldn't carry them by their tails or they'd just drag the ground. He couldn't fit them in his mouth sideways, his mouth wasn't big enough. He didn't think carrying the heads in his mouth would make a difference either. Zephyr sat and puzzled over what to do. Then he got it. He'd grab them further up on their tails!

He swooped them up in his mouth, all the fish had gone still by now, and began his treck back home. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he returned.

Zephyr was back at the tree again. For some strange reason he couldn't help but stare at it, eerie though it was. It had probably been beautiful once, more than likely a flowering tree. That it still smelled like smoke was bizarre, but he really didn't have time to ponder it now. Fish was best eaten fresh from the catch and he still had a little ways to go before making it back to the cave.

With a last look back at it, he bowed his head in thanks for its guidence to the river and hastily made his way towards the cave and his hungry mate.

Zephyr was just coming up on the cave when he thought he heard his name being called. His heart picked up a beat at the sound of it. Was it time? Niru called his name again.

"Homny, Ir'm Herrm" He made out with the fish caught between his teeth. With all the speed of a worried male, he dashed into the cave, dropping the fish on his way in and came to her side.

"Honey, are you okay? Is it time?" His eyes traveled over her, noting her heavy breathing and he knew this was happening. All the nerves from before were clawing at him now. "Have to stay calm" he told himself, "she needs you to be calm"

"We can do this." He said to her with a confidence he didn't feel. "Just tell me what to do love."