Morning Sap

It had been a few months since they had gone off on their adventure outside of Atlantis. With the help of a styracosaurus named Dart, Pelt and Ruby had made their way out via a tunnel system. They did get lost a few times, but thankfully Dart had told them to look out for the signs that he had left. Cloth, plastic, and splashes of paint were dotted along his way. Sometimes it would be hanging from a tree, or just be by the base of the tree trunk.

Ruby made a note to herself that if they ever were to come across the styraco again, they'd thank him with all they had.

When they finally got out it was literally a whole new world opening up to them. After taking a step out of the door, they could smell so many things it was overwhelming.

It took weeks for Pelt to leave the first place they had slept in for the night: an overgrown building that looked more like it was underground than above ground. It was only ever lit by the small trickles of sunlight that came through the hole in the roof during the day.

They would travel at night and come back to this building to sleep.

Today they were both sitting next to each other, loafing under that very sunlight in silence, when Pelt had piped up.

"Would you ever want to try again?"

Ruby, who was having a cozy morning and was still half asleep, made a small noise to show she is listening. Then she spoke very quietly. "Try what again, Parm?..."

After a second of silence, Ruby opened her eyes wide and stared at him as she recognised what he was talking about.

"You want to try again?"

Pelt was looking at her softly now.

"We have to keep trying."

Ruby adjusted herself so that she was facing Pelt a little more. "You do remember what happened when we first tried, right? They never hatched."

After saying that, Pelt reacted as if he had gotten stung.

It wasn't too long ago- but a month after they had settled they had tried to raise a clutch together. They had promised to each other when they were pups that once they got out they'd make a better world for their babies.

After a month out of the dome, they quickly realised just how hard it is to survive outside. They only felt safe to venture out in the darkness due to both of their colorings, but in doing so they had bared witness to many horrible and scary things. They had even seen other euos- some alive, and some not anymore.

There were many, many big creatures out there willing to make a meal out of them. 

Some part of Ruby had now felt like it wasn't a good idea. What would happen if they had to lose a baby in front of them? She couldn't even begin to imagine.

After the first clutch had never hatched, they stopped talking about it and Ruby stopped mentioning it. However, it had weighed on Pelt ever since.

"It just feels like there's something missing… Pelt smiled at her. "I love you, and I think you'd make a great mother. We were both annoying, loud pups. We need someone fun in here."

"Oh, so i'm not fun enough for you?" Ruby teased him. She knew what he meant, but it was always funnier to get a reaction out of him.

"Don't say that! You're really fun. I could never be with anyone else. You know that. It's just…"

"I think it would do us good if we had something to distract us. Sitting here isn't doing anything much for us." He nuzzled into her shoulder as he spoke.

Before Ruby said anything, he continued.

"I know you're scared, we both are…And the fact that they never hatched…. It's okay. It was our first clutch. Maybe it was where we laid them. Maybe we should've-"

"It's okay, Pelt. It wasn't our fault."

Ruby smiled at him. She hadn't realised he had been thinking about it since. They were both so depressed after they had waited so long for them to hatch, and then they never did. They had stopped travelling for the most part and were hanging around in grief.

A small period of silence stretched before Pelt lifted his head up again.

"What do you think they'd look like more? You or me?"

Ruby thought for a second, trying to decide whether to say the joke answer or the honest answer. She decided to say both.

"Well, I think they'd all look exactly like me of course. But maybe they'd have your smell."

She couldn't stop herself from giggling as Pelt made a fake sour face at her. 

That joke really never got old to her. She reminded herself to drag the kids into the bit too once they were hatched.

"I would love if they were stinky actually. Maybe that could help deter predators."

Pelt said as he was grinning back at her now. "And then we'd all be one stinky but safe family."

Ruby had started laughing at the idea now, and she began to snort.

"Deploy the babies!"

After having her laughing fit, she finally opened her eyes and looked back at Pelt. The expression on his face was full of love, and he was staring at her like a lovestruck teenager.

It took her aback for a second before she playfully pushed him with her front paw.

"Stop looking at me like that, silly."

"I'm so happy I met you, Ruby. I never thought we'd ever get this far. We are so close to our dream becoming real…

I can't wait to have stinky babies with you."

Sometimes, Pelt was so sappy Ruby felt like her heart was leaping out of her chest. It would always take her by surprise. Pelt looked at her lovingly often, but it was only during the early morning that he would get really sappy. He wasn't particularly good with words however, he tried his best. 

She can never handle him when he's sappy- she'll get too embarrassed and just make a joke about it and laugh it off instead.

This was very endearing to Pelt, and so it did not stop him. In fact if anything it encouraged it. He wanted to see her cover her face in embarrassment and he loved to see her laugh.

"You big sap. I'm happy we met too. Who knows what you'd get up to without me."

She chuckled as she tried to make it look like she wasn't hiding her face in embarrassment.

Pelt laid his head back down, pressing himself against her. He whispered something one last time before he closed his eyes.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."