Chapter 7

The air was wet with early morning dew as Harley treaded barefoot through the grass. She'd thrown on her dress hastily, but couldn't be bothered with shoes. It was spring, a time when she just couldn't resist getting up early to watch the sunrise.

Everyone in camp was still asleep, leaving the morning in a calm peace, just for her. Harley grabbed some seed and walked over to the unicorn, Lulu's tent, as she did most mornings. The thing purred with pleasure at the sight of Harley, whom she had accepted as a friend.

"Good morning," Harley greeted, grabbing a handful as seed from her pouch and letting the little horse tongue lick it out of her hand. She stroked its mane gently. "Want to come outside?" she asked, "It's a beautiful morning." And as if the unicorn had actually understood her, it neighed as though to say 'yes.'

Harley smiled and held back the tent flap to let Lulu outside. She knew the small creature wouldn't run away, so she wasn't the least bit worried when it trotted off to go poke around camp for a while.

"Mmm," Harley heard a moan coming from behind a nearby cart. At one time, she might have curiously walked around to see what the sound was, but she already knew. Susie had finally managed to capture Tanner's attention, and know she wouldn't be able to dissuade his amorous affections even is she tried, not that she was going to. Everyone in camp had become accustomed to the fact that you could not turn a corner that held the tiniest bit of seclusion, without seeing those two all over each other.

When Harley and Calhoun had first gotten back from visiting her parents, people had thought they were bad with their public displays of affection, but Tanner and Susie had put them to shame. It had been a running joke that the new couple was worse than Harley and Cal, at least the latter two waited till they were in private to remove their clothes and mount each other, a decency that Tanner and Susie didn't seem to take note of.

Harley smiled and shook her head, walking away. She was happy for her friend, and Susie seemed to have gained a sweeter disposition ever since she and Tanner had gotten together.

"Harley," she heard her name growled and felt two strong arms go around her. She knew instantly who it was, and smiled contentedly. Cal wasn't a morning person, and would prefer to stay in bed, and had been grouchy at first when she insisted on waking up at such and ungodly hour. Harley told him that she didn't mind if he slept on, but he complained that he couldn't sleep without her. And true to his word, every morning when she woke up, it was never much later until he joined her.

"Good morning," she said cheerily, resting her head on his shoulder. He grunted.

Harley smiled at his morning grumpiness, and reached up to kiss it away. He kissed her back fervently, pulling her snugly against his body. He kissed the top of her head and ran his hand over her slightly protruding stomach.

"Morning!" a voice called out brightly and Harley and Cal turned to see Olive skipping sprightly toward them, a little griffin half running half flying behind her.

"What's with you princesses, don't you need to sleep?" Cal growled into her neck, and Harley giggled happily.

"Hey Olive," Harley greeted her warmly. She had begged her parents to let her come and visit Harley, because she missed her best friend, but also because she was dreadfully curious about the show Cal had here.

"Hey Harley, good morning baby," she said, patting Harley's stomach. "I can't wait until you come out, I'm curious to see what you will be," she spoke warmly to Harley's stomach as though it could here her, "So hurry as fast as you can."

Harley laughed, "Not too fast there," she said, wrapping her arms around her stomach. What her baby would come out as was the hot topic around here, after everyone learned that Harley's appearance was some sort of genetic trait Harley had inherited from her snake-like father. There were even bets being made on it. Harley didn't mind their speculation, but frankly she didn't care what her baby looked like, as long as it was healthy and happy.

The griffin, which Harley had given to Olive as her very own, and which Olive had named Baxter, was now whining at her legs, wanting to be played with. Olive gave in, bending down to pick him up and throwing him in the air. The extra momentum helped him fly farther as he desperately flapped his wings to keep himself propelling through the air. When he finally came tumbling to the ground, he looked over his shoulder to where Olive was running towards him, dutifully praising him for his flight.

Harley looked on toward her cousin and best friend, and thought about her family. She loved them so much, and they had protected her from the rest of the world for so long, but now it was time to move on. She had her own family now, and soon her own baby to protect. Harley caressed her stomach and Cal's hand came down to cover hers.

"Cal," she said idly, gripping his hand in her smaller one.

"Hmm?" he asked, running his thumb over the light fuzz on the back of her hand.

"You aren't, I don't know," she struggled to find the right word, "disappointed that our baby will be different?"