Taryn spat the dust from her mouth and tried to discretely blow her nostrils but the terrain was increasingly dry. The twins and Kim never lagged but gamboled around Raschen as he scouted ahead. Jax brought up the rear while she and Lily corralled the rest of the bunnies. Some of them were delicate and had little stamina, so the women carried one or another to let them nap. Taryn's arms were about to drop off.<br/><br/>The sun which felt soft and warm in the mountains was beginning to bear down on them without that friendly feeling that had been so welcome just a few days before. The pace was grueling, although not as fast as when they were hunting the Cotyl,<br/><br/>"Merciful Gaia," Taryn expostulated to Lily, "I admit I am a little soft from having twins and then hibernating all winter but this is hard pace for the little ones." She joggled one of the girl bunnies to her other arm.<br/><br/>Lily just nodded her head and sat the freshly awoken boy down to sigh as she slipped her paws under the arms of another.<br/><br/>"I'm sure we will stop when Raschen finds some shade or some water. Besides," she giggled," he is doing the hard work of minding the twins and their shadow."<br/><br/>Taryn shaded her eyes with her hand, watching the spectacle that Lily had referenced. She snorted and shook her head.<br/><br/>"Sometimes, Lily, I'm sad about the way things turned out with Raschen. I love him with all my heart, but I fear he just feels trapped with me now. He rarely talks to me, has little or nothing to do with me... I'm just another mouth to feed and a responsibility that he tends to in his scope of duty. Maybe he would be better off without me."<br/><br/>Lily nearly dropped the bunny she carried.<br/>"How can you say such a thing? He gave up everything for you."<br/><br/>"I know and who knows if he resents it? He is too big of a man to say that aloud. I fear I have ruined his life."<br/><br/>"He is a feline, you know and their women go into season, the only time they mate. Maybe he is just waiting." Lily offered helpfully.<br/><br/>Taryn nodded, that did make sense. "But I'm human. I don't go into season. He is my season, my reason and.... Oh don't mind me. I'm just tired. I wonder how far it is to the next camp?"