Path of the Hunters [PART 3]

"Mm?"

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Nova has nothing but contempt for that human that was just in here," Sol explained. "Cross called him Damien, if I recall correctly."

"Even still," Nova said. "Damien's a horrible name, to begin with. What kinda stigma does someone have to name their kid after the one from The Omen? Seriously?"

Aurélie smiled slightly. "Then we're agreed on that one. Pick another." That shot had dulled the pain, but definitely hadn't eradicated it. She still needed her mind to be occupied.

"Well, how about Xavier, after my Best Man, Briggs?"

She shook her head, lips twitching. "It isn't French enough."

"All right, maybe Alphonse?"

She laughed. "Désolé, non. Davet?"

"Hmm... No. I was hoping for a strong name, like D'Artagnan."

She smiled. "The Fourth Musketeer? I like it."

"A little cheesy, yeah, but it feels right. We'll call him Dart, for short, so it can go pretty much either way."

"Mm... Oui." She squeezed his hand softly, smiling. "Now think of something else for the next contraction."

He grumbled playfully. "This isn't the easiest thing, y'know."

"He's right," Sol said with a smirk. "I'm surprised he's kept this up for this long. His brain must be on the verge of collapsing."

"Keep it up, Sol," Nova warned the hedgecat. "I will come over there, and beat you senseless!"

He laughed. "Damn, Cross should be here. All the mileage I'm gettin' outta this-he's missin' out, big time."

The dog smiled. "You can beat 'im to a pulp during the next one. It will keep my attention."

"Then he'll be fighting outnumbered," Mani mused. "After all, I can't sit idly, while Nova beats my husband down."

"Ha! I like those odds, and I'm not the one that normally plays 'em!"

"Mm... Per'aps later, then. I'd like to do more than just lay 'ere."

"Oh, I think I can handle this, myself," Sol said, grinning at the wolf. "Besides, it's been a while since I tussled on my own, and it's not like we're gonna be serious."

"Don't get cocky, kid." Nova cracked his knuckles. "Nothing's gonna get broke, sure, but don't think for a second it'll be easy."

"Keep it on that side of the room, s'il vous plaît."

"Don't worry, dear. We won't put you that close to the action."

Sol snickered. "'Dear?' Damn, that sounds so weird, coming from you."

"Just give me the signal, Aurélie..."

She released his hand, still smiling. "Allons."

He grinned, standing upright.

Sol grinned as well, loosening his joints. "Ready to do this?"

"Let's get it on!" With that, Nova lunged for the hedgecat.

*

"Damn, that Nova can be a real pain," Cross muttered to himself, walking the hallways of the floor. "Now, where did Damien run off to...?"

Damien smacked his head against the wall a several times out of frustrations, growling. "How can proffessional mercs and assassins be so dense and blind?!"

Aurélie watched them with amusement, trying to keep her breath steady. To settle the babies, or at least pretend to, she began rubbing her belly in slow circles. One of them seemed to be slowing down.

Cross came upon the human, and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, take it easy; you're getting blood on the wall."

"My head's harder than that, Cross." He muttered as he rubbed it and stepped back. "My apologies, but their idiocy annoyed me extremely."

"Don't hold it against Nova. With the way things are, with him, his wife and cousin on the run from assassins and bounty hunters, and now his wife going into childbirth, he's a little high-strung."