A forest.

Clouds promising snow.

And a running woman.

Although running might be a strong word for the stumbling jog she did, as she was fighting against the weight of her pregnant belly. As she was desperately trying to get support from her companion.

If a passerby had been looking at her, they would have noticed that her belly was so big she would give birth any day now. If they had looked more carefully, they might even have noticed that her belly was too big to carry a single child.

But, as is typical for a forest far removed from civilisation, on the cusp of winter, there were no passersby that might have seen her.

Despite no human or other creature being visible in between the trees, the woman was still performing a near-superhuman feat of locomotion, only made possible by the aid of her companion. That companion was a rather curious creature. Going by the name of datch, they were about the size of a large dog, their backs reaching to just below a persons' hips. Also a bit wider than said dog would be, and with longer necks. But the most striking part about them was their two arms, which sprouted from about the same place as their front legs, thus making them six-limbed.

That, and that the woman controlled it as an extension of her own body.

And so, hand in hand, the woman and her companion continued onward, deeper into the forest.

Despite having no real breath to spare, she was softly muttering. Words that were undoubtedly cursing the entire world and everything on it gently fading between the frozen trees.

Our hypothetical passerby might think she was talking to her companion, and she kind of was. Unfortunately, the creature lacked the mental autonomy to understand what she said, even as the sounds the woman made were no more than some whispers that barely reached her own ears.

"And when I told him I was pregnant... He just went crying with his mommy... I *tempted* him... Spoiled... their blood... heh... I should have run immediately... Drika curse them all... But together... Eli... we're gonna make everything... okay... heh..."

As could be expected of a creature that was basically a puppet on a string, the worker datch named Eli did not respond in any way whatsoever.

It was in that fashion that the pair stumbled upon a small cave. It being marginally warmer than outside, out of the wind and not containing clouds that promised the first snow, the woman decided she had run enough and entered. Using her companion as a scout, she discovered that, while narrow, the tunnel led reasonably far into the hillside.

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And so, guided by increasing warmth, the two found themselves into a larger chamber, about five meters across.

Utterly exhausted, the woman took out her blanket and dropped herself on the floor. As her flight instinct calmed down, she knew she was not getting up again. She closed her eyes and send her companion back outside to forage some food.

Human bodies are marvellously built machines, fine-tuned over many generations. One of the many things it could do without control was optimising its different parts based on the level of threat perceived. It was thus no wonder that not even an hour after the woman had laid down her blanket, her water broke.

And so it happened. Over the course of an entire night, two small children clawed their way into the world. A boy and a girl.

And deep down into the cave, the heat pulsed.

---------------

The opinions had been divided before they tried, but now the results were in: they could not reach civilisation before the first snow fell. Lilian sighted as she thought back to the taverns they could have camped around. She felt like she wanted to curse everyone who wanted to take the shortcut through the woods. She herself had voted in favour of it, but if some more people had voted against, she now wouldn't be patrolling through the fricking snow right now.

Alas.

And so she trodded on through the snow, scouting the perimeter of their camp.

Waiting till the sun rose.

At least she had her companion, Mia, who flattened the snow before her. Hers' was one of the warrior variety. Slightly bigger than a worker, with sharp claws and heavy tusks. Less useful if you wanted to actually do something, but man, could they rip someone apart.

It was while she was contemplating the advantages of a hot breakfast served indoors that she noticed something approaching in the forest. Two pairs of eyes sure were useful. That Darin had snuck up on her on several occasions to berate her for not paying attention had definitely nothing to do with her ever vigilance.

It was just a single shape, too small to be a human. But it also did not walk like any animal would. More like it was just... ambling? bumbling?

It did not look imminently threatening, so she sprinted towards it with Mia. Looking through her eyes, it appeared to be... a companion? but there didn't appear to be any human nearby. So a drone? It was a female datch, if nothing else. But it seemed to be lacking... purpose. It had just been... walking. And now it was just looking a Mia, but without any intelligence behind it.

She kept her guard via Mia and gave two short, shrill shouts towards the camp. Found something, no threat. In the cold winter morning, her voice would carry far enough.

It was but fifteen heartbeats until she could see Thomas approaching at a light jog. He was thirty-ish years old, already something of a veteran and appointed lieutenant in their company. Also well respected all-around.

"What did ya found?" he shouted as he approached.

"A datch of some kind. Came walking out of the woods. But it's like she's dead inside." Lilian pointed towards the creature she found.

"Let me take a look," he said as he came to a halt next to her and his own companion took off a sprint towards what was becoming a gathering of datch.

"Ah, looks like her owner just died. Less than a couple hours ago, I'd say."

"Realy? I didn't know that's how, euh..."

"Yeah. Once we die they basically stop doing anything. You said this one was walking this way?"

"Yeah"

"Than that was probably the last command that she received. Follow her trail and we'll find her owner.

"I'll go fetch Diedrich. You'll keep watch?"

"Sure."

-----------

Diedrich, their company's captain was fetched. The trail was followed and a small, unassuming cave was found. Inside, together with the last remnants of warmth, they found the mother. Dead.

In her arms, they also found the children.

Alive.