He knew that he needed to tackle these issues one by one; otherwise, he wasn't sure he'd wake up the next day, given the growing headache building at the back of his head.
"It's important, Chief," Thak replied, taking a deep breath to steady himself as he rose to his feet from his kneeling position.
"What is so important that you had to disrupt my meeting with Stronghold Leader Zogar, a discussion about the village's safety and the threat of the Vyklr vines overwhelming us?" Village Chief Brane questioned, his frown deepening as he observed Thak's hesitation.
Thak finally spoke up after a few tense moments. "It's Overseer Anara..."
Village Chief Brane abruptly shot up from his seat, both his arms latching onto Thak's shoulders before Thak could fully grasp the situation.
"What happened to Overseer Anara? Why are you hesitating? Speak up!" Village Chief Brane demanded, his expression stern and serious, though his mind was in turmoil, racing with various thoughts.
Is Overseer Anara's health getting better? Has something terrible happened to her? Has she finally woken up?
Even Leftward Stronghold Leader Zogar's thoughts raced as he anxiously awaited Thak's response and a lump formed in his throat.
Thak eventually calmed himself and responded, "Anara has awakened, but..."
Before Thak could finish his sentence and complete the news of Anara's awakening, a sudden, strong wind struck from the left, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground.
The sound of a door shattering into bits filled the room with a resounding bang.
Fortunately, just before Thak hit the ground, Stronghold Leader Zogar caught him safely.
"Are you okay?" Stronghold Leader Zogar asked.
"Yes, I'm okay," Thak replied, nodding his head and coughing lightly.
He had anticipated the Village Chief's reaction to such news, but it appeared he had underestimated it.
"Okay. Is Overseer Anara truly awake?" Stronghold Leader Zogar asked, getting straight to the point while unconsciously tightening his grip on Thak's shoulders.
"Yes, she is awake, but..." Thak began to respond, feeling internal pressure as Stronghold Leader Zogar's grip continued to tighten.
The stress of the village's current state was already weighing on him, and now it seemed like Stronghold Leader Zogar might unintentionally be the one to push him to the threshold.
"But what?" Stronghold Leader Zogar asked, his frown deepening.
Since Overseer Anara was now awake, this should have been a reason to celebrate, as they had gained an additional helping hand to quell the growing agitation of the tree nymphs. So why was Thak still shivering as though he had witnessed a disaster...
"She's about to give birth."
Stronghold Leader Zogar's mind ground to a sudden halt. He stared at Thak, blinking in disbelief for a few moments. Thinking he must have misheard, he took a deep breath, attempting to calm his racing thoughts, convinced that the village's pressing issues had finally taken a toll on one of them. With great care, Zogar steadied Thak, helping him sit up, and waiting for him to regain his composure.
"Do you feel better now?" Stronghold Leader Zogar asked, concern etched across his face.
"Yes," Thak nodded, exhaling in relief.
Stronghold Leader Zogar furrowed his brow, his concern deepening. "Alright. Now, can you tell me what's actually going on?"
Thak took another deep breath and clarified, "Overseer Anara is in labour."
Stronghold Leader Zogar nodded again and placed his hand on Thak's shoulder and neck, checking for signs of illness. "Are you absolutely certain you're feeling well, Thak? Remember, you still have a daughter, a future warrior at that. Do you want her to see you in this state? Tala is still young, and losing her father mentally could be detrimental to her growth. It's something the village can not afford right now."
Quickly realizing what Stronghold Leader Zogar was thinking, Thak stretched out his arms and firmly grasped Zogar's face, his eyes wide with anger.
He shouted, "I'M NOT CRAZY!!! SHE'S PREGNANT!!! OVERSEER ANARA IS PREGNANT AND IS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH!!"
"She's pregnant," Stronghold Leader repeated, his expression shifting from scepticism to realization.
Thak nodded, saying, "Yes, that's what I've been trying to say..."
But before he could finish his sentence, 'BANG!' The already damaged door shattered completely as Stronghold Leader Zogar rushed out of the room, leaving Thak bewildered.
Observing the chaos in the room, Thak chose to delay calling the servants to deal with the mess.
He reclined on the ground, considering his own well-being. "Maybe I need to rest for a while," he mused, realizing that he should regain his composure before facing his daughter, so as not to alarm her. Gradually, he closed his eyes and drifted into slumber, reserving the challenges of tomorrow for his future self.
…...
The Farm
The Village Chief swiftly shifted back into his human form, morphing from the giant Green owl, and touched down on the ground.
Surveying his surroundings, he took in the crowd of tree nymphs that had gathered, and he would have found it more strange if there weren't so many present for Overseer Anara's awakening.
The tree nymphs recognized the Village Chief's presence and immediately made way for him, guiding him toward Overseer Anara's location.
His brows furrowed as he noticed the Caretakers, all standing outside one of the large huts near Overseer Anara's tree, which had previously been used for newborns.
"What's the matter? Why are you all gathered outside?" the Village Chief asked, regarding the Caretakers with a frown.
A troubling thought instantly crossed his mind, but he shook it off, confident that if anything had gone wrong, they could address it now that Overseer Anara was awake and they could communicate with her.
However, the Caretakers exchanged concerned glances, sighing wearily. "Chief, it would be best for you to see this for yourself," Mrs. Shani suggested, holding her baby close and indicating the hut's door.
The Village Chief's frown deepened as he scrutinized the Caretakers, all of whom wore expressions of deep concern. He shifted his gaze to the hut ahead and strode forward, eager to uncover whatever was going on.
