Maui burst out of the the scene with Naz cradled against her chest like a broken doll. The bigger orc's legs pumped hard, boots hammering stone, but every stride jarred only made Naz's current condition worse due to her cracked ribs and sent fresh stings through her bruised organs. She didn't care. Naz knew she had to survive long enough to give birth and had to get away from that monster.
She ducked into a narrow side of the home they resided and lowered Naz gently to the floor. Torchlight from the corridor barely reached them, painting everything in sickly orange.
Naz's breathing was shallow, ragged. Blood soaked the front of her torn tunic, spreading in a dark flower across her swollen belly.
Maui's hands moved on instinct, tearing open the fabric to check the damage.
Then she froze the moment she realized this was not just a bruise.
