Being in the wilderness was shitty. Having a pregnant girlfriend in the wilderness was even shittier.

It happened on one of your so-called breaks from each other. One of many. Her mom had said some unspeakable things to her as usual, and she took it out on you. Nat didn't like to think about that day at all. That was the first time she felt she'd truly lost you for good. Instead, she crashed with you in the middle of nowhere. Some saving grace.

Ever since you'd told her, she'd been..distant. Expectantly. No one wants to know their girlfriend was with someone else. Still, she was out every day trying to catch something you could keep down. When she did catch something, she'd make sure you got your share first. In the morning, she'd coincidentally wander out the cabin around the same time your morning sickness hit.

Nat would like to pretend this was just some parasite. Or one fucked up nightmare. But she couldn't. Not when you couldn't even keep food down at times and the baby was starting to press on your bladder. Fuck, in just a few months, there'd be an adorable, screaming bastard around.

At the same time, it's be winter. Game would be terribly sparse and there'd be another tiny mouth to feed. The thought petrified her.

Nat trudged through the snow back into the cabin, once again empty handed. Her rifle felt heavy on her back, like a relentless reminder of how much she was failing everyone. She dropped the heavy side arm on the porch and pulled her knees to her chest, sighing heavily. Her shoulders instinctively tensed as she felt your warmth beside her.

"I'm shit at this." She laughed bitterly. "How the fuck am I gonna take care of a baby if I can't-” She cut herself off, exhaling sharply.