[PreggySergal]

Shai nodded and gave a small wave to the other females. He was breathing rhythmically, trying to keep calm. He had relaxed some, seeing he now had a troupe of five able-bodied females to protect him. He rubbed circles around his belly. "Gods this hurts and I haven't even started laying yet."

[KrocodileKrew]

Shai's mother Finoula came over to him and pulled him into a hug. "Don't worry, my boy. It will be alright."

Miriala came over to him and took his hand. "We're here for you. I promise this will go just fine," she said reassuringly.

[PreggySergal]

Shai smiled, burying his head into his mother's shoulder, and squeezing his mate's hand. The moment of peace was broke, however. He contracted again, causing him to moan out. "Nggghhhh...." His teeth flashed, clenching his jaw up.

[KrocodileKrew]

Ignoring the pain she was suffering, Miriala stroked Shai's hand as she floated near him. "You're doing fine, love," she assured him. "Let's get him on the nest," she said to the other mermaids, who all nodded.

[PreggySergal]

He soon felt his aching body being nudged along by the females. He soon felt the softness of sea sponge underneath his tail. He began to slowly swim in circles around the nesting area, stopping when he needed to.

[KrocodileKrew]

Miriala and the others stood guard in a circle around him and the nest. They all had large tridents in their hands, which were designed to give them the edge in close-quarters combat.

[PreggySergal]

Shai kept swimming in circles, breathing heavily. He stopped swimming and held his stomach before moaning heavily. There came an audible pop, and a wisp of orange-red fluid rising out of his pouch. Mostly amniotic fluid, but anyone with good smell could smell blood. That included dark shapes out in the distance.

[KrocodileKrew]

"Shai, get on the nest," Miriala insisted. "We will deal with anyone who thinks you'll make a tasty snack."

Sure enough, a shark or two could be seen swimming towards them. Miriala's grip on her trident tightened until her knuckles whitened.

[PreggySergal]

Shai laid down on the nesting area. He felt some relief as he was laid into the soft sponge. He began to gently buck his hips, It was to help make the eggs descend. He moaned and pushed.

[KrocodileKrew]

Miriala and her sisters stood their ground as the first shark came up to them. It lunged towards Vespa, bumping her with its side as it pushed past her. The shark's rough skin and powerful tail muscles sent her reeling, but she soon came back and grabbed her trident. The more experienced Finoula, who had protected her own father, brothers and husband many times in her day, dodged the shark's blow and speared it in its vulnerable underside, knowing just where to stick it to cause the most damage. The second one was more wily, swimming around and around them but remaining just out of reach, hoping to catch them off guard.

[PreggySergal]

Shai was breathing heavily now. "He he he he he hoooo." He sucked in water through his gills rapidly. He pushed again, gritting his teeth and moving his hips. He felt something move and stretch the opening of his pouch as it did. There, the narrow ended head of a egg poked out. "Ow..." He whimpered before pushing a little a more. Another gush of fluid and blood, and then a soft plop hit against the sea sponge.

[KrocodileKrew]

The shark stopped swimming around in circles and soared overhead, moving to swoop down and attack Shai in his state of open vulnerability.

"Get away from him, you monster!" yelled Miriala, swimming up towards it with her trident out in front of her as she blazed forth in a blaze of fury.

[PreggySergal]

"Mira!" Shai called out to her, worried about what going to happen. He then doubled over in pain again, starting to grit his teeth.

[KrocodileKrew]

Miriala charged at the shark too concerned with protecting her mate to care about the possible consequences of her actions. The shark, being the more cunning opponent, charged back at her only to swerve away at the last minute, slapping her away with its powerful tail.

Miriala landed hard back on the sea bed, her eyes half-lidded as she floated half-conscious in the water. "Miriala!" cried Cecily as she swam over to her sister's side to see what she could do while Finoula and the others positioned themselves defensibly between Shai and the shark.

[PreggySergal]

Shai kept pushing on this next egg. He flailed in agony, grunting. He was also very concerned for his mate as well. He focused back on his laying and panted. "It's.....coming out...wrong." He panted, "Wide end first..." This made him panic along with the shark about.

[KrocodileKrew]

Despite her dizzy state, Miriala slowly swam up to her mate, having forgotten about her weapon to focus on caring for him. Her expession dazed, she found his hand and took it, pressing an awkward kiss to it. "Just keep going," she slurred. "You have to keep it up. Those eggs aren't going to lay themselves."

[PreggySergal]

Shai looked worried about his mate before nodding. He returning to push the egg out. He strained.

[KrocodileKrew]

Miriala suddenly felt rather dizzy and had to rest her head on her straining mate's shoulder. Her eyes were starting to drift shut.

Finoula swam towards the shark, Vespa and Catar guarding her flanks. The older woman stood her ground as the predator charged towards her, then soared over its head just as it reached her, while her companions struck it in either side. The beast, however, was resilient enough to survive and charge on, crashing into a nearby rock.

Cecily, far more a lover than a fighter, moved behind her brother-in-law and massaged his shoulders. "Relax," she said. "The egg looks healthy to me."

[PreggySergal]

Shai moaned and panted before shrieking. Another plop and drop against the sea sponge. Another egg laid. Three more from what he could tell.

[KrocodileKrew]

Miriala sighed into Shai's shoulder. "That's it, honey, bring out our babies," she whispered.

Finoula, Catar and Vespa struck faster than the shark could recover, all stabbing it together. The shark died soon enough.