by Angela Foxxe
“Nah, water is too clear and clean,” Winston said as he waded in, refreshed by the cool water against his body.
He felt a huge splash of water hit him from behind and he turned around expecting an attack but found nothing. Shawna was gone. Winston panicked and looked around the pond hoping that she wasn’t dragged under and drowned by some mutant fish.
Suddenly, he was met by a large splash in his face and Shawna’s cool wet arms wrapped around his strong neck.
“Tricked ya!” she said as she gave him a kiss before diving back under the clear water.
He laughed out loud as he dove under the water to find her. He swam around amazed at how clear the water was. He saw flashes of silver from small fish as they darted away from the two nima as they frolicked in the water. He saw Shawna’s brown leg flash by as she swam from a pile of aquatic grass to another and he grabbed her.
She shot up sputtering and wiping water from her eyes as he surfaced, laughing at her confusion.
“Caught you,” he said as he pulled her in for a kiss.
He pressed her soft body next to his. He was conscious of her full breasts and stomach as they touched his muscular body and his cock sprung to attention.
“Still not enough time,” he murmured as he saw the two large falcons approaching from the distance.
“Damn. I was hoping for a little fun,” Shawna said as she lovingly gazed into his amber eyes.
“Soon,” he said as he kissed her lightly on the lips. “Let’s get out and get dried off before they get here. We don’t smell bad anymore at least.”
Shawna nodded as she waded to the shore and climbed out of the cool, fresh water. She lay on her robe as the sun dried her skin. It was the first time since she’d been exiled that she actually felt at peace.
“I don’t really want to move from here.”
“Unfortunately, we have to,” Winston replied as he sat down next to her.
“Like, moving in with people, I don’t know if they’ll put me in their own brothels… I’m just… I’m happy being out here with you and only you. Freyna and Frigla can help deliver the baby right?”
“We’ve imposed too much on them already. We need to take the final hurdle to the Traz settlement and you know it,” Winston replied.
“Yeah, I guess,” Shawna replied as she put her hand on her growing stomach. “The baby changed, too, you know.”
Winston nodded. “It was very risky doing that with your pregnancy. You could have lost the baby and bled to death.”
“Freyna seemed to know what she was doing,” Shawna replied. “I feel whole now, you know? Like, for the longest time, I felt a part of me was missing. I had this feeling I could do something but I didn’t know what and it was frustrating.”
“I bet it was. I’m just glad you and I are the same. Not that you being a hume would make me love you any less, it just makes things easier,” Winston replied.
“Can we go back?” Shawna asked as she sat up.
Winston shook his head sadly. “We’re exiled from my tribe for good. They think you’re a hume, nothing will change their minds. We need to carry on to Traz. There’s another tiger colony there that cut themselves off from us years ago.”
“That’s why you want to go there.” Shawna gasped. “There are just anima… no humes?”
“Well, there are a few, but anima law rules there, not hume. So there are no brothels. I tried to tell you that but you were just too angry to listen,” Winston replied.
Shawna nodded. There wasn’t anything she could say in reply to that. She looked up and the two giant birds landed a few feet away and changed back.
“We were right, there are no hostiles in that tree. We shall show you the way and leave you when the sun rises tomorrow,” Freyna said.
“Thank you,” Winston replied as he drew his robe around his shoulders, “I think we shall walk on two legs to get there, all things considered,” he said nodding at Shawna.
“Yes, we do not want your child getting stuck. It would make for a very messy delivery,” Freyna replied. “One that normal midwives aren’t capable of coping with, and I don’t want to deal with you two anymore,” she said in an exasperated tone.
Winston laughed as Shawna wrapped her robe around herself as they started off.
CHAPTER TEN
The party reached the burnt-out tree in under a few hours. Winston poked his head inside he massive empty husk and crawled inside.
“It’s actually pretty cozy in here,” he said.
Shawna noted the setting sun, and wearily crawled in after him.
“I’m absolutely beat,” she said. “I haven’t slept at all since I came out of that coma.”
Her body was screaming at her. She was barely out of a life threatening infection, she was pregnant, and she had just shifted form for the first time in her life. Not only that she had walked at least ten miles in the grueling sun.
“Please let me sleep,” she said as she collapsed onto the dry ground inside of the tree. “I don’t care what you do, or don’t do, just don’t bother me for the next day or so,” she said as her eyes fell closed.
Winston crawled out of the tree trunk and sighed. “She’s sleeping.”
“Good,” Freyna replied. “She is still recovering from all those ordeals and she needs her rest. You two should camp here for a few days. There are animals you can hunt and there are no hume settlements for days.”
“Thank you for lending us your sacred grove,” Winston replied.
Freyna chuckled. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yes, it is. You’re not good at keeping secrets,” Winston chuckled.
“Oh well. Do not defile it,” Freyna cautioned.
“Defile?” Winston asked. “Everyone has different things that constitutes the term defile, I just want to make it clear.”
“No humes. No fire inside the tree, and no killing sentient beings around the tree. If you need to kill a hume or a feral that manages to wander close, drag it a good way away before delivering the killing blow.”
Winston nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “Those are easy; anything else?”
“Nope. If you were wondering if coupling was considered profane, it is not, unless it is with a hume, which, obviously, it won’t be,” Freyna explained.
Winston nodded and started to make a camp fire. “Well, I might as well get the chores started while she sleeps. All our stuff was taken except the robes you gave us,” he said.
Freyna nodded. “I understand. Frigla and I shall go to the home tree and get you more supplies for your journey. We might be a day or two, depending. There’s a small spring with clean water at the back of the glade.”
“My thanks,” Winston said breathing a silent sigh of relief. He wasn’t looking forward to having those two breathing over him at every turn.
“We shall return in three days,” Freyna said as she started to shapeshift. “Don’t worry, no creature will set foot in this glade—go hunt.”
Winston cracked a wide grin as the two falcons flew off. He poked his head into the massive hollowed out stump and saw Shawna fast asleep on her side. After making sure she was fine, he changed into his tiger body and slunk out to the burnt-out forest to hunt.
He managed to take down a pig mole and drag it to the encampment with little trouble. He set up the fire and started roasting haunches he managed to carve off the beast. He then set up another fire not too far away and made a makeshift drying rack to put over it. He smothered the flames just enough to create billowing smoke from the fire pit. When he was satisfied, he placed thin slices of pig mole meat over the rack to preserve. He didn’t want any of it going to waste this time. They had three days, it was just enough time to preserve a good portion of the animal before the falcons came back.
He wondered if he could make a broth out of the bones to bring with them, but decided it wouldn’t be prudent. He needed to make sure there was plenty of water for them for their journey, for Shawna especially, so whatever water
containers the falcons were to bring them would be dedicated to that and that alone.
Winston sat there staring into the flames as he turned the spit. As Shawna slept the day away, he was left alone with his thoughts.
She was a tiger anima, that was certain. Unfortunately, the tribe Elders wouldn’t listen to him and banished the both of them before he could confirm his suspicions. That and he wanted to get banished. He didn’t want to mate with his cousin, it just felt wrong and profane for some reason.
His tribe was small, especially after the big split before he was born. He was destined to lead it, but didn’t feel any strong tug to that side of the clan for some reason. The entire tribe treated him with respect due to his lineage, but there was always a deep resentment toward him and his parents.
His father wanted the tribe to stay together, but after a brief and bloody coup, they were driven out along with their supporters. His father decided to stay and attempt to mend the fences with the remaining tigers, and was convincing enough to get elected to their new council, but old wounds mend slowly.
After a while, Winston’s father became totalitarian again and the tribe became angered once more. He set Winston up as his successor without consent and Winston knew that was just asking for trouble. For the good of the tribe, he did what he thought was right, he brought Shawna to the cave and made sure they were caught.
Cowardly. He spat silently. I should have just stood up and said no, I will not lead without the consensus of the tribe, but his father frightened him. Ever since the slaver attack on their home that took away his friend and love, his father ruled over any time he had with an iron fist, and Winston hated him for it.When his father announced he was betrothed to his cousin, that was the last straw. They would not tell him who he could mate. He did not want to secure a genetic dynasty, nor did he want to rule over people who fought to escape that type of rule, and his mere presence was just a constant reminder of what they had gone through over the past two hundred years. His leaving was for the best.
He angrily poked the flames of the fire to stoke them higher to cook the meat.
Now, he was going to Traz, the place that his grandparents founded. Will it be a totalitarian dystopia or will it be free? He hoped it was a free colony. Tyrants only last so long in the wastes, especially if humes are involved.
Winston cranked the spit one more time and looked around at the dwindling daylight. According to Freyna, nothing wild can step inside the circle, but it was still a good idea to patrol around just to make sure there were no ferals lurking in the area, so he shifted into his tiger form and padded off.
Winston decided to just patrol around the immediate area since wandering too far from Shawna at this particular point wouldn’t be wise.
He slunk around the trees and sniffed the acrid pools searching for any sign of life that should not be there, ferals, slavers, or even a stray hume that had been exiled from his or her settlement. Winston did not want anybody around for any reason. He had plans.
He looked up and saw a small bird flying from branch to branch, amused at how such a creature should exist in a world full of monstrous and horrible mutations.
“Are you an anima?” he asked out loud.
The small bright red bird perched on a branch, tilted its beady black eyes at the source of the unknown noise and let out a bright musical chirp.
“Guess not,” Winston grumbled as he padded away.
He continued his patrol, bemused at such an abnormal sight.
Satisfied that there was nothing out of the ordinary, Winston made his way back to the glade to check on the food. The roast was nearly done cooking and the smoking fire was drying the pig mole jerky at a decent pace. He moved the spit away from the fire and went inside to check on Shawna.
She was on her back looking up at the sky through the open hole in the hollow stump.
“Hey, was wondering where you were,” she said dreamily.
“I was just making sure everything was safe,” he replied as he laid down next to her. Winston placed his hand on Shawna’s growing stomach. “Are you feeling better?” he asked.
“Yes, I needed that sleep,” she said as she reached up for him.
Shawna pulled Winston’s dark head down to hers and placed her lips on his.
As they connected Winston let out a low growl of desire; after all she had been through, he needed to be connected to his mate in the most primal of ways.
Shawna’s lips parted and her tongue darted out, softly embracing Winston’s. She was burning with need and she was glad Winston was there to fulfill it.
She broke the kiss. “Freyna and her friend are gone, right?” she asked.
Winston nodded with a smile. “Yes. No worries about us being interrupted for about three days,” he explained. “They want you to gain your strength back since the hardest part of the journey is yet to come.”
Shawna grinned. “Well, wasn’t that nice of them?” she said as she drew Winston in for another kiss.
Her womanhood was throbbing with need when she woke up and was hoping for Winston to show up, and she was relieved when he did.
Winston crushed her lips with the kiss, moaning as his tongue pressed eagerly past. His hand spread open Shawna’s robe and cupped one of her full breasts and gave it a gentle squeeze.
She moaned as he softly caressed her sore globes, the dull ache of pain mixed with desire sent her juices flowing. She felt a surge of wetness between her legs as Winston grazed the super sensitive nipple with his thumb.
She reached up and untied Winston’s robe and reached for his throbbing manhood and caressed it. He let out a soft growl and buried his head in the crook of her neck in response.
Winston gently nipped and kissed Shawna’s sensitive neck working his way down to her swollen breasts. He took a deep breath and gently blew on each nipple, causing them to tighten up. He then placed his hot mouth on the sensitive flesh and softly suckled on it.
Shawna cried out at the sensation and bucked her hips as her need grew. She felt his fingers gently spreading her nether lips and probing inside. She spread her legs eagerly as Winston’s fingers teased her sex.
He unlatched from her breast and made his way down to her dripping womanhood. Winston took a deep breath, inhaling Shawna’s womanly scent and relishing it. He felt the pheromones take effect and his cock twitched in response.
Winston then dove between Shawna’s spread legs and lapped her juices up like a parched man at an oasis. He ran his tongue up one side and down the other avoiding Shawna’s throbbing clit.
She got tired of the teasing and grabbed him by his long, dark hair and moved his head to where she wanted it. He just smiled and started flicking her aching nub gently with his tongue, causing her to cry out with desire.
He flicked his tongue over and over the sensitive bundle of nerves as Shawna writhed underneath him as her climax grew. He felt her legs close around his head and knew he was doing something right. He put his whole mouth over her clitoris and started sucking gently.
Shawna let out a yowl of ecstasy as her first climax washed over her. She bucked her hips as the blinding white pleasure washed over her body. Winston’s mouth was filled with her sweet nectar as her climax burst forth.
He wiped his face, pulled himself up and positioned himself between Shawna’s quivering legs. He placed the head of his throbbing manhood at the soaking entrance of her well and pushed in.
As her heat enveloped him he let out a deep groan of desire. He sat in her deep, slick well so as not to go off too soon.
Shawna moaned too, as his thickness filled her. She started rocking her hips in anticipation, urging Winston to get moving. She needed to be fucked, and hard.
Winston obliged after he got his need under control. He started off by slowly pulling his cock out of her and then plunging it back in hard as the head reached the entrance. He did this for a few minutes until he couldn’t handle anymore.
Shawna felt the keen emptiness as Winston teased
her, and welcomed the full connection they both were sharing at that moment. She wrapped her legs around his slim waist to keep him deep inside of her so he would stop the torture.
He started to move his hips faster as he ground his hips into hers, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her as they coupled. Shawna felt her second orgasm building and started to writhe harder against Winston’s narrow hips.
He felt Shawna’s muscles start to grip him tightly as her orgasm built deep inside of her and it drove him wild. All he wanted to do was hammer her home but he was locked inside as her strong grip milked him.
They both let out deep growls as their climaxes hit at the same time. Shawna saw bright lights as her climax hit, and Winston emptied a week’s worth of seed deep into Shawna.
They lay there panting in the twilight, the full moon was overhead, shining directly into the tree stump.
“Well, I’m hungry,” Shawna managed to gasp as they lay on the sleeping roll.
“I have a roast that we can eat. I managed to bag a pig mole and have been working at cooking and preserving it,” he replied.
“Awesome!” Shawna said as she drew her robe around her shoulders. “I feel like I haven’t eaten in weeks.”
Winston laughed. “Well, you really haven’t, remember?”
“Oh yeah, the whole coma thing… then the slaver thing,” she said, subdued. “Well, that roast won’t eat itself and I don’t want it attracting animals.”
“It won’t. This is a sacred glade to the falcons. Nothing that isn’t on two legs will come here,” he explained.
“Oh, nice!” she said as she crawled out of the stump and stood up. “That it over there?” she asked as she pointed to the fire.
Winston nodded. “It’s been ready for a while now, but since it’s roasted it should be perfect,” he explained. “I’ll go to the spring and get us some water.”
Shawna just nodded as she sat down on the log next to the fire. She looked around for a knife but couldn’t find one.
“Hey! Give me your knife or I’ll just rip into this like a caveman.”