In between the trees in the distance, he stood still on his thick bear-legs, quietly staring at me.
Then a bright yellow finch alighted on his coat, next to his giant head. More animals appeared from the foliage; rabbits hopped out from under the brush, the angled head of a tan deer poked its head out from behind thick branches. And a red fox stalked up next to him, its tail low, and its wide ears twitching in my direction. I clutched the branching helm to my chest and they all watched me go, as if they hoped I would do something.
***
Chapter 2 - Pleasured in the Highlands
OUT in the pastures, the bitter chill of the wind blew unhindered by the lack of insulating trees. My cheeks burned and I pulled my skirt down lower so it covered most of the skin on my legs. There was still a gap between the hem and the top of my thick hide boots, where the breeze touched my bare skin like a frozen knife.
I strapped the helm around my neck while letting it hang down over my shoulder blades. Although the sharp tines poked and tugged at the wool cloth on my back, the antlers were too tall and unwieldy on my head.
Then, I tucked my hands under my breasts and hiked through the sea of grass. Where am I to go? I thought with dragging hopelessness.
My eyes fell upon the high hills, where the earth turned sharply up to the low clouds. Papa Bear lives up there.
He was aloof by nature but he always had wisdom to bestow when he visited during the summers. Surely he would know what to do.
Unlike Elder Bear, Papa never specifically prohibited me from going into the highlands. But it was a spiritual place and I felt uneasy about disturbing sacred ground.
I eyed the long plains that stretched for as far as I could see and hunched my head low on my neck as a brisk wind buffeted me.
There's nothing else I can do, I decided.
So I squared my shoulders and forced myself to march up toward the hills, through thick matted grasses that fought to entangle my feet. I stumbled as I stepped into soggy puddles of decaying vegetation, but I righted myself, stubbornly carrying on my journey.
The swampy grasslands gave way to rocky foothills and I sighed with relief as I left behind the grasping, rope-like stalks. Even though I followed a rough uphill trail, my course was unhindered by the shorter grasses, and I moved at a quicker pace.
By the time I reached the base of the highest bluff, my muscles screamed for mercy and my punished backside twinged under the rough wool of my skirt. But I knew my only hope was above the clouds. Papa Bear will have answers.
Like a whisper in the wind, the faint sound of a distant howl echoed through the lonely hills. An icy chill slithered up my spine, and despite my discomfort, I broke into a run. Dashing up the hill, I didn't dare to look back.
The hillside steepened as I neared the top and I panted, bracing my arms as I hiked and stumbled up the uneven ground. Then, the slope cut sharply to a near-vertical face as the grass thinned and a wide band of brittle shale collared the summit like a necklace.
On clearer days, I had seen that the hill lacked a rounded top, as if one of the gods had decided to chop it off for some otherworldly reason, beyond my mortal understanding. But clouds had covered its headlessness, giving the impression of a whole mountain poking up out of view.
I half-scrambled, half-climbed the last few meters, and my hand finally found purchase on the wide plateau. They won't be able to reach me up here, I thought with relief. The wolfmen were clumsy and brutish, notoriously bad at scaling anything this tall.
The sun warmed my fingers and the breeze was gentle on my flesh. And as I pulled myself up and sat, my breath heavy from exertion, a clear sky greeted me with its gorgeous display of azure blue.
I sighed and looked out over the ocean of white clouds, nestled below the tor. They look so innocent from up here, I thought. I would never guess that my people suffer under this shroud of fluff.
I raised my arms out and fell back, stretching out on the soft, dry grass as the blissful sunlight radiated heat throughout my body. The numbness ebbed away in my fingers and the sting in my cheeks faded, replaced by a comforting warmth. Then I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. I could just stay here forever.
"It is difficult to contemplate one's existence with you looking so beautiful and relaxed, little one."
With a start, I twisted my body around on my side.
Giant gray stones, double my height, sat arranged in a circle, on the other side of the plateau. They were grouped in multiple sets of three; two vertical for the legs and one horizontal over the top of the other two, forming a flat head. A set of long timbers crossed from the edge to the center, supporting a circular thatched roof, over a single column of wood.
Inside the open enclosure, a man in white robes sat with his legs crossed, his hands braced on his knees. A gleaming cord of gold wrapped around his waist like a badge from heaven.
His eyes were a bright green and his straw-colored hair spilled down from the top of his head, cascading over his shoulders. Like Elder Bear, his jawline was strong, but his frame was leaner, the body of a scholar.
"Papa!" I squealed as I jumped to my feet. Racing over to him, I leapt into his arms, and he caught me with a warm embrace.
"You shouldn't be here," he said gently as he pushed back and gazed at me. "Why have you ventured from your village?"
"Mother is missing and the spring hasn't come yet." I glanced away and rubbed my arm. "The wolfmen have burned my home."
His brows pinched as he gave me a sad look. "Well the important thing is that you were not harmed."
I stared at him for a moment, surprised by his nonchalance. "Is there anything you can do?"
"I'm not sure that I can," he said plainly. "I have pondered long on the extended winter and I'm afraid I cannot reach a conclusion. My mind is clouded with stress and disharmony."
I tilted my head. He certainly didn't seem stressed to me. I wouldn't have described him as being emotional or animated, but he was more distant than usual. The way his hollow eyes looked back at me, it was like he was disconnected from reality. Curious that two of my fathers were acting peculiar. Maybe it's related to the activity of the wolfmen.
He sighed and cradled his hands in his lap. "I always think better after giving your mother pleasure. If she were here, I might be able to see more clearly." He shrugged casually. "I am sorry. I believe your journey was for nothing."
My heart sank and I stared at my hands, clasped over my knees.
Then my eyebrows raised as a naughty idea sprang up in my thoughts. "If you were to give me pleasure, would that help?" I bit my lip, fully aware that I had created another awkward situation with my fathers.
He gazed at me for a moment and for once, concern knit his brow. "It might. But are you sure, little one? I think your mother would disapprove."
"Papa," I said, my voice heavy with exasperation. "Mother is gone. My situation is dire." I glared at him, frustrated by his inability to grasp the magnitude of my problems. "And I'm a woman grown. I'm not little anymore. I can make my own choices."
He chuckled. "Of course, Goldenlocks. But only if you insist. I wouldn't ask this of you."
I planted my fists on my hips. "I do."
The boldness of my words surprised me. If I'd been at home in the village, my most private thoughts of my fathers would have been well-guarded. I adored the bear guardians, idolized them; and when I was alone in the dark, on the verge of sleep, I imagined myself in my mother's place, lying with them.
If I'd been at home, I would have denied it. But here, with my world crumbling around me, and both my body and mind weary, there seemed no reason to hide.
And to my surprise I saw anticipation in Papa Bear's eyes.
"All well and good then." He braced his arm on the ground as he sat up to a kneeling position. "Now lie on your back with your head facing me and bend your knees."
I was paralyzed, caught between my exposed longings and my inexperience. I don't know what he's going to do. Growing up i
n the village, I had seen plenty of men and women together. From time to time, I had even peeked in on my mother when one of my fathers visited. But I'd never seen it done this way. It seemed backwards.
He gestured again. "Go on."
Hesitantly, I unstrapped the antler helm and set it aside in the grass. Then I rolled onto my back and scooted my body so my head lay at his feet. "Relax," he instructed in a gentle voice.
He leaned over me, and the hem of his soft robes brushed against my forehead. The fabric smelled nice, like clean laundry hanging in the sun. Then he placed his smooth hands on my bare knees.
I yelped and jerked away, for his skin was searing hot. "Papa?" I asked with concern.
"Relax," he repeated calmly and touched me again.
I gritted my teeth as my flesh stung. But I endured, taking long deep breaths to calm my nerves.
Soon the heat became more tolerable as it spread down my legs and up my back. My body tingled and the strange feeling filled me with easing comfort. My aches ebbed away and I felt rested, rejuvenated, as if I'd woken from a long, deep sleep.
His hands slowly traced down my thighs and a new sensation danced through my body. It was alluring and hypnotic; his fingers playing over my skin, gently massaging lines and circles.
I sighed, and closed my eyes, relishing his touch. Then, as he braced his knees on either side of my head and bent further over me, I found myself looking up his robes.
It was a surprise to see his manhood hanging above me. But I tried to ignore it, as I didn't want to interrupt his ministrations. He obviously didn't realize he had exposed himself to me, and truthfully, I didn't know what to do.
Naughty thoughts dripped down to my crotch and a grin played on my face as I kept the secret to myself.
But as his warm lips touched the soft skin of my inner thigh, and I moaned from his touch, his cock grew, curving upward at the tip. I was fascinated.
I witnessed mating only at a distance. Never had I seen a man's organ extend at such an intimate proximity.
Then his tongue traveled down my leg, caressing the joint next to my crotch. I gasped and closed my eyes as tingles of pleasure gently washed up my body. A blush crept into my cheeks with the sense of vulnerable newness. No one has ever done this to me before, I thought. It feels wonderful.
He softly tasted me, licking between my lips and brushing my nub. My body jerked and a shuddering whimper exhaled out of my throat. Then his mouth closed over my mound and he sucked, flicking as he pulled at my skin. And my back arched from the surge through my nerves.
I opened my eyes as I panted, idly watching his cock swing and bob with the rhythm of his body. He knows what I taste like. I thought with intimate embarrassment. I wonder what his flesh is like?
Then, my eyes widened as a pearl of liquid formed at the tip. As his tongue fluttered over my clit and my body twitched from the intense shocks, the drop slowly slid off the head of his cock. Dangling in the air, its crystal tail extended as it neared my face.
I reached my tongue out and caught it, pulling the long glistening string into my mouth. The taste was slightly salty, but clean, and not unpleasant. Like the ocean, I thought with a grin.
My curiosity wore down my inhibitions and I stretched my tongue out further. Lightly, I caressed the underside of his cock. His skin was fresh, like a pleasant summer day, with hints of sweat and primal masculinity.
His body stiffened and he jerked his head up from my crotch. Then I wrapped my lips around the head, sucking more of his juice with my mouth, and a groan rolled through his chest.
Spreading his legs further apart, he relaxed as he lowered his hips to give me better reach. And he returned to licking my tender lips as he gently bucked, pushing his length into my throat.
I was concerned I might gag for he was quite long. But I focused on breathing through my nose, and relished the firm wet tongue rubbing my mound. I also found that if I tilted my head back a little, his cock slid easily, without hitting the back of my mouth.
He licked down to my opening and pressed the tip against my entrance. But my virgin's curtain pushed back, preventing him from going deeper. So he traced further down, tickling my forbidden hole. I jumped with surprise and a squeak died in my throat, speared by his long cock.
My eyes tracked up to his balls, hanging over my nose, and the subtle crease between his ass cheeks. I wanted to explore, too. To feel the tender, secret places beneath his white robes.
So I moved a hand up and traced my fingertips along the soft, sagging skin of his balls. He moaned into my crotch and his back tightened, twitching from my touch. And as I felt up to the delicate ridge under his ass, his thrusts became more frantic, impaling my throat with his rod.
I squeezed my eyes shut as a rolling sensation spread from my crotch. His fingers found my nub and he wiggled them back and forth, quickly flicking over my ridge. The tip of his tongue probed at the tight ring of my ass, testing, pushing to breach me.
My finger glided over the puckered flesh of his hole and his back shuddered, his thighs pulling further apart, pressing his body to my face.
Tears formed in my clenched eyes and my throat tightened around his cock, as it skewered me to the base. His fine hair tickled my chin and his soft sack pressed to my nose.
Then I felt him throb, and his ass spasmed under my fingertips. I massaged the ridge between his rear entrance and his balls, delighting in the muscle pulsing against my hand.
I did choke then, but only once as his length lurched, spurting liquid into my throat. But I held my breath, forcing myself to relax as his cock danced and pumped in my mouth. It tastes like thin, salty porridge, I thought with surprise.
My hands sank into fur and I opened my eyes with confusion. Thick bear-feet straddled my head and his body was covered in a tan-colored coat of dense animal hair.
He grunted and pulled his twitching cock out of my mouth as he straightened.
"Papa," I yelped in a panic. Quickly, I rolled onto my knees before his beast form as I wiped his essence from my lips. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have—"
But he stared at me with passive, beady eyes as he licked his wide muzzle and shook his large head. Then he lifted one of his paws. In his grip he held the gold cord he'd been wearing.
With my palms turned up, I accepted his gift, and staring at the fine quality of the rope. It almost looked like real gold fibers mixed in with the soft threads.
"Thank you—" I said as I looked up from the cord.
But he had lumbered off, over to one end of the bluff. I only caught sight of his large, round rump before he disappeared over the edge.
"Papa, wait!" I yelled as I grabbed the antlers and jumped to my feet.
When I reached the spot where I'd last seen him, I found only foggy cloud cover. I scanned downward, but the thick blanket of mist was impenetrable, like the threshold of another world. There were no signs of life.
I secured the cord around my waist and the helm around my neck and carefully leveraged myself down the fragile rock face. As I descended below the wispy, damp clouds, the wide hillside and long plains came into view. But the tan bear was nowhere to be found.
I privately cursed myself. I'd gotten carried away and given in to foolish desires, twice now, with two of my fathers. And once they were satiated, they'd both taken their animal forms and wandered away, with no further concern for my problems.
A chilly gust blew up my skirt, whipping the rough fabric against my legs. I shivered as the cold seeped back into my bones and my cheeks began to burn. Then I tucked my hands back under my breasts and made the long, wet hike back down to the lowlands.
***
Chapter 3 - Taken in the Cave
THE constant drizzle soaked my wool clothes, and the cold sapped away the last of my energy. My leather boots squished and dragged in the mud. The shivering of my muscles had slowed to a dull, sporadic tremor. In a haze of bitter numbness, I walked, with my only focus on the next step.
As I yawned, I fou
nd it strange that I felt more comfortable. An unnatural heat spread out from my chest and down my belly. But a part of me knew it was a dangerous trick, like water over a bog pit. I had heard about those who succumbed to the cold; they just lay down and fell into eternal sleep.
Blinking my heavy eyelids, I knew I had to find shelter, and soon. I could tell by the dimming light through the cloud cover, that night approached with haste. If it freezes, I won't survive, I thought with morbid frankness. But what else can I do?
In front of me and to my right, the long pastures stretched to the horizon, a sea of soggy grass and mud puddles. If I continued in that direction I would eventually reach my village. But I didn't want to see the death and destruction brought upon my people. They would rebuild and carry on, of course—we always have. But it would be days, maybe weeks before any huts would be erected. Most like, the villagers would be scattered and need to regroup first.
There was nothing I could do for them now.
To my left the forest loomed, its foreboding darkness a warning, stay out.
My knee gave way and my hand pressed into the mud, bracing me as I stumbled. It was difficult to move and the weight of my waterlogged skirt pulled on me like stone.
Then I eyed the tree line. I'm sorry, Elder Bear. I must disobey you once again.
I gritted my teeth and with sheer determination, I forced myself back up to my feet. Teetering on weak legs, I took a step. Then another.
Soon I entered the cover of trees and the rain lightened to sporadic drops of water.
I blinked my heavy eyelids as the undergrowth closed in around me. But on the edge of my consciousness, I noticed the deep woods were eerie and silent. There were no rustles of birds, nor animals. By some otherworldly trickery, I was alone in the murky forest and as I trudged onward, shadowy whispers pried at my mind.
Just lay down and rest.
And I started to listen. My knees refused to move as I stood, a futile tremor rolled through my jaw. It wouldn't hurt to stop for a few minutes. Just long enough to get my energy back.
Goldenlocks and Her Forbidden Desire Page 2