A few days later-
"So you have to explain this to me Virdy," Bastet asked over breakfast in their receiving room, "How did this humongous Animal you happen anyway?"
"It started as a passive skill called Wild Form that I inherited after mating with Huxian," I answered, then took a swig of orange juice before continuing, "However that skill would have only allowed me to turn into the pure animal variants of Huxian, Burza, and Leandra. However mating with Huxian was during the ritual to commune with Seline. I think she has different ideas on how I should use my power, and so blessed the skill Wild Form changing it into Moonbeast."
"Foxes and Goddesses," Bastet growled in a new curse she had taken to saying lately, "You were perfect the way you were my love! Please promise me that you will only breed me the way you are right now!"
Leandra coughed out a laugh that nearly had her choking on her breakfast. Wiping her face she stuttered, "If he makes that promise, then I want one stating that he will only breed me as that incredibly brutish but absolutely divine Lion!"
"I wouldn't mind being bred in the dance of the eagles while falling through the sky of the green realm," Burza confessed quietly.
"I think I'm off all breeding," Huxian groaned and pushed herself up to leave the table, "I am going to go lay down. I feel unwell."
"Of course," I said as I watched her leave to return to her private room.
"A vixen saying she's off all breeding! I wonder what's up with her?" Bastet mused out loud for everyone to hear, "She's been like that ever since you got back."
"My Lord," Burza spoke up, and when I looked at her she continued, "May I suggest to my Lord that you ask your mother to visit Huxian. Priestesses are capable healers, and well, even if she can't cure her condition she may be able to sooth it somehow."
"Do you know what is wrong with Huxian," I asked.
"I have my suspicions," She answered.
"Then tell me," I asked insistently, "So that I can help her!"
"Oh my Mate," Burza chuckled while shaking her head, "It is not my place to speculate. Please, if you want answers, call your mother in to visit her."
"Okay okay, I will do that as soon as we finish breakfast," I promised and went back to cleaning my plate of all my food.
——(!)——
I was humming as I led Bastet, Burza, and Leandra down the east hallway headed for the west when Leandra suddenly asked, "What is that you're humming? I never heard music composed in such a manner."
"Oh...um," I said as I came to a stop and thought about the song. I had been humming 'Thriller' by Micheal Jackson, and smiled. It was ironically fitting. Turning to my ladies I decided to sing, "It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurkin' in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer, thriller tonight, yeah…"
Bastet fell on the floor and rolled across the carpet as she laughed riotously. Leandra stumbled to the wall and wiped her eyes as she wheezed, and Burza had the biggest smile I had ever seen her give.
"Well," Burza purred while trying to hold back from laughing, "At least now we know; you didn't inherit Hypnotic Song, Song of the Harpies, or any skill in singing from me!" She finished in a laughing fit while Bastet launched into another fit of laughing and rolling around on the floor, and Leandra had to brace herself and fight a coughing fit while drool and tears dribbled from her mouth and nose.
My smile fell, my feelings hurt, I gave them all a flat stare before turning and leaving them in the hallway as I shot back over my shoulder, "Fine! See if I ever share any of the other songs I know with you again!"
I was almost to Summerset's study when the girls finally caught up. There was still some heavy sniffling and occasional hissing, but they managed to only be smiling as we cracked open fathers study. We took a step in and came to a shocked halt. Sitting on Summerset's lap was Glenna, idly kicking her hooves while father played with her tail with one hand and groped a breast with the other. They were smiling and talking softly.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" I apologized and began to turn away and leave, "We will come back later!"
"No no," Glenna called back, "We're just sitting here talking. You obviously had something on your mind to bring you over here to see us. So, what can we help you with?"
Turning back around I was just a little put off by the fact that Glenna hadn't gotten up. Instead she was still sitting in father's lap and looking at us and smiling, but I led my girls on as I got to the point of our visit, "Mother, Huxian seems to be ill. She has been inordinately tired for weeks now. Burza suggested that I ask you to come check on her…"
"I see," Glenna answered as her brows furrowed with a look of concern, "We leave in a few days for the Dragon's Spine, we can't have her falling ill now. If your mates would escort me to her," She said as she hopped out of Summerset's lap, "Then you two can talk preparations while I see to Huxian."
Bastet and Burza led mother who walked with Leandra out of the study and closed the door.
We waited until all those beautiful buttocks' left the room, and then Summerset cleared his throat and said, "Well, I guess it's time to get to work."
"Yeah," I sighed in regret.
Suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed as Summerset quit suppressing his aura. I was pushed a step backwards and then I activated Fortified, Resilience, and Planted. Father's aura still felt like looking up at the Twin Towers in New York from the ground, but at least it felt like I was a small building in comparison now.
"Impressive," Summerset said warmly then reined in his aura again, "To have accumulated that much strength from five mates. The scale by which you are growing is greater than mine ever was. I wonder why that is?" He mused as he stroked his chin and led the way to his tactical room.
As he walked he kept musing out loud, "It could be that as my heir your aptitude is better. Then there is the fact that you are blessed by Seline…"
"The blessing of Seline only upgraded one skill," I interrupted, "Or, at least, that is the feeling I have when I meditate."
"Gods and Goddesses are tricky entities to deal with," Summerset continued with a dismissive wave of his hand. He circled around the map table and turned to face me, "Just because you can since part of Seline's blessing doesn't mean there isn't more you can't."
I nodded. The argument was sound, and without more information, it was all speculation anyway, but I also decided to voice an idea that I like much more than a random Goddess buff, "My personal opinion is that my mates mean more to me than the random Animals you mated meant to you. So, I got more from mating with them."
Summerset frowned as he rubbed his chin. When he looked up he smiled, "You could be right son, and if that is the case, then continue as you have. Be very selective and only mate when you love the woman whether a Prime or Animal."
"I will father," I said with a firm nod and then added, "Everything I do is because of my love for my mates!"
"Good," Summerset answered with a returned grin, "Now let's broaden the scope of your horizons shall we," He walked over to the holographic map table and commanded, "Globe."
When it appeared Summerset asked, "Do you love, say, Chief Laborc and Queen Anmar as much as you do Bastet?"
"What! No," I answered immediately with an adamant shake of my head, "Of course not!"
"Then is your love for Bastet based purely on your being able to breed her," Summerset asked, "Let me ask the same question about Andra and Nimra; do you love them as much as you do Leandra?"
"Okay I get that you're making a point," I answered, "Obviously an analogy of how I should broaden the scope of the definition of my love."
"Yes," Summerset answered and pointed to the holographic globe, "Exactly! You told me the last time you were in this room that you loved the Animals, but do you really understand the full scope of what you said. Or, do you only see your girls and that is all you are invested in protecting?"
Pointing to the continent I know as Africa, he continued, "In the lands of Breidablik, the elephant and the rhinoceros are hunted for their skins and their horns," Rotating the globe to Asia and tracing his finger along a mountain range from Afghanistan to China he continued, "In the Spine of the World the snow leopards are hunted by trappers so the spoiled elite can have a rarity. Further south, in Vanaheim tigers are hunted for their skins, claws, and teeth. The elephants there are robbed of their ivory, and then forced into work camps," Rotating the globe back to North America he sighed before continuing, "And in the lands of Annwyn; the largest producer of beef, pork, and chicken…"
"No!" I gasped, and stumbled back and found a trash can just in time to puke.
"Yes," Summerset contradicted me, his tone grave, "There are huge butchering facilities where these poor Animals live their entire lives in the mud. Standing, sitting, and laying in their own waste, and then in the end they are led by the hundreds to facilities where their miserable lives are ended at the point of a butcher's knife slitting their throats open…"
"Stop! Please stop," I begged in a hoarse whisper.
"Does your love of the Animals extend to those poor cows, pigs, and chickens," Summerset asked in conclusion.
"Yes...yes of course it does," I cried, but then admitted, "But what can I do in the face of such overwhelming...evil?"
"Ah-ha," Summerset answered while tapping his nose with a finger, "I have an idea for a new constitution," Summerset hurried to the map table and after hitting a secret lever, pulled out a large piece of paper, "It's only a rough draft."
Walking over and looking over it, I sighed, father's heart was in the right place, but what he had written were all positives of what the government had the right to do.
"You don't want to start a new coalition with this," I said as I dug through father's drawer for more paper and pins.
"Why not," Summerset asked in a low half offended tone.
"Where I'm from in my previous life," I started as I separated out three pieces of paper, "We already had to free ourselves from a tyrannical government. We started with a Declaration of Independence," As I spoke I began writing, and thanked Seline, that I had written a dissertation on the foundation of the United States in college. I made slight modifications to include Plants and Animals as ones having inalienable rights as well.
"Does anyone stand with us or share our views on the plight of the Animals," I asked Summerset as he silently watched, "Is there any other Prime Races willing to put their life, liberty, and riches on the line for this righteous cause."
"Yes," Summerset answered, "Us Druids are the de facto leaders of the Villralfar, and we all detest what is happening. Dokkalfar live for the hunt, and are always trying to maintain the balance of the forest, but I think even they are sickened by what's happening."
"Yes, but is there another Lord, or King, or Queen willing to put their name on this Declaration with you," I asked pointedly now, "If not, then the government will send a team of enforcers to kill you and this will go down as another failed rebellion."
"Yes," He answered, "I do have a few allies I believe would stand with me."
I nodded and smiled, "Good, then this has a chance. After the Declaration of Independence, is the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights which is a charter of negative rights…"
"Negative," Summerset mused thoughtfully, "Isn't that bad?"
"For the government's that sign and adhere to the charter, yes," I answered with a laugh, "It's an oxymoron devised by human professors to confuse their students into thinking the Constitution and Bill of Rights was bad. The fact is, between the Declaration, the Constitution, and Bill of Rights, you get a cohesive document that tells the government how it can and can not operate, and that it will not create laws or act in a way that infringes or removes the people's 'God Given' rights."
"And Humans came up with this," Summerset asked in amazement as he flipped through the pages and read over them again.
"They do have a few good ideas," I answered with a smile, then I became serious again, "But just know, this will start a war."
"Then we better get as many allies as we can," Summerset purred with a grin.
"Me, mother, and Huxian are leaving soon on a quest for Seline," I said as I looked for the map of the Dragon's Spine. When I found it, I pulled it over and tapped the marked location, "Did she tell you that it's to intercept a Svartalf attack force?"
"No she did not," He answered in a calm but clearly upset tone.
"Don't be upset father," I said trying to ease the tension I saw in his eyes now, "There were visions and dreams, that said if we don't go everyone in the Valeland dies."
"But, what of you and your mother," Summerset asked.
"We will be taken to one of their cities, where our quest for Seline will begin," I answered in as a reassuring a tone as I could.
"Okay then," Summerset sighed, "Then what can I do to help you be as prepared as possible?"
I grinned, that was exactly the question I wanted to hear, "Do you have clothes and armor that can withstand Transformation magic?"
"Clothes, no," Summerset answered with a shake of his head, "Armor, yes. To an extent. The Breastplate of the Guardian, and those gauntlets you're wearing, the Claws of the King. Their old technology and magic, but still effective."
Walking to an armoire, Summerset opened its doors and stepped back revealing the Breastplate of the Guardian. The armor was beautiful, being made of two solid pieces of one inch thick wood. It was oiled and polished to a high shine and seemed to reflect the light weirdly. It was almost as if I could see a woman pacing back and forth in its reflection.
"This piece is very special," Summerset said as he looked at the armor, "It was given to me by a lonely Elm'drya at the very bottom of the world at the end of the Dragon's Spine Mountains. She grew it from the very body of her tree, and she imbued it with a sliver of her consciousness. Once the two pieces are put on and lashed together, the lashings and the seams disappear and the armor becomes one piece. Quebracho told me that if I ever managed to purify an Elm'drya's Chi I would be able to communicate with her, and she with me," Summerset laughed and put a hand to his forehead at the memory before continuing, "The one time I tried to purify an Elm'drya. A cute little pink haired, white skinned girl called Cherry. She had amazing golden eyes, but she turned into such a monster once in the throes of her pollination, I had to run away before she killed me!"
Memories of Sequoia ran through my mind and I found myself nodding in sympathy.
"Anyway," Summerset continued, "I have worn this piece for a hundred and fifty years since, but maybe it's time I looked into wearing something more modern. Son, why don't you come over here and try it on."
"Are you sure father," I asked hesitantly, "I don't want to take your most cherished piece of armor."
"Nonsense," Summerset answered with a wave of his hand to come forward, "Your mother, you, and your sisters are the most cherished things in my life. No piece of armor can even come close. So, if this will keep you safe so you can better protect Glenna, all the better that you have it."
"I understand father," I said with a solemn nod, accepting the gift graciously. Shrugging off my coat, I laid it across the map table then walked up to the armoire. Summerset then pulled the breastplate off of its pedestal and raised it over my head before lowering it down onto my shoulders. He tied the lashings, and sure enough, as soon as he finished they disappeared and the wooden armor grew together making it a single piece.
"Greetings young Viridian Vale," The Breastplate of the Guardian greeted warmly in my head, "It is an honor to meet and speak to the son of Summerset Vale. My name is Quebracho."
"Uh, hello Quebracho," I answered out loud, "It is very nice to speak with you too!"
"Oh holy Moon Goddess," Summerset gasped excitedly, "Is she really speaking with you?"
I nodded as Quebracho asked, "Is there any special form you wish me to take?"
"No, not really," I answered out loud so that father could hear that we were still dialoguing.
He smiled and shook his head before closing the armoire and walking back to the map table.
"I just needed something that wouldn't be destroyed as soon as I used my transformation magic," I answered as I got the sense of a shadowy Elm'drya pacing around inside my body.
"Yes," Quebracho answered with a nod of her shadow head, "Now that we are one, I can see your potential and your skills, and I can be of great aid when you are using Sequoia's abilities. In the meantime, would you like to transform into a Moonbeast and see what else I can do?"
"It will destroy my clothes," I objected.
"It's okay," Quebracho purred, "You have me now, and I am all you will ever need from now on!"
"Okay," I whispered, "I am, after all, entrusting my life to you," I reached within and grabbed hold the Book of the Moonbeast and chose my newest Lion-hybrid form, and began growing thicker, heavier, and taller as white fur grew from my walnut-brown skin, and my hair poofed out in a golden lion's mane.
Andra walked in at that exact moment and jumped in fright, but recovered quickly with a yell, "For the love of the Goddess! My Lord, quickly, stand behind me," as he charged over and placed himself between father and me.
As my transformation happened Quebracho didn't exaggerate her ability to adapt. As I grew so did she, and so did my Claws of the King all the way up my arms to armor my shoulders. Quebracho however, stayed a solid breastplate, but beneath it she grew a long wood platemail coat that fell as far as my knees.
"Yes," I purred as I ran my hands over the coat of mail, "This is perfect Quebracho, simply perfect!"
"Young Viridian," Andra asked in an uncertain whisper, "Is that truly you?"
"It is Master Andra," I answered with a laugh. I was now only about a half a head taller than him.
"My son," Summerset laughed and slapped his thigh, "I had high hopes for your potential, but this! You have taken the title Guardian of the Forest to a whole new level!"
"Sir," I addressed Andra, "I just wanted to thank you for your daughter's hand as a mate. I will love her with my whole being."
"Well said son, well said," Andra said with a laugh as he walked up and hugged me, "I have no doubt you will, and she is going to just love this version of you…"
"Um, yes sir she does," I admitted with an adamant nod as Andra and father laughed.
——(!)——
When Bastet led Glenna to Huxian, she asked them to remain outside. The fox was curled up on her bed in a fetal position. Walking over, she began channeling the spell Delve. A white aura extended from her palm as she touched Huxian's forehead and she roused and opened her eyes.
"Oracle," She said in a tired voice, "What's happening?"
"Shush," Glenna purred in a warm motherly tone, "Everyone was worried about you. So they came and beseeched me to check on you."
"Oh," She sighed and then shook her head, "I have never been tired like this before in my life. I can't for the life of me guess what could be wrong, especially at a time like this!"
"Turn onto your back," Glenna commanded.
Huxian did as she was told, and Glenna moved her delving hand down to her breasts, she groped them both as she examined them, and pushed them aside and slid her hand under her breasts so she could examine her heart and lungs.
"Your mind is sound, your heart and lungs are strong," Glenna mumbled to herself, "I sense no reason for this fatigue."
As she spoke her hand began moving back and forth across her furry belly checking liver, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, intestines, and as her hand moved over her bloated lower belly just above her pubic mound she chirped, "Oh...OH!"
"What? Did you find something," Huxian asked in a panic.
"Yeah," Glenna answered as she moved her hand to several different positions on Huxian's belly, "I found something amazing, and, impossible…"
"Please, don't leave me in suspense," Huxian begged in a panicky whimper.
Clearing her throat and looking up so that her black orbs met Huxian's glacial blue eyes, Glenna smiled as she purred, "Huxian you're pregnant!"
"This is a cruel joke my Lady. It is impossible. Why would you even jest about such a thing," Huxian growled as she shook her head in denial.
"I would never jest about such a thing," Glenna answered with a laugh, "After all fertility is sort of my stock and trade, and frankly I am as surprised as you are. Did Seline make genetic changes to you to make this possible...or…" She paused in her thought then continued as she pulled Huxian up to sit, "You will have two sons and four daughters very very soon. Here, I want you to drink deeply from my breasts. It will restore you, bless, and bolster you for the weeks ahead."
She proffered a nipple and Huxian latched on and suckled as Glenna gasped and moaned in pleasure. Huxian drank until she was glowing. With a sigh Glenna stood up and walked over to the door. Opening it, she saw Bastet, Burza, and Leandra.
"Please come in," She invited, and they marched in, "I take it you all were eavesdropping? Please line up, I must give all of you a wellness checkup."
Bastet and Leandra looked guilty by the way one looked over at Huxian in hot jealousy, and the other in hopeful anticipation. Burza was the only one without feline hearing and honestly didn't seem to know what was happening. Delving Bastet first, Glenna immediately put her hand on her lower belly. When she was satisfied she asked, "You haven't been intimate with your Lord since his return have you?"
"Not for a lack of want," Bastet growled, "But every time I try another woman's got her claws in him, and he's busy with a seven-day mating again!"
"Strange," Glenna purred as she stepped back and moved to Burza, "I can see now raising you with Virdy has done you a disservice Bastet. You are oddly monogamous and possessive for an Animal. I am sorry for that..."
Placing her hand on Burza's lower belly, Glenna's mouth fell open as she moved her hand from one hip to the other. Stepping back she congratulated, "Very soon you will be a mother again to a son and a daughter."
Burza gasped, and then smiled and cried, "Thank you Oracle! Praise be to the Moon Goddess!"
Leandra was nearly bouncing with anticipation and smiling and giggling when Glenna placed her hand on her belly just above her pubic mound. She moved her hand to several different locations, and then she paused and sighed, "Implantation must have just happened. Leandra, your pride has earned you a Pride of your own. Congratulations, you will be dealing with sons in a few weeks!"
"Sons?" Leandra asked excitedly, "Oh, father will be so happy to hear the news!"
"So," Bastet sneered sourly, "I am the only one not pregnant!"
"It's only a matter of time," Leandra said to Bastet's back as she ran out of the room. She paused at the door only long enough to cry, "Not if I don't ever get a chance to breed with my mate again," and then she slammed the door behind her!
"This is a new dynamic," Glenna said with a shake of her head, "No one saw this coming. It's not supposed to be possible. I will speak to her. In the meantime, keep what you know from Viridian. He must leave with me in a few days, or death will be the only fate we will all share equally."
"Yes my Lady," Was murmured by all three remaining women as Glenna left the room and followed the sound of crying to find Bastet.
As Glenna approached Bastet looked up, her eyes tear filled, and asked, "Why? Why me?"
Glenna sat on the edge of Bastet's bed and she calmly combed her fingers through the fur on her back as she answered, "He didn't have the ability to get you pregnant, if he had you would have been a long time ago when he first became sexually awakened. At first I thought Seline had done something to Huxian, but it turns out she did something to Viridian. For the first time in all recorded history, an Alfar is able to procreate with the Animals…"
"Maybe if I can get a little time with him before he leaves," Bastet mumbled to herself.
"Bastet," Glenna interrupted her tone reproving, "There are many trials coming that will soon test us all. Do you not think that Viridian would find it immensely beneficial to have at least one mate that isn't pregnant?"
That got her attention and dried her eyes. With little sniffles she asked, "Does that mean I can go with you?"
"Not initially," Glenna answered with a shake of her head, "But who's to say when you will join us, and it will be all the easier for you…"
"I see what you mean," Bastet answered.
"Good," Glenna purred, "Then I need you to join your sister-mates and keep this all a secret from Viridian until after we've left. I don't want this distracting him from the task at hand, everyone's lives depends on it!"
"I understand my Lady," Bastet agreed.
When Glenna left Bastet's room she went straight to her temple, knelt before the image of Seline, and prayed for clarity of her Goddesses intentions for her son.