Glenna sat on a log near the fire she lit to ward off the morning chill. Her long white tail swished back and forth as she leaned in and rubbed four hands together over the open flame until she warmed up. Then leaning back she placed her left secondary hand on her lower belly and wondered at the new life growing inside.
She had struggled for so long to get pregnant, and when she finally did it was her enemy's seed that took root. That insult to her personally, her station, and her faith had shaken her for a long time, and for most of it she prayed to her goddess for clarity and peace of mind. She wanted to know why something so vile had happened to her? And, why had her goddess let her be violated?
There were never any answers to her questions leaving her with only anger and resentment. The result of that assault against her was her beautiful little girl, Silvain. Then ten years later she finally had her handsome little boy that would be the heir to her husband's name, property, and wealth.
Viridian was only a few months old when she baptized him in liquid moonlight, and within the month she and Summerset organized and invited both Houses to the ritual of Bloderfingir. Among those invited were Ana and Viridian's forty Animal concubines. His father, mother, and Cryst'veyhl. And then the extended family, consisting of all of the cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-grandparents of House Moonlilly and Vale.
The ritual had been rather simple really, once all the talking was done. Summerset had simply stood up and spoke briefly of Houses Moonlilly and Vale's alliance. The momentous night that led to him not only marrying Glen'nathel, but also Yul'Anahaen, and Anthiehl's marriage to Cryst'veyhl in an effort to completely unite the Houses. Once he concluded, he returned to stand by Glenna to deafening silence.
Ana stepped forward from Summerset's other side and spoke of the enormous profits they had acquired from their continued unification in the trade and exportation of Felidae-alfari. When she concluded her report, it was to thunderous applause. Returning to stand beside Summerset, she whispered, "You just have to speak to what really matters to them… their wealth."
"Apparently," He mumbled wryly under his breath before taking his place before the Moon altar opposite Glenna with Viridian laying atop it between them. Turning to the crowd he announced, "It is now time that we get to the point of why everyone is here… Bloderfingir!"
Pricking his thumb, he raised it high so all could witness the blood that welled up and trickled down his hand. Turning to his son, he drew a red line across Viridian's forehead, right at the hairline as he spoke loud enough for all to hear, "Blood of my blood, bone of my bone, by the blessing of Gaia, Lauma, and Seline; from the womb of my wife Glen'nathel, I have an male child! With this mark I designate him, Viridian Vale, my heir. Henceforth, what is mine is his."
Stepping back, he allowed Glenna to step forth. Pricking her finger, she drew a line of red blood just below Summerset's as she spoke with an enchanted voice, "Blood of my blood, bone of my bone, with the blessing of my goddess Seline, as the fruit of my womb I have bore my Lord an heir to House Vale! With this mark I submit to my Lord's command. I am now wife to Summerset and Viridian Vale…"
Summerset and Glenna stepped to each side of the altar and Ana approached next, drawing a line straight down from Glenna's mark to the tip of Viridian's nose, completing the sign of a phallus, she spoke for everyone to hear, "With this mark I submit to my Lord's wishes. I am now wife to Summerset and Viridian Vale."
Once Ana stepped away each of Viridian's forty Animal concubines came forth and pressed a bloody thumb to Viridian's chest as they mumbled that they were Viridian's mates before returning to their seats. With the conclusion of Bloderfingir, Janaspi took Viridian and Silvain to their room and watched over them while the rest of House Vale and Moonlilly moved outside for a large celebration…
——(!)——
Glenna's eyes came into focus on the campfire and she realized she was daydreaming. Reaching over, she tossed another piece of wood onto the fire and sat down. Looking around at the forest, she wished Virdy and Huxian were with her. Of course she understood that they needed to hunt for food, but still, she didn't like being alone. She had been foolish to think that they would march up here and run right into the svartalf invasion force. They were woefully unprepared, and Huxian and Virdy were now trying to make up for that lack of foresight.
An hour passed, then two, and then her belly began to rumble and ache with hunger. When the fourth hour came, her long, white, pointed, Alfari ears twitched when she heard the rustling of nettles and leaves as footsteps passed through them. Standing up, she took hold of her maul and longsword in her secondary hands and hefted them while simultaneously calling on the magic in the gauntlets on her primary arms, summoning two magical great shields of pure white 'Moonfire' magic.
Her breasts bounced pendulously, her tail whipped back and forth, and she set her hooves for battle as she called out, "Who's there?!"
When Bartlett's imposing figure stepped out from behind a large pine her heart melted. He stood nearly twice her height and he was nearly four times as broad across his shoulders as she was across her hips. Then out from behind ten other trees stepped an armed troop of Hares and she lowered her weapons and knelt in submission. There was no way she could win against so many, especially since she was newly pregnant. Her best chance was to let herself be captured and await Viridian to rescue her.
"My Lady," Bartlett said in a soft though deep rumbling voice as he offered her his hand.
As she took it and stood up Bartlett along with the entire squad of Hares knelt before her in reverent homage as Bartlett continued, "Moon Priestess, we were sent here by the word of your Lord, Viridian. Please, I beseech you to come with me, my wife and daughter have fallen ill with a terrible affliction. I beg you to please heal them, for this I will do anything… I will pay any price within my ability to produce, or acquire!"
Glenna looked around from the massive Bos'Taurine to the Hares before she asked, "Have you not already come to an agreement with Viridian?"
Bartlett nodded as he looked up into her black orbs and answered, "Yes, my Lady, I have. He promised to heal my wife and daughter only if you couldn't, or wouldn't. As compensation, upon my daughter's recuperation I must give my blessing to Viridian's taking her as a mate. However, Lord Viridian has made it clear that the choice to marry him must be presented to Tampa first, and she must choose whether she will marry him or not. If not, then he will not accept her."
Glenna smiled and nodded. Of course Viridian would set up such a soft-hearted proposal. With a sigh she laid her hands on Bartlett's head as she announced so everyone heard, "Then I will make the same arrangement as Lord Viridian. I will heal your wife and daughter, but as payment you must give your daughter, Tampa, to Lord Viridian."
"Yes my Lady," Bartlett agreed with a nod.
"Then all of you, please stand and lead me to your wife and daughter," She commanded as she walked over and gathered up Viridian's 'Claws of the King'.
As she turned back to leave she saw the fire and asked, "Can someone stay and put out the fire for me?"
Two females stepped forward immediately and bowed as they introduced themselves.
The first was tall for a hare, standing proudly five feet high. She had golden eyes. Her skin was a dark brown while her fur and hair was fawn, "Greeting's Oracle of the Moon, my name is Tsukino! I will stay and watch over your fire!"
The second was much shorter, standing four and a half feet tall. Her eyes were bright red. Her skin was blue, and her fur was as white as fresh snow. Where Tsukino was small, sleek, handful breasts, this female's spilled out of a bra that barely held them under control so she could run. Her waist was tiny, and then swooped out to broad hips that were much wider than her shoulders and a buttocks that swooped out from the small of her back in a large round bubble. And even though her thighs were twice as thick as Tsukino's, Glenna wagered privately that Tsukino was the faster runner. Obviously this shorter female was a rabbit and not a hair. She took a second step forward and bowed low as she hollered, "It is so good to finally meet a Priestess of the Moon! I am Usagi! It will be my honor to watch over your fire until your return!"
Glenna couldn't help but smile at Tsukino and Usagi's eagerness, but she shook her head as she waved a hand at them and clarified, "Thank you for the offer, but that will not be necessary. Just watch over the embers until the fire is out, and then come and join us as quickly as possible."
Both Tsukino and Usagi grinned broadly and nodded.
Seeing that everything was in order she nodded to Bartlett and commanded, "Lead the way."
——(!)——
It was an hour before Shahad and I walked out of the cave. Coella's mouth fell open when she saw my hand clasped with Shahad's, and Huxian just shook her head and chuckled.
"Shahad, this is my mate, Huxian," I introduced with a gesture, then moving to Coella continued, "And this is Coella. A friend from a nearby village that you share honey with."
Taking a step sideways and half-turning, I gestured as I continued the introductions, "Huxian, Coella, this is Queen Shahad."
Both Huxian and Coella curtsied as they replied separately, "It is an honor to meet you Queen Shahad."
Shahad watched them and then imitated their curtsies as she spoke directly into their minds, "The pleasure is all mine. Thank you so much for coming to our aid. Even though it was too late for so many, in saving me, my King has continued my lineage and my Hive will live and thrive once more." As she said this she patted her insect abdomen behind her buttocks as it steadily pulsed with an orange and yellow glow.
"King?" Coella asked as she looked at me.
Huxian chuckled and shook her head as she sauntered up to me with a hand on her belly and whispered, "My King…," and then leaned in to kiss my cheek.
"My King," Shahad transmitted hesitantly as her nearly foot long antennae where her ears should have been rotated back against her head and curved backwards to droop expressively, "Your Queen humbly asks that we go and check the Earthmother's Den to the west and the Wolf Packs in the north east before we leave this place. I fear this plague may have affected them as well."
Coella waved her hands at all of the dead around them as she agreed, "Yes we have already seen many dead bees, bears, Orcs, and wolves."
Shahad nodded as she looked around, "I did everything I could for my daughters. Our hive had reached its zenith. I still had many fertile years ahead of me, and so, I gave birth to a daughter and raised her to be a good Queen, then I sent her off with half of the hive to find a new home. However, she came back, and she and her diseased army decimated us… her brothers… her sisters… and those that traded with us…"
I let my arboreal form go and reverted back to my alfari form as I pulled Shahad in for a hug as I tried to be positive, "All we can do now is help those affected by this loss, and find out where this plague came from."
Shahad allowed herself to be comforted as she nodded her head against my chest. Huxian smiled at me and winked, and Coella shrugged and turned as she called back over her shoulder, "If we hurry we can make it to Earthmother's Den before the sun sets!"
——(!)——
There was a hushed air to the small Animal village when Bartlett led her through the streets toward his house. She recognized the look of authority from an older badger and several others that must have made up the village council. They watched her pass silently before returning to whispering over a large scroll as a younger chipmunk woman wrote in a very careful script. The rest of the villagers gripped their tunics or aprons, and even some dropped to their knees and shouted blessings and favor for the Oracle of Seline.
Their reaction to her presence wasn't something she was surprised by. When she had been young, naive, and fresh out of the Temple was another case altogether. The church had said she must proclaim the glory of Seline to the unenlightened, however she had quickly discovered that all whom she met gave due reverence to Seline, Gaia, and Lauma. True there were many that gave more honor to Gaia or Lauma, but she had found it was due respectively to where and how they lived, and if their species was particularly connected to or influenced by the earth, forests, or the moon.
What was new was feeling these worshiper's prayers, faith, and veneration travel through her body like a hundred little tingling thrills of sensual joy! It started in her groin and traveled up into her womb before spreading out and warming her body before filling her mind with ecstasy. Then she felt the sensation depart through her hair before being absorbed by the hidden miniature moon floating above her head. Before she realized what was happening her body was responding sexually to the sensations and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning lustily. She felt her nectar wetting the tender folds of her sex, and then she felt wetness as it leaked down her thighs!
She heard the Hares behind her start sniffing the air, and she almost wanted to cringe. She knew they were smelling her pheromones, and soon their eyes would dilate. They would all become highly aroused, and if they didn't have a mate to run home and breed with, then they would be breeding each other. She knew this well because this was what being priestess of the Moon was all about!
As she walked through the village toward Bartlett's home the villagers came out and bowed, prayed, and gave reverent worship to her as she tried to not squirm or orgasm in front of them all. In her wake the intoxicated female folk turned on the males as they went into heat and nearly tore their clothing off in their haste to breed.
Most of the married females had just enough self-control to lead their husbands back into their homes for privacy. Then there were the unmarried females, whether it was due to circumstance or the practice of a species. Of them, those that were experienced paired up with chosen studs rather quickly and led them back to their homes. However, for all of the inexperienced females that found themselves in their first heat, whether they were of the sort that married or not, began pairing off with childhood crushes first.
When there was more than one male was attracted to a female there would be a challenge, and then a fight to win the female's affection. In stark contrast, when there were two or more females interested in one male they would negotiate for who would be bred first, and so it went until the whole of the village was rutting, indoors and out.
As Bartlett led her inside Glenna paused to look back over her shoulder at the village and shook her head. After this mass Heat past, for those that mate for life, there would be a village marriage festival, and for those that don't marry there would be a mixture of proud and embarrassed looks. Especially if any of the married wound up with the unmarried. No matter how it turned out there would be some drama and then everyone would come to terms, and then there would be a flurry of new homes and burrows built to accommodate all the new families that would arrive in the coming weeks.
Yes, Seline was a goddess of fertility, not a goddess of arbitrary sex, and every female in the village was now at the peak of their estrus.
The bunny squad was gone, and honestly she was surprised they withstood her pheromones for as long as they did. Looking ahead she followed Bartlett inside. She tried to not pay attention to his massive erection, the sweat on his brow, or the way his eyes leered at her breasts and sex as he led her to the bedroom. He moved directly to his wife's side and took her hand and squeezed it like her life, or maybe his, depended on his strength, "My Lady, beloved priestess of Seline, this is my wife, Maha."
Glenna smirked, but found his devotion endearing and his resolve praiseworthy. Taking a position on the opposite side of the bed from Bartlett, she reached inward and gathered the life-force Viridian had so generously provided within her well of lust. Moving all four hands to hover over Maha's head, heart, and womb, she channeled Delve into the Bos'Taurine.
She hissed as she found the plague was throughout Maha's body. It was eating away at her brain and intestines first, and then it would begin eating at the rest of her.
Gathering more magic, she began praying to her goddess for strength and power, and then she cast Moonlight Purification, Spiritual Cleansing, Mending Heal, and Binding Heal. Over and over again, casting and recasting them until all of the life-force within her Well of Lust was gone.
"I…" She panted as she lowered her hands to the bed for support, "I have never encountered such a potent virus before." Shaking her head she apologized, "I'm sorry, but I spent all of my manna just healing your wife. I'm afraid I don't have the life-force needed to heal your daughter..."
Bartlett nodded, his face grim from the news, and then he gasped as Maha shifted. Her breathing steadied and she took a deep inhalation before her eyes fluttered open. Looking up she smiled sleepily at Bartlett and whispered hoarsely, "Good morning my love…"
Bartlett laughed and cried as he jumped to his feet and pulled Maha up for a hug. She gasped in surprise and then sighed as she wrapped her arms around his ribs and nuzzled the dark fur on his chest.
"I almost lost you… I almost lost you," He cried into her hair.
Glenna stepped back, but as their nuzzling started to become passionate she interrupted, "Mister Bartlett, Maha has only just recovered from being grievously sick. Please, let me feed her so that she may recover her strength before you act on your… need…"
Maha squealed when she realized Glenna was in the room, and pushed Bartlett away and pulled her blankets over her nudity. For the first time she took a good look at Glenna and her eyes opened wide in surprise, and then Glenna's pheromones hit her and her eyes dilated and her shocked expression changed to hungry.
"Maha," Glenna said as she stepped up beside the bed and held her breasts propped up and out to be suckled with all four hands, "To recover your strength I offer you the 'Manna of Seline'. Please, drink until you are recovered."
Maha may have been embarrassed before to have done such a thing as drink another woman's breast milk before that moment, but beneath the thrall of Glenna's pheromones those inhibitions were now gone.
Glenna gasped as large hands grabbed each of her breasts and squeezed them like wine skins as Maha milked her for every drop of manna she had…
——(!)——
We ran through fog covering the forest floor with Huxian and I in our Fox forms, Coella loping along on her long legs, and Shahad flew a few feet off the ground as her transparent wings beat the air causing a distinct 'buzz' sound. It had been the better part of two hours when Coella whistled and motioned for everyone to stop. She was gracious enough to wait while Huxian and I transformed into our humanoid forms, and ogled me quite thoroughly before Quebracho grew armor to cover my nudity. Then she explained, "We are close to the Den. I didn't want to run right up to the front door seeing as what we found at Shahad's Hive."
I nodded in agreement as I asked, "Do any other cave dwellings Animal species live there other than bears?"
Coella shook her head as she answered, "Maha and Tampa traveled these parts more often than I. If there was any integration of other species of Animals living here, I never heard of it. But, from what I heard from Maha and Tampa I think only bears lived in this den."
"We will have to go with that then," I replied, "I know you may not like this, but I am going to ask you all to remain here again while I investigate the cave."
"I don't feel good about this," Huxian replied with a shake of her head.
"I agree with Huxian," Coella added with a sour, hating to admit that she agreed with anything Huxian had to say, "Bears are notorious foragers, and could be out and about and return at any moment."
"It feels too quiet," Shahad transmitted to everyone through her pheromone link, "We should stick together."
"I agree with the others," Quebracho whispered in my ear as she danced away like an ethereal shadow in my mind.
"Fine," I growled, but the fact was I was worried for them. I absolutely did not want them getting infected by whatever the disease was. Shapeshifting into my hybrid-lion form, Quebracho's Barkskin armor receded back into the silver bracer as I called upon Moonfire to cover my arms, shoulders, and back. Walking slowly toward the Earthmother's Den, I looked back over my shoulder and said, "Stay close to me!"
When the forest opened up to reveal Earthmother's Den it was nothing like how I imagined it. It was a small lakeside village on the northern tip of Lake Gaia. It was built between the lake and the high ridge of a narrow plateau where the geography made a natural funnel giving them protection on two sides. To the north and south they built large rock walls with wooden gates just large enough to allow two male bears to pass through side-by-side.
The gates were wide open as we approached, giving me an ominous feeling as we passed through. Within it the walls were large round hut-like homes. Approaching the first couple of huts Coella and Huxian knocked on large, heavy, doors. They figured if they were occupied then they were less fear inspiring than I was in my current hybrid-lion form. When no one answered they threw the latches and pushed the doors open revealing that the huts were little more than sleeping quarters.
Moving further into the village there were more tradecraft specific buildings. In the center of the village was a large circular communal dining hall with a single large chimney above eight fire pits where eight chefs would normally be preparing meals. From the center fire pits there was an outer ring made of eight chefs tables where they prepared the rest of their food. The rest of the area was dedicated to large tables and chairs where the village patrons would sit and eat. Like the spokes of a wheel there were eight entrances to the dining hall. In between the entrances were long half walls set up as bars with large casks of honey wine and mead serving men and women that needed to eat but didn't have the time or desire to sit inside and socialize.
There were fires still burning in the fire pits. Smoke still bellowed from the chimneys. Plates of food sat on tables, and pints of mead scattered across the bars.
"It feels like everyone just picked up and left in the middle of eating," Coella mumbled.
"Something has happened, and fairly recently," Huxian agreed as she found a large thigh of roasted meat and sniffed it.
"I wouldn't," I called over, but she was already taking terrifying bites out of the thick chunk of meat with hungry abandon.
"That is one hungry vixen," Quebracho chuckled, "Though judging by the shapeliness of that thigh, I think it might be one of her cousins."
I groaned inside as I shook my head at Quebracho's imaginary shadow just behind my shoulder. Finding a plate of berries and other assorted fruits I picked up the plate and carried it with me as I continued my investigation.
Leaving the dining hall, I looked out toward Gaia's Lake and saw a strange glimmer. Starting off in that direction, Shahad, Coella, and Huxian, still holding on to her half eaten thigh, followed a few yards behind. Once I reached the glimmer the mud, rock, and water began swirling in a circle. Sliding to a halt, I held my arms out for the others to stay back.
"Be careful," Quebracho whispered as she peered over my shoulder, "I sense a presence."
"Is it hostile," I asked.
"What? How should I know," Coella said from behind me.
"No," Quebracho answered, "Not hostile, more like resigned… and concerned."
"I get a feeling of home" Shahad broadcast through her pheromone link..
"You can hear me and Quebracho talking to each other," I asked in surprise.
"Not exactly," Shahad replied with a shake of her head and hips that set her abdomen quivering as it shook back and forth exaggeratedly, "I sense Quebracho's presence, and I know it is her you're speaking to, but I can not hear her."
"Whoo what a relief," Quebracho chortled, "If she could hear all the naughty things I whisper in your ears… It would be so embarrassing… for you that is!"
I gave Quebracho a mental toothy grin as I shot mental eye beams of death at her as I retorted sarcastically, "Shouldn't you be taking a nap or something!"
"Ahh, my Honey-lion, you wound me! Don't you know, I sleep when you sleep my furry Fox-cat," Quebracho teased, "Besides, if I were to fall asleep on the job, who would keep you in clothes, Honeybuns?"
"You just wait until tonight, we are going to have a long talk about your honey names," I promised in a no nonsense tone.
"Oh you promise," She quipped as she pirouetted away while laughing, "I will be counting the seconds. No, the minutes. Well, actually, maybe the hours…"
I shook my head and ignored her, feeding into her banter was usually highly amusing, but not very productive. Looking over my shoulder at Huxian I warned her, "Be on your guard."
She nodded, and I stepped into the swirling mud, rocks, and water. Bending over I picked up a semi-transparent honey-golden diamond that had somehow been carved into the likeness of an incredibly fat or pregnant woman with large breasts that rested on her large belly. It took a second for me to realize that as soon as I touched the idol all sound had stopped.
A motion in my periphery brought my head up to watch as the earth, rock, and water tightened its rotation as they joined together and coalesced into first the feet, and then the legs of a woman. Within seconds, built from her feet up to her hair, was a supernaturally beautiful black woman. She was human with skin of rich black soil, her eyes and her teeth were of the purest white granite, and her long, curly, black hair was made of onyx. She was distinctively black in form and figure. With a wide, but small nose, eyes that were slightly tilted up, prominent cheekbones, but a small angular jaw with a sharp chin, and a wide overly-plump mouth. She had a long slim neck that met slim shoulders. She looked like she would be of a long lithe frame with the exception of large fat breasts and an even larger pregnant belly.
After her formation, she stood there in front of me naked with her arms corralling her breasts and pushing them forward and out as she reached down, placing her hands on her belly as if she were trying to help hold the weight of what was inside. Taking a step toward me, she whispered, "Son of Midgard, I am Gaia."