FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

My stories are copyrighted, so NO takee!

** A Chocobo's Life, Chapter 2**

** By William W. Kelso**

It was cold, bitter cold, the kind that cuts right through you and makes your bones ache. At least there was no damn wind, but the sun was out and I had my eyes squinted against the glare of the bright light reflected on snow and ice. I wasn't wearing my snow goggles since we were in some woods and the glare wasn't too bad. Alieya had her legs tucked under my wings for warmth and I was as fluffed up as much as I could with my head drawn in as much as possible. I wished it was snowing, as at least then it would have been warmer as the sun was as cold as the ice, it's brightness gave a false illusion of warmth. I gave a soft "urrrawk!" of complaint, and Alieya rubbed my crest and said,

"I know Raven, but the patrol will be over in a few hours and we can return to the fort and a nice warm stable. I'll talk the stable master out of some extra feed for you."

That would be nice I thought, it was hard to find forage with everything buried under ice and snow, and I was hungry all the time. I gave a soft croon of pleasure as she ran her fingers through my feathers. Since the snows had started myself and the other Chocobo Scouts had gotten lean and tough, as had our riders. It wasn't that we were starved, far from it; it's just the frigid weather made us burn up fat faster then we could put it on.

*I stamped, raising first one foot, then the other, keeping them out of the snow as much as possible. I picked at a lump of frozen ice that was stuck between my toes with my beak, it tasted terrible. "Wak!" What did I step in? My legs were wrapped in winter leggings with a thick layer of grease of some kind underneath for insulation, and to help keep the tough scaly skin from cracking, but my feet were left free for better footing. IF it helped much I couldn't tell, but I knew it couldn't hurt. My water resistant pin feathers and soft thick down kept me reasonably comfortable; and the padded blanket I wore helped, but it was still COLD! *

*"Urrrawwwwk!" I gobbled, twin plumes of frozen breath rising from my nostrils like smoke. My beak was rimed with ice around my nostrils, as was the scarf Alieya had wrapped around her face where her breath passed through it. *

*Alieya laughed, and said "I couldn't agree more". She dug in a saddle bag, then said, "Here you go my pretty" and slipped me a large piece of jerky. It probably wasn't beef, but Chocobos are not picky eaters. Besides it was the same rations our Elvin riders ate. *

*"Wark! Khee-eeeew!" I squawked in delight, and sucked on the salty jerky for awhile before finally swallowing. I turned my head and rubbed against her leg and warbled softly. Alieya had been my rider for almost a year now and I loved her dearly. She took good care of me, and always saw to my needs first. And she was my lover as well, both of us taking care of our other needs by giving one another mutual pleasure. *

I turned my head back to view the frozen white vista in front of us, too cold to truly appreciate its beauty. You couldn't see the road under the snow, but could tell where it was from the brush and scattered trees lining its route. There wasn't a foot or hoof print on that pristine white blanket, if you went any further down that road you'd run into one of the enemy's winter camps and their own scouts. We'd been on patrol since early morning, one squad of Scouts spread out over a large area. We always traveled in pairs, and my fellow bird and his rider were located about a hundred yards away shadowed in the same tree line we were in. We had a clear unimpeded view; the ground was unbroken from the edge of the trees down the gentle slope to where the road disappeared into thicker forest. It was a popular lookout. We'd be able to see anyone; or anything, coming down the road; or out of the forest, long before they saw us. But even the horde stayed put in this kind of weather, they're not stupid, so I doubted if we'd see anything. I wished we were moving though, that way we'd be at least a little warmer, but it's easier to see a moving object. At least the trees broke the wind a little when it did blow. I stamped some more, I was cold and tired and getting cranky, I wanted to be back in my stall.

Finally I heard a soft shrill whistle from our team mate, and it was time to go. I lifted my head and answered the other Chocobo to acknowledge the signal, and Alieya gave a soft tug on my harness and we turned towards the interior of the woods. We met up with our friends in a small clearing, and while they conversed briefly the other bird and I preened each other, running our beaks through our head and neck feathers. He was a "natural" bird, in other words he'd always been a Chocobo. I was a Chocobo now too, and that's how I thought of myself now, but I'd once been human. Now I was lesser then a slave as a changeling was considered nothing more than livestock. But my human life seemed like a distant dream, and I seldom dwelled on it anymore. I was perfectly content the way I was now. Our riders finished their little discussion, and pulling on the reins turned our heads for home. We move at a quick smooth pace through the snow, our large splayed feet giving us good purchase in the snow. Where a horse or other hoofed animal would bog down we had no problem. That was one reason we were preferred over other mounts, we were all terrain all weather mounts. Plus we're a lot easier to keep, and a lot smarter, then any other mounts.

We moved out of the other side of the line of trees and down onto the road and picked up the pace as this part of the road was well traveled, the snow compacted. It was about five miles to the frontier fort named Fort Zabar, our home and main base of the 7th Chocobo Scouts and other regiments. As we broke free of the woods Alieya leaned over and put on my snow goggles as the glare reflected from the snow was bad out in the open and even Chocobos are susceptible to snow blindness. They were more like blinders of some kind as the narrow slits carved in them really limited my vision, especially my peripheral. I didn't much care for them, but wore them without complaint; after all she was wearing hers too. As we got nearer to the fort we picked up the pace without being told, our riders were as anxious as their birds to reach the relative comforts of the fort. When we crested the last hill before reaching the fort we gave happy warbles and squawks, a nice rubdown, good feed, and warm stall sounded lovely. We'd been on patrol almost ten hours, and were exhausted from the cold even though we hadn't done much. Scouting is boring, especially in the winter. As we trotted down the last mile of road we were joined by other Scouts and pickets coming in, and others heading out passed us, both riders and birds calling greetings to friends.

*Guards manning the twin towers flanking the main gate waved as we entered and passed through the long passage and into the main courtyard, more guards looking at us down through the murder ports. It was quite a large fort and the central courtyard was always a hum of activity. To the inexperienced it probably looked like someone had stepped on an ant mound, but what looked like disorganized mayhem was in fact a carefully polished routine. Everyone knew exactly where they were going, what they were doing, and how much they could get away with doing it as slowly as possible as goofing off in the military is an art form. Anyone who didn't know what they were doing were in the very real danger of getting knocked down, stepped on, and cursed at. We wended our way through the confusion with practiced ease, picking up some of the latest gossip on the way. Just because I can't talk doesn't mean I don't listen. I don't really mean to eavesdrop, it's just that I have excellent hearing and just happen to overhear people, especially if they're yelling at one another. I have a knack for being able to pick out single voices from among the din of whinnies, yells, squawks, and the other nonstop sounds of a military post. So when I heard B Troop was arriving later this evening my spirits went up, I had friends in B, both Elvin and birds. *

We made our way to the cool-off pens to give us time to settle down from our long run and, as the name implies, cool off. Our riders took off our saddles and harness, but left the winter blankets on as it was still colder then the dark empresses butt. We milled around and preened ourselves, and one another, for awhile, punched holes in the thin layer of ice in the troughs to get a drink, and cooled off. The ice would reform again in minutes, it was that cold. When our riders came back to lead us to the stables we were most appreciative, and let them know it with happy warbles and affectionate head rubs. The stables had a double set of doors to keep in as much heat as possible, and grooms and tack handlers removed out winter blankets for cleaning in the vestibule, and we flapped our wings and hopped around fluffing out our feathers. The blankets were warm, but hard on the feathers, and we all had some serious preening to do. Then we passed into the main stable and the warmth felt so good I closed my eyes and cooed in delight. The floor of the stable was made up of large ceramic flagstones, and was heated by hot air piped through ducts in the walls and floor, heated by hypocausts. There were wood gratings over the flagstones to keep ones feet, or hooves, or claws, or whatever you had from getting too hot. Each bird and rider had their own rather roomy stall, or if the fort was marshalling for campaign up to three birds and riders per stall. We rotated with others on long patrol or rotation between the smaller outposts. The rules were simple, keep it clean, you live here, and more importantly, so do others. The grooms did most of the cleaning, but we helped keep our own stalls clean. They were inspected once a day and woe to the rider whose bird, or themselves, made a mess. Your reward was you got to help the grooms muck out the stable and clean the wooden grates. So we were pretty clean despite the fact we lived in a stable. The floor of each stall had a nice clean layer of thick hay or straw, and the only furnishings were a small water trough fed by pipes (at least in the summer, in the winter grooms kept them filled with buckets as the pipes tended to freeze and burst), a low roosting pole, and some shelves and hooks for the riders to stow their own and their bird's gear. Some had camp beds in them, but most riders just used their bedrolls because the floor was so nice and warm. The stalls had tall wooden partitions, but no doors, so not much privacy. A few inventive Elves had run drapes across the entrance to their stalls by nailing up poles or ropes and hanging sheets or blankets from them, but most didn't bother. Modesty is pretty nonexistent at a military post, and after all nobody has anything you haven't seen before plenty of times. Of course Elves aren't that modest anyway, it's not that they're degenerates or anything, they're just not ashamed of their bodies. Don't get me wrong, they don't run around nude in public, but in the stables, barracks, or camps nudity; or close to it, is fairly common, and pretty much ignored. However while an admiring glance is fine, it IS considered rather impolite to stare and/or drool. However if humans are around most Elves will put on more clothes to be polite as humans are a bunch of prudes anyway. I know; I used to be one.

*As soon as we got to "our" stall Alieya gave me a good preening, running special combs and brushes through my feathers while I crooned and cooed in delight. Oh, that felt SO good! Then she rubbed down my legs and beak with a sweet smelling oil to help keep my skin and beak from drying out and/or cracking from the dry frigid air, it was the same oil the Elves used themselves. And that felt good too, and affectionately I nibbled at her hair and the back of her head while she worked on my legs, and she giggled and said "later!" She knew what I wanted. Next she went and got my feed ration, and as promised got an extra portion for me, and I settled down to a lovely feast. Then finally she saw to her own needs, and left for the bathhouse for a good long soak, and then the messhall for dinner. In the meantime I left the stall and went to the next one where a friend of mine, another changeling like me, was billeted. We carefully groomed and preened one another and soon the whole stable was full of drifting feathers as we; and other birds, plucked and removed old or damaged feathers. The grooms would gather the feathers and use them in the quilted blankets we wore, or in their own beadrolls. Nothing was wasted. After that pleasant chore was taken care of we clacked beaks to thank each other, and I went back to my stall. I poked and scratched around for some loose feed I might have missed, then hopped up on the roosting pole and hunkered down until my legs and feet were mostly covered by my puffed out feathers, pulled my neck in as far as I could, and fell asleep as I was tired, and soon the sounds of the other birds faded away as they too took a nap. The sounds of grooms going about their business we ignored, we were used to it. And believe it or not some birds snore, a kind of wheezing squeak from air whistling through their nostrils, but we were used to that too. We are easy to please and don't ask or much. Show a bird some kindness or give us a treat and you have a friend for life. *

I woke up a couple hours later when the riders started returning to do last minute things before going to bed. Some repaired gear, worked on birds with stone bruises or trimmed their claws, and tapping and rasping noises came from birds sharpening their beaks and/or claws on large whetstones provided for that purpose. Some riders left again to practice fencing and archery at the indoor range, but most visited with friends to pass the time. It was a quiet time, valued by all. I just stayed on my perch and sleepily watched as Alieya sharpened her saber and checked arrows for warping or loose fletching; the cold was hard on everything. But it was nice and warm in the stables and I was quite content.

*Later grooms came down between the rows of stalls and turned down the oil lamps to dim glows. Most riders had their own lamps of course, but soon most of those were turned down as well, or put out. They were special lamps, designed so that if they tipped over they went out. A fire in a crowded stable is a nightmare everyone is afraid of, and everyone took fire safely very seriously, birds included. We are very careful around lanterns. After "lights" out some birds and Elves went to sleep, but sounds of avian and Elvin pleasure soon came from other stalls. Moans and gasps, soft warbles and croons, as riders and their birds sexually pleasured one another. Yes, I said sexually. We do it because we need it, and we enjoy it, both of us. Of course not all riders have sex with their birds, but most do. The birds whose riders don't can usually find another Elf willing to give them what they need. I know the grooms are more than delighted to find a willing bird. I have NO idea what hens do with their riders, male or female. I can't ask, and on one has ever told me. *

Elvin military units are divided by sex. It's because the Elvin men are larger and heavier then the females, so do not make good Chocobo riders, at least for military purposes. The women are the cavalry, the men the Infantry. Same with birds, a unit will have either all hens, or all cocks. Most combat units have cocks though, we're larger, can carry more, and are more belligerent than the hens, and we love to kick and peck the snot out of bad guys. It's also done to prevent having chicks running around all over the place as Chocobo's; like humans and Elves, don't have a breeding season. Put hens and cocks together and you get fertilized eggs, it's natural and you can't stop it. We're also very prolific, and enjoy sex with hens just for pleasure instead of breeding. The hens enjoy it as much as the cocks do, believe me, I know. A hen will initiate mating just as often as a cock, and only a really stupid cock will refuse the offer. We have no concept of birth control, the more chicks the better as far as we're concerned. So since both we birds and our Elvin riders have healthy sex drives we've learned to satisfy those natural needs with one another. We don't see it as bestiality, but as something natural and wonderful. We're male, they're female, we're young, we're compatible, we like one another a lot, and it feels fantastic. I have a theory that it started way back when Chocobo's were first domesticated. At first riders probably just relieved their birds pent up sex drives with masturbation, just like with stallions. But at some point young horny Elf maidens and young horny cocks put two and two together, so to speak. So Elves and Chocobo's have sex, and we don't see a damn thing wrong with it. It shocked me a little at first having once been human, but it was a very nice and pleasant shock. If you have a hang-up about it, then there's the door, we didn't invite you anyway, and didn't ask for your opinion in the first place, so beat it. And watch the "bird fucker" jokes; we changelings have good hearing and sharp beaks. Make fun of us all you want, but do not EVER bad mouth a rider in our hearing. And Alieya and I are no exception, but while we're lovers we're not mates. My mates are the hens I sire chicks with, with Alieya it's more satisfying a mutual need in a most enjoyable way, but I DO love her, very much. The relationship between a bird and its rider is hard to describe, it goes far beyond mere rider/beast of burden. Its respect, affection, trust, often love, mutual dependency, and more. They're OUR riders; I don't really know any other way to put it.

*Alieya was still bent over putting a couple last stitches in one of my leggings to reinforce a seam that was coming loose, but I was getting impatient. Due to an overdose of fertility drugs at a breeding facility I had spent some time at a permanent side effect was my sex drive, and need and capability for sex, was even stronger than normal. In short I'm one horny bird, all the time. So I stepped off the perch and squatting down behind her I lowered my head and gently nibbled at her hair, rubbing my head against hers much the same I would preen and court a hen I was interested in. She raised her head and kissed my beak, and I licked her face and crooned. She sighed, and put up the sewing kit. *

"Mmm, she said, you're right, enough work, it can wait until morning. I've been looking forward to this all day long my sweet."

*You and me both I thought, warbling softly as she ran her fingers through my crest and neck feathers. "Errrrrrraaaw" I trilled, she does know what I like! *

She stood up and took off her loincloth, which was all she still had on, then she sat down beside me, and reaching between my legs began to gently caress my vent which soon got the desired reaction. I crooned in pleasure as she stroked my penis as it emerged, and felt my testicles swell inside me until they were noticeable bulges, when I'm not aroused you can't even see them. While she was doing that I kept running my beak through her hair and licking her with the tip of my tongue, my body shuddering from the growing pleasure in my loins. Oh, it felt so good, so incredibly good. I licked her nipples too even though Chocobo's aren't turned on by breasts like humans or Elves, that's one sexual attraction I lost when I was changed, but I knew she liked it so I enjoyed pleasuring her that way, she tasted sweet and salty. I knew I certainly enjoyed what she was doing! I gave a soft squawk and reflexively thrust a little with my hips when she started licking, and then sucking me as she rubbed my swollen testicles, "Urrrrawwwwkkkk!" I gasped, oh my! I don't know if other birds got oral like I did, but I felt sorry for them if they didn't. While hens will sometimes rub their beak against a males vent to help stimulate him they don't do oral, beaks aren't built for it. But this bird likes it very much, yes he does. Alieya knew what she was doing, and kept me happy for quite a long time, but didn't let me climax. She could tell when I was nearing release, and would slack off. When she pulled away and stood up and kissed me on my beak I was hopping from foot to foot, desperate to mount her and consummate our mating. "Urk, urk, kh-eeeeew" I begged. She smiled, and kissing me again, said "I'm ready too my love."

*When I said hens don't do oral, that doesn't mean cocks don't. Part of mating with a hen includes getting a good "taste" of her cloaca to make sure she's ready. This includes "giving tongue" to get that taste. And I treat Alieya just like any other female, and crouching I rubbed my beak against her vagina, and licked my tongue over her mound and slowly worked my way inside. Like most animals Chocobos have a very keen sense of taste, and she tasted delicious, and her sex was surprisingly very similar to a hen's in some ways. She'd pleasured me orally, so now I returned the favor, besides it was a treat as far as I was concerned. Trilling softly I rubbed and licked her sex, and she was soon giving deep moans of pleasure, her head hanging as she gasped in delight from my attentions. My eyes were almost closed as I gently "ate her", she tasted so nice, so sweet, so very female. And even though natural birds are just as enthusiastic about servicing their riders as changelings, with us the foreplay lasts a lot longer, a LOT. That's one human sexual attraction changelings DO retain. The hens like that extra attention too. *

*With a final long slow lick and beak rub I lifted my head, and squatting a little I positioned myself to mount her. I'm quite a bit larger then she is, so had to take that into consideration, but we were both experienced and I soon had the angle right. My penis is quite large, the tip fairly pointed with no glans or corona, just a point. It starts out fairly narrow, but widens considerably towards the base, and it's slightly prehensile which helps me to find a females sex as it's hard for me to see it once I start to climb their backs. I penetrated her on my first thrust, then with several powerful; but gentle, lunges I hilted and she gave a loud gasp of pleasure. Like I said, I'm very large, but she's never failed to take every inch, I think it's because of the shape; a cock's penis doesn't stretch a female's vagina as much a human penis of the same length would. With a grunt I started servicing her with steady thrusts, gobbling and "urrrringg" in pleasure, her own sounds mingling with mine, mixing in with the other sounds of love and sexual pleasure coming from the other stalls. A groom or two walked past, but we just ignored them and they politely ignored us. But even if they stopped to watch; they do sometimes, we don't mind. Often Alieya will ask them if they'd like to join us, and believe me I had no problem with servicing multiple females in one session. I'm pretty popular; I have a good reputation for pleasuring females, both with, and without, feathers. It's lovely to be coupling with one female while another strokes your balls. My record was four in once evening. Sometimes for variety some riders will swap birds for a night. It's polite to share, and we cocks don't mind at all. *

I humped her long and slow, speeding up and slowing down. I'd learned my limits, and had a good teacher. We'd enjoyed finding out what each liked, and knew how to bring one another to the limits of our endurance, how to prolong the pleasure for as long as possible. An hour later I couldn't hold back anymore, and from Alieyas's scent and sounds she was near too, and she'd already had one orgasm. With at guttural "rawwwk!" I speeded up, then threw my head back as a massively pleasure orgasm racked me, my whole body shuddering as I spurted deep inside of her, and I gave a long drawn out "Uuuurrrawwk!" of ecstasy, and she moaned as she climaxed too. I stayed in her a while longer, just enjoying the hot slickness of her sex enfolding my still rock hard erection, her muscles gently clenching and unclenching, and with a soft warble I nibbled and licked the back of her head, running her hair through my beak, both of us breathing heavily from the delightful release, the fading euphoria. But we weren't through yet, not at all.

I finally dismounted and she hugged my neck and we 'kissed" and preened a little bit. It wasn't necessary for her to orally stimulate me again, Chocobo cocks stay aroused until we're through with a hen, but she did anyway, and it was so very nice. I trilled with my eyes half shut and beak open slightly, tongue sticking out, as she gently sucked and tongued me "Urrrrr, urrrrrr, uurraaawww." I gasped. Oh, oh, it felt so good! This time I took her "human style". It was a little awkward, but she liked it which was more than enough for me. She lay down on her back with her rump under a rolled up blanket roll to raise her crotch off the floor a little and give me a better angle, and I hunkered down over her, fluffing my feathers as I covered her until only her head was showing. I mounted her with a soft squawk of pleasure, and then fucked her as I rocked back and forth, and I could feel her naked warm breasts rubbing against me, and that was nice. She grasped me with her arms; her hands gripping my legs just behind were they joined my body. This helped anchor her as otherwise my powerful thrusts would probably have scooted her forward. I lowered my head and licked her face as we moved together, rubbing my beak against her face, pausing to gasp or warble in pleasure. Finally I couldn't hold back anymore, and squeezing my eyes shut I thrust as hard and deep as I could, and climaxed in another massive orgasm as she bucked and arched under me and squealed into my feathers, her hands pulling me as deeply into her has possible as I filled her with my seed. Again I stayed in her for awhile longer, both of us very happy and temporarily satisfied, but I planned on at least one more coupling. Then a voice said,

"Bravo Alieya, you and Raven put on a quite a show, that bird does know how to satisfy the females!"

*With a started "Wark?" I dismounted, pulling out of Alieya and standing up. I'd been so busy pleasuring Alieya I hadn't noticed when the other Elf and her own bird had walked up to the stall and stood there watching us, for how long? But we weren't embarrassed, not in the least. I'm just glad they were polite enough to wait until we'd finished. *

"Tirisha!" Yelled Alieya, and still nude she jumped up and hugged her friend. "When did you get in?" B Troop had arrived!

*Tirisha's bird gave me a "you lucky devil" look, and I warbled a greeting. He was a changeling too, but not from the same unfortunate lot of slaves like me. He was the victim of another slave raid, like me once human, but now he would live his life out as another Chocobo. I'd never know his name, and he'd never know mine. He was a big dark yellow bird with some orange in his throat, and a good friend. We'd both been taken prisoner by Orcs, sold as slaves, then transformed into Chocobo's by a religious sect that worshipped the dark ones and put profit ahead of humanity. They took our humanity and turned us into animals, all for a few more pieces of gold. And once we were animals it was too bad, there was no changing back as they sealed the spell with an irremovable brand. Most "civilized" folk frowned on the practice of changing humans into livestock, and it was outlawed in the Kingdoms and Saurian lands. That still didn't keep them from buying and selling us though, and we were treated just like natural birds. After all, we might be smarter, but we were still just animals, nothing more then livestock, our misfortune was our owners gain. No rights, no property, no names unless they gave us one. In fact changelings commanded much higher prices than regular birds. But we grew used to it as we now had the minds and instincts of a Chocobo as well as the bodies. Our human minds eventually merged with our avian ones, and it was much better after that. Those who never did went insane. *

Soon the whole stable was awake as the rest of B Troop came in from the cold, the never ending jokes about "Close the door! Did you grow up in barn?" still getting laughs as grooms and riders complained at the blasts of cold air, and nice warm birds squawked indignantly. Alieya helped Tirisha groom and clean her bird, then they both left for the canteen, which never closed, to swap tales and catch up on news with their friends and fellow riders. We weren't invited, but it didn't bother us. I mingled with the other birds, renewing acquaintances, exchanging fond beak rubs with old friends before we settled down to a serious "preening party". The grooms would have plenty of feathers to gather in the morning, and one thoughtful groom threw out some chucks of dried fruit for us which earned her some affectionate nuzzling. Alieya's friend; and her bird, would be sharing our stall, which was just fine with me. Chocobo's are social animals, and don't mind roost mates at all. The other bird hopped up on the perch with me, we groomed and preened one another for awhile, then settling down we fluffed up and went to sleep. The Elves may want to carouse all night, but we were perfectly happy and content to get a good night's sleep. At least we wouldn't have hangovers in the morning. Since we were off duty tomorrow we'd even get to sleep in late, that is unless our bonehead riders had other plans. I didn't fall asleep right away; instead I stared out into the dim stable and thought about my life. Both as a man and a Chocobo, the warm quiet and contentment often made me ponder that. A part of me still missed my family, but I had a new family now and someone I loved dearly, and the warm gently snoring bird next to me was a good friend. Overall I decided I was pretty content with my life. Finally I shut my eyes and drifted off to sleep, adding my own soft snores to my friends. When our riders came back much later they were careful not to wake us, but we knew they were there even though we didn't quite wake up, but I did give a sleepy "urrrr?" when Alieya gently kissed my beak. Then the two Elves rolled up in their bedrolls and almost instantly feel asleep, as exhausted as their mounts.

*It was late morning before I stirred, lifting up my head with a sleepy "Urrrraw?". I puffed out my feathers and shook myself, the other bird doing the same. We preened a little bit, and I ran my beak along one of his long crest feathers to straighten it. He had a marvelously long crest he was quite proud of. Our riders were just large lumps in their bedrolls. From their sounds they were still out like a light, so I decided to do some poking around. Birds are seldom tethered while in the stable, most don't stray and the ones that do are tolerated as long as we don't wonder into the other buildings or make a nuisance of ourselves. The grooms were used to seeing "the big grey" wandering around, so I didn't get a second look. I lucked into a dried apple that had been overlooked last night, and clucking contentedly I rolled it around in my mouth until it was softer before swallowing the sweet treat. As I sucked on the apple I heard some of the grooms talking in their sleeping loft, and one said he'd heard the 7th was going on campaign in the spring, that supply had ordered fresh summer tack for us. Well, I thought, that was interesting. It would be nice to get out of garrison life for awhile; it had its benefits but got pretty boring after awhile. We'd be able to air out our minds and plumage, and get our edge back. By the time I wandered back to the stall Alieya was looking for me, and she pointed into the stall with a stern look on her face and with my head hanging low I slunk back in and hopped up on the pole. She doesn't like it when I wander, she worries about me. I made sad warbling sounds, and she soon broke down and gave me a kiss at which I perked up with a happy trill. Breakfast was late, but appreciated all that much more. Our riders mixed some diced nuts in our feed and we gobbled it down with loud happy "Warks!" of delight. They bought the nuts from the commissary exchange and spent their own money on it and other treats. They didn't have to do that, and we knew it. That little surprise got them some very affectionate beak rubs afterwards until they had to shoo us away. So we settled down and preened while they worked on some of our accoutrements and caught up on gossip. *

Later, tired of the warm; but stuffy, stable they decided to take us for a ride. We had mixed feelings about going out in the cold, but at least we wouldn't be on patrol. A nice brisk run wouldn't be that bad I guess. They didn't put the heavy blankets on, just a light quilt and our regular riding tack. I chomped the bit a little as I still don't care for the metal taste, but a gentle smack on the beak made me cooperate. I preferred hackamores, or bitless types of harness. But in a war zone regulations called for regular bits at all times, they gave the riders better control which could be crucial in combat, as in the difference between life and death. Didn't mean I liked it though, lousy metal bits, at least they warmed it up first. Alieya and Tirisha carried their bows and sabers though, you never, ever, leave the post unarmed. We headed out along the road since the snow was well packed, and our run turned into a race. I was larger, but the other bird was longer legged and it was a pretty good race, but he won. We were coming back at a fast walk to let us cool off and catch our breath when I suddenly stopped and gave a loud "Wark!" I'd smelled something, and a large lump of drifted snow next the road hadn't been there when we'd come in from patrol the evening before. Alieya knew I'd spotted something, and made no move to stop me as I inspected the lump, then started clawing at it, the other bird joining. We both gave dismayed "Kh-eeeehhss!" when frozen feathers and the harness of a Royal Messenger bird were revealed. Both riders dismounted to help us dig, and soon we'd uncovered the dead body of one of the Regiments messenger birds, a changeling we both knew. The cause of death was obvious too, the broken off shaft of an arrow jutted out from the base of the birds neck, his chest feathers drenched in frozen blood. Another mile and he'd have made it. Natural Chocobo's have a hard time understanding death, all they know is a mate or friend won't get up and/or isn't around anymore. But changelings understand it all too well, and we do grieve in our own way, heads hanging low as we gave our friend one last gentle preening. We didn't know his name but we'd always remember him. Tirisha recovered the message pouch; and jumping on her bird took off for the fort at a flat out run. Alieya and I moved down the road a ways further on the lookout for anything else out of place, but it looked clear. From the amount of blood the messenger bird had traveled quite some way before collapsing. He must have missed our pickets and scouts in the dark moonless night. We left him there for a recovery crew, and headed back to the fort.

*When we arrived the whole post was in turmoil. Horns were sounding, orders were being barked, and the place seethed with activity. Tirisha met us at the stable door and threw Alieya my blanket, the 7th Scouts was moving out in support of the 4th Heavy Lancers! Outpost No. 3 was under attack from a large raiding party, the messenger bird had died bringing the desperate call for help. Fifteen minutes later B and C Troops moved out to scout the way in full battle regalia, pennants snapping in the frigid air. As we passed the picket post outriders branched out to the sides, Alieya and our team mate, a rather quiet Elf named Mellow on a large solid yellow bird she called Breeze, on the far left flank. We paralleled the column to keep any nasty surprises from materializing on that flank. If we ran into anything we weren't supposed to fight, just run like hell and let the column know. Soon we began seeing fresh tracks in the snow and other signs of enemy activity. Despite the fresh clean snow we could still smell the stink of Orcs and the scent of other Chocobo's and their riders. It was about fifteen miles to Outpost 3, and we passed Outpost 1 first and they reported it all quiet with a few of the usual enemy scouts being seen, but nothing else. Evidently the messenger bird had taken the direct route to Fort Zabar and had bypassed Outpost 1. *

When we were about four miles from Outpost 3 the advance scouts brought word we'd been spotted, and a sizeable enemy force, exact strength and composition unknown, but definitely cavalry and infantry, was moving to meet us. We were veterans and knew what that meant. Most of the outriders and scouts fell back to reinforce their troops, and the column slowed to await developments as they deployed along the sides of the road. The 7th went forward as skirmishers, the lancers followed removing the covers from their deadly Elvin lances. Then it was hurry up and wait to see what the enemy would do. The 6th and 14th Dragoons and parts of other units would be joining us soon, but some stayed behind to screen the slower infantry who were route marching as fast as they could. Elvin infantry can run long distances at a steady ground covering pace, and would arrive not much later than the rest of the cavalry.

*Soon the skirmishers were exchanging long range arrow fire with the enemy advance units and I noticed not only advancing enemy mounted units but blocks of infantry as well. I saw pike and light infantry, and the dark red plumes of a crossbow unit. This would be no quick skirmish; the enemy was out in force! Mellow was sent back to report developments to the commander, and two troops were shifted to reinforce the left flank, the dragoons falling in behind the lancers. We had good ground, holding the top of a gentle rise with woods at the bottom. Our skirmishers were pushed steadily back, and Alieya and I sped out of the woods with the others in good order as we fell back to the main battle line, enemy riders closer on our heels, the occasional arrows whizzing by our heads. What lousy shots I thought, but was glad for it. Hopefully they were all cross-eyed and their arrows warped. *

*We passed through the lancers, and swung around to provide arrow support. I could see a well organized line of enemy cavalry, they looked like dragoons, emerge from the woods and form up, and infantry moved in the woods behind them, bugle calls and commands echoing in the still air. From the sounds on the right we'd already engaged the enemy on that flank, and now it was our turn. This was the biggest fight Alieya and I had been in so far, but we'd been in plenty of vicious skirmishes and been on a few raids, and this wouldn't be that different except on a much larger scale. The Lancers commanding officer rode down the line of her troops and we all raised a cheer, even the birds gave loud battle bugles like shrill screeching horns. She didn't say a word, just turned and slowly started towards the forming enemy units in the field below us, and drawing her sword pointed at them. We all followed at the same pace, quiet now except for the jingling of harness and mail, the breath of hundreds of riders and birds steaming in the clear frigid air, the snow deadening the sound of our feet. Slowly we gained speed, faster and then faster still, a bugle blew and the lances came down and scabbards rattled as the following dragoons drew their heavy sabers, then carried them with the hilts tucked against their sides and the tips of the bright shimmering blades resting on their shoulders. Then there came another bugle call from up and down the line, forward at the charge! Close with the enemy! The Scouts unleashed one last flight of arrows, then our riders drew their own sabers and we added our weight to the juggernaut barreling down on the enemy. It was all done in perfect silence. I lowered my head and flattened out, running as fast as I could, my clawed feet kicking up clumps of snow, and Alieya leaned low over my head, her saber held out point forward. *

The enemy archers were in action too, flights of arrows coming our way, and here and there a rider or bird went down in a flurry of snow and kicking legs, both Elvin and avian cries of pain loud in the cold still air. I leaped over a fallen bird and kept on going. The enemy were veterans too, and despite the disadvantage of having to move uphill they launched a counter charge and met us good order. There is no other sound like thousands of armored bodies slamming into one another, and birds and riders on both sides were bowled over and/or dismounted from the impact. We were fairly matched in numbers, but our lancers gave us the initial edge in causing more casualties among the enemy. Alieya and I found ourselves confronting an enemy dragoon more heavily armored, and riding a big bird with brown in his yellow feathers. While our riders exchanged blows and parried I snapped and jabbed at the other bird, and he tried a side kick with the battle blades strapped to his feet. I dodged back and got in a good jab at his rider, but didn't do any damage that I could see. We hissed at one another, and closed again, each looking for an opening in the others defense, sabers flicking over our heads as our riders thrust and parried.

*The battle was strangely quiet as far as voices were concerned, the loudest sound was the clash of blade on blade or shield, the heavy thuds of birds slamming into one another, the grunts and curses of riders, the squawks and shrill battle cries of their mounts, and screams and groans of pain and the sick sound of blades or claws tearing into flesh. It ebbed and flowed in volume and intensity as the battle swirled around us. Alieya finally got in a good back handed blow to her opponents arm, and the other rider dropped her own saber and broke off, and clutching her bleeding arm her mount carried her from the raging battle. We attempted to follow and finish her off, but stopped when we saw the enemy infantry starting to advance, a phalanx of pike leading the way. Not good, a well formed hedge of pikes is virtually immune to cavalry attack. Most of the enemy mounted units were breaking off where they could and falling back behind their advancing infantry. As our own lancers and dragoons fell back to regroup the Scouts formed up, and riding in a large circle we began to pepper the infantry with point blank arrow fire. But there weren't enough of us to do that much damage despite the fact most of our arrows found their marks, and they had that unit of crossbows so we were taking casualties as well as the heavy bolts slammed into birds and riders. I saw Mellow fall from her saddle, and Breeze stood over her until he went down kicking and hissing under the advancing pikes when he refused to leave her side. We gave way slowly making them pay for the ground they gained, but when a fresh unit of enemy cavalry formed up to charge us we retreated behind the heavier cavalry units as we were no match for them in our winded and depleted condition. Reluctantly the call came to retreat and the enemy gave a cheer as they took the crest of the hill. But our reserves were moving up and the battle would soon be entering another stage. But we could also hear the sound of own infantries horns as they moved up, so we turned again to face the enemy. The enemy heard those horns too, and their infantry formed into a line of battle on the crest and their cavalry deployed to the flanks to reform and rest. So for awhile we just stared at one another across a field littered with the dead, dying, and wounded. Both sides welcomed the chance to rest, and waited to see how things developed. Alieya gave me a good long drink of water from a canteen and petted my neck; and I puffed out large plumes of frozen air as I caught my breath. *

Soon we received word that the right flank had engaged only enemy mounted units, and had pushed them back. The enemy infantry evidently received the same word, and in order to keep from being outflanked by our cavalry began to retreat in good order, screened by those damn pikes and their cavalry. Most of their cavalry headed for the threatened flank, but they left enough behind to be a serious threat if we pushed home another charge. These guys were veterans, seasoned troops. The Scouts moved forward and exchanged some arrow fire, but it was more of an annoyance then anything. As the enemy infantry reached the relative safety of the woods we engaged their rear guard in another charge/counter charge, swirling and milling on that now bloody field, stepping on the bodies of fallen friends and foes alike. Our infantry arrived and pursued theirs into the woods and there was a nasty battle we could hear, but not see. We preferred open ground when possible, dense woods negates the advantages and effectiveness of cavalry, even nimble birds are at a disadvantage from infantry in close quarters like that being greatly restricted in movement. But the cavalry battle raged for quite some time as each side threw new units into the fray. It was charge and counter charge with neither side gaining any major advantage. Alieya brought down an enemy Scout with a blow to the neck the other rider didn't quite parry fast enough, and I cut a birds legs out from under him with a sideways kick from a heel blade as we passed and he went down with a shrill scream pinning his rider under him. A dismounted lancer finished the fallen rider off before she could get out from under her crippled thrashing bird. Then finally; almost as if from an invisible signal, the enemy riders broke off and retreated, and we were too spent and disorganized to offer serious pursuit. We raised a feeble cheer, which was echoed by a louder one from the infantry as their own opponents yielded the field. Victory!

*We pushed on leaving that sad and grisly field for others to clean up, and moved on to Outpost 3 which was still holding out. Parts of the wooden buildings on the inside of the stone walls had burned, and the piles of dead enemy assault troops piled around the gate and walls was a good indicator of how serious the action had been. It had been a full blown attack, not just a cut and run raid. The garrison of human infantry and Elvin archers cheered us as we passed by in pursuit of any enemy stragglers, their own Troop of Scouts coming out to join us in hopes of some payback. The enemy had well and truly buggered off though, so we returned fairly soon. *

The post stable was crowded that night with four birds and riders to a stall, but it helped keep us warn as the post didn't have heated a heated stable. Everyone, birds and riders alike, were pretty subdued. We'd all lost friends. I'd miss Breeze and Mellow, they had been good team mates, and other birds and Elves I knew less well had also been killed or wounded. It had been a nasty little battle, the enemy just as determined as we had been. Say whatever you want about Orcs and "Dark" Elves, they aren't cowards. I even felt sorry about the enemy bird I'd brought down. If not for our riders and the need to protect them we'd probably have just preened one another. But no one asks birds what they think about war. I remembered Breeze going down as he tried to protect his fallen rider, and with a sad "Euuraaaw" I pulled in my head and went to sleep, the other birds doing the same, we were too tired to even preen one another. The Elves soon followed, and soon the stable was quiet except for the occasional sob from an Elf grieving for a bird or friend, or a moan of pain from the wounded who weren't hurt bad enough for the hostpital.

We returned to Fort Zabar a few days later, after doing some long range sweeps to make sure the enemy really was gone. We were glad to see "home" again, and the garrison cooks had a feast waiting for us, which was awful nice of them. The birds got a double ration of feed and dried fruit and jerky, and the Elves all went to the messhall for who knows what, we weren't invited. Not that we cared, we were perfectly happy pigging out on our own. But before they left our riders and grooms made sure we were well brushed and cleaned, and any injuries; no matter how small, taken care of promptly. I was surprised to find I had a rather nasty gash just under one wing, I hadn't even felt it. Alieya found it while she was brushing out my feathers and saw dried blood, and fussed over me for almost an hour, which I enjoyed immensely. It was a clean wound though, and didn't bother me much. After the feast the birds got together for a preening party, and we concentrated on that for quite awhile as the air filled with feathers. Alieya and Tirisha joined us later, and we all fell asleep quickly, too tired to even make love.

The next morning Alieya and Tirisha had treats for us, they'd saved some chunks of steak from the feast the night before, and we warbled happily as they tossed them to us one piece at a time, fussing a little when we thought the other bird was getting more than his fair share. Then after breakfast it was goof-off time, and we excel at that, so while we preened and didn't do much else; not much for a bird to do anyway, they worked on tack and their weapons. Alieya worked on her arrows while Tirisha sewed up a rip in her surcoat. And so things slowly returned to normal, but too many stalls were empty.

*Slowly the days got warmer, and after one last blizzard that lasted several days and kept everyone huddled indoors the weather finally broke and spring arrived. It was a time of frenzied work and preparations as regiment after regiment moved up and camped nearby as Fort Zabar was the staging point for a major campaign. Soon entire Legion marching camps had gone up in the immediate vicinity and the place started to look like a large city. The fort had stone walls, but most of the main courtyard was dirt and soon a nasty bog formed despite straw being thrown on the worst spots daily. If I stood still in the muck long enough I'd sink up to my ankles, which on a bird are much higher up. Chocobos hate the mud, it sticks to our feet in huge gooey globs and tastes awful, and if you try to clean your feet it just gets all over your beak and feathers and makes a big mess. Plus I got a nasty case of wetrot and had to stand with my feet soaking in a smelly medicine bath for a couple of hours a day until it cleared up. It made me cranky and poor company for a few days, snapping irritably at everybody. *

*One day Alieya came into the stall with Tirisha, and they both started to pack their packs and saddle bags. I perked up at that, it meant we were moving out. I'd be glad to get out of the increasingly crowded and smelly fort. Now that the warmer weather was here the smells were getting downright putrid. But when we formed up and headed out, pulling our feet out of the mud with difficulty until we reached the main road, we turned left instead of right, which surprised me, and from the squawks the other birds felt the same way. We were moving away from the front, towards the rear! Turns out we were being sent to the rear for "rest and refitting", and to pick up new birds and riders to replace our losses which had been fairly severe due to the harsh winter and action we'd seen. We all; riders and birds, had mixed feeling about that. Relief, yes, but we'd also wanted to go on campaign too, we felt that we'd earned that right. We were good, and we knew it. But the powers that be had decided otherwise, so we were stuck with it. Like they say "Orders is orders". *

It would have taken four days to reach the rest camp at a leisurely pace, but we made it in two as we moved fast. It might be fun to take your time during the warm days of spring and summer, but spring was just getting started and it was still cold, especially at night. So we moved faster to keep warmer. It helped get us back in shape too, and stretching our legs felt great, and we called happily to one another as we moved down the road. We passed other units moving up and moved off the road for them as they had right of way. Quite often some of their officers would have the marching unit stop for a welcome break so they could converse with our own officers for news from the front. We took the time to forage for goodies under the thinning and melting snow, scratching and pecking contentedly. Our riders would mingle with the soldiers of the other units and trade stories, some true, and tell lies, each trying to outdo the other in believability. Everybody knew everybody else was full of shit, that's what made it fun. New recruits listened with big eyes, believing half of what they heard. Veterans loved to scare the crap out of the newbies with tales of horrible monsters and man-eating beasts. The Elves for the most part got along just fine with humans, at least with the file and foot. Officers were often nobles, and they could be pretty obnoxious.

There was one incident, courtesy of me, in which tempers flared and it could have gotten nasty if not for cooler heads. We had stopped at a large farmstead for water and feed, and I and some fellow birds were lined up at a watering trough getting a drink. Suddenly we were rudely pushed aside by some men leading horses. One of the men said,

"Get out of the way you stupid chickens." And shoved me.

*How rude! Well, THAT could not go unchallenged, I decided. I waited until he bent over the trough to wet down a towel, and then with an indignant "Wark!" I put my foot on his butt and pushed him into the trough headfirst, which got squawks of approval from my fellow Chocobos. He was not amused, and soon he was threatening me with drawn sword as I crouched down in front of him hissing and bobbing my head, looking for an opening. I wasn't playing around at that point, if some fop threatens me with a weapon I will not back down. And I think he'd forgotten just how big a Chocobo is and was already regretting his decision. The "chicken" had turned out to be a fully trained veteran warbird. It could have gotten nasty if Alieya and some other riders hadn't turned up, as well as both human and Elvin officers. *

They soon sorted out just what had happened; there had been plenty of witnesses on both sides. It turns out the man was a minor noble of some kind, a younger son on his first campaign. It was decided we were both at fault, he had been rude and broken military protocol by forcing away animals already drinking at a trough instead of waiting his turn, and I had over reacted and my rider needed to "control her bird" better. Of course no one asked me what I thought about the whole incident, but if I had been able to talk I'm sure my response would have just gotten me in more trouble. If anything makes me mad it's being called a chicken. As for Lord limp dick he needed a bath anyway. Everybody apologized to everyone else, and pretty much ignored me. The other birds approved though, even the naturals knew I'd upheld our honor. I did get chewed out by Alieya later, and acted downright unrepentant until I realized she was more worried than mad, afraid I'd have gotten hurt. Aw, I could have taken the little twerp, I thought. When I rubbed my head against her chest though she couldn't stay mad, and just laughed and called me a "Rascaly ruffian". Yep, that's me, I thought, with a happy warble.

The rest camp turned out to be a large country manor estate that had been basically commandeered by the military for the "duration of hostilities", which meant pretty much forever. The main house was the headquarters and barracks, but as usual the riders stayed with their birds in the stable. Which was fine with us, we preferred it that way. The stable were nice, big, airy stone and wood buildings with thatched roofs. Cool in the summer, warm in winter. It was two birds and riders to a stall, and as usual we bunked with Tirisha and her bird, whose name I had never learned, and there was no way I could ask him. Everyone knew about the grey bird called Raven though, I guess I was famous or something. Of course being the only grey bird around had a lot to do with it. I'm not solid grey though, I have some silver in my plumage, and I'm so dark I almost look black in the right light, at night I'm almost invisible. I'm a pretty bird, and I know it. Everywhere we go other riders and people come over to admire Alieya's bird, and I eat it up. I try not to let it go to my head though. I know Alieya gets a kick out of it too.

*Our routine at the rest camp was fairly lax, that's why they call it a rest camp. But we just didn't sit around on our backsides and take it easy, even in a rest camp the military just can't stand to see troops being idle. So after a couple of days of getting settled in, repairing old tack and other gear and getting issued new stuff, we began to drill and practice tactics. For two hours every morning, and two hours in the early afternoon. Plus replacements; both riders and birds, started trickling in, so they had to be integrated into their units. The new birds had to get used to us, as did their riders. They were spaced out evenly amongst the various troops so they could learn from the veterans. Most were fresh straight from the riding schools, both birds and riders, but a few were returning veterans. Some birds had lost their riders, and some riders had lost their birds, so they had to get to know their new partners as well. It went pretty smoothly though. We didn't push the new recruits, and didn't lord it over them either, so they soon felt at home and learned fast. *

There was one development that I enjoyed. One of the local farmers who had contracted to provide the camp with food and other supplies had noticed us when we rode in. Turns out he had a good sized farm that bred Chocobos, and he was wondering if he could arrange to borrow some of the cocks until the regiment moved out again. Seems he was short on studs. In exchange he'd drop the prices on his goods for a period of time. His offer was accepted, and he was allowed to pick three birds for stud service. To my great delight he picked me on sight, he knew he'd get a premium for any grey feathered chicks, and he picked an exceptionally large natural bird, and another changeling who had lots of nice white markings in addition to the usual yellow. The only problem was I hated to leave Alieya, but she kissed me on my beak and told me to "have fun". When the farmer left to go back to his farm myself and the other two lucky cocks followed behind in a string of very happy birds. We knew what was going on, hens!

As we approached the farm I realized we had our "work" cut out for us, it was a big place and he had LOTS of hens. He was not a regular farmer, but what you'd call a "Gentleman Farmer". More than likely he'd end up with a minor title sooner or later as he could afford to buy one with his prosperity. The war had made him a lot of money, but he was honest and didn't cheat the military like a lot of profiteers did. He gave value for his pay. His grooms and handlers were delighted to see us and we were boarded in very nice private stalls, large and roomy. We were given a first class grooming, cleaned up, inspected by a vet, and given a very nice feed including mixed nuts with chunks of dried meat. We were very happy birds, and then after a long nights rest we would start "work" the next morning. Despite the lovely stall and feed I didn't sleep much though, I missed Alieya too much. The natural bird called for his rider a couple of times during the night, and I and some other birds answered to let him know he wasn't alone.

The next morning after a large breakfast I was taken to breeding pen, basically just a larger stall. A hen was brought to me, a nice fat sassy bird, yellow plumage with some brown mixed in. She was glad to see me, I was certainly glad to see her, nature took its course, and soon I had mounted and was servicing her, both of us warbling and cooing in pleasure. I had not mated with a hen the whole time we were at Fort Zabar as there weren't any, and while I loved pleasuring Alieya or other Elves, it was different with a Chocobo hen. It was more intense, and, well, natural. We were after all designed for one another, so to speak. And her scent, her cries of pleasure, the feel of her warm soft feathers, I was in heaven. Most of the time we had an observer, a groom or handler who would watch until I had served the hen the required number of times to most likely insure fertilization of her eggs, then she would be removed, I'd be given some time to rest, and then another hen would be "introduced" for my services. The fact I was being bred like an animal with no privacy no longer bothered me in the slightest. My sole interest was the hens. I loved each and every one of them just as much as if I was a natural bird. We truly love our mates, it's not just the physical pleasure they give us. Had I been a "free range" bird I would have had a harem of regular mates I would have defended.

I spent the next several days in sexual bliss, and boy had I needed it. At first I was able to service up to four; or even five, hens a day. Once I'd worn down my initial lust it fell to three on average though. The handlers were more than satisfied with my "efforts". To me meeting and "courting" a hen was as much a part of mating as the actual coupling. I loved to get to know them by mutual preening, running my beak through their feathers, warbling and crooning to one another, them finally accepting me as a mate. To humans it might appear each bird is pretty much the same with maybe minor variation in plumage color, but they're so wrong. To us each bird is as much an individual as humans are to one another; each has its own personality. One big difference is we don't tend to look down on birds that are a little plain, or fat, or not "perfect". We have no concept of "beauty" as an ideal; to me every hen I mate with is beautiful. Don't get me wrong, there are bad birds, ugly birds, obnoxious birds, etc. The main difference is that's not all we see when we look at them, and we accept them like that regardless. Chocobo's do not discriminate, that's a human failing. I guess you could say it's the result of having a much simpler outlook on life now, but I'm fine with it.

*I also found out another very interesting thing, much to my surprised delight. It was soon after I'd serviced a hen with the most lovely almost all white plumage, very rare, and was expecting a final hen for the rest of the afternoon. The handler that had been bringing me the hens the last couple of days came back, but without a hen. I was a little disappointed when she led me from the mating pen, and then surprised when she led me to a new stall, one of the few with doors. She shut the stall door, and then proceeded to take her clothes off. The part that surprised me was she was human, and with humans sex with an animal was a big taboo. They're not as OK with it as the Elves are, if you get caught big problems. But maybe on farms it's different? I didn't know, and didn't care as she had my undivided attention by then. She was a big strapping girl, but not what you'd call a beauty, she didn't have that slender narrow waist hourglass figure like most town ladies. She had the body of a hard working farm hand, stocky and well muscled, her breasts small and very firm. She even cut her hair short, more like a boy. She had the thickest pubic hair I'd ever seen on a woman before. She didn't waste any time either. *

She found my brand, and giving a smile, said "I thought so, you changelings are always so energetic, you and I are going to be good friends.". Fine by me I thought. I was a little surprised, but pleased, when she started running her hands through my feathers and crest, much like a hen does with her beak when she's interested in a mate. To a cock that's the equivalent of foreplay, and it felt nice coming from any female, no matter what her species. She probably did it to help "turn on" natural birds, and being a husbandry specialist she knew what she was doing, but I liked it too. I warbled and cooed, running my beak through her hair and rubbing it against her body enjoying her female scent. She smelled like fresh hay and sweat, with a little spice mixed in, no smelly perfumes for this lady. As she ran her hands through my chest feathers she reached down with one and started gently stroking my vent. OH, that felt so nice! She really knew what she was doing. She got the results she wanted pretty quickly, then she got down on her knees and moved back between my legs, which I spread a little, and when she started licking my erection, and then swallowing it, I closed my eyes, and with my beak open I gave a long soft "Euuurrraaawwww" of pleasure and gobbled in delight, my whole body shuddering. To my surprise she sucked me to a full blown orgasm, and at the end I couldn't help but thrust into her mouth, gasping and crooning, but she held my legs and rocked with me. I'd gotten oral sex from Alieya and other Elves before, but with this human female it seemed to be an art form. Then after that wonderful experience it was her turn. She got down on all fours and presented herself to me like a hen would, rump high and head fairly low. I bent over and "ate" her vagina in that I gave her a good tongue job, and from her sounds she was as appreciative of my skill as I'd been of hers. Surprisingly Chocobo cocks love to give tongue, even natural birds. It's part of our "foreplay". We do it for several reasons, to help open the female up, test her readiness, lubricate her, moisten her feathers to help get them out of the way, and we like the taste. Changelings do tend to do it a lot longer though, a LOT longer. And I returned the favor and made her climax with my tongue, and she actually screamed into her folded arms when she came. I couldn't hold myself back any longer at that point, so with a loud "WARK!" I mounted her while was still coming and she let out another muffled scream, and gave a deep guttural "On YES!", which encouraged me to start humping her with fast powerful thrusts, giving grunts of my own. That first coupling was fast and furious, both of us worked up to a lustful high that needed immediate gratification. We climaxed together, and I gave a loud "Raawwwkkkkk!" of sexual ecstasy, and she gave a long sobbing moan. Next she did something no other lover of mine had ever done before. She got me to crouch down, and flipped me over on my back! I wasn't too sure about that at first as I lay there, and kicked a little bit, but when she straddled me and her intentions became clear I "leaned back and enjoyed it". I laid there with my head on the floor and gobbled and warbled as she rode me, reaching up with one of my legs and grasping her shoulder with my foot. The feel of my hard slick erection sliding in and out of her was indescribable. As I neared release I started flailing around a little bit, but she kept me pinned and rode us both to a fantastic climax and I was the one who screamed this time, an almost human sounding squawk of intense pleasure. Next she took the bottom, lying over a bale of hay to give me easier access, and I took her long and slow, both of us making soft sounds of mutual pleasure and extreme satisfaction with our lover. When it was over she took me back to my regular stall, and I swear I was staggering a little bit, that was one hell of a lady! Word must have got out too, because by the end of my stay I'd mated with just about every human female on the farm. If the men knew I never heard anything about it. I guess with the female humans it was a way to get sexual satisfaction without the danger of pregnancy and/or having to get married. I thought it was kind of funny in a way, I had more sex with human women as a bird then I had as a man, and the Elves were nice too.

While I was there in that paradise for cocks there was another development. Once a day we were put out in a paddock to get some exercise and fresh air. Cocks in one, hens in another. Of course we could see each other through the slats of the high fence dividing both paddocks, but we couldn't get at one another. It was intentional, to get us worked up prior to mating. It worked too. At first I didn't notice her. There was a smaller than usual hen that kept to herself, always as far away from the other flocking hens as she could be. She was not very pretty, being a dirty yellow color with downright scruffy plumage, and anytime another hen approached she hissed and snapped at them. Otherwise she just stood with her head down and looked sad. Maybe that's what attracted me to her; she was different from the others and it interested me. As with most stables our stalls had no doors, or just a rope across them, and most of the time we were not tied up, or maybe with just a hackamore and a rope, easy to undo for a changeling. So it was easy to get loose, not that most birds bothered as they were happy where they were. I, however, wasn't "most birds". So one day I left my stall and went in search of the strange hen, and it would change my life forever.

*I made my way to the hen's stable, which was easy as I just followed the scent, with that many hens in one small area it was a beacon to any cocks in the area. I had to hop a few fences, but it wasn't much of a problem. We can't fly, but Alieya hadn't been cropping my wings so I could flutter a fair distance. Running jump, flap my wings, and I was over the fence. If my wings had been cropped it wouldn't have been as easy. I managed to get there without attracting the attention of any of the grooms or handlers; it was lunchtime so they were busy elsewhere. The hens were glad to me, and I had plenty of offers from hens I'd mated with already, and new ones, but I managed to ignore the temptation. I can be pretty single minded when I want to be. Most of the stalls were empty and it took me awhile to find her. When I finally found her she was; to my surprise, in a stall with a door. I could see here through the gaps in the boards of the stall's walls. She was crouched in a corner and looked absolutely miserable and dejected. I pressed my beak through an opening between two of the boards and gave a soft "Waaaark?" to say "Hi". She looked at me, then tucked her head and turned away. "Euuuraww?", but she just kept ignoring me, which was horribly rude. Any other bird would have known I was being friendly. What was wrong, was she sick? Except for being so scraggly and unkempt looking she smelled healthy though. Most birds would have gotten the hint and left, but not me. I was bound and determined to make friends with this strange bird. *

I used my beak to undo the wooden latch and let myself into the stall. As I got a better look I realized she was also tied up on a very short lead rope, which I thought was kind of cruel. She tried to get as far away from me as she could and turned sideways. I cocked my head sideways and looked at her, and gave a friendly "Wark?" again. All she did was close her eyes and crouch even lower. The poor thing looked like she hadn't had her feathers preened or looked after in weeks, so I moved closer and started to preen her tail feathers, and with a loud hiss she snapped at me, and I hopped back in surprise. She kept hissing at me, her beak open. I had NOT expected such a violent reaction to an offer to groom, and it caught me unawares. I cocked my head at her again quizzically, and thought, well, I you're going to be like that I'm leaving. I closed the door after me. But I didn't leave right away, I stood and looked at her through the small barred window in the door for awhile, and she looked so sad and pitiful, so lonely. I gave another soft "Euuurrraaw?", but she just crouched with her eyes shut and ignored me.

*I got back to my own stall with no trouble, and was soon taken to the breeding pens for the rest of the afternoon, and did my duty heroically. But later that evening when I was settling down to go to sleep I couldn't help but think of that sad little hen. There was something there, something I was missing. *

*I started sneaking into the hens stable almost every afternoon during lunch break, and sometimes in the late evening. I'd let myself into her stall and try to be friendly, but she always ignored me, or if I tried to touch her I'd get hissed at. It started really bugging me; I'd never had another Chocobo, especially a hen, respond to me that way. But of course she responded that way to everyone, I even saw her snapping at handlers or grooms more than once. Now that winter was really over I was molting, along with all the other birds, and it about drove us crazy. Talk about itching! And the strange hen was looking even more pitiful than ever. She pulled out so many feathers in places you could see her pink skin and dried blood from healthy feathers she plucked out too. And then one day as she sidled away from me during my afternoon visit I caught a glimpse of something on her flank, it was a brand, like mine. She's a changeling! Just like me, I finally realized. She was the first female changeling I'd ever seen, all the others were male. Males are worth more, which is why most changelings are that sex. It figured there were females too, but she was the first I'd encountered. But it explained a lot to me, I'd seen other changelings that just couldn't accept it, and let themselves deteriorate and refused to even take care of themselves. *

*I moved a little closer to her and gave a loud "WARK!", and when she opened her eyes I reached my head around to my flank and pushed my feathers aside to reveal my own brand. She lifted up her head, her eyes wide, and looked at the brand, and at me. I gave another soft "Euurraaaww?", and she suddenly got up and pressed herself against my chest feathers and started crying. And yes, Chocobos can cry, at least changelings do. Her whole body was shuddering, and she gave soft little "Raw, raw, raws". I gently started preening her neck feathers and she didn't pull away or hiss at me this time, just kept crying while I did it. I cooed and rubbed my beak against her head and neck as I plucked out dead feathers and groomed her. It occurred to me maybe I was the only other changeling she'd ever seen. It's bad enough at first, but even after we accept what we'd become changelings still tend to flock together as we can all relate to one another. A kind of support group. For the first time she was with someone like herself, who knew what it was like. I stayed with her quite awhile, and eventually a groom came to feed her and found me. There was a ruckus, and as I was led back to my stall I heard some grooms and handlers talking. I also heard her calling for me, and was very uncooperative. *

"How the heck did he get in there?" "I don't know, but he's pretty resourceful." "Did he mate with her?" "Are you kidding, she'd try to kill him!" "They were preening, I saw it, I swear." And so on.

Later that evening I got loose again, and went to her stall. She cried when she saw me again, and I spent the night on the roost next to her, and she huddles as close to me as she could until she finally fell asleep. In the morning I snapped at the groom who tried to hook a lead rope to my harness. She crouched behind me and I took a protective stance, as far as I was concerned I wasn't going to be taken away again. She needed me. Some more grooms and handlers came to see what was going on, and a couple more tried to get me to come with them, but my hisses and open beak persuaded them that wasn't a good idea. Finally one of the head handlers; the first human female I had mated with, showed up. She took in the situation, and then told the others to leave. After they all left she said,

"Well, what am I going to do with you Raven? We can't have our birds behaving like this. You're a good bird, what's wrong?"

** I was a little surprised when she asked me a direct question. Most people, even riders who know you're a changeling, speak AT you, or about you, not TO you. After all I'm just a bird. Of course I couldn't answer, so I gave a soft "Kweeeh", and moved closer to the hen. I used my beak to point to the bald spot on her flank with the brand showing. I looked at the handler, pleading with my eyes, "Euurraaww, Kweeh" she needs me, I wanted to say so badly. And I think she understood. At least when she closed the door and left I heard her tell the others to "Leave them alone." I'll always love her for that kindness.**

And they did leave us alone, except for feeding and the daily trips to the exercise paddocks. But in our case they put us in a pen by ourselves. I wasn't taken to the breeding pens again, but I think the other studs had no problems about filling in for me. Once she'd accepted me she let me preen her, and I worked for hours a day to get her plumage in good shape. After awhile she began to preen me too, she had the instincts and with a little practice started to catch on, and started to take care of herself too. She was still rather plain, but looked much better, especially after her bald spots began to fill in with new feathers. I never tried to force myself on her sexually, never tried to mate with her. Not that I wasn't interested, after all she was female, but both the bird and man knew if I tried it would destroy the trust she had in me. She wasn't ready for that, so I let her make the first move. I knew sooner or later she would have to give in to her new natural instincts, and we both could smell the happy satisfied hens when they returned from a trip to the breeding pens. And I could smell her growing need, but I didn't push her. I knew when she was ready though, when she wanted me, and would accept me.

*We were preening one afternoon, running our beaks through one another's feathers, warbling and cooing softly to one another. Her sounds slowly got deeper and more urgent, and I could smell her arousal increasing. She seemed just a little unsure and scared at first, so I just kept gently preening her but knew she could smell my own arousal. I got the impression she was a virgin, had never mated before, as a human or a bird. Gods, for all I know even though she was an adult Chocobo she might have been a human child or young girl, there was just no way of knowing. But she WAS an adult Chocobo, and when she finally made the offer I accepted. We preened for awhile longer, then she hopped down off the perch and I followed and circled her slowly, still rubbing my beak against her head and neck, crooning softly. She finally stopped, and crouching with her rump in the air presented herself to me. I was very careful, and at first gently rubbed my beak against her wet swollen sex. Once aroused a hen's cloaca bears an amazing resemble to a human vagina, complete with a clitoris except it's on the bottom, not top of the vagina. She shuddered and gave a soft cry, but when I backed off she crouched even more and thrust her rump at me. I rubbed my beak against her again, and then delicately stared licking her, rubbing the pointed tip of my tongue against her clitoris. I kept that up for awhile before exploring her sex with my tongue, sliding it inside of her. She was slick and very wet, and gave frantic little soft "Euurs" of need, and I was extremely aroused by then myself, so I mounted her with a grunt and lunged into her. She was smaller than most hens, and very tight, but I found a steady rhythm of strong thrusts, and she stretched and I finally hilted with a "Rawk!" of pleasure. I leaned forward and nibbled the back of her head as I serviced her, and she had her eyes closed and was gasping and giving little gobbles of pleasure. I took her nice and slow, as gently as I could under the circumstances because I hadn't been as aroused as I was by her in a long time. It was different somehow, more personal, meaningful, I can't really explain it. Maybe it was because she wanted me not only as a Chocobo, but as a man. Finally I couldn't hold back anymore, and speeding up my thrusts I climaxed with a gut wrenching orgasm and gave a loud "WARK!", and she gave a long "RAAWWK!" as he climaxed too and I could feel her vaginal muscles spasming and clenching as I pumped my seed into her. I could have serviced her several more times if she'd wanted me too, but afterwards she just wanted to be near me, so we preened and cuddled, and when we went to sleep she was so much shorter I was able to put my wing protectively over her as we slept. *

*The next day she let me know she wanted me again, and that day we mated three times and it was wonderful. I had never felt this way about another hen before, and soon realized I was hopelessly in love. It was way more than the love of a cock for a hen, it was a combination of Chocobo and human love, and it was obvious she felt the same way about me. I had found her, been kind to her, and shown her that being a Chocobo could be wonderful, and now I was her mate. I would never leave her again. And when she laid two eggs a few days later I just stood and watched in wonder, and when she was through we both just stood and looked at them, proud of what we'd done. Of course I had hundreds of chicks I'd sired running around somewhere, but this was different, it was the first time I'd actually seen a hen lay eggs I'd fertilized. *

*Of course I should have known our "honeymoon" wouldn't last forever, bur birds, even changelings, aren't much on planning ahead. The very next day the farmer came and got me, and me and the two other cavalry studs were led back to the rest camp. I didn't want to go, and pulled at the lead rope and squawked the whole way. The last time I saw my mate she was sitting on our eggs watching me questioningly as I was led away. I have no doubt she'd have followed me if she hadn't had the eggs to look out for. *

When we got to the rest camp I was glad to see Alieya, and myself and other lucky cocks had a reunion with our Chocobo friends, who were glad to see us. Alieya teased me that I'd gotten too fat, and she was right, I was out of shape. So she took me on a nice long run that felt good. That night after our evening feed I serviced her long and slow and enjoyed it immensely as I loved her too, and had missed the pleasure we gave one another. But the whole time I was distracted, I kept thinking about a small yellow hen and her eggs, my chicks, my mate. After everyone else fell asleep I hopped down from the roost and let myself out of the stable, and ran all the way back to the farm. My mate, my love, was overjoyed to see me. But as I crouched at her side as she sat on the nest she'd made I wondered what was going to happen. Human and Elvin deserters would be severely punished, even executed. What would they do to a bird? The grooms found me in the morning, there was lots of confusion and shouting, and again I was led away and back to the rest camp. Alieya was mad as hell, and I endured her scolding stoically, and that night I ran away again. I was taken back again, got yelled at, and Alieya got yelled at too by the troop commander which I thought was unfair. That night Alieya tied me up for the first time ever, but I got loose and ran back to the farm again. Damn it, I may be an animal now, but that doesn't mean I can't love!

This time Alieya came to collect me personally. They brought her to the stall my mate and I were in, and she just stood and looked at us for awhile. She noticed how I protectively hovered over the nesting hen, and the way my eyes pleaded with her as I looked at her. She had worked with Chocobo's her whole life, and been my closet companion, and much more than just a friend, for over a year. She could read my body language and understood me even though I can't talk. My heart skipped a beat when she turned away and asked a handler,

"How much for the hen and her egg?"

The handler had no idea, and didn't even know if the hen was for sale. So she sent for the man who owned the large farm. He was a huge man, muscular but starting to go to fat in his middle age. He towered over Alieya, but I think he was the intimidated one. With lots of humans Elves are still almost mythical creatures.

"I would like to purchase this hen and her egg if you will name a price." Alieya asked the man.

The man replied, "You don't want that bird, she's nothing but trouble, though she has calmed down some since she laid her eggs, but when the grey's not here she's uncontrollable. She's a changeling you know, sad story that."

*We both just listened as the Elf and human talked, we understood what they were saying perfectly, but they talked like we weren't even there, at least the man did. It's amazing how they just assume we're dumb brutes, maybe they truly don't realize that despite our animal bodies we still have our intelligence and awareness of what's been done to us, and what we used to be. *

"I thought as much, Alieya said, so is my bird. What do you know about her?"

"Well, not much, replied the man. A raiding party of ours hit one of their slave camps late in the winter. The found her; and other changelings, in the livestock pens waiting to be sold. She must have just been changed. They kept the male changelings as remounts, but couldn't use her, too small and traumatized. They dropped her off, at no charge, and I agreed to care for the poor thing. But she refuses to accept what's happened to her. She won't even let other birds near her."

"That was kind of you, said Alieya, may the Gods smile on your generosity. Now, I do not care if she is unbroken. My bird has taken her as his mate, so how much for her and their eggs?"

"Well, said the farmer, I can see they are smitten with one another, and she's happy only when he's around. I promised to take care of her, and from the way I see it the only way to do that is to keep them together. So if you want her she is yours. As for the eggs, well, they're her first and they're always attached to their first chicks, so take them too, with my blessing."

I think Alieya was dumbfounded, most Elves think humans are a greedy and money grubbing lot, so she was speechless at first. I was dumbstruck too, but not to the point I didn't walk over to the man and rub my head against his chest, and he laughed and ran my crest feathers through his fingers."

"Well, he said, looks like I got paid anyway!"

Alieya finally clasped her hands together and raised them to her forehead as she gave a small bow, and said, "Your generosity is heartwarming, and I owe a debt. My bird and I can never repay you. May the Gods reward you tenfold."

He smiled a grim smile, and replied "Two years ago my youngest boy was killed by those bastards; so long as you keep killing them and keep them away from the rest of my family I will consider any debt paid, with interest."

"What was your son's name?" Alieya asked.

The man told her, and asked "Why do you want to know that?"

Alieya replied, "My sisters and I will pray for him, and the next ten dark ones we slay with have a note pinned to their chests to let the other dark ones know in whose name they were slain."

*That left the man dumbfounded and close to tears. When we left he solemnly shook hands with the smaller Elf and wished us all the best of luck. Even my mate gave him a head rub before we left, and he gently scratched her beak. *

As we trotted back to camp my mate ran alongside me, anxiously keeping an eye on the eggs that Alieya was carefully carrying in a sling across her chest. The bird Alieya had ridden; a natural, followed good naturedly on a lead rope. I was so happy I can't describe it, and warbled and "sang" as we trotted along, almost the whole way back to camp, and Alieya just laughed.

*A week later the camp was surprised when two wagons full of kegs of ale and beer arrived as gift for the garrison, and many a toast was raised to the generous farmer. And we kept our word, as Elves and Chocobos always do. The next ten Orcs or dark Elves that fell by our hand or claw had a note which read "For Kyle Wilks" pinned to their bodies for their comrades to find. *

** The End**

***********************************************************************

---

---

---

---