FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Bovine Parents"

CHAPTER 29

"Listen, Tommy, I've gotta apologise for not getting in touch sooner."

"No worries Nick," Tommy lay in his bed, on the phone to his old friend. Nick had moved abroad to study, pursuing his interest in biology. The course was intense, and the workload huge, but he was coping well.

"Man, I didn't even give you my new number 'til last week. I totally forgot for like a year or two! I'm a fucking idiot..."

"Easy, easy. I'm not mad."

"Gee, thanks. Was expecting you to be a bit pissed at not hearing from your best friend for ages..."

"Nope," Tommy adjusted himself, stretching and placing his free arm behind him. "You could say I've been preoccupied with life stuff too."

"So I hear. Your workin' with your folks at that agri-genetics company, right?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Cool. Guess you took my advice after all."

"You could say that," Tommy chuckled, "things turned out a little differently than you might expect."

"Ah yes, the big secret." Nick could be heard laughing on the other end of the line. It was a somewhat frustrated laugh. "No chance of me finding out yet, hmm?"

"Not yet," Tommy replied curtly, "maybe not ever..."

"God-dammit dude! I'm your best friend! You've gotta let me know some time. Y'know, ideally before either of us dies! C'mon..."

"I know. I know," he sighed, "there's a lot to sort out before I'd even be comfortable lettin' you in on my situation."

"NDAs am I right?"

"Sort of."

"I feel ya, dude. Got a similar setup here. The university isn't keen on sharing its crazy research projects with the general public. Some of the genetics department's work is pretty far out there."

You have no idea, Nick. "Well, it looks like both of us have to keep part of their jobs/studies under wraps...soooo let's chat 'bout what isn't top secret."

"How's your folks?"

"Doin' well. We're getting along much better. Had a couple of rough spots here and there, but my parents and I are solid."

"Neat, ya patched things up with them." There was a brief pause in the conversation, then Nick spoke again: "so when did your balls drop a second time?"

"What!?" Tommy sputtered.

"Damn bro, you sound like you've been drinking straight whiskey every day for the past three years; ya got this cool gravelly quality in your voice."

"Oh..." he realised what Nick was talking about. His voice had become far deeper and more masculine than his former human timbre. Over the phone his friend could pick that up.

"You haven't taken up smoking...I know that's not it...would have to power through what, like, a thousand a day? No, no...somethin' you ain't telling me..."

Sure Nick, I'll come clean. I'm an enormous human-bull hybrid with enough strength to lift a truck and chuck it across a football field. That's why my voice sounds deeper.

"Nick, Nick, buddy...I think there might be something wrong with the line. You sound alright to me."

"Eh. You're probably right. And here I am thinkin' all kinds of wacky shit."

"Mm--" Tommy was about to spout a bovine 'moo' but quickly caught himself, pivoting his outburst to a closed-mouth snicker: "mm-hm-hm-heh..."Close call.

"Kept in touch with anyone else from school?"

"Not really. I've kinda gone my own way."

"Shame. I've spoken with a few...well...messaged them on social media. Mostly normal. There are a few exceptions. Funny ones. You remember the_crud-meister_?"

"Johnny?"

"Yeah."

"What's he up to then?"

"He's a TV pundit."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, no kidding! He has some talkin' heads show on the_Capitol News Channel_. It's amazing, he gets so pissed of when people make fun of his surname, I think that's why the network hired him. No sympathy from me. He was always a bit of an ass."

"Not surprising I didn't know...CNC is on the other side of the country. So who else?"

"Oh there's just one more. Do you remember Anna Malley?"

"Possibly...wasn't she a year ahead of us?"

"No, that was her sister, Sarah (the valedictorian). Anna's the one who set fire to the carpentry supplies in Grade 11."

"Yes, I recall that.Her." Nick missed the venom in Tommy's voice.

"Well, word was she'd gone full hippy-dippy. Healing crystals and shit. But here's the thing, she doesn't believe a word of it. It's a scam. She's been sellin' hokey bullshit to these rich soccer moms on the West Coast."

"Wow...I suppose...um, good for her?"

"Good for her? She's living the high-life! Turns out lots of folks buy into this stuff. I was in touch with her and she told me she owns two houses. Two! For someone brought up in the boonies that's quite an improvement."

"Yeah, yeah. Woo-hoo for Anna. You know she liked to trap me in lockers right?"

"Oh shit yeah she did! Sorry, you probably don't wanna hear anything about someone who bullied ya. Again, sorry."

"No, it's fine."

"Listen, Tommy, I've got a million more things to catch up on with you, but I've gotta split. My class on bio-informatics starts in ten minutes. I thought I had more time to talk..."

"Go ahead. Thanks to time zones I'm all set for bed."

"Goodnight then, bud."

"Good...uh..."

"Afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you Nick. Wait...hang on, is 'good afternoon' a greeting or a farewell?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm. Bye then."

"Talk again soon."

* * *

Tommy slept lightly for a half-hour after finishing his call with Nick. He was stirred from his nap by the_click_ and creak of the front door opening.Jen must be home.

He listened to sharp clop of her hooves as she approached. The bedroom door swung ajar as his mate entered.

"Hi sweetie."

"Hello my love," Jen eyed him longingly as she threw her things to one side.

"How was the babysitting?"

"A lot of work," she gasped, "Daisy and Clara are old enough to keep quiet and go to sleep. But Sam? That toddler is too energetic to_willig_...willingly take a nap. I do not know what Lacey has been feeding him..."

"Hyper, is he?"

"You have no idea Tommy! Your father must have his hands full with the three of them."

"Well, that's why mom and dad have you watch them every so often, so they can take a break."

"Moo! A break is not what I would call it. When Eric, Sandra and Lacey returned they all wore big smiles on their faces. I think they were doing more than taking 'a break'!"

Jen sat on the side of the bed, rubbing her legs. Tommy pulled back the sheets for her. She crawled into bed alongside him, resting her head on his upper body, a hand gently caressing his chest. Listening to his heartbeat as he placed the covers over her figure, Jen relaxed.

"What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much. My friend from school called me. We caught up on our lives since we last met."

"This was your friend Nick, was it?"

"Moo. It's hard to believe we're both actual adults...with responsibilities...you'd think bein' a kid will never end, but hey...then it does. Then a couple years fly by and people treat you like you've got a handle on the important things in life -- deep down you're still terrified of it all."

"It is not all bad," Jen replied.

"No," Tommy smirked as he watched his beautiful mate snuggle up beside him, "there are perks to growing up. Like you." Her soothing touch was welcome.

No sound was made by either of them. They lay serene, listening to the rusting of the trees outside, the creaking of the wooden floor...then, the noise died down, the environment stilled. Neither were quite ready to fall asleep. Oh sure, the heaviness of their limbs and the aching of their unwound bodies signalled it was time for rest; alas, a fussiness was about them, a restlessness.

"Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

Jen collected herself, staring up into his handsome muzzle. "Babysitting your siblings made me think...it has been a while since we...since we discussed this last..."

"You don't need to dance around the issue, Jen."

"Do you think we are ready for a calf of our own?"

"I--" Tommy was unsure of what to say, he had -- of course -- experienced on-and-off thoughts about starting a family with Jen. But to him they were never tangible...never strong enough to commit to. His mate, evidently, was feeling nature's pull more than he.

He stumbled over his words in an effort to answer her. He didn't mean to. Tommy was hesitant to say something he hadn't double- and triple-checked, he wanted his answer to be precise.

After several false starts he finally blurted out his honest opinion: "Yes, yes...I think I am, Jen..."

"You mean it!?" His mate grew excited.

"I do. Been in the back of my mind for a while now, you brought it out front. But, yes, I do."

"Let's try for one!"

"What, now?"

She took his hand and placed it between her thighs. Her womanhood was beginning to soak his broad fingers.Is this her heat starting? Tommy recognised the tell-tale warmth inherent to a cowgirl's cycle, he knew then the cause of her eagerness.

"Please Tommy...shall we?"

...

"We shall."

* * *

The night progressed. The moonlight illuminated faintly the barn-houses and fields of the Bovinex-Reimond farm. In the distance a cat could be heard mewling, protesting its lot in life to its fellow creatures, the sole disturbance in an otherwise tranquil night. The lights of Tommy's abode had long been extinguished. Only the glimmer of the moon shining through a single open window revealed the post-coital embrace of the hybrids.

Jen held her lover as he held himself inside her, his essence swirling in her belly. She buried herself in his chest, flinching as he kissed her neck. She felt his shaft losing its rigidity but not by much. Her mate's arms encased her in a protective hug.

Tommy watched his mate drift off to sleep, a mere minute or two before his own slumber took him. Pressed against her, her warm folds caressing his male flesh, the bull murmured honeyed words to his lover...

"Make me a father, Jen."

He let her cuddle up close to him. She closed her eyes and exhaled. They lay amongst scattered bedsheets, the final gasps of their strenuous lovemaking breaking the peace and quiet. Tired. Fulfilled.

"Make me a father."