FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I finally realized what I wanted to do with the pack. I wanted to be the pack's new midwife. Helping to deliver Iris and Sage had reminded me just how much I enjoyed being a part of the process, and helping mothers get through a rough time. It was something I was good at, and it was something that I had enough experience with that I could handle it calmly and confidently. I didn't exactly know how to go about taking that position, but I knew it's what I wanted to do. Right now there was no one to help with births. I still had a good deal I needed to learn, but I was willing to put in the effort.

It had been about five days since my new nieces had been born, and I'd been making a point to visit them every day. It was so cute to see Iris with her arms wrapped around Sage as they cuddled together. They were developing quickly, as kin children tended to do. Within a month they'd both be on their feet and running around haphazardly, which was hard to imagine now. It would take about 5 years before they could spend much time without direct supervision though. Kin were fast to their feet, but slower to full maturity. I guessed it probably had something to do with the nomadic way Kin had lived for years and years.

I walked out to the porch and sat down on a bench to watch Syndil and Etris play with a set of wooden blocks together. Syndil wanted to build and Etris wanted to knock everything down, which was resulting in a less than ideal game so far, but Syndil was particularly patient and she wasn't getting upset at her brother, even though he kept toppling her creations. I knew Emmett would be home soon. He was out hunting with Fenrick again. The hunting parties had been split into two sets. There was now an overnight party, and a daytime party, but the result was that the village was never left completely undefended. It meant that some of the kin had to keep nocturnal sleeping patterns, but it was the best we could do to make sure we were safe.

Emmett arrived with Tivald on his back. Tivald had been playing with friends. Being eight, I could let him find his own entertainment to some degree. “Deer today." Emmett announced, his portion from the kills in a large sack in one hand as his other looped under Tivald's leg. He set the sack down to get Tivald off him, and Tivald joined Syndil and Etris. He probably wouldn't stay long, he didn't quite have Syndil's patience for his younger brother. Flit instantly attached himself to Em's leg as he came running from the house. He'd been sleeping on the couch. The boy was very attached to Emmett, when he grew up he probably wouldn't remember Voltas at all, only Em. He also didn't have any siblings his age, which was unusual for the kin and usually resulted in some emotional confusion for them.

I took the sack as he approached and carried it into the house to store in our cold-locker until we were ready to use it. Once the meat was secured I came back out onto the porch since we had some time until supper was ready. Flint was wrapped around Em's leg still, following him closely like a shadow.

“How was the hunting today?" I asked, but as the last word slipped from my mouth a man, one of the guards from the jail came running up.

“Emmett, you need to get down to the jail. Your brother is going crazy. He's slamming on the walls and throwing things. We're afraid he's going to hurt himself. He's demanding to see you or your sister, but we didn't want to disturb Imava since she's got the new little ones." The man said, looking apologetic.

Em gathered Flint up in his arms from the ground and sighed, looking tired and sad. “Anthovis is far more like the kin than he realizes." Emmett mumbled to Flint, then he smiled at the boy. “I have to go Flint, I'm sorry bud, but I'll be back shortly." Flint instantly began to protest and cling.

I popped my head in the house. “Holly!" I called, and a moment later she came running out.

“Yes, mom?" She asked, tail wagging.

“Can you look after Flint while we go take care of some important business." I asked her, sorry to have to leave her with the responsibility, but knowing that she got along better with her little brother than her other siblings did.

She nodded, and reached up to take Flint. “Come on, Flint! Let's go play in the hay out back!" She said excitedly. Flint looked at Em for a moment, leaned in and gave him a nuzzle, and then held his hands down to his sister.

Emmett mouthed a thank you to Holly and then turned to me. “I'll try to be back for dinner, but let the kids eat when it's ready." He kissed the side of my muzzle and gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry to just drop off the food and run."

“No, I should come with you. I'm worried about your idiot brother." I said with a sigh, though why I was concerned with the man who'd unapologetically stabbed me, I wasn't sure. I turned to the guard. “Can you please watch after the kids for a bit while I go with my husband?" I asked him, realizing that a few weeks ago I wouldn't have had the nerve to make a request like this of any male in the pack.

He nodded. “Sure thing." He said, and sat down on the bench. He gave me a wink. “I'm getting paid for this either way."

I took Em's hand. “Lead the way, my love."

Emmett took us quickly to the jail. He was thankfully laying off the constant worry for me and keeping things slow to accommodate my temporary weakness. I really had gotten better for all his insistence on rest and moderation, but it had still been agitating to be restricted even by the man I loved.

There was quite the noise when we reached the jail, if I hadn't known better I might thought it was one of the kin locked up in the jail with all the roaring and destruction that sounded like it was going on. Em went quickly inside, bellowing Anthovis' name before we could even take in the scene. Vise stopped, throwing himself against the bars with a near animal growl. “Is she alright Em? It's been days and she hasn't been here! Is she dead?" His voice was all anger, though the words and thoughts behind them were surely ones of concern. He really wasn't handling the captivity well.

“What? Who? Imava?" Emmett asked, looking around. Anthovis had managed to separate the bed from where it'd been bolted to the wall and smashed the wooden frame repeatedly until it broke. Some of that had been done against the bars of the cell, since there were wooden pieces all across the walkway. Anthovis looked like he'd gotten a good share of nasty cuts on his hands and arms from causing the destruction, and there were wooden bits all over him too. A pillow had been destroyed, as had some implements for food and a wooden tray that'd been used to carry it to him.

“Yes Imava!" Anthovis roared. “Who else?!" He shook the bars as best he could, which being made to hold kin didn't budge. Though of course, the bed had been made to resist kin tantrums too I supposed.

“Calm down." Em said soothingly. “She just had her babies is all, it's alright. She's ok, just not ready to come walking down here yet. Not to mention when she is feeling well enough, she'll have babies that'll want constant attention and food."

Anthovis sat down on the floor amid his mess with a big huff. It sounded annoyed but I was sure it was probably just to cover up a relieved sigh. “Babies. Girls? Boys? A mix? “ He asked, voice much calmer.

“Girls." Em said, looking conflicted about telling Vise, but obviously deciding that him showing interest meant that maybe he was thinking a bit better of us, or at least his nieces. It couldn't hurt to humanize them, and maybe that would eventually help him humanize the rest of us in his head.

“Their names are Iris and Sage." I told him with a smile. “They're healthy and sweet little ones, and I'm sure they're a handful for the new parents. Imava really can't be coming to see you any time soon, and until you're calmer we can't let you out to see them, especially not if we have to worry that you might hurt them." I said the last a bit sadly, not happy that I had to be concerned about such a thing at all, but I still remembered the army swinging back on us when the little one had run out of her home on the day of the battle. They would have killed her if Imava hadn't acted quickly.

“I'm not … I won't hurt them. They're just babies." He said quietly, looking rather pained and upset, but trying to hide it.

Emmett walked up to the bars with a sigh and crouched there, putting him within touching distance of his brother. “And would you try to hurt Fenrick? Runa?" He reached in and put a hand on Vise's leg. “I hate seeing you in here, and I hate seeing how frustrated being stuck here makes you. You can't go on living here in this cage, and we can't let you out until you say you won't hurt anyone."

“I won't hurt anyone." Vise said, sounding a bit defeated.

Em was quiet a moment, looking in at Vise with his hands resting on his own thighs as he considered. Then he let out a big sigh and stood up. “Alright Vise, let me talk to Fen and Ava, and get some things set for you alright? We'll be back for you shortly."

He stood and led me outside. “I think I should suggest we continue to keep him here, lock him in at night, but let him out in the day with increasing freedom. His first trip can be to see Imava and the pups, if they're alright with that." Em ran his hand through his hair nervously. “For the first trip though, I want to have my bow in case he attacks someone after all, just to be sure." He nodded, looking unhappy to be considering that possibility. “I'll go get my bow if you want to ask Fen and Ava's permission, and I'll meet you back here?" He asked me, looking at the sky to check the time. “It can be a short visit, probably should be. Everyone will be on edge a bit."

I nodded. “I hope it will go alright. I still think he's a good person, but it is a little nerve wracking. Letting him near the kids makes me nervous, but I think it's the best way to convince him that we're not that different." I leaned in and nipped Em's cheek. “I'll go talk to my brother and your sister."

With that we parted ways and I headed for Fenrick's home. I knocked on the door when I arrived, and Fenrick opened it to greet me. He smiled. “Runa, come on in."

I entered. “I was wondering if I could talk to you and Imava for a moment."

He nodded. “Of course." He led me back into the bedroom where Imava was laying on the bed with her twins.

I beamed at the happy little bunch and waved at Imava. “How are you doing today?" I asked her.

Ava smiled, looking just a little tired. She was at least good at napping when the twins did, which was often, but it still meant a lot of interrupted sleep. She was breastfeeding Sage, the task just a little difficult since she didn't have other forms that might be easier for Sage's wolf body to latch on in, but they'd been working on a system, and soon the twins would start experimenting with shifting from form to form and Sage would learn what one worked best for feedings. “Good, still sore of course." She said with a small sigh. She'd recover a bit more slowly than a woman of the kin

“I have some news about Vise." I opened. “He's decided that he would like to meet his nieces, and he has agreed not to be hostile, but I wanted to talk with you and Fenrick before we let him out and brought him here. I believe he's sincere, but I don't know him that well. Emmett seems to think he's sincere as well, but he's gone to get his bow in case Vise tries anything after we let him out."

Fenrick gave a low growl, but then sighed and shrugged. “We can't lock him up forever, and I want to believe the best of him. Imava and Emmett have proven to be excellent people, and Vise deserves a chance. It does trouble me a bit, though." He looked to his wife.

Ava ran a finger down Iris' sleeping face. “I want them to know him. I want him to like them." She tugged Iris in against her belly, causing the little one to stir and making Sage whine as her space against her mother was invaded. “He can come." Imava said, though she sounded worried too. “I know if he says he won't hurt anyone he means it, I just worry anyway. And especially that he won't like them." Her hand ran over Sage's back, since Iris probably looked human enough not to be a problem for Anthovis.

I leaned down against the bed and gently ran my fingers over first Sage, and then Iris. “How could anyone not love them?" I asked her. “They're beautiful." I leaned in and kissed Imava on the cheek. “I'll be back soon."

I let myself out and headed back down to meet Emmett. I waved at him as I came within range. “Get everything you needed?" I asked, though I could clearly see his bow and arrows at the ready.

Emmett nodded and smiled. I could clearly see the weight of the bow on his brow, but the rest of him was determined to be excited and pleased about this little trip. “I take it they said yes?" He asked before opening the door.

“Yeah, they were both a little nervous, but Imava really wants him to get to know his nieces, though she's afraid for Sage." I said, trying to hide my sadness. It would be cruel if he loved one and not the other. We reached his cell soon enough, and I found that my heart was beating a little fast. I stood slightly behind Em, though since I was taller than him in my werewolf form it didn't do much to hide me. I wished I'd chosen my wolf form.

“Alright Vise, we're taking you to see Imava and then back here for the night. Tomorrow we'll let you out again for a little while and we'll see how everything goes from there. Agreed?" Emmett asked him, and Anthovis nodded. “Sit at the back of your cell while I open it." Em instructed, and Vise obeyed. “I'm going to unlock the door, and then back up and out of the jail. I'll instruct you how to get to Ava's house, and you'll walk there ahead of me." Em said, his voice sounding a bit apologetic, but he had to keep Vise ahead of him enough that his bow would be effective.

Anthovis followed the instructions, looking troubled and conflicted. He didn't say anything though. When we arrived at Fenrick and Imava's house, Emmett told him to knock. “Fenrick will probably answer." He warned his brother.

Indeed, the door opened and Fenrick was standing there, but he'd put himself in his wolf form, which was a form I rarely saw him in. It made me feel a surge of fondness for my brother. When we'd been little we had played together in that form a lot.

“You are welcome, Vise. Imava is in the bedroom with the children." He said, and he backed out of our way to let us enter.

Anthovis entered cautiously, tense, his eyes staying on Fen until he was well into the house as though worried Fen might attack him. Well, I supposed it did take two opposing sides to make a battle. He'd seen plenty of people torn apart by werewolves not all that long ago. Vise looked around, and then pointed at one of the doors leading off the living room. “This door?" He asked Fenrick, looking him squarely in the face, but with nothing more hostile in his expression than nervousness, which was understandable.

Fenrick blinked and flicked his ears, and then seemed to remember that humans couldn't read wolf signs, so he made a show of nodding his head. “Yes." He said.

I felt keenly tense, as though I were a lute string being tightened closer and closer to my breaking point. I was even breathing a little heavily, and I forced myself to slow down and calm myself. Nothing was going to happen. Vise wouldn't hurt babies, I tried to tell myself, but I could still hear the clatter of armor in my head as they'd rounded on the little girl looking for her parents.

Emmett, on the other hand, seemed to have relaxed some as we'd passed Fenrick without incident. Apparently, he thought Vise would certainly have a bigger problem with Fen than the little ones. Em spared me a look and smiled reassuringly at me.

Anthovis walked into the bedroom slowly. Imava was sitting on the bed now, feeding Iris this time as Sage shuffled around on the knee Iris wasn't laying on a pillow over. “Hey Ima." Vise said quietly, and she gave a small, cautious smile. We all padded in behind Vise, filling up the bedroom. Vise sat on the bed, looking at the babies for a long time without saying anything.

“This one is Sage." Ava said, running a hand over the small pup. “Do you want to hold her?" She asked cautiously.

Anthovis nodded. “Yes."

“You won't hurt her?" Ava said, tense sounding.

Anthovis shook his head. “No, I promise. Even if she weren't … a person … Then she'd be a puppy, and who hurts puppies?"

“But she is a person." Ava insisted, sounding much reassured as she passed him the tiny baby.

Anthovis held her awkwardly in two hands in his lap, looking down at her. He had a slight smile on his face, but he looked frightened too. He lifted her up a little more to look into her face and touch his nose to her fur, then he settled her down in his lap again and pet her gently, which Sage of course enjoyed.

I let out a sigh of breath that I hadn't realized was pent up in my lungs. This was going to be alright. Vise was going to be alright. He might not be completely comfortable with us today, or tomorrow, or even next week, but the violence that was boiling at his surface seemed to have dissipated. He wasn't going to hurt any of us, and especially not the young. I put a hand over my lower belly. My little ones would have an uncle on their father's side.

“They'll be walking in a month, talking brokenly in eight or nine. Kin develop speech young." I said quietly, not wanting to ruin the moment.

“Both of them?" Anthovis asked, we were completely unknown to him, so of course he wouldn't know if Iris, born hybrid, would develop differently than Sage, born wolf.

“Both." Ava told him with a firm nod. “They're first forms will be their dominant ones, but they'll develop just the same and be able to shift between each form just like any other of the kin."

Em reached out to scratch Sage's tiny, itty bitty ear. “So cute. They should stay like this longer."

Ava laughed quietly at him. “You say that now, just wait until your own are waking you up for food every few hours."

Emmett grinned at her. Anthovis looked to me. “Oh are you two expecting?" Then his face seemed to tense and he looked back down at Sage with a frown.

I didn't want to be cruel and tell him that we should be, but that the young might be dead because he'd stabbed me. Still, it was a question that deserved a fair answer, and it couldn't hurt to stay positive. “Yes, we are expecting." I told him, a smile on my lips that was just a little forced. I didn't want to lose my pups. I'd lost so many children already, and these ones, even though they were still so early, already felt like mine. I was afraid to lose them.

Emmett gave me a worried smile. “I'm … Sorry." Anthovis said, then shook his head. “I mean congratulations, and I'm sorry for stabbing you. Really sorry."

Em pat his knee. “I'm sure they're fine." He said, his voice having a tiny, betraying hick-up of worry in it.

“Still I might have …" Anthovis started.

“And I might have killed you with that arrow." Emmett shrugged. “I didn't know it was you at the time, and you didn't know Runa at the time."

“You're the one who shot me?" Vise said, a little startled, then he gave a shaky half smile. “Well, I suppose that makes sense, I didn't see many bows and arrows among the wolves."

“Claws make firing arrows difficult." Fenrick said, hopping up onto the bed and laying down next to his wife.

“Well, I suppose it's time to forget about who stabbed who, and who shot who, and just get one with our lives. I'm tired of worrying about these things." I said with a smile, leaning against Emmett.

Emmett wrapped his arms around me and kissed the side of my head. “That sounds like a good idea." He said in a happy whisper, and Anthovis nodded his agreement.