ND: Talia Path Epilogue (Resistance)
Story by LiveIron on SoFurry
A few months later...
Thanks again to SomaticDream, NoAnchoviesPlease, and Spaceface404 for helping edit a lot of this path. You pushed me to do more, even if I didn't really want to.
Same to any other readers that have offered positive feedback, criticism, or even just a kudos here or there.
That's two paths down out of ~14 -- and all it took was 4 months!
Hopefully the next one won't take as long.
>The log's bark splinters with a loud crack, echoing around the clearing.
>You grunt, poking at the shrapnel with your saw. It still had enough bend in it for the bark to splinter, leaving a jagged edge on one side of your cut.
>It shouldn't matter too much, but you still wanted to avoid it. Talia probably knows you're up, but you don't want to worry her.
>You pull your coat tight, shivering a little as you move to the next part of the huge tree limb. It's one of the many you took down in making this little clearing, the others all limbed up and behind the cabin.
>You eye up the length you want, and score the wood lightly before really starting the cut. After you've got a rhythm, you look off at the forest.
>It's fall, but it's still beautiful.
>There's more types of trees here than you'd imagined. Oaks, birches, and maples all stand together. Around half have lost their leaves, and the rest have vibrant manes of orange and red.
>Firs and other evergreens dot the treeline with shades of green, as do a few bushes.
>It hasn't snowed yet, but you imagine it will soon. And then the colors will stand out even more.
>You're a little worried about getting to town when that time comes. The trek through the forest already takes a decent amount of time on foot, and having to shove through drifts will only make it take longer.
>You should see about trying to make yourself some snowshoes, and a sled. Carrying kills from the field or any larger purchase from the general store would be a pain in the ass without one.
>That, and you'll need something to entertain the kid with.
>Or kids. You're not sure yet.
>The State comes to mind, as it always does when you think about the future. For once, though, you're not consumed with fear.
>You and Talia have been here for a few months now. No one has come looking, and the folks in Mine-River are quiet, and helpful.
>They fixed your leg up when you first arrived -- didn't ask too many questions, either.
>Talia had done a good job.
>They were happy to exchange general labor for supplies, and to pay off what your leg used. They even let you borrow a phone, so you could leave a message for your folks back down in WCS.
>Talia's said they'd visit at some point -- making it clear it was for the general store and the tiny village's history, not anything else.
>You hope it was enough to keep any State monitors off the trail.
>The goal now is to prepare everything for spring. Aside from the Grilliz's impending arrival, you've got seeds that need planting, animal enclosures that need building.
>That's what you're doing right now, sawing the log. Pretty soon it’s going to be a post. To keep in goats, chickens, or pigs, you don't know.
>But you know that when the winter passes, you want to be ready.
>The she-wolf yawns as she emerges from the cabin, the sound swallowed by the early morning air.
>"What're ya doing?" Talia asks, ambling up beside you.
>"Making a post. Want to try and get a jump on those enclosures before the ground completely freezes."
>She hums, watching you cut through the last inch or two. You roll the log a little this time, and the bark splinters are a lot smaller.
>You stand and stretch, shivering a little as your clothing shifts and the cold seeps in.
>You’re gonna completely freeze out here," she says, holding you from behind. "Why are you starting so early?"
>"Because I just did," you sigh, leaning back into her. The she-wolf's bust is soft on the back of your head, and you run your hands up her flannel covered arms.
>Talia noses at your hair, sniffing and pecking.
>"We've got time, Anon," she says after a bit. "It's gonna be at least five months before we can start planting."
>You grunt. That makes it even worse.
>"What are you worried about?"
>"Nothing," you say. "I just wanted to get a jump on things."
>"Anon..."
>You sigh, letting her squeeze it out of you.
>Literally.
>"Five months is a long time to work in the cold," you say. "And it'll be even colder up here than it was down in New Apple."
>The she-wolf hums, letting you go.
>"We'll be fine," she says, grabbing your hand. "I'll show you."
>You roll your eyes and groan as she pulls you back towards the cabin.
>"Fuck off," you say, her bare, fluffy butt a bright white in the morning light. "Put on some pants, woman."
>She snarls playfully, yanking you a little.
>"Winter coat's coming in," she says, "I get too warm if I do. Come on, I'll show you."
>You huff, letting her pull you in.
>"Am I supposed to get naked too?" you ask as she closes the door, and pulls aside the sheets on the small bed.
>She snorts in response, her flannel already flying off as she lays down.
>"What do you think, dumbass?"
>You sigh, getting to work. Talia's tail whaps against the mattress as she lays on her side, watching you eagerly.
>It's going to be a long, long winter.
>You’re looking forward to spring.