Hirsune - Part 1 - End of the Beginning
Pronunciation guide:
Hirsune = Her-soon
Ardenus = Arden-us (R-den--us)
Markano = mar-kah-no
Davin = dAve-in
Kavarin = kah-var-in
Kylenus = kI-lenn-us
Pareus = kar-A-us
Tenaro = teh-nah-roh
Harian = har-E-ahn
Welvayan = well-vA-ann
Volnaro = vOl-nar-oh
Falmaru = fahl-mR-oo
Roderal = rod-err-ahl
Saleus = sahl-A-us
Lemaran = leh-mR-ahn
Avaran = ah-vR-ahn
Darus = dR-us
Xovarkam = zoh-vR-kahm
Agarno = ah-gR-noh
Almaran = ahl-mR-ahn
Gavahan - gah-vah-hahn
Nasharhan = nah-shR-hahn
Narendus = nR-en-dus
Balanaro = bah-lah-nR-Oh
Vanaon = vah-nA-on
Cersomel = Sir-soh-muhl
Waymear = wA-mE-R
Kirmaynon = Kear-mA-nahn
Mavaen = mah-vA-en
Haerton - hA-er-tahn
Jonaro = joe-nR-Oh
Onam = Oh-nahm
Naro = nR-oh
Hirsune
Part 1 - End of the Beginning
by argouru
A cold wind stirred among the trees, bringing with it the last chill breeze of a fading winter to a cold early afternoon. The spring was forcing its way across the land, melting the last of the prior season's snows, the cold water of the flowing river having shed its icy covering. To most people, it would bring a sense of anticipation... A sense that the world was newly reborn. But to the man behind the wheel of the struggling sedan, the hope and wonder were lost entirely. Frowning, he rocked forward and back, in the vain hope that by doing so, he could spur the failing vehicle into continued existence. The engine sputtered and died, bringing silence to the landscape as the car rolled to a stop.
He sat motionless for some time, just staring listlessly at the steering wheel without really seeing it before he finally sighed. *So this is it, huh?* he thought to himself sadly, *You got me as far as you could, but this is the end for you.* He stroked the steering wheel gently, silently saying goodbye to the car, and thanking it for its service. Honestly, it should've died weeks ago, but somehow, it had managed to hang on for longer than he'd had any right to expect. There was no fixing it, he knew. The repairs would cost money he didn't have.
But he'd known that from the beginning... He'd known that the old car wasn't up to long trips when he'd decided to make this journey. But with no job, no one who would help him, and no prospects at all, it had been the only choice he felt he could make. He reached over and opened the glove compartment, pulling out an envelope that was left unsealed.
Then, opening the car, he got out, closed the door gently, and placed the envelope under the windshield wiper with the writing on the outside facing outward. *I hope whoever finds you can help you* he thought sadly, sorry to have to part company with it, but a promise was a promise. He couldn't just abandon it without at least trying to give it a chance for a future.
The sound of the small river hidden off the left side of the road caught his attention, and he turned away from the car to find its source. Walking off the road, he traveled through the grass of the plain to the edge of a small cliff, and cautiously looked down. The cliff was only about ten feet above the surface of the river, which was about 25 feet or so across, and looked a bit deep here. Moving carefully to avoid falling, he sat on the edge of the cliff, admiring the flow of the water as it traveled south, and silently wondering where the river lead. He turned his head to the north, looking upriver, seeing it working its way out of the wilderness full of pine trees. Other than the road, there was no sign of life in any direction. He sat there at the cliff's edge, wondering what exactly he should do now...
Ardenus picked his way over a newly fallen tree, collapsed no doubt, after being weakened by the harsh winter now past. Ardenus was considered very handsome among his people, sporting the typical full dense beard on his squarish face.
He was getting antsy, and wanted to get home as soon as possible. Hopefully, one of his sons or a few of the hands would be there. If they weren't he'd either have to try a neighbor, drive into town, or else take matters into his own hands. Not the preferred outcome, but he wouldn't know until he got there. He was glad that winter was finally over. Soon, he wouldn't need all the bulky winter clothing he had to wear every winter. Ardenus much preferred to wear looser clothing that allowed him to move freely... When he did wear clothing, that was.
His thoughts were interrupted by a flash of color where there shouldn't be. He knew these lands well, as he'd lived here for most of his life, and the dark blue of a stranger's coat caught his well-trained eye. Moving slowly, he moved over behind a tree, carefully peering at the man sitting on the cliff at the opposite side of the river from him. Behind the man, sitting in the middle of the road, was a black four-door car.
Ardenus stayed put, heart thumping nervously in his chest. This wasn't good. Strangers were never a good thing, especially in these parts, and as the man wasn't anyone he'd ever seen before, that posed a serious danger. *Who is that? What's he doing just sitting there? Is he a tourist? Can't be, there's nothing for tourists here, and this region is too far off the main roads for anyone to just stumble upon us. Why's he just sitting there, staring into the river like that?*
His thoughts broke off as the man stood up carefully. Ardenus got a good look at the man's face as he gazed down at the churning river, and thought that face would be much more handsome if it didn't have that blank, emotionless look to it...
*Well...* he thought to himself as he stood, *I did make a promise. That once the car got me as far as it could, that would be the place.* Faces swam to the surface of his thoughts, all looking upon him with scorn and disgust. *You want me miserable?* he thought, tears falling down his face. *Well, you got your wish. Will this make you happy?* "Like anything would," he said under his breath, speaking aloud, "Fuck all of you." And he stepped forward off the cliff, plunging into the frigid waters...
*WHAT THE...?!?* Ardenus thought, as he watched the man plunge deliberately into the river, wincing as the stranger hit the water hard head first.
Instinct overcame shock, and he tore out of the woods, running towards the river as fast as his legs would carry him. He dove in, the cold water hitting his body like a slap to the face, but long experience in this very river had taught him how to handle the icy waters.
He surfaced, his clothing rapidly becoming cold and heavy from the river, and he spotted the man floating face down as the current caught him and began to sweep him downstream. Ardenus swam hard, using the flow to his advantage to catch up to the prone body. Grabbing an arm, he began to pull the outsider towards the edge of the river, his body protesting with every stroke at the cold, his muscles burning with effort.
"Dad? DAD!" someone shouted, and as he came within reach of the shore, strong hands helped him and his burden out of the water. Shivering, he looked up into the worried faces of his two older sons. They looked down at him with their thickly bearded faces full of fear.
"W-we gotta get t-t-to the h-house," Ardenus said between spasms from the cold, shock and exertion. "He-lp us."
"Whoa, Dad," the oldest of his children said, looking at the unconscious man his father had just fished out of the river, "We can't-"
"Later!" the parent said, cutting off his child's protest.
Grumbling and apprehensive, the boys aided their burdens back home...
"How is he?" Ardenus asked his middle son Davin.
"Delirious, and feverish," the young wiry built, bearded man replied. "Are you crazy? We can't have one of them here. If the others find out, we can get in a lot of trouble!"
"So what?" asked the father, "I should've just let him die? That goes against everything we believe! I taught you better than that!" he added angrily.
"No... It's just that... I..." The younger man sighed in fustration. "You're right. But it still stinks."
"I know. But whatever happens, I'll deal with it."
"Dad, you may be one of the elders, but you know how some folks don't like... People like him. You may not be able to talk your way out of this."
"I know, that's why we're keeping this quiet for now. He has a car near where you found us... On the road on the east side. Take Markano, bring it back here and hide it in the barn. Use the truck. If it won't run, tow it, but do it fast before anyone sees it."
"What about you? ... And him?"
"Kavarin can take care of us. Go, quickly!"
He watched his son leave quickly as his youngest son entered the bedroom to tend to his father. "Are you OK, Dad? You look a bit weak," the youngster asked in concern.
"I'm OK, Son," he answered kindly. "It''l take more than that to get me down. How is he?" he asked, nodding towards the guest room down the hallway beyond the door.
"He's pretty bad. I think he's pretty sick. He keeps ranting and mumbling to himself. I think he's really out of it."
"What kinds of things is he saying?"
"Strange things... He seems to be talking about someone... Several people, like he was scared of them, but... He kept talking about his Dad, and some others named Mom and Sis. He's not really making much sense..."
Ardenus groaned as he began to get up.
"Dad! You shouldn't! You need to rest up. Let me help you relax-"
"No, not now. I need to hear. I need to know why that man tried to kill himself."
"Da-" the son tried to protest.
"No! I need to know!" the father said, cutting of his offspring's protest. "Help me."
Frowning, Kavarin did as he was told, placing a thick house robe on his parent before taking Ardenus' arm over his shoulder and helping the adult walk out of the room and up the stairs...
"Nooo," the stranger groaned, tossing slightly within the guest bed, the blankets tossed off of his nude body as he tossed and turned. "Don't- ... I'm sorry... Nooo"
Ardenus looked upon the man in shock. *He's so thin... Even for someone like that... Malnourished?... He looks terrified! What happened to make him like this?*
There was no mistaking the fact that this man had been suffering, both mentally and physically for quite some time, and it was clear that the fall and shock of the cold river had very little to do with the state he was in now. This man - no, despite his physical age, the person thrashing in pain and fear upon the bed was more boy to Ardenus than anything else - was suffering deep within.
The pain and turmoil cut through Ardenus like a knife. *No one should have to suffer like this,* he thought to himself, feeling very sorry for the boy who had apparently felt that there was nothing left worth living for, and had sought an end to his pain.
"What's wrong with him, Dad? It's more than just a fever, right? What do we do?"
"We help him as best as we can," the father replied, slowly sitting down on the side of the bed near the stranger's head. He reached out a hand, and slowly stroked the short brown hair with a hairy-backed hand. "I don't know enough about medicine for outsiders to help him... But maybe... Well, he needs to be fed... So perhaps..." Opening his robe and moving onto the queen-sized bed, he propped himself against the headrest and slowly pulled the prone man up to him.
"Wait... Dad, are you-"
"I've seen them do this too, and you know it helps the injured. If it doesn't work, we'll need to call in the doctor... But I'd rather not if we can help it. I want to try this first. Maybe it can help him." As his son watched nervously, Ardenus pulled the boy's head up to his chest, and gently guided him into place.
He began to gently pet the stranger's head, murmuring gently to him. "It's OK... They can't hurt you now. I won't let them. You're safe now. Come on... Go ahead... It's OK..." He gently pulled the boy's strained face to his hairy chest, then with his other hand, slowly squeezed his right nipple as he brought the boy's mouth to it.
There was a moan, whether in confusion or surprise Ardenus couldn't tell, but then a wet tugging at his hairy pec and a gentle flowing sensation told him that his idea had worked out as he'd hoped it would. "That's it, take all you want, I've got plenty. You're safe now. I'll protect you..." He said gently, stroking the short brown hair of his charge.
"It's working," Kavarin said, loosing some of his worried expression.
"Good. I think he'll be OK." Ardenus rocked slowly as he petted the strange sad boy, who grew quiet, the tension slowly leaving his unconscious body.
Ardenus began to relax, and as he did so, the pleasurable sensations of the boy's mouth began to slowly reawaken the feelings that had made him want to hurry home in the first place. The intimacy of the act he was performing was more than he cared to resist, and his penis stirred beneath his robe, stiffening to erection and rising free through the parting in the front of his robe.
"Well now," he said, looking down at himself in amusement. "Here I am feeling the need, and not able to tend to it." He sighed good-naturedly.
A chuckle reminded him of his son's presence. Far from being embarrassed or disturbed, the boy was looking at his father's slowly throbbing erection with a smile. "Problems? Maybe I can help with that."
Kavarin sat slowly on the edge of the bed near his father, and lovingly took the stiff phallus into his hand.
Gasping from the feelings of pleasure coming from both his shaft and his nipple, Ardenus looked into his son's eyes through his own slightly drooping lids, his mouth open partially and a look of complete lust and anticipation on his face as his son drew nearer to him...
Markano and Davin returned awhile later. The elder brother entered the house first by way of the kitchen door to find his youngest brother waiting for them with a slight smile on his lips. Suspicious, Markano sniffed deeply. "Unbelievable! You and Dad are mating while we have to lug some stupid outsider's broken down car all the way here!"
Annoyed, Markano stripped off his shirt to reveal a sweat-drenched torso and arms covered with an incredibly thick layer of dark brown body hair that completely obscured the well muscled body beneath. The hair continued up his neck to merge with his thick, short-cropped beard. That same thick hair also surrounded his arms completely from shoulder to wrist, and even covered the back of his hands. The effect made him look more like he had a furry pelt rather than an all-covering layer of very dense body hair. He scratched the hair on the side of his neck and tossed the shirt to the table angrily, glaring at his brother in annoyance.
"Well," Kavarin replied sheepishly, "He was horny, and it's been awhile for me too, so I helped him out is all."
The eldest sighed in annoyance. "I thought you were supposed to be tending to his health, not his lust. He'll never get better if you keep draining his sack all the time! And what about-" He cut himself short, gesturing towards the guest bedroom where the unwanted intruder was being kept.
"Dad's with him. -He insisted!" the youngest sibling replied, cutting his brother's protest off before it could begin.
"Well what's Dad doing?"
"Nursing him."
"WHAT?!? Why?!? He's not like us! What's that dumbass old man thinking?"
"Well, it seems to be helping. At the very least he's not freaking out and moaning in terror like he was before."
"Freaking out-?" The rest of Markano's sentence was cut off by the entrance the The light brown-haired middle sibling, who spoke to them as he entered.
"Hey guys," Davin said, clutching a white envelope in one hand, and an unfolded piece of paper in the other. "I think Dad should see this..." He finished, looking down at the paper with a frown of concentration.
Ardenus sighed as he stood nude within the dining room with his three sons, having left his robe with their guest. Slowly, he lowered the paper to the dining room table. It was just as he'd feared.
"Dad, what's going on? Why would someone write something like that? It doesn't make any sense," Davin said, his eyes glued to the letter his father had just set down.
"It means he deliberately jumped into the river." He looked at his sons, all of whom had identical expressions of confusion. "He's suicidal," he added.
"Suicidal... What's that?" Markano asked.
"It means he wants to die. When a person is suicidal, they feel a very deep sadness and pain in their heart. It's so strong that they feel they can't bear it anymore, and long for death. Since it won't come, they do it themselves as a means of escaping from their torment."
The three sons stared at their father in shock and disbelief.
"That's ridiculous!" Markano cried. "Why would anyone ever want that? It's insane!"
"You've never known pain of the heart, Son. None of you have. Your grandfather died before any of you came along, and no one has died in the community since, so you've never known loss. I have... But this is different." Ardenus turned his gaze towards the guest room. "Something awful happened to him... Something so painful that he wants it all to go away...." He trailed off, becoming lost in thought with a sad expression marring his handsome and hairy features.
He sighed, scratching the outside of his heavily hair-covered left buttock. Like Markano, and indeed all his offspring, Ardenus possessed a body almost completely covered in dense dark body hair. His nudity in front of them was a non-issue. They often forswore clothing when indoors or outdoors when the weather permitted. The house was kept at 70 degrees at all times to accommodate this, so he wasn't even cold.
"Maybe he's lying," Davin said, picking up the letter. "'There's no point,'" He read aloud. "'My family doesn't want me, I have no friends, home or job, and nothing worth continuing on for. To whoever finds this car, I will it to you, as well as everything in it. I hope it proves useful to you. I no longer have any need for it.'"
"We need to find out what happened," Ardenus told his children, shaking his head. "But first, we need to help him recover." He moved to head back to the guest room.
"Where are you going?" Markano asked. "You need your rest."
"I'm fine. And stop worrying. Besides, He needs a proper feeding."
"Then let me," Kavarin said, moving forward. "I've got plenty of milk. You really could do with some more bedrest anyways."
"No, no. I'm the one who brought him here, so he's my responsibility." He reached forward to stroke Kavarin's sides gently beneath the ribcage. "Save your milk for pleasure, Son. I'll go easy, I promise." He kissed the boy gently on the forehead, then headed back to tend to his charge.
Markano let out his breath in a hiss of disgust. "Just great. We're going to be in for it big time if this gets out! And Dad's playing nursemaid to some dumb, crazy human!"
"That's not fair," Kavarin countered. "You didn't hear him, Mark. That guy..." He looked back after his father with sadness. "He sounded terrified... Like he was being attacked. It was... Scary."
Davin came over and hugged his younger brother in sympathy before pulling him into a kiss. But Kavarin pulled away gently.
"Sorry Davin, but I'm not feeling up to that at the moment. I don't think mating with ease anything right now."
"Wow, Kav! You really are bothered by this. You're not even a little horny?" Davin asked with shock.
Kavarin shook his head sadly. "Sorry. I guess I'm just too distracted right now."
"I'm not really aroused either," Markano added, sounding a bit worried.
"You too?" Davin asked. "You're not both getting sick, are you?" he asked in alarm.
"No," his elder sibling replied. "I'm angry... And really scared. What if the elders learn about this. I mean I can smell him from here!" he said, pointing his nose at the hallway entrance. "If anyone else comes by, they'll smell him too, and then we'll all be in trouble, especially Dad. His eldership could be revoked, and there's nothing we could do to stop it."
The trio lapsed into thoughtful silence. Davin noticed his arousal had faded as well, and he didn't like how doubt and fear was robbing them all of their natural urges. He didn't like it at all...