From Ashes Chapter 3
#32 of Chakat Universe
An Even shocks Shadow's life forever.
Shadow was finishing hir latest work when hir daughter Shadowstripe came in. "MOMMY!" Shadow turned and extended hir arms as hir cub leaped into hir arms. Shadowstripe was the child shi had with Val. Hir form was feline like hir sire but hir fur was black except for the red stripes on hir back and tail and hir lovely red hair. The two hugged when shi heard Goldmine come in. "Sorry dad I tried to keep hir away." "It's okay Goldmine I just got done." Shi got up still holding hir daughter and walked out of hir office and rubbed hir foxtaur daughter. Shi then played with hir three daughters, Ruby was still in the main room playing with hir toys. Shi was almost a reverse twin to Shadowstripe except shi had hir mother's tail. Shi loved all three of hir children dearly. They were a sign of hir own life, not Chris's. Shi got to work on dinner as Yoshiru came home. "That smells good love." Early on it came apparent that Shadow was the best at cooking among the three of them. Yoshiru greeted the children as Val enter looking tired. Shi adjusted hir schedule so shi could be at dinner. It seemed today was a tiring day for the tiger. Yoshiru helped stripped and massaged the tiger. Shadow smiled at this. Their three way union started on some what shaky grounds. Val was interested in Shadow but thought out of reach when Shadow mated Yoshiru. But in the years since they married they have gotten along well. Shadow glanced at the ring shi wore that symbol of hir marriage to Val. Yoshiru had one as well and she wore it all the time. That's quite an admission since both foxes were avid nudists. But Val appreciated the seriousness hir loves took the marriage. They were a happy family. However as with everything happiness is not eternal. Yoshiru came home from work with a serious expression. Shadow noticed this and went from the kitchen to hir mate. "What's wrong love?" Yoshiru looked over and sighed before answering. "Remember the massive fire that happened last fall?" Shadow nodded. A massive fire started late last fall. Shi was very glad Yoshiru was off that day. "Well the forest is still recovering so many trail areas are off limits till they heal thus they don't need as many trail guides so they laid me off." "Oh honey that's horrible." "Yes, they hated doing it they said but it be years before they can do tours there. They gave me a good severance pay and when the area is good again they want to hire me back then." Shadow just hugged hir mate and wife till they smelled burning to which Shadow rushed back to the kitchen. They had to order pizza that night. Yoshiru spent the next couple weeks looking for a new job. She did play with the children and she loved them all even if only one was her daughter. The other two called her Mommy Yoshiru while her daughter called Val as Mommy Val. But she was concerned, her search for a new job was not going well. Most places that need er skills require her to permanently move to that location. She certainly didn't want to flip burgers, she had a family to support. Then she looked at the Star Corps. She read their website and became more intrigued by it. That night at dinner she told her mates her plans to join the Star Corps. "But you left Starfleet because it wasn't as filling as me with me?" "Very true but I have a family to care for and this is the best prospect till the park is healed. Any other place requires me to move and Val can't leave her jo and there's no Double H near them." Shadow then hugged her. "When do you leave?" "In a couple of days." They continued dinner after that and that night Shadow and Yoshiru had an intense love making, When the day came Shadow drove Yoshiru to the Spaceport and hugged and kissed her one last time before Yoshiru went to her ship. The cruise went well as several more and she felt she was again earning her keep for the family again. Her homecomings and send outs were always energetic with BOTH of her mates. Val was a good lover and like Shadow made sure to make love in a lesbian way with her most of the time. Then there's always the threesomes they did. Shi though of her last bout with her mates as the ships doctor did a physical. "Do I have to spray you with a hose?" Yoshiru had the decency to blush a bit. "Sorry doc just remembering my time with my mates." "Lucky girl, but it's hard to concentrate while fighting off an erection." Doctor Springstep commented. "Well I could help with that doc, a more in depth physical." The chakat doctor smirk. "That be nice but your profile says your a lesbian so a bit surprised at the offer." "My mates are both herms so I have learned to deal with a dick. Just a well built dildo in my opinion." 'Well more than that lieutenant. You're pregnant, a couple weeks along." "Shadow strikes again. I better let them know, anything else." "Nope a healthy and horny pregnant foxtaur. So you serious about that physical?" "Yes, come late tonight." And Yoshiru left. Yoshiru turned on the comm and paid for a real time call to home. The screen changes to a a familiar black furred fox. <Hey love, this is a surprise.> Shadow said to hir mate. "Well I had to share the news I just got. I'm pregnant again love." <OOOHHHHH! Another kid. I can't wait. We'll have a big party for your return.> "Sounds good, so how are things at home?" <Same old same old. The kids being kids. Shadowstripe flushed Goldmine's favorite brush.> Yoshiru just shook her head at that and smiled. Unfortunately she had to end it after that but she felt good from the call when the door chimed. "Enter." he door opened to Springstep. "Good timing. I just got off with my family." "And how did they take the news?" "Shadow was ecstatic at siring another kit and I bet Val will be happy as well. I'm glad I took this job. We're going to need the money." "And you will provide, just as your mates do. Now for some cheering up." Springstep groped Yoshiru's breast and that started a night of passion. Yoshiru shifted her saddle bag, her bloated belly causing some difficultly. Her second child growing in her belly made her smile. She walked onto the shuttle to carry her home. After greeting the pilot she took a seat and watched as the shuttle lifted off and head down to Earth. She always loved the view from space, part of the reason she had joined the Starfleet to begin with but now that little planet held her greatest treasures making the site all the prettier. Shadow was in the kitchen making a grand dinner for the return of Yoshiru and to celebrate the child she carries. Val went to pick her up from the spaceport. The kids were playing in the living room or watching tv. With the bulk of the prep done shi just needed to let the ham cook when shi looked at the clock. 6:00 pm, they should have been back by now. Frowning shi took hir comm out and tried to call Val. It rang for a couple minutes with no answer. Now shi was worried. Shi called Yoshiru and shi got the same result. Now shi was REALLY worried. Shi walked into the living room where Goldmine was watching TV. Instead of the usual cartoon it showed live action with e the title BREAKING NEWS! BOMBING AT METROCITY SPACEPORT! Shadow stood there in shock. 'UH NO!' Shi thought as shi read on. The bombing happened an hour ago and many were dead and the injured taken to Downtown Metro Hospital. Shadow then commed Bluesky. <Shadow! Have you seen the news?> "YES! And Val was there to pick up Yoshiru. I have to go and see could you come and watch the kids?" <Of course. I'm on my way.> Shadow nervously waited. Trying to call hir mates again and again, with no success. Bluesky arrived and Shadow raced out and drove to the hospital. When shi got there shi saw many ambulances coming and going dropping off the wounded. Shi rushed in and went to the desk and asked. "Do you have a foxtaur female named Yoshiru Phoenix and an Amur Tiger herm named Valdena Phoenix?" The receptionist looked at her screen for a bit. "Yes we do have them. I detective Faradin wanted to meet with their family. I am summoning him now. Please wait for a minute." Frowning Shadow had no choice to comply. It was then Shadow noticed shi was only wearing the apron shi was cooking with. So everyone had a view of hir behind. Shi didn't care, hir pussy and cock were covered so not a blatant rule violation. Finally a cat morph in a ruffled suit approached hir. "Shadow Phoenix?" Shi nodded. "Come with me please." Shi did and he took them to an elevator. And took them down. "Shir Phoenix do you know why your mates were here?" "Yes Yoshiru had just got back from a tour on the Star Corps ship and Val was to pick her up and bring her home." He nodded to hir reply. The elevator stopped and opened, and Shadow did not like what shi saw. Row of stasis tubes lined the walls and the cat morph directed hir to the right side and he opened two of the tubes. There shi saw Val and Yoshiru almost looking like they were sleeping. But they had burn marks all over their body. "The docs said they the concussion of the explosion killed them. They died instantly so they didn't suffer." Shadow went to Val. Shi petted hir dead mate's hair for a minute before kissing hir one last time in the mouth before going to Yoshiru. Shi slightly smiled at hir first mate and petted her hair as well before also kissing her to. Then shi moved down and nestled the bloated belly containing hir now dead child. "I would have loved to me you my child.' Shi then kissed the belly before looking back at the cat. Faradin hated this part of the job. Telling someone their love ones were dead. It appeared that the strange black fox was done saying hir goodbyes. Shi turned to look at him and what he saw stay with him for the rest of his days. ANGER, and anger so great it could not be measured. The monsters responsible for this were death if shi got to htem and they better hope it was quick. He swore it seemed hir gold eyes glowed. "You find those responsible for this detective. Find them and show them NO MERCY. I want them DEAD! When you're done with the bodies I want them released to me." "Of course Shir Phoenix. I'll try t get them released as soon as possible." Shi nodded and left. Shi left the hospital and got into hir PTV and ordered it home. Shi looked down but didn't really see anything through the trip. Shi walked through the door and Bluesky went to hir. "Val and Yoshiru?" Shi asked. "Dead, they're dead." The dam finally broke and shi sobbed while Blue hugged and sobbed with hir. It took few minutes before Shadow had the courage to tell hir children that two of their three parents were dead. It will take a while for most of the kids to understand this fact and will mourn as well. Late that night Shadow made sure the children were asleep and went to hir bedroom. A room that shi would sleep in alone with hir mates death. Shi went into the darkened room and finally realizing shi still wearing the apron shi wore when shi was cooking. Bluesky served the meal but it held none of the joy it was supposed to have. Shadow took it off with disgust and walked to the bed when shi noticed a form lying on it. It was a taur and for a minute shi thought it was Yoshiru then shi noticed the tail and scent. It was Bluesky. "It was late and I figure you shouldn't be alone eight now." Shadow's response was to lay on the bed next to the chakat, too tired from the events and the losses today. Bluesky then hugged the smaller fox and both fell asleep, Shadow unknowingly crying and as shi fell asleep Val and Yoshiru waited for hir. A couple weeks past and Bluesky has been with hir the whole time helping with the kids. Hir job gave hir a leave of absence. Shi had mixed feelings about that, on one hand hir work could have made hir forget a bit about what happened but on the other time shi had so many breakdowns shi probably wouldn't get much done. If it weren't for Bluesky and the kids shi had nothing to live for. Days earlier the authorities released the bodies of hir mates and they were being buried today. Shadow picked a nice tree not far from the house on the property. Yoshiru's mother had come and hugged Shadow and the grand kids. She and Shadow met a few times before and got on well and Shi adored the grand kids. Shi came as soon as the news went out. She was still a beautiful red foxtaur and she offered an invitation to her village to meet hir mate and they family they had and strongly considered Shadow a inherent part of the family. Shadow said shi'll think about it. The big surprise was the arrival of Val's parents and sister. They showed up a couple days earlier. Shadow was quite shocked to see them considering how Val described them. The parents looked at hir and formed a slight frown while Val's sister looked at hir with an appraising glance, probably due to hir nudity. "Was this the home of Valdena Kirvoduna?" One of them asked. "The home of Valdena Phoenix yes. Who asks?" The older tigers looked at eachother in surprise and Shadow thought shi saw a smirk from the younger tiger. The two tigers looked at Shadow again and noticed the ring on hir finger. It wasn't the typical wedding ring being a bland solid gold band but instead it had three gems with gold twinging around them. Val suggested it signify their three way union. "We are hir parents." One of them finally answered. "I am Ivanva Kirvoduna, my wife Lyska Kirvoduna and our daughter Mary Kirvoduna." "Shadow Phoenix, please come in." Shi step aside and the trio cautiously walked in. Shi offered them seats and went to get freshments. Handing them drinks Shadow said. "I admit I'm surprised to see you. Val and you parted on bad terms from what shi told me." "If shi'd only.." Ivanova started but hir wife's hand covered hir's and shi quieted. Obviously an old argument. Lyska answered. "We disagreed with our daughter's views but shi was a good daughter and we owe hir to be at the funeral." Shadow nodded and left the room then returned with three children. "Kids, this is your grandparents Ivanova and Lyska and that next to them is your aunt Mary." The three raced to the tigers and began sniffing them while the older parents looked at Shadow in puzzlement. "Me and Val both sired one and I sired one with our foxtaur mate." "What about that ring/" Mary asked. "Val wanted to be married so the three of us exchanged vows and we were legally married." The now grandparents thought on that as they played with the children. Finally the time came for the funeral. Two caskets laid next to eachother one a bit larger since it held a taur body just above the graves made for them. Behind them were their tombstones. One said: Valdena Kirvoduna Phoenix born 2314 died 2338 the second said: Yoshiru Lennera Phoenix born 2318 died 2338 Baby Phoenix died 2338 Forever to be together
Shadow was crying again hugging hir kids who cried with hir. Shi was bracketed by Val's family on one side and Yoshiru's mother on the other. Next to Yoshiru's mother was Bluesky and the rest were their friends from Double H or work. To Shadow's surprise Summerbreeze and hir family were present with Lecian in tow. They have been a great comfort to Shadow. The pastor (the one who married them) said over saw the funeral preaching words of comfort but they didn't comfort Shadow. Hir mates were murdered because of the racism that some foolish humans had against furs. Shi can not hate all of humanity. Chris showed hir that but shi HATED the Human First group. Shi wanted them destroyed completely and utterly. Finally the pastor finished the service and everyone headed to the wake with Shadow kissing the coffins before they are forever interred into the ground. Shadow awoke late at night with hir bladder calling. Shi moved a foreleg and got up to head for the bathroom. Shi relieved hirself and headed back to the bedroom and paused to look at the form lying in hir bed. It has been a year since Val and Yoshiru had died but hir bed has rarely been vacant since. Bluesky has been hir constant bed companion the whole time. Shi has been a big help caring for the kids and getting through the lost. Shi didn't think shi will ever completely heal from their loss but but shi has good healing agents. Bluesky, Double H, Yoshiru's mother Kera, Summer and hir family and to hir surprise the Kirvodunas. It seems Shadow and more likely the grand kids soften them a bit. But also maybe the fact that their daughter was death without the chance to clear the air nd want to make amends. Shadow didn't care, they were family and the seem to accept that now. The only good thing to come out of this. Shi frowned at the sleeping frm. Bluesky had put hir life on hold for Shadow. It's time shi returned to it. Shadow then yawned. Return to it tomorrow. Shi laid next to the chakat and return to sleep. The next day Shadow had a friend of theirs take the kids so shi could have a private talk with Bluesky. Shi set dinner and both sat. Bluesky started first. "Okay you have that look and I sense a determination with you so what's up?" "Bluesky, you have been helping me since that day we lost good friends. I appreciate that very much. But you have a life to live. Shouldn't you get back to it? I think I can handle it from here, but I don't want to drag you down." "But you don't drag me down. Shadow I have been here of my own choice. Val and Yoshiru were my friends. I knew Val quite a few years before you did. I help bring you two together. I have always adored the kids and the past year I have come to love them." Shi paused and looked seriously at Shadow. "Just as I have come to love you. I haven't said anything in respect to my friends but since you brought this up I'm letting it all out." Shadow was takrn aback by the admission. While Bluesky was here they haven't been intimate just cuddling when sleeping. Shi always went out to relieve hir Chakat needs. And though Shadow has a strong libido shi doesn't have a heat or rut and since the bombing shi hasn't been in the mood. "I....I was not prepared for this. I need time to think on this." "Of course, let's finish dinner and I will go out and leave you to think." The finished dinner chatting about other things and then Bluesky left and Shadow walked around thinking. Shi has always thought of Bluesky as a friend and never nothing more. Shi was happy with Yoshiru and Val so never looked beyond them. Around and around hir thoughts went till late at night as shi walked back into the house. At a glance shi sees a picture. Shi goes over and picks it up. It was taken two years ago and it showed Hir, Val, Yoshiru, and Bluesky at a park with the kids. They were so happy, un aware of the tragedy to fall. Shi looked at Bluesky in the picture with new light. The Chakat was well named with hir blue/ light blue combo fur. Hir green eyes contained mischief and hir green hair contained in a braided pony tail was usually over hir left shoulder. Shi never realized how attractive shi was. Then shi looked at the images of hir dead mates. How would they feel about this? Shi then looked at the ring they shared. Shi then heard them in hir mind. 'You are being an idiot Shadow.' heard Yoshiru say. 'Here's someone willing to share your life with them and them to share theirs with you. Don't my memory how you back.' Then shi heard Val. 'I made a mistake of not telling you how I felt about you. It had to be my worst mistake. Don't make it to. We are gone now. Don't die with us. Live for us.' Shadow looks at the ring again and smiled. Wether it was a part of hir mind or hir love ones from beyond the grave leaving a parting message shi got it. Shi turned on the comm and called Bluesky. Shi heard a wearily yes from the comm. "Bluesky I need the presence of my latest mate if I'm going to get any sleep tonight."