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__________________________________ Lagomorphs Copyright © July, 2015, FurryWurry All rights reserved

Chapter 28 -- Mates? __________________________________

Jeff sat glumly by himself on the entrance mound for a while after the bucks went off to do whatever Rabs did when he wasn't with them. He'd have to leave the Warren in the morning, maybe never to come back. He enjoyed watching Sunny lead the sunset song and he recognized a few of the singers this time: most of Singer's friends were in the chorus. Silent wasn't there, of course. That was one of the things he wouldn't see or hear for at least several days. Despite the short time he'd known them, he knew he'd miss the Rabs even more than he missed his human friends "back home." Eventually he went in when Sky shouted up to him that they were about to lock the doors. It was getting dark.

Back in his snug, Jeff stripped to his loincloth and took care of his evening ablutions. Rummaging through his backpack, he dug out the toothbrush and tiny tube of toothpaste he'd packed for use at the dig. That wasn't going to last long. The baton's pilot light was much brighter than he remembered, and when he took it out he discovered that its sliding switch was easier to use, too. He made the mistake of looking at its lens when he tried it. Ouch! The bright spots took a while to fade from view. His phone and the camera both were still completely dead, though. If the baton had charged, why not them?

After using the facilities, Jeff lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling for a while. He just knew the Rabs' plans were too superficial. Still, what could he add to them? It'd be nice if they had weapons, but obviously the Rabs wouldn't know what to do with them. Even a classical sling and rocks would be better than the nothing they had now, except he didn't actually knew how to use one. He'd never been good at baseball, either. If only he'd been a fastball pitcher. That'd be a help.

His gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey!" Sky stood in the doorway, grinning.

"What's up?"

"Well, maybe nothing, but could you come up to my snug? Sunny and I want to talk to you about something." He seemed happy about something. At least someone was.

"Sure."

"You go first." Sky gave him a quick arm-around-the-shoulder hug and a chin-rub in passing. It felt good, but why'd he do it?

The Rab followed close behind, breathing heavily down Jeff's neck as they went up the passageway, although the walk certainly wasn't strenuous. Uh-oh. Had it been that long since his bath?

Sunny was sprawled on Sky's bed, closely watching the claw on one of her forefingers draw invisible patterns on the pad's surface. She looked up.

"Hi, Jeff!" She smiled and then stretched. Um. She wasn't wearing her breechcloth. She was naked, although her fur was no more revealing than Cloudy's. Still, somehow she was naked, not just nude.

Jeff stopped, trying not to be too obvious about admiring the view.

"Get on the bed," Sky murmured in his ear. With a gentle push he urged Jeff toward the platform.

"So. What did you folks want to talk about?" More about the next morning's expedition, maybe? He hopped up to sit on the bed's edge, but facing Sky. Facing away from the beautiful doe, so she was behind him. Naked behind him.

"Well, it's like this..." Sky started as he took off his own loincloth and let it fall to the floor. Now he was naked too. Jeff swallowed. "Our snugrow is almost empty and we're afraid it might stay that way. The two of us talked it over with Flower and she agreed that Sunny and I should mate. Singer is still a bit too young to do the honors and, well, Sunny and I like each other a lot." He smiled past Jeff at her.

Stay empty? But the other three does were already pregnant, two of them almost ready to kindle. Why would he say that?

"Yeah, a lot," the doe behind Jeff replied. Warm arms hugged Jeff from behind and her chin rubbed along one of his shoulders. Uh, oh. Now they'd both done it. They were making sure he understood who was in charge. What did they want from him? Were they afraid he might refuse whatever it was?

"So what do you think?" Sky pushed close to him, really close. Right up against the bed close. Close enough that he gently pushed Jeff's legs apart, stroking one of his thighs. Then he put his hands on Jeff's shoulders. Jeff could smell the musky, grassy odor that had attracted him to the Rab when they'd first met. "Would we make a good pairing? Would our kits be viable?" Oh. Maybe that explained a lot. They were aware of the problems of inbreeding, too. Maybe they were even worse than he'd thought.

Sunny licked his ear. "Would they?" she whispered.

Why did the two of them care so much what Jeff thought? So much that they were getting physical about it? Were they trying to pressure him into saying what they wanted to hear? Did they want a justification for what they were going to do anyhow? But Sky was squeezing Jeff's shoulders and watching him closely, as he had once before in Jeff's snug, like he was trying to see if Jeff was being honest.

"Well, yeah, of course. Sunny's sire came from another warren, didn't he? That helps a lot. The more the parents differ, the healthier their kits will be. Well, so long as they're not too different," he added quickly.

"Too different? Like Sheps, you mean? Or you?"

"Right. Right." Jeff nodded. "When you're that different maybe you can have fun sex, but you won't have any kits at all." But they must know this already. Folk as sensual as the Rabs? Surely some of them had gotten physically involved with their canine friends. He was sure they would have let everyone know about it, too. Certainly Cloudy had implied as much. She'd been certain sex with him couldn't cause a double pregnancy.

"So you think Sunny and I are just different enough? It's OK if we mate?" He stroked down Jeff's sides, pausing as he got to the loincloth's belt.

"Of course. Your kits should be fine." He was just a bit nervous. What were they doing? Had they planned something he wouldn't like? Or something he would?

"And sex with you will be fun?" Sky grinned and tugged on Jeff's breechclout.

That was not what he'd said. Sky was twisting his words.

Before he could complain, though, Sunny's hug tightened and she dragged Jeff fully onto the bed while Sky's hands stroked along the length of his legs, pulling off his loincloth. Well, to be more accurate, Sunny pulled him out of it. She was amazingly strong. Finally it was just hanging from Sky's hand, then fell to the floor, joining the Rab's.

Yup. Fun. He grinned up at the Rabs leaning over him.