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Hejira: Sanguine Wave

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 33: Progress

Walking through Wildwood, Naomi and Travahn marvel at the wonderous progress that's been made. With the palisade wall completed, a large gate of ten-foot-tall by ten-foot-wide double doors is now the only access to the village. Wrapping around the entire compound, the logging camp has since cleared all of the trees; Wildwood is actually bordered on two sides by the cliffs, with a very dense forest across from the cliffs and the well-traveled field at the forefront.

Houses of mud brick and logs line streets in a well-organized grid pattern. Virtually every family has one, and the few that do not are next on the list to upgrade from their primitive wickiups. No one still lives in a tent. More tribals have trickled in, further bolstering their numbers. Sarvah has overseen the tribe's construction projects, developed a proper security team and organized many civil services and social projects for her people's benefit; even Emma can't help but appreciate and respect her, while many adore her.

With homes built and more planned, an industrial district has been established in a portion of what was once the logging area. The madrogo skull marks the dividing line between the workshops, tradesmen and merchants, and the purely residential district. Beyond the industrial area is a field, left by the hundreds of felled trees that Kelly and the crew have removed, and guarded by the palisade wall and surrounding cliffs. It serves as Wildwood's breadbasket, supplying their wheat and vegetables.

It's a quaint but not unpleasant way of life. Naomi has found herself strangely at peace with her new surroundings, appreciating them even more than her old bedroom at home. Some things, however, she would prefer to live without. Unfortunately, Red Claw has become synonymous with evil and cruelty, even something of a legendary figure. Parents have already begun warning their children to obey, or Red Claw will come for them. As the legend spreads, the few who know Gareth are cut by it, especially Sarvah.

She had hoped that Gareth was right and that he'd one day be allowed to re-enter the village; each retelling of the entirely false and cruel stories about him diminishes that possibility. Walking through the rapidly expanding village, Naomi and Travahn see Sarvah as she speaks with a group of village merchants, newcomers to the town. Noticing the youths, she waves to them. Waving back, they continue on their way, heading towards the wall that borders the now blocked-off forest.

As the least traveled section of the village, it was their destination all along. Standing beside a large boulder that sits just behind the fence's border, they look around to make sure that no one is near. In the month that they've known each other, Naomi and Travahn have grown exceptionally close, often seeking private places to share their time. With the coast clear, they duck behind the boulder. Travahn seems to trip, landing on Naomi as she lay on her back. Leaning up, she supports herself with her elbows.

Looking into each other's eyes, Travahn kisses her lips softly and tenderly. Stroking his snout as his tail wags happily, Naomi kisses him back. Her lips move from his, wrapping around his snout, reaching his cheek and then his neck. Now roughly sixteen-years-old – it's hard to know the exact date – Naomi finds herself yearning for intimacy. She pulls at Travahn, who she openly considers her boyfriend. His hand rests upon her side, slowly sliding upward and stopping over her chest.

Feeling her through her clothing, he hesitates as his girlfriend trembles. They've done this a few times before, progressing only to the point that Naomi would allow. Caring for her deeply, Travahn constantly worries about making her uncomfortable; he always takes her feelings into account, a fact that she greatly appreciates. Grabbing his face with both hands, she lies flat, pulling him atop her. After a short gaze, they kiss again, their tongues exploring the other's mouth. Naomi works up the nerve to progress.

Naomi slides her hand downward and along his side, resting it on his groin and feeling his firmness. Her hand slowly but nervously slips behind the waistband of his trousers. Travahn grows more emboldened, moving over her so that his legs are now both between hers. Having since switched to clothing more akin to the Feather Fingers, her skirt is easily lifted, revealing nothing underneath but her uncovered form. She pushes down his trousers as he necks her, taking hold of his hot flesh.

Travahn stops. Feeling her shaking, he looks her over, his eyes stopping at her exposed genitals. Caring for her for more than her body, he takes a deep breath; he subdues his natural impulses through force of will. His eyes race back up to hers, their vision locked upon the other.

“You're shaking. What's wrong?" He softly asks.

“I-I'm just scared. I've... Never done this before." She admits, her face turning beet red.

“We don't have to, you know. I'm fine with cuddling, if that's all you want to do. As long as we're spending time together." He says with a little grin.

She looks at him, his tail wagging in the background. Closing her eyes, she chuckles softly and strokes his arm.

“What?" He asks with a laugh.

“How did I find such a sweet boy?" She answers with a question.

“You didn't. I found you."

“That's right. You did."

“Though I often ask myself the same thing, minus the 'boy' part." He quips.

Chuckling, they lean in and nuzzle each other's faces, sharing loving kisses every so often. Taking a deep breath, Naomi assures that he's looking at her and nods her head. She doesn't want to stop; she's ready to experience Travahn the way that she's imagined. Poised to continue, they are startled by a shrill scream. Rising from behind the boulder, Travahn stumbles as he pulls up his pants. Naomi rises to her feet, her skirt falling over her by force of gravity. Another scream is heard, coming from a nearby house.

Following the sounds, the race into the very home that she shares with Kelly and Vahna. There they find the bunny woman leaning against a doorframe. Travahn rushes up to help her, trying to carry her. Moving her from the doorframe, he slowly walks her toward her own bed.

“What's wrong?!" Naomi asks.

“I... I'm..." Vahna gasps for breath.

Suddenly, a trickle of what appears to be water begins running down her leg, pooling on the floor at her feet. In a panic, Naomi and Travahn carry Vahna to her bed and lay her down as she prepares to give birth.

“Find Kelly! Bring him back here!" Naomi orders her boyfriend.

“Right!"

Racing outside, he doesn't know where to begin. Kelly often assists with the logging crews; he cleared two-thirds of the now seeded farmland by himself, using his aura talents. Now, however, many of the loggers have been reassigned and the men no longer clearing the forest beyond the wall have different jobs. Racing through the streets, he searches for anyone who can help. Spinning around at a junction, Travahn sees Sarvah as she now departs the new merchants.

Dashing up to her, she spots the black dog Sahvorai. Her brow furls and her expression that of worry as he draws near.

“What's wrong?! Is Naomi alright?!" She asks in fear.

“Naomi's fine! I need to find Kelly!" Travahn says.

“Why? What's going on?"

“Vahna... I think she's having their baby."

Though elated at the first birth that's about to take place in Wildwood, her heart sinks. In the roughly two months since Gareth left, and the month since she's started to secretly visit him, she shared his location with both Kelly and Naomi. Though Travahn is a kind and considerate boy, loyal to his girlfriend Naomi, she briefly hesitates to reveal Kelly's true location. If Travahn knew that Red Claw lived a stone's throw from them, would he keep silent?

“If Kelly isn't outside the walls with the logging crew, then you could try the lake. I recall Kelly enjoys fishing." She says to him.

“Thank you!" He says, turning to dart away.

“I'll send someone to help Vahna!" Sarvah assures him.

Nodding, he waves and races off. As he sprints toward the gate to find Kelly, she feels badly for what she's done, but she also feels that she must protect her mate at all costs. Kelly hasn't helped the logging crew in some time. This fact was kept from Travahn simply because Kelly is often quite protective of his surrogate sister; Naomi has kept the two from conversing so as to spare him Kelly's interrogations. However, Sarvah couldn't help but speak a half-truth. Kelly left to visit Gareth this morning; Travahn might very well find him near the lake.

True to her word, Sarvah quickly visits both Emma and Rinahra, revealing the upcoming birth. Sending several midwives to assist, they find the house surrounded by curious citizens of both races. They quickly enter and tend to Vahna, her fur matted from pained perspiration as Naomi serves her a tea to help calm her. Racing through the woods, Travahn approaches the logging camp. The dash from the village and toward the site has already wasted nearly fifteen minutes.

He searches high and low, asking the other loggers for Kelly's whereabouts. Though all know him, they confuse their details, unsure as to when he stopped working for them. Bickering about the facts of the situation, Travahn is left frustrated. He doesn't want to fail Naomi. He turns back toward the field, racing toward the lake on the other side of the village as his muscles begin to scream in agony.

“So, how are things in Wildwood?" Gareth asks.

“Very nice. They finished that wall you told them to build, and Sarvah gave it a nice, sterile grid pattern. Everything looks pristine and serene, well, minus those craters and the muddy 'streets'." Kelly answers.

The pair walk through the forest as they catch up. Kelly looks toward the trees, silently chuckling at he sees the box built into the branches. Gareth has certainly put his carpentry skills to the test.

“Why a treehouse, man?" Kelly asks.

He already knows the answer, though he couldn't help but ask anyway, eager to hear Kelly's response.

“Oh, I just need a place to take naps. Plenty of birds to eat and I can scratch the bark all I want and no one will hit me with a newspaper." Gareth replies.

Kelly chuckles. He's missed their banter.

“So, who are you sleeping with now?" Gareth asks.

“Myself, as usual." Kelly quips.

“Well, at least you're never too tired or have an appointment in the morning."

“Yeah..." Kelly sighs.

“Did things not work out with Claire?"

Kelly shakes his head. Taking a seat on a fallen log near Gareth's home, Kelly shares with him the details of Vahna's pregnancy and the wedge it drove between himself and Claire. Gareth sits in stunned silence, watching as a somewhat lonely Kelly explains his problems at home, in the town he was run out of.

“Wow... What a bitch." Gareth remarks.

“Eh... I get where she's coming from; I wouldn't want to raise someone else's kid either. I'd probably be that asshole stepdad." Kelly replies.

“No, you wouldn't." Gareth rests a hand on his shoulder. “You're a good man, Kelly. You're sticking beside a woman you basically had a one-night-stand with, raising your kid, and you aren't even going to be with her. That takes some serious stones, man. Besides, you said it yourself; Claire's hung up on your kid being a Sahvorai, not that you're having one at all."

“Well... It still kind of sucks."

“I hate to pressure you but... Why don't you just try and work things out with Vahna? I mean, you already got her pregnant. Correct me if I'm wrong but once you've been inside of someone else as either a fetus or through sexual intercourse, there's really no boundaries left."

“Well, that's probably true, but... I don't know. It was kind of weird..."

“But we're so soft! Feel me!" Gareth teases.

“No."

“Feel me, Clyde!" Gareth jokes.

“Fuck off!" Kelly laughs. “Okay... So, I could ignore the fur... Maybe."

“Then what's the problem?" Gareth asks.

“She's a bit of a dom, man." Kelly admits.

“... I somehow don't have a joke for that."

“Some things I'm just not into. I actually think Vahna's kind of cute, but man... She's rough." Kelly continues.

“Oh! You don't want to be her dog?"

Kelly glares at Gareth and slowly shakes his head.

“Well, at least I tried." Gareth shrugs.

“Enough about me. How's life as a mountain man? Cat... Mountain lion?" Kelly pauses.

“I'm a mountain panther, thank you very much. It's fine, by the way. It can be a little lonely though, but not for the same reasons."

“Lack of people is definitely hard to overcome, but I know Sarvah visits you... A lot."

“We spend time together." Gareth grins.

“And how's she doing?" Kelly asks.

“Well, I'm pretty sure she's not pregnant." Gareth smirks.

“Not yet, anyway." Kelly nudges him in the side.

Looking down to the ground, Gareth appears solemn. His change in demeanor is unsettling.

“What's wrong?"

“I can never go back, can I?" Gareth replies.

“I don't know..."

“I want a life like yours. I'd do everything but kill to have a little brick house and to have a horde of children with Sarvah. I fucked up, and now I'm paying for it."

“Hey man..." Kelly drapes an arm over his friend. “It'll get better. It can't rain all of the time."

“Yeah... Why do I feel like you stole that line?"

“Because I did." Kelly grins.

After spending nearly an hour with Gareth, he leaves to return to the lake. He still needs to catch some fish, after all. Walking around the lake, he scans the area for any witnesses. Seeing several people across the lake, sitting with fishing rods, he makes himself appear to be scouting for a good spot. Walking back to the side of the lake closest to the village, he sees a Sahvorai man sitting with a human man.

“Any good spots over there?" The Sahvorai asks.

“Not really. It's better on this side." Kelly answers.

“Hey, are you Kelly?" The human fishman asks.

“Yeah."

“There was a kid looking for you." The human begins.

“Yeah! A Sahvorai with all black fur. Wiry tail, short coat, really young." The Sahvorai interjects.

“Travahn?"

“Yeah! He said you need to get home." The human says.

Immediately darting off, Kelly races back to the house. His mind races. Did something happen to Naomi? Is she hurt? Is Vahna alright? Racing through the gate, he dashes home as quickly as he can, finding the house relatively peaceful. He had left nearly five hours earlier. Charging inside, he calls out to Naomi and Vahna. He stops when he sees a human woman standing beside Travahn and near an archway leading to the rear bedrooms. Travahn looks quite upset with him, having failed to find him.

The woman brings her fingers to her lips, sternly shushing her. Kelly takes a breath to ask what's going on, only to be silenced before he can utter a single syllable. A faint crying emanates from the room behind them. His heart races.

“You had a son." The woman whispers.

Stepping into the room, Naomi waves him over, sitting beside Vahna. Lying in her bed, Vahna holds swaddling, looking down at the bundle and cradling it. Sarvah and another midwife stand nearby. Vahna turns her eyes to Kelly, her grin growing wider as she waves her fingers at him.

“Hey." Naomi says softly as Kelly stands beside them.

“Hi." His voice shakes.

“Where were you? I sent Travahn to find you. He looked everywhere." She asks.

“I-I was looking for a new fishing spot, across the lake. I'm sorry. I would have been here if I-"

“It's okay." Vahna interrupts him. “You're here now, and that's what matters. Would you like to see our son?"

Unable to speak, he merely nods. Passing him the bundle, he looks down at a Sahvorai child, covered in a soft, light-yellow fur. He looks to Kelly with vibrant blue eyes, like river stones. Though he has the form of his mother, being a rabbit-like humanoid, his coloration and eyes are copied from his own; Kelly sees the familial resemblance as plainly as the clouds in the sky.

“Hey little guy."

Kelly's eyes fill with joyful tears. He didn't realize that he could feel so attached. He had spent his time worrying about the logistics of it all, but cradling the warm body, now all he can think about are the memories he can make with his son. His first steps, fishing together, countless dinners and even a cliché kite flying fantasy runs through his head. He chuckles, his heart warmed by the prospect.

“What would you like to call him?" Vahna asks.

“I get to name him?!" Kelly whispers excitedly.

“Of course. You're his father."

Looking down at his son, he thinks of names for a moment.

“Hey little guy. I'm sorry I wasn't here to see you born, but I'm going to make up for it, Zeike."

“Zeike? Hm... I like that." Vahna grins as she lies back.

“You hear that? Mommy approves."

“Thank you, Kelly." Vahna murmurs.

“For what?"

“For being here. For claiming him." She explains.

“How could I not claim my own son? It's going to be you and me, Zeike."

He thinks about what Gareth said, turning his eyes to Vahna.

“Well, you, me and your mom... If she's okay with that."

“What are you saying?" Vahna asks, a surprised look on her face.

“If you want to try and work things out... Be together... I'm willing to try." He says.

“For Zeike?"

“No. For us."

Vahna's eyes gloss over, her lips curling up as she subtly nods her head. Now feeling like intruders, Sarvah, the midwife and Naomi all leave; Kelly claims Naomi's place beside Vahna. Her heart warms at his presence. Though she had never voiced it, Vahna only claimed to dislike her time with Kelly because she could see how uncomfortable her roughness made him. Feeling badly, she merely agreed with him as he spoke that night, denying the truth. She's always found him attractive, and his warmth has only cultivated her feelings.

“I'm willing to try." She says.

“Alright." He says, leaning over and kissing her head. “That makes me happy."

“Me too." She murmurs.