The Forest Through the Trees
13 Straif
by Assilsasta
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Checking on the Little One_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Sonnet wrapped herself in a thick blanket as she sat near the fire. She chewed on some ginger root and peppermint to help ease her nausea. It hadn’t been long since Donovan had left with his sister to take her in for a fitting of some kind. She didn’t really understand what he had told her about the lessons Katie was taking in school.
She rubbed her belly as she thought about the young lynx somehow being pregnant but not. The girl was a virgin, though she knew more than she let on. She could see Katie’s confusion and the mix of love and lust she had for Donovan, and a faint, but growing attraction to the doe-husky as well. Though the lynx girl was only a year younger than her, Sonnet could see she was struggling with the matter the same way her brother was when they first meet. She could tell there was something coming, and soon, but she could not see it as clearly as with other things. Things for Katie, Donovan and herself were still in flux, and her own actions could have either good or bad consequences. And for the first time, Sonnet had no idea what she needed to do to restore the balance.
She was pulled out of her deep thoughts as the wolves started barking outside the earthen wood shelter they had constructed. There was someone new, a new scent and presence that she did not recognize, but somehow felt familiar. She stood, still wrapped in the blankets, and moved toward the entrance. As she peered out into the forest she saw that the pups had cornered a big horned sheep woman against an outcropping of rocks. The white furred sheep was dressed in the unnatural fabrics from the city, but she did not look like she was unfamiliar with being in the woods.
Sonnet stepped out into the snow and said, “Estea en paz, pequenos.” with her words the young pups stopped their barking and howling, and sat. But they continued to watch the stranger closely.
“Who are you, And why are you here?” the doe-husky asked as she looked the woman over. She could see a mix of fear and concern that slowly faded.
“My name is Riley, I am a midwife, and Star Dreamer sent me out here to check on you and the baby,” the sheep replied as she started to step away from the rock, only to step back again when one wolf pup growled.
“Vinde a min, os máis pequenos,” she said softly, causing the pups to all pop to their paws and gather around her, their tails wagging. “I am able to take care of myself, and I have Dawn to see after what I cannot.”
“I know you can. And I know you likely can SEE more than I can with my medical tools. But we, Star Dreamer, Myself and others, care and want to be sure that everything with you, and the pregnancy are well. And with your gift, some of us worry for you.”
Sonnet watched as Riley’s aura shifted to a pale yellow tint. The woman was aware of her sight, and genuinely concerned for her.
“Your condition can affect you in many ways. in ways that others, unlike you, never experience. I saw how it affected your mother.”
“My… mother? You know my mother?” Sonnet asked shocked. Her grandfather had not told her much about her mother’s pregnancy or the time before she was born.
“I was her midwife as well. I helped her bring you into this world. I was there when you were born, Let me help you as I did her.”
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Uncomfortable_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Katie sat in her first class, still pulling at the new body suit she had to wear for the strange sex-ed class her brother signed her up for. It sent strange new sensations through her body. Walking into the school was the first time that it really hit her. It felt as if someone was holding her paw, and a wave of stomach cramps and nausea suddenly rushed over her. She slapped her paw over her muzzle as she ran for the restroom. She wondered if Sonnet’s strange cooking was finally getting to her.
The lynx girl crashed through the free swinging door and made a beeline for the closest stall. She bent over the toilet, not wanting to drop to her knees on the restroom floor, and began to heave. Suddenly she shrieked as she felt someone touch the small of the back. She spun around and landed on her butt as she looked for who had done it, only to find an empty room behind her.
“What the Fuck?” she nearly screamed, “First I have to deal with my brother’s crazy witch girl and her visions, Now I have to deal with ghosts at school or some shit?”
“Ghosts? What friggin ghosts?” a voice called from what sounded like a few stalls away. “Having the pukes for a week and gettin used to some of this shit is enough. I’m not dealing with any ghost shit.”
“I felt someone touch me,” She paused for a moment before she asked, “Are you sick too? Maybe it’s the school food, But I only ate that little bit that that panda girl traded me.”
“Nah, not been sick since I got used to this suit. Bunch of the girls still having the heaves swear that ginger root helps. Myself I got over it in a couple of days. And the touching thing? That would be moose face laying paws on his girlfriend. Kind of freaky at first but sort of nice once you get used to it a little.”
“Get used to it? Is that what they meant by experiencing the the effects of pregnancy or whatever? I’m not sure I’m up for this. I have enough to get used to as it is.” She stood up, not quite as nauseous as se had been, and walked over to the sink to splash a little water in her face.
“Shit girl,” the voice continued, a tiger girl that appeared to be her age emerging from a stall three doors down from the one she had been in. “Puking up a lung, cramps, trouble getting comfortable at times is nothing. It’s getting used to feeling that paw rubbing your belly that takes a bit of getting used to.”
“It’s bad enough having to live in a igloo in the woods eating granola girl’s all natural squirrel feed til my mom gets back from Cali,” she said as she turned to face the tiger girl. “Now I have to deal with feeling like I’m knocked up and I’ve still a virgin… “
“So are a bunch of the other girls in the freshman class,” Barb replied as she washed her paws. “Though for some of us that shit might be changing soonish.”
The tiger girls comment sounded a little odd, not sure if she was talking about other girls being virgins, or getting pregnant she said.“Yeah, but I bet your brother's girl… wife isn’t strutting around you nude all the time. It’s kind of weird, knowing she is pregnant and all.”
“Nope, since I don’t have a brother ,” Bard quipped back. “But I can see your point, kind of sounds like it does something for ya though.”
Kate blushed slightly. “Well she is beautiful, so I can see why my brother likes her and all, but…” she trailed of, not quite sure where she was going.
“But nothin, if you got a thing for girls that’s your business, not like it’s any fur off my ass either way,” the tiger girl said leaning against the sink counter. “Look here’s the short and skinny of this sex ed class thing. These suits,” she began tapping a thumb to her chest, “and those vitamins they give you to take are going to do some weird shit to your body. Well not really to you but it’s gonna feel like it. Anyway you can either go with it, adjust to it and take it in stride as learning why you may wanna either keep your knees together or get on some birth control if you do decide to do the nasty. Or you can fight it and be miserable for the rest of the year. The feeling preggers thing isn’t so bad so far. Between you and me I like it a little, and I really like feeling moose face’s paws on me. Kind of why I picked my best friend to be my partner in this. I’m hoping he grows a pair and goes beyond the friendzone.”
The lynx glanced down at the sink. “I don’t even have a partner yet. And I’m new here, so I won't even know my partner that well when I do get one. So no matter what it’s going to be awkward for me.”
“Yea, I can see that. But it’s also kind of a chance to make some friends, after all every girl in the freshman class is going through pretty much the same thing right along with you. As far as a partner goes, you just may get lucky and find you a nice, cute guy to get to know.”
She sighed, “Considering, I don’t really have a chance with the guy I do have feelings for, it’s probably my best bet right now.”
“Some lucky kitten you left back home?” Barbara asked cocking an eyebrow at the lynx girl.
“Yeah, back home…” Katie sighed as she thought about the real answer to that question. “I should be getting to class, I don’t want to be late. On my second day.”
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Trapped_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Lydia watched as the moving men packed their house worth of belongings. She was honestly tempted to just sell it all off, but she didn't want the girls to suffer any more than they already had. In the weeks after Emmett’s accident she had managed to find a nice apartment not too far from the school she had Donovan enroll Kattie in. It was not going to be big enough for all their things, but she wasn’t sure how things were going to play out after her husband did recover. The one thing that weighed heaviest on her mind was one question, Should she call her brothers.
It had been years since she had last spoken to them., just after their parents had perished in the house fire. And she still questioned just how much of an accident it was. She loved her brothers, and didn’t blame them for the way they grew up, or what had happened between them. But she still had doubts about their version of what had happened, and wasn’t sure if she wanted to bring their karma into her family. She already had a lot to deal with just for what she was in the process of doing.
She looked over at grace as the toddler played with her dolls, oblivious to what was really going on around her. The girl knew they were moving, and that her dad was in the hospital, but did she understand what that really meant?
She was jolted by her cell phone vibrating at her side. As she flipped it open she took a deep breath and sighed. “Why did I know this was going to happen?”she asked herself.
“I know you’re there De’de,” the male voice on the other end of the line said. “I know we promised not to…” He paused for a moment, “How bad is it?”
“Stop doing readings on my family,” She respond flatley. “I don’t need this right now.”
“I think you know better than that.”
“Is Tom putting you up to this?”
“No, Tom is in the hospital again. He had another breakdown.”
“So it’s just you. Why can’t you leave well enough alone. We were doing fine. Donovan is doing fine.”
“See, that’s what I’m talking about. You WERE doing fine. I know something happened.”
“Look, if I wanted to get you involved I would.”
“De’de, we’re family, even if it was not your ideal family. We still love you, and Donovan. We are here for both of you, and you know it. But, I will continue to respect your wishes.”
She sighed heavily, “Yeah, I know you are. But you know as well as I do, some of the lines have been cut. And you can't put them back, no matter how hard you try. Please,... don’t call again.”
“Does he know?”
The question burned in her mind as she snapped the phone shut. What was her brother up to, what did he really know?
She turned to one of the workers and asked, “How much longer?”
“Should only be about ten or fifteen more minutes. We just have to get the last of the stuff on to the truck, Ma’am”
“Thank you,” She looked over at her youngest daughter, the one that had not yet been permanently affected by any of her family. “Okay, Grace, It's time to pick up your toys. We have to go back and see your brother, sister and Daddy.”
”Yes, mommy,” the toddler said as she started putting her dolls back into her box.
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Pushing Boundaries_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)/b]
“Okay, Sonnet, Everything looks good. I want you to eat more, put on some more weight, and please keep warm and cover up some. Not for you, for the baby.” The sheep packed away the few things she had with her.
“If… if you think it is best.”
“You are taking this all so much better than some of the others thought you would. You are so much like your mother.”
“Dawn has told me much about the new medicines, and things like that. I understand that I don’t know everything, and I can see that you are kind and caring.”
“Sonnet, has Donovan told you about sonograms?”
“No,” The doe husky said quickly, “What is that?”
“It’s a machine that can look inside you and see your baby.”
“No, That might hurt them,” She said as she slid away form the midwife.
“No dear, “ Riley said reassuringly. “It doesn't even touch the baby. All it does is rub your belly and it makes a picture of what's inside.” I have a portable one back in my car. If you want I can show you. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Sonnet looked on as she watched the shifting shades of yellow and gold swirl around the sheep. The sight was reassuring, and calming to her. The woman really only wanted to help. “o.. okay”
The sheep smiled as she said, “Okay, I’ll be right back. I didn't want to bring it with me right away, but you’re doing so well I want to give it a try.”
[size=118]-----[/size]
As Donovan parked his car and prepped the solar charger for the battery, he took note of the other sedan parked nearby. It obviously wasn’t one of the workers from the cabin, but he wasn’t sure who it might be. He reached into the back seat and pulled out the canvas bags filled with fruits and other things that a few of the local Winter Creek ladies handed him as he let Kattie off at the bus stop. They all seemed so kind and asked about Sonet, and his father. All he could really tell them is what his mother had said, which wasn’t much. As he turned to head toward the camp, he was nearly run over by an older sheep as she ran out of the wood line.
“Oh, my god, Excuse me,” She said abruptly as she stopped just before slamming into the lynx.
“Um, Who are you, and why are you here,” He questioned, more concerned about those he knew were suspicious of the doe husky being so close to town, even if they were still miles outside.
“Oh, I’m sorry. You must be Dawn. I’m Riley, a midwife. Star and a few others talked me into coming out and checking on Sonnet.” She introduced herself with one paw on her chest and the other outstretched in a general hand shake.
“Okay,” Donovan said, his paws too full to do much. “What’s going on,? Is something wrong?”
“Oh, god no.” She said realizing what it must have looked like after she told him who she was. “I just got Sonnet to agree to trying a sonogram, and came back here to get my machine.”
“Wait, She agreed to let you bring a machine out there?”
“She didn't at first, but I promised her it was safe.” She clasped her paws together, “I really think you have a lot to do with it. I knew her mother and grandfather. They never were big on technology. But I think you talking to her about it has helped ease her mind on the matter.” Her eyes light up as an idea hit her, “Oh, having you here might even be better. You will be there with her, and you can both see the imaging.”
“Okay,” Donovan wasn’t sure what to make of the woman, “I guess, but these bags are getting heavy, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, yes, let me get my machine and we can go back together.”
As they walked back together, Riley gave Donovan a rundown on what she had done, and that Sonnet and the baby seemed to be fine. She also talked about how excited she was to have the opportunity to work with Sonnet and her unique abilities after working with her mother.
“Sonnet, I’m back,” Donovan said more out of habit to avoid been trampled by the wolf pups than anything. To his surprise she ran out and jumped into his arms. He dropped the bags in his paws as he wrapped his arms around her so she didn’t fall.
“Dawn, you met Sister Riley.” She let go of him and stepped back apprehensively. “Is that…”
“Yes, It’s the sonogram machine.”
Donovan took his cue from the doe’s action, “It’s fine, Sonnet. Would I let her bring anything out here that would hurt anything? Know what it does?”
“She said it makes a picture of the baby inside me.”
“Yea, that’s right. I remember when mom got the sonograms of grace. They do it to make sure everything is developing right. What they do is just rub this thing on your belly and find the baby and take measurements. They can even make copies so you can keep one.”
“Let’s go back inside Sonnet, and get you covered up again, “ Riley said softly. “What did I say about keeping warm?”
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Second chances_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Katie took a seat at the same empty table she did the day before.The discussion in Sex ed wasn’t any better today than it was before. But thankfully most of the day was taken up by several state mandated scientific videos. At least that got things off the taboo topics. But, it didn’t help with the odd feelings and sensations that she now realized were due to the suit she got that morning. She wasn’t sure if opting into the new program was a good idea, though the snacks she had on hand seemed to help out a lot.
She pulled out the bag of jerky and trail mix. as well as a cup that Donovan had picked up at a store for the stew. It would be next week or so before they would know if she was eligible for discounted for free lunch. It was that point that she seriously regretted the miscommunication with the panda girl the day before. She could really go for some twinkies or other processed food at that moment. A bag of Doritos would really hit the spot, she thought as she opened the stew bowl and fished in the bag for a spoon.
“Okay look,” a voice said as it drew closer to where the lynx girl sat. “Mooseface said I should give you another chance, and I think maybe he’s right,” it continued as the red panda girl sat down across the table from Katie. “I maybe let things get a little to much under my pelt yesterday and went off half cocked.”
The lynx sighed as she said, “Look, I wasn’t trying to say anything bad about your boyfriend. I was just trying to say he’s not my type, I guess.” She looked up from her food and added, “I felt really bad that you took it like that. I mean he seems like a nice guy. Just not sure I would date him, personally.” She paused and muttered, “Not like it’s an option or anything.”
“I get that, and honestly I’m kind of really prejudiced towards him with the way things went after we found out he knocked me up,” Zoe said looking over the other girls shoulder.
“I can only imagine. I think my dad would kill me, if he weren’t in a coma.”
With an odd look on her face the panda asked, “why, did you get knocked up too?”
“Oh god no,” Katie’s eye shot to the size of dinner plates, “I mean if I got pregnant. I’ve never, I don’t even have a boyfriend or anything. He’s one of those really religious types. If he had any idea what they talked about in the sex ed class, it might give him a heart attack, and cause picketing outside the school.” She tossed air quotes as she mimicked a male voice, “We need to put an end to this satanic indoctrination of our children.”
“WOW,” the panda girl said wide eyed. “And I thought Ralph’s Dad was harsh. Well he was but that’s just… So, ummm, can we try this again and see if maybe we don’t piss each other off? You being new here and all I think you could probably use at least one friend.”
“Yeah, that might be a good thing. The only other fur I’ve talked to today was in the bathroom after I blew chunks this morning. Not really a ‘Let’s be friends’ moment there.”
“I take it they got you suited up then, I know it can be a lot to get used to. It’s worse on my end since it’s totally for real. But some of the other girls have told me they’re having a hard time getting used to it.”
Katie raised one eyebrow as she said, “Not really sure it being the real thing is worse than being felt up by a ghost when you’re not expecting it. At least you have warning that it’s coming.”
“Yea, true, and that’s one of the things that are one way or the other with the other girls. Some of them seem to really like it, maybe a bit too much at times. Others are kind of freaked out about it.”
“Really, right now I am just wondering if it still works three miles past rocks and half way to sticks in the mountains. Not sure how Sonnet would react to that.”
“I’m not sure,” she replied as she grinned a little. “Finally, about to starve me out here mooselips,” she said as the moose boy joined the pair at the table. “It’s safe, we’ve made peace between us, oh and for now keep the paws to yourself while we eat. I don’t think they warned Kaite well enough about you being handsy and all.”
“Oooookay,” the moose boy said as he sat the trays in his paws on the table. “Sorry if it weirded you out any.”
She rolled her eyes, “Little late for that bit.” She scooped some of the stew out of the bowl and poured it slowly back in, “Speaking of making peace… This is not nearly as appetizing at it was hot. At least the jerky is always good.”
“Well since we’re good now,” the panda girl said opening the backpack the moose boy had dropped behind them as he sat down, “this was gonna be my last ditch effort if I needed it. Instead we’ll call it a care package,” she said taking out a box and passing it across the table to the lynx girl. “Up to you to stash it in your locker or whatever.”
“I think I just turned full lesbian here,” she said as she looked at the box. “I swear to god, if you asked me out on a date right now, I’d say yes.” she pulled out one of the bags of chips and slipped one into her muzzle. She rolled her eyes back and let out an exaggerated shiver of ecstasy as she crunched the morsel.
“I don’t know about a date,” Zoe said giggling at the other girls reaction to the treat, “but dinner or a sleepover could be possible. Moose lips says we should be making more friends and all and we do have our own place.”
“Wait, you two live together?” She asked as she pulled some chips out of the bag and dipped them in the bowl in front of her before putting them in her mouth. “but you’re like my age right,” She added through the moistened chips, “And that wasn’t bean dip.” she looked down at the bowl.
“Yes on both counts,” Zoe replied. “I know, it’s a weird situation. But after his dad threatening to make us abort what we then thought was just the one baby things got weird. It ended up with his friend getting him a lawyer and getting him emancipated. My parents let us be together because he’s the one responsible for me being pregnant and he took it seriously.”
She dipped more chips in the stew as she said, “you know, you’re not helping the whole ‘Winter Creek is mostly normal furs’ thing. That sounds right up there with what my dad thought they were doing with Don. But doesn’t that also mean you have to support yourselves? Or is that on the whole cult thing too?”
“Cult thing? What cult thing? Fuzzyface has a job that he works from home most of the time, after school. Finishing school was part of the deal to get it too. I have learned that the people of Winter Creek are kind of weird and all. Sort of crazy with some of the things that go on here but I don’t know about any cult being here,” the panda girl said with an odd look on her face. “You know anything about any cults Ralph?”
“None that I know of either. But what we have is kind of weird Zoe, even we said that before we got used to it.”
“I figured the cult stuff was just my dad, but sometimes it sounds like it’s real with some of the things I’ve heard.” She looked down at the stew bowl. “Okay, I’m losing it, or I’m really hungry. This kinda tastes good.”
“That or your tastes are changing, it happens when your knocked up,” the panda girl said with a bit of a snicker. “Don’t worry, or freak out. It’s happening to all if the freshman girls. I guess it has to do with the suits and stuff.”
“Okay, I get the whole ‘what it feels like to carry a baby thing,” she said still dipping the chips in the stew, “But why all the other stuff? What does feeling your guy get all handsy have to do with sex ed? Then the taste changes and stuff. Personally not seeing the educational value here. Though I guess it could save on having to have a real boyfriend for a while.”
“Well,” Ralph spoke up, “the stated mission of the pilot program is to simulate pregnancy in teenage girls as accurately as possible. The taste changes, nausea, cramps, and all are part of being pregnant so they wanted it to be part of the experience since it naturally is. The hands stuff, which to be honest I felt was just weird as heck from the beginning, has to do with the psychological aspects of being in a loving, caring relationship. At least that’s what they tell us it’s about.”
“Gobbledygook,” the panda girl chimed in. “Short of it is when your preggers it feels good having a guy rub your belly, it helps with the cramps and stuff and once the fur ball starts moving around it helps settle it down so you can sleep.”
Katie’s eyes lit up as she said, “I want to try something, can I touch your belly?”
“Sure, why not. Goober here is rubbing on it nearly constantly some days,” Zoe said turning her chair as the lynx girl got to her feet and walked around the small table.
Katie reached out to touch the panda, “This is kinda freaky,” as her paw touched the other girl she jerked back. “Okay that is freaky.” She hesitantly reached in again and gently rubbed Zoe’s belly. “It’s like copping a feel while getting felt up,” she giggled.
“Oh believe me, I gave mooselips grief about feeling up the entire girls freshman class for days when they came to us about this program. He almost balked and said no over it too.”
“Gave me grief? You still tease me about it sweet cheeks. I’ve just kind of accepted it as part of what I’m gonna have to deal with during this class.”
“No i mean I feel me, feeling you,” She giggled again as she added, “it's like feelseption or something. And it kinda tickles right here.” She pointed to her own belly.
“Kind of like butterflies fluttering around?” the panda girl asked.
“Yeah, I guess.”
With a wide grin spreading across her muzzle Zoe said softly, “that’s one of the twins moving around in there.”
“Okay, that’s a bit more freeky.”
“Yea it is at first, was the first time I felt it too. Hornless had to call the doctor at 2a.m. in a panic that something was wrong.” The panda girl turned around for a second and grabbed the moose boys left paw. “Sorry for this, but wiggles in there is gonna get ramped up if daddy don’t do his thing,” she said as she placed her boyfriends paw on her belly. “Make with the touchy feely fur face.”
At his girlfriend’s request the moose boy started to slowly rub her belly as he had been doing since they found out about her pregnancy.
Katie stepped back and wrapped her arms around her own belly as she said, “Yeah that's not a weird feeling at all. I think seeing it while it happens only makes it weider. I mean, I see him rubbing you and feel it too. They should add this to those 4D movies.”
“From what I have heard that’s one of the possible applications for the technology,” the moose boy said looking to the lynx girl. “Those new 4D video games and VR games also.”
She sat back down as her mind wandered, “Do we like… um… feel it when you… you know…” she asked obviously embarrassed by the implications.
“That depends on if she ‘forgets’ to turn off her transmitter or not,” Ralph said throwing air quotes up. “She swears it accidental but I think she does it on purpose.”
“No I don’t… mostly,” Zoe said halfheartedly. “Besides what the other girls feel is limited kind of. I mean they can feel the rubbing and touching and groping but not the actual doing it part.”
“Oh like that makes them, or me any less freaked out thinking about it?”
“Well,” she said still a bit embarrassed, more so by their openness, “I think I can handle the fondling part, but I’m pretty sure I’m not ready for the rest yet.”
“Thank you,” Ralph said semi-triumphantly. “Glad I’m not the only one that thinks it would be too damn weird.”
“Oh god, I still have to be assigned a partner for the class.” She grabbed a twinkie as she continued, “I don’t know anyone, and knowing my luck I’ll get paired with a weirdo. Like that trans boy that ran me over yesterday or something.”
“Actually, you have final say in your partner, or even whether or not you have a partner,” Ralph explained. “It’s not mandatory to have one, just like it doesn't have to be an opposite gender partner. The program was set up to allow for single mothers as well as same sex partners. I mean it is kind of the way things are so they wanted to cover all the bases.”
Katies mind drifted back to the kiss she shared with Sonnet in the dream and blushed lightly as she thought about some of the other girls in the class. “That Joyce girl was kinda cute, but Daemon wasn’t bad looking either.” she muttered softly to herself. She shook her head as if to get the thoughts out, “Well, I guess it's nothing I have to worry about then.”
“Like Ralph said, it’s completely up to you either way, and since you’re new I think they’ll give you a little time to decide,” Zoe offered up seeing the other girl’s confusion over the matter.
“Yea, there are several gay couples, a few lesbian couples and I think like thirty or so that are going the single mother route so you would fit in anyway you decided to go with it.”
“The only thing I can think of would be if you decided to go single mother they would need a species for the father so they can do the robotic baby thing,” Zoe added.
“Jeez, I don’t even want to think about that part.”
As the entirely new item for her to worry about presented itself, The bell rang to signal the end of lunch.
“That’s our cue to get going Ralph,” the panda said getting slowly to her foot-paws. “Anyway, since we settled this mess I’ll bring you another care package next week too Katie, I can only imagine how much it sucks not being able to get that stuff easily.”
“I hope my mom and sister are back out here by then” she said gathering her own stuff up, “She said she just needed to go back and settle things before moving our stuff out here. Not sure what that means though. But, thanks for the junk food, you’re a lifesaver.”
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_New World_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Sonnet Curled up in Donovan’s armes as they sat by the fire covered in furs. She held the little black and white printout in her paws and stared at it as she had for the last few hours. “I still don’t see it,” she said quizzically. “It’s all blur and lines, not like it was on the sun graham.”
“I told you,’ Donovan said as he ran his fingers through her hair, “That's just a still picture she printed off and a really low end thermal printer. It’s not meant to be really good. The important thing is we know they are healthy and developing as they should. I still can't believe you’re nearly eight weeks along. Why didn't you tell me sooner?”
“I thought you knew.”
He sighed. “I know you still don’t really get it, but I don’t see the world like you do. I don’t just know things.”
“But you could,” She said as she snuggled her head into the thick winter fur of his chest. “You have been away from all the negative energies for a long time now. Every day I can feel you get stronger. You just need to accept and learn the ways.”
“I’m trying, lord knows I’m trying. But I’m working with seventeen years of brainwashing. It’s like trying to teach you everything I grew up with. It’s second nature to you. It’s all completely new to me. Even more so knowing that my mother used to be involved in paganism.”
“There is a lot about both your parents that you don’t know,” the doe husky said softly. “And it is not my place to tell you these things. The mother has shown me so that we can be protected. There is a darkness hanging over them, something that I don’t understand.”
“Okay, you’re starting to scare me Sonnet. It’s still weird when you get all cryptic and mystic on me. So to change the subject, what are we going to do about those things the ladies in town were asking for. Most of our supplies for that were either traded off already, or still back in the grove.”
“I can still find most of it around here. It hasn't all died off completely yet.”
He shook her gently in his arms, “You heard what Riley said. You need to take it easy and keep warm and well feed. You promised her you wouldn’t do too much out in the snow.”
“I don’t have to be the one gathering,” she said with a smile , her paws rubbing into his thick fur.
“I wouldn't know where to start or one rock from another stick.”
“You can ask Stardreamer for help. He is camping down the trail to the west.”
Donovan smiled a little at the thought of the Polar bear being out there to get away from town as much as he was out there to check on them. “Okay, you might have me there, but what if he’s gone tomorrow? You know how he’s prone to wander this time of year, or that’s what I hear anyway.”
“He’ll stay close to the Grovemeet, it’s not long till Samhain,” he felt her shiver as she mention the Halloween holiday.
“You okay, sonnet?”
“Samhain is hard for those with the sight,” she said in an almost whisper. “The veil between worlds is the thinnest. Spirits cross over, many bad things can happen, and many young furs do things that they don’t understand. I never like being this close to others this time of year. It’s painful, and frightening.”
Donovan felt a shiver of his own as the doe, who so often spoke of the mother and everything with an almost positive light, speak of something from her world that scares her. All he could do was try and comfort her.
“Well, you know you have me here. And I’ll never let anything hurt you.”
She hugged him tightly, but said nothing in reply. After a long moment of silence she whispered, “It’s time to meet Katie.“
Her voice was sad and still held a twinge of fear. He didn't want to leave her, but they both knew he had to. They wouldn't let her get that close to town, and she still didn’t want to go.
“I’ll be back soon, okay. Nothing's going to happen while I’m gone. And if it does, you know where Stardremer is.
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Something Normal_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
Katie sat on the bus in the same vacant seat she did the day before. She hoped the doe from yesterday would talk to her again, she had managed to not really get any more socializing in after Zoe and Ralph left her at lunch. She didn’t remember the girl’s name, but she seemed nice enough.
As she waited for the bus to fill up and head up the mountain she felt her phone vibrate for the first time in what felt like forever. She was glad she had a chance to charge it with the solar setup for the new car, but apparently all her old friends had already forgotten about her. She looked down at the screen to see a text from her mother. It simply read, “We’ll be there soon. Only one more week”
That would put them back in Prairie Flats for Halloween. She felt a little happier knowing she would likely get to take Grace out trick-or-treating, even if she didn’t have her old crew to hang with. Then again, she was sure there would be some weird festival out in the wood, and who knew what things would be like without dad to drag them off to church to avoid the evil devil’s day. She put her phone back in her bag as she looked out the window and continued to mull over everything that was going on in her life.
“So, any better today or still beating yourself up about everything?” a voice asked as someone flopped into the seat next to her. “Names Brianna by the way, don’t think I got around to mentioning that yesterday.”
“Yeah, I don’t think either of us did,” the lynx said in reply. “Kattie. And I guess they could be worse. Got things fixed with Zoe, so she doesn't hate me anymore… I hope. Looks like my mom will be getting back out here in a week. But, I’m still stuck in Podunk, Colorado. At least I have someone closer to my own age to talk to that has some clue about the real world. So, How was your day?”
“Like usual, boring classes, boring teachers,” the key deer started, “well not really, but still nothing to get excited about. Would be hauling three tons of homework with me but got it done during sixth hour. Now it’s off to an empty house and hot pockets for dinner.”
“God, what I wouldn't give for a hot pocket, “ Katie retorted, “The empty house thing could be good or bad, I guess. I get to ride out to where cell phones stop working and sleep in a tent. But, the thick layer of snow keeps it warm. Still not sure how that works.”
“Wind break and insulation, the snow thing that is,” the doe said off handedly. “Yea empty house could be good, if it wasn’t like four days out of the week, every week until May. Dad drives a big rig way up north and he’s gone for months at a time. Mom works evenings at Prairie Flats General and doesn’t get home until like nearly midnight. I know some kids think I have it made, but to be honest it starts to suck ass after a while.”
“Okay, you win. That does suck. But at least your mom comes home from the Hospital. I think my dad is still in the coma ward. And it’s been what a month now? And my mom’s been gone that long getting things ‘settled’ back in California and moving out here. So I’ve been on a month long camping trip with my brother and his… wife, snowed in for most of that time. But, hey, my cell phone’s charged now.”
“Sucks about your dad, hope he gets better soon. But there’s no telling how long he might be in a coma. Could be weeks, could be years. Sounds like there’s some suckage in your life too. Guess we all have shit to deal with huh?”
“Yeah, I’d ask if you wanted to come over for dinner, but, I’m not sure how that’d work. Or how you’d get home after. I’d swap numbers with you, but then again once I get out to the campsite, that’s kinda pointless too.” She paused for a moment before she asked, “Hey, what goes on for halloween out here? I guessing some sort of big celebration or something, right?”
“Yea, you could say that, though Halloween in Winter Creek is kinda strange, okay so is the town but you know what I’m getting at. Halloween is one of the few holidays that is more what do you want to do then some. They do the downtown shops handing out candy and stuff. Bunch of the locals still do the candy thing too. Then there's the other group and their, what do they call it Southwind, somebang, oh yea Samhain, some big shit festival thing. Never really understood it but they say it’s about visiting with your dead relatives or some crap like that.”
The lynx girl sighed and looked back out the window, “Yup, that's where I’ll probably end up. Out in the woods under that big tree again, I’m guessing.”
“It’s the middle of the week this year, if all else fails maybe I can swing it with my mom and have you over for a sleepover, maybe get you out of your tent for a night.”
“I’m actually hoping my mom is back by then. She said she’d be out in a week. But I still don’t know about our stuff, so I won't rule out that option yet. Don would probably let me do it because then he wouldn't have to get me down the mountain far enough to catch the bus.”
“Offers on the table anytime,” the key deer said rummaging in her bag for a moment. “Here,” she said handing the lynx her cell phone. “Stick your number in that and call it so you have my number, if nothing else you’ll have a point of contact to get ahold of when your close enough to town. Least it’ll be a voice of sanity for ya.”
She huffed as she punched in her number, “A voice of sanity, I think you’ll be the first one. Everyone else seems questionable. Teenagers living on their own, the weird stuff they talk about in the sex ed class. Sanity is at a premium here.”
“Your preaching to the choir on that one sister,” the doe said as Katie passed her phone back to her. “Us non crazies gotta stick together or they’ll take us down with them.”
She giggled a little at the thought, “You know, I don’t think my family was all that sane anyway. My dad was a bible thumping loon, apparently, my mother came out as a closet witch or something, and my brother lives out in the woods with his… um… druid girl… wife. That leaves my sister, and she’s not old enough to be crazy yet, I don't think. I think I might be doomed if it’s genetic.” She almost laughed at the concept. It was the first time it seemed more like a joke than a tragic backstory.
“Alright then, looks like my new friend Katie has a reason or three to pick her face up off the floor. Listen girl, you made a friend, or maybe two today so see, it’s not all gloom and doom. Give it a chance and I honestly think things will get better for you, just stick it out a little longer okay?”
“I guess I can give it a chance,” she said with a little smile, “It’s not like I have much choice, and things do seem to be looking up.” And she sighed as she looked out the windows. “And there’s my brother , the wizard of the north wood again. At least I know he’s got something besides the cape on today.” She looked back at the deer girl. “But that thing is like hella warm. Like insane, you have to stick one leg out if you use it as a blanket warm.”
“Wouldn’t mind having one of those myself,” the deer girl said with a giggle in her voice, “and one of those capes too.”
“God, that’s my brother,” Kattie protested outwardly, though she could definitely still see things from the other girl’s perspective. Her comments just brought the lynx’s own forbidden desires to the surface again. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Brianna. I’ll actually be riding the bus down the mountain this time,” The lynx girl said with a smile before heading off the bus.
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Confusion_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)
The ride the rest of the way out to the campsite was the most normal thing Katie had experienced all day. She got a giggle out of Donovan’s story about Sonnet and the sonogram. The only thing that really concerned her was how the doe hybrid would react to the suit she was wearing. As they traveled further out, her hopes that she was out of range for the system to work slowly dwindled away as she could still feel the Moose boy as he rubbed Zoe’s belly.
She held her paw on her belly as the fluttering feeling came back and they walked away from the parking place. Donovan had mentioned his own worries about trying to explain it to Sonnet. But apparently he seemed to think she wouldn’t freak out. Katie still had her doubts.
When the pair approached the camp, Sonnet was outside with the wolf pups, clad in a fur cape, much like Donovan, to the surprise of Katie. The Doe husky turned and greeted them both with a big smile. “Welcome back,” she said, only to have the smile fade to a look of confusion as she saw Katie. “You are…” the doe started to say, “But, you’re not…” and began to cautiously approach to younger Lynx.
“I… I’m not what? What’s she talking about?
“I have no idea,” her brother replied, as confused as she was.
“You… your body… The scent’s, the flows, they said with child, but there is no child.” The doe husky began to growl lightly. “The wave, the flow here, it’s changed. She’s part of it. What is this?” She jumped back, the wolf pups now as confused and frightened as the two Lynx.
“Wait, is it part of that thing?” Donovan said as he knelt down by his sister. “How do you turn it off?”
“Wait what? Turn it off? I don’t know,” She dropped her backpack on the ground and started digging for the paperwork that she was given that morning. “I don’t remember them saying anything about turning it off. What’s going on? What’s wrong.”
Donovan pulled the crumpled papers from his sister, “Is the thing still working? doing whatever it it supposed to do or whatever?”
“Um yeah, I guess.”
“I thought we'd be out far enough that it wouldn’t work. I Mean it’s like a cell phone, they are transmitting stuff to it right.”
“Um, yeah, It like receives stuff from Zoe’s suit. It’s weird but, I still don't understand.”
Donovan frantically browsed through the papers. “Sonnet is sensitive to the energies, like cell phones and stuff. But those have been around for a while. She may not have know how they worked, but she already knew about the energies and the flows. This is different. It’s actually messing with your body. On some level it is convincing your body that you’re pregnant… or something.” He stopped for a moment and turned Kattie around.
“Hey that tickles,” She feigned protestas she felt his paws run up her back under her sweater. She felt him searching for something, but enjoyed the moment while it lasted.
“There,” he said as he fiddled with something on her back. Almost instantly, the sensations from the suit stopped, along with the doe hybrid’s growling. “See, off, nothing special here. Just Katie.”
Sonnet slowly approached the pair, cautiously sniffing the air.
“It’s a suit, technology, like the cellphones and gameboy. It can be turned off.”
“Suit?” she questioned as she got close enough to touch the lynx girl’s belly. Once again, Katie didn’t really put up much of a fight as the doe got extremely close,sniffing and touching her.
“Comeone, let’s go inside and she can show you,” Donovan said as he tried to usher the two girls into the shelter.
“Wait, Show her? Like take off all my clothes?”
“You don’t have anything she hasn’t seen Katie, and it's not as weird as you think it is. We’ve just been raised to think it’s wrong.”
“Okay, But what about you?” She wondered why she was giving her brother an out of the situation. Up to that point he seemed to make an effort not to see her nude, and to give her as much privacy while she changed as he could.
“I’ll leave you two alone if you want,” He said, giving her an out as well, “But it’s not like I haven’t seen my fair share of nude girls of all ages since this summer. Besides, I remember when you would run through the house nude as a baby.”
The realization that he had seen a lot of girls made her a bit more self conscious about her looks. She knew she wasn’t as developed as the doe/husky, who was a year older than her. And the fact that he might not look at her in a sexual way felt a bit disappointing.
“Yeah, that might be better. I mean…” She trailed off.
“Okay, sounds a bit odd coming from the girl who used to use the boys locker room to shower. But, you can try to explain things to her if you want.”
Her confusion peaked as he seemed to change his tone when she took him up on not being there. But then again, he had a point on both accounts. She didn’t want to have to be the one to explain things, and she never had a problem getting undressed in front of boys before.
“Okay, you can stay,” she said as they exited the cold for the warmer confines of the tent, “But, you have to get undressed too.” The ultimatum was out. The opportunity to see if he was as open minded as he seemed to be now. The chance to see just how close that dream was to reality. She was sure he’d back out with that stipulation.
“Okay,” he replied as he dropped the heavy fur cloak to the floor. “If that will make you feel more comfortable.”
She stopped, a blush rushed in under her white fur. He had changed more than she had thought. Going toppless was one thing, but he just agreed to get naked with them. He seemed more concerned about her comfort than anything at that moment.
As per usual, Sonnet was already fully nude, and donovan was striped down to the shorts, as he seemed to be most ot the time now., at least when she was around. Katie let out a defeated huf as she grabbed the hem of her sweater. She felt a little more excited than she expected to be as the doe got closer to her while she started to pull the garment over her head.
“Whoa, hold on. I thought you had a suit on under that,” Donovan reacted as he saw Katie in nothing more than her pants and training bra.
“Well, um, yeah, it’s on. But, it’s,” she paused as she pawed at her neck fur for a moment before she pulled out the nearly invisible collar to the suit. “It lets my fur through. It’s a… what did they call it?”
“Okay, now the sim-skin thing I read makes more sense. But that is just weird. What does it feel like?” Donovan asked.
“I barely notice it most of the time, until I get those … feelings.”
Sonnet was once again almost uncomfortably close to katie as she sniffed at the lynx. Her paw slowly pressed into the younger girls belly fur. “It’s... “ she trailed off as if not sure how to put her thoughts into words.
Katie shivered at the touch, it being more pleasant than she expected.
“Okay, this is a bit weird. My wife feeling up my sister,” Donovan said as he looked over at the pair of teenage girls. “You okay, Katie?”
“Yeah,” Katies said as she arched her back slightly to the doe’s touch.
“Okay,” he responded a bit apprehensive as he started to read and trying to explain what Katie had on beneath her fur. “Do you feel it?” he asked to which she nodded and continued to feel the lynx exposed fur. “Okay, well, it’s a suit that let’s Katie know what it feels like to be pregnant without getting her that way. It’s part of a class designed to teach her about reproduction and having children. I don't know how it all works but…”
“There’s a girl at school who’s pregnant. She’s wearing a suit like this, only it tells ours the stuff so that we feel what she feels.” Katie let out a slight mur as the doe husky continued to feel her body. “It’s kinda weird. I mean I rubbed her belly and I felt it on mine.”
“But,” Sonnet looked her in the eyes, “It’s gone, it’s not here now.”
“What’s not there?” Donovan asked as he walked over to the pair and put his own paw on Katie’s belly. The younger lynx held her breath as he did. “I feel it. it’s almost not noticeable if you’re not trying.”
“Not that,” Sonnet protested, “The flow, the energies. Being with child, but without at the same time.”
“Yeah, Um… it’s off so I just feel you.” Katie said with a vague understanding of what the doe husky was saying. “do.. do you want me to turn it back on?”
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