Ch 4

It was dark out now, everyone was curled up on the fur pile while nerves ate away at my heart. I wasn't on earth, that much was clear now and I couldn't help but wonder how. It wasn't like this was some type of fantasy setting, this is the real world. Well I thought it was up until the wolf turned into a hot guy.

"..."

Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised.

I sigh while Corwin curled closer towards me as I leaned my back against Miloris back. Eventually my nerves ate at me enough that nature suddenly called and I begrudgingly had to get up. I left the warm nest of furs and out to the edge of the tree line, taking care to bury my treasure of brown and gold.

The air outside was chilled, few drops of condensation on the blades of grass. After using a loose stone to dig the hole I squatted down and mulled over what I am to do now. Corwin was worried when he saw my paled face and had to snap me out of my spiraling thoughts before I made a grave mistake. I remained eerily quiet the rest of the night and eventually left for bed early. The boys knew I was still awake by the time they joined me somehow and tried to soothe me, only to now be sleeping soundly. I am happy they did rest, after all they've done I'd hate to take away their sleep. The breeze lightly pulled against my skin all before I started limping back to the cave. It wasn't an easy task walking back and forth, finding myself leaning against objects along the way as well as many breaks. The dark around me allowed for my imagination to run wild with the slightest noise in the air and fallowing the foreboding snap of a twig I could help but jump. A shutter passed through me as I thought of the nightmarish myths my mother had told me as bedtime stories. I haven't even spared a thought on them before but now, with this strange and dangerous place I was in, I couldn't help but think of those horrific fictional characters. At least I hope they were fictional.

"What are you doing?" A deep groggy voice echoed through the evening air. I turned my head to spy Liam leaning against the entrance with what I assumed was an annoyed glare.

"I was...pooping." I could feel the heat rise to my face after I spoke. I felt like a damn idiot but I didn't know how else to put it.

"Oh...is that why you smell?" Now it was my turn to stare at him like he was an annoying child.

"Haha so funny, you could be a comedian if you wanted to." I grumbled as my foot limped a step towards the entrance. I couldn't see his face but I guessed it was scrunching up in offense.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He almost demanded out of me as the shadow of his tail flicked behind him.

"And here I thought you would understand what sarcasm is." I rolled my eyes as I walked passed him but his gave me a harsh nudge as I did.

"I'm not a 'comedian'! What ever vermin you just compared me towards-"

"A comedian is funny and makes people laugh. They aren't vermin's." I rubbed my shoulder vigorously as though shit was just smeared on it. I could hardly control the rage in my voice and I knew all too well anger was blazing in my eyes. Though that anger soon changed to fear after my eyes traveled back to him. I was shaking at his shadowy form than me, pulling me back into the memories I loathe. My breathing quickened as I tried to stand taller while still rubbing my arm almost raw. Rage, fear, and sorrow consumed me at the same time as his form remained still. But to my surprise I began to notice an invisible tension leaving the air that I had not thought of before.

"You think I'm...funny?" Uncertainty was laced in his words as he remained unsure how to respond. He's been called scary, violent, and cold before but never funny. That was usually reserved for Corwin or when someone was poking fun at Milori for his stiff way of speaking. A small part of him was happy that that's what 'comedian' meant but...wait no, she was being sarcastic.

"Take it as you will I guess," I sighed as I let go of the breath I was holding. "I am too tired to argue.." I could feel my fear cool whatever heat I had left in me as I limped to the pile of furs and curled into the blanket softly. Liam only turned away as it was his turn to disappear to the midnight world outside the cave.

...

"So could you tell me more about the culture of bird beastmen?" Milori inquired as he was helping Liam clean the tanning skins and applying more of the pink soup onto it.

The sky was light blue was as a warmer breeze flowed though the air.

"Uh...well...not really..." I started to get ancy and pick away the hang nails. "I don't know much myself....B-But I could tell you about all those other invention things." I perked up in memory of how excited he seemed about learning about what I know. Milori's eyes soften at my eagerness as his form came closer to mine and gently patted my head.

"That would be nice...but would you like to learn about what I know?" Milori watched as I nodded my head.

'yes I would very much like to learn how to not die.'

He smiled as he seen the glow in my eyes. I won't lie and say I don't want to learn about their culture, or they how they use plants...or how they made anything. I do know how they are tanning the skins after watching them for so long and let's just say that pink soup was of animal brains and eggs. With it the stretched skin dries but retains it's elasticity and won't rot. They also constantly scrape at it and clean the skin.

"I don't know what to ask specifically if I'm honest. There a lot I want to ask." I chuckled.

"Well, would you like to learn more about the kingdoms? It seems like you don't know much about them." Milori started to walk away to bring me some of the jerky Corwin had made as he sat me down and taught me of their world.

"There are six kingdoms; mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, and birds. You are a bird beastmen while I am a mammal beastmen, specifically a wolf. Birds and fish are very self isolating and not much is known about them outside of that, so I'm sorry if I could have told you anything about yourself. But what you should really know is there are really dangerous kingdoms that you should be weary of as a female; the reptiles and arthropods. They are very violent and kill females they kidnap after forcing them to give birth to young. They are not to be trusted." Milori gave me a stern look as he shook his finger at me like a parent scolding a child. I gulped down my meal as a shiver went down my spine.

"W-What!?"

"They tend to pick off females that are traveling. I'm just telling you that so you know not to wander off by yourself." I shot a glance in Liam's direction while he was set on ignoring me. Though I wish Liam would care more about me possibly dieing. Maybe he was waiting for me to get kidnapped. That sounds like a thing he would do after knowing him for a day.

"I understand, I won't limp off on my own." I looked back at Milori whom seemed to sigh in relief.

"Good. But there are other things to know that I would like to tell you," Milori seemed to lighten up a bit and carry on with tending to the skins. "Because you are a female there will be many males interested in you. Because it seems you haven't been exposed to the outside of your own village it seems I will have to tell you about how those interactions will happen."

'Oh great it's like the birds and the bees talk but with no sex ed teacher going through cringe slideshows.'

"So males will tend to give you gifts if they think you are of age, which you look as though you are. They will give you these gifts to court you. If you take a gift it means you are allowing them to pursue you. So don't take things from them if you do not want for that." I arched a brow at Milori as I made a gesture to him.

"Isn't that what you did?"

"Well...no not really..." He looked away kind of embarrassed. "No offense but I do not wish to pursue you. Instead I'm taking on the role as your guardian since you do not have one currently. At least now that you know that what I'm doing I hope you would allow it." I nodded my head in agreement. Milori cleared his throat and took my agreement as a sign to continue.

"Great. So as I was saying, you will be pursued but if you do accept someone after courting I will no longer take care of you. Instead that would be the job of your mate."

"Mate? Like partner?"

"Yes they will be your life companion. But with females, you will be able to have multiple partners. They will take care of you and your young while you care for giving birth to the next generation."

"....what? Why multiple?"

"It is what our god Dionysus has decreed in his order of life. It's a religious following for the gods, each one has a decree. But this one allows for females to have multiple partners to ensure that the young and females are protected by males and not left to fend for themselves."

"..."

'Well...uh this is a bit awkward...I can't even flirt with a guy let alone basically marry multiple.'

"Well that's not fair to the males, what if they want to have multiple of their own? Or want to pursue someone else?"

"As a male we are only bound to one in a special bond. A male will mark you and tie his soul to your body, allowing him to feel your needs and fulfill them. It is very kind you think that way for males but that is not how it works I'm afraid." Milori shook his head apologetically.

"Well what if a male marks a female who doesn't want him? You know by force? Like I assume those reptiles and arthropods do?"

Milori's face fell grim. "Females can get rid of the mark but that means that the male would be driven to madness. That usually why they kill females and later die off themselves."

'This world is mad disturbing.'

"Oh...well I hope you find someone Milori, someone who...is really worth it..." Well dang this is some bull crap. Even though I've only known Milori for a day he seems like a thoughtful and kind person. I hope he finds someone nice to settle with.

"Thank you Avery, that's very nice..." Miloris eyes looked away from mine with grief. "I hope I can find someone so special."

I hummed at his words as a somber feeling took over which I wanted to push away as quickly as possible.

"Well I have other questions I would like to ask, if you don't mind." Milori gave a shy smile and a nod of his head.

"I would answer any question you have to the best of my ability."

"Well do you use pots or pans? How about cutting boards? Oh knives are also important-"

The lively conversation carried over through the afternoon till just shy of dusk. The banter was cozy as each took turns in asking a series of questions and responding, while both became even more inspired in learning about each other's worlds they didn't realize how time flew by.

"And so yeah, that's why Mary said it's important to boil water." I laughed at the memory of the camping trip.

"Hmm...it seems you at least could interact with females your age. It's also surprising to learn they allowed her on hunts."

"Yeah...well I was still restricted in who I went with and for how long and far I was from home. The longest I've been away was a day at best but I had my friend Mary to keep me from dying." A grim smile took my features as I began to mix fact with fiction. "I just...wish I could have spent more time with my friends. Instead I had to stay home and take care of my sisters...but don't get me wrong I love them! I-Its just-" I cut myself off as I struggled to find the words. "I want to learn more about how to survive without someone crowding my space all the time. It's hard to learn anything when you are so...sheltered."

"Why didn't you ever ask her about the outside world? It seems you where close." As Milori spoke carefully I tensed up.

"There where things she just wouldn't talk to me about. I would ask but...there was no answer." That was I all could say as a lie passed through my teeth.

The crackling fire filled the air as Corwin busied himself in cooking tonight's dinner. I could feel the phantom weight of tears grip me as I sat thinking about home. I miss my sisters more than anything right now, even though I don't deserve them I love them. I remember wanting to become more independent before with getting a job and learning to drive but all of that seemed to far away when I had to basically raise my sisters, take care of the house, and focus on school.

'I wish I wasn't basically a mom so soon.'

"Avery, you did as well as you could have," Milori brushed a hand against my shoulder. "And you will continue to do great things with your life. I will teach you so you don't have to feel held back by anyone. Knowledge is the first step to freedom after all."

It's funny, how is a random guy I met a day ago being a better dad than my own of sixteen-almost seventeen years?

"Thank you Milori, I can't wait to learn more from you."