A Satyr's Mate Ch. 09-10

Right there in front of the two younger satyrs, Dolphus mercilessly assaulted me from behind. My back arched, my insides quivering with delight. It was just as good as I remembered and I sung out in glee at the top of my lungs. Moments later, Dolphus injected me with his seed for the first time.

I was triumphant.

********

CHAPTER TEN

A Second Chance

Our shared celebration over my impregnation was short-lived. Dolphus wasn't happy with me over what I'd done. Within an hour of our successful breeding, he was out the door, not to return until the following afternoon. It was the start of a very rocky time for us.

For months, we tried to ignore that anything was wrong. We went on like usual. Flock business. Planning with Valame.

It turned out that my father was a regular visitor of Valame's. They split their time fairly equally between his domicile in town, and hers at the base of Saia Heights. It made sense, both of them being Baltian. I'd come to think of her like a mother, so the match felt right to me. I was happy for my father. For both of them. They seemed genuinely happy. Not just going through the motions.

Things finally came to a head in late November. With the induction approaching, we were both on edge.

"What do you think of the name Titus?"

Dolphus shrugged his shoulders as he continued to stare out the window.

"Vitus? You know, meaning 'life'."

I got no response from him.

"Cato?"

I was growing tired of being ignored.

"Are you going to help me with the name or not?"

Dolphus turned toward me, his face expressionless. It was like talking to a wall.

"Answer me. Yell at me. Do something, for Osmos' sake. I can't stand being ignored."

"What do you want from me, Ashira?"

"I want you to be a part of this. We've been walking around on eggshells for my entire pregnancy and I can't take it anymore. I can't do this by myself. I need you, Dolphus."

"I'm right here."

"No you're not. You're out there somewhere. You've been there since I got pregnant. Look, I'm sorry how it happened. I didn't want to trick you into this. I'm not sorry that we're going to have a lambkin, though. Are you?"

Dolphus sighed and shook his head. "Non, little one."

"Then what's wrong? Talk to me, Dolphus. Because if something does go wrong, I'd hate for this to be how we spent our last days together."

"How can you be so cavalier about your own death? Can't you understand how much that hurts me? I don't want to lose you, Shi."

"You didn't lose me last time and you're not going to this time, either. It will work out. We know so much more than we did before. We're all ready for this."

"I want to share in your optimism. It's just difficult for me."

"I don't need your optimism. I have enough for both of us. What I do need is your love. I need a reason to keep fighting when the pain gets to be too much. Can you give me that much?"

Dolphus pulled me into his arms, kissing and nuzzling the top of my head. He reached down to stroke my belly and received a kick to his palm. "Seems that someone is on your side."

"Of course he is. We're going to win this time."

***

On our way down to Valame's, we stopped at our usual spot. It wasn't so much to catch my breath this time. I was in better physical condition and less pregnant than the year before, and the weather was nicer because winter hadn't set in, yet.

"I think now is a good time for this."

"For what?"

"I want to show you something."

Dolphus helped me off the path and down into a ravine that quickly turned into a creek bed. It was mostly surrounded by rock, but along one side of the creek was a soft area. Tucked away toward one end was a stack of rocks that had obviously been placed there on purpose. "What is that?"

Dolphus' face turned somber. He took my hand in his as we approached the rocks. "It is where I buried our son."

He'd never told me what he did with the body, and I didn't ask. In fact, we'd never discussed what happened that day. "What did he look like?"

"Much like me. His hair a tad darker, maybe."

"How did he ... Did he suffer at all?"

"Non. It was quick. He wasn't even conscious when it happened."

Dolphus pulled me against his side as I shuddered. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I wasn't alone, Shi. You went through it, too, you just don't remember all of it."

"I've never thanked you."

"For what?"

"For everything. You've saved my life more times than I can count. I owe you so much."

"Non. Come. We must get going. You need your rest for tomorrow."

***

From the beginning, everything was different and I took that as a good sign. Contractions came on more slowly than before and things seemed to be progressing in a way that gave us all hope. Then, just as quickly as our hopes had mounted, they plummeted.

Like before, I pushed and pushed but couldn't seem to budge the little lambkin. And exactly like the first time, I grew weak and began to drift in and out of consciousness.

I could feel my heart breaking, my hopes shattering everywhere at once. I just wanted it to end. Forever. I wanted to fade to black and stay there.

"Shi, don't leave me. Ashira!"

I opened my eyes. Dolphus' face was mere inches from mine.

"Valame is going to try something, but we need you to stay with us."

I shook my head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. You must."

"I'm so tired."

"I know, Shi. But you must keep trying."

I felt movement in my belly, like the cosset was shifting somehow. I winced in pain, blackness threatening to take me.

"Shi!"

My eyes opened once again.

"Remember how I told you I used to watch you from the cliff?" I frowned and nodded. "I knew then, Shi. That you were my mate. From the first moment I saw you, I knew."

I remembered that he'd told me that I was still pretty young when he first saw me. "But I was..."

"It didn't matter."

Valame's voice cut in, "Dolphus..."

"I need you to push now, my sweet mate. Just one more time."

I took a deep breath and bared down with all my strength. That was all it took. Less than five minutes later, I was holding a squirming, crying, bloody mess of a lambkin. A baby satyress.

Only one thought popped into my mind.

"I only have boy names picked out."

Everyone but me seemed to think that was funny.

***

We'd been doubly blessed by not only successfully breeding, but having a female. We decided to name her Mari. It was a derivative of what I really wanted to name her, and that was Martina. All satyr names were two beats, or syllables. It was a customary practice from ancient times to signify that they stood on two feet, no more.

Mari's appearance surprised everyone. Her horns were little more than nubs, hidden by her very long, straight, black hair. Unlike my unruly, coarse mane, hers was silky soft. The slightest breeze lifted it in a lovely dance around her. The fur along her satyr legs was similar, not wavy or curly like other satyrs, but straight, shiny black hair that felt luxurious to the touch. And her eyes were not green, as we had expected. They were more of a hazel color.

We couldn't make sense of how that happened until Father saw her for the first time. He said that her face, with the exception of the satyr-like features, was eerily similar to my mother's. Especially her eyes. And her straight, silky fur was most likely also from my Sibian mother whose own hair was similar in texture.

I loved stroking her hair when she nursed in those first few weeks. Most lambkin only stayed with their mother to nurse for the first week, but since we induced labor so early, it was necessary to nurse for longer. I didn't mind at all. I adored holding her next to me. It was short-lived, though.

While she may have acquired many physical traits from my side of the family, she most definitely inherited her father's stubbornness and independence. Once she was solidly on her feet, she had very little to do with me, only nursing when it was absolutely necessary, and only the bare minimum, at that.

"She's a fussy eater, like her mother."

"I'm not a fussy eater."

Dolphus snorted. "She's stubborn like you, too."

"I think she got that from your side as much as mine."

"Fair enough."

"She's stunning, though. Isn't she? I mean, it's not just because I'm her mother and I love her that I think that. She really is something."

"That, she is. You mustn't tell her so all the time, though."

"Why not? Girls need to hear things like that."

"They do? I suppose you are now expecting me to tell you that you are the most stunning creature of them all?"

"No." I shot Dolphus a sidelong glance and noticed his smirk. "But you can if you want."

Dolphus was not one to shower others with adoration. He came close with Mari, but only when she was very young. I had to settle for what I knew in my heart to be true. He cared for me very deeply and he desired me over all others. That was going to have to be enough.

Mari weaned herself completely as soon as Spring arrived. I was worried that she was starving herself, but the other satyresses eased my fears. Females established their independence earlier than males. She did take to following Dolphus around, though.

There was one thing for certain, she'd inherited his keen business sense and she showed an interest in flock affairs at a very early age. She was mature beyond her years. While other lambkin her age were running through fields playing tag and hide-and-seek, she was content to watch over the military training. She could also be found next to Zira surveying the surrounding area for possible food sources.

I knew it was probably the proud mother in me that thought this, but I was certain we were observing a future alpha satyress.

We received news of several attacks on Sibiu from my father and Valame. They were conducted more like raids than anything else, the primary purpose to acquire food and other necessities. While they were essentially non-violent, they did cause some injuries to unsuspecting bystanders.

The agricultural outpost was hit hardest, leaving Sibiu with hardly enough fresh fruits and vegetables to go around. The only citizens who didn't suffer were the grossly rich, Grachhus being one of them. Aeron was growing more certain that he was behind it. Dolphus disagreed, however.

He'd never thought Grachhus was capable of organizing and motivating a group as large as the rebel force was becoming. And he thought Grachhus too greedy to fund such an effort. Especially since there was no motivation for it. He was already the second most powerful man in Sibiu, the most powerful if you considered his wealth. He didn't need help to take over Sibiu, he already had.

I'd come to learn of the underlying dichotomy of the city. On the one side, the council and clergy were religious extremists. Their fundamentalist mentality was behind their strict laws, and further, promoted intolerance of all species and races outside of their own. This was the very fabric of the Sibian culture, the side readily apparent by all who lived there and visited.

The other side, the undercurrent that no one saw, and one I was completely unaware of until Loomis and Dolphus enlightened me, was just as extreme. It was the corrupt side of Sibiu, which included gambling, prostitution, slave trade, and pedophilia. It was the counterbalance to the fanaticism.

Just how these two diverse cultures co-existed in one city was a product of split power, each side having an equal share. Grachhus ruled the underworld from his posh, three-story, stone mansion right beside Ignatius who ran the Sibiu council. Neither one bothered the other as long as the money kept rolling in. It wouldn't have surprised me to discover that on occasion they even dined together and plotted with one another.

As much as I despised Grachhus, I began to see that Ignatius was even a more despicable character. He pretended to be moral and just, when he was anything but. Grachhus didn't pretend to be anything except the slimy, greedy creature that he was.

While Sibiu affairs was an interesting topic to study, it had little bearing on our own flock. We watched from afar and pondered the attacks with mild interest. And we continued to prepare our young bucks in the event of an attack. On the positive side, no satyr had been attacked since my encounter with the rebels. Of course, rather than this elevating my status, it made my little battle cry, "stop hunting satyrs" the punchline of many a joke. One of the adolescents even jokingly suggested we post signs around the mountain since it worked so well.

August marked my two-year anniversary with Dolphus. We celebrated like a human couple might. Sex. Our zeal for one another hadn't waned a bit, but part of that was because we were constantly adding elements to make things interesting.

Dolphus had grown fond of watching me play with myself. That day that he had walked in on me sparked something inside him, and we found ourselves replaying that scene many times. He often liked to direct me on what to do, stopping just before climax to send me into a lustful fit. Then he'd make me crawl across the floor to him. Sometimes he lost patience and mounted me halfway there, sometimes he directed me to lick his cock.

He liked being in charge. What was strange was that in those situations, I liked it, too.

For me, though, I'd found myself most turned on by the very things that made me uncomfortable. Being watched, for example. I enjoyed the risk of being caught by others. The climax I'd had on that trail at the commencement of mating season, with those two adolescents watching, was by far the most powerful. There were other factors at play there. It was mating season, and we hadn't coupled in the week prior, so it wasn't just being on exhibition that caused it, but it was a very big part of it.

I reasoned that it was likely due to my strict Sibian upbringing. Modesty, propriety, were paramount. Dolphus didn't care who was around, with the possible exception of Aeron. He was unsure how Aeron would react to Dolphus embracing his human side so readily. After all, satyrs only engaged in mating once a year. We never stopped.

I was giddy about the upcoming mating season. We were mates now, so no one would approach either of us. It was a relief. We could relax and wait for it to begin. I didn't have to stay hidden away and Shala was out of the picture.

It would be Mari's first experience with it. She wasn't old enough to participate, but she'd witness it firsthand. Satyrs didn't pull the wool over their youth's eyes like Sibians.

A few days before the fever spread, there was an attack on Sibiu. This time lives were lost. Among the list was Grachhus.

While this was a shock to Aeron, and others who'd believed as he did that Grachhus was behind the rebel force, it was not the least bit surprising to Dolphus. I listened in on their council meeting as I braided Mari's hair.

"It was too direct of a hit for them not to be targeting Grachhus, specifically. They knew which domicile was his, and precisely how to get in."

Aeron glanced nervously across the field at Lena and then turned his attention back to Dolphus. "Agreed. Do you think Ignatius had anything to do with it?"

"I'm not sure. What would be his motivation?"

"Eliminate the degenerates."

"I don't think so. He benefits from their presence as much as Grachhus did. It makes Sibians feel they need moral law."

Both satyrs were silently pondering the possibilities when Mari's little voice spoke up. "Maybe they wanted to get Ignatius, too, but missed."

I tugged at Mari's braid, "Shhh."

The entire satyr council turned toward us to stare.

"I'm so sorry. Mari, why don't you go help Faustus. I'm sure he's in some trouble by now."

She scrambled off my lap to skip toward the satyress group. Lena crossed paths with her as she made her way toward me and the council. I twisted back in place in time to spy Aeron admiring her as she approached.

I knew why she was staying near. Mating season was at hand and many new bachelors had come of age. If she strayed too far from Aeron, she'd find herself impregnated by one of them. It was also why Aeron was so preoccupied at the moment. I was so glad I didn't have to worry about any of that.

"She could be right, you know." Dolphus was ever the proud father. "Perhaps we've been trying to make this too complicated. It could be a simple takeover, nothing more."

"By whom?"

There were as many questions as theories. With Sibiu's future uncertain, every member of the council seemed tense about not having more answers. They were our closest neighbors. What if the new faction was less tolerant than the current one? It was unlikely but still possible. What if they wanted to take over the mountainous range we called home?

I was beginning to rue my decision to listen in on the council discussion. I didn't like knowing so much about everything. It gave me a headache. I reached up and felt my forehead for fever. I wasn't entirely sure that it was the council meeting causing my headache. My skin felt warm to the touch and I was beginning to wonder if I wasn't coming down with something. Then it dawned on me.

"Oh!"

Curious eyes fixed on me. I glanced sideways to spy Lena swaying with fever in much the same way that I was. Females felt the change in their bodies while males scented it from the females. Just how I was able to feel it was still a bit of a mystery. Not that I would be afforded time to ponder it, the males were seconds from picking up the scent.

My heart pounded a jungle rhythm in my chest. We weren't alone. This was a sizable group and Aeron was present.

Just as that last thought crossed my mind, Aeron leaped from the platform he was standing on to tackle Lena. His cock hammered into her with blinding speed and force. Lena fought him even as her flushed cheeks indicated that she wanted it.

I couldn't take my eyes off them as I accepted my own mate's advances. With the same blinding rhythm, we mated beside them. Aeron's grunts and groans seemed to send Dolphus into a frenzy. He clawed at my hips until they were close to bleeding, then bit at the flesh on my back until I screamed in agony. He'd never been so rough with me, even our first time.

My insides exploded in spasming release around his cock. I clawed at the ground as my body shuddered. I could feel Dolphus' seed trickling down my inner thighs. He'd already released but was continuing to take me.

I climaxed again. And then once more as he reached his second apex. I caught a glimpse of Zira arriving and watched Aeron withdraw from Lena to mate with Zira. I checked Lena's expression for any signs of jealousy. I saw nothing but lust. She waited for her turn as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

To her, it was. She'd never had Aeron to herself. Her attachment to him was emotional and this wasn't about feelings, it was about breeding. Propagating the species.

I had trouble separating the emotional from the physical. Our mating was a solidification of our commitment to one another. It bound us together. I loved Dolphus just as much when he drew blood in a fit of passion, as when he cuddled with me in bed at night. I liked both activities, although, truth be told, mating season was my favorite time of year.