Corn Patch Ch. 03

(Note this story changes from Erotic Horror to Nonhuman, to Sci-fi & Fantasy. To me it seems to fit best in this fashion. But is it really....Romance?)

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The old shopkeeper looked up in surprise when Harlen walked into the store with Hea the first time.

Harlen knew Hea was nervous but he felt that taking her with him was part of their lives becoming normal.

That first night she had appeared at his ranch house had been a surprise, she had that need but was also terrified, it was her very first time being away from her people.

There should have been no reason for her to fear, she easily had 5 times his strength, if not more, and Harlen was not a weak man by any stretch of the imagination.

No matter, she was hesitant, but the need overpowered the fear. Somehow Harlen knew and understood, these people did not seem to have the ability to repress urges like those of mankind on Earth.

One might think that Harlen would have been repulsed, Hea's body was covered with fur, nearly every inch of it. The hind legs curved backwards oddly, different from an earth human but functional that way. The odd squatting down that he had seen them do was defensive, the first leap could easily cover 25 feet in the light gravity of Earth.

He had discovered that under the fur, the oddly shaped rear limbs, the high set ears and three toed paws was a human woman. Different, yes, but human nonetheless.

She had stiffened at his touch, which was more of an inspection than lovemaking. Harlen was very careful, overly gentle. He sensed her fear yet knew why she had come to him. He had no idea how he knew, he just did.

Then she had relaxed, and just allowed his touch. He had found the bump on the inside of each of her paws, that extended outward when she wished to grasp, a functional thumb. There was another smaller one on the outside of each paw that did similar. What Harlen had thought was just a three toed paw was actually five, just like his own, complete with fingerprints in the bare flesh on her feel and palms. Each digit had a sharp claw on the end, kept retracted unless needed. They were an obvious very serious weapon, but perhaps just a tool? Pressing back the tuft of fur, he had discovered those, they looked like fingernails somewhat, just thick and razor sharp, the ends pointed and curving downward.

Her nose was dark and wide, hairless and flattened slightly, the eyes were large and set at a steep angle. Her skin was several shades darker than his, and Harlen was well tanned from days on end out in the sunlight working on his farm.

Harlen was also surprised at the gentleness of their lovemaking, she had waited until he seemed satisfied with his inspection. Then she had in turn inspected him, touching and nuzzling everywhere. Their joining was not like anything he had ever experienced, it was not a building to a climax. Rather it began as one and kept on for several minutes.

Then he was surprised again when he woke up the next morning and she was still there, he had expected her to retreat.

He got his first serious look at her in real light, realizing she was squatting there with her eyes drawn down to slits. She looked extremely uncomfortable, moving backwards as the morning light gained ground across the floor. He stepped over and pulled the drape at his upstairs window. She relaxed but then just stood up on her rear legs, waiting for something.

"Morning, Hea."

She looked at him puzzled, even tipped her head.

"Helllo."

"Hungry?"

That got another puzzled look, so Harlen held out his hand to her. She looked down, then reached out to take it.

He made a bowl of oatmeal, she looked at the spoon he set beside the bowl in confusion. She picked it up, placed the large end in her palm, then set the spoon back down. Harlen was going to show her how to use it but standing up, she was out the door in a flash. She was back in seconds, one hand shading her face from the outside sunlight. She held a small cloth sack, it had laces across the top. It was covered with symbols, decorations. She reached in and picked up a utensil, it fanned out like a poker hand with a simple flip of her thumb. She used that to scoop up the food, ate with relish.

Harlen saw she really liked the oatmeal.

They spent the day inside with the drapes drawn, that evening he heard sounds outside and went to investigate.

Jaha stood there, Hari at his side. The boy was now a good three feet tall, and solid looking.

"Thank you." He told Jaha, understanding.

Jaha just nodded, turned and vanished into the darkness.

Harlen looked at the boy, his eyes so large and dark, fathomless. He was naked, his body was covered with far less hair than the rest. He seemed to be mildly shivering, too.

Harlen held out his hand, the boy took it without hesitation, he led him inside. Hea jumped up and ran to Hari, making a fuss. They chattered in that almost musical tone for quite awhile, nuzzling each other in pleasure. Harlen just went and sat in his chair and watched.

Later, he showed Hari what was to be his bedroom, watched as the boy tugged and pulled the blankets into a circle, almost like a nest. He circled and kicked at it until finally satisfied. Hari looked at him and smiled, then curled into a tight ball on top of the blankets and slept. Hea slept with Harlen but on top of the covers, curled up in the same fashion, a portion of the blankets tugged up around her.

He had expected more lovemaking, but she showed no sign of interest in that. He had even reached for her, but all that happened was she showed confusion. It took him awhile to understand that her cycle was months apart, and when she felt the need she came to him. The rest of the time she did not.

Finally she realized that Harlen had different needs, after that she used her hands to help him. Harlen's entire sexual life before had been just once each year, a trip to Reno for a week of pleasure, the rest was solo sexuality.

He relished in the change, it was fine.

Just one time Harlen had hinted that she use her mouth. Her expression was first one of realization and then shock, she darted to the corner of the room and squatted down facing him. Even her claws came out. It took a lot of coaxing to get her to return to the bed, Harlen never suggested that again. Oddly, she would nuzzle his groin, though.

That part Harlen never completely figured out. There were no words that he knew to try and explain or ask, and there seemed to be no words in her language at all. It was a knowing somehow, Harlen felt it also.

Harlen also expected there would be more children, but that didn't happen. Why, he had no idea. He just accepted things the way they were.

Harlen knew that they were here to stay. The child was his, thus the mother too. For months they lived together, getting more and more used to each other. Slowly Hea and Hari both seemed to adjust to the light, they no longer cringed when sunlight shone in the window although they did carefully step around the direct rays.

Harlen knew they had some instinctive fear of Sunlight, perhaps it was somehow a danger in their world? Both of them went outside on cloudy days, and Hari delighted in the rain, running though puddles at speeds that we amazing.

It was always a joyous time, like all children everywhere, rain puddles were for splashing.

There was one problem, though. It was getting on to Spring, time to go to work. He couldn't have them running around his farm, not naked and covered with hair.

So Harlen went to town, at the clothing store he purchased some pants and shirts he thought were about the right size for Hari. Then he picked out several long housedresses. He also bought a pair of electric clippers and lots of shaving cream and razor blades.

Hea looked at him oddly at first when she saw what he had purchased. So Harlen put some of the shaving cream on his own forearm, drew the razor across it.

Hea nodded when he did that, understanding.

Harlen used the clippers to trim the hairs shorter, then began the laborious process of removing it.

It took almost all of one day and part of the next. She just stood and allowed it. He had one hell of a time with her hands and feet, accidentally nicking himself on one of her claws when he pressed on it to reach between. She leaned down and licked the cut until it stopped bleeding. Finally he wiped her down briskly with a towel, checked out his handiwork.

Hea liked being rubbed down with the coarse towel, she turned back and forth trying to get him to do it some more.

She was beautiful, her bare breasts high and firm, the muscles of her upper body now didn't look so large. Her hips were still muscular and heavy. Her face was round, with puffy lips, the dark slanted eyes looked almost oriental. He had left arched eyebrows, and shaped her pubic hair into what he thought looked normal. Even her neck now appeared more like any normal woman, with the hair removed it no longer seemed to begin at just the shoulders. He left the hair on her head untouched, except he shaped it as best he could into a pageboy style. He had discovered she could lay her ears flat against her head, the hair did a good job of hiding the fact that they were set high on her skull.

He was rather proud of his handiwork. Hea now looked like a slightly large in the rear end woman in her 30's.

Harlen went and got one of the long dresses, lifted her arms and slid it over her. It actually was a pretty good fit. Then he spotted her tail, it stuck out the bottom a foot or so. Harlen hadn't shaved that since he knew now it was fully functional, a part of her every motion. She had used it during their lovemaking sessions, making that funny low "Krikrikrikri" sound he knew was her way of giggling. The sensation was amazing and Harlen liked that.

He looked and scratched his head, not knowing what to do.

Hea understood, though. She reached down, lifted the hem of the dress, then her tail wrapped around her waist snugly. She dropped the dress back down, smiled at him.

"Chi yie ke?" She asked him, wanting to know if it was ok.

"Yie ke.", He said, grinning, letting her know this would work just fine. It just made her look a little bit on the plump side.

Then Harlen turned to look at Hari. Hari's eyes widened as he realized what was coming and he took off like a shot. Harlen and Hea took off after him, they tore upstairs and back down, laughing. Both of them were chattering, making that high pitched "Krikrikri" sound.

Hari was extremely fast, but not as fast as his mother. But the dress was completely in the way, after he managed to move sideways out of her grasp several times she shed that and took off after Hari again.

Finally they got Hari cornered, Hea grabbed him and held his squirming body because there was no way in hell that Harlen could hold him, even at barely three years old he was way stronger than Harlen was.

They were laughing so hard they both had tears in their eyes by the time they finally captured him. The house was a disaster, furniture knocked over, things strewn everywhere.

They got the pants on him, got them fastened, then the shirt. Hea released Hari, he was out of the clothes and naked in two seconds flat. Laughing like maniacs, they chased him all over the house again, finally getting the clothes on a second time.

But the third time Hari finally gave up and allowed it.

Harlen gave them a few days to settle in and adjust to wearing clothing. Then he loaded them in his truck to drive to town. That didn't work so well at first, Hari jumped out several times and took off, and Hea jumped out to run him down and bring him back. Hea would reach down and grab the bottom of her dress and take off, her legs a blur.

Harlen was glad there was no one around to see that, he would have one hell of a time explaining it.

The boy seemed to delight in running and being chased, Harlen suspected he would become even more of a terror when he got older.

It was start and stop, almost all the way to town. They tried putting Hari in the back since he would not stay in the seat, but as soon as they were moving he darted aross the cab and down the hood and took off. Harlen was afraid to drive very fast but once when Hari jumped out at almost 30 MPH and just hit the ground running with Hea right behind him he didn't worry too much after that.

Finally as they got close to town Hea chattered to him and he settled down. Harlen knew the boy was just playing, everything was new to him.

"Hey, got yourself a lady friend, Harlen?" The old shopkeeper asked when they walked in. His eyes looked her up and down, then drifted to Hari standing there. Hari was now on his best behavior, Hea had whispered something to him outside again and he had calmed down instantly.

Hea just stood there holding Hari's hand tightly, watching the man. Harlen knew she had probably never really seen anyone else before, except perhaps from a distance when he had field workers.

"Yea." Harlen grunted, then he ordered several bags of seed. The shopkeeper kept looking at Hea as he filled out the order, Harlen paid him, then went around to the pallets of sacks. He shouldered one of them, carried it outside and loaded it on his truck.

He turned and there stood Hea and Hari right behind him, Hea had one sack under each arm and Hari had one on his shoulder. The shopkeeper stood in the doorway with a shocked look on his face.

Harlen could understand his expression, what looked like a 3 or 4 year old boy had a hundred pound sack on his shoulder, carrying it with ease.

It was too late to do anything about that so Harlen just went in and grabbed another of the 100 pound sacks.

"I heard tell them Chinese folks worked hard but I didn't know they was so strong like that." The shopkeeper muttered, watching as Hari grabbed another sack and headed out to the truck.

Hea looked at Harlen closely, she realized the mistake. Harlen just grinned and shrugged at her, so she went over and picked up two more sacks and took them out to the truck. She flipped them effortlessly into the back of the truck and went back in for more.

"Damn!" The old shopkeeper muttered.

Just then Hari spotted a basket with some imported Apples, he grabbed one and his claw came out and sliced off a piece, which he popped into his mouth.

"Damn!" The shopkeeper said again, his eyes as big as silver dollars.

"We will take a dozen pounds of those Apples." Harlen told him as Hea went by with two more grain sacks.

The shopkeeper wrote up the Apples, but his eyes kept darting back and forth between Hea and the boy. Then he grinned.

"That one is on me." He said, pointing to where Hari was now happily sitting on the floor eating the Apple.

Harlen knew there would be some stories going around town now, nothing to do about that. Hari sat calmly in the seat all the way out to the farm, eating one Apple after another. Hea seemed subdued.

"Chika yie ke yie?" She asked, wanting to know if things were all right after they finished unloading and were back inside the house.

"It's OK, we just need to be more careful." He told her. Then Hea went over to Hari, they chattered in their singsong lanquage for a solid half hour. Harlen got some of it, she was explaining to Hari that the outside people would not understand and that meant danger.

Spring became Summer, then the Fall harvest was in and done once again. It was a fair year, and with the other people's help Harlen was showing a profit of way more than he did when he had to use so many migrants. A few workers did show up but Harlen didn't dare hire any of them.

Hari grew like a weed, too. He was now just four years old, but already nearly five feet tall. By the time Hari was six he could speak english as well as Harlen could. During the long Winter months Harlen taught him to read, write, do math, he even bought some books on history and learned himself while he was teaching the boy.

There were no more demonstrations of his massive strength, except for rare situations when they were sure no one was around.

At age eight did begin to develop a mustache and beard. That was obvious, it was much thicker and darker than the fine facial hair he sported.

The rest of his body had quite a bit of hair but he looked like a normal hairy man of about 20.

Harlen now waxed Hea periodically, the hair on her body mercifully grew back very slowly. It took nearly six months each time, first the fine hairs would appear, almost invisible. Then they would thicken and begin to darken, that was when he would once again remove it. He also noticed it seemed to be less and less each time. One odd thing was she delighted in it, yelping in what seemed to be pleasure each time her jerked a strip off.

He never bothered with her fuzzy tail, he actually liked it. Another plus was she now used english most of the time, and she didn't need to tip her head back to form the words. She still had difficulty with making the sound "T" but Harlen was used to that.

One day a front tire went flat on his big Farmall tractor, so Hari went with him to help him change it. Hari just picked up the front end off the ground while Harlen unbolted the wheel. As he was pulling the next to last lug he heard a car coming. Hari quickly dropped the tractor back down but it was too late.

There were two men, migrant workers, looking for work. Harlen spoke to them, they kept looking at Hari and back at Harlen. Harlen told them he didn't have any work, they got back in the car and left. The one man on the passenger side kept looking back until they were out of sight.

Harlen looked at his son. He was well over six feet tall and around 250 pounds. He was a fully grown man, now just nine years old.

Harlen had a feeling there was trouble brewing.

It wasn't very long before he knew he was right about that. First the sheriff showed up, asking questions. Harlen knew Sheriff Mendoza fairly well. He wanted to know where the workers were, and who the man was that was living with them.

Harlen told him that Hea was his wife and Hari was his son, that was a mistake. The Sheriff knew darn good and well that Harlen had been single less than a decade earlier. He also didn't buy it that they did all the work themselves.

Harlen tried to pass it off as from an earlier marriage, but Sheriff Mendoza obviously didn't believe him. Harlen knew that now there were stories going around. How did he harvest over 1000 acres every year with no help for one thing?

There had to be some illegal migrant workers there somehow. Harlen knew that a lot of it would be coming from the other growers, he was beating everyone to market each year, and with heavy prime crops. Later in the season the prices fell, his competition didn't like that at all.

It was just two days later when the government did an immigration raid. They surrounded the house, Harlen got up and went out, Hari right behind. Several men heavily armed stood around. Hea stayed in the house, two men swept past him and inside despite his protests.

A man who appeared to be in charge asked Hari for his documents. Hari never said a word, he seldom did anyway.

"He is my son!" Harlen tried to explain. Hari just looked at them. Just then the other men came out of the house with Hea in tow.

She wasn't resisting, she looked at Harlen for what to do.

"Looky here!" One man exclaimed, holding up the hem of her dress to display her fuzzy tail.

"Leave her alone!" Harlen demanded, heading towards him. He stopped when another man pointed a rifle at him. Hea just stood there, her head down, but her eyes darted up to the man with the rifle. Harlen saw her body tense slightly, her fingers opened.

One of the men reached out and clipped handcuffs on Hari. Hea's eyes darted to the handcuffs, they narrowed, her nostrils flared. Hari allowed it but shot a questioning look at Harlen, his body tensed up also.