To Save a World Ch. 05

"Well, that takes care of that." Trasnu remarked drily, taking the object and examining it. He turned it this way and that, watching as the finger swiveled to consistently point to the same direction.

"So we're going to go off to meet this Queen, then. Any idea who she is?" Aaron leisurely brought food into his mouth as he talked.

"A few," replied the old hunter, "And none of them particularly pleasant. When it comes to powerful beings, arrogance often goes hand in hand with all the other bad things."

"That... seems dangerous. Do we really need to go?"

"Yes, we do. Otherwise we risk the anger of a being powerful enough to command a creature of the Night such as our ugly friend. We do not want to anger such a creature."

"Is everybody in agreement that this should be our next course of action?" The young man hesitantly inquired.

"Young master, I can honestly say that I have nothing better to do for now. So, yes, I agree."

Aaron grinned sheepishly to the sound of chuckles around the fire. "Yes, I do agree as well." Serche chimed in, "The old dog said it himself - there is nothing else for us anywhere else."

"And you, Lydia?"

"I go where you go."

Aaron softly smiled at her. "Well, that's it, then. Off to the Queen we go."

"Except not really. This-" Trasnu interjected, holding up the finger-compass. "Is yet a far-off goal, and this merely brings us back to the very beginning of our thoughts. What are we to do in the immediate future? Say, later in the day, tomorrow - the next season?"

"You know what to do, Trasnu. Why don't you tell us?" Serche's gaze held a slight annoyance to the man's antics. The old dog knew full well that he was the one with the greatest experience and knowledge regarding this matter, so why must he need to show it off by rubbing their ignorance into their faces?

"No, I will not tell you." The Old Hunter replied slowly, looking at his companions in the eye meaningfully. "I will not tell you because I want you to learn. And I want you to learn because I cannot be guiding your paws forever. I want to teach you young'uns to think for yourselves. In this world, the weak and the reliant are the easiest prey - and the easiest prey is the soonest to be eaten. So." He leveled his gaze at Aaron. "What next, master? Think."

Aaron looked at the beastman in contemplation. In the back of his mind, he marveled at how the man's atmosphere could shift from being light as a sunny day to as grave as a tomb under the rain in a matter of moments. However, the hunter was thinking sensibly, even though deep inside he was wondering why the hunter can't teach them while also ensuring their safety at the same time.

"The first thing I would think of is to go and find a town, or a human settlement." The young man began. "However, we're going to have some complications there given that all four of us are basically escaped slaves. Plus, we don't know where we are. Plus, I have a feeling that we're terribly unprepared to have that kind of journey in the first place. I mean, we're surviving just fine, but what if another run'an-situation happened?"

"I doubt we're going to encounter another Black Wall, but I see your meaning. So what do you suggest?"

"I don't exactly know. We probably have to devote a lot more time to... preparation? Doing what we can to prepare. Like teaching me and Lydia to be able to keep up with you guys and not be burdens-"

"Master, you're hardly a-"

"Yes, it is well that you realize," Serche glared as Trasnu cut her off, "It will not do anyone good for you to coddle our master, Serche. We have to accept it at it is. They slow us down, they make so much noise when they move that half the forest hears it, they do not know where to go, know not what plants to eat or touch or leave alone. They lack the very basics. They are pups wandering in a vicious, uncaring, and deadly world. Without us, our master and our friend will die in a heartbeat. It would only lead us to ruin if we fail to address these weaknesses, and there is no shame in that."

Serche glared at Trasnu even more, but she knew he was right. He didn't have to put it so... bluntly, though. She looked at Aaron in embarrassment.

"It's okay, Serche. I understand, and I agree with Trasnu perfectly. Although I didn't really know that I sucked that much." He winced.

"As I said, master. This situation makes whelps out of all of us." Trasnu consoled him this time.

"So that's step one, I think, for Lydia and I. Learn to be better woodsmen. How long would that take, anyway?"

"Hmm. In the Clan, our whelps are taught and trained as soon as they can walk. They are typically allowed down into the Floor in their twelfth or fifteenth year."

Aaron's jaw dropped to the ground. "You're talking about years? We can't stay here for years! "

"I doubt it. Those were our young, after all. Unless you're as difficult to teach as our tottering pups?" Trasnu brought a piece of meat to his lips, his eyes holding a glint of challenge to them as he questioned Aaron.

"No," The young man replied steadily. "I think not." He looked at his side and met Lydia's eyes. She wasn't as fluent with the language as he was, but he was plainly astonished by what she's achieved in just a few short days. She's already mastered basic words and can hold simple conversations, and although the more advanced nuances of the language eluded her pronunciation she understood them enough, and can guess most of what's happening through context.

Simply put, Lydia seemed to be a linguistic genius - and she understood enough of the conversation to have the light of determination shine in her eyes. Lydia smiled at him sweetly.

Trasnu smiled at him in approval, one of the rare moments that Aaron thought his canine, golden-brown eyes actually looked at him with calculation instead of amusement. "Good," The old hunter murmured. "Good."

"So that makes a good first step. My own and Lydia's basic survival training. Anything else we ought to be doing?" Aaron addressed the group, eating his seemingly forgotten food. The meat was not as hot, and the unseasoned fare tasted bland on his tongue. The texture was alright, though, and coupled with the roasted roots it made for a nourishing meal.

Trasnu resisted the urge to butt in. He had fifty things lined up that needed to be done - but this was an important moment for his master. This group of pups had to think for themselves - only then can they have a measure of assurance in surviving this ordeal. He would never admit it, but Trasnu was worried. Very worried; for Serche, for his master and little Lydia, for their future, about this Queen. They were leaves caught up in vast winds of fortune, and leaves have no power over where they go.

The only thing that would assuage his worry would be to ensure that his companions are capable enough to save themselves. And they are - everything is already there. Aaron keeps a level head, is calm even in the face of danger, and thinks things through intelligently. Serche is a Shamanic genius, the likes of which the Clan has not seen for generations. Lydia, with her quick thinking and brilliance. The seeds are there, he just needs to nourish it. Guide them as they sprout from the ground on their own.

So instead of taking care of everything, the Old Hunter resolved to use this time of non-urgency to place himself in a purely guiding role. That didn't mean he would leave them completely on their own, but that he would get them used to responsibility as fast as he can. Their survival must not completely rest on anyone else's ability. His gaze landed on the contemplating Serche, thoughtfully chewing on her morning's fare.

"One thing that has been bothering me is the fact that we don't know exactly where we are. " Serche mused from her spot on the dirt on Aaron's left side.

"Oh, that's a good point." He agreed. "I thought you guys would have more idea than I do, being from this world and all."

Serche and Trasnu stared at him, a huge 'really?' written on their faces. Even Lydia glanced up at him as she silently tuned in to their conversations, nibbling a berry. Aaron realized how stupid that sounded. "Oh, well, I didn't really mean that-" To save himself from his embarrassment, he shoved food into his mouth and mumbled something incoherent.

The trio waited for him to finish, their lips twitching with barely restrained laughter. "What I meant was- Well, I didn't mean anything. Nobody knows where we are. Period."

Trasnu finally allowed himself a hearty chuckle, while the rest of the group smiled at his small blunder. It wasn't even so much as the fact that he made a shallow assumption - but that it bothered him so much that he got embarrassed over it. "Yes, that does seem like a sound concern, Serche. We'd have to at least have an idea of where we are so that we could begin our journey to better places."

"So that means, what- reconnaissance? Scouting? Will we be able to do that, Trasnu?"

"My master, you have the best man for the job." Trasnu replied, sketching a bow.

Aaron rolled his eyes at him in reply. "Speaking of a journey, what exactly do we need? I mean, in terms of materials. Supplies."

"Hmm," Serche thought about it, seeming to completely forget the existence of one of the Clan's Head Hunter within the camp. "We can hunt or forage for food, but anything that would keep would help greatly. Weapons, of course - we'd have to try our hand at making those, soon. I think that's about-"

"Clothes!" Lydia seemed to suddenly burst from where she was snuggled contentedly beside Aaron. "You people forget clothes!" Both her pronunciation and diction struggled, but the group perceived her meaning. They were severely lacking in apparel.

"Yes! I can't believe I didn't think of that first." Aaron exclaimed in agreement. It seemed to be something so simple, but the more he thought about it, the more crucial it actually became in his mind. Clothes served as their primary protection against the weather, which directly affects their health, as getting sick would surely be akin to a death sentence so deep within the wilds. Strangely enough, they hadn't encountered rain in their spot of the forest so far, but when that happened Aaron was sure everything would change a great deal. The temperature would be the first and most important, but there was also the humidity, the wetness, even the kind of insects that would attack them after the rain. More than that, their clothing served as their primary defense for the harsh vegetation around them.

The young man couldn't fault the Rakan for somewhat neglecting this aspect of their survival - they hardly needed clothes themselves. Their fur regulated their temperature and served as armor against the sharpness of the forest's million claws, so several pieces of covering would hardly be their priority.

Trasnu nodded his agreement, chiding himself for missing this particular detail about his human companions. "We should be able to hunt for animals with hides, and cure them ourselves. They will be crude but they'd be far better than nothing."

"Yes, I have a few methods that would help." Serche pitched in.

"Not just clothes. M... Cloth for sleep- Blankets!" Lydia struggled to get her point across.

Trasnu nodded thoughtfully. "Well, since we're at it anyway, I wonder if it would be possible to fashion some simple leather armor."

"I think we can! The method Leiyis taught me would help us greatly-"

Their discussion livened up from there, discussing the possibilities available to them by the means that they have right now - which was apparently not as hopeless as Aaron thought. Apparently Serche could brew several magical potions that would be immensely helpful to several stages in the curing process of hides. Trasnu was delighted to hear that, and rattled off possibilities for his idea of armor. From there, the pair talked shop excitedly, all the while their hands seemed to unconsciously deliver food to their mouths, their conversation magically uninterrupted by the chewing both of them had to do. Lydia pitched in from time to time, but mostly she just tuned in with interest.

Aaron smiled, his own hand delivering meat and burnt-tasting, cardboard-textured tuber to his mouth. Everything seemed to be going well, for the moment. Now if only they could have just a bit of seasoning to this food... The young man shook his head. No use wanting things impossible to have. Besides, he's glad to just be eating.

He quickly finished his meal and set his plate aside, excited for what the day might hold. Lydia got up and started to pull on his sleeve. "Where are you going?" He asked.

The small woman looked at him with brows raised. "The river. It's time for our bath. "

"Oh!" Aaron got up and swallowed, looking at the ground. Lydia tugged at him impatiently. "Uh, we'll be back in a little bit-"

"Oh, take as long as you need." Trasnu was grinning at him, then he glanced at Serche.

"That's right, master. We already took our baths earlier this morning - thank you for asking - so you can take all the time that you want."

"Ugh," Aaron hastily retreated from what was steadily becoming a crude, raucous teasing at his expense, and let Lydia drag him to the direction of the river. She giggled as she looked back at him, wide eyes full of excitement. She was quite a vision, her pale, dainty form framed on all sides by varying shades of green. Her skin seemed to glow under the morning light, her hair - which had grown just so over the past three days - seemed brighter and more vibrant; a mane of pure fire in the making, but for now looking like a chaotic explosion of spiky hair, with just a hint of a curl visible in her short strands. Her body had filled out somewhat, as well, and whereas before she looked thin to the point of fragility, now her body displayed hints of compact curves in her hips and legs. Aaron watched the two globes of her ass shift in her baggy pants as she walked, the coarse material hinting at the treasures beneath. She suddenly looked back at him and caught him staring at her ass, which earned him a gleeful titter and an added urgency to their pace.

Sex has changed ever since three days ago. That first night, their clothes still damp, steam still rising from their skin and their souls still shaken to the core, Aaron and Lydia turned to each other for comfort. It was a lovemaking so different to the ones that they had before; something that was not meant to satiate their baser needs but something to reassure their human souls. Their clothes weren't even completely off as she straddled Aaron's lap, his warmth banishing the cold deep inside her as his touch banished the cold without. They clung to each other through their mutual orgasms, arms still wrapped around each other as the new day dawned.

Ever since then it had been different, in ways that Aaron can't exactly vocalize. Their actions are unhurried, confident, sure. Even now Lydia turned to him, managing to walk backwards for several steps, and flashed him a smile that brightened the interior of the forest. Aaron walked a little faster, and soon they arrived at their destination. Past the thick, overhead canopy of the ancient forest that they were in, the sunlight reasserted its dominance over the world. It was an extraordinarily bright day; real, blinding sunlight being in short supply within the forest. But here, on the bank of a vast, shining river, the sunlight bathed them with its cheery warmth.

Ahead of him, Lydia turned towards him and grinned. In one swift motion her coarse tunic was nowhere on her body and was on the pebbled ground, baring her naked torso to the world. She shone like a beacon, her pale skin reflected the light like a prized pearl, her delighted smile worth more than a thousand gems. She was so beautiful that it stopped him dead in his tracks. Aaron gulped as she finished discarding her baggy trousers, revealing more smooth skin as she seemingly danced on her way to the edges of the river. He started moving only when she laughingly yelled at him to get a move on.

Aaron had a sudden premonition; this bath is going to take a long time.

He was already naked when he arrived by Lydia's side, standing with her hands clasped bashfully behind her even as she licked her lips and stared at his engorging manhood. "So I was thinking," He began as he neared her, "Doesn't it seem like such a waste to get into the water while we're still clean?"

Lydia made a sound that might have been a coo and might have been a distracted "hmm". By now he was already close enough to Lydia that the tip of his jutting cock was grazing the skin of her stomach, to her utter delight.

Whatever corny line he had in his mind about 'getting dirty' disappeared when she looked up from below him. Although he was but half a head taller, he seemed to tower over her delicate frame as she laid her hands lightly on his hips and smiled up at him. Her gaze gets him all the time - eyes bright as swirling pools of lava, and full of adoration so innocent and pure that it melts his heart and hardens his cock to steel-like quality.

They were already kissing before he even noticed. His lips were drinking her in, one hand cupping the nape of her neck, pressing her closer to him, while the other took advantage of her supple ass. Their kiss was slow, simmering, their bodies melting together in the beginning throes of ecstasy. They separated, gulped for air. They hadn't been breathing.

A cry died in Lydia's throat as Aaron tilted her body parallel to the ground, easily supported by his arms as he lowered them both to the smooth, pebbly riverbank. The rocks were cold and dug on Aaron's palms and knees, but he'd suffer through worse if it meant being inside the woman before him. Lydia's eyes were lidded and intense, no doubt also disregarding the suffering of the hard surface beneath her, as she readily opened up to him and hooked her legs on his hips. His cock was poised to enter her, kissing the wetness of her slit.

Amidst his lust, he did think of warming her up with foreplay - if only the young woman didn't find such things to be a waste of time. 'Why settle for your fingers when I can have your cock inside me?' She asked once, and he'd never really been able to give a reply. Besides, Lydia seemed to always be wet anyway.

That first thrust would always burn in Aaron's mind. He could feel her himself squeezing past her tight entrance, her insides bathing him in liquid heat, seeming to liquefy his member as he pushed more and more of him into her. Balls deep inside Lydia, he could not know where he ended and where she began.

The legs which were wrapped around him separated, opening up her pussy for his plunder. Her hands clung to his shoulders as she whimpered her pleasure right in his ear. His arms were under her, supporting her and claiming her in equal measure. He made deep moans, their cheeks pressed to each other. Their bodies so pressed together in their mating, yet he moved smoothly in and out of her well-lubricated hole. His hips began a slow, unhurried rhythm until soon it was punishingly driving into Lydia's depths.

Sweat already beaded on Aaron's torso as he labored atop the young woman's writhing body, her eyes shut tight in pleasure and only occasionally gracing him with an encouraging, half-lidded stare. His hips rose and fell, rose and fell, his knees sure to get bruised by the unyielding texture of the smooth, small stones of the bank. She squealed every time he bottomed out on her, she would pant whenever she wasn't squealing, and in moments in between she would flash him glorious, lustful smiles.

It was probably one of those that did him in, because one moment he was leisurely pacing himself, and the next he was slamming into her with such vigor that her keening voice would be cut off from the impact of their bodies. He passed that point - the one where he always felt like he was falling into a deep, pleasurable abyss - and then his thrusts were numbered.