War of the Races Ch. 20

I nodded in agreement as I asked, "Do any other cave dwellings Animal species live there other than bears?"

Coella shook her head as she answered, "Maha and Tampa traveled these parts more often than I. If there was any integration of other species of Animals living here, I never heard of it. But, from what I heard from Maha and Tampa I think only bears lived in this den."

"We will have to go with that then," I replied, "I know you may not like this, but I am going to ask you all to remain here again while I investigate the cave."

"I don't feel good about this," Huxian replied with a shake of her head.

"I agree with Huxian," Coella added with a sour, hating to admit that she agreed with anything Huxian had to say, "Bears are notorious foragers, and could be out and about and return at any moment."

"It feels too quiet," Shahad transmitted to everyone through her pheromone link, "We should stick together."

"I agree with the others," Quebracho whispered in my ear as she danced away like an ethereal shadow in my mind.

"Fine," I growled, but the fact was I was worried for them. I absolutely did not want them getting infected by whatever the disease was. Shapeshifting into my hybrid-lion form, Quebracho's Barkskin armor receded back into the silver bracer as I called upon Moonfire to cover my arms, shoulders, and back. Walking slowly toward the Earthmother's Den, I looked back over my shoulder and said, "Stay close to me!"

When the forest opened up to reveal Earthmother's Den it was nothing like how I imagined it. It was a small lakeside village on the northern tip of Lake Gaia. It was built between the lake and the high ridge of a narrow plateau where the geography made a natural funnel giving them protection on two sides. To the north and south they built large rock walls with wooden gates just large enough to allow two male bears to pass through side-by-side.

The gates were wide open as we approached, giving me an ominous feeling as we passed through. Within it the walls were large round hut-like homes. Approaching the first couple of huts Coella and Huxian knocked on large, heavy, doors. They figured if they were occupied then they were less fear inspiring than I was in my current hybrid-lion form. When no one answered they threw the latches and pushed the doors open revealing that the huts were little more than sleeping quarters.

Moving further into the village there were more tradecraft specific buildings. In the center of the village was a large circular communal dining hall with a single large chimney above eight fire pits where eight chefs would normally be preparing meals. From the center fire pits there was an outer ring made of eight chefs tables where they prepared the rest of their food. The rest of the area was dedicated to large tables and chairs where the village patrons would sit and eat. Like the spokes of a wheel there were eight entrances to the dining hall. In between the entrances were long half walls set up as bars with large casks of honey wine and mead serving men and women that needed to eat but didn't have the time or desire to sit inside and socialize.

There were fires still burning in the fire pits. Smoke still bellowed from the chimneys. Plates of food sat on tables, and pints of mead scattered across the bars.

"It feels like everyone just picked up and left in the middle of eating," Coella mumbled.

"Something has happened, and fairly recently," Huxian agreed as she found a large thigh of roasted meat and sniffed it.

"I wouldn't," I called over, but she was already taking terrifying bites out of the thick chunk of meat with hungry abandon.

"That is one hungry vixen," Quebracho chuckled, "Though judging by the shapeliness of that thigh, I think it might be one of her cousins."

I groaned inside as I shook my head at Quebracho's imaginary shadow just behind my shoulder. Finding a plate of berries and other assorted fruits I picked up the plate and carried it with me as I continued my investigation.

Leaving the dining hall, I looked out toward Gaia's Lake and saw a strange glimmer. Starting off in that direction, Shahad, Coella, and Huxian, still holding on to her half eaten thigh, followed a few yards behind. Once I reached the glimmer the mud, rock, and water began swirling in a circle. Sliding to a halt, I held my arms out for the others to stay back.

"Be careful," Quebracho whispered as she peered over my shoulder, "I sense a presence."

"Is it hostile," I asked.

"What? How should I know," Coella said from behind me.

"No," Quebracho answered, "Not hostile, more like resigned... and concerned."

"I get a feeling of home" Shahad broadcast through her pheromone link..

"You can hear me and Quebracho talking to each other," I asked in surprise.

"Not exactly," Shahad replied with a shake of her head and hips that set her abdomen quivering as it shook back and forth exaggeratedly, "I sense Quebracho's presence, and I know it is her you're speaking to, but I can not hear her."

"Whoo what a relief," Quebracho chortled, "If she could hear all the naughty things I whisper in your ears... It would be so embarrassing... for you that is!"

I gave Quebracho a mental toothy grin as I shot mental eye beams of death at her as I retorted sarcastically, "Shouldn't you be taking a nap or something!"

"Ahh, my Honey-lion, you wound me! Don't you know, I sleep when you sleep my furry Fox-cat," Quebracho teased, "Besides, if I were to fall asleep on the job, who would keep you in clothes, Honeybuns?"

"You just wait until tonight, we are going to have a long talk about your honey names," I promised in a no nonsense tone.

"Oh you promise," She quipped as she pirouetted away while laughing, "I will be counting the seconds. No, the minutes. Well, actually, maybe the hours..."

I shook my head and ignored her, feeding into her banter was usually highly amusing, but not very productive. Looking over my shoulder at Huxian I warned her, "Be on your guard."

She nodded, and I stepped into the swirling mud, rocks, and water. Bending over I picked up a semi-transparent honey-golden diamond that had somehow been carved into the likeness of an incredibly fat or pregnant woman with large breasts that rested on her large belly. It took a second for me to realize that as soon as I touched the idol all sound had stopped.

A motion in my periphery brought my head up to watch as the earth, rock, and water tightened its rotation as they joined together and coalesced into first the feet, and then the legs of a woman. Within seconds, built from her feet up to her hair, was a supernaturally beautiful black woman. She was human with skin of rich black soil, her eyes and her teeth were of the purest white granite, and her long, curly, black hair was made of onyx. She was distinctively black in form and figure. With a wide, but small nose, eyes that were slightly tilted up, prominent cheekbones, but a small angular jaw with a sharp chin, and a wide overly-plump mouth. She had a long slim neck that met slim shoulders. She looked like she would be of a long lithe frame with the exception of large fat breasts and an even larger pregnant belly.

After her formation, she stood there in front of me naked with her arm corralling her breasts and pushing them forward and out as she reached down, placing her hands on her belly as if she were trying to help hold the weight of what was inside. Taking a step toward me, she whispered, "Son of Midgard, I am Gaia."