World of Ranicke Bk. 02 Ch. 01

I am going to add this since I had some congenital idiot in my other story take nudity of anyone under 18 the wrong way. In the case of that story it is a lycan story and for the most part they stripped before changing and that included the children. I liken it to nudist going on vacation to a nudist beach where it means nothing other than you aren't wearing anything.

In this case though I haven't mentioned it at some point it might come up when it comes to bathing and especially since Nasha takes care of children of ages up to about 5. I don't know how many of you have children but I have three and till they were about 5 and we were sure they could bath completely we bathed them. With Nasha it would be the same. The adults normally bath earlier than the children since they have things to do. Now if someone is a parent they might bring them to the bath before dropping them off. If so then there is going to be some sort of nudity.

When there is nudity of anyone under 18 it is simply going to be something along the lines of 'his mother stripped her son down and stepped into the water to get him clean'. I am sorry if this offends you since any and all sexual relationships are going to be the equivalent of 18+. The reason I say that is they live longer than human's and so their age of maturity is older than it would be for us.

So having said that I hope that you keep enjoying the story that I am writing. Oh, the more feedback the better. I want to know what you like, dislike, verbal sparring that you find amusing and things like that. It helps me improve my story. Any suggestions you feel like making would be appreciated as well. I might not use them but would appreciate them.

I am going to be scattering flashbacks through some of the chapters. Much of this chapter is flashbacks covering his entry into the tribe and a bit of history for those who might not have read the first story.

One other thing I am going to say is that there is some reality in this. If you are nursing you lactate and making love can cause it to sort of over flow. Also if you just had a child you won't be up for anything really active for a while for most women. If that bothers you skip this chapter.

Chapter 1

Jim was sitting in a chair staring moodily out the front of the tent. The rain was coming down like nobody's business and that was really annoying. As humid as it was he wasn't about to break out any of his instruments and try to tune them to play any songs. He could always keep transcribing songs from his world but that just didn't catch his fancy at the moment. Sorrel was doing a bit of sewing and the other three their own things as well.

Nasha was still babysitting and acting as a wet nurse, Nora he had discovered was a wood carver and was quietly whistling as she worked. She was working on a matched set of mating mugs for a new couple who had commissioned them. The younger kids were starting to wake from their naps and the older any chores that needed doing.

Jim's thoughts wandered back to their arrival at the monsoon location and that had been a royal bitch. The rains had started early this year and it had taken two miserable days of cleaning out the old trenches that directed the rain away. They had some new clans members as well and had to create a few new ones. Trying to dig the latrines had been an act in futility since for every shovel of mud cleaned out of the stone lined holes it seemed like two more poured in. This was the only location where they had actual rock lined holes or it would never have worked.

On top of that though his arm had healed it wasn't and never would be 100% and days like this made it ache enough to make him grouchy. He took another sip of the juice and rubbed his shoulder and sighed. There were some things he could do but not while he was grumpy. They were barely even mounting patrols since any animal stupid enough to go out in this rain would probably drown.

As he was thinking Alon had woken and stumbled over and crawled in his lap. "Afternoon poppe." The baby was no longer a baby and was almost six years old. He looked out over the rain and finally asked a question that had been bothering him. "Poppe can I ask you a question?" For some reason he had grown up a very proper young man and tended to speak that way.

Jim gathered the boy close and smiled. "Well you can ask but till I know the question I am not sure I will be able to answer. Some answers will have to wait till you are older." Alon was a quiet boy and didn't say a great deal but paid a great deal of attention to what was going on. When he did ask a question it was sure to be a good one.

"Well Poppe why am I the only Puma here? Well other than Auntie Sheeha. I know you have adopted a number of the orphans or at least have them come to you when they have questions or someone to talk to. You and Mamma Sorrel have Morgan, Mamma Nasha has Eelios and Keirie but what about me?"

Jim contemplated the question and decided some of the story would be good for the boy to here. He had sort of been waiting for this day for some time. "Before I tell you some of the story let's get everyone else who might want to listen around." He raised his voice slightly. "If anyone wants to hear a story they had better hurry to the potty and back." The littles knew that if they didn't take their rain capes and tracked mud and water all over they would get yelled at. Well the mud was a bit harder but since they were furred for the most part they would drip water and that annoyed Nasha a great deal.

That got a rush and he had to smile as the older kids helped the younger into the rain cloaks and hurried out. Jim had long since given up on all the various terms used to name the different races children. They were simply his kids and that was all there was to it. As he was waiting for them to come back he was stroking Alon's ears and hair and humming quite contentedly. Since he had been allowed into the tribe his life had settled down and he had very few complaints. Those first few hectic months had settled down and now he was simply a warrior and journeyman songsmith.

Eldon occasionally tried to urge him to become a master songsmith but Jim would simply smile at him and ask him what else did he need. He had his family, well very large family, several ladies that loved him, children he had never really expected to have, and was content. He knew that Moran was training him as a potential chief but Moran also had several other children and they were all receiving the same training. Nobody had been named as his heir that they knew of and as far as the Squorrel's that didn't matter since they were sure he would pick the best.

Jim did worry since he wasn't sure he was the right one for the job. There were some nights that he still woke with nightmares of his former life and knew that some of the tribe wondered as well. As he was waiting his mind wandered back to after he had asked to become a tribe member.

The morning following his request to join the tribe Chief Moran had called him to his caravan. "Jim before we can bring you in as a tribe's member it is a requirement that you appear in front of the elders and masters. This is going to happen this afternoon and be prepared for many questions and far more detailed expectation of information than when you last talked to an elder." Moran had two chairs, one was his 'chief's' chair where he dealt with tribe issues and he was using that one at the moment.

Jim gave him a level look and nodded. "I expected as much Chief and will answer to the best of my abilities. Some things they ask about either might not have an answer or one that will simply make no sense in your culture." Others he simply wouldn't answer since he had signed confidentiality statements. "I know we have talked in general about where I came from but our world views are so totally different that a concept that makes sense to you won't to me. As an example the incident with the bracelet."

Moran couldn't help but smile slightly. "What is world view? To me it would be looking out at the world and viewing it." He was both being serious and making a slight joke.

Jim couldn't help but smile back a bit. "As per my world the world view is how a person views life. In my world view we very rarely ever share a bath or shower unless we are being intimate with another person. In your world view you strip, hop in, and start getting clean. This is what I mean by some concepts simply won't translate." Thank god that one elder had never been returned to elder status or it could have gotten ugly in there.

Moran leaned back in his chair and contemplated the man in front of him. "I think I see what you mean. A word might mean one thing to me and another to you and without the correct worldview how to ask the right question simply isn't there. Maybe I should say isn't there unless you spend a fair amount of time discussing it and even then it might never really be understood." That made very good sense and he had seen it before. Different tribes did use some words describe different things. "Come over immediately after lunch and expect to be here most of the afternoon and probably till dinner time."

He bowed slightly. "Yes Chief I will be here immediately after lunch and ensure the ladies know I won't be available." Since it appeared the interview was over he left the chiefs pavilion. He spent the morning working on the manual that Eldon had given him to try and learn the musical notations this world used.

Eventually lunch rolled around and after he had eaten he could see a number of the elders and masters start gathering he stood and contemplated his axe and decided he didn't need it for this. He did make sure the apprentice bracelet and totem necklace was showing as he walked over.

Jim was brought out of his thoughts as Alon tapped his nose. "No taking nappy now. We all here." He had seen the distant look in Jim's eyes and had to tease him a bit. All the younger kits were gathered around when Alon got his poppe's attention.

Jim started laughing. "Nothing like that silly. Just thinking back to everything that happened." He kicked his feet up on a small stool he had made for just that purpose and shifted a bit till he was comfortable. "Well this all happened when you just a wee baby, maybe 4 or 5 months old."

"We had just come from the rain ceremony with the Puma tribe and were heading towards the rainy season grounds we use to wait out all the rain." Jim had to pause and chuckle. "The amount of rain here shocked me but anyways on the way there we were attacked by bandits." His eyes were becoming distant again as he was remembering. "Your mother was carrying you from one caravan to another and was caught in the wrong spot. I tried to save her but wasn't able to. When I rolled her over to check I found you. After the battle Piquel checked and you didn't have any family and because I had saved you I became your guardian."

Jim took a sip of the juice and was a bit startled when he found a plate of what he called nibbles and picked one up and took a bite. Once he gathered his thoughts again he started speaking again. "I didn't find out till the next day after I had awoken from the sleep meds they had given me." He felt Alon's hand lightly stroke his right arm.

"Is that where you got this poppe?" They had all seen the scar that ran down the outside of his arm and the one in his shoulder and had wondered. Poppe Jim didn't really talk about some things much and this was the most he had ever really said.

"Yes son that is where I received these two wounds, well and a few minor ones." Since his right arm was curled around Alon he reached down and stroked the ears of an elf child they were watching during the day. She didn't have parents but did have grandparents and a lovely voice. "I went over to Moran's tent to ask to be granted entry into the clan and to pay court to Sorrel as well as Mama Nasha and Mama Nora." He had to snort slightly since that had caused quite a ruckus through the camp when it had been announced.

"That was when I discovered I was to be your guardian. There were a few minor problems such as my not being at the very least a Puma tribe's member and a human to boot." He laughed when he said that. "That was when I was informed I had another addition to the household that was growing of Sheeha to teach you what it means to be a Puma tribe's man." He was grinning since the three ladies had been less than thrilled to have the addition of an attractive young feline to the household.

"When Piquel told me I was your guardian till you are of age I told him I would raise you as my son and would ensure that both you and Sheeha were well taken care of." He lifted his left hand and lightly tickled the boy and got a giggle from him and had to smile. "I also asked permission to adopt or at least act as loco parentis for the orphans I had been learning music with. With some that might have been a mistake." He waved a fist at one boy and got an unrepentant grin back.

"Poppe Jim I am just keeping you on your toes and nothing else. You know you are getting up there in years and need to keep active." It was one of the older boys he had started learning with and could get in trouble standing still. He had lived through this but sitting here holding one or two of the little ones kept him from being given extra work.

He shook his fist at him again before continuing. "In any case that is how you came to be my son. Once you are of age you will have the choice of staying here or going back to the Puma tribe. No matter what choice you or any of the others make I will always love and care for you." He hugged the little boy and gave him a peck before urging him off his lap. He gave the others hugs as well if they wanted one.

Just about then Moran called over from his tent. "Jim you got a few minutes? I have a few things for you to take care of."

Jim rolled his eyes and called back at him. "Only because we have a covered walkway between the tents. If we didn't we would be hollering back and forth." Out of habit he grabbed his axe and rain cover and walked over to Moran's caravan. Jim had to laugh a bit since he had one of the oddest caravan's in the tribe. Since his family was so large it had been modified so that the tent actually wrapped around three of the four sides and had several separate sections. Most tents attached to caravans were single sided or maybe had two, one on either side of the caravan if the family owned one.

"If you tried that I would have to order you to get your lazy ass over here without a rain cloak." He was grinning when he said it and stood and greeted his son-in-law. The two of them got along pretty well even though they looked at the world very differently. Squorrels tended to be pacifists and known to be very wise. Jim was a warrior through and through. They had more than a few disagreements over the years on the best way to protect the tribe as part of Jim's training. Moran preferred the diplomatic way and though Jim agreed there was use for that he also believed in a show of power.

"Right and then you would have Sorrel to deal with for my tracking mud and water into the tent so I could get dry and clean cloths." He was grinning when he said it. "So what can I do for you Chief?" Since Moran had mentioned chores he treated him as the Chief. If he had simply wanted to talk then it would be Moran.

"I hate to ask this of you but we are getting some flooding around some of the new tent locations and they need to be reinforced. Get a working party together and help the poor buggers who are getting soaked. Once you get that fixed check out some dry carpets, bedding and whatever else they might need from general stores till their things are dry." It was going to be a miserable job but it was all in the training and he had sent his other children for similar muddy and dirty jobs as well.

Jim grimaced. "Well at least it isn't anything to do with the latrines this time. Where is the problem?" Once he was told he headed back over to his tent. Most of the tents were connected by a covered path so you could move between them without getting to wet or muddy. In many cases it was with family groups and not the entire tribe since that wouldn't be practical at all. "Sorrel I am going to go and help fix a drainage issue and I am not sure when I will be home." He looked at the boy he had been sort of teasing earlier. "Get two shovels and follow me." He whipped the rain cloak around his body and sighed.

The boy almost started to argue but looking at the expression on Jim's face decided not to. Once he grabbed the shovels he grabbed his cloak as well and followed. Jim walked to the single males caravan's and walked in. "We have a flooding issue with some of the new spots. I need ten men to come with. You can volunteer and get a bit of extra hot water at the showers or I can call names and you get the usual amount." Carrot and stick worked well.

Thomas was there though he had finally gotten around to courting a lady and sighed. "Why do I get the feeling my name would be first so I will unwillingly hop to it and come with." He called out a couple other names. "First drink is on me." Several others came with him and eventually there were ten men standing in front.

"Thomas take four and get shovels while I take the rest and see what we are looking at. If I don't need all of you I will send you back but you will still get the extra hot water." They had willingly gotten up and come over. Well maybe not willingly but they had without his having to call names. One thing they had learned about Jim over the last few years was that he was firm and even handed. If you screwed up you were dealt with and if you did a good job it was noted.

They slogged through the rain though this location looked far more permanent than others since rocks had been used to build up the ditches that water flowed through, some paths between groups of caravans, and coverings for the hot springs. Eventually they made it to the problem area and they could see how bad it was. Some of it was the lay of the land but some was simply the ditches hadn't been dug deep enough or reinforced enough since they hadn't had time before the rains hit this season.

"Oh hell this is going to be a really messy job." One man commented as he surveyed the problem. The tribe members who owned the tents were trying to take care of it but there weren't very many since they were a new family and really needed the help. Since he was one of the sort of architects Jezule looked at Jim and got a nod. "Okay men what we need to do is..."

It took them several hours to get the problem solved much to the great appreciation of the family and even more time to get some dry bedding and rugs for them till theirs dried. In the next few days all the men that helped would get some trinket of appreciation and one thing Jim had noticed was many were the bracelets and especially from new or poor families.

"Okay guys hit the showers if you want or the hot springs if you feel like running around in the rain. Thanks for the help and talk to you later." One thing Jim had decided was in the rainy season he didn't bother with the boots and pants and went with shorts and a sort of flip flop since anything you did outside the tent or off the paths you got mud up to your knees and it was easier to rinse off in a bucket he kept outside than have to change your pants several times a day.

He headed to the showers simply because he was a bit on the cool side and wanted to warm up. By the time he got there he found there was already a line up. Jim waved one male down when he offered to let him go ahead of him. "We all worked hard getting that mess cleaned up as best possible today. I will wait just like everyone else though there had better be some hot water left or else..." He grinned and got a few laughs.