A/N: Finally feeling a little better and I can add another chapter to the story. I think I'm over the worst of the pneumonia thanks to the medications. In this chapter, the GHOST family and the tribe celebrate that they made it through the worst life could throw at them. Also, I'll get back to what is going on with Gregor and LyTara. Warning for mature content.
Chapter 25 Celebration of Life
The GHOST family sat with the surviving tribal members around a ceremonial fire in the middle of the village. It had been a month since the strange sickness hit both families.
"Let us give thanks to the Great Spirit," Tatanaka said as he lit a long pipe with a pleasant smelling aroma coming from it.
"Yes," Sisiutl added, "The Great Spirit brought us through this great sorrow." The shaman began a chant that was echoed through the village.
Kanan, Hera, Ezra, Sabine and Zeb along with their spouses and children sat listening to the shaman. Rex and Ahsoka with their three children sat on the other side of Kanan.
A rhythmic chanting began amongst the people and Tatanaka passed around the long pipe to the adults of the tribe and GHOST family. Zeb, Ezra and Sabine coughed as they took a puff of the native herbal tobacoo. Hera, Kanan, Rex and Ahsoka started to laugh at their "younger" friend's discomfort.
"Kids shouldn't smoke," Rex joked seeing Zeb's eyes water as he coughed.
"I'm not a kid," the Lasat choked out and listened to Totonga, Ashla and Keesha giggle at his troubles. Arie and Tayana were just confused but smiled seeing their siblings and parents laugh. Rex got a scathing look from Ezra and Sabine at being called kids. After all, they were married young adults now with a child and one on the way.
"This has been a great sorrow for both our tribe and the tribe of the Sky People. We have survived but at a great cost. I was able to help alot of our people, but three of the Sky People tribe were a blessing to me and Tatanaka," Sisiutl said looking over at the crewmembers, "These three should have our greatest thanks. Please stand up Hera Syndulla, Ahsoka Tano and Begadi-Zeb Orrelios."
Looking embarrassed, the three members of the GHOST family stood up. Sisiutl held his hands out to Tatanaka who handed the shaman three head bands with stones on them matching the recipient's eye color.
"This signifies your status as healers amongst our people," he said as he gestured them forward where he put the head bands on them. Zeb had to crouch down for Sisiutl to reach his head.
Rex, Keesha and Kanan looked on with pride and love. Sisiutl wasn't finished with his task.
"One of you went beyond helping not only their family, but the whole tribe. Begadi-Zeb, please step forward."
"What?!" Zeb said his eyes getting big.
Sisiutl motioned to T'Keesa to bring over a large pouch which the shaman sat near his feet. He motioned to the Lasat to sit next to him and Tatanaka. The shaman began to utter a chant that made Zeb's eyes widen more and he swallowed hard.
"Begadi-Zeb, you have shown the whole tribe...you have shown me, that you possess the traits of a healer."
"Me? A healer?!" Zeb stammered out, "Uh...Ahsoka is more of a healer than I am!"
"No...young one, you possess all the traits of a healer: compassion, faith, love and an inner strength that shines through you."
Zeb sat looking embarrassed.
"Sisiutl," the Lasat began to say before the old shaman put a hand up to keep him from speaking.
The shaman knealt down and opened the pouch that contained all the trappings of becoming a native healer. The older native picked up an amulet that was like the one he wore around his neck. He gestured to Zeb to bow his head so he could put the amulet around the Lasat's neck. Zeb swallowed hard surprised at what was happening. Sisiutl brought out a headdress similar to his and also put that on Zeb's head minding the Lasat's pointed ears.
"You will become my protege and will begin training to someday replace me as tribal shaman."
"Sisiutl...I...uh...don't know what to say," Zeb stammered out nearly in tears.
The old shaman reached over to embrace the Lasat and kissed him on the forehead ridges.
"You need not say anything, young one," Sisiutl answered, "You will become a great shaman to someday take my place."
The surviving tribal members bowed to the Lasat embarrassing him more. The members of his family gazed at him with love and respect on their faces.
"Tomorrow you begin your training with me," Sisiutl said smiling in a paternal way at the Lasat.
A celebration began and Zeb got hugs, punches to his good shoulder, or kisses to his cheek from the females of the tribe and his family. Keesha especially showed affection in the lingering kiss to his lips.
"I am proud of you, my husband," she said pulling him into a hug. Zeb felt a shiver go through him as he felt her skin against his fur. She stood on her tip toes to whisper in one of his pointed ears.
"I love you...show you later."
Zeb's eyes widened and a smile formed. It had been awhile since they were able to mate. He looked forward to that in more ways than one. He knew Keesha was anxious for some intimacy too, for he could smell the seduction on her.
Later in the day, Zeb and Keesha walked hand in hand beside the river, the horse that liked Zeb following them.
"Hey, you big goof," Zeb said to the larger animal and scratched her big nose, "Why are you following us?"
"She likes you," Keesha said nuzzling closer to him and also scratched the horse's neck getting a contented grunt from the animal, "I don't mind her here with us."
Keesha shut her eyes and leaned closer to Zeb showing she was still a bit fatigued from the illness that nearly killed her. Zeb saw how weary she appeared.
"Keesha, are you tired? We can sit down and rest awhile," Zeb said leading his human wife over to a grassy area beneath one of the tall pine trees. Maybe sitting down for awhile would make Keesha feel better.
"A little," she answered and felt his arms guide her down on the ground.
Zeb helped her over closer to him and she curled up on his lap her head against his chest. The couple sat silent watching two eagles going after fish in the river. The horse that followed them, layed down on the grass and rolled over onto her back to ease an itch on her sleek fur coat. That got Zeb and Keesha laughing watching the horses's antics.
When their laughter died down, Keesha turned to stare at Zeb her face in a smile of love. She moved closer and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Zeb shut his eyes deepening the kiss hoping for more.
"Smohalla," Keesha whispered turning around to dangle her legs over his lap. She pulled her dress up showing she had no undergarment on. Zeb loosened the laces on his animal-skin pants and let out a low purr of seduction getting Keesha to smile showing her growing arousal. The native woman began to unlace his tunic, pulling the garment over his head and off where she began massaging his furry chest in movements of sensuality. Zeb sighed and the purring grew deep in his throat. He unlaced her dress pulling the material apart to run a finger over each breast getting a soft moan out of Keesha and her skin began to break out in goosebumps.
"Touch me more," she whispered and threw her arms around his neck. She pressed her body close and then a smile crossed her face as she felt the two of them come together in a burst of passion. Zeb purred louder low in his throat pulling her closer and ran one hand from her head to her buttocks and with the other hand pulled her dress down to the waist exposing her breasts.
"Love you...," she groaned thrusting her hips in time with his. She held on tighter raking her fingernails along Zeb's bare back as the thrusting got faster.
"Love...you too!" he grunted as they reached their limit of mating and then pulled away both panting with satisifaction, "Keesha...that was amazing."
"You good husband. You took care of me while I was sick," she said curling up on his lap, her dress soaked with sweat. Zeb's fur was soaked in post love-making sweat and the musky smell was more pronounced. Keesha curled up more taking in her husband's Lasat musk.
"I am proud of you, my husband. You will become shaman someday."
Zeb gave her a smile as he held her close, but his eyes held an uneasiness.
"I'm not worthy of becoming a shaman. I don't possess Ahsoka's Jedi healing abilities or Hera's nurturing ways."
"Begadi-Zeb," Keesha said as she looked up at him, "You have a gift. A gift that Sisiutl and Tatanaka see."
"What's that?" the Lasat asked putting an arm around her bare shoulders looking down at the drying sweat on her breasts. She still had some scars from the sickness lesions but he didn't care. She was his wife and he loved her no matter what she looked like.
"You care for everyone. You have a heart of gold."
Zeb swallowed hard blinking his eyes to the tears that were forming in them. He hugged her closer and she put her arms around him pressing her body close where she began to kiss him passionately on the neck and moved to his furry pointed ears. He groaned loudly and soon the couple were mating again...
On Endor:
LyTara and Gregor settled in hopefully to stay permanently amongst the Ewoks. The Empire was cracking down against the outer rim worlds and the rebels knew it was a matter of time before another major attack would happen. Plans were being made to prepare for the worst.
The Lasat female and the elderly trooper loved being a married couple with three young children. Leeta and Garba the Lasat orphans that they had formally adopted, became more open and less fearful. Garba began to talk more and no longer acted like an infant. He still sucked his thumb alot, but LyTara and Gregor weren't too worried about it. They knew he would outgrow thumb sucking eventually. Leeta loved playing with the Ewok children and they taught her how to make slings and toys out of wood. She also liked to climb trees with the Ewok children too. Little Garazeb, the Lasat/human hybrid infant thrived and showed he was going to be an adventurous little boy. Before he turned six months old, he had not only learned to sit up, but was crawling everywhere. LyTara laughed at Gregor calling the baby "Zeb Junior". Garazeb loved his dada and enjoyed riding in a sling across the trooper's chest. The hybrid baby liked playing with Ewok babies his age and they accepted him despite his mixed species heritage.
The strange family of human and Lasat enjoyed spending time with their adopted people the Ewoks but Gregor and LyTara yearned for some time alone. Being so busy kept them from showing love to each other in a physical way. One day they got a chance. They went to an area away from the village to spend some time alone. They wanted each other so bad it hurt.
LyTara and Gregor lay in each other's arms after making love for hours amongst the quiet of the forests. The couple had managed to get some time away from the children and the Ewok elders agreed to take care of the children. Garba began to cry since it had been a long time that he was separated from his parents. His crying got Garazeb fussing too. Leeta got Garba calmed down and playing a game of sticks with the Ewok children. Garazeb was content to play with a wood rattle that made him giggle when he shook it.
"I wish we could stay here forever," LyTara whispered as she lay across Gregor's sweaty chest. Her fur was just as sweaty and she ran her hands across his skin getting a low sigh from him.
"Haven't you had enough?" he asked hoping she was ready for another round of love-making. Seeing her naked body excited him.
"No...my love," she said her voice in a seductive purr. He ran his hand over her body getting the purr to grow.
She sat up and threw her head back in a sign of sexual arousal the purr growing in her throat. Gregor smiled seeing she was ready and willing for another round of love-making. Laying down on top of Gregor, LyTara began to press her body close signaling she wanted to mate again. Gregor grabbed her sweaty buttocks and pulled her closer so they could become one...
They returned a few hours later to news that the Empire knew where their new base was and that signaled an attack was going to happen. The rebel leaders called an emergency meeting and thoughts of love had to be put aside for the time being...