Curtis had been asleep for days now. Chiaki sat resting against his coiled snake tail, her head resting on it. It was very quiet in the house. It had snowed lightly the day before, but it had melted by mid-day. Winter was truly setting in.
There was a pounding at the house entrance. She heard Qingqing's voice. Chiaki closed her eyes, it was too early in the morning to deal with the teen. "Coming!" She yelled, sure it wouldn't disturb Curtis' sleep.
"It happened!" Qingqing squeaked as soon as she could see Chiaki. The girl had tears shining in the corners of her eyes.
Chiaki pulled Qingqing through the entrance way. "What happened?"
"I-I-... Parker... we-" Qingqing lowered the wrapped she had around her shoulders, showing the top of a shape on her left breast.
"Oh, that happened." Chiaki looked closer at the mark. It was a front facing leopard head in mid roar, the same as all the marks she'd seen on the rest of the females in the village. "You did consent, right? Or will I get to hang his pelt on my wall as a warning?" She asked darkly.
"I- uh..." Qingqing nodded shyly.
"Words, kiddo." Chiaki said. "I've just woken up and I will take it the worst way."
"I agreed to do it!" Qingqing yelped quickly. "Please don't hurt Parker!"
Chiaki sighed. "Okay. Qingqing, you know this means a lot of things, right? You had better have told him the truth about where you came from."
Qingqing looked down. "I... haven't..."
"You will."
Qingqing shrunk down, looking away from the older woman. "I can't."
"You can." Chiaki insisted. "And you will."
"But he thinks I'm from the Ape Tribe, it's what I told him when we met! How can it hurt to not tell him."
Chiaki growled, her brows furrowed. "Qingqing, you are going to get caught up in lies."
"I've learned about the Ape Tribe from Parker! I can pretend-"
"And all you can tell him is the things he told you. He's going to notice sooner or later, and anyone who knows the Ape Tribe better, will know really quickly."
Qingqing shook her head dramatically from side to side. "I'm afraid! Please don't make me!"
"Make you? Me?! Make you?! You are a grown ass woman, Qingqing! You chose to sleep with Parker and you are old enough to take responsibility for your actions. Yes you are still a teen, but this is a different world. I'm not going to make you do anything, but I don't want involved with your lies." Chiaki placed her hands on her hips. "I may make choices quickly, but I stick to my word."
"I'm just afraid of having a baby! I'm not ready for that!" Qingqing blurted out and finally started crying.
Chiaki closed her eyes. "Let's go see Harvey."
"But-"
"No buts! If you want to have me take care of your choices, you get NO SAY in what I choose to do." She turned Qingqing on her heels where she stood and pushed her out the doorway. "Now march!"
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
"You want me to what?!" Harvey said as his face turned red.
"Qingqing needs to know how to keep from getting pregnant." Chiaki repeated.
"There... there isn't any way if she's in heat."
"In heat?" Qingqing sniffled.
Chiaki's eyes widened. "Of course! Qingqing, your last period, when did it end?"
"We-weeks ago. Why?"
Chiaki sighed. "I thought you were..." She put her face in her hands. "Qingqing~" Chiaki slid to the floor as the tension drained out of her. "False alarm."
Harvey looked between the two females in confusion. "Of course Qingqing is not in heat now, it has been many weeks from the time she hit her estrus." He placed a hand on Qingqing's head. "How are you felling though, as you are already here."
Bai Qingqing sniffles. "I- uh, feel fine. Thank you." She looked up at the healer with tears in her eyes.
"I'll make you a calming tea in any case." He said kindly. He shuffled around the room, gathering a few herbs and set them to boil in water. "Now, Chiaki as you are also here and I haven't seen you after the early cold season fevers, let me look at you as well."
Chiaki set still as the healer checked her neck, then looked in her eyes and down her throat. "No illness, that's good. But you will drink some of the calming tea as well." He handed both females small clay cups filled with a fragrant tea. Chiaki sipped hers thankfully. Dealing with Bai Qingqing was nerve wracking. "How is your snake mate?" Harvey asked when he saw the calming tea taking effect.
"Asleep for the cold season, mostly. He rouses up a little, only a few minutes, to move into a comfortable position. Then he goes back fully asleep."
"He'll sleep for the whole cold season?" Harvey questioned.
Chiaki nodded. "He said all snake beasts sleep through the cold season."
Harvey frowned. "That means you haven't gotten a male to take care of you while Qianhuang is away with the hunting party."
"I'm doing fine." Chiaki insisted. "We are well prepared for the cold season already, so it's easy to make food for myself."
Harvey hummed. "I suppose." He turned to Qingqing. "And how is Parker doing?"
Bai Qingqing blushed. "He- we- doing okay..." She stumbled over her words. Harvey now knew she'd mated with Parker! How would she live down her embarrassment?!
"I'm guessing he wasn't awake this morning or he'd be here with you himself."
"Actually, he went hunting... I told him I was just going to rest..." She looked down. "He was so excited."
Harvey nodded. "I'm sure he is. Many males never get a mate and to be the first mate for a young female-" He made a motion with his hand. "Yes, I'm sure it is exciting."
Chiaki noticed the hurt in Harvey's eyes as he spoke to Qingqing. He'd been trying to win over the young woman, to make her see him as a potential mate. Perhaps a better one for her than Parker. Now Qingqing had mated with Parker.
