"Welcome to the Beast God's Ribs!" Shuu announced as he stepped from the woods and onto the open grassy plains.
"Beast God's Ribs?" Chiaki questioned from his back. Then she saw it. Them? Towering ahead was a set of curved stones jutting from the yellow field. They did look just like a set of titanic ribs basking in the sun.
"We'll rest there for the night." Winston announced. The whole group, non family members included agreed. Though it was only part way through the day, everyone was glad to finally be clear of the endless woods behind them. Winston had been leading the group shortly after they left the village, the males looking towards the stronger than four-stripe tiger for instruction. Wolves liked a clear direction and worked well in a group setting.
The grass was sparse around the 'ribs' leaving the ground a mix of sand and ruddy stone, with blue and green tossed into the mix. Shuu lay down so Chiaki could dismount safely. "The rocks here are very pretty, you should keep one." He said as he transformed, tail wagging happily.
Chiaki stooped to look at the rocks. With a gasp of surprise she whispered out "See the World." Information flooded her sight. Azurite... Malachite... Copper. She'd finally found metal on the Beast World! She grabbed up a few pieces, but looking around she realized the area was littered with surface ores.
"You look so excited!" Shuu laughed. "You must really like those!" His tail began to thump wildly, he'd shown his mate something she liked!
Chiaki bit her lip. How would she be able to gather up all this without being noticed? She let the ores drop back to the ground, then moved to sit down in a more dignified manner instead of being bent over like a child with a string if sparklers. "Yes, I love them." She said.
Shuu beamed and he couldn't help himself as he pounced on his mate and began to lick her face, he was so happy! "Are you okay to mate now?! I really want to!"
He was forced off of her as Curtis grabbed his hair and yanked him backwards. "Don't be so rough with my mate, wolf!" Shuu winced, but nodded quickly. Curtis dropped him at Chiaki's feet.
Shuu sighed, looking longingly at Chiaki. "Sorry. I didn't hurt you did I? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did!"
Chiaki sat up. She wouldn't tell him that the rocks had gouged into her back, he looked like he felt bad enough already. Skye approached carrying the basket of tiger cubs.
"Guess who's all awake and hungry again!"
Chiaki laughed, taking the basket and sitting it in-front of her, between her and Shuu. "Did I give birth to tigers or pigs?!" She teased the babies.
~Ma! Ma! Ma!~ The cubs called out back at her in the beast language. They had their sight and hearing now, but were still focused solely on food. Chiaki simple started with the nearest cub, and Shuu knowing the routine helped her hold a second to her other breast.
Shuu's face heated as he watched his mate feed her offspring. He wasn't alone in this as Skye too seemed mesmerized by the act. The two settled down to be the guards while the other males moved out to gather firewood from the edge of the forest and go hunting.
The cubs had also doubled in sized in the short time they had been traveling, as newborn beasts did. By the time they arrived at the village, they might be able to handle eating mush. Still she wanted to breastfeed them for as long as her milk supply held out. Even feeding all five of them every few hours had only been able to increase her milk production so far.
"Here, eat some travel cake." Skye offered, bringing out the food stuff. Hands full Chiaki was thankful he hand fed her. She was eating just as often as the cubs so she could keep up with feeding them.
Skye buried the soiled leather that the cubs had been on, replacing it with a clean bit. With the basket now clean and ready, they put the cubs in to sleep and grow after their meal.
"Can you get me all of these you can find?" Chiaki asked, pointing to the ore.
"Sure!" Shuu answered, ready to bound off.
Chiaki grabbed his hand. "Wait, let Skye do this. I want you to stay and talk." Shuu sat as abruptly as he'd stood. Eyes glued to her, waiting. Skye nodded. If Chiaki had an interest in these rocks, he would get them for her. "I'm going to let Shuu in on the family secret now. It's the first chance I've gotten."
Ah, so that was it. Skye nodded again, standing and giving the other male a pat on the shoulder. Shuu watched as the feline headed to the other side of the Beast God's Ribs. He waved Chiaki and Qianhuang's cub over to them. Then scaled one of the stone pillars, checking to see if any one or any thing had gotten near while they were both beside of their mate and the tiger cubs.
Chiaki pulled his attention back to her as she started to talk. "Everything started when I found myself suddenly falling-"
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
"So that's what I'm trying to do." Chiaki concluded. By now she was resting on the side of her oldest cub, Kimba. Copper had came out of hiding and was curled up in the basket with his little brothers. The tiger cubs weren't her second litter, they were her third! That was the least surprising and downright confusing thing she'd told him.
Skye had piled up a large amount of stones beside her, though they disappeared just as quickly when Chiaki started poking them and saying "Store." Apparently this was a new power his mate had gained just recently and she called the colorful stones 'ore'. They had been something she had been looking for for a long time. "You should take a walk around and let the information settle."
Shuu nodded. It was too much to take in, he'd probably have to ask her to tell him it all again, maybe again after that too. Another World!