Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 52: brought to you by bad parenting

Hopefully much less dramatic, though probably everyone is traumatized now. Yay trauma!

-----------------------------------------------------

The following days were filled with awkward struggles as Neara tried to get comfortable with nursing. The little lambs, tails wagging, butted their heads so hard against her she almost fell over several times and any attempts to nurse on her back left them bleating in frustration. Orson finally unleashed an aura of power, something Neara thought only Winston could do, and they stopped their roughhousing and settled into nursing while she sat against a bundle of furs. They occasionally shot glances at their father, almost nervously, their tails barely wagging as they continued to eat.

When a week had passed, she made the long trek to Shay's house, longer still for the frolicking lambs who had no idea the miseries that came with cold and wet. Watching their happy brown bodies leaping over chunks of ice and even dancing near the river, you'd think they were happier being cold than warm. Orson watched with a satisfied smile that softened his lines like a comfortable sweater.

"They are strong. Remarkably so."

"So, is that from you, from me, or just born with it?"

He stiffened, then turned around. "It would have to be from you. I don't have any marks, remember?"

Neara nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. I don't have any marks either though."

Winston pushed a single hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "The Ape King said you had remarkable fertility. And you bore them with great strength. They are truly your children."

She ducked her head to hide her blush. There he went again, praising her fertility. Why did he have to make it so complicated? Couldn't he hate her or at least resent her a little? It would make ignoring her feelings easier...

"There's a crowd in front of Shay's home." Orson pointed at the small gathering of beastmen, although a sense of power rolled off the front of it so thick it stopped the lambs in their tracks, bringing one to its knees. It bleated sadly and Neara gathered them into her cloak.

"What's going on..."

"Let's find out." Orson took her hand and pulled her forward, Theo and Winston following behind.

"I cannot punish a feral for not understanding the laws of the City," the Ape King was saying, "There is..."

"Punish that bitch!" Rosa screeched, her eyes filled with tears. Only when Neara reached the front of the crowd did she notice the bloody rag of fur in front of Ryan, his hands dripping with red and staining the snow. "She killed my children, and my mate!"

Shay glared at Rosa behind Ryan and Joseph. Parker stood next to her, his hand over her stomach protectively.

Winston noticed Neara's distress and picked her up in both arms, leaping over the fence and setting her next to Shay. Ryan merely raised an eyebrow at the trespassing and continued staring down the royal trio of the Ape King, Tiger King, and Wolf King.

"Winston! You betray your clan!" The Tiger King barked, his severely lined face a direct contrast to his brother's smooth one.

"Rosa kicked me out of the Clan." Winston replied calmly, his eyes liquid steel.

"If we get rid of Shay, sell her or banish her, she takes her ferals with her! The City of Beasts will be safe!"

Winston casually flexed his claws and the frantic bleating in her dress went silent. Neara patted the tops of their heads and rubbed the bone in the middle of their skulls. "Shush, it's ok babies."