Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 69: brought to you by travel logs

Now we play an episode of Civilization IV. I think I'll put my upgrade points into urban development. Meanwhile, I'll ignore the puckered dips of fat on my thigh, because in this world, we're all sexy.

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That evening, Harvey returned with several more bags of vegetables, rice, and even a handful of smaller rabbits that had been caught in traps nibbling on the fresh sprigs of the field. With his catch, Shay whipped up a most wonderful rabbit stew and they had a good deal of fun talking about their experiences in the village. Now that Joseph was gone and everyone was politely playing their role, whether it be guardian, child, or mate, they got along wonderfully and Shay had another moment of clarity where she thought she could see heaven. Miur still didn't really talk and Curtis and Ryan weren't chummy best friends, but they still had a good laugh together at the story of the gorilla-like horse princess trying to persuade an already mated panther to be hers. Even Harvey had a funny story to tell about a patient of his who he had been told was on her deathbed, when really she had just been eating too many fang roots (carrots).

Behind the adults, Thumb hissed his own tale to an audience of eager brothers and sisters.

As they talked, Curtis worked on dresses for the girls using the fabric Shay had bought and Shay quietly plucked the strings of the harp, testing the tone against her ear. The cold air had tightened the strings, making the notes slightly sharp.

They then talked about their destination, or rather, Curtis, Ryan, and Shay did, since the guardians and Harvey were mostly along for the ride. They had originally been intending to just go south towards the sea, but Shay had had a thought while in town today.

"Are there even that many ferals next to the sea?"

But Curtis and Ryan were quiet.

Shay smiled. "I thought so."

"Ferals are technically everywhere," said Ryan carefully. "But they tend to gravitate towards areas away from villages so that the edges of their territory don't conflict with them."

"And in order to have a successful village, you need both freshwater, fertile land, and access to building materials. The sea is rife with that stuff, and the plains can be as well."

At their boggled-eyed stare, she slumped down shyly. "Um, what?"

"Just you once again surprising us with your knowledge," said Harvey with a small, secretive sort of smile.

"It makes so much sense it's a wonder that I didn't think of it, and yet brilliant," said Curtis with a nod. "I wouldn't expect less."

"Well, where should we go then?" asked Ryan. "We need all those things too."

"We'll just have to find that edge," said Shay slowly. "The line between territories and villages. Did you say there was a desert where the scorpions live?"

"We are not living in the desert," said Curtis, solid as stone.

"I was never going to suggest it, my water-lover," said Shay with a smile. "But I am wondering what doctors there are to serve the females of the scorpions."

Parker snorted loudly. "That's funny right there. Scorpions caring about their females staying alive. Look, Shay, I know you haven't listened much about how bad ferals are since mating with these two," he poked a thumb over at the snake and panther sitting cross-legged beside him. "But even they'll back me up when I say that scorpions really are the worst of the lot. A female can give birth to almost a hundred at a time--"

Shay choked on her spit. "H-hundred?"

"Needless to say, reproduction isn't that big of a deal to them," said Parker wryly. "They only need to keep a female alive long enough for one brood and they have a whole town. Granted, they're not exactly nurturing to their kids either. They kick them out the moment their shells are hardened."