Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen

Winston, true to his word, provided me with plenty of pelts, leathers, fishbone needles, bark, reeds, and grasses so I could work on all the finer comforts for our home. We also had plenty of feathers that we traded for with the peacock and eagle clans. I spent my days sewing and was much better at it than I had been a year ago. In a month's time I made far more than I thought I could. I made pillows, a large mattress, a quilt for the upcoming cold season, sofa cushions, bedrolls for the men's rooms, moccasins to wear inside the house, saddlebags to make it easier for the guys to carry things in beast form, and baskets of all shapes and sizes.

While I was only allowed to work on soft things, the males worked with wood and stone to furnish the place. Following my rustic designs, the house was slowly gaining character. It was similar to what a human cabin looked like in my memories. Some items, like the bedframe and the dresser, I asked the men to be more detailed with so the design was a bit more delicate and modern, but other things, like the dining room table and sofa, were made from simple cuts of wood. Winston excelled at being a tiger-chainsaw but it was Harvey's careful claws that carved my trailing vine and flower designs into the wood. Most of the work was done outside and I would check the progress at intervals from the second-floor bedroom window.

It became Kit's job to trail after his brothers when they wanted to explore so they wouldn't take a tumble down the stairs. When he got bored of sibling bonding time, he would pick them up by their scruffs and bring them back to me one at a time before dashing away to do something more interesting. We decided to give Kit part of the attic as his personal space until he got too big for it. He had been going out exploring with the adult males and started to bring home trophies. With the beginnings of a rock collection taking over corners, Shuu went ahead and made him a small shelving unit to display them. After that, he spent even more time outside looking for more pretty stones. I only saw my Kit's bouncing tail at night when he half crawled under the covers to snuggle with me and the kittens.

My month of purgatory was nearing its end. My furry potatoes were now the size of regular housecats. Their vision got better, and their milk teeth grew in. Their quickly developing bodies required a lot of sustenance, which required a lot effort on my part. It took me a couple weeks but I soon got the timing and the skills down to nurse like a pro.

I woke up to the sound of hungry kittens and like a milking machine, I sat up, pulled down my top, scooped a cub up in each arm and started nursing them. All without opening my eyes. Just because I had cubs to feed didn't mean I had to be awake for it. I leaned back against the bedframe, supported by a couple pillows and dozed to the sounds of a soon-to-be scorching summer day. Then a sharp pain on my left nipple forced my head down from the clouds.

"Ouch!" I yelped, looking down at Tora who was suckling just a little too enthusiastically. Winston had already warned the boys to be careful with mommy's skin but they seemed to forget their lesson every morning. Not surprising considering they weren't even a month old yet. "Ease up there cub unless you want blood mixed with your milk." I chided with a stern face. His light blue eyes looked up and me and as though he felt bad, he licked the skin that was now red. Which of course, caused it to get redder. "Rascal." I said and then kissed his fuzzy forehead.

Then a soft shuffling sound from the doorway caught my attention. Like a car in the winter, my brain needed warming up in the mornings before it worked well. In my drowsy state, I hadn't noticed that none of my mates were around. The room was empty except for a tall, dark and handsome fox. Tristan stood in the doorway with his cheeks looking like roses encased in a smoky quartz. His ears were forward and perked straight up. Something else was perked straight beneath his skirt and his tail was exploded behind him like a surprised cat's. When his eyes rose from my chest to see my amber ones staring at him, his ears went back and he quickly moved both hands to cover the front of his skirt.

He bowed his head respectively and then dashed away with a yelled, "Apologies! I'll come another time!"

"...kay?" I said belatedly, slightly confused. It took me a couple minutes for my mind to put the puzzle pieces together. No mates, a predictable morning feeding, and a lone fox who everyone thought I would be bringing into the fold. It was a setup. One that was meant to show me exactly what the male thought of me. Physically at least. I let out an exasperated sigh and Tora and Baek looked at me questioningly. "Your papas are all sly as foxes." I told them.

I suppose if I had been waiting for a sign, it had just arrived at the door like a F3d3x package. There was no hiding it under the doormat or behind the planter. It was clear as day and I couldn't play dumb anymore. I had been the one to arbitrarily pick my mates thus far but it was clearly my mates picking this time.

I had previously asked to visit Tristan since he had been wounded rescuing Kit and I wanted to see for myself that he was healing. I just hadn't expected this timing. From what I had seen, he was in pristine condition. I myself was at ninety-percent despite the long labor. My mates must have taken our rates of recovery into account and waited until this minute to lay a trap for the often furtive fox. I wondered if the four had thought this up together or if Lance was the ringleader of this circus. Either way, I wasn't going to deny my feelings any longer.

Tristan was just as ridiculously attractive as my other mates. He body was sinewy and he moved with a quiet grace befitting his clan. His hair was thick, straight and soft. His long ponytail swayed as much as his fox tail, always tempting me to touch its coppery ends. His almond shaped eyes were always warm as grass beneath a summer sun, inviting. And his upturned lips matched his easy-going personality. Though I knew he could be quiet, his past making him cautious, he never failed to give his wise counsel when asked.

I never tired of his presence. And I supposed I'd been less sneaky about my observations of him than I thought. My mates had wrapped him in a bow like a fruit basket and I was ready to take a bite. But what about his feelings? He said he would come back another time. I hope he meant soon. When he did, I would ask the apple if he was ready to be bitten.

With a soft pop sound, Baek unlatched from my tit, his soft belly bulging in satiation. Signaling the end of their breakfast, I brought my mind from metaphorical food to real food. It was time for my own breakfast and I was starving. Knowing at least one of my mates was within hearing distance, I didn't bother to raise my voice as I made my order, "I want honey glazed short-bird with fruit salad and lemonade." In revenge for the little trick they'd pulled which had me exposing myself before I was ready, I asked for food that took a bit more prep work than I usually requested. I could hear the sound of stone jars clattering as the chef gathered ingredients. Then I  comfortably waited for my much deserved breakfast in bed, contemplating and appreciating how unlike other males my males were.

*My attempt at splicing 4 different images to make Tristan.