𝓡𝓮𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 & 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓼, 𝓜𝔂 𝓦𝓪𝔂 (On Hold)

Decisions Made

"So... how are the cubs doing? They've been rather active these last couple of days..."

Ai Lian spoke softly, watching Harvey intently as he felt her belly and then leaned in closely to listen.

"They appear to be right on track size wise... and since you've been feeling movement I'd rule out the possibility of it being snake eggs."

Harvey added, feeling rather relieved that there wouldn't be a horde of baby snakes born. Those snake beastmen reproduced way too many offspring in one go.

"Ai Lian, I've scouted ahead and it seems that we're nearing the coast, the ocean is nearby."

Winston announced, approaching their resting female. The resting periods had become more frequent with the larger her belly became. Winston sat down next to her and smiled as Ai's arm coiled around his, pulling him closer.

"Where is Yun?"

She asked the tiger male curiously.

"Out hunting with his brother. I told them to stay within the bounds of following your scent, so they shouldn't be too far."

Winston reassured her.

"Oh... that's good then..."

Ai groaned softly and shifted a bit on the rolled out deer skin that she'd been resting on, the weight of her distended gut making for a certainly uncomfortable sitting position.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Winston offered thoughtfully.

"I want to eat some fruit. I've noticed the trees starting to appear in our journey more visibly."

Ai mentioned.

"I'll go get some for you right away."

Winston went to get up, but Ai Lian held him firmly, resting her head against his strong muscular arm.

"Stay for now... you too..."

Ai's hand lightly grabbed a hold of Harvey's tail, preventing him from moving away.

"Ai Lian!"

Harvey's face turned beet red as he was asked to sit down beside her, sporting a happy bulge under his loincloth. Her touching his tail just now had caused him to grow excited against his better judgement. Too easy.

'That's all it took?'

Ai Lian absentmindedly wondered since she'd glanced at Harvey's erection. However, she didn't have time to ponder his state of brief arousal, rather thinking over the last village they'd encountered. The herbivore village hadn't been all that advanced compared to beast city, but their dwelling had been masterfully built by generations of skills passed down from father to son.

She too had skilled that she wanted to pass down to her children, but she couldn't very well do that if she was always pregnant now could she?

So later that evening, she called a 'family meeting' around the campfire, walking back and forth slowly with a hand holding the swell of her pregnant gut.

"This will be my last pregnancy."

Already she could hear the bitten protests and growls of sadness from her males. Ai's brown orbs reflected the flames, making them appear reddish brown in contrast to her scarlet hair.

"Listen to me, I am not finished speaking."

Time to pull up her big girl pants. These horny males had been pulling them down way too often anyway, literally.

"I will not be getting pregnant again for at least two years after these cubs are born. My body needs to rest and I have to put down roots for our children to thrive. So I've decided, we will build our home within half-a-days travel of the next village we come across."

Ai Lian said firmly. None of her males objected. They all knew that getting her into a house before the rain season would be for the best for everyone involved. 

"Good, then let us eat."

She smirked faintly.

~

Not long after the decisions had been made, their travelling group came across another village after a couple more days, seeking to camp on the outskirts with the permission of the village head. Once granted, Winston and Adam scouted out a promising location within the agreed terms and then returned to Ai Lian to take her there and move the camp as well. They didn't need the new village growing weary of them staying camped so long anyway.

The lands were natural plains of tall grass  with the forest line in hindsight and a large freshwater watering hole not far off that led to the open coastline. Ai could already feel her desires blooming on how to work the scenery to their advantage... a fishing dock and boat would definitely be nice, as well as somewhere to attempt making salt~ it wasn't rocket science how to make salt in her world, though it was such a precious resource in this world. And a stone pathway leading from the docks to their home would also be convenient.

"I will build you a castle on these lands, within walking distance of the coast. You will also be able to eat seafood to your hearts content. And your forge... from all I've learnt from the old craft master in the tiger King's tribe, I will apply that knowledge here to build you a grand forge so you can do what it is that you so love. Just leave it to us, we'll work hard."

Winston assured his mate, wrapping an arm around her as the cool breeze whipped around. The spring was readily fading into summer, so there was no doubt that working to build a home in the sun was better than the upcoming rain season later in the year. This also meant that the time was nearing that Yun and Alan would be turning a year old. Had it really been that long already?

"I'll trust in you Winston, I know my males are no slouches..."