The West Woods

Chapter 13 : Beyond the Trees

The hound hole had been filled and cobblestone had been placed around the yard and foyers so that the hounds could not burrow their way back into the camp. Precautions had been taken to unsure that another mishap of the same nature would not happen again. Life resumed as it should and the peace was brought back to the residence of Wickerbottom's Hideaway.

Every morning Woodie awoke to a bare Wes huddled against him, the sweet smell of his body -bathed with honey soap- filling his senses. And each morning they would kiss before dressing and leaving the warmth of their bed to start their work.

Wickerbottom had assigned Wes to the task of building an avian room and he accepted eagerly. The room was lined with more cages and colours of bird than Woodie had ever seen. And in the evenings when they returned home from work they were greeted by the soft mewing of a kittykit from Wickerbottom's breeding project.

Therapy animals, she had called them. And they had been bred to bring comfort to the residence, all of which experienced anxiety of varying varieties. And it was true that Wes seemed comforted by the animals soft purr and Woodie found the plush fur of its body soothing to stroke.

Between caring for the birds and Zoro their Kittykit, Wes seemed pleasantly fulfilled. The afternoons were still a time to fish and Woodie and Wes would bring the fish home for the kit to eat.

They stored away what wasn't eaten in a freezebox that Wilson had invented, so that they might still be able to feed their sweet pet in the winter.

Each cabin was also now fitted with a 'crockpot' as Wilson called it, which made cooking a dream, and much less of a task. And if Zoro were particularly good he'd be treated to fish sticks made with the invention. The kittykit purred and rubbed on the legs of anyone who offered him such a treat.

Autumn came and Woodie and Wolfgang went out to herd beefalo which were tamed and broken to be ridden, which made traveling less of a pain and far quicker than it ever had been before.

Wilson had discovered a strange creature who he dubbed 'Chester' and the beast acted much as a dog. They had come to find him good for storage which made their trips into the woods much easier, since he tailed behind anyone who had an eye bone and carried what they could not.

At the end of autumn the snow came and covered the ground and the beefalo became ornery in their mating season, and the residence were left to walk on foot to their destinations, which -as long as their thermal stones were good and warm, and their bodies bundled up tightly- they did not mind.

Wes - who had slept bare since the night of the hound attack - now slept bundled in one of Woodie's plaid shirts for warmth, though he left the chest of it open in invitation to Woodie, who was indeed weak to the charms of the little seducer.

Come mid Winter it was time to gather more firewood and Max, Woodie, and Wolfgang made the trek through the forest to gather more wood, the first of which Max used to build a fire so their thermal stones stayed heated and their bodies stayed warm.

"So, you are certain about this then?" he asked Woodie, who looked up from the tree he and Lucy were hacking into.

"Never been more certain of anything in my life," he called back.

Max warmed his hands over the fire while two of his shadows swung axes in repetition against trees.

"It is good move on woodsman's part, no?" Wolfgang joined the conversation.

"Well I never said it was a bad move, but why ask me?" Max adjusted his catcoon fur cap before crossing his arms.

"Well you were the king, weren't yah?" Woodie inquired. "Technically speakin' you're the most eligible to make a wedding official."

"Have you talked to Wes about this?" Maxwell asked, his brow quirked. "In case you've missed it the man is unreasonably hostile toward me."

"No one blames him," Wolfgang grunted, and Max shot the man a glare to which Wolfgang shrugged his shoulders and continued his work.

"Wes don't talk, you all know that," Woodie huffed. "But he'll behave trust me. He wants it as much as I do."

"And you believe I'm obligated to perform this wedding for you?"

"No but I think you will anyway?"

Max raised his brow curiously.

"Why?"

"Because if you do this for me, I'll wed you and Higgsbury once you two decide to finally tie the knot."

"Why I never!"

Wolfgang chuckled heartily and sighed, shaking his head.

"Is good idea for small friend and woodsman to be husbands. They work well together."

"Fine. Fine, I'll wed you both," Max seethed.

"Good."

"Yes, and once Woodie and Wes become husbands, you can make marriage for Wolfgang and Willow - as you say- official!"

"Oh by all things!" Max hissed.

Woodie and Wolfgang were both thrown into howls of laughter, tears in their eyes that they had to warm next to the fire so they wouldn't freeze to their cheeks.

The laughter was cut short when the ground began to shake.