Into The Mountains(COMPLETED)

Chapter Six

Jennie POV

She put down her book and wrapped a powerful arm around me, her claws raking through my hair gently. "You being here has made my life better." She said, after a short a silence. "I enjoy coming home to see you" her second had slid over my stomach, her claws covering almost my entire belly. "I like feeling like I have a family. When . . . after the young are born, would you consider staying?" Her words were almost a whisper, as though she was afraid to ask at all.  I turned into her, crawling into her lap and shoving my head against her neck as my arms circled around her. I was crying profusely all of the sudden. "Yes." I said, struggling to get the word out. I had been trying so hard to get her to like me so she'd want me to stay, so I could live, since returning home wasn't a real option.

There was clearly an emotional component I didn't fully understand yet though, because I should have just felt some sort of satisfaction I'd gotten my way, maybe some relief that I was going to be protected after all. I was far happier than that warranted. I nuzzled into her and pushed my hand in her fur at the back of her neck. I took in a deep breath through my nose of her scent, which involved a large sniffle. I allowed myself to relax some, finding relief in the fact that this was finally looking more permanent. I could stay. And then I felt exhausted, two weeks worth of strain kind of exhausted.  Lisa looked surprised at my tears. "I would have offered sooner, but I was certain you would say no. I can't imagine this life is an easy one for you."  I sighed. "No, it's not. And I miss the harp, and dancing, and archery, and Hanbin. But my old life wouldn't take me back. Everytime you talk about taking me back, you're really talking about leaving me somewhere close to home so I can die.

Or, at best, my family might leave me locked up in a room or two, never to marry, or dance, or play the harp and so on. Besides which, I haven't started asking any questions about these pups we're having because the way you keep talking I don't know if I'll be here, if I should let myself try and get attached." I was speaking through copiously flowing tears again, which didn't lend my voice any favors in the understandability department. "I don't know if I should try to feel more attached to you, either, for the same reason. Even as I try to be a good wife, and do everything you ask, and not complain about the things I'm missing because I really need you to like me. Want me to be here. And I want to be here, I think. To have somewhere I know I don't have to leave, to be with someone who wants me to stay."  Lisa pet my head and held me against her massive body.

"I do want you here, and I want you to be a mother to our pups. I will answer any and all questions you have about the process. I'm sorry for the things lost from your old life, but if you tell me what they are, I can try and help you find similar things here. Just . . . when you're upset, you have to talk to me. I don't always know to ask, and I don't always know what to do. I've been alone most of my life. I want you to be happy, though. That is important to me."  I had a lot of questions. Half of them I was too afraid to ask, and the other half I just wanted to wait to ask until I was done being a mess and had gotten my head around the fact that I could stay. I rubbed her fur and sniffled a few times, just taking comfort in her arms. "I don't know why you'd want me. The people like yourself are stronger, and your life is hard enough because of how the alpha thinks of you." I rubbed my face against her chest and sighed, some of the pup questions invading my mind.

"I shouldn't bring that up, make you want to change your mind."  She chuckled a little. "I'll admit, when we were first paired I wasn't sure I really wanted you. You complained a lot, and you seemed very full of yourself. You also called my pups hell-beasts, and that sat ill with me. Of course, I can understand why you felt the way you did, but I was offended. Over time though, I began to realize I liked having you here, and that there was more to you then you'd showed me at first. My mind isn't so easily changed once I've set it on something, and I've set my mind on you now."  I was quiet a few moments, enjoying sitting with her like that, enjoying her running her clawed hand over my hair. "Are the pups part both of us, or just you?" I finally asked.  "Both of us, of course. They will be kin, but they will likely inherit traits from you, eye color, and your hair color will affect their fur. They will have an easier time taking a hybrid form because you're their mother, and their hybrid form will share a lot of your physical characteristics." Her expression darkened.