Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 3: brought to you by ammonia, the je ne sais quoi of pee

Today on "Who's that Mary Sue!" : Politics in a caveman household. Baby leopards!!! A confession of love, because announcing to the world that a chick might be infertile is a call for such a thing. And a grouchy dumpster truck!

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Calvin frowned at her cowering form. "Did I displease you with my words?"

"Just...make me the clothes...or give it to me so I can do it." She sniffed her hair. "Everything smells like urine here..."

Calvin nodded and stitched the clothes. The pattern on the fur was unfamiliar, but the fabric was sturdy and baggy enough she didn't mind wearing it. The skirt was a little short, but at least she had her underwear. He frowned when she refused to remove her bra.

"I'm not going to get completely naked while you're here."

The door opened and Shay marched through the door followed by a sulking Parker. "Neara, I'm going to pop. Also, why are you wearing different clothes?"

"Pop? And he said these stick out too much, so he made me some different ones."

"I just realized we can't go to the bathroom in this world." She sat down and gingerly lifted her leg onto the bed. "Also my weaksauce ankle is sprained and spices are medicine here. And I can see your bra straps, so he didn't do a great job."

Neara grabbed her shoulders. "I'll add sleeves later, and I saw him rubbing ginger on your foot, but I thought it was..."

"Fe...Shay... I wanted to carry you." Parker's bottom lip stuck out and he pouted by the fire. "You are in pain and I need to take care of you."

"Not after what you did." She turned away from him and pointedly looked at Neara. "He saw my boobs and tried to poke them."

"Ick! Did you punch him?" Neara circled her arms around herself and flinched in sympathy.

"I tried, but he's basically solid rock in muscle form. Then I hurt my hand. Anyway, I figured we'd need some flavoring for the meat, so I asked the doctor for spices and he said we could have as much as we want." A small green packet in her hands smelled fragrant and Neara's mouth watered.

"We should use it on the meat tonight. Obviously they don't have vegetables... also, does everything smell like urine to you?" Neara whispered. "It smells like it to me." The two men were arguing about something trivial by the fire, the muscles glistened in the flickering light. Their legs were strong and thick...and surprisingly hairless. In fact, most of their bodies were hairless except for their heads and...

"Yeah...I think I might have stepped in something. I should probably soak my ankle." Shay's fingers moved to the top of her sock and lightly pressed the tender flesh. "I don't think they have any running water, though I think I saw a river."

"Maybe the cool water will reduce the swelling in your ankle. I could stand watch for you so the leopards don't look." Neara jumped when Calvin grabbed her arm.

"I won't allow you down to the river. The idea of other beastmen looking at your naked body fills me with an unspeakable rage." His voice was low and his lips brushed her ear.

"Wow, 'unspeakable rage,' he says," said Shay snidely.

Neara stiffened and her face flushed.

Shay looked past her friend and scowled. "Then you better bring some water here so we can bathe."

Parker stood and smiled. "I will bring water for our bath."

"Excuse me, 'our?'"

But he and Calvin had already vanished, returning to fill a large wooden tub they pulled in from outside. Their efforts stalled in the beginning when Shay insisted they scrub the tub first. When they looked at her in confusion, she rolled her eyes and used her sock. Neara found more of the furs and started stitching together an outfit for her.