Talia got back from her normal monthly trip to Megalopolis for work yesterday. Richy went with her so he could be present for the ultrasound at her prenatal exam. So far, she and baby are doing well. Talia's just beginning to show and feel the baby fluttering. But Richy is fascinated, he's anxious to be able to feel the baby move himself and every time he gets near Talia, he slides his hand under her clothes over her tummy. He's off again today and has work again tomorrow. And despite the hugeness of the kitchen in the mansion, Talia can barely get anything done because Richy can't keep his hands off of her.

Talia giggles amused and pushes Richy away again, "Go sit down over there. How am I supposed to help Otter make lunch with you under foot? ..Now stay put or I'll put you outside with Big Boy and the kids. Right, Grey-Pa?"

Walter, Richy's grandfather tells him good humoredly, "Women are in charge. They just let us think we're in charge." Walter is usually here at the estate, not that his family likes it. They're not happy about him accepting Richy as his grandson legally and publically. But DNA doesn't lie, Richy is his grandson.

Richy looks outside at Clam and Shell getting Big Boy to go down the slide. He likes it best when there are a lot of children out there playing on the playground he and the other men here built together. He misses Beaver, Minnow, Howl and Talon when they're not here. And he likes it when Greywolf has his children here visiting. They're good kids, very likeable and smart.

"Hey, we're getting company," announces Richy spotting Roar first because of his size. But he knows Roar's not alone. He always has Zenith the baby and the boys with him. But as they come out of the forest, Richy sees that Stinger from Dragon Tribe and her two children are with them. But there's no sign of anyone else from her tribe with them which means Stinger has left her tribe.

Leaving your tribe is a bold move for a woman like Stinger. Besides the fact she's giving up her status within her tribe; the fact that she's not a guardian, makes traveling alone with her children more dangerous for her. She can't fight a bear or a mountain lion. Those may not even be animals she can do. They're certainly not animals that people from her tribe can usually do. Then there's passing through other tribe territories which can be problematic for a woman traveling without a grown male companion. Water is small and Fjord still hasn't returned so Richy knows she didn't have any trouble passing through Water Tribe territory. And Roar won't detain her or allow any of the males in his tribe to detain her. But since she's with him, she must have asked for his help.

Richy's sure Stinger must be headed for Air Tribe territory up in the mountains. Air lives high up in mountain caves. She won't have any trouble passing through Amazon territory. They wouldn't detain her for any reason. But after Amazon territory, she'll have to pass through a section of Night Crawler Territory. And Night Crawler males are known for not just detaining stray females they find in their territory, but keeping stray females that pass through their territory. Females do not travel alone in Night Crawler Territory.

Roar's boys and Stinger's two children join Clam, Shell and Big Boy. Stinger's second child is a girl Shell's age, so Shell has another girl to play with for a while. Roar lets the two women enter the house ahead of him. As he's greeting Richy and the other men with hugs, Talia greets Zenith with a hug and then Stinger telling her, "Stinger, welcome to our home." Then she kisses her niece, who's sleeping on her mother's shoulder.

"Where's your mate, Cougar," inquires Stinger.

"Working," answers Talia, "he'll be home in a few days."

Roar comes over and gets his hug from Talia. Then he greets Otter which involves tasting her neck, squeezing a breast along with pressing his cock against her bottom making sure she knows he's happy to see her. When Bob's home, he's not so overtly sexual with Otter, but Bob's at work. Only Richy, Wildcat, Greywolf and Walter are at home with Talia, Otter, Clam and Shell.

Otter smiles as she tells Roar, "I'm trying to cook."

"Me too," says Roar. He nuzzles her neck and then backs off so she can finish what she's doing.

Talia, along with everyone else in the room except Walter can smell Roar has mated with both Zenith and Stinger this morning. But Talia gets right to what she's sure is going on, "So Stinger, Roar is escorting you into Air territory to help you find your mate."

"Yes," confirms Stinger. "I'm so glad Roar has agreed to help me. I was very nervous about trying to make it through Night Crawler territory by myself."

Night Crawlers are the most reclusive and the wildest of all free people. They're basically nocturnal, usually sleeping in and hiding during the day. All free people have excellent night vision. But Night Crawlers have large owl-like eyes that are especially excellent at night and make them a little light sensitive during the day. They usually keep stray women and children they find, even when they don't want to be kept.

"That's understandable," Talia tells Stinger. "I wouldn't want to cut through there by myself either." Talia only remembers Night Crawlers coming to one tribe gathering when she was a child. Their large owlish eyes had seemed spooky to her. It's the one territory she has stayed well away from.

"Is it okay if Zenith, the baby and the boys stay here while we escort Stinger through Night Crawler territory into Air," asks Roar.

Talia knits her eyebrows concerned at Roar, "Of course, we love having all of you here. I don't even know why you felt the need to ask."

"I think we should go with them," says Zenith. "Women and children with you while you travel mean you're not looking for trouble. Once Stinger and her children are with her mate, you won't have a woman and child with you on the way back."

Roar sighs, "Zenith, you're an Amazon. You can have a baby strapped to your back and another propped on your hip and still peg a target a hundred paces away with a dagger."

"Night Crawlers are especially antsy around Amazons," adds Wildcat. "They like their females completely submissive, and Amazon women are anything but that. In their eyes, you're more dangerous than a man."

"Wildcat, I'ld like you with me for this trip," Roar informs him. "It's been a long time since we've had contact with Air. And even longer since we've had contact with Night Crawlers, not since Talia and I were kids. They only come to tribe gatherings when they're looking for mates. Is there anything I really need to know about them for this trip?"

Wildcat shares thoughtfully, "They don't operate anything like a normal tribe. They live in packs like wolves. Each pack has an alpha male and female. They don't have a true chief. So when they come to gatherings, the most alpha of all the packs and the most senior male of the packs will interact with the chiefs and elders on behalf of their tribe.. A lot of those crazy things domesticated folks believe about free people are actually true when it comes to Night Crawlers."

"You mean like baby snatching," Walter asks with raised eyebrows.

Wildcat shrugs, "No, they don't snatch. But they do keep what they find be it man, woman or child, it's finders keepers with them. If a domesticated person gets lost out here and Night Crawlers find them, they won't be returning to domestic society."

"Haven't any of the chiefs tried explaining to them that they can't keep lost people like they're stray animals," asks Walter. He may technically be a Water Tribe elder, but no one has ever mentioned Night Crawlers to him. He didn't know they existed.

"Hell no," responds Wildcat. He takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. "They can't be returned to domestic society after living with Night Crawlers. Domesticated society can't know about Night Crawlers."

"Night Crawlers are different," states Walter, "I get that. Now, how are they different?"

Wildcat explains, "They're basically feral even by free folks' standards. They don't erect any types of dwellings. They have caves that are hidden behind water falls that they sleep in during the day. They hunt and gather by night.. I'm pretty sure they're human because they can breed with us, other free folks and domesticated folks. That's what they do with the people they find, keep them as mates. They take good care of them. Yet they're different.."

"Go on," Walter encourages Wildcat.

Wildcat sighs. Walter sure can be persistent, but he continues, "You know how when we become animals, our eyes stay human, and how guardians' eyes change when they draw upon their gift.. But Night Crawlers.. They don't have any animals they become. And they don't have human eyes like you're used to seeing. They're nocturnal, so they have big round owlish eyes. They can choose to look human except for their eyes. I think they're what domesticated folks in the past mistook for big foots, yetis or sasquatches. I think they're where those notions came from. My speculation is that on the rare occasion one of them got separated from their pack during hunting and gathering, and while trying to rejoin the pack, a hunter, camper or hiker got a split second glance.. If domesticated authorities knew about them, they'ld come here and blow us all away."

Being domesticated himself Walter knows how paranoid domesticated people can be. But he's very intrigued, "So are they dangerous? Violent in any way?"

Wildcat shakes his head, "Naw, a lot less dangerous and violent than the average domesticated person. They're actually quite gentle. They usually run from a fight. But like most anybody, they'll protect themselves if they have to."

"So are you with me, Wildcat," asks Roar.

"Of course," answers Wildcat, "I'm still your number one elder advisor so I'm with you."

"And Talia, I'ld like you to go with us," request Roar.

"Hell no! Absolutely not," declares Richy. "You don't want to take your own mate and children. But you want to take mine. No way!"

"I don't want to take Zenith because she's an Amazon," Roar being truthful. "Many tribes are terrified of Amazons. An Amazon woman isn't less dangerous when she's pregnant or has children. They're actually more dangerous because they'll protect first and asks questions later. I just want to escort Stinger and get back as quickly as possible. So no extra kids or anyone that could make the journey more complicated than necessary.. Talia is small and non-threatening. Plus, she's pregnant. She's not showing much yet, but she still smells pregnant. That's just like having children along. Her presence aids in helping them understand we're just passing through and don't want any trouble."

"But you'll have Stinger and her two kids with you," Richy points out.

"But he won't have them on the way back," interjects Talia. "I'll go. If all goes well, Stinger and her children will be remaining with Air. He'll need me for the trip back, so I'm going."

"No," insist Richy afraid for Talia's safety. "You're not going. I don't like it."

"Richy, I'm not a ghost like you. I have tribal obligations," Talia reminds him. "This is a small thing that will help keep Roar safe, and he keeps our tribe functioning properly and safe from more opportunistic tribes.. I'll go Roar and be at Wildcat's side as I should."

"And I can tag along too," volunteers Greywolf.

Richy knows Greywolf will protect Talia. But he still doesn't like it and lets out a frustrated sigh as he asks, "When will you be leaving?"

"I'ld like to leave first thing in the morning if that's not too much trouble," request Stinger.

"That's fine with me," responds Talia agreeably. Roar, Wildcat and Greywolf all nod their agreement.

Stinger hugs Talia gratefully, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"I've hardly done anything," Talia smiling as she responds. "No one should have to suffer for so long without their mate. We'll get you there safe and sound."

Richy's unhappiness wafts off of him in his scent for the rest of the day. Wildcat tries to ease his burdened mind by telling him, "Mist, we'll only be gone about a week, give or take a day at most."

"But it's dangerous," states Richy unhappily. "I've never met a Night Crawler. I don't know what to expect of them. But they make everyone nervous, even you. And no one has seen hide nor hair of Air since the rock slide."

"Well, at least she won't be bee-boppin around out there by herself like she used to do before she met you," Wildcat tells him. "She's hardly ever alone now. I may not be a guardian, but I still have respect and authority as Roar's number one elder advisor."

"Yeah, but what if one of those alpha males or a guardian from Air decides he wants to keep Talia for himself," asks Richy and it's a legitimate concern.

"Mist," Wildcat tells him assuringly, "you're her true-mate. No one can break that bond. No one can take her from you. They'ld be foolish to try. They wouldn't be able to keep her from returning to you. Besides, Greywolf will be with us too. He's just as powerful a guardian as Roar. And Roar would never leave behind his baby sister."

This doesn't change Richy's mood. He's quiet through dinner and even keeps his distance from Talia. After dinner Talia is watching Richy brood off by himself. Roar steps up beside her.

"I'm sorry," Roar apologizes to Talia. "I didn't expect him to be upset like this."

"It will be alright," Talia responds softly. "He'll be over it by the time I get back."

Richy has work in the morning so he heads up to bed without a word to anyone to get ready for bed about eight o'clock. Wildcat puts an arm around his concerned young mate and tells her, "Greywolf and I will give you and Mist some space tonight." He kisses Talia deeply, "Now go to him."

With a nod of agreement, Talia heads up to their master suite. Richy is in the shower. He's standing there with his hands on the wall in front of him letting the water beat down over top of him, hoping his frustration will disappear down the drain with the water. Talia undresses and steps in the shower behind him. She slides her arms around him and rest her cheek on his back as she hugs him.

"This isn't something I can just order you not to do, is it," asks Richy.

"No," answers Talia. "Is it really your wish to have a mate you can order around like a mindless robot?"

"No of course not," answers Richy turning around and lifting her face. He runs a thumb over her full lips, "What if I just asked nicely?"

Talia smiles sadly, "Would you really ask me not to help my own brother? And what if it was me trying to get to you? Wouldn't you hope I would get the help I needed to find my way back to you?"

Richy hugs Talia and rest his chin atop her head, "You've become part of me so quickly. I would be lost without you now.. You're going to have to be social too, aren't you?"

Talia squeezes his butt, "Is that what you've been moody about all day? My possibly being social with other males." She sighs, "It's just part of the territory. I didn't choose the way it is. So is there a likely hood I'll have to be social with some males for this trip? You already know the answer is yes."

Richy sighs, "I know. I guess I just don't like the idea of you being social with males I don't know."

"Well, I know you," Talia kisses him. "Is it okay if I'm social with you tonight?"

So Talia and Richy are social with each other in the shower before they go to bed. Then he and Talia get to sleep together without anyone else. Then they're social again before he gets ready for work. They have breakfast together and Talia walks Richy to his sheriff's vehicle. They share a long kiss and hug.

"Be careful," Richy tells Talia. "Call if you run into any trouble. Cougar and me, we can track you."

"I'll be fine," assures Talia. "Now get to work," she gives his butt a playful swat. Then she gives him another quick kiss and watches him drive off. She goes inside, when she steps into the kitchen, she finds the rest of the household and guests are up and seeing to themselves.

Talia gives Wildcat a kiss, "I need a nap. Wake me when it's time to go."

Wildcat gives her a nod, "We won't forget ya."

Talia wakes up cradled in Greywolf's arms. Instead of waking her, Greywolf scooped her up and carried her. Talia asks sleepily, "What time is it?"

"We're stopping for lunch," answers Wildcat as Greywolf kisses her forehead.

"Why didn't you wake me," asks Talia.

"Pregnant women need their rest," answers Wildcat. "Now go ahead and relieve yourself while I make you a plate."

Talia eats quietly as she listens to the easy conversation between Roar, Stinger, Wildcat and Greywolf. Stinger's two children tease each other. There was a time when such things came easily to Talia. But now she usually just watches and listens and wishes those simple everyday interactions other people take for granted still came easily to her.

"Are you alright Talia," inquires Stinger.

Talia looks at Stinger and blinks, "Yes, Fine. Why?"

"You just looked so far away," answers Stinger.

"Did I? ..." Talia shrugs, "I suppose I was."

"Where do you go Talia," asks Roar. "You always look so sad when you look like that."

Talia shrugs and chooses not to answer his question, "I'm ready to go." She hands Wildcat her empty plate.

"If you're still tired, I'll carry you," volunteers Greywolf.

Talia shakes her head, "I'm stiff. I need to walk." She stretches. "About when should we reach Night Crawler Territory?"

"Around dusk," answers Wildcat.

And by dusk, they're in Night Crawler Territory. They can feel themselves being watched as they set up camp for the night. Even Stinger's two children are silent and still. Their young little eyes and ears wide open watching and listen warily and cautiously. They feed the children first and put them down to sleep. Then they sit down to eat themselves.

"Do you think they'll approach us," ask Talia in a whisper.

They all look to Wildcat for an answer because he knows the most about Night Crawlers. But Wildcat shrugs, "Don't know. Most likely no, but we should still be cautious. Stinger and Talia are both breeding females. Stinger, you come with two children. And Talia comes with a bun in the oven. It's been a long time since they've visited any of the other tribes. Maybe if they need to add new blood, fresh DNA to their tribe, they might approach us to try to trade for y'all or to offer to let us men mount their females. Of course, they've been known to slip into a camp while everyone's sleeping and make off with the women and children in the middle of the night."

"What do you suggest," Greywolf asks Wildcat.

Wildcat suggests, "The women sleep with the two kids between them. We men sleep in shifts. That way they can't sneak off with the women and children because one of us men will be awake."

"Has that ever really happened," asks Greywolf.

Wildcat nods, "They are stealthy. They won't creep into a domesticated camp, too risky. It would attract too much unwanted attention. But a free camp on or very near their territory, they'll investigate.

When I was a young man, another tribesmen and his family had been on their way to visit relatives in Amazon territory. They were camped near the northern edge of Night Crawler Territory. He woke up in the morning and his mate and children were gone. He never heard a thing. The Amazons were closer so he went to them for help. They tracked them to the cave of the pack that had them. There wasn't any fighting, just a lot of arguing. They were able to recovery his mate and two younger children. But his daughter, Runner, was fifteen and had already been claimed as a mate by two brothers. Trying to take her from them would have caused too much trouble so they got to keep her."

Talia yawns, "I don't need any more mates. If they manage to make off with me while I'm sleeping, they'll be sorry shortly after I wake up."

Stinger takes Talia's hand, "Let's get some sleep. The men will keep us safe."

"I'll take the first shift," volunteers Roar.

"I'll go next," volunteers Wildcat leaving Greywolf with the last shift. Greywolf nods his understanding as he lays down on the available side of Talia before Wildcat can, leaving Wildcat a little disappointed as he lays down on the available side of Stinger while Roar stands guard.

Roar wakes Wildcat for his shift, but he doesn't go straight to sleep. Instead he wakes Stinger and mounts her. Wildcat watches them. Roar pretzels Stinger beneath him and pummels her full throttle which Stinger is thoroughly enjoying. Yet Wildcat finds it strangely funny how quiet people can manage to be during sex because they don't want to wake other people up, especially not the children. Then he looks at Talia with Greywolf spooning her. He can feel they're still being watched. But shortly before he wakes Greywolf, the feeling they're being watched goes away.

After waking Greywolf, Wildcat rouses Talia. He knows he should let her sleep, but he often takes a backseat to the younger men. He could use their respect for him to his advantage. But he doesn't because he knows he's Talia's third and he accepts that.

It's late in the afternoon when they cross from Night Crawler Territory into Air Tribe Territory. The rest of the afternoon until late in the evening is spent hiking up a steep mountain path. They end up spending the night in a well-used shallow cave. They are very grateful for the generous pile of wood kept in it. It may technically be summer, but up here in the mountains, the wind has a wintery bite to it. After a quick breakfast of deer jerky, nuts and dried berries, they continue up the trail.

By mid-afternoon, they have finally reached the mouth of Air's main network of dwelling caverns. A short walk down a hallway size tunnel, then they slip through some skins that keep out the chilly mountain air and are standing in a cavern a bit bigger than the size of Animalistic's long house, but it is basically a welcome area. The Air Tribe members that are passing through the cavern pause to stare at them. It's been at least a decade since they've received visitors. As for their visitors, they've never seen so many blonds in one place. Plus it seems Air Tribe is larger than they believed, at least as large as Animalistic. Yet despite their lack of contact with other tribes, they seem to be doing quite well. Everyone is well clothed and well fed.

A mature woman, roughly Wildcat's age approaches them and introduces herself, "Welcome, I am Snow, number one elder matriarch of Air. How may I assist you?"

"I am Roar, son of Black Bear, Chief of Animalistic. This is my number one elder advisor, Wildcat, his mate and my sister, Talia, her consort and one of my guardians, Greywolf. We have escorted Stinger of Dragon, along with her two children, Strong Wind and Honey. Stinger desires to be reunited with Strong Wind's father, Breeze."

The Air matriarch steps up to Stinger and her two children. She gently lifts the boy's face by his chin to have a good look at him. His platinum blond hair screams that he's Air Tribe, and his scent confirms for her that Breeze is his father. The little girl's scent, Honey, tells the matriarch that Fjord is her father. She remembers Fjord because Water only had two guardians, Chief Shark and his nephew Fjord, who she's sure became Water's chief because he was their only other guardian.

"Please," Stinger implores with tears in her eyes, "is Breeze available," she asks afraid he may be dead.

The matriarch, Snow, request of all of them, "Please, follow me."

They follow Snow through a few tunnels and rooms. It's a nice comfortable temperature inside these caves. She leads them into a room where there's a tall, muscular Air male working on bows and arrows. He lifts an arrow and eyes it carefully to make sure it's straight. His platinum blond hair is pulled back into a leather thong.

Stinger doesn't wait for the woman to announce them. She's too excited and quickly steps over to the man and says hopefully, "Breeze."

He turns toward her and puts down the arrow. He blinks surprised and questions, "Stinger?"

Stinger nods with her eyes welling up with happy tears, "Yes."

"Stinger," repeats Breeze pulling her into his strong arms and hugging her tightly. He inhales her scent. She's the best thing he's smelled in a decade. He touches her face tentatively. Then he kisses her.

"You still want me," questions Stinger. His touch and scent tell her he does, but she needs to hear it from his lips.

"Of course," Breeze answers. "I love you. You're my mate. I've missed you terribly. I've wanted to come for you, but I.." He sighs sadly, "We'll have time to catch up later. Now who is with you?"

"Our escorts: Roar, chief of Animalistic, his number one elder advisor, Wildcat, Wildcat's mate and Roar's sister, Talia, and her consort, Greywolf. And this is my daughter Honey, and our son, Strong Wind," Stinger informs him.

Breeze squats down in front of the two children. He touches Honey's cheek. He clearly smells who her biological father is but it doesn't matter who fathered the adorable little girl. Stinger is his mate so he will be her loving father. He pushes platinum blond hair away from his son's face, a son he didn't even know he had. He hugs both children and picks them up.

Breeze turns to Roar with his children in his arms, "I don't know how to thank you. Not only have you returned my mate to me, but a family I didn't even know I had. I will forever be in your debt."

"We're happy to help," responds Roar smiling happily. "Besides, we're overdue for a visit."

"Well, you must be tired," says Breeze smelling that they're hungry and in need of rest. "Follow me. I'll show you to a room where you may rest and freshen up."

They follow Breeze with the matriarch, Snow, heading up the rear. The room he shows them to is lighted like most of the other rooms and tunnels, oil lamps with mirrors mounted behind them to reflect the light out along with candles perched on stone pillars. In this room there's hot water jutting out of a hot spring high up in one wall. It runs into a shallow pool. Then it runs out in a small stream under another wall.

"You can shower here," Breeze informs them motioning toward the hot spring. "There are towels here, furs piled over here for resting, table and chairs..

Snow, get them some food please. Make sure they have everything they need. I need to show my mate and our children to our room."

With a nod of agreement, Snow leaves the room to get food for their guests.

"If you need anything, just let me or Snow know," Breeze informs them. "For now, try to relax. I'll be back to check on you after I've settled in my mate and our children."

Roar is showering when Snow returns with two other women, each carrying a platter. One platter has a ewer of cold water, cups and dried fruit.

"Thank you very much," says Talia with an appreciative smile.

"You're quite welcome," replies Snow. She and the other two women look the showering Roar over, admiring his dark skin and well-muscled physique. Talia can smell the arousal of all three women.

"Your brother is a beautiful man," compliments Snow.

Talia glances back at Roar and shrugs, "He's just my goofy older brother to me. But he's a good man and a good chief."

"So about how far along are you," asks Snow, "nearly six months?"

"A little over four," answers Talia popping a meat cube into her mouth.

Snow tilts her head as she looks at Talia's swelling tummy, "Perhaps you're carrying twins."

"There was only one in the ultrasound the doctor did," Talia shrugging and pouring herself a cup of water. "Wildcat.. Greywolf.., can I get you anything?"

Wildcat and Greywolf both look over at Talia. They're busy arranging the furs so they can all lie down and rest without squishing together. Wildcat answer, "We'll help ourselves in a minute. You just feed that baby, Dearest."

"Do you think your brother would be willing to service some of our women while you're visiting," Snow asks Talia.

Talia nods, "I don't see why not. But you'll have to ask him."

Wildcat is holding Talia as she naps. Greywolf is napping next to them on the plush pile of furs. Roar is servicing one of the women that helped Snow bring them food and water. He has her bent over the table as Breeze steps into the room. And since Roar is busy, he steps over to Wildcat.

"How are you getting along," Breeze asks Wildcat.

"Just fine," answers Wildcat, "thank you for your hospitality. My mate needed a good meal and a good rest."

"It's the least I can do," says Breeze gratefully. Then he asks curious, "Who impregnated your mate? I don't recognize his scent."

Wildcat understands Breeze's curiosity, "Her true-mate, Mist of the Water Tribe, is the father. He's her first mate. I am her third." <-->>

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