The werebear had led Alex on a long-winded run back up the hill and through the forest, stopping only when they had returned to the road. Alex stooped over to rest his hands on his knees, catching his breath, while the big bear examined the fragments of rope and scuff marks in the leaves that were all that was left. Marsyas and the orcs were gone, and a heavy pit was forming in Alex’s stomach.
“Shit, where’d they go?” has asked aloud, breathlessly.
“They didn’t go far,” said the big man up ahead. He had knelt down to the ground, smelling a handful of dirt and leaves between his fingers. “The went down the canyon, to the river. Let’s go.” Alex sighed and ran after him as Cal took off into the underbrush off the opposite side of the trail. They ran and tumbled their way down the hill, stopping every so often so that Cal could get a good fix on the scent. They followed the trail all the way to the banks of a swift moving river, and that’s where Cal stopped.
“The trail stops here,” he said, pacing around the riverbank. “They must have crossed the river.”
“You said you’ve been tracking them,” panted Alex. “Their camp has to be close by.” he scanned the hills, hoping to see smoke or anything.
“Don’t bother,” the big man said, approaching him. “Orcs only burn at night.” He spat.
“Shit! Its been like an hour! We have to find Marsyas!” Alex panicked.
“Is he your lover?” the bear asked, after a moment pause.
“He’s my friend!” Alex shouted. “The only real one I’ve made since I got stuck in this crazy world.” Alex began pacing and trying to think of what to do.
Cal narrowed his eyes shrewdly. “What do you mean, ‘got to this crazy world’? he asked with a strange tone.
Alex stopped and realized he’d said too much. “Nothing. Look, I know I just met you, but please I need your help saving my friend. Will you help me?” Alex asked blatantly.
Cal folded his arms and considered the smaller man for a moment, searching Alex’s eyes with his own steely-grays with a strange, appraising look. Alex trembled a bit under that stare and looked down at a moment, his eyes coming to rest upon the girthy cock and fat balls jutting out from between the man’s hairy, well-muscled thighs. He looked down some more.
Cal snorted, a laugh perhaps, and unfolded his arms. “Yes, Shifter. I can help you. But we’ll need reinforcements if we’re to attack a camp full of orcs.” He said, turning away from the river bank and making for the tree line. He stopped and turned back to Alex. “I know you’re tired, but you may want to try and shift again; we’ll be faster on four legs.” He recommended.
Alex concentrated and tried, but he was too tired from the running, and too worried about Marsyas to concentrate. He shook his head after a moment and said, “I can’t; I’m too tired and I’m still new at it.” He said, trying not to sound whiney.
The bear sighed. “Then ride on my back, and try not to yank on my fur.” He said. He fell to the ground on all fours, groaning as his muscles shifted and warped, his bones cracked into new places, and thick, shaggy fur exploded all over his skin. Razor sharp claws grew from the tips of the man’s big fingers; his jaw expanded and elongated, incisors and canines becoming fiercely pronounced. He let out a deep, intimidating breath as the transformation finished: a beautiful and enormous grizzly bear, with shaggy, greyish-black fir and hulkingly powerful limbs. Cal grunted and stooped, offering his back to Alex, who hesitantly approached and took a fistful of fur in his hand; it felt rough and slightly oily. The bear growled and Alex hurriedly scrambled onto his back, barely getting a grip before Cal tore off through the underbrush.
Alex had moved fast as a wolf, but Cal moved like a swift, dark spectre through the forest, thundering over fallen logs and bounding across ravines. The trees whipped by so fast they were a blur, and Alex held his head down tight against Cal’s warm, furry back to protect his face from the branches and debris. Cal carried him for what seemed like a few miles, eventually slowing to a quick trot. Alex looked up and saw they were in an open prairie, tucked into the forested mountains. Ahead of them, Alex could make out a little house complete with a small barn and a little field of garden vegetables. As they approached, he could make out a lone figure standing in the field, carrying a hoe and working a bare patch of earth. The man appeared to be human; he was tall, well-muscled but slender and lithe, all except for his belly which bulged from his torso and hung over his linen trousers. He wore only a colorful vest over his torso, unbuttoned of course, and a wide-brimmed straw hat. The man looked up as they approached and cocked his head at the sight of the naked Alex riding on the back of the enormous werebear.
The man dropped his tool and stepped away from the garden patch, one hand drifting protectively around his bulging abdomen. He started guffawing as the two came to a stop. “Cal, what the hell!” he laughed, giving Alex a once over before meeting Cal’s fearsome, furry gaze. Alex noticed the man’s face was smooth and elfish looking, or as elfish as the men is this world could be expected to look. He titled his head back towards the cottage and called out, “Otis, Mito, come see this.” But before whoever those people were could come out of the house, Cal shook his back like a wet dog, throwing Alex off.
Alex groaned and got to his feet, seeing that Cal had shifted back into his man form.
“Shut your mouth, I was giving the kid a ride.” He grumbled, shuffling past him on going for the house.
“My name is Teto, young human. And you are?” the round-bellied man held his hand out to him.
“Alex,” he said, giving him his own hand. “And he was just helping me…”
But Teto waved him off and said, “We’re always teasing Cal. He’s so sensitive. Now come on in and meet the boys. Don’t bother covering up; you’re a man among beast men, I’ll warn you.” He laughed, leading him into the cottage.
The house was a simple, two story affair, much like Bo’s family farm. The wattle-and-daub walls were lined with shelves of books and supplies, drying herbs and flower hung from the ceiling, and the smell of hearty food was in the air. Alex jumped when he noticed the broad furry back and swishing tail of a minotaur, standing at the cook fire.
“Otis, my friend, come meet our guest.” Said Teto warmly. “He’s a human…” he said deviously.
The minotaur turned around to look, his heavy hooves clomping loudly on the wood floor. He was much different from Marsyas; his chest was broad and meaty with lean, hard muscle, and his biceps and forearms bulged with power. His face was furry and vaguely bovine; elongated to form a sort of snout with wide, flaring nostrils and piercing yellow eyes. His horns were long and curved forward, but the smile and warmth of his facial expression were genuine. He put down his spoon and clomped over to him; Alex was expecting a hand shake but instead the big bull-man took him up in a rib-crushing hug; Alex was thankful the man was wearing an apron.
“Pleased to meet you,” he said in a gruff, but rich, baritone. He put Alex down and let him catch his breath.
“Sorry, minotaurs are huggers,” giggled Teto, seating himself at the big long table in the middle of the room.
“I’m Otis, pleased to meet you.” The big minotaur said.
“Alex, likewise,” he breathed, taking a seat opposite Teto. The minotaur thundered back over to the kitchen area and continued working on the food.
“So where did you come from?” Otis asked, still focusing on his cooking.
“From Dicktin; I was travelling with my friend when we got ambushed.” He said, the worry still nagging him.
Teto looked at him with concern and pity. “You poor thing, are you alright? Where’s your friend?”
“He got taken by these orcs. I’d have been dead if Cal didn’t find me.” He said. “I’m sorry, may I have a glass of water?” he asked.
“Of course,” Teto made to get up from the table, grunting and putting his hand on the top of his heavy belly. Otis saw him struggling and rushed over, putting his hand on Teto’s shoulder.
“Sit down and let us help you,” he chided, lightly pushing him back into the seat with a four fingered hand. “You know Mito doesn’t want you pushing yourself this late.” He grabbed a pitcher and a tray of glasses and returned to the table, pouring one for both of them. Alex didn’t know why, but He’d always imagined minotaurs as being these brutish, violent, animalistic people. But Otis was practically domestic, returning to the fire and carefully chopping this and adding that. Alex caught himself chuckling under his breath.
“Mootha Stewart,” he giggled.
“What?” Teto set his glass down.
“Nothing. So, you’re…” he looked at Teto’s distended belly.
“Pregnant? Yes!” He said with glee. “My first; Mito and I weren’t sure we wanted to have kits so soon, it was a surprise. But we’re excited; I’ve got another month.” He looked down lovingly at his belly and rubbed it.
Alex wanted to pick this man’s brain for hours asking how that even worked, but he knew this wasn’t the time; he didn’t want to be inappropriate. Otis came over and set down a bucket of mismatched silverware and a stack of wide, deep soup bowls, returning to the cookfire and coming back with a heavy cast iron pot full of what looked like a roiling bean and vegetable stew.
“Thirteen Bean, my specialty.” He said, seating himself and grabbing a bowl. He leaned his head back and yelled “Soup’s getting could” to the upstairs before helping himself. Alex grabbed a bowl as two pairs of heavy footsteps announced the arrival of Cal and the other housemate. Mito was tall and slender like Teto, but his muscles were thicker and his body was hairier; his head and beard were a fiery mane of red. Both men were naked, their cocks swinging heavily between their legs. Cal nodded as to Alex as he sat himself down next to him, while Mito circled the table to give Teto a deep, passionate kiss and an lay an affectionate hand on the man’s distended belly, before taking his seat at the head of the table.
“So, this is the shapeshifter Calvin here was telling me about,” he said in a smooth, deep voice, accepting a bowl of stew from Teto.
“You’re a shapeshifter?” Teto exclaimed.
“I thought you smelled different,” the minotaur mumbled as he eagerly tucked into his bowl.
“Yeah, I hope that’s okay.” Alex said, taking a spoonful of his own stew; it was rich and hearty. Completely delicious.
“Of course!” said Teto. “Cal here used to be human back in the day, right Cal?”
Cal groaned and shot a look at Teto that suggested this wasn’t information he wanted shared. Teto just shrugged and reached for the bread.
“Still new at it though, right?” Mito said, looking at Alex with interest.
“Yeah, I’m doing some work for a wizard; it was a gift to help me during my long journeys.” Alex replied.
“What is your form?”
“A wolf,” Alex said, after a moment. The men nodded appreciatively.
“Admirable. My husband and myself are werefoxes.” He said plainly, as if he was saying that they were hockey fans.
“Oh, uh, nice. And congratulations, by the way.”
The man beamed, “Thank you. We look forward to our first son.” He said eagerly.
“And my first nephew!” Otis guffawed, leaning back from his empty bowl.
“This stew is really good, Otis.” Alex commented, helping himself to bread.
“Thank you, my little friend.” Otis said, patting his furry belly.
“He’s a good cook; we always eat vegetarian when Otis is over; our friends are shocked, but its almost better than meat!” he said.
“Do you all live here?” Alex went on.
Otis shook his massive, horned head. “I have a farm on the other side of this valley.” He said humbly.
“And Calvin here is an old friend of mine,” said Mito. “We’ve been hosting him and aiding him in his efforts to push back the orcs from the road.”
“Isn’t there, like, an army or something, that should be protecting the roads from the orcs?” Alex asked, noticing Cal giving him a curious look again.
“Sadly, the King’s army is indisposed; no doubt cowing at the whim of that damn arch-wizard.” Mito replied in a bitter tone. “Something has the more feral tribes of orcs and beastmen in a stir; if the King isn’t going to do anything about it, then the rest of us beastmen have to work to protect you humans from the horde.”
“Someone has to stand up and show the crazies that not all beastmen are bad.” Intoned Otis. “Things were so peaceful until these last few years.” He said.
“Why don’t you like the Archmage?” asked Alex, intrigued by Mito’s harsh tone.
Mito grunted. “He arrived at the capitol a few years ago, and ever since, the King of Men has been wrapped around his slender fingers. The feral beastman tribes, the orcs, the riots, all of this started when He arrived.”
“No one knows who he is, or where he came from,” said Teto. “With how he manipulates the King and his vassals, most of us outside the Capitol don’t trust him or his plans.”
Alex was suddenly feeling self-conscious, quickly deciding not to tell them the details of his little ‘errand’. This information about the Archmage intrigued him; a strange man, appearing as from nowhere, whom no one knew of before he arrived? The back of Alex’s neck prickled as he recalled the events of his dream and Meljin’s words.
“But that’s enough politics at the table,” Mito said, bringing back Alex’s attention. “We should discuss how we’re going to save your little friend.”
“Wait, we?” said Alex.
“Well, not ‘we’,” said Teto. “You all: I’d join you but I got this little man here…” he said, holding his belly to emphasize.
“It’s a camp full of orcs,” Cal finally spoke, “We’ll need all the help we can get.”
“Good thing you have me,” said Otis, putting his massive fist into his open palm.
“You said the clan splintered off as they came into the foothills?” Mito began.
“Yes; it’s likely a small group, maybe four or five; minus the one I slayed, of course.” Cal said with a wicked smile.
Mito grinned as well. “My man. I’ve prepared the tracking spell; it will lead us right to him.”
“Should we go now, or…” began Otis.
“No, we wait until nightfall. Orcs have terrible night vision, and they’ll be fire-blind.” Said Mito.
“And then we kill them all.” Cal said darkly. The table grew silent for a moment, and then Mito caught Alex’s attention.
“If you have the strength, you may want to try choosing a more lethal form for when we fight these orcs; they can be quite aggressive.” He offered.
“Like what?” Alex asked.
“More like ‘whom’,” Cal said, in a cocky tone. Alex froze and looked over at Cal, who met his glance with a questioning look in his eyes.
“What?” he said flatly.
“Nothing.” Where had he heard that before?
“So, its settled, we wait until sundown. And you,” he pointed at Alex, “begin thinking about a more suitable form for our little skirmish.” Said Mito, standing up from the table and going around to collect their empty bowls. Otis and Cal stood up from the table as well, Otis clomping off after Cal swiftly exited the cottage and went outside.
“Cal doesn’t really like orcs,” Alex commented, watching Mito saunter out the front door.
Teto raised his eyebrows and heaved a weary sigh. “Yeah, that’s something you’d have to ask him about. Good luck with that. Now,” he reached over and poured himself another glass of water. “What are your thoughts on tigers?” he asked, smiling wide and exposing his sharp canines?