Chapter 7

I watched as dawn broke over the village. Lillian was sleeping soundly next to me, a slight snore emanating from her narrow snout. Janet and the others were soundly asleep in their beds. I had silently watched the village from the window, taking in the movement and life that pervaded it. I did not see any hint of the cloaked figure, but I had a feeling I would run into it again, in one form or another.

I was worried about the struggles to come and thoughts of impending loss filled my mind. The guise the person had used evoked the feelings I had for my mother and I began to wonder how she would feel about me; if she would be proud of who I was now, or afraid of the changes I had undergone. Would she have shunned me or would she have supported this goal? So many questions and no way to know the answer.

My mind drifted to my father and the secrets he had kept. Would he have ever told me of his past if Brenson had not come? Or would he have hidden it for the rest of his days in an attempt to shield me from the horrors of his past. It is difficult to tell, but I am sure that if he were here, he would be traveling along with us to end this once and for all. I wondered what kind of relationship we would have had.

As my thoughts continued to drift along a stream of what could have been, Violet came to mind. Perhaps if things had been different, she would have had a happier life and maybe she would not have turned out as she did. Looking back I could see some of the selfish tendencies that I missed before. We would have at least been friends, but who knows how things would have turned out between us.

Celka was the last person who my mind turned to. I found myself wishing that her life had not been snuffed out as it had been. She deserved better than that and I hoped that our visit to her home would ensure her spirit found peace. I had not realized how I had come to depend on her advice and input until she was gone. With her help, I am almost certain that Lillian would have made this trip with is as a human.

I heard movement and looked to see Janet beginning to stir. The first signs of her waking as she slowly went through the motions of pulling herself out of her dreams back into the real world. I understood that struggle all too well, as I sometimes yearned to stay in our dreamscape so that I could spend time with both Lillian and Janet. Yes, there was an innately physical aspect to our relationship, but with goddesses like them it is hard to control myself. I know they feel the same way about me and about one another.

There were times before and after where we just lay in each other’s embrace. Softly kissing and stroking each other’s skin. Basking in the presence of one another and allowing simple intimate interaction to envelop us. This was something that I willingly admit was missing from my relationship with Violet. Whenever we were together, we burned hot and heavy, like a raging wildfire. The heat and intensity was substantial but there was a lack of balance in the intimacy we shared.

The imbalance was no doubt fueled by her issues stemming from what Brant did to her. Lillian had also admitted that, when it came to sex, there was no problem, but Violet kept herself at a distance when it came to intimacy with her. The night the others joined us in the bond was a deeply moving and intimate exchange and I found that I looked forward to more of the same in the future.

Janet’s eyes fluttered open and I watched as they came focused and searched until they found me. The sleepy expression on her face gave way to a big smile that filled me and our bond with warmth and love. I smiled back and watched, and she sat up, beginning to stretch out her muscles. The sheet that was covering her fell down and, if it wasn’t for her sleep clothes, I would have had an unfettered view at her delicious breasts.

<<I agree, Davik. From now on Janet sleeps naked, regardless if you have sex or not. We should be welcomed by that view every morning. >>

I reached down and rubbed my hand along Lillian’s fur, feeling a sigh of contentment from her. I also agreed with her suggestion and, by the blush on Janet’s face, she agreed as well.

==Does the same go for us as well, or only those who are sleeping in the same room as you? ==

I was shocked to hear Kalya talk over the bond like that, but we knew that, sooner or later, they would all be able to freely communicate over the bond.

<<That is not a bad idea, especially if we make sure that Davik checks to make sure everyone is awake and okay. >>

I blushed at the suggestion and at the laughter and mirth I felt over the bond. Given the darker times in which we now found ourselves, the humor and lightness was an added relief. I hoped that as we continued on this path, it would continue as well, else we could get swallowed up by the gravity of the situation.

// For now, get dressed and we will all have breakfast, \\ I said through the bond. // We have a busy day ahead of us and I want to be on the road soon. \\

I felt their acknowledgement, and we began to get everything packed and ready. Less than an hour later, everyone was in the dining room eating a very hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, smoked ham, sausage links, potato hash and a variety of sliced melons. As always, we thanked our server and asked that the cook be thanked for us. We headed to the entrance and thanked the innkeeper for his accommodations, despite how things began with us. He thanked us for our patronage, and we headed out of the inn.

I followed Janet’s lead as she led us to where we would procure the wagon and horses. It was a barn near the edge of the village. It was as big as the stable we had for my property, but nearly twice as tall. As we entered, I saw two horses being prepared and harnessed to a mid-size wagon. Given how we were planning to travel, it would do. If the eight of us had tried to travel in that, it would be far too cramped to enjoy.

We thanked them for their hard work in getting this prepared so soon. I saw they had loaded cooking supplies and tents under the plank-like seats. The seats were held up with wooden legs and braced with chains. It was a great space saver and maintained enough of the limited space for seating. On either side of the front of the wagon was the feed for the horses. Mixed with grass and the occasional vegetable from our stocks, they would eat well.

Between those bags of feed were the vegetables and cured meats that would be bolstered by what we collected from the wild. With our senses and speed we would be able to collect plenty, and hunting will be no issue. It would help us all to hone and maintain our abilities. With everything ready, we loaded our things into the back and said our goodbyes to the stable owners. I climbed into the driver’s seat and Janet sat down beside me.

The rest climbed into the back and, with a flick of the reins, we were off. We followed the main road out of the town and Janet directed me to the path on the right. We traveled together until we were about an hour away from the village, then Kayla, Ingrid and Cherish hopped out and then began traveling in the woods. We would use the lessened weight to increase the endurance of the horses and gain a little bit of extra distance.

We traveled that way until noon and stopped for a meal. We sent through the bond that we were stopping for a meal and to collect some things on the way to camp. This meal would be dried meats and whatever we collected. It was nice to sit and share the meal, but we were stretching out with our senses to scan for threats. With the meal completed, we cleaned up the campsite and Faye, Elsie and Irenia went into the woods.

Janet took over driving the wagon with Cherish at her side. So I spent the time until we made camp for the night, talking to them. Learning about their interests, more about their lives before joining the military. I wanted to build up our closeness over time and build the intimacy that would be necessary if this bond was to work properly. I would do the same with the others during the trip to the capital.

Dinner was a simple thing, roasted quail with potatoes and berries. We talked about what they heard and saw as they traveled through the forest. The issues they found with their new abilities and where their strengths and weaknesses lay. From there, we began to discuss ways to work on things as we finished up the meal. Once the food was done, we set up the tents and got the wagon and horses ready for the night.

The horses were jittery around Lillian, but we planned to get them used to her so she could stay close to them during the night to ward off other predators. For now, she would sleep under the wagon where she could keep an eye on everyone.

Then we started the sparring matches. We had weapons that would withstand the force of our matches. They were blunted to prevent cutting, but blows would still bruise and break bone if one was not careful.