Chapter 26: Rutting Season in Atene

By the time the Rutting Season arrives, Cassandra, Ikaroa and Nyree have refined their research of the Halls of Ancestors further. Between them they have succeeded in translating nearly all of the symbols on the murals and inside the tower. The final version of the story told by the murals is only slightly different from the version Cassandra told us after we explored the hibernation chambers deep below us.

The Rangatira aren’t happy about our joint history becoming common knowledge. After we told Kahu of Cassandra’s initial interpretation of the murals, the four of us were promptly sworn to secrecy. I can understand the Rangatira’s desire to hide the treachery of their forebears against the other two races, but secrecy will ultimately do more harm than good. Perhaps only the Atenex should have inherited this land when the hibernation ended, but for whatever reason, the other two races were woken as well. The Thurnians and the Hrill were soon driven out of Atene by the violence of the Atenex against them. That Thurnians successfully settled in the chilly lands to the north is probably due to good luck rather than good planning. The Hrill fled far to the south, where Kahu says they still exist in small numbers.

“I doubt we can do more in the Halls of Ancestors,” says Cassandra, leading me aside. “Those still in hibernation could teach us more about their technology, but to wake them, the Rangatira must agree to demolish the stone tower. Even then, it isn’t certain that the machines in the tower will still function.”

“Hmm. Only the section of the tower facing the door half way up needs to be removed,” I say, reminding Cassandra of a conversation I had with Dioxippe weeks ago.

“Yes, but even that small piece of demolition isn’t going to happen any time soon,” replies Cassandra.

While Cassandra and the two elves have been busy in the Halls of Ancestors, I’ve been spending time in the tower prising information out of Dioxippe. A lot of what she says is beyond my understanding, but over time I have made more sense of her advice. The three races in hibernation were chosen because they offered the best diversity in traits. Since the builders didn’t know what the future climate of the land would be like, they designed the hibernation chambers to only open once a suitable climate for that race was detected by the machines in the tower. The builders anticipated the new climate would favour one of the races more than the others. To avoid conflict, only the favoured race would be woken. However, that part of the plan failed, and the initial group of all three races awoke.

“Anyway, can I remind you that it is the Rutting Season,” says Cassandra.

We only know that it’s the Rutting Season by the fact that Cassandra and Egbertha are both in heat. None of us have the skills to calculate the date using the sun and stars as a guide. For the last few days Drew and I have been fucking Egbertha and Cassandra several times a day, leaving Seamus to look after the handful of sex hungry Elf Maidens who still want sex. Our collective efforts in the pussy den weeks ago resulted in a lot of pregnant Elf Maidens, not only among the Atene females, but also a few of those who arrived here with Akenehi’s group.

As part of the deal to ensure our silence about the meaning of the murals, I persuaded the Rangatira to respect a female’s right to refuse to bond with a particular male. Needless to say, the male elves weren’t particularly happy about that, but with so many Elf Maidens pregnant, the choice of available mates was limited to a few older elves in any case. It isn’t a long term solution, but it will buy the Rangatira some time to find a way to stem the decline in the male population of Atene.

Cassandra and I arrive at our cabin to find Drew busy fucking Egbertha on their bed. The minimal privacy our shared accommodation provides means we no longer feel awkward at walking in on them like this. On the contrary, Cassandra promptly starts disrobing, and once naked she draws me towards our bed. Since she is in heat, it is the only time of the year when we can have sex without an Elf Maiden assisting us. Moments later Cassandra has my rampant cock firmly buried down her throat as she brings me to an orgasm. Quite why Cassandra prefers oral sex as a prelude to some more traditional fucking is one of her little quirks that I’m happy to accommodate. For the next hour our hut is taken over by the sight and sounds of four people having sex in a variety of positions. One of the unexpected benefits of working in the pussy den is my better control over the timing of my orgasms. I can sense when Cassandra is about to come, and I hold my orgasm back until the right moment. The effect of us both orgasming at the same time is a powerful aphrodisiac that drives us to want more.

Finally my cock has been milked dry, and Cassandra is ready to stop. Drew and Egbertha finished a short while ago and both are asleep in each others arms. I suspect Cassandra and I will soon be doing likewise. However, Cassandra is in the mood to talk first.

“Do you think we should settle here in Atene, or move on?” asks Cassandra.

“Where would we move to?” I ask. “Akenehi and the elves with her are settled here, so I doubt they will want to leave. I don’t think returning to Thurn would be of any benefit to us. Nobody there would be interested in what we have learned here. Far from it, we would likely be thrown into a Thurnian dungeon like Ikaroa’s father.”

“I agree that it would be pointless to return to Thurn. But I am curious about the hibernation chambers. The symbols in the tower suggest that there are other hibernation chambers elsewhere. That seems likely if the builders of the chambers wanted to secure a future for their kind. I was wondering whether we should see if we can locate another of the metal towers.”

“That would be a huge task,” I say. “And not without danger. What about Rawiri? Do you intend to take him with us or leave him here in Atene?”

“He must come with us,” replies Cassandra. “I am his mother, and I won’t abandon him. I know it is an elven custom for the young to be brought up in a communal environment, but I am not ready to abandon our Thurnian custom to nurture him myself.”

“And when do you want to leave?” I ask, admitting my liking for Cassandra’s proposal.

“As soon as we feel ready,” replies Cassandra.

Travelling through uncharted territory inhabited by dangerous animals is not something we intend to do on a whim. Both Cassandra and I believe that somewhere in the wilderness there are more towers controlling hibernation chambers like the one here in Atene. While Cassandra draws her belief from her translation work on the symbols around the murals, my belief stems from my cryptic conversations with Dioxippe.