Chapter 2: 1st Step Back

While mom took Alex and Jade into the bathing room I grabbed the comm and went to get the three bird bats and the dragons. I went around the porch and out onto the side porch as I called my father's comm number. I opened the door and walked into our huge nesting room and caressed the three bird bats after hanging them.

Dad's voice finally answered, "I am in a meeting Maureen."

I smiled as I led the small dragons out of the nest, "I was hoping you might give me a ride to the central colony center in Kimber."

There was a pause before he answered, "Firehawk?"

I led the three dragons into the house, "I just got home."

"I will be there as soon as I can."

He ended the call as I opened the bathing room door, "Gloria, Drake, go to momma."

They perked up and went into the room and I closed the door, "lets go find my room Hunter."

She followed as I crossed the living area and climbed the stairs by the tree trunk to the third floor. I went around the trunk and into the last room. I smiled at Griffin on my bed and turned to lift Hunter up beside him, "this is Hunter."

I scratched under Griffin's chin, "I missed you."

They sniffed each other as I stripped and pulled out old clothes I had packed away years ago. I grabbed my robe and put it on, "ready for a bath Griffin?"

He was up and moving off the bed as I scooped Hunter into my arm, "I thought you would like that."

When I walked into the bathing room Alex and Jade were just getting out of the huge tub. My mother held two robes and turned to look at me. I grinned as Griffin went straight to the tub and slipped in like an old earth otter. I set my clothes aside as the girls giggled and kept drying their dragons. I put Hunter down beside the bath tub and tapped the side, "in."

She went to her back legs and looked in before climbing in slowly. Griffin was floating contentedly at one end as she slipped into the water. I smiled as she began playing and the girls laughed and pulled their dragons back. Mom snorted, "silly dragons always love water."

I shed my robe and slipped into the bath, "dad should be home soon."

Mom led the girls out as I washed and played with my two dragons. I had to leave Griffin when I went into the service and missed him. I finally got out and grabbed a towel, "come Griffin."

I knelt as he slipped out of the bath and began drying him. When I finished it was Hunter's turn, "come Hunter."

She stuck her head over the side and I could see her thinking and chuckled, "come on girl."

She slipped out and I wrapped the towel around her before hugging her. I dried her off and stood to dry myself. I dressed in my old clothes before leading them out. Mom had found some of my younger brothers old clothes and dressed Alex and Jade. I went onto the porch as she took them into the kitchen.

I started moving the pelts and everything else up to the fourth floor storage rooms. I laid out the tiger and lion pelts before combing and cleaning them. I was just finishing when I heard dad's transport land on the roof pad. I grinned at Griffin as I stood, "dad is home."

He lift his head from the pile of pelts he and Hunter were laying on. I started for the door, "come on."

I heard dad and my brothers on the stairs as they walked around the trunk. A minute later I was going downstairs when dad yelled, "FIREHAWK!"

I reached the bottom and moved between Leopold and Tiger, (my brothers), "you bellowed?"

He turned as my brothers slapped me on the back. He walked to me quickly and embraced me. I gave him a hug and a minute later he stepped back, "you are late."

I smiled as I looked at Alex and Jade in the kitchen doorway with mom. They had told me their dad was the only one they had and he died in the shuttle crash, "I brought two young ladies with me."

Dad turned, "anyone else make it?"

I shook my head, "we are the only ones that survived."

He nodded, "I was speaking with the colony council. They want a few of us to retrieve the remains."

I looked at him hard, "it is out of range of the lift transports or flyers."

He nodded, " they were going to do a plasma burns."

I opened my mouth but Leopold my youngest brother snorted, "we told them we would leave them in the forest with a pen knife if they did."

I grinned and dad nodded, "that will not stop them."

I shook my head as I looked at Alex and Jade and sighed, "Leo, Tiger and I can build landing platforms."

Dad frowned as mom walked to me, "you just got here."

I smiled before looking at her, "I was thinking of a little colony support."

My dad chuckled but Alex walked to me, "if you go we will too."

I frowned, "no..."

She touched my mouth, "were we just a piece of ass?"

I smiled, "as pretty is it is, no."

I looked at Jade, "you girls are safe here..."

Jade shook her head, "who would watch if you are busy working?"

Mom laughed, "I think they have already decided your fate."

Leo grinned as Tiger slugged my shoulder, "she does have a point, we need eyes."

I ignored him as Alex cupped my face, "we claimed you Firehawk."

I smiled and hugged her before looking at my amused father, "I need to think about how to do this."

Hunter scratched my leg and I looked down before grinning, "and I need to hunt."

My brothers laughed and dad nodded, "a family hunt. Everyone go get ready."

I pulled Alex and Jade after me as I climbed the stairs and went to my room. I unlocked and opened the gun cabinet and pulled out an old twelve millimeter Richards pistol. It was for someone with small hands and only carried ten rounds. I loaded it and added two spared magazines before putting a belt on Jade.

I settled the thigh holster on her right thigh and showed her how the release worked. I added an old bush knife to her left hip before turning to Alex. I pulled out a twelve millimeter Wild and put it on her like Jade and added another old bush knife. I settled my weapon belt before grabbing the bow and several very old arrows.

The three young dragons were eager and seemed to know what was happening. When we came downstairs mom pulled the girls out and they came back grinning. They had their bird bats and wore soft wicker packs. Mom had a half dozen bird bats draped on her and smiled, "the vine and citrus melons should be ripe."

My brothers whistled as they walked onto the porch and their dragons ran to them. It was different than moving with just the girls and I. The older dragons did the searching and I let Hunter go with Griffin and Gloria and Drake followed. The bird bats started collecting fruit when we dropped down two branches and walked west.

My brother Tiger was leading and stopped as one of his dragons got his attention. He used his bow to kill a lemur and the dragon dove to bring it back before he could pull it up with the line. Griffin was next to find something and then my brother Leo. Dad mostly stayed with mom and kept talking to her. I know he was trying to get her to let him go with us.

Dinner was wonderful, with vegetables from my mother's hydroponics garden. I was surprised when two girls appeared together to eat dinner with us. Sandy was twenty like Tiger and Terrie was eighteen like Leo. Apparently they had an understanding with my brothers, mom and their parents.

I spread the tiger pelt out on my bed and turned when Alex and Jade walked in. Alex grinned as she started undressing with Jade. Griffin was watching from his over large perch above the bed and Hunter peeked over him. I bent to lift first Gloria and then Drake so they would be beside them.

I undressed as the girls slipped into bed and then turned out the light. I laid down beside Alex, "mom knows you girls are here?"

Jade giggled, "she said if we have been sleeping with you this long we might as well keep doing it."

Alex rubbed my chest, "nice and slow?"

I smiled as I moved over her and gave her a kiss before moving down. I licked through her pussy and nibbled on her labia before covering her clit and sucking. She shuddered as her hips lifted and Jade moved over her and kissed her, "good?"

Alex hugged her and kept shaking, "yeah."

I teased her clit and kept licking her and a few minutes later she arched her back and screamed, "YES!"

She jerked and spasmed as she covered her pussy. Jade grinned as she moved, "now fuck her."

Alex held out her arms as I moved up and kissed her before slowly pushing into her. I fucked her slowly with long thrusts that she met. She held me and kissed me a minute later when she started shaking again. I buried my cock and kissed her as I humped and pressed into her. Jade hugged me as her sister spasmed and convulsed while screaming.

I started fucking her again with nice long thrusts. She kept jerking and lifted her legs as I started planting my cock. It was a minute before I pushed into her and kissed her as I started cumming. She shuddered as her pussy tightened and grasped my cock. I gushed and spewed and pumped strong spurts into her until I was done.

Alex sighed as she relaxed, "that was the best yet."

Jade laughed and shook me, "lick me and fuck me hard."

Alex laughed and kissed me before pushing me back, "I will lick the silly slut."

I grinned as I pulled out of her and laid beside them. Alex turned and moved over her grinning sister before kissing her and moving down. When she began to lick through Jade's pussy she lifted her hips and spread her legs more. I smiled when Jade began to shake and then shudder.

When she wailed as she spasmed and pushed her sister away I grinned and took her place. I kissed her and pushed into her slowly. Alex rubbed my hip, "hard and deep."

I laughed as I began to fuck her with long, firm thrusts. She was thrusting up to meet me as her pussy started grasping my cock. It was not long before she was spasming and jerking. She wailed and howled as I fucked her and kept planting my cock. She thrashed around and clutched me as we fucked and finally I pushed into her and held her as I gushed and spewed cum.

When I was done I chuckled before pulling out and laying between them, "loud sluts are going to attract every predator within miles."

I heard mom laughing from the shadows outside the door and Alex giggled as she turned to rub my chest and put her head on my shoulder. Jade snuggled against my other side, "we both get you here."

I shook my head as I relaxed, "go to sleep."

Alex scratched me, "I meant it when I said we go with you."

I hugged her and let them relax. I could not sleep and a couple of hours later got up. I glanced at Griffin and Hunter when they lifted heads, "stay here."

I grabbed my robe and went down to the kitchen. I sat at the table and sipped juice as I thought. Dad patted my shoulder when he walked in, "not sleeping?"

I glanced at him, "not as easy after the action is over."

He nodded as he sat across from me, "any ideas yet?"

I smiled, "many."

I looked towards the door as my mother came in, "you are not going though."

I looked at dad, "this should not be hard. A total of four platforms, three between the wreck and here and another at the wreck. We need one or two more men besides us, we use anti grav vests and belts and equipment bags. We get dropped, move down to mark and find a site for the platform. A heavy transport drops one of those large cargo pods that they will not send back up and reuse."

I grinned at dad, "put four large anti grav units on each upper corner. Remove the solid doors and put a half grate on the right and a grate door on the left."

Mom snorted, "a shelter."

I nodded, "curtain hangers to separate the inside into sleeping chambers with small battery powered lights. Add a set of angled ramps that hook into the floor on the front so we can go from a branch to the door."

I sat back, "load the platform beams in the container so we only have to make one more trip. We cut the upper branches down to larger solid ones. Build the platform in a preset pentagram web before adding premade tristeel decking."

Dad nodded before grinning, "but I am not going."

I shook my head, "we need someone we trust to build the decking and the next cargo pod. We leave the cargo pod when we are done for a emergency shelter. If we set the pod and platform correctly a set of stairs or rope ladder down to the top of the pod would be perfect for leaving transport batteries."

I leaned back, "we rest a day or two between platforms."

Mom set a cup of tea in front of me, "what about the girls?"

I sighed, "I will take them with me and arm them with my old rifles. They have learned what to watch for and can keep watch while we work."

Mom shook her head but dad stood, "I will need to go speak with the council first thing in the morning."

I sipped my tea as they left and finally cleaned the cup and went up to bed. The next couple of days were busy as I bought new clothes for myself and the girls with money from selling most of the pelts and feathers. I also spent time each day having them fire the two pistols and two rifles I pulled out.

I was not the only one with girls going, Leo's Terrie and Tiger's Sandy were both going as well. The last ones going with us was Sandy's older brother Peter and his wife Emily. I had Hunter in a chest sling like Alex and Jade with their dragons, Griffin laid in the seat beside me. Their bird bats were snuggled into pouches just like the other bird bats that were going with us.

I glanced at the copilot as she turned and waved and smiled and stood, "time to get ready."

It was barely dawn, the morning rain storm had ended and we were almost to the first site. I lifted my pack and adjusted the anti grav vest and belts before turning to check the girls. Their rifles were secured to their packs just as my bow and quiver was secured to mine. I moved to the side door and slid it back before looking out.

I looked towards the copilot and nodded and she turned away. The transport slowed and hovered as I looked out again, "Griffin?"

I stepped out and turned up the anti grav as I started to drop. I turned to look around me as I drifted down into the leaves below. Griffin flew down and around before disappearing. Jade and Alex were right above me as I dropped through the top layer of leaves. I moved to the side as I headed for a body thick branch.

Griffin was already on the branch watching below us. I landed and started towards the tree, "to the tree Griffin."

He turned and started for the tree as Alex and then Jade landed behind me. Leo was behind Jade and Terrie was behind him followed by Tiger, Sandy, Emily and then Peter. I glanced down as I reached the tree and dropped to grab the branch before letting go. I shifted my weight to slid to the right to land on the next branch.

Griffin followed and landed beside me as I started around the tree to make room for those following. It was a little while before we reached a large enough branch, we were almost a hundred meters below the tree tops. I glanced at the others before opening the comm, "we are down and safe."

The transport had been circling and headed for home now. I glanced at the others, "comms on the satellites only now."

They nodded and I looked around, "time to find a site, we have several hours before the pod gets here."

I turned to pull the two rifles out for Alex and Jade as the other girls were helped. I set the three younger dragons loose before heading out towards the end of the branch. Leo went one way as Tiger went another. An hour later we had the perfect site and I pulled the beacon out and attached it to the branch.

I stood and headed back to the tree we had chosen to put the pod in. We hung the packs off smaller branches before pulling the laser saws out of our packs. I move out and started cutting the branches. The girls knew to start watching because when branches started falling the larger predators would come looking for the cause.

My brothers and Peter were on other branches doing the same thing. Sandy was the first to spot something and used the personal comm we all wore, "a leaf leopard is coming up."

I shut the laser off and started looking. Tiger saw it next, "second branch down moving toward Leo."

I saw something through the leaves but Alex was the one to speak, "I have it."

I glanced back as she fired and turned to look. Alex stood, "I got it."

Leo chuckled, "right through the back of the head."

I grinned as I hung up the laser and headed towards the tree trunk, "Griffin, Hunter."

Alex and Jade followed as I grabbed the cord I had tied off and dropped to the next branch below us. The dragons followed and then flew out and ahead as I headed towards the dead leopard. I kept looking as I dropped down to the next branch. I skinned the leopard and rolled up the hide before tying a vine to a leg.

I had cut off several chunks and fed Griffin, Hunter, Gloria and Drake as I worked. Now I was going to pull half the body up to feed the other dragons. I kicked the upper body off the branch after taking claws and long canine teeth. I gestured to the girls, "up."

Jade turned and slung her rifle before climbing another vine. Her dragon leaped and flew up to wait and Alex started following her with her dragon already flying up. I glanced around before climbing up and turning to pull the meat up. I left it by Terrie and headed back and around to go back to work.

We killed three leopards, two lions and eight wolfapes. We only managed two branch levels before the pod arrived. I went up with Alex and Jade when we got the call and saw the transport through the leaves. I pulled the remote I had been given and opened the comm, "drop it."

As the pod dropped I activated the anti gravs and it slowed and then began to drop very slowly, "okay we have it."

I watched as it came through the leaves out in the center of the area we had selected. As it went past I nodded to Jade and she turned to drop down with Alex following. I dove after the pod and switched on my anti gravs. I caught the front grate and glanced down and jerked to spin the pod.

I caught a thrown cord and pulled to move the pod out of the center and closer to the tree we had chosen. I let the cord go and jerked to turned the pod again to miss a branch. As the pod started dropping into the cleared area I caught another cord. I hooked it to the solid part of the grate.

Peter pulled and Tiger joined him as the pod slowly went past the branch we were going to use for the beams of the platform and a side branch from the tree. We pulled it around the tree quickly and I dialed up the anti gravs to full. It took a little to position it on the two branches and in the laser cut groves we had made for it.

I slowly shut the pod anti gravs down and it settled. I twisted to open the door and reached in for one of the two meter wide ramps. I removed the cord attached to the front grate and hooked it to the ramp.

My brothers started pulling and it came out as Peter jumped down onto the pod roof. He laid down and looked in before tossing me a hook that I attached to the other end of the ramp, "slowly."

I shifted as he took the weight and started lowering it and moved down to position the four pins. I pushed them into place and gestured to my brothers. The second ramp was longer and wider and we had to shift to the other side of the front before lowering it and locking it in place. I shut my anti gravs off, "home sweet home."

Everyone laughed and we brought our packs around the tree and put them inside. We had almost two meters of space at the top, the pod was just over fifteen meters long, four high and five wide.

I looked at the others, "enough work for the day. Drop down a branch level or two and spread out. Use the bird bats to find fruit and look for fire and spice leaves. If you find something big enough kill it."

They nodded as I closed the grate door. I grinned at Alex and Jade before tilting my head and walking down the ramp and then climbed down to the branch below. The dragons spread out and moved from secondary branch to secondary branch. I went down a couple of levels before turning to the north.

Alex and Jade had their bird bats bringing back apple berries and the small melon fruit. I stopped the girls a little later and pointed to a nest just off the main branch we were on. The nest was in a group of thin branches that held it up. I was grim as I looked around, "Griffin."