Worlds Apart (Madam Mim&Rave)

"Mm...huh-uh," Eedahn shook her head when he warned her not to be upset if it came out with tusks. "Fentar--tusks, like a mammoth." Out of habit she mimed tusks before putting her index fingers against her canines in an imitation of a fanged animal. "Jonu--fangs, like a tiger. And it'll be your fault if it comes out with either!"

She saw that he was disappointed that she hadn't returned such strong affection. She half-suspected that David was so bonded to her because she had been the one to find him and bring him back, but of course never shared this with him. It would be better, she knew, when Khalo had her baby and they shared a hut; simpler than it was now. Skins had been donated by each hunter, as they were with each new hut constructed, and some went out to find lumber each day to begin construction on it. It would be completed before Khalo gave birth and they could live together then. It would be better for David, anyway, if he were there when she went into labor.

But these thoughts were driven from her mind when he produced a skinny little stoat and she praised him for it. "I don't hold your hand," she said with some confusion, but then he explained that the children teased him about her helping him. "I've told them they don't have mammoths on the mountain," she huffed, blowing a bit of wild hair out of her face and rolling her eyes. "But yes, maybe they'll leave you alone now. But you shouldn't let the words of children annoy you, anyway." He cleaned the stoat, not rendering the pelt entirely unusable, and lit a fire for them to roast their breakfast.

"You've been able to thank me by giving me children," she insisted, "and by helping to care for my sons. Speaking of--oof!" She held out the stoat-on-a-stick while her boys rocketed into her, tossing some greeting to David over their shoulder before pestering her.

"Yuma Yuma! Nikah says when the baby comes I won't be allowed to nurse anymore!" Tuam--now almost four--said, clearly very upset.

"Nikah!" Eedahn said sternly, fixing her eldest with a look. "Why would you say such things? Do you think I would let you starve because there are new babies?"

"No..." Nikah scuffed his foot against the ground, looking down shamefacedly.

"And did I let you starve when Tuam was born?"

"No..."

"So say you're sorry to your brother."

"Sorry," the six-year-old mumbled at the ground.

"To your brother! Or you'll be going to fetch a stick!"

Nikah huffed and looked up at Tuam. "Sorry," he said again petulantly. Recognizing that this was all she would get out of him, Eedahn nodded and waved them away, but they didn't go.

"Is that for us?" It seemed that regardless of the time period, toddlers were essentially selfish creatures. The difference in this time, however, was life and death.

"You had breakfast," Eedahn said firmly, "and I need food for myself and the babies."

"But it was so small!" Nikah complained. "It's been so cold nothing comes up anymore, but the elders won't let anyone cook the mammoth!"

"You won't be whining when there's snow up to the door," Eedahn said with a shrug. But a look at her boys and she couldn't deny them food when their bellies weren't full. With a sigh she tugged away her shirt and they fell to her breasts greedily, as though knowing that they would be a scarce resource after the babies came and afraid that these usurpers would arrive tomorrow. She threw a disdainful look over Tuam's head in David's direction, then shook her head. "You're spoiled, both of you."

"Thank you Yuma," Nikah mumbled around her nipple as she leaned forward to roast her piece of the stoat over the fire.

"Fentar-- Jonu. Sorry, I get them mixed up sometimes." He rolled a shoulder, and began roasting his food over the fire. She exclaimed out defensively about the children and he couldn't help but laugh. It was...nice, to have someone feel protective over him. Most people here either kept their distance knowing what he was, a son of deities, respected him, thought of him as a child-- or hated him entirely. He had a mixed reaction from people. Some, hated the attention he got. Others didn't know what to say or do around the son of the Mountain. Some, like Eehdahn, tried to get close and know him better, but none as much and as genuinely as her. The one person aside from her that came close, was Kahlo, but that's only because she was enamored. He didn't blame her. Her first born would be his. They'd share a Hut together and everything. He kind of hoped that he was as close with Kahlo as he was with Eehdahn, but that would never come to be.

Sure, he could see himself growing to love Kahlo. At least like her a lot. But the impression left on him by Eehdahn was...too much. Things would get easier and simpler once he moved out, there was no denying that. But, there was no denying that the two of them shared strong feelings regardless of who lived in what Hut. He knew, they'd be making repeated trips to each others homes just to re-discover the intimacy of their first fuck by the fire. It was, by far, the most intimate encounter with a woman he'd had to date, and he'd repeat it with Eehdahn whenever he could.

The thoughts drifted from his mind quickly though when she was suddenly assault by children, and he couldn't help but snicker at the exchange. Children will be children. Boys teased each other regardless of what age. He watched until finally, their mother gave in and she let out her breasts for the boys to suckle and eat whil she gave him a look, and he could only offer her a smirk. "Pray to the Moon the ones in you aren't so needy-- but I doubt it." He mused, but in show of support he scooted over a tad towards her and rubbed her back lightly to ease the strain of hungry children tugging away at milk.

"There is a good point raised, though. The worst of winter is yet to come...and Kahlo needs more. I know you can take care of yourself. And you have me, and Reyun. She only has her mother, and she's too skinny to hunt. Or-- she was. She's filled out now because she's with child, but she can't hunt either." He paused a minute, hoping that if he doted on her with affectionate touches, she'd be more open to hearing his request.

"I wasn't fully honest. This Stoat wasn't just to surprise you with breakfast. It's...proof, that I'm ready to go on a more serious hunt. I want to make sure she's fed. I want to make sure that this baby in you, you say is my thanks, stays strong and healthy along with his brother in there." He rolled a shoulder, a bit restless just talking about it. "Eehdahn...I want to go into the forest. I want you to take me hunting. Properly."

"Even more needy," Eedahn groaned. She leaned against him a little as he rubbed her back, making noises of pleasured relief. "Especially yours. Gods help me if they're both yours." But she smiled teasingly.

She listened to David laying out his case, clearly leading to something. Halfway through she winced and cuffed Nikah upside the head. "Teeth!" she scolded. "I'll ween you early, don't think I won't!" She let David continue as though nothing had happened, then he got to the heart of it. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then tapped her boys on the head. "You're done," she said firmly.

"Yumaaaa...!" Tuam whined.

"Done!" With little argument, knowing that tone of voice, the boys sullenly left to go play and try to learn how to help with the chores it took to keep the village alive through the winter. Eedahn quickly pulled her shirt back into place, still not addressing David's request. Often they would hunt in the grassy, rolling foothills. There were lots of prey to be found, but usually only the occasional mammoth; everything else was small, but easily killable. The dark forest was full of predators like direbears and warthogs easily the size of David, like the dire wolves easily twice the size of their modern descendants, and of course the sabertoothed tiger. There were elk in the forest, but they were much bigger than modern elk had ever thought of being and could easily trample or gore a man. Eedahn was one of the few who dared to go into the forest, and even she spent most of her time in their checking over her shoulder and in the trees for something trying to kill her.

On the other hand, David did need to learn to provide for Khalo and contribute to the tribe in one way or another. It wouldn't do to put a godchild in harm's way, lest he die in battle and bring the wrath of the mountain and the moon down upon them all. There wasn't really anything to gather at this time of year, per se, and that was generally considered women's work anyway. Most often men would follow their father's profession and women would follow their mother's, but being a mountain wasn't exactly a job, was it? Still, a stoat--and a hatchet job at that--wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for him to be heading into the forest. He was right; Khalo couldn't hunt for herself. Finally she sighed.

"You're going to do it without me if I say no, aren't you?" she said at last. With another sigh she rubbed her face and took her stoat from the fire to start eating it. "We go in once," she said firmly. "If anything goes wrong, we come out again and you stick to the grass. And we go with more than just us. Na?"

"Two blessings from the Mountain & the Moon? Oh they'd run you ragged. If you thought Nikah was bad..." He laughed a bit, tracing that hand all the way up to the back of her hair so he could rub at the scalp and ease any tensions from the endless and desperate suckling going on beneath.

That was, until mom decided enough was enough and the kids were promptly shoo'd away. There was a tone she took when she got stern, one that the kids seemed to fear lest they draw the huntress' wrath out of their mother. He appreciated it though. The topic was serious, even if he did present with some a bit of casualness to help guide the answer to a positive one. He watched the children run away, and he ruffled the eldest's hair on his way out to play with a small laugh before his attentions fully turned to Eehdahn again.

Much to his relief, she'd accepted, and he finally relaxed a bit. Biting into his food, he leaned back a little on his elbows. She was being strict with the rules of her agreement, as expected. "Once is all I need. I Promise. I'm just tired of sitting still and doing...children's chores." He rolled a shoulder, before sitting up again a bit and leaning over to lick her cheek in thanks. It had become the norm now, licking someone gently instead of the foreign concept of a kiss. Either way, the same intention was there. "I'll go gather us some supplies. Let's go right now, before anyone notices or Reyun tries to stop you." He smirked, a bit over excited maybe. He didn't seem to care if it was a better time to go at night, or if he was rushing things.

He did pause though, half-way through getting up, and sat back down as if remembering something. "...But I should go check on Kahlo before we leave. This is her first child. She's probably not carrying two, but she's struggling as you'd expect. At least I can deliver her some good news that food is on the way." He hummed, mulling it over for a moment before looking at Eehdahn once more, as if deciding to go with her best judgement on when to leave or if it was just best to tell Kahlo after the kill was made rather than getting her hopes up.

Eedahn grumbled and wiped away the saliva from her cheek as David started to stand. "And why would he try to stop me?" she demanded, pushing herself forward onto her knees in preparation to stand up. "I told you, we're taking him and others. We're not going in alone; that's suicide." David paused and sat back down and announced that he was going to tell Khalo that he was going hunting, then looked at her as though seeking her approval. "Don't tell her that you're going into the forest," she warned, heaving herself to her feet, "and don't act so excited. It's just hunting. Gods my tits!" Eedahn massaged her swollen, aching breasts before leaving David to his own devices.

An hour later she'd gathered Reyun and five hunters to go with them into the forest. Really, there should have been more of them but the animals were generally less dangerous after the snow started falling; many of them were asleep. The eight of them set out, coming to the edge of the forest after about half an hour and pausing there to look into the trees.

"I'd say an elk or a bear," Eedahn suggested, peering between the dark trunks.

"All the bears are sleeping," one of the hunters, Kenai, pointed out. She shrugged.

"Well if we happen to find its den then why not kill it?" she pointed out. "Anyway, something big to keep us through and make it worth our while."

"I don't know-- he might call you out on that twin-carrying belly and say its too dangerous. But hey, if you can convince him, by all means." He rolled a shoulder, and a snort escaped when she suddenly complained about her tits and nipples being sore. "If this is a success, I'll tend to those for you later." A promise of some attention to her later since she was doing him this favor, but as she walked away to start gathering supplies, he went the opposite direction to Kahlo and her mother. He spent a little bit of time with her, helping her into bed and doting on her with a bit of affection before promising to return with the spoils.

It was an hour later that he met up with the rest of the hunting party, his spear in hand and his winter gear on his back. They set out into the forest, and already there was some bickering about what to hunt. David himself wasn't particularly picky here as long as it was bigger than a stoat, and enough to feed them all. There were enough bodies here to drag something big, like an Elk, all the way back to the village.

"I've never had Bear before." He exclaimed to the both of them, a roll of the shoulder following-- revealed to be a restless habit of his. "But if we kill a sleeping one, it should be more than enough for us -and- the pregnant women back at home." He had Eehdahn and Kahlo in mind, but he was sure some others here had women carrying their children, waiting for the same kind of treat.

Eedahn had laughed at the idea of someone stopping her from hunting just because she was pregnant. She wasn't even that big yet! Hunting was her job; she wasn't going to sit on her ass for nine months just because there were babies inside her. Reyun always expressed some concern at this but knew that there was no point in telling her to take it easy; she'd do that when she waddled more than walked. She wasn't about to starve or let the tribe starve just because she was fertile.

David put in his vote for a bear and Eedahn shrugged. "If we find a bear, we'll kill it," she said simply, stepping toward the forest again.

"How have you never eaten a bear?" another hunter asked incredulously. "They live in caves, and the Mountain is half rock. Surely they've got bears on the Mountain?"

"Ish!" Eedahn scolded. "Not your business what he has and hasn't eaten!"

The hunter raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Just asking," he mumbled before following Eedahn and the others into the forest.

It was, as she had warned David, dark. The snow on the ground was thinner here and their steps were muffled by a soft carpet of pine needles. A lone bird croaked somewhere further in, and all of the hunters were visibly more tense. If they couldn't hear their own steps, then they most definitely wouldn't hear a predator until it was upon them. Eedahn led the way, stepping carefully in an effort not to make any noise. After nearly ten minutes she studied a tree, then turned to the others and mimed antlers before pointing the direction she thought the elk had gone.

David was a bit perplexed at having to give an answer to what was, in truth, a completely legitimate question. Justifiably he didn't tell the tribesmen and women a lot of information. It seemed all around easier than having to explain and relate things in a language he was barely grasping anyway. Luckily, Eedahn hushed the man quickly before an answer was required to be given, allowing David to simply make a small comment about it. "A story for the fire, after we make the kill." He'd offer him that bit to let the hunter have some peace of mind, before he quietly stalked the forests, letting Eehdahn lead the the way.

This was her natural element, after all.

Finally, there was a sign of something. He felt chills run up his spine but they were not ones of cold. They were excitement. This was nothing like hunting from back in his world. This was...real, you were in the thick of it, and any moment an Antler the size of two Jeep Cherokees stacked atop each other would show up and they'd have to kill it. Or even better-- a Bear. It's not like he had a death wish. It was more that David felt like he had a point to prove.

He was heralded as this deity but...did mostly nothing. He simply existed. Ate when others ate. Fucked to father children. He didn't contribute as much as he expected himself to. So quietly, yet firmly, his spear was gripped, and he held himself ready for when they spot the kill.

For nearly 45 minutes--if they'd had such a concept of time--they tracked the elk through the forest. Finally, Reyun pulled them up short and pointed silently down the ridge they had just crested. There in a clearing stood the monstrous elk, far bigger than even David and armed with Antlers each the size of one of them. Quietly, quietly, they crept down the ridge single file before Eedahn motioned for them to spread out. A quarter mile from the clearing she gave the signal for the others to start spacing themselves out in a ring around the clearing. If it ran, one of them would at least have the chance of wounding it. She beckoned to David and pulled him down to whisper in his ear.

"Go that way," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath as she pointed to the left. "Go until you can barely see me, then watch for my signal and pass it down to the next man."

Eedahn waited until David was only just in her sights, then motioned for them to advance, effectively forming a noose around the elk. The trees were so thick in this part of the forest that snow couldn't penetrate the trees, so they didn't even crunch as they tightened the noose. Once they got to the edge of the clearing it would be an outright run to catch the monstrous herbivore if the first spear didn't strike true. Since this was supposed to be David's hunt, she caught his eye then gave him the signal to strike the first and hopefully killing blow. His skills with a spear had been steadily improving, but she didn't know whether he could make it at this distance.

Tension was rising, and he could feel the beads of sweat roll down his spine despite the coldness of winter. After a long search, they'd finally arrived at their target. There it was, standing proud and glorious, a swing of its head enough to kill two or three men. It would only take a second, and they would be done for. Yet that was the challenge. That was what was going to feed all these people and their families. He wanted to impress Eedahn. It was perhaps, his main prerogative. But secondly, he wanted to feed the other mother of his child back home. More than enough reasons for him to follow every order, and keep as still as possible while they crept around the monster and formed a circle. These people-- they hunted like lionesses in the Savannah. They had to have learned from the Saber Tooth, and it made sense.

Everyone was circling, and his final instructions were given via a whisper. He nodded towards Eedahn, saving affectionate words or warning of being careful to less experienced hunters. She knew what she was doing. Just because he cared about her didn't mean he had to insult her by asking her to be careful.

He finally got into position, and waited for everyone else to be ready-- and finally, the signal was given. He had practiced every day for this. Every day, after language training. He would go to the fields and grab his spear, aiming. Perfecting the swing. He had asked for this, and it was his time to do something about it. He wasn't going to embarrass himself after all this-- or so he told himself. Actually achieving that required mental stability.

Thankfully, he had that. One tended to acquire it after time travelling and getting stuck. So a slow breath was exhaled, until his lungs were clear. Without making a sound, he stood up full and arched backwards. His arm swung back as far as it could. The tip of the spear angled perfectly with the animal. And then-- suddenly.

Woosh

The spear was lunged with all the force and muscle David could muster. It pierced the air with a howling screech and not a second later did it stab into the animal, hitting home with a powerful thrust. Yet for a moment of euphoria, reality came quickly afterwards. David had struck it, and yet not the base of the throat where he had hoped to land it. The spear had skewed slightly, and the blade pierced the animal's flank. It did not die-- yet its hind legs instantly gave out, crippling the beast. A single moment was wasted on annoyance and regret by the man, before quickly he grabbed onto the blade strapped to his thigh, and he rushed out to finish the kill that he started.

It was probably a stupid idea.

The beast went down with a bellow and Eedahn winced, covering her face with her hand for a moment. The thing was as big as a hut and he hadn't gotten anywhere near anything vital, all but ruining a perfectly good side of meat while he was at it. It was better than some did on their first hunt, but still left much to be desired. She stepped forward and cocked her arm back, but dropped it when she saw him running out to meet the beast.

"David!" Eedahn ran out after him in an attempt to body check him, but he slipped by her.

The monstrous elk was crippled but not defenseless. It swung its head, clipping David with one gigantic antler. It wasn't enough to kill him, but certainly enough to knock him back hard enough to take his breath away. Eedahn skidded to a halt within feet of its antlers. It turned to face her and let out a horrifying noise deeper in tenor than its modern descendant but no less unsettling. It brayed and struggled with its one good leg to shimmy over to her, swinging its head wildly in an attempt to keep back the other hunters who had now rushed to aid. Unwilling to turn her back to the beast, she danced backwards until she slipped in a wet patch of snow, landing on her ass with a grunt and temporarily losing grip of her spear.

Fuck.

His attempt to fix things had only knocked him back, and had a tree not been there to stop his momentum he'd have rolled all the way down the hill and left the rest of them to fight on their own. The smack of the Elk was hard. Its antlers were like iron smashing into his chest. By some small miracle, the sharp edges didn't cut him. Instead, he was simply hit by the brute force of its swing, enough to knock the air out of him for a moment.

Eedahn rushed to try and fix the situation but to no avail. Ice was her enemy as-well as the Elk and she slipped back. The other hunters were trying to attack and yet they could do nothing while it swung its Antlers back and forth. The only one it wasn't paying attention to, was David, as he slowly but surely got back up. That large frame wasn't pointless-- and the one person he actually felt something for in this entire timeline was about to be skewered by an overly large deer.

He wasn't about to let his ego fuck things up. The blade was still in his hand. The Elk was distracted trying to keep the other hunters at bay while quickly stalking Eedahn as prey. Quickly, he darted back onto his feet, ignoring the stinging bruising and pain in his chest to quickly shorten the distance between the Elk and himself. It was about to strike. It was a second away from swinging its head and taking someone out-- had David not jumped. He forced his entire body's energy into his feet and he leapt forward, the extra height taking him just underneath the beast's neck, where his blade quickly slashed the spot he was aiming for earlier to begin with.

A gush of blood spewed out as the beast's throat was cut in the area Eedahn had taught him to stab. The area that would not ruin the meat, but instantly and painlessly kill the animal. His momentum and yet amateur-ish vitality, combined with pain in his chest, did not allow him to land properly. Instead, he fell onto his side with a rough tumble and rolled into the other hunters at the side of him. Hopefully, someone would catch him before he smashed his head on a rock.

Either way, he wasn't concerned about it. He just tried to look at Eedahn through the tumble, to see if she was hurt-- if his child, suffered because he made a dumb decision.

Eedahn scuttled backwards on her rear, picking up her spear as she went. There was more than a spear's length between her and the elk determined to gore her, but she didn't want to risk ruining even more meat by attempting a moving target at such a poor angle. Instead she kept crawling backwards to give the others time to get near it. Finally David lunged at its neck and tore a jagged line across its throat where his spear landed in the first place. Her breath was visible in when she let it out before collapsing onto her back.

"Mother Earth we thank you for this bountiful hunt," she wheezed, patting the ground absently with her hand. "What we give to us we shall return to you in our death. We thank you for the life sacrifice of this creature you have grown with care for us." Grunting, she pushed herself into a sitting position then allowed Reyun to help her heave to her feet. Once he had, he started in on David.

"What were you thinking?!" he demanded. "Going in like that with a knife! Without the rest of us! You--"

"Reyun," Eedahn said tiredly, hobbling over to where David laid in the snow. He stopped and clenched his jaw, but didn't say anything. "Are you okay?" she asked David, though she didn't help him up. Once she had ascertained that he was uninjured, she nodded. "Good. Now what were you thinking?" she demanded, reaching down to cuff him upside the head several times. "How many times have I told you--! You could've gotten hurt! Or killed! Your stupid pride almost got me killed!" She went off on a tirade of words David didn't know, but it was evident from her tone that they were a string of creatively put-together swears. The other hunters began to back away a little, looking rather scared of her.

"Eedahn," Reyun said cautiously.

She ignored him. "--And you ruined a good deal of meat! Do you know how tough that's going to be?!" she shouted.

"Eedahn!" he hissed.

"What?!" Reyun nodded behind her. Eedahn turned to see a bear three times the size of its modern descendants rear up on its hind legs. It bellowed as it brought its forepaws back to the ground, and Eedahn in her anger and frustration roared back at it. She leaned forward, gripping her spear in both hands to challenge it over the elk. This bear could either leave or get dragged back to the village with the elk.

Alright. He'd gotten it done-- so there was that off his mind.

Now he had to deal with -her-. That, was arguably a bit scarier than dealing with the damn Elk. Still, he had made a decision and he was nothing if not a man that follows through with consequences. He had perhaps expected his first hunt to be a bit more rosy than that, but one always builds up moments like this in their head. The actual reality can be a little more bitter than what you think will happen. That, was something he promptly dealt with once Reyun started shouting at him. Though that irked him. He suddenly discovered that he was fine with Eedahn reprimanding him, if only because he was the one that asked this of her and he as the one that put her life in danger, effectively. Reyun though? It wasn't ego at this point, his pride just wouldn't let him take it.

'I was thinking I had to finish the job I started! Was I supposed to just let her get mauled?! Or w--'

The words never escaped his lips. Reyun was promptly silenced before David had a chance to defend himself, and David took the moment to sit up a bit. The snow had cushioned much of his fall, but a bruise on his chest was rather indicative of the stinging pain in his muscles. Had he not been built, and of a strong frame, he'd surely have a collapsed lung. "I'm fine. Forget me-- Are -you-?" He asked, but he didn't get an answer. He instead, of course, got yelled at. He was prepared, as much as one could, for an onslought of words. Once she got into the ones he didn't understand is when he scooted back towards the other hunters, who'd also backed away in fear of her. As they should.

He'd open his mouth to try and apologize, or justify himself without being excusatory, before it instantly shut. Not at anything, but the giant fucking bear that roared behind the wild-haired woman. Not that she cared. She had her spear in hand and roared right back at him.

David wasn't ready for this. An Elk was one thing. A Bear?...He had no chance. Not with a spear. Not with a knife. Not with anything. Yet still, he picked up his spear anyway and held it high, stepping just behind Eedahn, silently. He wasn't presumptuous enough to think that he had any chance of helping-- so he simply stood his ground behind her.

The Bear wasn't really as scary, as a wild and furious pregnant Eedahn.

The others had stepped up behind Eedahn as well, but they knew better than to try and help. There was no reasoning with her when she was this furious, no use in trying to convince her to play dead or try to scare the bear off. Besides, this late hibernator would add to their stockpiles of meat and fur and they hadn't had a bear in a long while. Reyun gestured silently to David to get to the back of the pack, but didn't make an issue out of it--for now--if he was ignored. There was more to be concerned about than bickering over where exactly his place was. He wasn't, after all, a god--gods don't bleed, and David certainly did--but he merited more respect than an ordinary man.

Eedahn for her part ignored the jostling of men behind her and focused on the bear. She snarled, challenging it and blocking it whenever it tried to go around her to get to the freshly killed prey. It preferred not scavenging, of course, but it was early winter; what other choices did it have? The bear roared in frustration and reared up, swinging one heavy paw to swipe at her. Eedahn ducked under its paw and stepped in closer, jabbing it in the stomach with the butt of her spear. It roared again and swung, but its voice was cut short with a gurgle when her spear went through its throat. With a grunt she pulled out her weapon and danced sideways to avoid the falling corpse. Between this, the elk, and half of the mammoth that had been frozen in the snow, their village would eat well through most of the winter before needing to hunt some more, if they rationed carefully. Eedahn cleaned off her spear in the snow, one arm sagging a little, and said the same prayer of thanks as she had with the elk before straightening and looking at the others.

"Come on. Let's get this back to the village before it gets dark."

But Reyun looked concerned. "Eedahn, you're hurt." He stepped forward to look at her bloody shoulder, but she shrugged him off.

"Attai can patch it," she said gruffly, grabbing one leg of the bear with her good arm. "We need to get back." In truth, the pain was burning and she knew that if they didn't get back soon it would become infected. If that happened she might lose her arm...or worse. Swallowing the fear and panic that threatened to overwhelm her, she waited for others to grab the other limbs of the bear. Two men grabbed the antlers of the elk and heaved its front end over their shoulders while two others took the rear half.

It was a long walk back to the village and was well after dark when they arrived. Nikah and Tuam greeted their mother as enthusiastically as always and she hugged them tiredly but distractedly before having Attai see to her shoulder. It should heal fine, he told her, but she shouldn't go hunting again until it did. Without much word to anyone, Eedahn grabbed her ration of mammoth before disappearing into her hut to lay down, exhausted from the hunt.

Things were getting a bit more tense. Reyun was suggesting David take a place in the back, and yet the man only stepped to the side to allow other Hunters to join him. It wasn't arrogance-- he just bared as much responsibility as the rest of them. Arguably more, because this was a situation of his own making. No words were exchanged, but a glance of determination was offered to Reyun instead. It didn't demand respect-- it demanded the right to stand with the other hunters and take his chance should it come. The pecking order was never something he cared about, whether it meant he should be respected as the son of a God, or put in place because he's a new hunter.

Not like any of it mattered. Eedahn had the Bear down in the next moment yet at the cost of a bleeding shoulder. The beast thumped down into the ground with a loud bang, leaving Reyun to finally go check on the woman. He was concerned as he should have been. So was David, who had guilt to acompany feelings of concern. But the man said nothing. It wasn't the right time, now. He let Reyun check on the woman he loved, while silently helping some of the other hunters haul and drag the Bear back along with the elk. His larger build in comparison allowed him to carry much of the weight, making the trip a bit easier for everyone.

His entire walk to the village was silent, from where they hunted to where they dumped off the meat for storing and rationing. A big, black bruise developed in the middle of his chest as a result of the kick he'd suffered earlier, but it wasn't unmanagable. He'd go to Attai, before noticing Eedahn walking out and silently heading to the hut. He let a sharp exhale escape his nose, before looking at Ataii and walking in. "Give me a few of those numbing herbs, please."

When Ataii offered to place them on David's chest himself, the man shook his head but offered no explanation. Instead, he bowed his head in a bit of gratitude, before following Eedahn to her hut while everyone else was still outside. He still didn't really know what to say, and she was already laying down facing away from him. So simply, he knelt at her side, and much like she did to him when he first arrived, he reached to drape the leaves and wrap them along her injured shoulder. Perhaps, a silent way of showing both concern and apology.

Eedahn winced as David pressed the leaves to her shoulder, but didn't say anything. She'd finished her warmed-up helping of meat and just wanted to sleep for days. It would have been an exhausting hunt normally, but four months pregnant? With twins? She'd be lucky if she got up before high-sun tomorrow. On top of her exhaustion she was still fuming and David's presence hadn't made it any better.

"You're not going into the forest again. Na?" It wasn't a question. "You said you were tired of doing children's chores, then you let your stupid pride drive you to recklessness like a child. You put all of us in danger." She looked over her shoulder at him, one hand on her swollen belly. "All of us. From now on if you hunt you stick to the hills, and you don't go alone. Na?"

Slowly and with much grunting she rolled onto her back in hopes that that would be more comfortable. Her back was always the part that hurt worst whenever she was pregnant. Closing her eyes, she took a slow, deep breath and let it out slowly between her lips. Some of the nausea occasionally came back in her second trimester and she was trying to stop the rolling in her stomach. The smell of the leaves, usually innocuous at most, weren't helping matters; they soured her stomach, hurt her nose, and worsened her headache, but she knew they were good for her wound.

"Don't try to take down something that big alone, ever again," she warned tiredly.

It wasn't like he expected anything other than a scolding, though he didn't expect her to be as harsh with him as she was. Still-- he didn't just endanger himself. She was carrying his children-- or child. Either way, it was a mistake. If her being pissed at him was punishment, then he'd have to take it. His pride was already beyond recovery at this point, though protective instincts, over his seed and the mother carrying it, out-weighed pride and a desire not to get scolded. Whenever she'd look back at him, he simply wouldn't reply. His acknowledgement was silent. He was silent the whole trip home because he was aware it was the wrong call.

Yet still, he wouldn't budge until she'd lie down and the leaves were adminstered correctly. It was her safety that he cared about most, because he was the one that endangered it in the first place. Finally, in her tired daze, she gave him a final warning. He patted the leaves a final time himself, before finally exhaling slowly though the nose. "Rest. I saw Reyun behind me. He'll be here to take care of the rest." There was no need to apologize further. It wasn't like she didn't know he was sorry.

He'd stand again and dust himself off, before exiting the hut and walking across the village's center. His destination was Kahlo's hut, newly built for the pair of them eventually. He probably wasn't going to go see Eedahn for a few days. She had Reyun, and further confrontation was pointless. He needed to recover his ego and re-asses his actions, and she needed time away to calm herself. Otherwise, she'd be angry, he'd be sorry, and they'd get nowhere. Without knocking or saying much, he simply walked in. He too, was tired from everything. Upon spotting Kahlo, he simply laid down on the fur next to her, and rested his head in her lap if she was willing.

"I am tired, Kahlo. I'll tell you of the hunt later."

Eedahn's anger faded with the passing of time, but she remained firm on the rules around David's hunting. The winter grew bitter cold and eventually most of their days were spent huddled together in huts to keep warm and taking turns to keep the fires going. Days grew short and dark and Eedahn spent much of her time sleeping or caring for her children and others. Her belly grew so large that by the end of winter she had difficulty moving and the babies caused her immense amounts of pain with their moving, kicking, and rolling over. She started talking to Khalo, giving her tips on handling pregnancy and childbirth; the girl was scared, and becoming more scared as the Melt approached and she knew her baby would be coming.

Khalo's baby came first. She was in labor for hours, kept in the river so long she started to get pruny, until finally her baby decided to be born. Along with several older women Eedahn waded into the chilly river to help soothe and coach her through it until he came wailing into the world, a healthy baby boy. Khalo was very ill for nearly a week afterward, having been through a difficult labor after a long pregnancy, but eventually recovered enough to nurse and care for her son. It was the week after that in which Eedahn went into labor. For two hours she refused to go to the river, unable to walk with the pain and convinced that neither of her children would refuse to wait. Eventually Reyun carefully picked her up, grunting with the effort, and carried her to the river himself, stripping her pants off as he went. No child of his would be born to any but the river.

He had been through this twice before, but Reyun was always surprised at just how loudly Eedahn could scream. He winced against the noise and her grip on his hand as she leaned against the riverbank, squatting in the water with the old women around her rubbing her back and belly and muttering soothing words. He exchanged a pained look with David as he thought he felt something in his hand snap, but didn't let go. Instead with his free hand he smoothed down her hair and kissed her forehead, muttering encouraging words through clenched teeth. After another hour and a half of screaming and cursing a baby girl was born who looked extraordinarily like Reyun. His eyes misted over as he held Mishra and exchanged wide grins with an exhausted Eedahn and leaned over to lick her throat slowly. She only just had time to return the gesture before doubling over in pain again, but was blessed for it to last only five minutes. This baby was much paler than her sister and had her father's eyes. With a herculean effort and some help from the other women Eedahn heaved herself onto the riverbank and laid between the fathers of her two daughters, breathing heavily but smiling wide.

"Well...I don't want to do that again," she wheezed, chuckling weakly. "Two at once...no wonder most women die."

Reyun smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Clearly the gods favor you," he said before glancing over at David holding his second child, his daughter. "They said, 'this one is too strong and too precious to die.'"

Eedahn wheezed what sounded like another laugh. "I believe that. At some points I would have preferred dying, I think. But I'm glad I didn't," she added at a concerned look. She was still bleeding and the afterbirth slid into the river and was swept away, but the women were keeping a careful eye on her. With help she was taken to her hut and sequestered for the rest of the day, until it was certain that the bleeding had stopped.

The months had been hectic. David refrained from hunting and yet kept busy by doing much of what Reyun did. Guard duty. In spare times, he'd help make huts in a collective effort as the village prepared for the season of births. He bounced back between Kahlo and Eedahn, helping to care for both of them however they needed as their bellies got larger with time. Kahlo was the first to pop, however, and the girl suffered. Yet still-- she gave birth to his first-born son. At least, of this era. A strong, pale child, with cries loud enough to make evidence of strong longs. He would grow to be a fine man, and as David held him through the nights while Kahlo recovered, he bonded with the little one.

He did not want to name him something of this time. He wasn't from here, not really. He wanted to pay homage to where he came from. To the village people, it would be a name bestowed by a demi-god, via the will of the gods, so it didn't matter anyway. Alexander would be his name. The people around him, familiarly, shortened it to Alex though. It suited the child, and it was simpler for everyone to say regardless. It wasn't much longer afterwards that Eedahn went into labor, and upon hearing it, he rushed alongside Reyun to help in whatever ways he could.

The man lifted her to the river, while David knelt beside her as Reyun took lead while she gave birth to the first child. Understanding looks of encouragement, and also acknowledgement that the man's hand might have been a bit crushed, were shared. The first girl looked just like Reyun-- and for a moment, David thought his child wasn't in there. Yet when the second emerged, her skin the color of David's own, he beamed. She as beautiful. A little bundle of crying, but beautiful. He held the little one as Eedahn and Reyun laughed alongside with him. "That being said-- I'd rather face a bear than go through what she did." Another laugh escaped him, before he licked Eedahn's forehead gently and let her be carried back to the hut once her bleeding had stopped.

Now that Kahlo was recovering, she was spending her own time bonding with Alexander. It had been a week or so since Eedahn gave birth, and his daughter was spending a lot of time with her mother. Knowing that she was well again, and able to move, David made his way to Eedahn and Reyun's hut. He wasn't sure where the man is, but he wanted to see his daughter. They'd not decided on a name quite yet, so he slipped on some leathers over his cock, and walked towards the hut where he was told Eedahn was relaxing. "Hello, mother of my child." He mused, a smile slipping on his lips upon saying the words. They were meant in affection, of course.

"How is my little one, hm?"

"Mm...hungry. She'll be a fat and happy child." Eedahn opened her eyes and let her head fall sideways to look at David. "Hello." She smiled tiredly. Reyun had been taking the lion's share of helping to raise the boys and keeping them from pestering their mother, but the two newborns were still enough to run her ragged. Eedahn had been taking a rare moment to nap while the girls had been nursing greedily. While she was resting they'd both fallen asleep at their mother's breast and she was grateful for the break, but kept her voice down in an effort not to wake them.

"I was thinking Nehet," she suggested after a long moment of silence, "since she is of the Moon."

They hadn't settled on a name yet. Khalo was content to let David name her baby, simply happy to have had a baby at all and a son at that. But although she hadn't said it, Eedahn hated the name David had given his son. It was a name of a far off people and a far off place, who Alexander would likely never meet, and it was difficult to say. These were his people, too, and these were the people who were going to raise him. She had even taken to calling him Kesinder simply because it sounded more like a normal name for a boy of this village. He would stand out as the grandchild of gods as it was; no need to make him a pariah among the other children, because children could be cruel and would resent his heritage and any special treatment he got because of it. Names were important, and the wrong name could burden a child with a terrible destiny.

It was partly for this reason that they hadn't settled on a name. David didn't like any of the names she had suggested, and she had likewise vetoed any he had. Eedahn was prepared for a knock-down, drag-out fight over this. Khalo might have been content to give up her rights to naming her own child, but Eedahn wouldn't. Any time the topic came up she tensed, prepared for a screaming match similar to that which she'd had with Attai when Tuam was born. She'd even threatened to deny Attai his paternal rights if he tried to saddle Tuam with a name of which she didn't expressly approve.

"Thanks to a strong and bountiful mother." He smiled back at her, complimenting and flirting all the same since it'd been a little while since he saw her. Reyun was here all the time, He was with Kahlo and Alexander all the time, and that was recently at the cost of time spent together between Eedahn and him. He'd walk up to the laying Eedahn and smile at the little ones passed out right atop her. He'd leave Reyun's little girl where she was, but raised a hand to stroke the little tiny hairs of his daughter. He was gentle enough not to force her from her sleep.

"Nehet-- like the moon?" His smile widened. His vocabulary was expanding, too, so he understood the meaning. "To name her after her grandmother-- she is going to grow up into a strong huntress then, blessed by the night sky and taught by the best hunter I know." He mused, scooping his daughter gently up from atop Eedahn to allow the mother her proper rest. Careful as to not wake the little one, he'd walk her over to the comfortable and protected basket in which she'd nap, laying her in gently. He'd return, and do the same with Reyun's daughter-- careful again not to wake her, until both the little girls were comfortably asleep behind Eedahn, and the woman could catch a break.

At least from babies. It was pretty clear that David had missed her, and so he'd make his way down next to Eedahn and slide his larger frame beneath the covers of fur without taking them off of her in the process. He laid her head down next to her, and finally leaned in to gently lick the tip of her chin in signs of affection. "I have been neglecting you. I know." He admitted, a small sigh escaping. "Fatherhood in this manner is...new, to me. Kahlo needs help. A lot of it. I've been relying in Reyun to keep you comfortable, but I too, should have been dropping in more often."

An arm raised to wrap about her waist and pull her gently against his chest, if she was willing, and his fingers would land comfortably along the curve of her hip. "So consider me yours tonight. Whatever you want-- I will do for you. Or fetch you. It is time I made up for lost time with the mother of my little huntress." He mused.

Eedahn smiled tiredly, glad that her suggestion hadn't started a fight. So their daughter's name would be Nehet, and her twin Mishra. She made a quiet noise of protest when David scooped her up into his arms. She'd just gotten to sleep and Eedahn didn't want to risk more wailing and crying. But he moved with care and laid her gently in her basket. It was cute to see how David interacted with his daughter. This seemed to be his first child and everything about Nehet was magical to him. Everything about her was magical to Eedahn, too, but she'd birthed two healthy boys and endured three additional pregnancies before this; a little bit of the magic was dulling by now. Not that she loved her daughters--her first daughters--any less for it, just that she tired a little more easily now. Carefully he moved Mishra too to lay with her sister before himself laying down next to her.

With a grateful groan Eedahn rolled onto her side facing him. "Darub my back!" she groaned, tucking her head beneath his chin. "I don't think it works anymore!" She smiled and leaned in to kiss his chin, and David apologized for having been absent. She shook her head and waved a hand dismissively. "The first few months are always hectic," she assured him, "and most fathers don't have to keep track of so many newborns at once. I'm sure you're just as sleep-deprived as Reyun."

David offered to do or get anything for her and she smiled tiredly, scooting closer to him. "Just hold me for now," she said, yawning widely. "Let me sleep for a little, then we can decide what to do."

She whisper-yelled in sorrow and pain for her back and he couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He really was used to her all strong, taking out bears before his eyes. This was new to him-- and he didn't like that she was in pain, but he did enjoy getting a chance to take care of her for once as opposed to the other way around. In silent understanding of what that little complaint meant, his arm slid around her protectively and his hands began rubbing and kneading at the tense muscles of her lower back, in that sore spot just above the ass and at the end of the spine. The kiss to his chin would be his reward for that, and he smiled softly. "You've been through hell popping out my little huntress. No wonder it's taken a toll. I damn near reached in and pulled her out myself it looked so painful for you."

A snicker escaped him, before gently he started to just press her in against him as perfectly as possible. His leg would slide between both hers. His arm would extend to be her pillow. His chest would press to her breasts, and his tongue would softly lick her forehead before he rested his head down against her own. "Sleep is a luxury nowadays. Kahlo needs a lot of help. But still. I've been overly relying on Reyun to take care of you here. I'll come around more often. You are as much a treasure to me, as the little one sleeping behind you." The compliment wasn't just to dote or gain points for affection. He meant it. Eedahn was as close to love as he was going to find in this era, and he knew she knew it. Sometimes it just wasn't said.

When she offered sleep though, he simply nodded against her. "Then shut your eyes and let me rub your back for a while." He closed his own, too. It'd be nice to take a nap together after all this time, and his hand would switch between caressing her back and settling on the curve of her hip for comfort.

Eedahn groaned as his fingers worked free the knots of muscle in her lower back which had been put there by months of having to counterbalance herself, then holding her babies. His leg slid between hers as a way to allow her to snuggle closer and she did so with gratitude, curling her arms up between their chests and laying her head on his arm.

"It's a woman's burden to bear children in pain," she said sleepily. "This is why we knock you men down when you get too big for yourselves; you could never endure what we do." She smiled a little with her eyes closed. "I know you value me," she assured him, patting his arm sleepily. This intensity of affection made her uncomfortable sometimes; she'd known Reyun all her life and they'd been childhood sweethearts. If she'd ever heard of such a concept as monogamy she would have happily devoted herself to him. But David seemed to feel the same way about her as she did about Reyun, and though she liked him and was certainly growing more and more affectionate and attached with each passing day...it still wasn't the same. She would never reject him, of course, but neither could she yet find inside herself the same deep, abiding, unconditional love she had for Reyun.

As the afternoon waned into evening Eedahn drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally talking or playing silly little games with David before succumbing once more. After two or three hours one of the babies started crying, which woke the other and set her crying too. Eedahn groaned, supposing her little nap break was done for now, and went to tend to them.

"She cries like an earthquake," she teased David, picking up Nehet.