Hybrids

The Shopkeeper

Marine awoke from his slumber to his daughter screaming from the crib near his bed, with haste he scooped his darling daughter Jasmine into his arms and started soothing her by rocking and swaying around the room. When her cries did not cease he inspected his cupboards finding that his supplies for his daughter had significantly decreased he must take his trip to town today. In the meantime Marine prepped a bottle and changed her diaper with what remained. Soon she was fed and changed. She gargled in her baby language making grabby hands at her favorite stuffy that the innkeeper had gifted her. Marine placed the little stuffed fish toy in her arms as she gummed it to death, squealing in happiness.

Hesitantly Marine makes the preparations for his trip to town, he is wary of bringing his daughter today as a sickness seemed to be spreading through the town amongst the children. It had already taken a few lives and he can't risk her catching it, but an infant all alone in the woods in a house among the trees? It's a scary thought if a beasts should happen upon their hidden home. Still, the chance of death is lower than bringing her to town because of his powerful scent surrounding the territory warding off anything not looking for a fight with something as unpredictable and lethal as he himself.

He runs a tired paw through his flame hued mane with a soft groan, he hated going to the town as his kind was not well received there other than by the few just like him and the open minded. The shop he frequents for his daughter is one of the rare exceptions that would serve him and his kind.
He is amongst a small population of the word known as Hybrids, when mates of separate species would have an exceedingly rare gene making them able to reproduce with each other they would produce a hybrid. They face major discrimination against them due to an incident that happened hundreds of years ago when the last population of 'humans' attempted to create a violent army against the new evolution of creatures by using Hybrids as a weapon and breeding them like some sort of sick factory. At Least that's how Marine understands it from the stories his family passed down to him before he split away from them. Mixed species couples are frowned upon for the chance it brings to even create one. The discrimination is thick like the blood that was spilt all those years ago, legend says that there is a few hybrids from that time that are still alive having somehow gained an extraordinary life span. He shakes his head ridding himself of dark thoughts.

Marine held onto Jasmine just a little while longer after having packed his satchel. Hastily covering his mane and profile in a dark hooded cape in one swift motion. When it was finally time to set her down he hesitated like he always does when he has to leave her for any span of time, due to her own survival instincts he knew she wouldn't make a noise without him nearby to hear it but he was still worried. She wasn't a hybrid but not even regular children are truly safe in this world. He traced his finger over her scarred face and along her nub tail, I mean just look at his sweet angel. She was no more than 8 months old and already scarred by the world and left abandoned once.

Her fluffy white fur was a deep contrast to his own blue fur with dark stripes and white belly. She seemed to be a cat of some kind while Marine was a Wolf hybrid with a shark. A combo hardly seen even amongst his kind because sharks are a secretive lot living in wetlands and on beaches. Jasmine babbled up at him sweetly gripping his hand and gumming on it till he eventually put her down and tucked her into the crib safely. "I'll be back before sundown little one, be quiet for me till then. I promise to make haste," Marine said, knowing full well she couldn't reply. She gurgled a reply in her baby language and purred against his retreating hand soothing herself to sleep as he left disappearing down the tree.

The leaves crackled beneath Marines' paws as he made his way through the dense brush within the forest, a path he had taken many-a-time evident by the slight trail that could be seen on the ground. Marine sighed heavily, his breath forming a white fog around his muzzle, tickling the fur along his cheek as he moved further from his sanctuary. Trees became sparser and thinner the further he trekked. He grimaced as the sounds of wagons and laughter of young children filled the air. Quickly Marine tugged the hood of his cloak further over his head making his way forward through the town.

Walking briskly from the forest onto the cold cobblestone roads of the town. Blending in with the crowd to the best of his ability despite his looming height he made his way to his usual destination, it was nothing special, a small building a few blocks from the other shops with a foundation of stone and wood planks making up the walls. The front of the building sported a cloth-canopy with wooden posts. Beneath that was handwoven baskets full of fresh produce and various goods and items placed neatly on a wooden table next to a small child-sized chair with a makeshift table and patched cloth.

Marine walked under the canopy lifting the cloth slightly and over to the door of the building, with a single knock it opened abruptly, a warm welcoming smile greeted him as he was ushered in by small hands. A rather petite fox woman danced around the room grabbing items along the way and as if forgetting something she halts her angelic dance around the room and calls lovingly for someone to come to greet their regular customer. From a narrow hallway comes a small fox boy holding a little hand made book, bound in leather and wrapped with string. Almost immediately once the boy spots Marine he runs up to him with a squeal like giggle and tugs on his cloak. "Read for you?" He said with a hopeful look in his sweet eyes

Marine looks up at the petite fox, Rita, for permission and with a gentle nod she goes back to gathering Marines usual order. As she did so he sat in an old wooden rocking chair and gently picked up the little boy named Sable and put him in his lap. The boy then opened the book to the first page and began reading to Marine who only spoke to correct or help the little boy. He reminded Marine so much of the little girl that he rescued he couldn't help but let his guard down around him and enjoy a moment of peace he could normally not afford in the town.

When the short story was finished, so was Marine's usual order of formula, baby blankets, clothes, cloth diapers, and rations. Next time, he'd bring Jasmine, his lovely daughter up here for a proper bath in warm water instead of just in the cold river. Marine set the boy back down on the floor and fetched coins from the pocket of his cloak, putting two silvers into Rita's hand, "This weeks payment my lady, I'm sorry it's still not much but I always appreciate your help one day I hope i'll finally be able to repay your kindness to me all these years." Rita just grinned wide up at him and knowing his hatred for being touched gave his cheek a small pat in replacement of a customary kiss. "Be safe, come back again soon, bring that pretty daughter of yours next time, that's all the payment I could ever need!" Rita said joyously, Marine huffed his goodbye and did a short wave as he pulled the cloak back up over his head and exited the shop with his supplies in tow.

Marine trekked through the forest, feeling calmer the deeper he got into it, even more so when he neared his camp. It wasn't much, just a wooden one-room house built within the branches of a large winding tree. It had a small porch big enough to put a chair on and the inside only had a bed, a hand-built crib, and several cabinets and bins for storage. There was an inground fire pit at the base that was deep and wide enough for him to cook a whole deer, with only a small fireplace surrounded by stone for warmth in the house itself. He walked over to the ladder and climbed up to the small porch, letting a small smile settle on his face as he opened the door to hear Jasmine babbling in her crib, squealing the moment she realized he was home. Upon the approach of her crib after setting his bag down on the bed, she made gurgling noises with little grabby hands. A universal sign that she was wanting to be held by her father figure. He happily took the hint and lifted her up into his arms, he supported her neck and rocked her in his arms. She never slept for long while Marine was away so he knew at this point she must be tired. Just as he suspected, her eyes began to drift shut slowly but surely comforted by the fact she was being held. Grabbing his shirt in an iron grip as she slept, Marine had no choice but to sit on his bed and hold her while he too caught up on some sleep. Moments like these with his adoptive daughter are what helps him move forward with his life and learn new things. Marine knew not where he'd be without this little angel in his life.