The Forest

Twenty-Nine.

"Can you give me the piece of wood Ruby?"

I reached over and dragged the lumber over to my father. He pushed it up against the fence where they were building a place for the horses to stay.

Almost a week had passed on since Court and I had sex. Time didn't seem keen on freezing to think about it. We talked a little bit afterwards and he had been nothing short of sweet and still remains so. But we both have duties.

His to his pack and mine to the humans. Which is why I am out in the fields with my father helping him with small things. 

A lot of the homes for the animals had been built. Now it was just the horses and then comes the houses for us humans and wolf-shifters. Not all the wolf-shifters would be interested in fully functional cabins the way us humans would be.

Some would want small spaces and I heard Court mention some of them lived in dens. I'm sure they would all figure out how things would function around here.

With the humans here there would be more buildings built. It also speeds up all the building.

I had decided to help my dad out a little bit in the fields. It also let me see the horses a little bit, which I enjoy. I love seeing them. They all look happy out in the snowy fields.

"Which horse here is yours?" Dad asked.

"The palomino one." I told him.

"Court bought her for you?" Dad asked.

"Yes, when we were in the cities, he bought the mare for me." I told him.

"Have you picked a name for her yet?" Dad asked.

"Not yet. I'm still thinking of a name for her. I haven't really given it much thought. Other things have been on my mind." I answered.

Dad nodded.

"I'm sure you'll find a nice name for her."

Dad hammered the wood into the fence before he stood up. "I'm going to take a break." Dad told me before he left.

This left me alone in the field. I sighed before standing up and brushing the bits of snow off my dress and pulling my cloak tighter around me.

I left the fields and headed into the camp. 

Everyone was bustling about the camp doing chores. Yesterday a few of the wolves had gone out on a hunt not that far out. 

Court had ordered that none of the animals here be slaughtered. They still needed to be bred for more baby animals to come about.

They would be useless if we all just ate them. So hence the building them enclosures to have them thrive in life and bring forth more generations.

In the meantime, we ate the food that we had. The humans brought food from the cities and some of the chickens were old enough for slaughter, so they are there.

Court and Thorin had ordered a hunt. They had put together a hunting pack and sent them out with two horses. They went with a cart and left the cart at the edges to bring all the carcasses back.

They had just arrived about an hour ago with the finds of the hunt.

Now they were butchering the carcasses. 

Not that far away from Court and I's bed Xerxes was skinning a deer. Venison seems to be a very popular option around here.

I didn't mind it though. I grew up eating mostly chicken and eggs so a change in diet had been nice. Back at Court's cabin had been quite the switch up in diet and something I had enjoyed.

Here is a switch up as well but I wouldn't say it's the most enjoyable experience though. 

I sat down on the pelts and took a deep breath. 

"You look tired my love."

A part of me relaxed at the hands that settled on my shoulders. A weight pressed behind me, and I looked over.

"Don't you have things you have to be attending to?"

"You sound as if you don't want me to be here." Court teased.

"Not at all. It's a pleasure when you are around. I just thought you had things to be attending to." I told him.

"I do, but I always have time for my love. And I missed you."

Court settled behind me his legs appearing at my sides. I smiled as I leaned back into him.

"I missed you too." I murmured.

Court smiled as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. 

"You have a fancy for dinner?" Court asked.

"Mm not really. I'm fine eating whatever sounds good to you." I told him.

"Well, I was very pleased to see Xerxes had hunted a boar. Lyell is currently working on it. He wants to be of some help despite being pretty much bedridden since being shot with the crossbow by the guards.

Lucia said that they had hit one of his nerves. His accelerated healing prevented full paralysis, but he wouldn't be able to ever be the way he was.

Especially considering Lucia had found it late. He seemed to recover quickly but then went through a descent down in his condition.

"A boar?"

"Yeah, it's one of my favorites actually. I always liked pork, but wild boar tasted better. There is something special about it. If they weren't such nasty creatures, I'd suggest maybe capturing some for livestock, but they are a pain in the ass to hunt. I can only imagine who dangerous they could if we raised them." Court mused.

"I think you'll just have to suffer through the pigs or occasional boar hunt." I told him.

"I can live with that. Although there aren't a lot of pigs here." Court commented.

He looked out towards the fields where all the livestock roamed around as well as the horses. 

"Yeah, I don't think the humans had a lot of pigs. Or cows. It's mostly just chicken. I'm sure if it's that big of a deal you can rack up some pelts to sell in the cities and see if you can purchase some more livestock. I mean it is always good to have new blood put in. My mom used to buy chickens from the village if she needed better ones." I told him.

"There is that." Court mused.

I smiled at him before leaning back into him. 

"Boar does sound nice for dinner." I murmured.

Court smiled. "It is nice for dinner. I knew it would be a good choice for dinner. I'll be sure to make you the best meal tonight out. Now I should go make sure Xerxes gives me some of that boar. If not, I'll just command it out of him." Court mused.

"Go nice on your brother." I told him.

"I always do. I'll see at dinner my love."

He pressed a kiss to my lips before leaving me at our bed. I smiled before leaning back. I think for now I'd rest. Afterwards I'd get some chores down. For now, relaxation would be nice.

1134. I'm having a little bit of writers block right now. I'm at that point in the story where the end and climax is near but a little more needs to be put in before we reach that. I'd like Lyk and Ruby's dad to have their no doubt painful scene and then things will get real. I'm very excited about that! ***