How It Started, III

The Beastworld had a reputation of not being adaptable except, in the rare example of the second Great City, and only with the help of the Earth Woman. In reality, that wasn't entirely true. Like any other civilization, survival was key above all, and learning to highlight your strengths was an asset.

Some species of beasts were lucky; many of the large predators could be entirely sufficient on their own. But there were many other types of Beastmen, and the fox were ones to find themselves often disadvantaged. While a Beastmen male transformed into his animal form was far larger, faster, and capable than a wild fox, they were still smaller and weaker than an angry beastmen lion of similar skill. Likewise, Peacocks found themselves even more in peril - they were large, had large claws, and above all else, could fly. However, they were not the fighters and killers that hawks, eagles, and owls were, and their heavier build did not make them as fast.

The neighboring Peacock and Fox villages had long become allies because of this, and intermarried to build their defenses. With a much larger population of men than women in the whole land, it was not only custom, but necessary, for the women to have many spouses. This helped with population, but also making larger, safer families, the women always needing protection from wild animals and Beastmen with bad intentions alike.

A village of known weaker beasts would seem like a good place to ambush, but with mutual aid, the peacocks and fox clans managed to live fairly peaceful existences. The peacocks married into the fox village would sit in trees or in hand built, tall perches in clearings, watching for much farther distances for intruders, while the fox men married into the peacock village could quietly and quickly, like ghosts, patrol the outer limits, sniffing out snakes or scorpions long before a peacock would have stopped them.

Their patrol duties were where both Aaron and Asher were when the entire village heard the high pitch shriek of a female, making them both jolt and turn towards the houses in the distance. But it was the next, higher scream of a young girl that made them jump out of their own skins and take off down the trail as fast as their feet and wings would carry them.

There were no female children in the village. Except one.

Aaron came crashing haphazardly down into the chaos of Iris thrown over the naked body of a young girl, wailing, with blood on her arm. The girl was wild eyed and fierce, red shoulder length hair thrown about like she was feral, her pointed fox ears against her head in fear and pain, her tail twisting about.

In front of the pair of females was Hiram in beast form, rolling on the ground in an all out fight with another fox, both of them barking and whining and ripping at each other. The entire village was surrounding the scene in a circle, growing larger by the second as more men came running in from the forest and fields.

Off to the side, another older woman was kneeling, sobbing and yelling for her spouse who was in the jaws of Hiram. It was her who screeched first at the sight of a fox kit turning into a little girl, and it was her spouse who bit the girl in reaction.

As soon as Asher pushed his way through the crowd, barking and biting at ankles, he sprang on top of the offending male as well, which started a chain of the woman's other spouses bursting into their beast, making it a brawl of five. Iris dragged her injured, terrified daughter by her shoulders far enough away from the fight for Aaron, a peacock the size of three grown men, to be able to put his massive wings around them like a mother hen, daring anyone to come near his cargo. Iris hugged the naked girl tightly, trying to sooth her, not from the bite wound but from the ugly way she was just thrust into the world.

This would have truly been a fight to the death, all over a female being frightened, if the tribal head had not pushed through the crowd and howled out, fists clenched. While not the sound known as a wolf howl, fox could bark, scream, and howl much like any other dog, albeit higher pitched, and the beastmen could call out in either form. Even in the chaos, hierarchy reigned supreme. Fur and fangs stopped flying, everyone turning to submit to the angry man standing in front of them with three black stripes on his face.

Stripes were earned, through battle experience and hardships overcome, and their tribal head had the most out of the village. As the elder surveyed the mess, there was no other sound in the village but the gentle sobs of Iris and her daughter.

The mans eyes settled on the Peacock, who unlike the others stared him right back into his pupils, unwavering, daring the male to consider harming the tiny human inside his wings. Even if it was his initial idea to drop the kit off and be done with her, eight years ago it was decided she was family, and all three of her fathers would die before harm came to her.

With a pointed finger the three striped male barked his commands. "You three- No, you Five, into my house. Now."

"Bu-But my other children, Cain -" Iris stammered.

"What about them, Iris? I think it's clear what your issue has been. They'll be fine on their own for an hour like every other teenaged male unless you have any other surprises."

"Can someone at least get her a blanket!" Iris whispered, stifling a sob, and quickly a neighbor woman from the hut nearest behind them went inside, returned, and inched towards the peacock, who had unfurled his wing tomb but was still on defense. An outstretched hand held a deerskin fur towel, and Aaron allowed Iris to take it, both of them meeting the neighbors eye line with sincere thanks.

Iris hurriedly wiped away her own tears while wrapping her child up tightly. Nakedness among men and family was not an issue, but nakedness of women and girls - especially a girl child who was aware of her own human body for approximately five minuets, was as painful as it was on earth, and Iris refused to allow her daughter one more second of it.

  With dressing the girl settled, Cain turned to the bloodied foxes who had started to pad closer to Iris. "All of you, put clothes on, we will be there a while and my wife is tired of me bringing naked bloody men into the house after you all act out. If you aren't at my hut in five minuets I'm burning yours down. Do not think you're fleeing with -" His sentence trailed off as he looked down at the bundle in the blanket.