Animal Urges - Chapter IX

Chapter IX -- Return to the Pack

I left my travel-mates for several days; I did not trust myself around other humans. I do not recall how long we were apart, or even where I went, for the most part, except that I gave in and sought Aela. We lay as usual, this time in her room in the living quarters of Jorrvaskr.

"It is never the same with... with anyone else," I managed, still quivering from my climaxes.

"'Anyone else'?" the lissom Huntress echoed (this time, I was pleased to note, as out of breath as I). "What do you mean?"

I mistook her query as jealously. "What do you care? I have enough left for you."

She grabbed the shoulder-length plaits of my sweat-matted, tundra cotton hair, twisted so that I faced her. "Listen to me. Have you mated" -there was that word- "with others- other humans?"

"One or two." I still did not understand why it mattered to her. "What of it?"

"And what happened?"

Now I thought she was seeking gratuitous detail. "The usual," I retorted. "She was pleasured - many times. As was I. What does it matter?"

She growled. "Why do you suppose it is so good with me and not any human?"

"I... I do not know. Because you are stronger - you can keep up with me? Let me go!"

She did so, laid down once more beside me. "Pup, you know nothing. That is it exactly, and why you must not mate with a human - unless you are prepared to deal with them afterward."

I still did not understand, and said so as I half-sat to get a bottle of wine. (I was thankful I could stomach wine, at least, as well as other spirits, although I still could not eat.)

"Give me that." Ere I had it to my lips, Aela snatched the bottle from me, drained it in a few sloppy gulps.

"Bitch!" I protested, though I knew it would do no good to attempt to wrest it back from her. "That was the last one."

She belched, tossed the empty aside. "Know your place, pup. Fetch another. And none of that Alto slop, by Frostfire - something decent, like Firebrand or Colovian brandy."

"I am not your servant - get it yourself!"

She was atop me before I noticed her move, preternaturally strong hands about my throat, yellow eyes glaring into mine, elliptical pupils dilated. "There is much for you to learn, cub," she rumbled in my face. Curiously, I was unaware of her sex centred upon my stomach this time, for her visage morphed into a snout, fangs abruptly appeared as her jaws opened and she leaned in until my nose was practically down her throat; her breath was humid, smelled of iron and cheap wine. Suddenly, I was sweating more profusely; nonetheless, I sought to fight back.

It was a mistake, of course; I was not yet as strong as the rest of the Circle each on their own, let alone against three of them, as Farkas and Vilkas, along with Aela, sought to put me in my place. For, just as did their fully lupine cousins, werewolves had a strict social hierarchy, and if I had had any illusions that Kodlak Whitemane was solely in charge of the Companions, I now knew whom the dominant female of the pack, and likely leader, was.

Furthermore, if I had thought that sex alone with Aela was incomparable, I was completely unprepared for the 'lesson' the twin brothers and the Huntress gave me. I have no doubt that, at certain times during our tryst, we were in beast form, at other times human - perhaps even, yes, both at once. Yet, it is not coyness that compels me to spare my audience the prurient details; I simply do not remember them clearly, and thus I would deign not make up lies or exaggerate - although, judging later from my sheer exhaustion and sense of gratification, embellishment would not be possible. In any event, I will have another chance later in my tale to describe such an encounter that turned out even better.

As I prepared to leave Whiterun sometime anon, intending to return to Vilja and Lydia, Kodlak Whitemane intercepted me halfway down the long staircase into Whiterun proper from the main doors to Jorrvaskr.

"I would have a word with you, lass." Out of breath, the old Nord seemed anxious.

"What is it, old man?" I did not dislike the Harbinger, but he had recently lectured me regarding Aela's and my attempts to wipe out the Silver Hand, the beast hunter group that was dedicated to killing werewolves, ostensibly for slaying one of our number, Skjor. We had met with some success, even despatching their supposed leader, yet Kodlak believed that we had gone too far, that it would only result in escalating reprisals. Further, I shared Aela's and the others' disdain for his desire to 'cure' himself. He had told me on more than one occasion that, with blood of the beast in him, he doubted he could go to his Nordic afterlife of feasting in the halls of Sovngarde with his gods and ancestors, instead of having his soul claimed by Hircine, the god of shape changers and hunters. In fact, Kodlak had already tried to enlist me in removing the curse by seeking the coven of witches that had supposedly laid it upon the Companions some 200 years ago. I had told him I would think about it, although, at the time, I did not intend to do so.

"I wonder if you have thought about my... appeal."

I was about to answer 'No', but something changed my word. "Yes."

He looked at me expectantly.

"I... have thought about it. I must think on it further."

"It is just that I feel... time passing, and I wish to go to Sovngarde."

"I heard you the first time, old-Harbinger."

I looked into his rheumy grey eyes, wrinkled, sad white-bearded face. He seemed about to say something else, but only managed, "Talos guide you, lass."

I resumed my rapid descent down the steps, wondering how old one must be to cease appreciating the benefits of being a werewolf. After all, here I was, in full, heavy armour, well-nigh prancing down a long flight of stairs, yet still breathing evenly, even after a full night of-.

All at once, it occurred to me that the question might just have been answered; I did not have to look to know that Kodlak laboured back up whence we had both just come.

It was only then that I realised I had not clarified Aela's admonishment not to have sex with humans - other humans. Nonetheless, I would soon discover the reasons myself, as my choices became ever clearer.

Continued in Chapter X