[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Aaaih!" Khell slapped his hands over his ears before glaring at Embersoul. "Warn me when you're about to do that!" he scolded. There was a faint ringing in his ears afterwards. He was eager to go exploring. The caves seemed promising. He didn't plan on building any nests with the materials he found, but he did make note of the things that would make him sick if ingested.

Khell caught movement in the water out the corner of his eye. When he looked, he let out a startled yelp. The beast was enormous! Its tail alone was the entire length of Khell's body. Its wet, leathery skin shimmered in shades of black and pink. The skin folds along its sides rippled like waves as it swam. Webbed hands and feet featured no claws, and its large mouth held no teeth. The monstrous salamander had a thick body with an equally thick head. Two white eyes with black pupils sat just above its thin nostrils.

Khell stumbled through the water in an attempt to put distance between himself and Thundermouth. "What if he eats me?!"

[michime]

"I eat mushrooms," the creature stated when it reared his head out of the water.  It looked over at Embersoul and flicked its tail playful trying to splash the mantis.  Thundermouth climbed out of the pool but not before he swished his tail and caught Khell right behind his knee.  "It's rude, Embersoul.  Said I was going to eat it.  And nearly stepped on me a couple of times." 

"This is womb, Thundermouth.  He is good but wants to explore caves," the mantis explained.  "Birthed fifty six of my eggs including one queen eggs.  They hatch soon.  Will find marshlands and make own nests.  Planet happy with womb!" 

"I can tell," Thundermouth looked at the alien.  "How long should I keep him?" 

"Until last rains.  Needs to be back in nest before first frost."  The mantis chirped before he walked over to the alien.  "You keep safe.  Treat womb well.  Make sure he finds good materials for nest." 

"I'll send up the call when the last rain begins."  The salamander said as he slid back into the water.  "Make sure to come." 

"Will!"  Embersoul chirped before he flew off leaving the womb alone with the salamander. 

"You're not going to step on me, are you?"  The giant salamander asked.  "Because if you are, I'll send you right back to Embersoul.  Child is lonely and needs a playmate." 

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Khell watched and listened to the exchange between the alien animals before Embersoul took off, flying back to the nest so he could be there when his eggs hatched. Thundermouth addressed him now and Khell tried wading his way through the water towards the dry land. "I won't step on you on purpose," he replied. "You're quite the large fellow, so if I do step on you, it will be by accident. My apologies in advance." He made his way up onto the cave floor, giving himself a shake from head to tail to dispel the water.

"You speak much better than Embersoul. He hardly manages complete sentences." Khell regarded the beast lurking in the water. "You just described him as a child. You aren't serious? If he's such a youngling, then how did he manage to fill me with his eggs? I mean, a creature has to reach a certain age of maturity before they can mate with another."

[michime]

"Embersoul has seen fifty ice seasons.  I've seen over 2000.  Every creature on this planet is a child to me.  Embersoul has been an adult since his tenth ice season."  Thundermouth answered as he waded in his pool.  "Mantis eggs required a great deal of care to be birthed.  There would be so much more of them if all he had to do was dig a hole then dump them in it."  He paused to look at the alien studying him like Khell studied them.  "My tongue and mouth are different than his.  It's not that he can't speak in complete sentences; it's that he can't form the sounds.  I'm sure you heard his clicks and chirps?  Well they aren't just clicks and chirps.  They're his words but you can't understand them." 

He popped his head out of the pool and laid it on one of the smoothed rocks that lined the edge.  "You're a strange creature like nothing from this planet.  I can see why you were choosing to be the womb.  And I know why we can communicate.  Did you be any chance find yourself wrapped up in black tree roots at some point?"   

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"A great deal of care, huh?" Khell reflected on his pregnancy with the mantis eggs. Embersoul kept him immobile other than taking him out to birth the forest's seeds. Moving around too much probably jeopardized the fragility of their shells. Embersoul also kept him full of nectar, which nourished and cushioned the eggs. Giving birth to them was a whole other affair. Khell ran his hand along his belly, recalling the pain and heaving of his muscles. He then touched his fingers to his navel. It would never go back to the way it was.

Yellow eyes again regarded Thundermouth. "No, I'm not from this planet. My home is a planet called Zeostea. I used a ship that navigates through the stars to get here. I traveled for three months alone. My people are called Zioruta and I am a male. Females of my people are a lighter shade of violet, shorter than me, but with longer tails. Male Zioruta don't normally carry the young, but it's not unheard of... Black tree roots?" His tail twitched across the floor, and then he remembered. "While I was trying to hide from Embersoul and he found me, yes. Black tree roots ensnared me while he... well, gave me his eggs."

[michime]

"Oh yes, a great deal of care.  Embersoul has lost a number of clutches since he matured."  Thundermouth watched the alien the way his hand ran along the belly and the way the middle hole seemed to pulse at the words.  "We sensed his lost every time he failed to implant a clutch and we wept at the times the birthed eggs did not mature."  Thundermouth motioned for the alien to come closer.  "Can I feel it? Your body, the womb that birthed the eggs?" 


"Zeostea, that word means nothing to us.  What dot in the sky is your planet?" He blinked before he slowly moved a bit more of his body out the water.  "So what does an alien from a far off planet need with Celbion?  And what happened to your ability to communicate after your time with the roots?"  Thundermouth asked as his tail flicked up and back in the middle.  He wanted the new creature to understand how his home worked but he wasn't about to just give Khell the answer. 

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"We sensed his loss..." Again, Khell was given the impression that all the creatures of this planet, flora and fauna, shared a hive mind rooted in the sole desire for procreation. He appeared startled by Thundermouth's request, but after a moment of contemplation, he approached. "He likes to refer to me as a womb. I told him my name, but Embersoul insists the planet doesn't care about my name." Khell waded down into the water. His belly was empty, yet large and round, with a plump bellybutton that would likely never turn hollow again.

He folded his arms awkwardly behind his back. "I haven't seen your night sky yet, so I can't tell you which dot is Zeostea. Our forests are red, our seas are yellow, and our sky is white with red clouds." Khell tilted his head. "Celbion? Is that what you call this planet? My people gave it the name Drecuvis. As for why I'm here... my people are growing in numbers and we're running low on resources. I came here to find out if we could use Drecuvis as farm land and rearing livestock.

"And in regards to your question, I'm not sure my ability to communicate was affected by the roots. I heard the flowers speak before the roots got a hold of me. When I first crossed paths with Embersoul, he just chanted a few words at me. After impregnating me, his words came in phrases, though still incomplete or broken. Are you implying I wouldn't have been able to understand him otherwise if not for the black roots? Why could I understand the flowers but not him?"

[michime]

Thundermouth watched the alien approach his pool then moved to the side of Khell would have some room.  "Embersoul is correct.  Celbion only cares about the names of the creatures born of itself.  Celbion named each of us upon our creation and our names represent the role we fill. Your name, while important to you and your kind, is not the role you play on this planet.  Do not think poorly of Embersoul.   He thinks your role is an honor." 

Thundermouth glided in the water and used his mass to push Khell toward a small ledge that circled the side of the pool.  "Sit." 

The salamander let out a harsh breathe when he heard about what the alien wanted to use Celbion.  "This is our home and you want use it for farmland and livestock?  What did you plan to do with us?  Kill us as you expand your reach?"  The pink patches of his skin darkened to ruby red as his anger rose.  "Or did you think we would simply give up ourselves and become your pets?  Maybe you didn't think of us at all." 

He wanted to rant about the alien's foolishness a bit more but decided to answer Khell's question.  "The black roots gave you the ability to understand more of what we say.  The same with us.  You and I wouldn't be able to speak like this.  It would be simple words.  Breed, mate, food, water.  The flowers and vines are a different part of the system.  Think of it as different languages.  Embersoul and I speak the same.  The vines and flowers speak another.  Their language was closer to yours than ours.  Does it make sense to you?" 

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Khell stumbled a bit through the water a bit when Thundermouth nudged him. He made his way to the rock bench and sat down, curling his tail out of the way. "We have no intention of killing anything," he argued with the salamander. "This planet would be our last hope for food and livestock. What makes you think we would waste it by aggressively annihilating the native species? You and all the other animals on this planet are vital to the ecosystem. We'd be fools to come in and hunt you down or turn you into pets. Our plans are to do this properly; introduce our crops slowly into the landscape and go from there. Not that it matters anymore," he said with a sigh and slumped backward. "The bog sank my ship and the people on my planet are too superstitious to come here."

Khell pondered Thundermouth's explanation of the languages, but he still didn't fully understand. "I find it strange that the language of your plants is so close to my native language. I suppose since our planets are in the same galaxy, some similarities in language would arise, but I never expected to share a tongue with flowers." He spread his knees some, granting more room for his belly to settle comfortably. "So, how many 'wombs' have come to this planet before me?"

[michime]

Thundermouth laughed causing bubbles to appear in the water.  "You're the third womb.  The first didn't survive the forest.  The second lasted long enough to birth a litter of fuzburs."

He slid closer to Khell in the water then wrapped his long flat tail around the alien's waist. "Plants tend to share language with other plants in their galaxies.  Maybe if your kind tried to communicate the plants on your world would speak to you.  Might give you some ideas on how to solve your problem." 

Thundermouth eased his huge body closer to the alien.  "Intentions mean very little when resources are slim.  Ceblion's moon would have been a better choice if you wanted to grow crops.  The land has sat waiting to spring life."  He sat his front arms over the alien's legs. 

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Fuzburs?" Khell hadn't the faintest idea what that could be. Two wombs came before him, though? Neither of them lasted long, which didn't inspire a lot of confidence. He huffed when Thundermouth insisted plants shared languages, even across planets. "Are you suggesting my people and I are plants? We are high mammals. There's a huge different between the two. Giving birth to live young is a glaring difference."

The Zioruta grew tense the closer the salamander got to him. Thundermouth's snout was centimeters from his belly. What would the creature do? He said he wanted to feel Khell's body, but what did the entail exactly? "Well, if I still had my ship, I could have shared that information with my people. I guess now the moon will have to wait for its own womb someday."

[michime]

"Fuzburs," Thundermouth repeated then continued.  "They're the little fuzzy creatures that run along the forest vines.  If you didn't see them in the forest, you'll have the chance during the next dry season." 

His eyes rolled when Khell huffed.  "I'm suggesting that plants share a common language, and if someone is willing to listen it them, that person might just discover a wealth of knowledge."  He sighed knowing he wasn't going to get the alien to understand.  "You're a higher mammal that birthed eggs.  I would be a bit more open minded to talking to plants if I were you." 

Thundermouth rubbed his belly against Khell's side like a cat trying to get petted.  He liked the warmth that came off the Zioruta's body and the way its belly poked out.  "If you had your ship, you would have left this world already.  You might not have returned or more of your kind would have come."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Khell did indeed recall the brightly-colored rodents scurrying across the vines. He remembered how they all stopped what they were doing and watched him. Khell wasn't sure what sort of alien fulfilled the previous role of womb and birthed a litter of fuzburs, but they were so small compared to himself, that he'd probably have an easy time of it. Much easier than those painfully large mantis eggs. When Thundermouth explained yet again what he meant about communicating with plants, Khell understood him this time. If Khell could talk to the plants on Celbion, then he could probably talk to the plants on Zeostea, if only he listened closely enough.

He blushed as Thundermouth rubbed almost affectionately against his belly. Khell started to suspect that many plants and animals would be drawn to him, knowing what purpose he served for the planet now. "You said the other wombs didn't last very long at all. Do you think I'll survive any better than them? I mean, other than this slime the Embersoul talked about, is breeding with this planet a dangerous, deadly task?"

[michime]

Thundermouth shook his head as he gently touched Khell's bellybutton with his front leg. He kept rubbing himself against the alien's warm body then let out a long, low croak.  "I know you will survive much longer.  Embersoul is one of the guardians of this world.  If you survived birthing his eggs, you should breed with the rest of the planet with ease.  Take the protection he offers, and you should live a long, happy life as a breeder." 

He unwound his tail from the alien's waist then flipped himself over in the water exposing his underside to Khell.  "The other wombs tried to survive exposed to the elements and Celbion taught them a deadly lesson.  Our world is harsh and cruel at times but in other moments, there is a great kindness that nurtures all life.  In time you will see."  

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Long maybe, but happy... that's rather subjective." Khell gasped quietly and blushed even more the moment Thundermouth's foreleg touched him protruding bellybutton. It was far more sensitive now than it ever had been. His tail shifted in the water and his yellow eyes fluttered shut for a moment. When Thundermouth pulled away, Khell released a relieved little sigh. He watched the amphibious beast roll over and expose his underbelly. That was a surprisingly vulnerable position. Was it a sign of trust?

Carefully, Khell reached out, rubbing his three-fingered hand along Thundermouth's underside. "Are you one of Celbion's cruelties or kindnesses? Embersoul speaks fondly of you, so I'm pretty sure I shouldn't fear anything from you."

[michime]

Thundermouth thumped his tail in the water when Khell's three fingered hand ran along his underside and blew bubbles in the water to show his appreciation.  "If you're asking me what our mating will be like, that depends on you.  I'm not going to force you on all fours then mount you from behind if that's what you're asking."  He answered as he happily moved through the water.  "You thought I was going to eat you in the beginning.  That was proven false.  I'm the guardian of the mountains.  As long as you mean no harm, then I guess I am a kindness." 

He lazily moved his hand across Khell's bellbutton listening to the quiet gasp that came from the creature.  "I would like to breed with you."  He said after several minutes of mutual touching.  "It's been a very long time since I have the chance to mate with another." 

[SimonBrownMpreg]

When Thundermouth brought up mating, Khell went stiff. "That wasn't what I was asking," he immediately replied. His suspicions were quickly being confirmed that anything living or breathing on this planet would be drawn to him with the singular desire to breed. "You mating me instead of eating me is obviously the lesser of the two evils, but that wasn't what I meant. I still don't fully understand the dynamics of this planet; the roles played by the plants and animals, I mean. There are so-called guardians like you and Embersoul, apparently, but there are also evils like the winter slime. I haven't experienced all of them yet. I was unsure if you were a good or an evil."

Another shudder moved through him when Thundermouth again caressed his navel. Then came the request. If it was still his second or third day on Celbion, he would have outright refused the salamander. Khell was about to argue, but a tugging in his chest stopped him. An indescribable sensation washed over him. It felt a bit like a call to duty. A whisper seemed to move through the cave, the mushrooms glowed a little brighter, and the water rippled gently. If Khell didn't know any better, he'd think it was the voice of the planet itself compelling him to answer Thundermouth's request.

"I will... consent to being your brood mother, Thundermouth."

[michime]

"It seems you are beginning to understand," the salamander said as he continued to gently touch the alien's bellybutton. You wanted to refuse at first," his long thick tongue slowly slid out his mouth and licked a wide circle over the rim of the alien's sensitive hole. "Your body went stiff then relaxed after a moment then you agreed."

Thundermouth focused his attention on Khell's belly, petting, licking, and playfully scratching the skin. He wanted the alien relaxed and open to him. "Would you like to learn more about this world? I could offer my knowledge as we mate."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"If I'm going to serve as a brood mother for everything on this planet, then I think learning all I can about this world would be best," Khell answered. What a twist of fate in which he found himself. The Major came here with the soul mission of reaping Celbion for its natural resources, but now here he was acting as an all-access breeding ground for its inhabitants. It was a punishment and somehow... a privilege. Part of his mind still rejected his new role and thought of it only as cruel fate. Another part of him was slowly accepting his new role, compelled by the will of the planet itself.

As Thundermouth continued petting his round belly, Khell's white markings began glowing a little, revealing his slowly growing arousal. He closed his eyes, imagining himself back on Zeostea with a lover... perhaps the strapping and handsome navigator from the last crew he worked with. Khell imagined himself in the comfort of his own home with his partner who admired his fully belly, waiting for the birth of their child. He imagined violet fingers teasing and circling his fattened navel while sweet whispers tickled his ear.

Again, an ethereal voice moved through the cave and Khell swore he could hear those whispers for real. His long tail curled and uncurled. He panted quietly as his markings glowed brighter. The womb deep in his body tingled and practically ached to be filled again. "Wh-What is this feeling?" Khell gasped.

[michime]

Thundermouth rubbed his tail over the alien's belly as he listened to Khell talk about his role and how he wanted to learn.  "Not all the creatures on this planet, Khell.  The guardians, of course, and you will birth forests but there are some creatures that you will not serve.  Celbion has five guardians each with a different area to protect.  Embersoul is the guardian of the forest.  I am the guardian of the mountains.  Kholenden is the guardian of the marshlands.  Avitision is the guardian of the grasslands.  Devisit watches over the fire mountains.  Once you have breed and birthed a brood for each guardian, you will be given the choice of which guardian you will serve." 

He took note of the changing colors in the alien's skin and placed one of his feet on top.  "What does this mean?  Are you pleased?"  He asked as he gently pulled the alien off the ledge seat.  He felt the alien's skin grow warmer and the muscle pulse.  "Each time you breed with a guardian, you open your mind and body more to the energy of Celbion.  Each breeding gives you enough piece of Celbion and increases your understanding of your role."