C The Hermit Healer and the Rogue (Jolth12)

[anibus3]

"Well why not?! You were born the way you were right? That should give some control with time! Why the hell can I even still think properly?!" Firo questioned, their tail bristled as it swished back an forth behind him.

A frustrated growl left him as he put his paw like hands against his head. Why? Why couldn't anything just work out okay.

"I need to go to sleep, maybe it'll wear off then hopefully..." Firo said as he went to walk past Jayl.

[Jolth12]

Jayl went to stop Firo once more but let him go. He had to figure out some way to change this. He was constantly putting Firo in a bad spot and something had to change. 

He went back to the house, gathered his things and left for another small expedition that he would be gone on for a couple months. He left a note for Firo stating his apologies and would be home as soon as possible.

He traveled far and wide to another land where he found a shaman that he had consulted with many times. He talked to the woman about his curse and she looked through her numerous inventory of an answer. She handed him a potion and told him to drink it on the next full moon. He agreed and payed her and left. 

He knew that Firo hated potions and Jayl had come to never use any but he wanted to change and make things easier on Firo. When the next full moon appeared, he was within a day's walk of the house. Jayl was laying in his tent and he drank the potion and went outside. Almost immediately, his stomach convulsed with and he blacked out. 

The next morning, he awoke, but this time, he stared down at a pair of paw-like hands, just like Firo's. He quickly went to the river and looked as his reflection. It was just like Firo's, except he still had his blue eyes and was slightly taller. He knew this is what might finally even the playing field for he and Firo. He then gathered his things and began to make his way back to the hermit's house.

(hope this development was ok :/ )

[anibus3]

(It's good. ^^)

Firo was none too pleased with the note, to say he felt a great deal of rage was obiviously true. However the fact they left a note helped Jayl's case a little bit. Though as the two months passed, that was beginning to seem less helpful. It was made clear that he was expecting again and even more than last time. The sickness went away rather fast but was quickly replaced by the even stronger hunger and increase in weight. The only good the full moon nights did was give him a means to devour even more food while replacing what he and all the pups ended up devouring, still that was a struggle. Maintaining enough food in the house for all of em and a increasing litter. There were even times where Firo felt his mind slip and he would just take off into the forest, hunting something down to eat. This was more likely when he was really hungry and trying not to eat what was in the house.

With enhanced senses, he heard someone on the path headed towards his home and his nose twitched, taking in Jayl's scent. Well then, it was time they learned on their newer members that were growing for now. He was already at the size of triplets and at the current moment without a shirt but wearing pants, he brushed the crumbs off of his stomach and opened the door when Jayl was there.

"Get in." Firo said as he moved from the door.

[Jolth12]

Jayl quickly came inside and turned around to look at Firo. It was dark in the home and Jayl's eyes still hadn't adjusted to the superior eye he was granted when he changed to a full hybrid. He just could see his figure and his fur, not noticing his belly as straight from the front, you couldn't even tell he was bigger in the dark. 

"Firo... I'm sorry. I hope this makes you know that I did this for you. I wanted to make things more comfortable between us. I'm now a hybrid... Just like you."

[anibus3]

Oh dear...while it was a nice thing to know that they would go through the same thing Firo reached for the matches and lit the fire place. Taking in their taller appearance and furry form.

"Please tell me you can at least shift back.....to a human appearance?" Firo asked, a hopeful tone of voice. "It's a very nice thing but you didn't have to do that, you were fine as you were. I was just mad at the time."

[Jolth12]

"I... I don't know... I just wanted to be fair to you and not make you go through this again in the same manner as last time. Being in this form should mean that I control myself on full moons. I don't want to hurt you again.."

Jayl still hadn't noticed Firo's gravid form and just sat down in front of the fire, staring at the dancing flames. He felt like his attempt to make Firo happy didn't work as expected. 

[anibus3]

(Maybe Firo tries to hide this pregnancy from Jayl and there's a delay in growth that makes it to where he doesn't get bigger? He'll get a much larger belly eventually, just not as quickly as he did the first time.)

"Well this posses a bigger problem. Such as neither of us can leave here during the day nor let anyone near. Cause if the villagers or some traveler sees us, we're screwed." Firo explained his concerns. "Also, I doubt you can control yourself on a full moon night even with this new look. My mind is a blank for those nights."

A part of Firo was annoyed, yes a triplet sized stomach wasn't that big. Well it was poor in terms of how large he was by time Jayl returned. Should he tell em? No. What was the point? It would probably only make Jayl feel worse since Firo wasn't sure on how to put the news gently. Clearing his throat the hermit moved to a closet to try and find something.

"We'll figure something out and I know you did this for a good reason an for that I'm glad." Firo admitted as he looked over his shoulder to them. "Now, it's almost dark so with a cloak an hood I should be fine. I have to gather more herbs if we have any hope of keeping a buisness going as well as keeping a bunch of pups healthy. I should be back soon."

The male put a shirt on over his stomach, it somehow managed to hide the mass and then the hooded cloak. With that, he put the hood on and headed for the door, however he paused and turned round to look at Jayl.

"Also, the little ones shouldn't be awake until another hour, usually they're asleep still but I haven't checked on em. Can you?" Firo asked.

[Jolth12]

(that's fine with me ^^)

"Yeah I thought of that on my way back here. I'm sure there can be a few ways to get supplies from the city through dead drops and deliveries. But it's also concerning you were having the same problem on a full moon."

Jayl still just stared at the fire and agreed to check on the pups while Firo was gone. Once he left to go forage for herbs, Jayl went to the pups' room and found them sound asleep. He smiled and gently stroked their bellies and heads, comforting them while they slept. They looked just like Firo and Jayl, only smaller.

"Sleep well little ones. Mommy will be home soon."

[anibus3]

The forging for herbs was a easy task at night due to his enhanced sight and of course, he returned to the home in good condition. As the day past, Firo noticed that he wasn't getting much bigger. Heck by two more months, he found himself looking like he was only overdue with his triplets. Which was rather strange considering how much he'd been eating. Hiding this pregnancy was hard still, the way he was eating was drawing Jayl's attention. Should he tell em? No. Things were fine, once in a while Firo felt movement; really powerful movement but still movement. To be honest, Firo was growing concerned for em though he tried to think more positively on it.

Within his lab, he was just messing around with things. Seeing what would happen with one thing mixed with another. His ears twitched to the door opening alas he left it be. It was probably one of the pups of Jayl, he was too focused on his work and thoughts to see who it was.

[Jolth12]

Jayl had grown curious as to Firo 's increased intake of food. He hadn't eaten like this since he was pregnant with their last litter. But Firo's body hadm't shown much change so Jayl dismissed the though. He figured Firo would have said something to him anyway. 

Jayl then entered and stood in the doorway to Firo's lab. He actually liked watching him conduct his experiments and mixing of materials. It was like a form of art. He figured Firo heard him so he just stood there, watching intently.

[anibus3]

When he didn't hear a voice that gave the male some concern, so they glanced over their shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief.

"For a moment I was afraid someone who wasn't you or the pups waltzed in." Firo admitted, the sound of relief in his voice. "So what's up?"

Adjusting his position on the stool, he was able to turn around and look at Jayl. Looking over your shoulder to have a conversation wasn't exactly fun. Eventually it made one's neck hurt and considering his state, Firo didn't need anything else aching. His back was hurting him though that was normal for those who are...expecting.

[Jolth12]

"Nope. Just little old me." Jayl chuckled and slowly walked over to Firo's lab bench and looked at his beakers and such. "Working on something?"

He knew something was on Firo's mind. He just had a gut feeling about it. "Are you sure there is nothing bothering you? You've seemed... A little distant lately. And i mean this is the nicest way possible, but you've been throwing food back at a record pace."

Jayl was concerned for his wolf partner. He wanted to protect him and the pups. They were his family now and he didn't want anything happening to them.

[anibus3]

"Just seeing what works together and what doesn't." Firo answered. "It's nothing special, just something to occupy the mind I guess."

Oh boy...they were asking that. What was he suppose to say? Tell him the truth and get snapped at for it? Well he really didn't want that to happen though...did have a feeling that something might be wrong with the litter. After all he hadn't grown that much since he figured out what was wrong with him again. A sigh left Firo as his ears slanted a bit.

"You're not going to freak out if I tell you right?" Firo questioned.

[Jolth12]

Firo was acting weird. His eyes never made contact with Jayl's and that caused Jayl to become even more concerned. Had Firo done something behind his back?

"Why would I freak out? Did something happen tonight to you or the pups?" Jayl truly was worried now. Freak out? This must mean that whatever it is that his mate was going to tell him wasn't good.

[anibus3]

"By pups, the first litter is fine there's nothing wrong. The second litter....well...there might be a problem..." Firo started, his ears slanted as he sat there.

This was going to be harder to admit than he thought. Sure the pups were a hundred percent Jayl's but still. How would they handle this?

"The full moon you bit me on, we also well....what happened the first time but I was concious for it." Firo added. "However I'm not...growing that much like the first time even though I'm very sure there's more in there than last time."

[Jolth12]

"Second litter?...." Jayl was in shock. He knew Firo had been eating at a much higher rate but he didn't think this would happen again so soon. 

"I.... I got you pregnant again? Oh Firo i'm so so sorry..." Jayl looked at his mate with teary eyes. He felt absolutely horrible for doing this to him again. He walked over to Firo and pulled him into a hug.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I hope the mew ones are ok..."

[anibus3]

"Yep, pretty much. I was honestly shocked you didn't notice when you got back a few months ago." Firo said. "it's okay, at least you didn't knock me out or anything like that."

THe hug was a surprise and the male's ears twitched as he sat there despite being pulled into the hug. The male's midsection was now against Jayl's and if they couldn't feel that they would most likely feel a strong kick from one of the pups. Firo cringed at the powerful kick and took a deep breathe.

"Not really sure on what ya can do..." Firo answered. "I have no ideas on how to make more room in there for em."

[Jolth12]

Jayl was surprised from the strong kick and he gently rubbed Firo's belly with his paw. "Well... All I guess we can do is just keep doing things regularly and see if anything changes. Have you been in any pain or anything? 

Jayl pulled up a stool and massaged his mate's belly to prevent more kicks. Although he highly doubted they would listen to him. 

[anibus3]

"The only pain I've been having is when they kick, it hurts a great deal and that's part of why I think there isn't much room in there." Firo explained. "That and my back hurts a great deal but that should be expected."

The rubbing felt nice and it did manage to calm the pups down enough to get them to stop kicking. Firo gave a sigh as he sat there, still unsure of what to do for this. The pups should be okay right? Even with a little amount of space inside of him? That was the thing that worried him more than anything.

[Jolth12]

"Hey, we'll be ok. I promise, i'll take care of you alright?" Jayl gently nuzzled Firo's cheek and smiled at him.

His paws still softly stroked Firo's expanded middle, feeling how soft and yet firm it was. There was no debate, Firo could carry with the best of them.

"Honestly, you may just have a growth spurt or something. I'm sure everything will be ok."