Storm World Ch. 05

First and foremost I want to say thanks to everyone leaving comments and sending me emails. Knowing people are enjoying the story provides a lot of motivation to keep going.

I think most of my readers will be surprised by this chapter because it is longer than my usual offerings. If I have calculated correctly, it is going to be more than three pages. This is the result of serious consideration and quite a bit of editing. In reality, I think all of this should have been part of chapter 4. Originally what is here was split into chapters 5 and 6, but it is all so closely related I felt it would read better as a single long chapter.

I have provided definitions for a few jZav words at the end so you can better understand what the cats are talking about. If you have questions about this story or the Savage Shore universe in general, pop over to my thread on the Author's Hangout in the forums: Literotica Discussion Board > Main Literotica Forums > Authors' Hangout > The Savage Shore Universe. There I also post updates and answers to questions I get via email. Drop in. Check it out. Ask questions. That's why I started the thread.

Hope you all enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter 5

"How the hell..." grumbled Benjamin with narrowed eyes. He bit his lip and tried to work out where his strategy had gone wrong. He demanded, "You've never played this game before?"

"I do not understand, Ben' Jamin san," Ima' Nef'Tn replied in Japanese. There was a teasing note to the honorific and her smile was little more than a smirk, but it made it clear she was enjoying Benjamin's consternation.

"I asked if you had ever played this game before," Benjamin told her, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

The battered old checker board with its mismatched pieces was sitting on the cot between them and the pretty jZav'Etch had just taken another of his checkers and placed herself in a very good strategic position to ruin his plans.

"I have never played this game," she confirmed, still in a teasing tone and this time her eyes twinkled.

Ima' Nef'Tn actually was telling the truth. However, what she was not telling Benjamin was that there was a jZav'Etch game with very similar rules commonly played by females and children. The game was called Temptresses instead of Checkers and the pieces were called maidens instead of... checkers. The main difference between the two games seemed to be the board itself. Humans used a ten square by ten square division of the board while jZav'Etch used a twelve by twelve division. Also, there was nothing like kinging in Temptresses where the main goal was to eliminate as many of your opponent's pieces as possible or to position your pieces so that your opponent was left with no further moves.

Ima' Nef'Tn was also not telling Benjamin that she had been a champion at Temptresses in her youth and the strategy was easily adapted to Human checkers. She admitted to herself, though, that Benjamin was skilled and it had taken more moves and cost her more pieces than she had anticipated to get her checkers where she wanted them. Her smile went from coolly pleased to amused when Benjamin, scratching thoughtfully in his beard, pulled a twig half as long as his finger from the tangled mess hanging from his chin.

"You should allow me to do that," she said kindly and reached out to pluck a piece of leaf from his hair. "I think you would feel much more... Comfortable? Is that the word?"

"Comfortable, yes." Benjamin nodded and gave her a narrow eyed, searching look. This was the second time she had offered to groom him and he wasn't entirely "comfortable" with that notion. He was not conscious of it, but his years of solitude had worked upon him in such a way as to make the company of others both a long desired dream and a fearsome prospect. His personal space had expanded to engulf a world (or at least an island) and now that space had been intruded upon by these beings. Though he did not desire to be alone again now that they were here, their presence unsettled him.

"Come, Ben 'Jamin," Ima' Nef'Tn said, picking up the game board and setting it on his shelf. "You have lost the game. Allow me to groom your mane. You will feel better and it will please me to do it."

Benjamin's pulse quickened and his eyes widened a bit as the jZav'Etch scooted closer, slipping her right leg behind him. He didn't know what to do when her fingers settled lightly on his shoulders and then gently turned him so she could get to his tangled hair. Hesitantly he leaned his head forward, giving her better access to the knots and bits of whatever was ensnared.

Ima' Nef'Tn clamped down hard on herself to keep from purring. She felt a good deal of pleasure at the trust this Human was showing, though, she could smell the nervous uncertainty coming off of him. She did not understand why it was important to her that Benjamin impart his trust. She only knew it pleased her. She admitted, though, Chep 'Urt vEss's comments about her breasts and hips probably had something to do with her interest in this male. A male Chep 'Urt vEss did not like.

Eyes wandering nervously back and forth over his walls and floor, Benjamin sat as taut as a wire in uncertain anticipation. He felt the alien's claws rake gently through his hair for the first time and nearly jumped up to escape. Instead, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down. Angela had told him he needed to stop being crazy. The saner part of his consciousness knew she had only visited in a dream and it was his own subconscious that had spoken through her. The instinct driven part of Benjamin knew absolutely that Angela had been there, though, and if she said he needed to stop being crazy, then he damned well was going to try.

"Ben 'Jamin," Ima' Nef'Tn said, leaning around him so that their eyes could meet. Her small breasts were pressed into his shoulder, but she didn't seem to notice. Benjamin certainly did and his body began to react. She held out her hand with quite a few sticks and dried leaves, and was that a piece of shell? "Where to dispose of this?"

"Ummm..." Couldn't just throw the stuff on the floor. Wouldn't be tidy and what if he had visitors? Benjamin glanced around quickly and locked on the old ration can. He snatched it up and held it out to her. Without thinking he said, "Just put it in here."

Ima' Nef'Tn quirked her ears forward at his English and considered asking him to repeat the words in Japanese, but it was evident what he meant and there was no real teasing to be had from this question. She dropped the small knot of hair and debris into the container and went back to grooming him.

Benjamin's smell pleased her. Under the nervous scent was a wild scent she had not smelled before and given how sensitive jZav'Etch were to olfactory stimulants she could not help her reaction. After being cooped up in ships or stations for the better part of a year with their recycled air and the smells of plastics, carbons and other jZav'Etch she wanted to enjoy this Human scent as long as she could. It took her a good deal of restraint not to nuzzle the back of his neck to get her nose as full of him as possible. She restrained herself, though. He was a virtual stranger and more than that, he was a Human. Yes, she had read several romances involving Humans, but those were just fantasies. She understood she knew little of real Humans and would need to be prudent in her interactions with this male.

Small twigs and pieces of leaves along with loose tufts of hair continued to fall from Ima' Nef'Tn's fingers into the old ration can. Benjamin watched as they collected in its bottom and was surprised at just how much of the stuff there was. How long had it been since he had washed himself properly? He was instantly distracted from this question when the female felinoid shifted, pressing her breasts into his shoulder again. Ima' Nef'Tn was perched next to him just shy of intimately close, but he did not think she was being any more than friendly. Couldn't be. She was, after all, simply doing him a favor by grooming his hair. Still, her proximity and the warmth of her body was occupying a large portion of his attention in spite of his efforts to ignore her attributes. Her markedly and very pleasantly feminine attributes.

It had been far too long since Benjamin had been with a woman and the gentle contact, innocent as it might be and regardless of the fact she was not Human and came equipped with a full coat of fine, soft red-gold fur, was producing a fairly embarrassing result. So far she had not noticed his erection ineffectually concealed under his blanket. Or perhaps she had simply been too polite to mention it. But what might happen if or when she did? Would she understand what it meant? What if she did? Would she be insulted or interested? How would he himself feel if she expressed interest? How did he feel now?

That brought on another line of thought and Benjamin tried to parse out how he felt about the whole situation, not just the immediate contact he was having with Ima' Nef'Tn. She wasn't Human. None of them were. Did that really bother him? No. They were real, unlike the pigmy elephant.

"I should have kept him around," he murmured distractedly.

Ima' Nef'Tn made a questioning sound and leaned out a little so she could see his face better. She really had pretty eyes and damnit! Had she intentionally brushed her nipples across his arm? Surely not. Couldn't have. It had been an accident. An accident and nothing more. Right. An accident.

"Sorry," he apologized and then remembered to speak Japanese. In that language he said, "I was just thinking out loud. Apologies."

"Speaking your thoughts?" she asked.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I have been alone for too long, I think. I grew... uh... um..." He searched for the word and found it. "Um... accustomed to saying things I thought because there was no one to hear me."

"I understand," she said and returned to picking bits out of his hair. She shifted a little nearer, her breasts pressing against his arm for a long heartbeat and then she settled behind him to continue grooming. The inside of her left thigh was now snug against his left hip and the warmth of her spread up his side and down his leg. It felt rather nice, really. And yet...

Benjamin's mind shot off down half a dozen rabbit holes he had not expected ever to roam. At least, he would not have expected to go down any of those rabbit holes before having met these aliens. It wasn't as if he had anything in particular against aliens. By no means. Benjamin had lived and worked with a lot of aliens over the years and had even had a fairly serious relationship with a Vespan. At least, as serious a relationship as a Vespan was capable of. They'd dated exclusively which was something Vespans did to please the Humans they found particularly interesting.

"Man she was good in the sack. Relationships with Vespans and Humans never last, though," Benjamin grumbled, again not realizing he spoke aloud.

"Ben 'Jamin?" Ima' Nef'Tn queried and leaned around to look him in the face again. This time both of her breasts pressed firmly against his back and stayed there. Her thigh on his hip suddenly felt even warmer and her Golden Savanna scent made him feel light headed.

"W... Wh... What?" he asked, blinking confusedly at her, all too aware of the intimate contact.

"You spoke again," she said with a smirk. Her eyes blinked innocently as she continued to press her breasts against his back.

"Oh. Um... I... was just... um... remembering something," he said. He could distinctly feel the soft points of her nipples through her tight under shirt now. Her breasts were not as large as the other big female with the big boobs or the small one with the big boobs, but Ima' Nef'Tn's nipples were certainly large enough to be noticed. The realization sent his thoughts running down a new rabbit hole and he returned to his memories and his ruminations as she snorted out an amused sound and returned to her ministrations. Was she purring?

Aside from the Vespan girl there had also been that one Thimkein he had dated. Never slept with her, but that's not to say he wouldn't have. Tall and willowy with gleaming jet black skin and hair like polished silver, she had been truly beautiful. Thimkein were not quite Human looking, but like many races they were similar anatomically. Thimkein faces were dominated by a pair of large, monochromatic eyes usually of a deep, deep blue but sometimes ranging into very dark purple. Those eyes ruled over smooth features which included lush lips with a naturally reddish hue, high cheek bones and a nose that could be described as petite if one were inclined to exaggerate how large it was. The males had strong jaws that sported vestigial tusks. The females had no tusks, but their teeth were universally even and very white, standing out starkly against their jet-black skin.

"What was her name?" Benjamin wondered out loud. "I should be able to remember."

Ima' Nef'Tn snickered behind him and he realized he had spoken his thoughts once more. He felt her shift closer, the heat of her body increased and her hands began to move through his hair more slowly.

"Ben 'Jamin san," she breathed in his ear. "Tell me what it is like where you are from."

"What it's like?" he asked in English and then switched instantly to Japanese. "Well, I lived on Tah-Sidhe Station."

"Te'ah-Shee'? This is a jZav'Etch word," she said, sounding surprised and pleased. "It is a spirit in myth. A thing that dwells in a place beyond sight. You understand?"

"I think so," Benjamin said with a nod. He frowned, suddenly uncomfortable with how close Ima' Nef'Tn had gotten. After so long a time alone any contact should be welcome, but the strangeness, the newness...

Suddenly, Benjamin wanted no more to do with any of them! He thrust himself to his feet leaving Ima' Nef'Tn with a tuft of hair and a bewilder expression.

"Look," he said, clutching his hands tightly together and pacing nervously like a trapped animal. "It's very nice of you to want to help me, but I think I need to... um... I think I better go have a... I need to get some air or something. Yeah! I need to go have a shower. I need a shower! And I should... Um... Um... get dinner started! Yes! Have to carve the meat and get a good fire going and... Um..." He shot a desperate look at her, his eyes hollow. "I'll finish my hair myself."

Ima' Nef'Tn blinked in confusion at his words and bizarre behavior. What had happened to set him off? She was so surprised by the unexpected turn of events she did nothing when Benjamin threw open the chest against the wall and snatched a small bag out of it. She sat with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide as he stormed out of the enclosure and rapidly strode towards the back of the cave.

"What was that about?" she whispered to herself. She had not understood his English and could not fathom why he had gone from relatively calm and obviously aroused to near panicked flight as if a switch had been flipped. Perhaps her teasing had not been welcome. Did Human females not tease the males they took a liking to? She had never been particularly skilled at teasing. Perhaps she had moved too rapidly? And why was she teasing Ben 'Jamin? They had only just met. Then she recalled she was supposed to keep an eye on the Human to be sure he did not harm her companions or himself.

Up she sprang, snatched the medical kit from the shelf and trotted quickly after him, dogging his steps but not closing. She felt she should keep her distance in case her presence caused further distress. Down a gradual decline she followed him until the walls of the cave began to close in and the roof came into view from out of the shadows above. There was more than enough light from patches of glowing moss for her to see her way and even when he took a sharp turn she was not worried about losing Benjamin. His scent was distinct and she was certain she could have followed him in pitch dark.

She came to the turning and discovered it was not actually a tunnel that branched off the main cave. Rather, it was a gap in the wall that plunged into a dimly lit chimney in the stone. Looking down revealed only a small patch of light at the bottom. Ima' Nef'Tn hesitated for a heartbeat before lowering herself into the gap, finding toeholds and ridges easily. She did not know how far she climbed down, but it was several times her own height before she came to a smooth floor. A glance showed she was in a claustrophobic little chamber hardly large enough for her to turn around. A tiny patch of moss above her head illuminated the space and revealed a low opening she would have to crawl through. Beyond that was a dimly lit passage and she had to wonder how Benjamin had gotten away from her so quickly.

Perhaps it was the cramped space or it could have been the knowledge that Benjamin was a Human who was not in his right mind, regardless, she drew her pistol before creeping into the opening, all her senses alive. She mentally reproached herself for not telling someone where she was going, but there hadn't really been time and she hadn't realized Benjamin would leave the main chamber.

"I should go back," Ima' Nef'Tn whispered and looked over her shoulder uncertainly. Her attention was almost instantly drawn back by the sound of splashing water and a deep sigh of relief. Her whiskers vibrated and her tail lashed uncertainly. Slowly, awkwardly she crept forward on elbows and the balls of her feet, finally emerging into another tunnel large enough for her to stand upright. It continued into blackness ahead of her. To her left, though, it turned sharply around a corner of rock and there was a very dim glow. It was from that direction the sound of splashing water came.

Rising she stalked along smooth stone on silent feet until she could see around the corner. Benjamin stood under a shower of clear water. His long mane of dark hair was lathered in some sort of sweet smelling foam and where the foam traced its way over his wide shoulders and down his broad chest it left clean tracks through dirt she had not realized had been there. His skin was somewhat lighter than it had first appeared. Because she was concentrating so much on the change in the human's appearance it took her a moment to notice the chamber was rapidly filling with steam. The water was hot. She looked up to the source of the shower and saw some sort of tank fastened to the ceiling. There was no showerhead, though. Instead the water poured off a flat stone somehow mounted below the tank in such a way that it poured into the middle of the small space.

Benjamin spent several Taq'a* raking a plastic comb through his hair and beard, occasionally having to pull hard and coming away with small tangles and more of the sticks and other debris. Finally, when he was satisfied and could run his comb through his hair without it snagging he turned to cleaning his body. Methodically he scrubbed with a small rag at stubborn patches of dirt until his skin was clean and shining. After rinsing away the last of the soap Benjamin remained under the shower, turning his face up so that flowing water washed over him. Opening his lips he took a mouthful, swishing it around a bit before spitting it out.

Fascinated, Ima' Nef'Tn continued to watch while he took a small brush and scrubbed his teeth. She had never considered Humans and jZav'Etch would bathe in so similar a manner. It made sense, but it had never occurred to her. When he was done Benjamin reached up, his hand disappearing behind the water tank. He made a motion as if he were moving a lever and the water cut off instantly. He sighed, sounding satisfied.